What Is It Like To Die?

This is the Truth Network. And I'm telling you, the question today is perplexing, I think. Something to think about. What's it like to die?

Seriously, you know, does it hurt? What does that feel like, you know, in the wake of more school shootings, what we just heard from Dr. Brown about Israel and all that's going on there? You know, it's something to consider. And something we all—if Jesus doesn't come back soon, we might, you know, have to face that kind of thing. And maybe you have faced that.

Maybe you are one of those folks that have flatlined or something on the table, and you had an experience. I would love to hear it. That's what we're talking about today. What's it like to die?

And the number to call in and share that is 866-348-7884. We would love to hear your view on that. There's an amazing story I heard about Peter Marshall. You may be familiar with it. It was in the movie A Man Called Peter. And he was scheduled to speak on December 7, 1941, a day that obviously will live in infamy. Those of you not familiar, this is the day that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Actually, that very morning, he was giving the graduation sort of sermon—it was a service—at Annapolis to the midshipmen that were graduating that year at commencement.

That was the word I was searching for. He was given the commencement exercise at Annapolis that morning, and of course, they did not know at that moment that the Japanese were going to bomb Pearl Harbor or that they were actually in the midst of it. And of course, these midshipmen all would be facing much of this kind of thing coming up. And interestingly, he was the chaplain at the time of the Senate, and he also was the minister at the First Presbyterian Church there in Washington, D.C., a very famous pastor. And the Holy Spirit grabbed him, it says. His wife told us in his book A Man Called Peter that the Holy Spirit told him to scrap what he had prepared to speak on that morning, instead speak about the whole idea of what's it like to die.

What does exactly that go on? And he went on to tell this story to the midshipmen that morning, which I think is so remarkable how God has our back—he certainly had these midshipmen's back. They would be soon facing this idea of what's it like to die that morning on December 7, 1941. And he recalled this story of a mom that was taking care of a terminally ill child, and apparently must have been about six or seven years old, little boy. And she had prayed and prayed, and he continued to get worse and worse. And it started to become more and more obvious that he wasn't going to make it. In fact, it became so obvious that he himself was aware that he was going to die and die soon. And within days of his passing one night his mom was reading to him, interestingly, from the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Camelot, that kind of thing, and talking about a horrific battle that the knights would all face where most of them would die. And he looked at his mom in the middle of that discussion. He looked up at her and he said, Mom, what's it like to die?

Does it hurt? And she, as you might imagine, overcome with emotion, just ran out of the room and actually went to the kitchen and fell against the wall and began to pray like God, this is a really, really important question. And he deserves a good answer. Lord, give me the right words, because I don't know what to say. And you could imagine being put down.

I wouldn't know what to say. What a horrible situation, you know, fraught with emotion and all those kind of things. And the way he, Peter Marshall, told it that day was that she almost immediately got the message from God and how to explain it. And she went back into her little son who was laying there and said, you know how it is when you used to be outside and you would play so hard and have so much fun that you would just get exhausted and you would come into the house and you would come into our bed in our bedroom and you would be exhausted, you'd just fall asleep right there in our bed. But you would wake up in the morning and you would be in your own room and you would be in your own bed. And she said, what you didn't know is that in the middle of the night your dad came in with his big strong arms and he picked you up and he put you in your room, in your place that was prepared for you. And she said, death is like that and you're going to wake up and you're going to be in a place that has been prepared for you since the beginning.

Like, wow. So, you know, I obviously, it's an extremely critical question and I think a lot of unbelievers, if you ever, you know, attend a funeral, they have a lot of questions about this. What's it like to die? Does it hurt?

You know, what are those things? What are your thoughts? What does that conjure up for you? I would love, love, love for somebody to call in and share their thoughts, their story, you know, what they think. 866-348-7884.

866-348-7884. And I think that, you know, it's one of those situations that God, you know, there was evening and there was morning the first day. And fascinatingly, the evening came first, right? In other words, it's always darkest before the dawn and I, you know, as I've been thinking about this actually for all week, I've just been, I don't know, God just has my mind on it. Like, and so I'm really anxious to share this, really anxious to hear your views on it. 866-348-7884. My old friend, Bucksman, if you're out there like where have you been lately or haven't heard from you, I would love to hear from you.

