Heaven is for Real

[evangelist6589]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0849948363/?tag=baptis04-20

This book has 2,700 reviews on Amazon and according to the publisher 7 million have read it. Most of the books I read dont have allot of reviews on amazon, and no one seems to care about them as they get ignored. This shows the values of our culture as most are only interested in self-help, and experience oriented books. This was predicted in the Bible in 2 Tim 3 I believe.

Okay has anyone read this book and what are your thoughts? Expert Apologist Hank Hanegraaf has not spoken well of this book, and given what I see there are some issues as well given the unbiblical content I have looked at, however I have not read the book, just seen clippings of content. What are your thoughts?


John

 

[annsni]

I have heard rave reviews from so many but I seriously question the book. I've not read it myself, however. If I can get it for free I will but otherwise, I most likely will not.

 

[Amy.G]

I have serious doubts about near death experiences. Even Paul said he could not speak about what he saw when the Lord took him to heaven.

I saw an interview with the little boy whom the book is about and in it he was asked what does Jesus look like. He said He had blue eyes. That was enough for me.

 

[th1bill]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0849948363/?tag=baptis04-20

This book has 2,700 reviews on Amazon and according to the publisher 7 million have read it. Most of the books I read dont have allot of reviews on amazon, and no one seems to care about them as they get ignored. This shows the values of our culture as most are only interested in self-help, and experience oriented books. This was predicted in the Bible in 2 Tim 3 I believe.

Okay has anyone read this book and what are your thoughts? Expert Apologist Hank Hanegraaf has not spoken well of this book, and given what I see there are some issues as well given the unbiblical content I have looked at, however I have not read the book, just seen clippings of content. What are your thoughts?


John

John,
I resapect Hank and love v6the work he deoes but I must disagree with him on thisw matter. I have not read his review but I have read this work and I found great encouragement from it. I found it to be a great instrument to demonstrate the truth of the statement taught in the scriptures about the lack of time in Heaven. This youngster did things in three minutes in Heaven that would take no less than several hours here on earth.

 

[abcgrad94]

I read the book and it was a good read. There were some things that happened that had to have been supernatural, like the boy knowing his dad was praying, even though the dad was alone and the boy was not conscious. It was also remarkable that the child's memory of Jesus was exactly the same as that of another little girl who had a near-death or some such experience. He also claimed he saw a grandfather who had died before his birth, and confirmed it when shown an old pic he had never seen before. So yes, I do believe the little boy saw something and did indeed experience something supernatural.

That said, the Bible is God's final authority and it trumps "experience." So, if something conflicts with God's word, it is in error. I wondered about him saying that Christ's eyes were blue, as the apostle John described them as a "flame of fire."

 

[evangelist6589]

I read the book and it was a good read. There were some things that happened that had to have been supernatural, like the boy knowing his dad was praying, even though the dad was alone and the boy was not conscious. It was also remarkable that the child's memory of Jesus was exactly the same as that of another little girl who had a near-death or some such experience. He also claimed he saw a grandfather who had died before his birth, and confirmed it when shown an old pic he had never seen before. So yes, I do believe the little boy saw something and did indeed experience something supernatural.

That said, the Bible is God's final authority and it trumps "experience." So, if something conflicts with God's word, it is in error. I wondered about him saying that Christ's eyes were blue, as the apostle John described them as a "flame of fire."

Demons can do these things and give people experiences. Once I saw a show on Unsolved Mysteries or some show of a man that got struck by lightening, was pronouned dead, but came back alive. He had an experience and after that become a mystic totally in the new age movement. I believe that devils/demons were behind the whole thing. How they can do this is beyond me. But reading Dr. Lutzers books I am starting to believe him.

 

[th1bill]

Demons can do these things and give people experiences. Once I saw a show on Unsolved Mysteries or some show of a man that got struck by lightening, was pronouned dead, but came back alive. He had an experience and after that become a mystic totally in the new age movement. I believe that devils/demons were behind the whole thing. How they can do this is beyond me. But reading Dr. Lutzers books I am starting to believe him.

