90 Minutes in Heaven

[webdog]

1. Four experts pronounced him dead, an SBC pastor says God told him to prayer over the dead body of Don Piper, Don Piper says he goes to heaven and even heard heavenly music that are still in his head, the SBC pastor begins to sing a song at the end of his prayer to which Don Piper wakes up and then begins to sing along.

2. Let's just say that I don't really don't know what to make of it. Was Don Piper really dead? Were the experts on target? Should this be interpreted as a supernatural phenomenon?

I still don't know what to make of it, either. My point, though, was that I don't believe he is lying...he may be confused about what actually happened, or he may have encountered something amazing, but to accuse him of lying is wrong, IMO.

 

[TCGreek]

I still don't know what to make of it, either. My point, though, was that I don't believe he is lying...he may be confused about what actually happened, or he may have encountered something amazing, but to accuse him of lying is wrong, IMO.

For now, I'm in agreement with you.

 

[Steven2006]

When my aunt (who was saved) was dying of cancer had an experience that was similar. She was in very bad shape and near death. Close family members were beside her bed. She had hardly been able to even communicate for quite some time, and in severe pain. Suddenly she sat up in bed, all her color had come back to her face, and she spoke just as lively as before she was ever sick. She pointed to what was just a plain hospital wall, and said oh look how beautiful. She described the most beautiful flowers and fields of grass she had ever seen Then she started to talk the Lord. She was thrilled and said yes, I am coming Lord. She died peacefully and happily very shortly later. I believe what she described was real.

I don't know anything about this book or this mans story, but I wouldn't call him a liar. It could very well he only had a near death experience and was just confused in his mid, but then he still wouldn't be lying would he? He would believe it even though it may have been some sort of dream state. He could be mistaken about actually being in heaven, and still not be lying because he believes it to be true.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

He could be mistaken about actually being in heaven, and still not be lying because he believes it to be true.

Correct, and such delusions would fall into choice #2. Which BTW, is about as likely as #3, IMO. However, the simplest explanation (like I said, Occam's Razor) remains #3. Note, I never accused him of lying, I don't know.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

Regardless of what happened to the man, if he preaches Christ and Him crucified and risen from the dead I am happy for it.

 

[Sopranette]

One of the most interesting parts of the story is the preacher who chose to pray over him even after being told by several people he was already dead, even while there were others who were badly hurt but still alive. That part does send a little chill up my spine!

love,

Sopranette

 

[PastorSBC1303]

I would like to get this book and read it. This sounds like an amazing event.

I agree with web that it is wrong to accuse the man of lying.

I have a man in my church who has a very detailed story of a near death experience he had while going through a heart surgery. I would never think of calling him a liar, but just trust what he says and know that God works in mysterious ways at times.

 

[Pipedude]

We learn about death and the afterlife from God's word, not from anecdotes. The world is full of uncanny stories. Some resemble biblical statements, some contradict them. All such anecdotes have equal authority: zero. All such anecdotes deserve equal consideration from biblical Christians: zero.

I hope Piper is doing fine and has a great ministry, but I will not give his experience ten minutes of analysis, nor should anyone else.

 

[TaterTot]

I wont say its not true, but I do tend to be skeptical ever since I had a cousin who was in a terrible car accident told us about a similar experience she had. It involved seeing our grandparents, one of which we had never met (and she supposedly described him to a T), and being in heaven and hearing God's voice, knowing his presence...she was very detailed with what she saw and heard only problem was...she is Mormon.

 

[here now]

Hi all,
I heard Don Piper telling his story on TBN recently. He said that he was just about to go through the pearly gates when he heard someone singing the hymn What A Friend We Have In Jesus....and then he said all of the sudden he was back in the car with the Baptist pastor and they were both singing the hymn.
He also said that before that when he was about to enter through the gates he could see Jesus. Another thing he said was that noone there had any scars or imperfections except for Jesus, He still had His scars...as a reminder.

IMO, I think that Piper was not dead but as someone else on here mentioned, his pulse was just very shallow. There are many, many accounts of people who have been declared dead, in hospitals, who have awakened much later.

Also IMO, God sent the Pastor back there to pray for him so that someone would be there when Piper regained consciousness so that it would not go unnoticed that he was still alive.

