Tom

I was going to write a review of Don Piper's book, 90 minutes in heaven but I would rather tell the following story.  I still am not a fan of such books.  People seem to believe what is written in them and form their ideas of heaven from them that from the Word of God.  I can't imagine that we would believe that heaven is for real by reading a book of that name.  I may, but probably not, read that book but I would not believe that heaven is for real because of the book but because of what the Bible says about heaven.  I believe heaven is for real because the Bible tells me so.
I had a friend in another church in another city who had a passion for visitation and inviting children to Sunday School.  One day Tom got cancer, he was prayed for and healed but two years later the cancer returned.  Our young pastor at the time had many run-ins with Tom over different ideas about evangelism, theology, church, etc.  However, one night our pastor received a phone call that Tom was not expected to live.  The pastor phoned me to ask me to cover for him at prayer meeting that night.  While we were praying one of the ladies present was very quiet.  The phone rang and it was the pastor from the hospital telling us that Tom had died.  The lady then told us that she had seen Tom in pastor's arms and what she thought was Jesus coming and taking Tom from the Pastor's arms and carried him away. 
Was that vision for real?  I don't know and I won't question it but again I believe that Tom is in heaven today because he trusted Jesus as his Saviour and not because a lady had a vision.  Did her vision strengthen my faith?  No, but it confirmed what I already new to be true.
Death is a doorway for a believer.  Someday, unless the Lord comes first, we must all pass through that doorway.