“I asked God to protect me…He didn’t let me down”

Thus ran yesterday’s Sun on Sunday ‘world exclusive’ front-page headline about Fabrice Muamba’s recovery from ‘death’ after a heart attack. Click here to read his down-to-earth personal account of being grateful not to be left brain damaged. The follow-up story of who inspired Fabrice’s recovery is on this link.

I’d previously mused in the email below as to whether God’s hand could be discerned in this event as it followed upon the heels of the ASA’s decision to ban any statements about our Lord’s healing power.  We can rejoice in His ‘cocking a snook’ at the thought control behind authoritiarian political correctness.

As before, Gillan Scott quickly reported upon this news and sensitively discusses its appearance in this particular journal. His own conclusion is well worth noting:

This weekend God’s greatest evangelist was a footballer who used a tabloid to tell the world just how amazing God is. God knows what He’s doing and we need to learn to follow His lead.

Amen.

Copy of earlier email:

From: Richard Barker
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:05 PM
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: Fw: Christians in Parliament challenge ASA’s ‘God can heal’ ban

…Thank you to Paul for having alerted me, to Gillan for this news, and to three Christian MPs dealing with this important issue. (You may recall my emails of early February and  my blog’s post on this issue.)

Gillan reports (link) that the All-Party Parliamentary Group, Christians in Parliament, has asked the Chairman of the Advertising Standards Authority to provide scientific substantiation for the ASA ruling against Healing On The Streets, failing which the matter will be raised in Parliament. The ASA decision sought NOT ONLY to ban claims that God can and does heal physically, BUT ALSO TO SUPPRESS PUBLICATION OF TESTIMONIES of such healings!!

In case you may not understand the footballer reference, see Gillan’s post God is in control and Peter Kirk’s post about the BBC’s suggesting prayers for him!  Is the Lord using that unfortunate incident to state, Who says I cannot heal?”..?

GET READY…!

Please consider an interesting instance of similar prophetic words given recently in the UK and in the USA.  Surely it’s not coincidental that they happened a week apart, or that I should be slap bang between them?  220px-Paul_Revere's_rideBoth ‘words’ reminded me of Monday 5th September last when I read Tim Eldridge’s remarks at the Inception Meeting for the Revival Alliance Gathering. Therein, Tim referred to Paul Revere’s preparations for his historically famous ride at the outbreak of the War of Independence. (See Father, let your Kingdom Come and paragraph about Tim in the Gathering’s Report. Picture courtesy of Wikipedia.) Therefore, consider this..:

During Holy Week (this year, the first week in April) I ‘stumbled’ upon a relatively short website UK Prophetic Words that’s been online for just under a year. On Palm Sunday (1st April), Geoff Pick reported upon a series of ten visions some of which struck chords within me, especially the one about a coming change in national anti-Christian culture. Also, I particularly noted that it closed with:

The final picture – A horseman riding towards us I see a horseman riding furiously towards us. He is bringing a proclamation as in Matthew 25. “Get ready the bridegroom is coming.”   Be filled with the oil of heaven, be ready for His return.

Rev John KilpatrickOn Good Friday afternoon we watched the morning’s service live from The Bay Revival, which was on tour in Missouri. Warming up to teach, Rev. John Kilpatrick spoke about  previous talks, one of which was on the glory of God. As he began to speak on this – and only in passing – he sensed the Holy Spirit start to kick in: “You talk about the presence of God and He will come come! – Hohh!”  (he jumped – he usually gives a quick ‘whoop’ and does a little skip when the Holy Spirit gets him fired up).  The congregation got to its feet to praise the Lord for a few minutes, then Pastor John’s tone took on a gravity as though he heard direct from the Lord:

“Can I tell you, right now in heaven…there is a man seated right next to the Supernal God on High? (applause)…and He bears in His body the scars from His earth-walk…and He is alive at this very second as I speak (cheers continue), He is alive – I said, as I speak He is alive (more louder applause). “And if you only knew…what’s going on in the ‘family activities building’ in heaven right now! “The table cloths are being spread, the china’s being set, the horses are being given their oats – the stable doors, the hinges are being greased…(pause) “That man…is about to come back and get His people. I said…He’s about to come back and get His saints – it ain’t long!”