If we are the servants, bond-servants of Jesus, we will judge these folks by their fruits (Matt. 7:1-27) and if a thing is not from our LORD will strike it down.

This book and the second version for youth and children could have been printed in the hardback, exclusively, and generated a great deal more revenue. Personally, I'll choose not to condemn but to wait to see what Jesus does and then follow Him.

 

[asterisktom]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0849948363/?tag=baptis04-20

This book has 2,700 reviews on Amazon and according to the publisher 7 million have read it. Most of the books I read dont have allot of reviews on amazon, and no one seems to care about them as they get ignored. This shows the values of our culture as most are only interested in self-help, and experience oriented books. This was predicted in the Bible in 2 Tim 3 I believe.

Okay has anyone read this book and what are your thoughts? Expert Apologist Hank Hanegraaf has not spoken well of this book, and given what I see there are some issues as well given the unbiblical content I have looked at, however I have not read the book, just seen clippings of content. What are your thoughts?


John

The fact that this book received four and a half stars in Amazon just shows our current lack of discernment in today's Christendom. Not having read the book - it would be hard to get where I am - I read enough from the reviews to pick up a bunch of red flags. There are factual mistakes in this boys purported vision - or, perhaps, real vision of a purported Jesus.

He sees His scar in His palms, not wrists. This was contrary to standard practice and would not be possible. Hanging from the palms would not support the body weight. The bones are too insubstantial.

Also, Jesus did not have bright blue eyes.

There are several others, but there is no need to go on. Moreover this is not the witnessing tool that some Christians think it is. Id people do not believe the gospel when presented they will not believe someone's story about the other life. Christ Himself told us this.

This is just the newest trendy end-run around the old, old Story, the gospel. It smacks of phoniness and chicanery. Not the boy's, I don't think. But I do believe he was probably coached and his vision optimized for public consumption (= book sales). Yes, that is being judgmental. Actually, it is just being as wise as serpents.

 

[annsni]

I very much respect Tim Challies for his reviews of books and he wrote a review on Heaven is for Real.

http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/heaven-is-for-real

He doesn't recommend it.

 

[Gershom]

I read the book and it was a good read. There were some things that happened that had to have been supernatural, like the boy knowing his dad was praying, even though the dad was alone and the boy was not conscious. It was also remarkable that the child's memory of Jesus was exactly the same as that of another little girl who had a near-death or some such experience. He also claimed he saw a grandfather who had died before his birth, and confirmed it when shown an old pic he had never seen before. So yes, I do believe the little boy saw something and did indeed experience something supernatural.

That said, the Bible is God's final authority and it trumps "experience." So, if something conflicts with God's word, it is in error. I wondered about him saying that Christ's eyes were blue, as the apostle John described them as a "flame of fire."

Ever seen blue flames? :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Gershom]

The fact that this book received four and a half stars in Amazon just shows our current lack of discernment in today's Christendom. Not having read the book - it would be hard to get where I am - I read enough from the reviews to pick up a bunch of red flags. There are factual mistakes in this boys purported vision - or, perhaps, real vision of a purported Jesus.

He sees His scar in His palms, not wrists. This was contrary to standard practice and would not be possible. Hanging from the palms would not support the body weight. The bones are too insubstantial.

Also, Jesus did not have bright blue eyes.

There are several others, but there is no need to go on. Moreover this is not the witnessing tool that some Christians think it is. Id people do not believe the gospel when presented they will not believe someone's story about the other life. Christ Himself told us this.

This is just the newest trendy end-run around the old, old Story, the gospel. It smacks of phoniness and chicanery. Not the boy's, I don't think. But I do believe he was probably coached and his vision optimized for public consumption (= book sales). Yes, that is being judgmental. Actually, it is just being as wise as serpents.

Perhaps the nails through his feet would offer some support to push Himself to take much of the weight away from the hands. He wasn't dangling by His hands.

