my visit to heaven

• Life After Death
• Inspirational Stories , Life After Death , Mysterious Ways

Share this story

The Man Who Visited Heaven Speaks

• Peter Panagore

Peter Panagore was a college student ice climbing on his spring break when mistakes on the mountain caused him to die from hypothermia. We asked him some questions about the aftermath of his near-death experience.

Peter Panagore was a college student ice climbing on his spring break when mistakes on the mountain caused him to die from hypothermia. His first-person account of his journey to heaven—and back—was featured in  Mysterious Ways . We asked Peter some questions about the aftermath of his near-death experience, or NDE…

How does your journey to heaven and back continue to affect your life?

Every moment of every day God is present to me. I feel less isolated, but there are times that I know that my thinking and eccentric behavior makes me the strange one. I like to be out in nature, because out in nature, the purity of God’s spirit pervades all things, plants, water, sky, stone, and animals. Out there, I feel most at home.

One day when I was in Manhattan for a few days of work, I went out for a long walk and I prayed. I began to feel the spirit of peace, of contentment and presence that I feel when I walk in the woods and I realized that it was coming from the people around me on the sidewalks. They were nature and radiating the presence of as a tree would, as stone might, as a songbird’s song does.

I walked for hours though the mass of humanity as if immersed in the wilderness where the spirit of God is strongest.

How has your experience in heaven influenced your prayer life?

After I came back from my NDE, the Catholic charismatic prayer group that I had been a part of was not enough any more. I practiced meditative prayer everyday for decades until my prayer became burned into my mind so deeply that it now it plays as an endless loop inside my subconscious. Sometimes it rises up on its own and I find my mind in prayer without my intention making it so.

In this way, as Paul said, I have learned to pray ceaselessly. Prayer is my only way back to God while I am here on earth. Prayer is my refuge and my strength. My NDE drove me in desperation to find a way or ways to let more light in, to create more space for God inside me, to sit as close to God as I could.

Can you share a story from your work as “midwife to the dying”? There was a man, the father of one of my daughter’s friends, who contracted Hepatitis C. He was a rough man, but loving to his family, and not a churchgoer at all. One afternoon the hospital called me, because I knew the whole family, and because he was dying. I met with the family in the hospital’s waiting room to speak with them about their grief.

A nurse popped into the waiting room and asked me to please come with her. I went and she closed the waiting room door behind us. She asked me to put a gown on, a mask and gloves, because the man was convulsing with fear and pain. He asked for me. He was afraid of death, of God.

MORE FROM PETER PANAGORE: HEAVEN—A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT

He leaned up against me, and he was saying how he had been a bad a man, how he’d done awful things, and that he knew that he was dying, and feared judgment. I quieted myself in prayer, and whispered into his ear, that God loved him, and already knew all and everything about him, nothing was hidden, and if he was remorseful, which he was, and carried that remorse with him when he died, that surely God would welcome him home and forgive him.

I calmed his fears, he relaxed and quieted down, and believed me. He died with a look of peace upon his face.

Have you experienced a dream or event that you believe was a message or messenger from heaven? One Friday, night I was an on-air auctioneer on Maine Public TV’s annual fundraiser broadcast until close to midnight. I drank a lot of coffee off camera all night long, which means that when I finally go to bed around 2 a.m., I could not sleep a wink. The next morning, when the whole family got up around 7 a.m., I got up, too, and in order to be civil, I drank more coffee, even though I was exhausted.

The kids were doing homework at the kitchen table with my wife and I went to lie down on our sofa in our sunroom and closed my eyes to meditate and many rest a little. As soon as I began my prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” my soul was plucked by God and taken from body. I was taken into a level of heaven.

READ MORE: A JOURNEY TO HEAVEN

I don’t know what else to call it, but I was just like I had been when I was dead, only this time I was moving rapidly toward the light of God above. This heaven was full of music, of cosmic sound, of the choir of angels; it was the most beautiful sound that I had ever heard—an incredible beauty.

The whole thing took about three hours, and when it was over, I was lost in this world again, just like that night on the mountainside when I had first come back and was dangling on my harness. I saw my wife standing in the door, but I did not know who she was. My wife saw my disorientation on my face and in my jangled body movements and she said, “Your name is Peter Panagore. I am your wife. You are in your home.”

Later on in the day, when I was more myself in this world, she said that she knew something was going on and that she was concerned because there were times during those three hours I was unresponsive in a way that indicated that I was not asleep.