To check this and watch for yourself, click on video below and advance to 1hr3min by clicking on gray buffer bar when it’s about half-loaded.:

My, what words to weigh…the Lord bless you in this. NOW, whatever your thoughts on this you need to get to know for sure who Jesus really is. Time is running short and you owe it to Him (for what He’s done for you), and owe it to yourself (especially for your post-mortem existence – see here), to decide quite quickly. To find out how to become a Christian click on that highlit link and browse the site – thank you Jonathan at Spirit Soul Body for this excellent tip. Or, should you prefer a graphical outline, click here for a short video. (See here for more.) Continued here and then here, (in three linked parts). 

If in you’re London this Good Friday afternoon…

…then perhaps you could go to Trafalgar Square by midday for a couple of open performances which have our highest personal recommendation: The Passion of Jesus.  We’ve booked for a third trip to ‘partake’ in this modern rendition of The Life of Christ, as well as an amazing Nativity, in open fields on the North Downs, south of Guildford. There, the actors mingle among the audience and it seems as though we travel back in time.  It’s as though one’s there alongside Jesus and the disciples, watching and listening to all they say and do.

Continue reading

So what does Jesus look like?

Upon reading my brief review of Heaven Is For Real did you, too, not end up asking that question?

Whilst reading the book I was most interested in this simply because Jesus’ face had been out of sight during my encounter, as explained here (at 1st Validation). Also, I was familiar with ‘portraits’ of ‘Master Jesus’ to be found in New Age circles but didn’t regard them as being authentic.

Can you imagine how deeply stunned Todd and Sonja Burpo were whilst driving with their two children to hear their 4 year old suddenly reveal that he’d heard angels and met Jesus Christ?

From their vehicle’s back seat little Colton pipes up in answer to a gentle tease about hospital by saying what mum and dad were doing whilst he was dying on an operating table with a severely ruptured appendix that had poisoned his abdomen.  It wasn’t so much his accurate description of what they were doing in two different places – on the phone and praying; well, losing it with God! – that hit them. (Only much later did his father learn the finer points of how that prayer of desperation was answered!)

They had to stop at a nearby snack bar to hear again, and digest, Colton’s very quick account of what happened whilst being operated upon. As only a young child can, he described being with Jesus. Over the course of many weeks a fuller account gradually emerged, usually popping out during play times, of what Jesus looks like and of many things Colton ‘did and saw’ during minutes, not hours, of earth time. There was also, and more importantly, what Colton knew. Almost all of this could not be attributed to any teaching or children’s Bible stories!

The first answer to what Jesus looked like was the answer to a spiritual ‘riddle’ : what’s the only thing in heaven that’s the same as it was on earth?

He’d said, right off bat, “Jesus has markers”.

His father claims Colton didn’t know about the crucifixion wounds at that age because their Weslyan church made no references to or had any pictures of them.  For nearly three years his parents would show Colton dozens of illustrations depicting Jesus but they all left him cold. He never saw one that he thought was right. He just could not recognise Jesus in any.

One day his father came across a CNN report of a young girl Akiane Kramarik, a child prodigy who began painting exceptionally sophisticated artwork at the age of 6 years.  A couple of years previously she’d begun having ‘visions’ of heaven, even though both her parents were atheists!  The authors of Heaven Is For Real  write, ‘Slowly her mom began to accept that Akiane’s visions were real and that, therefore, God must be real’.

