Chapter 5: My Kingdom Is Ready

"My Kingdom Is Ready Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel."
(COLOSSIANS 1:5 (EMPHASIS ADDED))

The only ones who can come here are the ones whose hearts are as pure as the water,' Jesus assured me after we arrived in heaven during the early hours of February 29. 'My daughter, Choo Nam, the work I've called you to do is very important to Me, and it needs to be completed soon.'

I stood in His glorious presence amazed. He had arrived in my room at 4:15 a.m.. We went to the tunnel I'd seen before. This time it was brighter and shinier, and the walls of the tunnel sparkled with a magnificent array of colors. It was like a mine that contained diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. It was breathtaking.

The next stop was the beach, where I noticed the water was a dirty bloodlike color once again. The edge of the sand, where the waves had washed up, was dirty and blood-colored, too.

'It is My blood,' the Lord told me again.

The Master is a very patient teacher. He frequently repeats the most important parts of His message so I will be sure to understand what He is preparing me for. Every time He shows me the blood He shed for His children, including me, I begin to weep.

Upon seeing my tears, Jesus comforted me by saying: 'My kingdom is ready for My children. Whoever is ready and wants to come will be permitted to be here.'

'I DON'T DESERVE IT!'

We walked past a beautiful white gate that seemed to be inlaid with pure ivory and smooth pearls. Then we entered the majestic white palace where an angel escorted me into the powder room and I put on the beautiful gown that had been prepared for me.

Next, Jesus took me to a river. A gray stone wall ran alongside the stream, and stately evergreens formed the backdrop. I noticed how clear and still the water was. It sparkled like the finest crystal I'd ever seen.

The Lord reiterated the invitation He extends to all who want to follow Him and have an eternal home with Him in heaven, 'The only ones who can come here are the ones whose hearts have been made as pure as the water.'

I then noticed other beautiful white buildings in the vicinity of the beautiful river, just behind the tall trees. Jesus took me to one of the dwellings. It was a white mansion sumptuously landscaped with a profusion of colorful flowers and leafy trees. The most wonderful flowers I'd ever seen graced the doorway. The doors were lovely as well, decorated with extraordinary stained-glass panels.

Inside the palace, everything was colorful and shiny. The great room was filled with people who were wearing beautiful gowns, and each person was wearing a crown that was set with jewels of every variety. I felt like Cinderella at the ball.

Many men were present in the room, but there were very few women. The Lord didn't explain who these individuals were or why they were there, but He did tell me, 'You will be like them.'

I responded to this prophetic word with tears. Every time the Lord gave me new insights I would cry because I felt so humbled by His goodness and His grace. I was so humbled, in fact, that I said, 'I don't deserve it!'

The tone of the Lord's voice reflected anger as He rebuked me, 'Don't say that again, daughter.'

THE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS

After changing into our heavenly robes and crowns, the Lord and I walked and talked together by the peaceful pond I had seen before. It was my third visit to this special place of communion with Him.

I took hold of the Master's arm and said: 'I don't want to leave here. I want to stay here with you forever.'

'Not yet, My daughter. You have a lot of work to do for Me first. I must show you so much of heaven, and I will bring you here many more times. I want you to be happy, My precious daughter.'

We returned to the palace and changed into our regular clothing. Then we went back to the beach on earth and sat down on the shore. The Lord held my hand and told me: 'I am giving you healing power and the other spiritual gifts. Wherever you are, I'll be there to guide you. You will serve Me all over the world.'

Such a message should have filled me with eager anticipation, but it actually overwhelmed me. 'Lord, I don't know anything.'

'You don't have to know anything. I will do everything for you. Also, your husband will be with you. He will serve with you.'

That part of His announcement brought a measure of relief to me. It was calming to know Roger would be a part of the ministry God was preparing me for. I had often leaned on my husband for strength and encouragement, and it was comforting to know that he would be my partner in ministry. At the same time, however, I sensed the Lord was calling me to depend totally on Him'not on Roger or myself or anyone except Him.

A passage sailed across my mind: 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths' (Prov. 3:5-6). I determined that I would claim this promise from that moment on. I knew that the Lord would direct my paths each step of the way. I also knew the truth of His Word: 'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path' (Ps. 119:105). I committed myself to walking in the light of God's Word from then on.

I believed that Jesus would always be with me. Therefore, I would never need to fear anyone or anything. He had spoken to me. He had held my hand. He had comforted me. He had made personal promises to me. How could I ever doubt His presence, His reality, His truth?

I would never be the same. Jesus, my Lord and Savior, had taken me to heaven in order to prepare me for a ministry that would share the truth of eternity with others. He had called me, chosen me and selected me for this important work.

As I was reflecting on these wonderful things, I realized I was truly happy for the first time in my life. I had found my purpose and my completion in Him, and He was altogether lovely to me.

Though my confidence and my faith were growing, I still responded meekly to the Lord's words.