How have your relationships with other people, family members, spouse, been impacted by your journey to heaven and back? I asked my wife to help answer this question, and she said that on the positive side I see more deeply into the complexities of emotions and psychologies that make up individuals, and am from her point of view much less judgmental of the motivations and sins of others. From my point of view all sins are equal when compared to the majesty of God, so who am I to judge another? And who knows what private pain had driven them to make the choices that they made?

READ MORE: SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES

She also said that my years of work with the homeless and the poor arise from my seeing humanity very simply. We are all souls equally encased in bodies and all are beloved of God, and those who suffer the most need the most care. I see the rich and the poor with the egalitarian eye of my heart. No one is greater or lesser, and I am no better and no worse then the best or worst of humanity.

On the negative side, I live life with what are generally considered eccentricities because I see what isn’t seen by others. For instance I insist on keeping part of our yard as a micro-habitat in which birds, bees, insects, wild flowers and mammals can thrive. My neighbors only see an un-mown lawn.

The biggest negative is my non-attachment to time. I see all things, even relationships, as temporary, because, in the end we all die and go home.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers? Throughout my life, I kept reflecting on what happened to me that night and in those reflections God keeps unfolding more truth and understanding to me, about what I experienced. And yet it made me rebellious against God after my NDE. God gave me the choice to come back or stay but in choosing to come back here, I lost myself, I lost my own life, or the life that I would have had had I not died.

With the gift of the NDE came the curse of being separate, estranged from, and outside of all humanity (except, I later learned, from those like me who have had an NDE.) I could never explain to anyone what I was feeling, or how I thought, or what I experienced. And then I wrote this book, and it was a healing process to finally get it out of me.

READ MORE: REVEALING HEAVEN

I expect that there will be more learning for me, more truth to come, and more understanding. All in all, I am gratified that I came back. I have beautiful and loving children, and a tolerant and loving wife who has long endured my strangeness, my eccentricities, my distance, and my otherworldliness.

But mostly, I see now that my calling, my “not living my own life,” is to do my best to point at God and in my own small way try to point the way home for those with ears to hear, and a heart to seek. Speaking about God’s eternal love and reality is all that I want to do here in this life.

I live life seeking fun and adventure as distractions, as thrills, with the blessing of knowing that in the end I get to go back to where I came from, thanks be to God who was, who is, and who shall be evermore and eternally, love.

Witnessing Heaven Series

True Stories of Transformation from Near-Death Experiences

Join the extraordinary Witnessing Heaven series and take an unforgettable journey through the stories of real people, just like you, who took a miraculous journey to heaven and back. Some of the books in the series are:

• Book 1: Heavenly Encounters
• Book 2: Messages from Heaven
• Book 3: Transformed by Heaven
• Book 4: A Love Beyond Words
• Book 5: A Choir of Angels
• Book 6: Scenes from Heaven
• Book 7: A Joy Like No Other
• Book 8: A Glorious Light
• Book 9: In The Presence of Love
• Book 10: Wonders of Heaven

You can join the series and save $2 per book, or you can purchase each book individually.

Community Newsletter

Get more inspiration delivered to your inbox.

• More Life After Death

Faith vs. Science?

How faith and science can both be true—and how one teenager knew his life here on earth was significant.

A Box of Memories Brought Him Closer to His Late Wife

In the garage he found mementos that reminded him of moments—big and small—from their long and happy relationship.

A Final Christmas Gift from Her Son Helped Her Cope with Her Grief

She lost her son just days after Christmas. Then a special angel helped her begin the healing process.

Can You Visit Heaven Now?

by Cherise Best | Dec 30, 2022 | Christian Living , Heaven , Prayer

Psalm 139 is one of my favorite chapters in the book of Psalms. I love this chapter because it reminds me how much God the Father loves me. It talks about how God knitted each of us in our mother’s womb. Psalm 139 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Today I want to take a look at one verse that has shaped the way I pray. 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭16‬ ‭(ESV) says, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Did you know God has written a book all about you? I imagine my book is called “The Life of Cherise Best: My Masterpiece.” Your book has a unique title that fits who God envisioned when he created you. 

In the book about you, God wrote about each day of your life. I imagine it like a chronicle of what his desires are for you for each day you live in your physical body on earth. It begins with the moment you take your first breath to the moment you take your last. 

