Will the Resurrection explode burial urns, or will the redeemed person come out like a Genie?

Ever thought about the resurrection?

Needless to say since I've written fiction, I have an exercised imagination.

Today, after a visit to the cemetery with my brother to see his wife's headstone, I got to thinking about what a commotion will happen when the trump of God sounds, calling the living and the dead who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ to new life. But at the resurrection, what about those who were cremated?

Here's one section of scripture that talks about the resurrection:

"Behold,    I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will suond, and the dead will be reaised incorruptiblle, and we shall be changed.

"For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

 The saying is prophesided in Isaiah 25:8: He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces."

The Book of Revelation also talks about prophecy and end times, and here's an interesting portion: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of LIfe. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death  and Hades delievered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

"Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:12-15).

A few verses more tells you about the new heaven and new earth, and you read this from St. John, who saw the vision:

 "And I heard a  loud voice from heaven saying 'Behold the tabernacle of Goid is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no mor death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Read on, for there are more exciting things told to help us look forward to what God has prepared for us and Jesus talked about in John 14."Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Peter's first real sermon was about life

So sorry I've neglected this blog. You probably know I also blog at http://www.inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com


Here are the great words Peter preached after the fulfillment of the prophecy Jesus made just before He ascended into heaven. Jesus told the crowd of 500 men, plus women and young folks, they would be filled with power after the Holy Ghost came upon them--and they would be His witnesses.

When Jesus went up and the clouds received Him out of their sight, they obeyed the Lord's command and went to tarry for the promised Gift. When the Holy Spirit descended on them, a crowd gathered asking "What does this mean?"

Peter was the boisterous disciple who bragged he would die for Christ, yet after the Lord was arrested, denied he even knew Him. Sorry and feeling unworthy, Peter quit the ministry and went back to fishing. But then, one night Jesus had cooked dinner on the beach and asked Peter if he loved him.
"Lord, you know I love you," Peter kept saying.
Finally, Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
Now after what Jesus promised occurred and Peter's heart was aflame with joy burning in his soul, he couldn’t help but notice a large crowd had gathered.  They overheard what was happening in the Upper Room."What does this mean?" they asked.

Peter stood. "Men of Israel," he began, in a manner typical of speakers in that day, "Listen to this. Jesus of Nazareth was a man accreditied by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge,; and you, with the help of wicked men,put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 

"But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it ws impossible for death to keep its hold on him."

Peter reminded them of prophecies about God raising Jesus to life.

"Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Almost in unison the crowd cried, "What shall we do?"

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."

In the scripture passage in Acts 2, Peter goes on to say if they received Christ they could receive the Holy Spirit, and the promise would be for them, for their children and their children's children...literally all who are afar off.
Even before He was executed on the cross and rose from the tomb, Jesus said, "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Before long the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. Because I live, you shall live also" (John 14:18-19).
That brings us back to John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son; that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life."

EVER DOUBT GOD'S LOVE? THEN LISTEN TO THIS.

Here's some of the last words St. John wrote in the book of Revelation from his vision of Jesus and end times as we know it.

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. I say the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared a a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'"

This is from Revelation 21. An abundance of information and inspiring scripture is contained in these last two chapters of the New Testament. If you have a Bible, open it and read.

WHAT WILL WE DO IN HEAVEN?

What Will We Do in Heaven?                    

            "Will we play basketball in heaven?" a high school student asked me in the Sunday school class I taught. "If we do, it won't be any fun because everything will be perfect. Nobody would make any mistakes."

            I could have said, “Well, basketball is out.  First you’ll have to take harp lessons.  Then I think you’ll have to lose weight so you won’t fall through the clouds.... And you’d better not tromp on the flowers, or skateboard on the streets of gold....”

            Can you imagine teens wanting to go there? Maybe you wouldn’t want to go, either.

            Now that I’m older and passed up the opportunity here to do a few things, I tell folks when I get my new immortal body that will never get injured and can’t be killed I’m going to skydive, snow and water ski, and do all sorts of dangerous sports—maybe even bull riding!

            Well, I’ll admit the Bible doesn’t say there will be bulls in heaven, but I know horses are there because Jesus will come back on a White Horse.