Or anyone else, really, would love to hear your thoughts of, you know, what is it like to die? And so we come back, hopefully the lines will be lit up and we will take your call. In the meantime, you know, it's dark but we would love for the light to come on. So give us a call.

866-348-7884. We'll be right back. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. Today's question is a penetrating one. What's it like to die?

I know that that's something we don't necessarily want to face but perhaps it's something we ought to face. And we've got Estelle in Greenville calling in with her view. I would love to hear yours. 866, the number to call in and share what you think. 866-348-7884.

866-34-TRUTH. Estelle? Yes. You have quite a story. As I recall, you lost two children? Yes.

Yes. My daughter died in 2005 and left three children behind. But when she was dying, she died at home here.

Her husband left her when he found out she was dying. So we brought her home. And she called me up in the room one day and she said, Mom, can't you see them? Angels, they're all around. And I said, No, we bet I can't.

She says, but they're right there. And and she died. And my son just died on August 4th.

And of this year? Yeah. Yeah, we were very close.

That's alright. He's in heaven. But his last words were, he said, I'm going. And we said, John, where are you going? And he pointed up. And that was it. So it's devastating, but I don't know how people without Christ get through it.

I know I'll see them again. Yeah, there really is an element of faith that becomes so relevant at this particular moment. I think of Horatio Spafford.

I have his hymn, It Is Well With My Soul, in my Bible. And look at all the children he lost. Yeah. Yeah, that's quite a story, right? Yeah. The ship was lost and then he was traveling over the same area when he penned that hymn.

They said he looked up, he didn't look down in the ocean. So, you know, we're just passing through this life. I'm not saying it's easy. But to lose a child, it happens every day. But thank God for Christ. That's all I can say.

Yes, yes. And thank God for loving mothers. And I just pray for your heart.

Let's do that. Lord, I thank you for Estelle, her courage to call in. I certainly thank you for her son and for her daughter as well. And I thank you for the wonderful homecoming both of them had. And I pray for Estelle's heart, Lord, that you would continue to fill that with your love and your grace, help her to truly feel you right now. And to bring that oil of joy for oral mourning, however that works, Lord, you do.

And I just thank you again for her courage to call in and share as this is something that is so hard to face. Lord, I thank you for her again. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Thank you so much. Thank you, Estelle. I'm so grateful for your call. God bless. God bless you and your ministry.

Okay, bye-bye. All right, we have Victoria is in Winston-Salem. And so, Victoria, you're on Truth Talk Live. Good afternoon.

Hi, good afternoon. You know, when the young lady that was speaking just before when she said that her daughter saw angels, I remember speaking with a nurse one day. And she said that she was in the room when a patient was dying. And she basically almost said the same thing. She said she lifted up her head and, you know, and stated, Don't you hear it?

And it was like she was saying it was the most beautiful, you know, song being sang. They're like angels. And, you know, and it recalls to my mind, you know, the Bible verse when Jesus said, you know, that he goes and he prepares a place and when he goes, he will come and bring you to himself. So just like your previous caller, I don't know how individuals who do not have the assurance of Jesus Christ can live this life. Because then death is something that they fear. Whereas with a believer, a committed believer and follower of Jesus Christ, we know that it is life to life. Just like when Paul said that, you know, he was departing. It wasn't over.

He was just moving from one location to the next location. And so I think that we, as believers, we have comfort in that, knowing that, you know, he has already prepared a place and where we go, that's where he will be. I love that.

My daughter used to take part in these Bible drills and so she had to memorize John 14 as a comfort chapter, right? And so whenever I hear those things from that, I think, oh yeah, that certainly is of comfort and to your name, right? It's a victory, Victoria. I love that.

And I love that thought a lot. I'm so grateful for your call today, Victoria. God bless. Take care.