I want to be very clear:
I am not saying that Piper is lying.
He may wholeheartedly believe what he experienced was Heaven.

In Christ,
Here Now

 

[standingfirminChrist]

The story is at the least, questionable. The Word of God states:

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)

If this man died as he claims, then he shouldn't die again. And wouldn't this mean that he has already been judged?

The Word of God tells us that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord"... yet this man did not say he saw the Lord first. NO, he saw friends and family.

I think his book is pure fiction.

 

[LeBuick]

There are several in scripture who were dead and brought back to life. Are you saying none of them died again?

 

[webdog]

Hi all,
I heard Don Piper telling his story on TBN recently. He said that he was just about to go through the pearly gates when he heard someone singing the hymn What A Friend We Have In Jesus....and then he said all of the sudden he was back in the car with the Baptist pastor and they were both singing the hymn.
He also said that before that when he was about to enter through the gates he could see Jesus. Another thing he said was that noone there had any scars or imperfections except for Jesus, He still had His scars...as a reminder.

IMO, I think that Piper was not dead but as someone else on here mentioned, his pulse was just very shallow. There are many, many accounts of people who have been declared dead, in hospitals, who have awakened much later.

Also IMO, God sent the Pastor back there to pray for him so that someone would be there when Piper regained consciousness so that it would not go unnoticed that he was still alive.

I want to be very clear:
I am not saying that Piper is lying.
He may wholeheartedly believe what he experienced was Heaven.

In Christ,
Here Now

This tends to be how I'm leaning on this. I never thought about the pastor being there to notify the ems when he regained consciousness. Very plausible.

 

[scubablt]

Funny Comment

I wonder if the Lord told Don how much money to charge for his book about his experience.

Dude! I must admit this is a funny statement that you made! I am not sure about all this 90-minute in Heaven stuff, but your comment is a funny one. :laugh: I believe in Heaven, etc., but I wonder @ this one? I read the book, believe I am going to Heaven, etc., but this is pretty extreme...(?)

 

[D28guy]

Of the three options that were listed lying about it is clearly the least likely, imo.

I tend toward believing its completly true. (of course, I am pretty much a "Bapticostal". We tend to believe things like this more than a standard Baptists) The fact that he only gave the "outer" area of heaven rather than inside the gate where the intense light was explains why no Christ.

The fact that he wrote a book about it doesnt bother me. I'm sure he also gives the testimony free when he has opportunity. Maybe all the profits from the book go to his church.

God bless,

Mike

 

[standingfirminChrist]

Again, the Word of God says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Since he never saw Christ, he could not have been in Christ's presence. Hence, he was not dead.

 

[just-want-peace]

Of the three options that were listed lying about it is clearly the least likely, imo.

I tend toward believing its completly true. (of course, I am pretty much a "Bapticostal". We tend to believe things like this more than a standard Baptists) The fact that he only gave the "outer" area of heaven rather than inside the gate where the intense light was explains why no Christ.

The fact that he wrote a book about it doesnt bother me. I'm sure he also gives the testimony free when he has opportunity. Maybe all the profits from the book go to his church.

God bless,

Mike

Bolded mine!

I'm with you Mike!

Mat 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

I've often wondered why the miracles are so few in the US, but this verse and it's appropriateness to this thread answers that "wonder"!

I'm amazed at the # of so-called believers that deny any possibility of a miracle, yet admit that they don't know the man or the story. May God have mercy on the "CHRISTIANS" of this nation!

Skepticism is fine, but at least have some knowledge of that which you're skeptical of.

MARANATHA

 

[standingfirminChrist]

I am amazed at the # of people who believe the man died and went to heaven without seeing the Lord when the Word of God says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Who you gonna believe? The man and his book? or the Lord and His Word?

I believe the latter.

 

[webdog]

I am amazed at the # of people who believe the man died and went to heaven without seeing the Lord when the Word of God says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Who you gonna believe? The man and his book? or the Lord and His Word?

I believe the latter.

Does being present with the Lord mean side by side...or in the same place?

 

[standingfirminChrist]

I believe it is with the Lord. I have no reason to believe otherwise.

If the man never saw the Lord, can it truly be said he was with the Lord?