            You wonder, Well, what did you tell the kid who likes basketball?

Activities will be different

When the high school student asked that question, I had no idea what to say. I prayed silently for wisdom before I answered. I had never even given such an idea thought, but I said, "Keith, I don't know. But I believe heaven will be so much higher and so much better than what we have here on earth that it's like comparing being a child to being an adult.

            "When you're a child, you play with dolls and toy cars. But when you are an adult you have real babies and drive a real car.

            "When you're a kid, if an adult would tell you that you can't play with dolls or toy cars after you get "big", the child would scream and holler and decide he didn't want to grow up. But once he does, he doesn't want the toys anymore because he has the real thing.

            "I think that's the way heaven will be. It will fulfill our every desire and give us so much joy what we had here will seem like child’s play."

            The Bible tells us heaven will exceed earthly experiences. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).

            This is a paraphrase from Isaiah 64:4. But we do have some knowledge because God has revealed it to us by His Spirit, the next verse says.

            If we search the scriptures, we find out a lot about heaven.

Will we be on another planet?

You've probably wondered exactly where it is.

            The Apostle Paul talked about the "third heaven". Some Jews believe God's abode was in the seventh heaven.

            I have always believed the first heaven was where the clouds float in puffy white shapes on our air and where birds fly. The second heaven is where the planets and stars and located, and the third heaven is where God is.

Will we be beamed up like in Star Wars?

            Jesus went up into heaven and a cloud received him out of the sight of the 500 people gathered on the mountaintop. But we don't know exactly what happened when the cloud hid him from view. Was he suddenly "beamed up" and immediately at the right hand of the Father?

            Certainly his trip wouldn't be at any speed earthlings would recognize, because a short time later Stephen was being stoned and had a vision of heaven, and Jesus was standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56).

            If we needed to know where heaven is, I'm sure Jesus would have told us. In John 14 when Jesus described his destination, where he also would prepare a place for us, old Doubting Thomas said, "We don't know where you are going, and how can we know the way?"

            Jesus answered, "Where I go you know--and you know the way."

            He further explained that He is the Way, and that no one can come to the Father without going through Him.

            Philip then asked Jesus to show him the Father.

Will we see and visit with God?      

We humans like things we can see, feel and touch. Have you ever felt like asking Jesus to show us God and heaven?

            Jesus told Philip, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you don’t know Me, Philip?  He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father?' Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?"

            The mystery of the trinity surfaces here, but yet one thing is clear. If you have learned to trust in Jesus, you also trust in God, because he is God the Son.  If you have a real relationship with Jesus, you don't need to see God the Father. You can see His works. You can attest to the validity of His Word because you’ve probably witnessed answers the prayer, changed lives, as well as observed how you are miraculously and wonderfully made, as well as the whole universe.

            Yet, when venturing into the unknown our faith, like Phillip’s, grows weak.

Is God really making a place for me?

Perhaps life on earth for us is similar to a young person leaving for college. The student doesn't actually need to see the money his parents promises to pay tuition and room and board, or  will send when spending money is needed.

            If the student knows his parents love him and are faithful stewards, he just accepts his parents' promises will become reality.

            The whole discussion with Philip began after Jesus told the disciples he was going away to prepare a place for them. Jesus also said He would come back to get them so that where he was, they could be, too (John 14).

            The story could be compared to any number of families from foreign countries where the husband immigrated to the United States, leaving behind a wife and family after America was discovered.

            "When I get a job, a house and enough money saved, I'll send for you," men by the thousands promised.

            The wife and children often waited years before the husband had enough money saved to send for his family. But most wives remained faithful to the man because they knew him and he kept his word.

            I think of my Jewish friend, Ruth Stein, whose parents were separated by half a world for eight years of their marriage.

            Three years after Yocheved Chalodney and Sam Dobin were married in a little village near Smoensk, Russia, Dobin immigrated to the United States. He thought his wife, child, and the baby his wife was expecting, would follow soon to the land of opportunity.

            Instead, by the time he had enough money to send for them, World War I was in progress.