As I watched (writes Todd) a montage of Akiane’s artwork play across my computer screen, the narrator said, “Akiane describes God as vividly as she paints him”. (p 143)

That was similar to how Colton spoke of Jesus – both children spoke especially about His beautiful eyes. So his father told Colton to come and take a look, asking what was wrong with this one. The boy said nothing, just stared, and he was asked again – still silence and then he got nudged:

My seven-year-old turned to look at me and said, “Dad, that one’s right”.

Entitled “Prince of Peace, Resurrection”, her portrait can be seen in Akiane’s Official Gallery under ‘Age 8’  and the next year shows Jesus praying, “Father Forgive Them”. To learn how she saw and painted Him read For child art prodigy Akiane, Jesus is for real (link no longer available)

Below, Ray Downing demonstrates how the picture Colton saw matches the image of the deceased Christ as captured millennia ago on The Shroud of Turin.

Also, you can watch Colton at 11 tell his story on video on heaven is for real website.

Further reading:

Evidence for physical healing

For quick reference purposes I’ve listed 10 short video clips of testimonies of notable healings – at least a couple of which are not only medically impossible but are also creative miracles. These clips can be found under this website’s header God Heals Today, or by clicking here.

Also, three clips on the disappearance of surgically implanted metal rods, screws and plates during Global Awakening ministry tours, are separately referred to here.

News roundup on healings

Thank you Jonathan for alerting me to the Lord’s recent activities in North Kent, and to NK Community Church’s pastor Pete Carter for permission to publish his remarks that:

Amazing things are happening in these days. In the last two weeks we have seen more healings at NKCC: a badly sprained hand healed and returned to full function, … Also someone’s car miraculously repaired, regular sightings of angels,

Also, these are additional to his posting on healings last December.

Ashton Parker Update – earlier post refers.

On Sunday we heard an update on Ashton Parker’s eyesight from John Kilpatrick at that morning’s service in Alabama. The boy’s astonished doctor reports that his right eye can now see as far as 20 feet instead of only 3 inches. The left eye had such bad glaucoma that he couldn’t go outside without thick, wrap-around goggles and sun-glasses to protect him from the daylight. But the day after prayer he could watch an outdoor game without them. His doctor confirms the glaucoma has completely gone.   [Update is at 1hr38 of video: click to run/load, then advance by clicking in gray bar.]

Dutch Sheets – Sunday, March 25, 2012 from Church of His Presence on Vimeo.

Another Remarkable Healing – watch clip here

As a drunken driver David had a bad crash, ending up with a broken neck and completely paralysed from the accident. Doctors hoped that by extensive surgery there’d be a chance he would regain feeling and movement to his upper body. That worked but they said, “There was absolutely no hope that he would ever walk again”. They told him to stop worrying about his leges and even refused to authorise  physiotherapy because it would be medically impossible for him to ever walk again,or to move or have feeling in his lower body; ie. he would be paralysed for life and limited to a wheelchair.

David heard about Delia Knox’s miraculous healing but he said it was all faked!  His wife believed he would be saved and healed and, eventually, he decided he had nothing to lose by going to the revival. Around midnight last Friday night the Lord gave him back the use of his legs and then on Sunday morning David managed to climb the stairs onto the stage. A fantastic weekend – thank you Lord!  (See via above video link at 52 minutes onwards).

At 1hr 15 Nathan Morris explains that in such cases of atrophied limbs we need to help those being healed to walk into their full healing, as with Delia and Erin. (Although the wife of a doctor, she was beyond a medical cure. She freely admitted, as a Baptist, to not believing God heals today; but then she saw the clip about Delia – click here for Erin’s own astounding story of what God can do today).

“Doctors may say David’s never going to walk – but guess what, guess what, guess what – WITH GOD, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE…”  (Nathan Morris, at 1hr16min of video)

Dutch Sheets’ observations, and very instructive teaching upon the significance of this outpouring and on the various occurrences of the miraculous, follow on at 1hr40mins.  He’s of the opinion there’s evidence that this is now going up a phase, to a new level of signs and wonders.

