I've read through this entire thread - and I've got a lot of different quotes (from a variety of people) here.
Couple of things / questions pop out at me.
What is the Scriptural definition of "communion" of those who are in body as opposed to those who are not? Is the Scripture clear about a distinction between the two?
When believers pass from this earth into eternity; is it Scriptural to believe they take on attributes of God such as omnipresence?
How do we know this is true? All prayers (even pagans) are heard by God; and technically we can say all prayers are answered (yes, no and wait). How do we know though of what those in heaven pray for, other than what is stated in Revelation.
Good point! Are there any other Scriptures that tell us what those in heaven pray for?
I find your experience here intriguing. And though I'm not the kind of person who sees ghosts, demons or angels around every corner. There's an aspect of your experience here I can relate to.
I was in a catastrophic car accident in 2010 and I don't know if this was a dream, a "real" experience of the soul, or a result of being on massive doses of painkillers. LOL I don't know when in the sequences of my consciousness or unconsciousness this happened? I'd lost consciousness on several occasions. The first time was upon the impact of the accident. The second time was in the helicopter on the way to the hospital. Also, I do not recollect most of the rest of that day. I was in the ICU for about 24 hours and I periodically remember waking up screaming in pain. Another "odd" thing happened, that I know was not real; which looking back at it was actually rather comical.
I'll tell you both stories. Contextually, it's important to know that this accident happened on Easter Sunday.
Incident #1 - I remember being in this dark space and wondering: am I dead? And in front of me the darkness ripped open and I saw a male figure standing on the other side of this veil of darkness. I could not see the face because there was so much light coming from behind this figure. The first thought that popped into my head was: Oh, It's Jesus! and I got all happy and started running toward him and just before I got to 'the end of the darkness'. The the figure pointed behind me and said: "No, go back, your son needs you." The next thing I remember was hospital equipment beeping and medical personnel doing something to me. Then I passed out again.
Incident #2 - (This one is funny and I didn't remember it until months later and when I got my medical records from the lawyer after the settlement, the verbal exchange I had with the staff and what they did as a result was in the medical record. So I know the conversation was real.)
I was calling for someone and a staff came into the room. I kept asking her: "Where'd he go?" She couldn't understand me, so she called a nurse and they are both standing there while I'm asking: "Where'd he go? Tell him to come back here." One asks the other "Where'd who go?" and the other said "You're husband is on the 7th floor." I said: "No, no, I know where he is." Then she said: "Your son is on the 4th floor." And I said: "That's probably where he went. He went to see (son's name). Tell the people on ped's to send him back when he's done." Then the staff person says to the nurse: "Who's she talking about?" And I said: "Jesus." And the staff said: "Jesus who?" And I said: "Jesus Christ! The guy who rose from the dead. It's Easter Sunday. What's the matter with you people!" There're both just looking at me and then at each other. Then the nurse said to the staff person: "The doctors think she has a head injury." (LOL - which was true - I did.) So for lack of knowing what else to do, they called a chaplain.
Now I don't remember talking to the chaplain that night, but I do remember him coming to see me the next day when I went in for surgery on my leg. I was conscious and remember that conversation. He asked me if I remembered talking to him the night before? I said "no" and he laughed and said: "Well that's probably a good thing."
So, moral of the story is; just because we think something is real, doesn't mean that it is real, or that it is what we think it is. I was thoroughly convinced that night that Jesus Christ was walking around Strong Memorial Hospital, but I'm pretty sure that belief was a byproduct of my either my mental state at the time, massive doses of pain killers, or both. LOL
The first incident? Was that a dream? Is there such thing as "near death experience"? I don't know? I did look in the medical records to see if I had been resuscitated? When I do remember waking out of the first surgery; (they had to put my face back together I'd been cut up pretty bad by flying glass. I also lost one eye). I remember my chest hurt really bad, and I thought my back was broken. (It wasn't.) There was no record that they'd resuscitated me either before or during surgery, but in the course of the surgery, would they have recorded that or not? The only thing that was written about the surgery basically was what the injuries were and the post operative antibiotics they prescribed.
So yes, in the light of my experiences as well as other's I've heard / spoken to, or who've responded to this thread. You raise a very valid question here!