            For six years, the Russian village didn't even receive mail. War was so close artillery fire vibrated the windows.

            In the fall of 1921, the hoped-for letter from Ruth's father arrived, and soon the family landed in New York, ready to go to Pueblo, Colo., to a city and a home they had never seen.

            But Philip wanted more from Jesus than Mrs. Dobin required of her husband, although Philip had seen Jesus walk on water, open blind eyes and raise the dead.

            Philip was the fourth disciple to leave all and follow Jesus. But at the Last Supper Philip still hadn't grasped Who Jesus is.

            Philip, along with the rest of the disciples, forsook Jesus and fled in Gethsemane when the Master was arrested.

            But Philip must have eventually understood what Jesus told him about where He was going, and how he could know the way to get there.       As were the other disciples (except Judas), Philip was changed by the Resurrection and Pentecost. His faith was so secure, tradition says Philip gave his life for his faith.

            Philip finally knew Jesus, he knew the Father, and there was no doubt where he was going.

What to I have to be like to get there?        

Where heaven is, what it's like, and exactly what we'll do isn't important when you're in love with Jesus.

            We know He'll be there, and as the Bride of Christ, we, the born-again believers who are the church, don't need to see the home He's prepared, the joy we'll have, or what we'll do throughout eternity before we believe his promises that we'll have no more tears and we'll have joy unspeakable and full of glory.

            Not long after Carolyn died, one of her friends had a vision in the middle of the day of Carolyn in heaven.

            When my son-in-law, Michael, related the vision to me, I felt skepticism, although it would have felt good to believe it.

            Carolyn's friend saw a city with lots of excitement where everyone was busy as if preparing for a great event. Carolyn was sitting at one of many white grand pianos that extended as far as the woman could see. The pianists were preparing for something special, that could have been the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the great celebration that will occur in heaven, right after the Rapture, the catching away of the church.

            My first reaction was "Pianos in heaven?"

            Sure, we'd heard there'd be harps there. But I thought pianos were so earthly and so attached to mortals.

            I assumed, at first, Carolyn's friend might have seen something heavenly interpreted in earthly terms, if the vision were, indeed, from God.

            But then, I thought, the vision could be exactly a picture of heaven. Many things we have here have roots in heaven, such as music.

            If God made us in his own image, why would he not also allow humans to invent and learn about things that He appreciates enough to allow in heaven?

In the woman's vision, she said Carolyn was playing the piano and she peeked between the open lid and keyboard and smiled at her.

            Nevertheless, I don't know for sure pianos will be in heaven.

            Anyone who tells you what will be there has no proof outside of what is written in the Bible.       Those who have had near-death experiences who say they've seen heaven, or atheistic psychologists who say it's all wishful thinking or a change of chemicals in the brain, can argue forever -- but never prove their point one way or the other.

            We can't get to heaven without dying (unless we are living when Christ returns for the church) and until our flesh is totally dead and we're in that eternal city, we won't know everything about it.

            The same human mind that can't comprehend a Heavenly Father with no beginning and no end can't seem to grasp heaven, either.

            So we must accept heaven by faith.

THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD

Henry Drummond took a New Testament from his hip picket at an 1881 party among country friends in England. As Drummond began to speak on the greatest thing in the world, Evangelist Dwight L. Moody decided he’d never heard anything so beautiful. Moody decided he wouldn’t rest until Drummond’s book, The Greatest Thing in the World, was read before students in all his schools. “The one great need in our Christian life is love, more love to God and to each other,” Moody wrote as his introduction to Drummond’s little book, now a classic. “Would that we could all move into that Love chapter and live there.” Today, more than ever, our children, our spouses, our extended family, students we teach, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, need to know they are loved. They also need to learn how to love others, God and themselves. Love not only is the greatest thing in the world, love is a God-designed weapon that intercepts Satan’s missiles and blasts through devastating circumstances so we can tunnel through to a victorious life. Of all the books I’ve read outside of the Bible, Henry Drummond’s book has had the most impact on me. Here’s what Drummond says about anger, perhaps the biggest obstacle to demonstrating love. “No form of vice, not worldliness, not greed of gold, not drunkenness itself does more to unchristianize society than evil temper. For embittering life, for breaking up communities, for destroying the most sacred relationships, for devastating homes, for withering up men and women, for taking the bloom of childhood, in short, for sheer gratuitous misery-producing power, this influence stands alone.” The book, first published in 1880, is still available on the internet. My copy is a reprint by Revell Publishing and I’ve had it since 1960. Many lives have been impacted by Drummond’s writing, including mine. ©Ada Brownell 2012

