Posted on 02/27/2011 8:27:34 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Heaven is for Real – the story of a 4-year-old boy’s glimpse into the afterlife – has topped the New York Times Best Sellers List for seven consecutive weeks – setting a new record for book publisher Thomas Nelson, Inc.
During the week of March 6, Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back will be listed as the #1 "nonfiction paperback" and #1 "print hardcover and paperback combined.” The book’s authors include Pastor Todd Burpo, his wife Sonja, and their son Colton. Lynn Vincent, a New York Times best-selling writer, also contributed to the book.
"It has been incredible to watch the contagious enthusiasm of readers drive the success of Heaven is for Real," said Michael Hyatt, Thomas Nelson chairman and Chief Executive Officer, according to a statement.
“Colton's story gives a wonderful glimpse into what lies ahead for believers, and encourages us to embrace our childlike faith.”
The book is based on the true story of a pastor’s son in a small town in Nebraska.
Colton Burpo suffered from a life-threatening illness when he was just 4 years old. While undergoing surgery, the young boy slips into unconsciousness and enters heaven. He ultimately survives and begins to recount an out-of-body experience to his family – who remain skeptical at first. Soon, they come to believe the child’s story.
Though the story is told through Colton’s eyes, the book is written by his father, Todd Burpo, in cooperation with Lynn Vincent.
Throughout the story, the message is simple: heaven is a real place; Jesus really loves children; be ready, there is a coming last battle.
Since its release in November last year, the book’s sales continue to surpass expectations, says the book’s publisher.
It is currently ranked #6 by USA Today, #4 for nonfiction paperback by Publisher's Weekly, #4 for nonfiction paperback by National Public Radio, and #3 by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.
At the time of this writing, Heaven is for Real has reached its one millionth print.
The boy says the following on Fox
Grampy Joe is there. So’s John the Baptist! They’re playing pinochle together!
Speaking of the Father he says
“Yeah,” Colton says. “He can actually fit the entire world into his hands.”
At this point, even Gretchen Carlson seems like she’s beginning to have doubts.
“Wow,” she says, after an embarrassed pause. “What about Jesus?”
“Well, Jesus, he had a rough but kind face, sea-blue eyes and a smile that lit up the heavens,” Colton says, which coincidentally sounds a lot like Jesus’s Match.com profile.
Now does anyone here really believe this? God who is spirit has large hands and Jesus who was jewish has blue eyes.. then to pass time there is always a card game
I’m reading this book right now. This little guy knows things he shouldn’t know about God, the bible and heaven. It’s amazing!!!
Explain reincarnation.
I read this book last week. It is brief and fairly inexpensive. If you have a Kindle, you could be reading it right now for about $6.
It was interesting and inspiring, and an enjoyable read. I read it all in one sitting.
I had an occasional skeptic alert though, because there are some things that struck me as all too convenient. But the boy and his experience have been on my mind ever since, and the story has given me a lot to think about.
I recommend the book, if only so the reader can make up his/her own mind about it, rather than drawing conclusions from reviews.
What is Elijah’s state when Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses on the Mount? Or is that a vision of the future?
What if the 144,000 are the 2 witnesses? The House of Judah and the House of Israel bearing witness against the world.
Why does it say war will be made against the 2 witnesses? And why is that only 2 people?
Pretty easy to kill 2 people. But against a larger group it would be more like war?
When they’re prophets of old, with all the powers granted them, I’d say the two would be quite capable of inflicting much upon the world, as the Bible clearly says, and that the world would indeed feel compelled to wage war with them.
I'll take a shot at this.
This is where gramma takes the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and breathes new life into it by magically transforming it into a new and yummy dish. ;-)
I’m going to ponder Isaiah 44 some more.
I’d think Malachai 4 given the subject at hand, but by all means. I’m curious how it pertains.
Fred, you are sort of right. The Bible specifically says that John was in “spirit and power” of Elijah. In one of Jesus’ comments about John the Baptist he said something along the line of ‘if you can receive it this is the Elijah who was to come.’
In other words, there were great similarities between JtB and Elijah. Many Christians, myself included, suggest that prior to the 2d coming of Christ that Elijah might be one of the “two witnesses” spoken of in Revelation.
There's something in Jeremiah. Looking. Ah. Zechariah.
Zechariah 4:11-14 and Jeremiah 11:16-17
11 Then I answered and said to him,"What are these two olive trees — at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" 12 And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?" 13 Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 14 So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth." (NKJV)
JEREMIAH 11:16 The LORD called your name, Green Olive Tree, lovely and of good fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken. 17 For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the House of Israel and of the House of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal." (NKJV)
Now off to read Malachai.
Thanks x. Please see post 32. The first part is Isaiah 44.
Thanks, Fred.
Don’t forget the Revelation 11 passage.
OK, this is a big source of my confusion.
Indeed, Jesus did tell the thief that he would be with Jesus that very day in paradise.
And yet, Lord Jesus did not ascend to Heaven until the 3rd day. He was not resurrected for 2 more days thereafter. So Jesus was in Paradise on day 1, but not in Heaven with God for 2 more days beyond that.
Paradise obviously is not in Heaven. God the Father is in Heaven, not in Paradise. Adam and Ever were in Paradise, not in Heaven.
So the question clearly remains - do saved souls go straight to Heaven or are they all in holding awaiting the final judgment day?
Maybe we need to think extra-dimensionally. We don’t know that heaven is limited to a single dimension of time as we are.
Your “belief” that reincarnation was connected to what happened to that little boy prompted my response. You should check with a priest about believing in reincarnation. I don’t believe that it’s part of Catholic doctrine at all. You should at least understand what Catholic “beliefs” are or you could easily end up “believing” anything.
May God bless you.
Agreed. It can be no other way if one believes in Jesus Christ as king and saviour.
You have it right. But tradition has screwed up the biblical narrative.
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