God Has A Plan For You

We hear all the time that God has a plan for us. That’s all well and good, but how do we know what that plan is? I think we can know exactly what that plan is if we read the book God wrote about us. I know, you are likely thinking, “ I would love to read the book God wrote about me, but there is one gigantic problem: my book is in Heaven with God and I can’t get there.” Well, yes, that’s true in a sense. You can’t physically go to Heaven and read your book. However, you must remember you aren’t just a physical body. You have a spirit too. Your spirit is not bound to the earth like your physical body is. 

My Visit To Heaven

Our spirit is free to visit Heaven. All we have to do is ask the Lord to send our spirits there by faith. I’ve asked God if I could have a tour of Heaven before. Then I said, “I know you are a good Father who gives good things to his children when they ask. By faith I believe that you will show me Heaven.”

After I prayed that prayer I saw myself sitting on a bench in a courtyard, overlooking a stream in Heaven. A child came up to me and said, “Hello.” He ran off behind me toward the center of the courtyard. I turned to watch him, and he started dancing. He was very talented. He could do gravity defying moves, like jumping in the air and staying there while he did flips and spins, then landing on his feet. A few minutes later a whole bunch of kids came, and they had a dance party. They were all having so much fun! I enjoyed watching them as they played like kids should do. 

The same kid walked over to me and asked if I wanted to see what school was like there. I said yes. We walked over to a circular area with an outdoor amphitheater, and a chalkboard appeared on the stage. I had an understanding that this is where they do a portion of their classroom training. It was so nice being outside in the perfect weather. I could imagine it was a fun place to learn. 

First Part Of Their Education

Then I was shown that this is just one of the places they have school. Other places were utilized for education as well. They go to the courthouse to be taught justice by God the Father. They go out to fields or houses and hear the stories of the Bible. I saw them listening intently to Jesus out in a field, and then they went to Moses’ house to hear about the crossing of the Red Sea. As Moses recounted the miraculous story, everyone could see it happen in real time too, like a 3D movie playing in the air.

Then the kid told me that they each take tests to see where they have talents and what areas they excel in. Then they work on those skills. I saw a training center for warriors, complete with an obstacle course. Everything they did in training was fun and enjoyable. I watched one kid try to do the course. He eventually got knocked off by a huge hammer contraption. It sent him flying in the air, but the kid didn’t get hurt. He actually enjoyed it. A parachute came out, and he floated to the ground. It was all part of the training game. 

Then I saw the healing school. These kids were being taught about the instruments used to heal people. I saw the golden liquid used to treat wounds to heal them. I saw them learning how to pray for healing. Then I heard, “Learn how to pray for people. Learn to intercede for them. Learn how to pray for healing.” That was my lesson! 

Then we went to the armor building area. I watched kids making swords. Each kid had a different design they drew on the blade. They were beautiful. 

Endless Choices

Then the kid told me the jobs are endless. I then saw there was an area for artists learning to paint and sculpt. There were jobs for everyone that are specific to them. The choices were endless. That was the end of my tour of Heaven for that time. 

You may be wondering how I can be sure I was actually seeing what happens in Heaven. The answer to that is I can’t. I have to have faith that what God showed me is from him. After all, I was in prayer at the time. You may also be wondering if I have any Biblical backing for being able to visit Heaven now. I do. 

We Are Seated With Jesus

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ (‭ESV)‬‬ says, “and (God) raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (words in parenthesis mine). We are currently seated with Christ in heavenly places. Well, we know that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father in 3rd heaven. So if we are in the same place as Christ Jesus, then we must also be seated in 3rd heaven.

Notice we have already been raised; it’s not something that will happen. This is something that has already happened. I can look around and see that my physical body is not in 3rd heaven. My body is clearly in 1st heaven. So if my body is in 1st heaven, which part of me is in 3rd heaven? My spirit is in 3rd heaven, seated with Jesus in heavenly places. If my spirit is able to go to 3rd heaven, then my spirit can tell my soul (my mind) what it’s like there. That’s why when I saw that vision of heaven, I saw it in my imagination where my mind is. 

We also know that Paul knew someone who was “caught up” to 3rd heaven. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭(ESV‬‬). Besides Paul, we also know that John was taken to 3rd heaven when he was given the revelation of Jesus Christ, which resulted in the book of Revelation. So there is a precedent for Christians going to 3rd heaven in visions. 

These Things Still Happen Today

God still desires his children to have visions and spiritual dreams. We are told in ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭28‬ ‭(ESV‬‬), “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” We are living in those days my friend. Have you asked God to give you visions or spiritual dreams? If you haven’t, I encourage you to do so. It’s super fun! Also, check out Brett’s journey into prayer and visions.