An encouraging word from the Psalmist

Psalm 27:1-5.14 NKJ The Lord is my light and my salvation; Who, shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army should encamp against me, My heart shall not fear, Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.... Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! From Ada: What is "waiting?" The way I understand it, it's kneeling, talking to God, listening for Him to speak to us, and then trusting He will answer.

WHERE DOES FAITH COME FROM?

 “Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see. Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel. Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow. Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior. Your eyes see your guilt. Your faith sees His blood.”[i]

The above is Max Lucado’s paraphrase of Hebrews 11:11(NIV): “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 

But where does faith originate?

1.                  Our Creator wrapped faith in our DNA

Dr. Andrew Newberg, neuroscientist and author of "Why We Believe What We Believe," says our brains seem to have a special place for faith. He has tracked how the human brain processes religion and spirituality. It's all part of new field called neurotheology.[1]

Newberg says the frontal lobe, the area right behind our foreheads, helps us focus our attention in prayer and meditation. The pari-et-al lobe, located near the backs of our skulls, is the seat of our sensory information. He says it's involved in that feeling of becoming part of something greater than oneself. The limbic system, nestled deep in the center, regulates our emotions and is responsible for feelings of awe and joy.

Newberg says similar areas of the brain are affected during prayer and meditation. He suggests brain scans may provide proof that our brains are built to believe in God. He says there may be universal features of the human mind that actually make it easier for us to believe in a higher power.

I believe people search for God because of the “God-shaped void” within. If they haven’t heard the gospel or reject it, they worship the earth, an idol they know is nothing but a figure humans created, or devise their own religion—even making unbelief into doctrine.

2.                  God has given each person the ability to believe and his own lump of faith: “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:2-4).

Often people, who don’t think they believe, find themselves praying when they or a loved one is in danger. A cry for God’s help comes from us spontaneously sometimes in crisis.

3.                  Faith arises from the need to know our Heavenly Father. Since the Lord gave humankind a choice of whether to serve Him, God prevents us from “proving” He exists and leaves that and other vacancies for our faith to fill.

In my book, Swallowed by LIFE: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal, I tell how medical science and common sense show we’re more than a body,  discovering our whole body keeps daying and regenerating cell by cell,  parts being removed and sometimes another transplanted from someone else.  Yet there is room for doubt when it comes to proving we have a soul that lives forever.  We have to believe the evidence.

4.                  Faith comes through hearing the Word—the gospel.

The Apostle Paul wrote “Faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17NIV).

 Because faith is necessary to be redeemed from sin and to have our name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, God “breathed” truth into those who wrote His love message to humankind. It is through that love letter—the Bible—we gain knowledge of Him and why He allows us (anybody) to choose to accept it and love and obey Him.

 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2Timothy 3:16KJ).

5.         Faith results from acting on what was heard. From Romans 10NIV: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved…. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

6.          Faith comes through the will. We decide whether to believe God’s Word, a false religion, or atheism. Everything about who we are, why we are here and where we are going takes faith. Yet it takes a leap—a decision.

7.         Faith is created by combining belief with common-sense actions. James calls it faith and works. (James 2:22).

8.         Faith develops out of our hopes. We hope for something, but it takes faith to receive it.

9.         Faith can come as a fruit (KJ) and Gift of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22, 1 Corinthians 12:9).

10.        Faith comes from a combination of our will to believe, and the Holy Spirit’s revelation. The Word must be planted, watered, and then our lives bear fruit.

---

[1]CNN report by A. Chris Gajilan on April 4, 2007,

---

[i] Excerpted from Everyday Blessings, Max Lucado, “What Faith Sees,” http://www.maxlucado.com/

©Ada Brownell 2012