'Lord, I am very shy, and I don't really know how to pray for others in public.'

'I will take care of everything,' He answered. 'I will be with you always. I want you to tell everyone what I show you and tell you. The whole world will know these things very soon.'

'YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE A BOOK'

Though I wavered from time to time, Jesus was always faithful. He patiently and lovingly reminded me of the power of His presence that I had experienced firsthand.

'My daughter, Choo Nam, I want you to be patient,' He continued, 'because it is going to take a while to show you and tell you all I have to reveal. There is much to do because you are going to write a book for Me.'

This announcement was truly shocking news. I didn't say the words aloud, but I thought, How can I write a book, since I don't know anything?

By this time I knew better than to disagree with the Lord. I was learning that if He told me to do something, then He would enable me to accomplish it. I never asked for the gifts He was so lavishly and graciously pouring upon me, but I did remember praying for the gifts of healing and ministry that would enable me to lead others to Him. Now He was answering those prayers in ways that far exceeded my expectations! That's the kind of God we serve.

Jeremiah wrote, 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know' (Jer. 33:3). This was one prayer promise that was proving itself true and dependable in my life. Over and over again the Lord honored me with abundant spiritual blessings that I did not deserve.

'I do not want you to miss anything I show or tell you,' He instructed. 'Nothing more; nothing less. Everything has to be exactly as I reveal it to you.'

A GOLDEN BRIDGE

As the glory of springtime neared, I realized that nothing on this earth could truly compare with the glorious beauty of heaven. Early in the morning of March 1, the Lord visited me once more, in the usual way, saying, 'My precious daughter, we have work to do.' He reminded me of several things He had already spoken: 'I chose you, My daughter, because of your obedience to Me. I like your will power and your faith.'

Since becoming a Christian, I have never once seriously doubted my Lord. In fact, my reverential fear of Him, mixed with my great love for Him, has led me to conclude that I must never displease Him. These convictions keep me on the path of obedience in my walk with God.

The Lord said, 'I must show you more of the kingdom.' He took my hand and we went back to the seashore. Then my body began to ascend into the heavens. I realized this time that the journey upward was more like floating than flying. I was being gently lifted from the earth.

I often wondered why we departed from the beach, rather than somewhere else, and I concluded that it must be because the site is usually deserted so early in the morning. I chuckled when I thought what might happen if someone saw us ascending into heaven. More than likely they would think they were seeing an alien abduction or a hallucination. They probably wouldn't mention it to anyone for fear of being called crazy.

Then it occurred to me that some people could think the same about me when I would begin to tell my story. The thought was extinguished by a wonderful sense of peace that washed over me as I realized such concerns do not matter because I know that Jesus has fully accepted me. Therefore, why should I ever worry about what others think?

A Golden Throne Jesus held my hand as we were being lifted from this planet. We landed in the same place as usual, and He led me to a fruitful orchard. It was huge, and every row of fruit trees was in a perfect line. Each tree was laden with ripe, luscious fruits. They all produced a different kind of fruit. The orchard was so vast that it seemed endless.

The Lord picked an oval-shaped purple fruit and handed it to me. Then He did the same with a round, deep-red fruit. I ate them, but I could not taste them very well.

I reciprocated by picking a small, round, pink fruit for the Lord to eat. Though I could not see His face clearly, I sensed that He was smiling and I knew He was very pleased by what I had done.

Next, we went to the now-familiar white palace where we changed into our heavenly attire. The Lord took His seat on His golden throne. Once again, the room was filled with people who were wearing beautiful gowns and crowns like mine.

The atmosphere in the room was one of peace and worship. The people were humbling themselves before the Lord. I tried to join in, but my sense of amazement and wonder did not permit me to focus on worship as quickly as I would have liked.

Before I realized all that had transpired, the Lord had changed back into His regular gown. He reached out, took my hand and led me outside. The experiences I've had in the kingdom of God occur so quickly that it sometimes seems as if I'm living out the fast-forwarding of a video tape.

The Lord led me across a golden bridge that arched over a fast-flowing river. The banks of the river were very fertile, and magnificent trees and flowers grew on both sides. The trees and flowers in heaven are different is so many ways from those we know on earth. There are many varieties, and they are bigger, healthier, more colorful and more beautiful than any plants I've ever seen.

I felt as if I were in a fairytale land like those illustrated in the picture books I would read to my children'except this was no fantasy.

'I WILL KEEP THEIR BABIES!'

After walking over the beautiful golden bridge, the Lord led me to a place where babies and infants'many of whom looked as if they had just been born'were kept. It was a huge room, like a warehouse, and wasn't fancy or pretty. It was filled with babies who were naked and lying close to one another.

'Why are there so many babies here?' I inquired.

'These are babies of mothers who did not want them. I will keep their babies!' the Lord answered.

'What are you going to do with them, Lord?'

'If their mothers are saved, they can have their babies back.'

'What will happen if their mothers are not saved? What will you do then?'