You too. Bye-bye. So we would love your story, 866, or your thoughts. You know, what have you experienced? When did you see things like that or hear things about that? What's it like to die?

866-348-7884, 866-34-TRUTH. And as I think about what Victoria said, you know, how did they do it without Jesus? And I know that in the 16th Psalm, it says, the sorrows of those who chase after other gods will be multiplied. It's not a matter of if.

It's they will be. And they are, from my perspective, from a standpoint of mercy, like God is like, are you ready for me now? You know, like what's it going to take before you turn?

It's a pretty painful experience. So we would love your story, 866-348-7884, 866-348-7884. I remember when my grandfather, Bacon, his name was actually Harry Bacon. My mother's maiden name was Bacon and my grandfather's name was Harry.

Her brother was Dewey Bacon. But quite a story when I get to it. But I want to get to Carol is calling in in Harmony, North Carolina. Carol, you're on Truth Talk Live. Good afternoon, Carol. Hi. Good afternoon. I'm hearing all these stories and I had worked at a hospital in Iredell and patients did used to say, oh, there's such a glow behind you.

Do you see them? And usually within an hour they had died. Wow. And that was like, wow.

But I personally, I had been pregnant two different times. Oh, Carol, I hate to interrupt in the middle of that because it sounds compelling. We got to go to a break. Will you stay with us so I can hear that? I sure will. I would love to.

Okay. So we come back. We got Carol, we got Des and other people calling in. Your chance to call in 866-348-7884, 866-304-TRUTH. So much more Truth Talk Live coming up. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. Today's question, what's it like to die? Wow. We've had some intriguing calls.

We would love your take on it. 866-348-7884, 866-344-TRUTH. When we went to break, we had Carol. And Carol, you were talking about your own pregnancy.

Right. I had been pregnant twice and both times I hemorrhaged so bad. I was in the ER and died.

Oh, wow. You did? I lost the baby.

Yeah. And I actually, they had to like paddle me back to bring me back. But I had died for a couple of minutes each time.

I truly don't know. I don't remember anything or any of that. But all I kept saying, I guess God isn't done with me yet, you know, because he didn't want me. There was no way he was taking me at that point. And a couple of years went by and I got pregnant and we had to set a triplet.

So we were very blessed at that point. And I just realized that God wasn't finished with me. And, but I truly, I didn't remember seeing anything or hearing anything when I had died. But they said I had died each time for a few minutes before they were able to bring me back. Yeah.

And it has an effect. You know, I remember when I had my, I had a brain abscess, unfortunately. And, you know, I had that conversation you don't want to hear from your doctor.

It's time to get your stuff in order, Robbie, you know. And I didn't have to be paddled back. But I remember I was told I might have hours. And it does something to your soul. It does. I mean, I've always, I've been a believer. I've trusted in Christ since I was a child. But it does change the way you really look at life and your relationship with Christ. And it's eye-opening. It is. It gives you, like, you know, I did get another chance.

Like, you know, and clearly, you know, we realize our reliance on Him more for almost every breath as the case would be. So I'm so grateful for your call today, Carol. Thank you. And God bless you. And I love the patient and everything. Me too. I love it all the time.

I've loved it for years. God bless. Thank you, Carol. Bye-bye. Thank you. Have a great day. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. So, yeah.

And I have Denise is in Greer, South Carolina. Denise, did I get your name right? You did. You got it right. Yes, sir. Yes, you did. Oh, wonderful.

So what you got for us? Well, mine is regards to family members. I haven't experienced anything per se like that, but losing family members back to back. I lost a total of three a few years ago, and one was including my daughter.

Oh, no. And the experiences and speaking and being the one that does the speaking out and helping make sure people are laid to rest and remembering that I had to I felt to make sure everybody was given, you know, given the best of force, laying to rest and making sure of the preparation and all of that. You know, when it came to my daughter, it was very, very difficult because I didn't know what was wrong with her. She didn't tell anybody. I was in Greer, South Carolina, where I live, but ended up she lived in Charlotte, was there for two and a half weeks.

