Review of Charles Stanley’s Book THE GIFT OF HEAVEN

“We cannot fathom heaven. We cannot begin to even imagine its beauty. Instead, God traces the outlines of it for us. He provides a blueprint through His Word.”                – Charles F. Stanley

We are all curious about heaven as we try to grapple with the magnificent idea of living forever.

Dr. Charles Stanley addresses some of our questions in his book, THE GIFT OF HEAVEN.

This 7” x 7” hardback book is published by Thomas Nelson. The 160 high-gloss pages are full of colorful photos of God’s creation—seashores, mountains, flowers, rocks, sunrises, and sunsets. Most of the page layouts contain regular text on one side and on the opposite page is a key point to ponder.

To me, this book is a cross between a gift book and a devotion book. I guess I’ll call it a meaty gift book! It begins with a mention about “the wages of sin is death,” but the primary focus of this book is the second part of Romans 6:23, “. . . but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

There are ten “chapters.” Each one varies in length but all end with a page of scripture verses. The scriptures come from various translations: ESV, NIV, NKJV, NLT, and TLB.

The titles are:

Heaven is a Gift

Jesus’ Wonderful Promise

A Glimpse of Heaven

What Will Be in Heaven (and What Will Not)

In the Presence of God

Those You Love in Heaven

Having Ultimate Fulfillment in Heaven

What Makes the Promise of Heaven Possible?

Becoming Eternally Secure

The Best is Yet to Come

Dr. Stanley shares with readers what he understands through scripture. He also shares with us what he does not know. By that, I mean, he is honest in conveying to folks that he does not know all the answers about heaven.

“If I die at seventy-five, what am I going to look like?” Well, I can’t answer that question. I can tell you this. You are going to be the best-looking seventy-five-year-old you’ve ever seen. Or I am asked, “Well, suppose a person dies as a baby. Will that person always remain a baby, or will they grow up?” Nobody knows the answer to that, so all those things are conjecture. We just know some things that are absolutely certain, given to us in the Scripture.  – The Gift of Heaven

I like this book. It’s the kind of book to keep on your nightstand or coffee table. You could pick it up at any time, turn to any chapter, and find spiritual refreshment and encouragement for the soul.

Let’s encourage one another by sharing!

In addition to the Bible, what book, written with a Christian worldview,

have you found helpful?