January 10, 2025 - Shelby County Today remembers Michael David "Mike" Mills who contributed articles published on the Faith Page of SCT from 2014 until 2020. Mike Mills entered into his much-anticipated Heavenly home on January 6, 2025 at home surrounded by his family.
In June 2014, Mike reached out to SCT about running a column to discuss the chapter his Bible group at Spring Hill Church would be studying. The relationship continued for six years with the 'In God's Word' weekly column.
Whether visiting with Mike in person or through his columns, he always shared his love of God.
Sometime later in 2022, the final email SCT received from Mike was addressed to a small group to whom he shared an accounting of a feeling that God allowed him to experience, a feeling that he wished to pass on...
Eternal Bliss-
Hello, my name is Mike Mills, I live in the Great State of Texas here in the USA.
I am a retired businessman and a born-again child of the Most High God, and, I am here to tell you of the Grand Prize of Life and the steps needed to attain it.
The Bible says, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)
This much I can tell you, "This is true." While I have not seen all that God has prepared for those who love him, I have, through his grace and love, experienced a part of it.
I lost a great and loyal friend two years ago, my Australian Shepherd cattle dog, Mick. Mick died on Sunday and that evening as I lay in bed I spoke to the Lord saying, "Lord, I don't know if dogs go to heaven or not, but, I want to tell you that if they do, he is a really good boy."
Immediately, in my mind's eye I saw two individuals dressed in white, descend down to Mick's grave in our yard and I saw Mick come up out of the grave with a giant smile on his face. The three of them then went straight up and out of sight.
"I said, Lord, I don't know why you showed me that but I do appreciate it so much."
Two years went by and one morning at 4:00 AM I awoke. I am now having to sleep in my recliner for medical reasons, I looked at my watch and attempted to go back to sleep when I felt myself lift straight up out of the chair in a standing position, I then started going up, like the feeling one gets on an elevator.
I went up for a time, can't say how long for I could not see, it was totally black around me and I literally could not see my own hand in front of my face. After some time it began to get light and I came to rest in a beautiful green pasture.
At that point I knew where I was for Mick and another dog we had lost, Toby, came running to me and I knew where Mick had gone, to heaven.
"He makes me to lie down in green pastures." (Psalm 23:2)
As you might imagine, I was overjoyed at seeing the two of them and lost all track of anything else around us. I knelt down to greet them and suddenly a feeling of total and complete comfort, the feeling of utmost contentment, knowing that nothing could harm me, that everything was alright, no pains, no sadness, no anxiety, just complete joy and peace overcame me. What Christians have referred to as Heavenly Bliss.
This Bliss, I believe is the feeling one gets all the time as one stands in the direct presence of Almighty God.
I could not see him that morning for I had not died and the Bible tells us that a live person cannot look upon him, or he will die.
But, believe me when I say I could feel him, nothing, nothing at all of this world could be worth losing this feeling of Bliss.
I believe God gave me this that I might spread this word to others that they too may be able to endure the world until the time when the Lord returns for his own.
There are more parts to this story.
After a time, a short time, I took off again, this time going down, again in total darkness, until I landed, this time by a country road next to a creek bridge.
Being a country boy, I started to walk down behind the bridge bannister to the creek when I discovered a piece of metal. I turned that metal over in my hands as I looked at it, until I lifted it over my head as high as I could and slammed it to the ground. I then looked up and said in a loud voice, "I don't need this, I believe in him and I trust him, I don't need anything else.
Immediately I took off again, back into the darkness. I realized what he had just given me as I thought of the Bible verses that had brought out the words that I spoke there by the creek.
Jesus said, "For it is the will of my Father that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will lift him up on the last day." (John 6:40)
My reference to believing in him, and; "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3)
My reference to trusting him, for I do trust him to return for me.
These two things in (John 6:40) and (John 14:2-3) are the steps to the kingdom; and the feeling one will have as long as one is in the presence of the Almighty, Heavenly Bliss, is the grand prize.
We must believe for if we do not believe we will certainly not see the kingdom of God. But, if we believe we must also trust in him to return for us that we can endure the pitfalls and tribulations that we will experience in this world.
As we see the world getting more and more violent, filled with more and more hate and discontent, I think we will need both if we are to remain steadfast in our faith and true to our God until that glorious day when he lifts us from this world and into the kingdom of God. Glory, glory, glory to the Lord God Almighty...
May this message comfort you and give you the strength that you will need to believe in him and trust him and gain eternal life with the Father in heaven...
Bliss awaits all who remain true and steadfast, don't miss it!!!
Each email from Mike signed off with "May you hear God's voice in your heart, know His touch in your life and feel His love each day." ~ Mike Mills
Thank you Mike for helping viewers to spend time in God's Word. If you would like to read Mike's columns on SCT, click here.