 

[Aaron]

Here are Christ's words on the matter concerning convincing men of heaven and hell:

They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
​

 

[evangelist6589]

If we are the servants, bond-servants of Jesus, we will judge these folks by their fruits (Matt. 7:1-27) and if a thing is not from our LORD will strike it down.

This book and the second version for youth and children could have been printed in the hardback, exclusively, and generated a great deal more revenue. Personally, I'll choose not to condemn but to wait to see what Jesus does and then follow Him.

I have heard good reports of the book from trusted sources on FaceBook. I may need to read it myself.

 

[evangelist6589]

The fact that this book received four and a half stars in Amazon just shows our current lack of discernment in today's Christendom. Not having read the book - it would be hard to get where I am - I read enough from the reviews to pick up a bunch of red flags. There are factual mistakes in this boys purported vision - or, perhaps, real vision of a purported Jesus.

He sees His scar in His palms, not wrists. This was contrary to standard practice and would not be possible. Hanging from the palms would not support the body weight. The bones are too insubstantial.

Also, Jesus did not have bright blue eyes.

There are several others, but there is no need to go on. Moreover this is not the witnessing tool that some Christians think it is. Id people do not believe the gospel when presented they will not believe someone's story about the other life. Christ Himself told us this.

This is just the newest trendy end-run around the old, old Story, the gospel. It smacks of phoniness and chicanery. Not the boy's, I don't think. But I do believe he was probably coached and his vision optimized for public consumption (= book sales). Yes, that is being judgmental. Actually, it is just being as wise as serpents.

Very well spoken indeed. Many christians lack discernment these days. Do a search for a book on discernment and see how many reviews it has, and you will fine very few. Yes book by Erwin Lutzer, John MacArthur, and David Jeremiah do not get as many reviews as these mystical experience type books.

 

[evangelist6589]

I very much respect Tim Challies for his reviews of books and he wrote a review on Heaven is for Real.

http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/heaven-is-for-real

He doesn't recommend it.

I dont know Tim Challies but have heard of him. I am angry at why his book on discernment has become so popular, when Erwin Lutzer wrote a much better one a decade earlier that was not popular.

 

[Iconoclast]

Here are Christ's words on the matter concerning convincing men of heaven and hell:

They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
​

It is a sad day when professed christians would entertain that this kind of thing should be given a second look. it is an attack on the sufficency of scripture,and a denial of the word.

 

[annsni]

I dont know Tim Challies but have heard of him. I am angry at why his book on discernment has become so popular, when Erwin Lutzer wrote a much better one a decade earlier that was not popular.

So you write off what Challies has to say? I read his discernment book and it was excellent. I've also read Lutzer's book and it was excellent as well. Why the anger?

 

[evangelist6589]

So you write off what Challies has to say? I read his discernment book and it was excellent. I've also read Lutzer's book and it was excellent as well. Why the anger?

Well maybe I should give him an honest chance. The advantage the Lutzer book has over MacArthur's version is that its far easier to read, understand, and apply. I never read Tim's book, but I have skimmed it.

 

[annsni]

Well maybe I should give him an honest chance. The advantage the Lutzer book has over MacArthur's version is that its far easier to read, understand, and apply. I never read Tim's book, but I have skimmed it.

Just because an author wrote a book that became popular when someone else's book on the same subject didn't doesn't mean that the author is bad, a poor judge or has a heretical view. He's excellent. I'd highly recommend that you look at his blog. I get a lot of interesting stuff from there from reviews on books to wallpaper for my computer to being able to read great interviews.

 

[evangelist6589]

Just because an author wrote a book that became popular when someone else's book on the same subject didn't doesn't mean that the author is bad, a poor judge or has a heretical view. He's excellent. I'd highly recommend that you look at his blog. I get a lot of interesting stuff from there from reviews on books to wallpaper for my computer to being able to read great interviews.

Mark Driscol is also very popular and I cant stomach that man's preaching nor books. I have been to his blog and his site, yes. I may one day get his book, but it would have to have something real special about it, and what my current books do not provide. Is there any advantages his book has over my Lutzer & MacArthur discernment books?