Be mightily blessed as you watch and listen…

“Now we know God IS REAL!”

Friends – some more about revival in the UK:

First, there’s something different in a NE Hampshire church to when we were last there. We were fired up after Hull and expected Fleet Baptist church to be quiet, but when we went in I sensed the Lord was going to raise the roof.

And He did! All the congregation was excited with their birthday weekend with visiting speaker from New Wine and they worshipped as never before! Also, there were a few testimonies, including healing of a badly frozen shoulder.

For Such A Time As This

In view of what happened in Hull (read here) we wanted to know what Nathan Morris thought about his visit there. The following Thursday he excitedly recounted the main highlights to a large audience in New Jersey.:

Bay Revival New Jersey, March 15, 2012 from Bay Revival on Vimeo.

You could wait for the video to load and advance to 1hr27min to hear this fantastic 15 minute report – OR, if your internet connection is slow, here’s just the first account given that evening of Nathan’s visit home:

“I wasn’t ready for the response (for) the nations are crying out..not only out of the Bride but coming out of the world. They’re desperate and hungry for the real, the genuine.”

There were 200-250 leaders awaiting him and who were amazed that one of the UK’s largest city halls was fully booked. They pointed out the last time there was such a huge gathering in Hull was in the 1800s, when crutches were cast away and blind eyes opened – no pressure! What could a young man tell them they don’t already know?

So he was rather nervous and prayed that God do something amongst the leaders that only He can do. As he was talking to them about the miracle of paralysed Delia Knox’s healing (see herein under ‘after 22yrs paralysis’), Nathan walked by a lady in a wheel-chair. Unbeknown to him, she and her friends had gate-crashed the meeting because she couldn’t get a ticket for the later public sessions.

“I was speaking and walking up the aisle towards a man… then looked down at a woman sat in a wheelchair. I’d never met her but you could see the paralysis in her face and down one side. She was wearing a bag because they had to lift her everywhere…It was as if God set me up – what I was preaching, it was now time to live it!!

“I said, ‘Do you want to walk?’ We laid hands on her and within five minutes she started vibrating in the chair…from a paralysed state she straightened in the chair and started screaming.

“I tell you there’s nothing like the power of God to wake up leaders…within five minutes that lady popped out of her chair…she started walking down the aisle like this (Nathan staggered, legs akimbo). Within ten minutes she was lifting her hands, falling on her knees, rising up, praising.”

Amidst cheers from the NJ congregation, he carried on, “The leaders had woken up and were ready to listen!”

Nathan explained, it was a Luke 5 situation (see vv 18-19), like the man lowered though a roof by friends, because her two friends said they’d take her from Hemel Hempstead:

“Even though she didn’t have a ticket, they said, “We’ll get you in”. So they chose a service they may be more successful and the ushers didn’t want to question the pastors and slipped her in.”

Their hotel had promised it had accessibility for the disabled – but upon arrival the lift mechanism had broken down. So they promised staff would carry her physically when required to/from her room – “No matter when, we’ll be there”.

But this proved extremely painful (I recall this with Nina) and because of this and the affect upon her nerves, they unfortunately caused an accident on the first attempt.

“And when they got to the room they were asked why they’d come. Her friends said they’d come to a revival where God’s going to heal this woman. The staff said, “God’s going to do what?”

“Her friends said, “I’m telling you, we’ll see this woman walk!”.

“The hotel staff said this: “If we see her walk, we’ll know God is real”.”

So that afternoon they put her into the car and the wheelchair into the car boot.

“She’d only been gone about three hours…and when she came back, she got the wheelchair out of the boot and pushed it into Reception!!!

Those hotel workers gave their lives to Jesus Christ !!”

Elsewhere, Nathan said the staff got to their knees in awe at what they saw! Thank you and praise you Lord!