She never woke up, didn't know what was going on, no bits and pieces now, but got some peace from from from the Lord in regards to her passing. So I thank God for the time that I was there. I asked God to God, I thought she was going to give me more time with her. He said, I kid you not.

It's just simple as you. I mean, I could not believe this. And I just audio.

But he said, I gave you two and a half weeks. So during that two and a half weeks of being there in the hospital, there was praising going on. There was singing going on. There was praying going on and all of that.

And I thought, here, here, drop coming down from my eyes. So I thank God for that time. And then here recently, my brother on July 4th was found dead.

He was living a homeless life, didn't have to. But, you know, that's the way it goes sometimes. But didn't know what had happened to him until last week. The coroner says, you know, we can look at the video, what to see it. And I'm the one that likes to get closure and saw what happened. And I lost it because my two sons were with me. I really lost it. And when I say that, I didn't think I was going to take it like that. I thought I was all prepared to hear this. But by the grace of God, I made it through it with it with them and let them know that, you know, God, God knows what he's doing. His young, his young son. Let him know that.

Let them know that. And that all was going to be well. But when the coroner told me when he reached his hand up, when he took the spot, they said it looked like he was holding on to something. And it's like I had a visual. He was holding on to the hand of Jesus.

So he's OK. Wow. So those are, you know, it's been a lot of things like that. And I heard the other lady talking about the deaths of her children and all of that.

I said, yeah, it hit hard sometimes. So I began to ask God as to God, what am I here for? Started facilitating and all this kind of thing.

And when it got to purpose driven life, it says to glorify him. That's what we're here for. Yeah. So he helped. He's an awesome God. Just awesome. What a wonderful perspective, Denise.

Really. And I'm so grateful for, you know, you're calling in the courage to do that, but also for your faith. It's beautiful.

And yeah. And so God bless you. Can I pray with you?

Certainly. Thank you for Denise. I thank you for brother's life, her daughter's life. Lord, I thank you for her faith and for her glorifying you in this moment.

And for all of us that heard it. Lord, may you be glorified. Be glorified. Jesus. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Oh, thank you, Denise. Wonderful. God bless. All right.

You too. Well, we need your call. 866-3486. 8-7-8-8-4.

What's it like to die? 866-3487-8-8-4. We have Janet is in Roanoke, Virginia.

Janet, you're on Truth Talk Live. Good afternoon. Hello there. How are you? Good afternoon. I'm doing just fine.

Thank you very much. My comment is I would think, I believe dying if you're in Christ, if you're saved is peaceful, that he has a hold of you. I had an experience as a teenager and I was playing in the Gulf of Mexico during a hurricane with a friend of mine and it was dangerous, but it was fun until it wasn't. And we were both at the end of a long pier or jetty. It wasn't really a pier thing, but my back was facing the Gulf and my friend was looking out and watching and she explained, here comes a giant one. And I had no clue how giant it was, but when it crashed down on me, I went underneath that jetty and I can't swim. So I was trying desperately to get to the surface and I couldn't. I couldn't get up to the surface. I kept on, the waves kept on taking me down to the bottom. And so I can't breathe.

My lungs feel like they're going to explode and they're on fire and I'm just clawing my way trying to get to the surface. And I realized, you know, I'm probably going to die. And I heard a voice or felt, it was a voice and the voice said, stop fighting. And I was like, well, all right.

So I stopped that, that fighting to, you know, to try to get to the surface and trying to, you know, fight my way back. And when I did that, um, it was, uh, it was the most peaceful feeling that came over me. I was on the bottom with us on the sand to feel the waves. And, um, and I thought to myself, it was the most peaceful feeling I have had down there on the bottom of the sand. And I thought to myself, this must be what it's like to die and it's not bad and it's going to be okay. And I felt like I was literally breathing. I literally, there was no pain in my lungs. There wasn't any, uh, trying to fight to get to the surface. It was nothing.