‬‬How To Pray

So we now know that God has written a book about each of us and keeps it in 3rd heaven. We know that our spirits are able to go to 3rd heaven and see things. We know our spirits are able to tell our soul (minds) what it is like in heaven. Why can’t our spirits read our books and tell our souls what it says? This is how Psalm 139 has shaped the way I pray. Each morning I ask my spirit to go read my book and tell me what is on the agenda for that day. I also tell God that I want to complete everything he has written about me in my book. I know the things God has written for me to do are going to be amazing, and I want to accomplish all that he put me on earth to accomplish. 

Then I go about my day, and when I don’t know what I should do next, I ask my spirit to tell me what is next. Something will pop into my mind, and I will go do that task. Sometimes I hear, “ Watch this podcast video.” Other times I may hear, “Go for a walk with your daughter,” or, “Go send that text.” It doesn’t matter what it is; I strive to do whatever I hear. Am I perfect? Absolutely not! However, praying in this way does help keep me from getting distracted. Knowing I am doing the things God wrote about me makes me feel happy. 

Now It’s Your Turn

I encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to give you his vision. Pray he will tune your hearing to the frequency of his voice, and tune your mind to be on the frequency of his thoughts. That way you will be able to see like he sees, hear like he hears, and think like he thinks. This is also something I pray everyday, and it has changed my life. I want my eyes, ears, and mind to be so in tune with God that I hear him speak clearly. I pray the same for you. 

Recent Posts

• Journey into a Life of Prayer Using the Lord’s Prayer Part 4
• Journey into a Life of Prayer Using The Lord’s Prayer: Part 3
• Journey into a Life of Prayer Using The Lord’s Prayer: Part 2
• Testimony Time: Brett’s Journey into a Life of Prayer
• What Happens When Jesus Speaks

Recent Comments

• Linda on Living a Life in God’s Glory
• Cherise Best on 2023: The Year of Fruitful Effort
• Nicole Staha on 2023: The Year of Fruitful Effort
• Linda on Ancient Jewish Weddings and the Christian Life
• Merrill Fortune on How Does God Describe Me?

Spotify is currently not available in your country.

Follow us online to find out when we launch., spotify gives you instant access to millions of songs – from old favorites to the latest hits. just hit play to stream anything you like..

Listen everywhere

Spotify works on your computer, mobile, tablet and TV.

Unlimited, ad-free music

No ads. No interruptions. Just music.

Download music & listen offline

Keep playing, even when you don't have a connection.

Premium sounds better

Get ready for incredible sound quality.

• Literature & Fiction

Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Amazon Prime includes:

Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.

• Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
• Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
• Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
• A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
• Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
• Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

Important:  Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.

Return this item for free

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

• Go to your orders and start the return
• Select your preferred free shipping option
• Drop off and leave!

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

My Visit To Heaven: And How The Lord Healed Me Paperback – September 1, 2012

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 42 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Literary Licensing, LLC
• Publication date September 1, 2012
• Dimensions 5.98 x 0.09 x 9.02 inches
• ISBN-10 1258466732
• ISBN-13 978-1258466732
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Literary Licensing, LLC (September 1, 2012)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 42 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1258466732
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1258466732
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.98 x 0.09 x 9.02 inches
• #184,510 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

David Jeremiah Blog

Turning Point's Free Online Library of Bible Strong Content

Discover the home of Dr. Jeremiah's study of Bible prophecy, Revelation: The World Tour.

What Happens When We Die? 4 Biblical Answers to Common Questions

Disneyland has been dubbed “the happiest place on earth.” And for most children, it probably is. If you’ve ever taken a child to one of the Disney resorts, you’ve probably enjoyed the anxious anticipation almost as much as the actual theme park. On the way to the Magic Kingdom, choruses of Are we there yet? resound from the backseat. As they become seasoned experts, children find landmarks to gauge how much longer the drive will take. They often enter the park with mental lists of which rides they want to go on and a shorter list of rides they hope to avoid. It’s wonderful to watch their excitement.

For God’s people, something far greater than a theme park awaits us after death. The home Jesus has prepared for us in heaven exceeds anything we can imagine. But there are no videos or colorful brochures to fuel our anticipation.

It contains all the details we need to know about heaven.

As we anticipate heaven, let’s look at biblical answers to four common questions about the journey from this life to the next. 

What Happens If I Die Before the Rapture?

When a believer dies, his body goes in the grave and “falls asleep.” But his soul does not sleep; his soul goes to Paradise (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; Luke 23:43) .