Pastor Jarrod Cooper provides a photo of the lady in his daily blog and tells how those leaders went wild over her miracle.  Also, Nathan reported that many leaders had told him about miracles breaking out across the UK. (See pastor’s later post with video, as below)

Upon chatting to Nina the next day, Lasette reported the first night’s proper sleep for ages, which is what Nina was greatly relieved about after receiving her own healing for a broken spine (read here).

Back down to Earth…

…with a soft landing after Nina and I drove up north to Hull, Yorkshire, for a 3-day church event that MORE than met our expectations. As mentioned in January, we went to check out on someone and something we’d been watching regularly by satellite TV since Autumn 2010 – Nathan Morris and ‘revival’.

Where and how can we begin to convey the effect of those days?  They tied in not only with what we’d heard and been taught in recent weeks but also directly into my train of thoughts since starting this blog last November.  If you, too, have been blessed with special times and encounters in walking with the Lord then you may understand.

First, however, let me backtrack a little. The week after we had confirmations of our individual callings at a conference in Torquay, a pastor’s wife spoke about a picture she’d received during worship. The impulse and timing behind launching this blog were thus confirmed by the date and nature of that picture, as were personal reminders of the encouraging words given to the Bible’s Esther; that is, “For such a time as this”.

In fact, that was the title of the event in Hull – but, when the local pastor planned it at the end of last year, he didn’t know it was scheduled for the actual dates of the Jewish feast of Purim, which celebrates Queen Esther’s intervention in the plot of her Persian king’s prime minister to murder all their Jewish residents.

(NB: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s gift to President Obama during their meeting on 5th March was a scroll of the book of Esther – read full story here)

Bookings for Such A Time As This had sold so rapidly that we two and our travelling companion had to sit right at the back of the 1200-plus auditorium for two nights and then, for Saturday, in the gallery above the balcony!  But way up ‘in the gods’  the worship was heavenly – the presence of the Lord was such that two hours into the service everyone entered (and maintained!) a hush of reverential awe for over an hour!

Afterwards, everyone received impartation prayer from evangelist Nathan.  Is it any wonder then that the Holy Spirit visited one of the city’s Anglican churches during their Sunday service?  (Read about it here)

On the first (Thurs) evening of his return to Hull Nathan preached upon and ministered into the need for repentance, and on Friday focused more upon healing.  Nina and our companion were mightily affected by the power of the Holy Spirit that night and this carried over into the next day, and beyond!

Saturday morning was ‘free time’ and we visited the nearby attractive market town of Beverley.  As we approached the Minster it’s bells started to peal out a deep, sonorous song.  Immediately this magnified the strong, physical weight of Holy Spirit’s presence in both ladies – they were ‘blasted’!   Upon trying to take a photo of the Minster I found the actual wind to be so strong I had to hold onto the metal railings for support!

That afternoon was a time for healing on the streets in Victoria Square outside Hull City Hall and many youngsters received prayer and were healed – see photo and pastor Cooper’s blog.

Healings had commenced from the outset on Thursday afternoon with a lady paralysed down her right side being healed. Her  accompanying carer became redundant and the wheelchair no longer necessary!  It was a delight to find them sitting on the row in front of us for the daytime teaching programme in the church hall.  So, as well as the excellent teaching, we had a lot in common to talk about in view of Nina’s healing from immobility.

Also noteworthy were the dramatic healings of a lady from cerebral palsy and a man in a wheelchair from the paralysing effects of a stroke. For more see the pastor’s 11-part daily blogs, Behind the Scenes.

We were particularly touched by noisy Nathan’s gentleness when he sensed a lady wasn’t a believer.  He broke from ministering to those who’d come forward to speak quietly to her about Jesus and how he’d been rescued from a life of addiction as an unbeliever. Thus, this nurse received the best miracle – salvation – as well as healing for a hearing problem.

Nathan updated us on the healing of young Ashton Parker’s blind eyes. It’s deep effect upon him was plainly visible.  We had wondered how the boy could speak about the colours of clothes and Nathan explained that his mother had taught him what they’re like by holding coloured cards up against his eyes.