It was just so peaceful. But in that thought that happened, this is what it's like to die. And it's okay. Um, I was a Christian. I am a Christian. I was a Christian then, uh, very young in the faith. So, but I was saved and sealed. So when I was thinking this thought that this is the most peaceful feeling I've had, the second thought that came into my mind almost instantaneously was my mother's going to be alone and I'm not going to be with her.

And at that very, um, instant, and I do mean instant, I was on the beach many feet away from the shore and laying in the sand and people were running up to me. Are you all right? Are you all right? And I was, I was, I was fine.

I was covered with sand, which I hate, but I was literally oh, Vicki, we got to go to a break. I hear the music. Will you hang on for me?

Cause I'm not, I'm not like what a story. Thank you. We'll be right back with Vicki Janet and we need to 8 6 6 3 4 truth. You're listening to the truth network and truth network.com. Welcome back to truth talk live today's question, which we've had some of the most remarkable calls I've had in a while.

Oh my goodness. Um, what's it like to die? And if you were tuned in the last segment, we have Janet who's in Roanoke, Virginia, and she was describing a run in with a hurricane that is one of the most remarkable stories I've ever heard. And the way you described it, Janet was you were at one moment underneath the jetty, um, not able to swim. You couldn't swim when you went in the water and in this hurricane wave knocked you under the jetty and you had this peaceful feeling like it it's okay to die.

And then all of a sudden you thought like, my mom's going to be alone. And apparently like Phillip, you were just lifted up out of there and put on the beach. Yeah.

Yeah. Um, I, there was no, I did not swim back to the beach, um, cause I can't swim. And I was, uh, the only recollection I have was fighting and then not fighting and being extremely peaceful and I'm thinking this is okay. This is okay.

Um, if this was like to die, it's okay. And then as I said, when I met the next stop was, was my mother. And, um, when I had that thought, it was all instantaneous. It was like in a matter of seconds. And then I was, that's where I was on in the sand feet, feet up above, um, the surf and, and, and the water. And um, people came running up and said, we thought you'd, you thought we thought you were dead. I'll bet.

I'll bet. And it's like being out on a jetty in a hurricane is, um, I, I, uh, was on Wilmington Island in Savannah when hurricane David hit and I was the last person on the island, got left out there by accident. And, uh, I don't want to even think about how big that wave was that hit you.

And, um, yeah, I didn't get to see it. I, all I know is I felt it and I was, and what happened to your friend that was on the jetty with you at that moment? She could swim and she wasn't knocked under the jetty. She was knocked in the water. And so she swam back, um, or got made it back probably with the help of the waves back to the, um, uh, the beach.

And, um, she was, you know, uh, upset looking for me cause she thought that, you know, I don't know how long I'd been under there, but she, uh, as I said, she was the one that came running up along with others, you know, and so, you know, it's a beautiful thing. And I'm, I'm, have you ever read the book of programs progress? No, I haven't. I couldn't recommend it high enough, but anyway, there's that the hero of that book is called Christian and he, uh, he gives his burden, you know, at the cross and, and takes Christ, but he carries his testimony in his bosom, so to speak. In other words, he's got this scroll and he's got it down there in his shirt and, and, and whenever he really begins to doubt his faith or whenever he grabs that out and looks at it, reminds himself. And, and I bet you hold that story near and dear, like that voice that you heard stop fighting. Um, yeah, it was just, and it was audible. I mean, I heard it and I, and I obeyed and I obeyed it.

I immediately want to stop fighting. And um, so wow. Thank you Janet. I am so grateful for your call today.

Yeah, go ahead. I'd like to ask for prayer please for, um, my strength in my faith, um, as things are tough sometimes. And I just really, really want to be stronger in my faith. Let's pray. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for Janet. I thank you for her strength to call in and certainly for the strength to obey when you're under water. Lord, give her that strength again. Help her to remember how wonderful it is to just let go and let God. That, that you have got her and that you had a purpose for her to live through that event and you got a purpose for her now and you're going to be with her right through all this.

Lord, help her to sense your presence, to sense that voice that you've always had and, and grow her faith, which comes through trials we know. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. And thank you very much. God bless you. God bless you Janet. Bye-bye. We got Vicki is in Springfield, Ohio.