In Scripture, “falling asleep” is a softened term for the believer’s death. For instance, when Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers, he said: “I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Paul wasn’t talking about falling asleep, like we fall asleep at night. He was describing the death of Christians.

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated “to fall asleep” is koimao , which means “to recline.” This same word was also used to describe someone who slept in a hotel for one night and the next day would get up and continue his or her journey. This is a beautiful image of what happens to believers’ bodies when they die. Their body goes to sleep, awaiting the resurrection at the Rapture—while their soul goes to be with the Lord in heaven.

What If My Body Is Cremated?

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes, “And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body” (v. 37-38).

Paul is using an illustration here. If you put a kernel of corn into the ground and let it grow, the green stalk that comes out of the ground is not the kernel. It’s part of the kernel; it represents the kernel, but it’s not the same as the original kernel. In other words, the body that comes out of the grave on the day of resurrection is different from the body that went into the grave.

Whether we have a body in a grave to be resurrected or our body is to be destroyed by fire or some other disaster, an incorruptible body will be resurrected to join with Christ in the air on that great day. Cremation does not, in any way, prevent us from experiencing the fullness of heaven.

Can I Lose My Salvation?

There is an age-old saying about blood being thicker than water. It points to the strength of family bonds as something more enduring than bonds of friendship. This is certainly true in the case of God’s family. When we are united by faith with Jesus Christ, we are adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15-17) . We become “joint heirs with Christ”; we inherit the promise of heaven and eternal life. Because God raised Jesus from the dead to reign in heaven forever, we inherit the same future as co-heirs with Christ of God’s promises. And those promises are founded on the most well-known verses in the Bible: John 3:16-17. Here is the promise: All who believe in Christ will not perish but will live eternally in heaven. How secure is that promise? Jesus said nobody can snatch those who are His out of His hand (John 10:28).

Have you believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior? If so, then you are destined to spend eternity with Him in the glory of heaven.

Does Everyone Go to Heaven When They Die?

One of the defining aspects of heaven is the opportunity to spend eternity with the Man who created us and gave His life to rescue us from the consequences of sin. If we do not know Jesus in this life, we will not know Him in the next.  We will have no part in the new heaven, the new earth, or the city of New Jerusalem . Not everyone will be admitted to the heavenly city.

The only people allowed in heaven are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. There are no exceptions. You won’t be able to argue your way into that city, con your way in, sneak in, or bribe your way in. If you have not accepted God’s plan for your life and received His forgiveness for your sin, when the moment comes, you will be denied entrance into heaven and into the city we have described.

I don’t want that to happen to you! To learn more about reconciling your relationship with God, be sure to read “How to Become a Christian.”

This article is largely excerpted from David Jeremiah’s Answers to Questions About Heaven .

Continue your study of angels, demons, and heaven with these other articles by David Jeremiah:

Angels and demons q&a, what do angels look like, what does the bible really say about guardian angels, who is lucifer, what does the bible say about angels understanding heaven’s mighty warriors, what does the bible say about lucifer, demons, and the nephilim understanding the origins of evil, embracing eternity: is there life after death, what kind of rewards will believers receive in heaven, do i have a guardian angel and other questions answered about angels, the loss of a loved one: moving from grief to hope.

• Do Children Go to Heaven? What Happens to the Souls of Little Ones When They Die?

8 Heavenly Truths That Can Change Your Life Today

What will i do in heaven, do dogs go to heaven and other questions you’ve wondered about heaven, 3 biblical truths for handling grief, 9 insider secrets about heaven, pop quiz: will i go to heaven, what does the bible say about heaven 65 passages to get you started, am i going to heaven.

You Might Also Enjoy

Stay connected, recent articles.

• Finding Strength in the Savior Devotionals
• What Is the Difference Between the Rapture and the Second Coming?
• Seven Churches of Revelation Bible Study
• Mother’s Day Bible Study: 4 Qualities of Great Encouragers

About Dr. David Jeremiah

Dr. David Jeremiah is one of America’s most trusted Bible teachers. For more than 39 years he has helped millions deepen their understanding of the Bible through 4,552 daily Turning Point Radio releases and a daily Turning Point Television program that reaches millions of people globally. More »

Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom. Thomas Watson

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful. Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved. J. C. Ryle

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure. Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day. M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World , 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside. 2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there. Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world. Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled  The Righteous Father ? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections. Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol. D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow. J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares. Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves. W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins. G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is  acting like the offense never occurred . But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility. Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers , from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable. John Calvin

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death. William Gurnall

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one. E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all. C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession. Richard Sibbes