IF YOU’VE NOT SEEN IT, DO WATCH IT HAPPENING on ‘Latest Video’ on the Bay Revival home page. (Ashton is at 3min40 into the short clip.)  See also this posting.

Incidentally, for those who don’t know, Nathan’s grimaces and soaked shirt and jacket are a result of the Lord’s fire within him.  Right after Hull he went to New Jersey, where he told those assembled, “When I speak about Jesus, my belly boils!“.  No wonder he’s an exceptionally passionate preacher.

Read also >> Follow-up on Healings in the UK

Healing versus Human Rights ??

Dear Friends – a couple of today’s news items may seem unconnected, but probably not so from the Lord’s perspective:

The Blind ARE Healed – UPDATED in posting 28 March

On Sunday we heard Rev John Kilpatrick speaking excitedly about 8 year old Ashton Parker who received his sight last Friday during a revival service in Dallas and showed a photo of the boy between him and Nathan Morris. Continue reading

Special Update from HOTS

Thank you to Paul Skelton, founder of Healing On The Streets in Bath, for permission to post his recent Special E-News Update, which reads as follows:

HOTS_Bath_Logo_2

The facts behind the story

Over the last few weeks “HOTS Bath” has been thrust into the media spotlight after the ASA ruling against our website and down-loadable leaflet in which we say that God can heal, physically as well as emotionally and spiritually.
Today, we met as a Trust to discuss where we felt Father was leading us from here and feel that it is important for us to do three things at this time.

1. To clarify the facts behind the story.
2. To clearly communicate our own position and response.
3. To give some guidance as to how the Christian community could respond.

We are therefore sending out this special E-News Update to cover these three areas: Continue reading

E-petition and minister of healing on ASA’s ruling on HOTS-Bath

Please consider joining me in signing an official e-petition ‘I believe that God can heal’, which reads as follows:

Whether or not we believe that God can heal, we call on the Government to ensure that publishing statements of faith is not banned. This petition is put forward following cases where the Advertising Standards Agency has banned Christian groups from publishing material with the words ‘God can heal’, for example in Bath.

Just a reminder: the issue is not over HOTS compliance with 8 requirements of an advertising code but is about the ASA’s refusal to allow statements of faith. Furthermore, as previously mentioned and now confirmed at point 3 below, this could be construed as the ‘militant secularism’ which the Conservative party’s chairwoman Baroness Warsi referred to in her recent speech.

Thank you Peter for this tip, and pointing out overseas residents may sign too. Thank you also to Martin for drawing attention to a report on The New Street Preachers from Reachout Trust (connected to RevelationTV) and which includes a scriptural assessment of HOTS activity.

Secondly, whilst taking a friend to the airport last night I mentioned this matter to him. As he directs an Anglican healing ministry you may like to know the drift of his remarks, which were as follows: Continue reading

From ‘Disabled’ to ‘enabled’ – Nina tells how Jesus healed her spine:

One morning in October 2005 I woke up and turned to say “Good morning” to Richard, my husband, only to find that I couldn’t speak – my throat was closing and I was having difficulty breathing!

I was rushed into hospital and spent nine life-threatening days in the high dependency unit. It was discovered that I had a blood disorder of unknown origin and unknown cure with an antibody in my DNA!

All the specialist could give me was a dangerously high dose of steroids to control what was happening in my body. The most a body can take before it collapses is 120mg daily and I was on 100mg a day!  What happened to my body was almost unbelievable but I lived to tell the tale.

In an effort to get going again I started walking and gently exercising but suddenly pains in my left leg started and pains in the base of my spine. The doctor discovered that I had a small tear in the Achilles tendon and that was possibly why my back was hurting.

