A Glimpse Of Heaven

It is tremendous that in the midst of the unveiling and revelation of all the apocalyptic events of the great tribulation and all the terrible judgements to be poured out upon the earth, God allows us a glimpse of heaven and what it will be like. What a contrast and what tremendous words of comfort and assurance He provides in His Word.

Until I had the privilege of staving a few weeks with a pastor friend and preaching in a number of rural churches in the pristine and beautiful mountains of West Virginia, I could not appreciate the words of John Denver's beautiful song, "Almost heaven, West Virginia..." Until my daughter and her family moved to North Carolina, the history, geography and contemporary nature of the place were of little interest to me. But now I find the place has a strange attraction and fascination for me. Perhaps it's because I have loved ones there.

Until I was sure God was calling me to plant churches in the great land down under, I knew very little about it, nor did I have any particular desire to make the long and exhausting plane trip to see it. But now, since I have so many loved ones in Australia, both in the physical and spiritual sense, the Lord has given me a deep love and affinity for the country.

Of course, although there are many beautiful spots on God's green earth, none could compare to the marvellous wonder and beauty of heaven. Even so, the main attraction of heaven for the Christian is not the place but the people. And the main Person Who draws us heavenward is Jesus Christ. In heaven, we shall see Him face to face. Just as our roots sometimes tug at us, drawing us back to the places and people of our origins, so does our heart draw us heavenward and homeward.

But even if the most important aspect of heaven is the presence of God and His people, we should not minimise the awesomeness of heaven itself. Imagine the amazement of our rural forefathers if they could have seen the wonders of our modern cities. I am sure the wonder and awe of heaven will amaze us even more. Heaven is a place designed and built by the architect of this vast universe. "For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (I Cor. 5:1)

Just imagine a place that multiples infinitely the beauty of this earth. Imagine a place without sin or all the sorrows and sadness of earth. Imagine a place of absolute unity and harmony. Imagine a place where all will be equal. Equally rich, equally happy and equally contented. Imagine a place where all will be busy, yet blissfully at peace and rest.  We could go on imagining, but we could never really get more than a glimpse of the wonder of it all!

The Call To Preach

God's calling me to preach was a very special experience.   As I have shared in giving my testimony in times past, the calling was so clear and conclusive that it seemed at the moment I recognised and surrendered to it that He laid a clear life path before me that left me no doubt nor choice but to obey His will!  

It was a dark night after a service and I was sitting with the evangelist who had preached a revival at New Friendship Baptist Church in Benton, Arkansas.  We were sitting on the back-steps of the church overlooking the cemetery.  He was trying to help me determine what had been convicting me all week during the services.  Since I was saved and I knew it and had confidence in my security in Jesus Christ, he was exploring possibilities.  In doing so he just casually said,  "Do you think the Lord might be calling you to preach."   The next thing I knew it was just as if a light flooded my soul and I was sprawled on my face on the ground thanking the Lord for calling me to preach!   Until that moment I had not even entertained such a possibility;  especially since I could not see how a shy country boy like me could be called into the ministry.  After this,  we immediately sought out my Pastor, Gilbert Heflin,  who had been waiting on us on the front steps of the church.  We had a great time of rejoicing and praising God.  

Mom had not attended the services that night.  She was home with the children. Although it was  getting close to midnight the two preachers followed me home to share the good news with Mom,  When she opened the door to let us in Pastor Heflin said,  "Do you know what happened tonight?"  She replied without hesitation:  "My husband surrendered to preach!"  She then said that she had felt this was happening for quite sometime but did not want to mention it to me for fear of influencing me one way or the other.

But this was what might be termed a general calling.  Each step along the way since has been a specific calling to go to a particular place and do a particular work:  the calling to Australia being the greatest challenge.   As far as being called as a missionary is concerned, this has been a matter of specific and special guidance along the way.  I believe we have a permissive will of God as well as a directive will of God for our lives.   I do believe I have always been blessed to be in the directive will of God  but that if I had taken different steps God still could have allowed me to serve Him in a different place.   For instance,  I was tempted to stay at the church we successfully planted in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Avalon Baptist Church,  and try to build a larger soul winning church for the Lord there.  I believe He would have blessed such an effort.  But He called me specifically to Australia.   For instance,  I served at Sherwood Hills Baptist Church in Campbelltown as a Missionary Pastor,  and then got off the mission field and stopped my support from overseas and was an Australian Pastor and Christian School Principal from 1980 to 1989.  Then I felt God's specific leadership to come to the Gold Coast and plant our fourth church for the Lord. Which we successfully did, establishing Hinterland Baptist Church.   My testimony is that the centre of God's will is the safest, most blessed and productive place for any child of God.  God called preachers especially!

The Reason Why

I think it was in 1962. I was in my early thirties. We had four very young children. I was taken to the hospital with a very severe bleeding stomach ulcer. The loss of blood was tremendous and I was given transfusion after transfusion. It was touch and go for a few days. They could not easily stop the bleeding and I well remember one night when the night nurse checked me. It seems my blood pressure was dangerously low and my pulse was scarcely detectable. I faintly remember her cry for emergency assistance. Then the doctor standing over me, surrounded by other medical staff, and my wife standing behind them. The doctor giving me an injection and saying something to effect, "If he doesn't respond in ninety seconds, he is gone".  I also remember the peace I had with God. But I recall as well my concern for my lovely wife and children. I did not want to leave them. Although I was ready to meet the Lord, I asked Him to spare me if it was His will. Praise Him, He did.

A couple of nights later a purpose for it all became crystal clear. God blessed my witnessing to the young nurse. I recall as if it were yesterday that beautiful young night nurse kneeling by my bedside in the wee hours of the night and pouring her heart out to the Lord in true repentance and faith, then rising to her feet, with her face shining and a new song in her heart. I have often wondered about her life since then. I do expect to see her over there and we can rejoice together and fully understand the reason why! - John White