She's hung on forever. Vicki, you're on Truth Talk Live. Good evening. Hi. Hello.

I, um, I wanted to share, um, if I can get through this. In July, it was five years since God called our daughter home. She was 35.

And one of the things that was so tragic were Christians. She was Christian. So I have the assurance that, you know, that she wasn't suffering anymore and that we would see her again. But what really bothered me is I was five minutes around the corner at my job when my son-in-law called me and told me that, uh, she wasn't responding.

We all take care of developmental disabilities clients. And he had been gone that morning, took my grandson and they went to Cincinnati to pick up a client. So Katie was in that house. And I know what you're going to say when I say this, because I said it a hundred times myself, but in my mind, she was in that house by herself when she left. Now I know the angels were with her. I know she wasn't by herself, but it's something that you live with because we had been told that it would be probably about two years.

And it was just little over two years before she left. So I was listening to a program of a pastor who had a near death experience. And so he said that when he was in the hospital, of course on the bed, you know, he felt himself leave his body and was looking down, but he was in a standing position and he could feel somebody like not behind him, but just off to the side behind him. He couldn't see who it was, but as he started to rise, he saw these rainbows, these little tiny rainbows, just floating everywhere.

And as he got higher, he realized they were angels. Now for the sake, I don't remember his name, but for the sake of story, we'll say John. So as they were flying and going fast and dancing around him, they were singing John's coming home.

John's coming home. And I thought to myself, God, is that what it was like for my Katie? Because you know, I just felt such guilt about not being there. And yet I should have known because I know that Jesus would never have let Katie make that journey by herself.

So that's the assurance that I have. And I pray that that was wonderful for her, that maybe that's what happened for her, that they were with her. When we came home that day, my husband was so angry. And he went back to the bedroom and he was holding her picture and he cried out to God. And he said, why did you take her? And he said, God said to him, because you asked me to. And Jimmy said, I asked you to make her well. And he said, No, you asked me to end her suffering.

And I did. And she's with me. So between those two things, I have the assurance and the peace and the promise that, you know, we will see her again. In that same year in February, I lost my mother in July, I lost my daughter. And then in November, I lost a 58 year old downs woman that I had been guardian for for 18 years, that I was in the fourth grade when she was born, it was a year.

So with people that don't have the assurance that God is there, and that he's taken them to better places and that we will see them again, I pray for them because it is the absolute thing that is holding me together as a mother. But I just wanted to share that because I've got just the visual of angels singing, going ahead of them singing, John's coming home, John's coming home. It just sounded so awesome to me. It sounds to me, you know, and I'm sure you also know this, that, you know, God had you listen to that program that day.

I'm sure. And he knew. Because it was funny to feel guilt, but yet know that I didn't have guilt. You know, I think the human side of me wanted to feel guilt for not being with her, especially when I was just five minutes away. So it sounds like she had been really, really sick. She had been. Yeah, she had been really sick. She didn't have, she had had a gastric bypass and it had really messed with her liver and her kidneys. And, um, so for two years we, we had hospitalizations and stuff and fought things and, and she could help fluid. And the Friday before, uh, she, well, she was scheduled on Monday to go have fluid removed, but the week before they had taken nine liters of fluid off of her.

And, um, and when the coroner came back, he said that her heart was just so large that it couldn't even explode. So it was tough. It was tough. But I just praise God that we have that assurance that it's not over. You know, I'll see them all again. It's just kind of tough being left behind sometimes. Oh yeah. Yeah. I was, I was talking about that actually at the beginning of the show and I think it's relevant.

To me, it's relevant that it was evening and then there was morning right. And, and, and it, you know, right now we see through a glass dimly, but oh my goodness, you know, and we actually get to be there with him and, and with Katie again and, and those kinds of things. Let me pray for you as we close Vicky. Lord, thank you for Vicky her courage. I pray for her heart that you would continue to help her mourn well and heal in Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Another program powered by the truth network.