[thebpman]

I would like a bit of help finding a section of the Bible that may or may not exist.
When I was in my late teens and early twenties I had several episodes of schizophrenia. Most of my delusions and hallucinations where religious based. I have since with the help of medication, my beautiful wife , long suffering wonderful mother, dedicated health care staff and a trip to Medjugorje and devotion to Our Lady, defeated this illness.
When I was in the height of a psychosis I remember reading a section of the Bible that has stuck with me but I'm not sure if it even exist because it could have been an hallucination and I have not been able to find it since.
It was St Paul answering a question about the end of time. He was asked what would happen to our bodies at that point when time ends. He said that at the point where time ends our bodies would be transformed and clothed with light. Meaning that at the end of time people would not die but be instantly transfored into eternal beings.
Does this reading exist or did I just create it in an hallucination.
Thanks
Peter

[bluecross]

I was only reading yesterday about the conversion of St Augustine and a particular passage from St Paul’s letter to the Romans that Augustine read at time and which confirmed his experience...

CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT
Besides, you know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon –– let us give up all the things we prefer to do under the cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ; forget about satisfying your bodies with all their cravings. (Romans 13 : 8-10)

Apparently, light and darkness are prominent themes in Paul’s letters.

[Maryh]

Was it St. Paul who had some pretty special and extraordinary experiences that of being taken up into the
'third heaven' where he could not even explain what he experienced there?

Funny co-incidence today; i read this in the book- 'moments of peace in the presence of God'.
'Lord of the Light'.
O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honour and with majesty and light!
Psalm: 104:1-2.

-

Scripture assures you that God is "robed with majesty and light." God, the one who burst onto the scene of
early creation with light-the sun by day, the moon and stars by night-fills you with another, more stirring kind of light
when you spend time with him. God fills you with the light of his goodness.

If i rise with the sun in the east and settle in the west beyond the sea, even there you would guide me.
With your right hand you would hold me.
Psalm: 139:9-10.

A Prayer: When i am unable to live in the light you are, dear God, help me walk toward it.
I know it is there to reveal your love and show me the way i am to walk. Amen.

It sounds like the bible message 'came alive' for you Bpman. Sounds like a pretty special experience to me.

Also: what you said reminds me of this one:
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2. Corinthians 5:8
(The Lord is robed with honour and with majesty and light!)

[thebpman]

Thanks BC and Maryh. Yes the words on the page must have come alive. It happens sometimes when people are really unwell. Problem is that you don't always know the source of the inspiration. You can see why I am so keen for the end of time. I've been thinking all along that those still alive at the end of time will not have to die but be instantly transformed into eternal beings in the blink of an eye. It could be an inspiration from God, a trick by the devil or just human made hallucination during psychosis.
It's a pretty good delusion though. I'm not sure whether I should hang on to it or not.
Cheers Peter

[Maryh]

Were you studying the bible Bpman? That kind of insight seems profound in my opinion and something
one would need to 'search' for deliberately.
Well i would have needed to do a lot of homework to have made that connection anyway.

When it comes to discernment; i think St. Teresa of Avila has a book out about 'interior castles' to describe different unusual
levels of 'spirituality', also St. Padro Pio and St. Ignatius has instructions too about how to know whether to find something
unusual is 'of God' or not. Does it bring about consolation or desolation?
They describe different criteria they used to determine it.

We can live in God's presence here on earth too!

Thanks for sharing it Bpman; i think its a treasure.

There was also the testimony of a man called 'Ian McCormack' who got stung by a box jelly fish & had a kind of near-death experience.
He described something about being 'made of light' as he was taken up into God's presence and the nearer he came to God.

[thebpman]

No I wasn't studying the Bible. I was reading it a lot though. I read the book of revalation ( i can't even spell it now ) over and over again. I was quite mad there's no doubting that. And that bit about the end of time doesn't exist. So it was just an hallucination or delusion. I was just hoping it existed because it would be a lovely way to end time don't you think? So I would like to say it was from God, Maryh, but I was completely barking mad so it's really difficult to tell. Lot's of things happened to me during that time that made me believe later and at the time that there was a spiritual war raging around me. I saw angels and I saw demons both in human form. It's more likely that they were just people and because I was mad I was bringing out the best and worst in them and I was perceiving the world in a much stranger way. It was a very weird time. So it is a little dangerous to say whether some things were from God or not because it's unknowable because at the time I couldn't even discern what day it was.
I was just hoping that the bit that I read did exist because it's nice.
Do I really have to give up the drunken orgies BC. God makes it hard doesn't he?

[Maryh]

All i know is that only a very small % of our brains are actually 'conscious' the rest is subconscious.
Scientists reckon there is a unique area of the brain that deals specifically with 'God' & if activated can
produce very 'religious' hallucinations & experiences and whatnot.
Everyone has this region of the brain but is not 'tuned' in.

Sounds pretty rough anyway thebpman what you experienced;
Its hard to understand why some folk have to undergo such ordeals but i'm so glad you've defeated it now.
Some people seem to have a walk in the park in this life compared with what others have to overcome.
I love how the Christian faith can give meaning to suffering however; no cross=no crown.

[thebpman]

Thanks. I've had it pretty easy. And I feel that I was specially blessed to be in a position where I was open to Medjugorje and my Rediscovery of my Catholic faith. I was so obviously on the road to hell before I got sick that I am now very grateful for it, even though it took my twenties it was ten years well spent. I would have been a drug addict and in prison for sure. My life is very good now.

[Maryh]

Great to hear of a living example of how God helped and brought good out of such difficult trials.

Its like God restored the years the locusts had eaten & enriched you & your life with his goodness.

Thanks so much for sharing that bpman!