'Other mothers will have them when all My children come into the kingdom.'

I then understood that these babies had been aborted from their mothers' wombs, and I began to cry. Jesus shouted, 'I do not like abortion!' His voice and His demeanor grew harsh and angry, and I realized, then and there, that this was a message I would soon be sharing with all who would listen.

The Lord does not like abortion. It is one of the worst of all sins to Him. It was Jesus who had said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God' (Mark 10:14). Jesus loves little children, and I could see His tender compassion for these aborted babies as I watched Him and listened to Him.

Nearly 1 in every 4 pregnancies in the United States today ends in abortion. How this grieves the Lord. The United States has the most permissive abortion laws of any democracy, and the number of abortions continues to accelerate. I'll never forget what I saw that morning in heaven, and I'll never be able to remain silent about the horrendous sin of abortion again.

Since that time I have been praying for the women of our nation, asking God to open their eyes to the truth about abortion, to keep them from making the wrong choice. I now know that the choice of abortion has eternal consequences, and I pray that the numbing of the American conscience with regard to this form of murder will be lifted.

I can still hear the Lord's angry voice trembling with emotion as He said, 'I do not like abortion!' Heaven is better than this / Praise God / What joy and bliss / Walking down the streets of solid gold / You'll enter a land where you'll never grow old.'

A PLACE FOR THE FAITHFUL

The Lord took me to a barren site outside the gate of the kingdom and showed me many people wearing sand-colored robes were in this region, standing very close together, and I noticed that they looked forlorn and lonely even though they were in the midst of so many others.

I had no idea who these individuals were, but I knew the Lord would answer my questions about them when He determined I was ready. He took me up a little hillside that was dotted with white buildings on both sides. A body of water separated the two sides from each other, and trees surrounded the water.

In front of the buildings I noticed many adults and children who were wearing white gowns, and some of them were wearing crowns. They were simply standing there with very happy looks on their faces. I sensed the Lord was showing me a vivid contrast between those who were happy and those who were sad. I assumed the happy ones were people who had given their hearts and lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The next stop on our heavenly itinerary was the huge white mansion where Jesus had taken me before. Again, I noticed that inside the great room were numerous men, but very few women. 'Who are these people?' I asked.

'These are people who sacrificed for Me.'

I wondered how many of them were the patriarchs and saints of the Bible, and I remembered faith's 'hall of fame' in Hebrews 11, which lists the great men and women of faith, such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, and what they accomplished through faith. Then I was reminded of a very important verse: 'But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him' (Heb. 11:6).

Abel's sacrifice was more excellent than Cain's because it was presented in faith and obedience. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice His own son, Isaac, to the Lord confirmed his faith and His desire to please the Lord. And now I knew that God honors such sacrifices. In fact, He calls us to surrender everything to Him.

"By showing me this room that was filled with people wearing beautiful gowns and bejeweled crowns, Jesus was portraying the importance of sacrifice. I remembered Paul's words: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
(ROMANS 12:1-2)

CALLED TO TELL THE WORLD

My heart leaped within as I committed everything to my Lord and Master. This, I realized, was the sacrifice He required of me.

After seeing all these scenes, we went to the white palace and changed into beautiful gowns and crowns. Then the Lord took me to the peaceful pond where we had spent such wonderful times of fellowship together. This time we just sat and talked.

Then it occurred to me that the only places where the Lord really opened up and shared His heart with me were on the earthly beach and at this heavenly pond. At other times, when He was showing me different aspects of the heavenly kingdom, He would rarely talk. I loved the more relaxing times when He was able to tell me the things that were important to me.

He went on to remind me, 'I am telling you all this and showing you these things so you can tell the world.' Then He reiterated the importance of all these experiences by saying, 'I know that a lot of My children don't think I will come back for them for a long time. Some even think I will never come back for them, but I want you to tell them that My kingdom is ready for those who are ready and waiting for Me. I am coming very soon.'

Again, there was such a sense of urgency in His voice. Whenever I am in heaven, the only one who ever speaks to me is the Lord. His words are so vital. Even the angel who helps me to change my robes does not speak to me, but constantly smiles in such reassuring ways at me.

The Lord showed me the ocean of dirty blood once more, and then He concluded that visit to heaven with these words: 'I'll never leave you. I'll be with you forever. I will guide everything that you do. You will not have to worry about anything because I will be there to do it for you. I am releasing My power to you and in you. You will be able to heal the sick and do the same things I did when I lived on earth. The key to these gifts is your faith, My daughter.'

His words, so tender and uplifting, opened fountains of tears deep within my soul. 'Do not cry, My daughter.' He continued. 'I want you always to remember how precious you are to Me. I will talk with you again.'

From that day forward I have felt like I'm living more in heaven than on earth. My visits to heaven have wrought permanent changes in my life. I don't even require as much sleep as I used to, because I feel supernaturally energized by power from on high. Truly, I know that heaven is so real, and this makes all the difference in this world.