Of prophecy and near-death experiences
It's that time of year -- with the celebration of His Resurrection approaching -- that Hollywood has been releasing movies, in recent times, about near-death experiences.
Two years ago, it was the story of Colton Burpo, a three-year-old boy from Imperial, Nebraska, who described the other side after a medical emergency (during which he says he encountered the Lord). It was the subject of a book and subsequent movie called Heaven Is For Real. When Colton revived he knew things about family members he could not have known and among other matters described seeing the Virgin Mary kneeling before the Throne of God (and in other instances standing beside her Son). This was fascinating because the Burpos are not Catholic! (The book sold ten million in electronic form; unfortunately the Virgin is no longer in his accounts.)
This year it's Miracles From Heaven -- and an unusual account it is: about another youngster, this time a girl of ten, Annabel Beam, who suffered from two incurable diseases (pseudo-obstruction motility disorder and antral hypomotility disorder) that often meant stays in the hospital. To add to her ill fortune, Annabel fell, one day, and head first -- thirty feet -- into a hollow cottonwood tree, passing to the other realm as emergency workers frantically sought to save her. She too, reportedly, saw Jesus and was held by Him.
Remarkably, Beam not only escaped injury from entrapment in that tree but came back cured of those "incurable," life-threatening digestive ailments!
"I asked Jesus if I could stay with Him, and He said, 'No, Annabel, I have plans for you on earth that you cannot fulfill in Heaven ... Whenever I send you back, there will be nothing wrong with you,'" the girl recounted. This is a common theme of such episodes: that they have a mission to complete -- often involving telling others about their experiences.
Mission accomplished.
We're also aware of more obscure brushes with death that involve more elaborate alleged messages from beyond. One recent one -- perhaps the most intriguing in a decade -- involves Sarah Menet, an adult who "died" in 1979 after taking a bottle of pills, a suicide.
When it's a suicide, it gives us a bit of pause. Usually, it's a dark place that's depicted by those who -- by the Grace of God (His Mercy) -- return.
Only He can judge. Sarah had suffered a life of violence (at the hands of her father), exploitation, poverty, and serious illness. She first was shown Heaven but also the dark place. Very detailed, sobering descriptions!
At any rate, Sarah [see below for her book] came back a transformed woman and says:
"Every person, whether black, white, Muslim, Jewish -- it doesn't matter: Presbyterian, Catholic, Mormon, Baptist: we're all precious to Him. He knows each of us by name. Many people are so broken by trials and difficult things. This is a tough world to live in. We are in a true battle and war of good and evil now and we are fighting against a darkness that is covering the whole earth. And the people of God need to stand up and join the army of God and be wiling to put on the armor of truth and carry a banner of goodness and morality and stand up for life and all that is good."
In a 2012 talk at a university she warned the election that year would be the most critical in history -- with the potential of ushering in great deceptions and determining things in our future.
Shown the collapse of buildings in New York during the 1979 experience -- which she relates to 9/11 -- Sarah was led to believe that attack was the mere beginning of various kinds of turmoil that will include terrific economic disturbances, an epidemic in four cities caused by terrorists (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and, oddly, Salt Lake City), a nuclear missile fired upon Israel by Iraqi agents in Libya, marauding gangs in the U.S. as our system breaks down, a huge earthquake in America, and a long winter and famine. In short, a massive breaking down.
Are so many things really in our future?
We'll leave it at that! She gets into much more detail in her book.
Menet believes there will be little "cities" of refuge, where people pray, share with each other, and protect themselves from those marauders who will all but take over the land. What to make of so much mayhem? Is it just a mishmash of all major types of disaster, or something to pray about?
Again, for your discernment. It is certainly very interesting reading -- both from a near-death and prophetic standpoint.
"The United States will be hit with nuclear weapons," she claims she was shown (at least one other major experiencer of death said he was shown the opposite; that God would intervene). In talks, she rails against abortion and gay marriage. Though she says reincarnation is false, she believes in pre-existence: that the soul is crafted in Heaven before earthly life.
According to the detailed visions she asserts, "There will be chaos in every part of the world. Many people ask me, 'Where will it be safe?' but I also give them great hope. I saw pockets of light on the earth. I know the power of God is greater than any army of the earth.
"Having a near-death experience was the greatest thing that ever happened to me," she concludes. "It turned my life -- a life of pain and sadness and defeat -- and not having any self esteem or feeling any worth. I know now that I am a daughter of God."
[Sarah's book here; Books on the afterlife; also: Retreat, Michael Brown in Vandalia, Illinois, April 23: spiritual warfare, prophecy, the afterlife and Retreat announced for Cherry Hill, New Jersey]
[Note: Spirit Daily pilgrimage announced for Guadalupe]
[see also: Is it wrong to seek 'signs'?]
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