In January 2006 I had a bone density scan and another MRI scan and was diagnosed with steroid induced osteoporosis but the scans showed that all was well – no cracks or anything to worry about.  We’d booked to go on a Catch the Wave conference in that February and so off we went.  We arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with friends the day before sailing.  After breakfast that day, I stood up to leave the table and as I turned I also screamed and it felt as if my back gave way.  In those few seconds my entire life changed. Continue reading

Muhammed knows more than the ASA!

Radiologist Muhammed knows what the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) cannot comprehend – GOD REALLY DOES PHYSICAL HEALING!

How come?  Nina needed a checkup with a 3D scanner recently and, trying to lie back-wards onto the scanner table, she asked the radiologist for assistance because of her spine’s lack of flexibility.  She told him this was due to a vertebroplasty performed at that hospital.  (This procedure inserts bone cement into one of the spine’s vertebrae.) Whilst two cameras slowly orbited Nina’s chest the radiologist delved into her large, paper file.

So I took the opportunity to explain briefly what had miraculously happened 6 years ago after the procedure had left her as officially registered ‘disabled’.  (As she couldn’t walk across a room, a wheelchair plus ‘blue badge’ parking facility was necessary outdoors.)  I told Muhammed that God healed her immediately after Nina had forgiven the surgeon – thereupon she could dance and walk and, thus, fully praise the Lord!

Thinking Muhammed is probably a Muslim, I stressed that forgiveness was key to her healing and twice that ‘God is good’.  He must have been impressed because he said on our departure, “It’s good to meet people of faith – there aren’t many around!”.

‘God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform’ – as averred by the opening lines of William Cowper’s hymn.  Indeed He does, for had Nina’s vertebra been fully restored, or even replaced, then she would not have needed Mohammed’s help, but he would have been the poorer for not seeing first-hand an example of God’s goodness!

1. ASA Adjudication against Healing On The Streets – Bath

A team from many churches across Bath city has been setting up ‘shop’ near the Abbey for three years. As in several towns and cities across Britain, they offer to pray in Jesus’ name for passers by and hand out leaflets listing a variety of medical conditions and  stating the team believes God loves everyone and can heal sickness.  As my friend Gillan Scott reports in God and Politics in the UK:

Their leaflets and website caught the attention of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) last summer after a complaint was made by a single member of the public.   The complaint centred around the claim that God could heal the named conditions as a result of the prayer offered and also that the claims were irresponsible and could lead to false hope to those suffering from those conditions.

[For more see: Complainant – Christian wisdom – secular journalistpolitical columnist.]

The ASA noted, ‘We acknowledged that HOTS volunteers believed that prayer could treat illness and medical conditions, and that therefore the ads did not promote false hope. However, we noted we had not seen evidence that people had been healed through the prayer of HOTS volunteers, and concluded that the ads could encourage false hope in those suffering from the named conditions and therefore were irrespons-ible.’

They ruled: ‘The ads must not appear again in their current form. We told HOTS not to make claims which stated or implied that, by receiving prayer from their volunteers, people could be healed of medical conditions. We also told them not to refer in their ads to medical conditions for which medical supervision should be sought.’ (My emphasis)

Although one can be rather stirred up over their banning the HOTS-Bath’s adverts of  prayers for healing, some of the reasoning seems sensible.  However, some elements give cause for concern because they belie not so much an apparent rejection of God but suggest an over-arching policy of political control.

First, on casting my eye over the ASA assessment there clearly is a bias in favour of the complainant’s claim that HOTS-Bath volunteers themselves heal medical conditions, and that HOTS’ testimonials are misleading.  Although the ASA discussed the issues with HOTS and their responses are reported upon, an unreasonableness is evident in a close reading of the adjudication document itself: no leeway whatsoever is entertained.  All four complaints are upheld.  No compromise is allowed – isn’t this dictatorship?

Also, there appears to have been outrageous demands to kowtow to ASA’s denial of God’s ability to heal sickness, as may be inferred from HOTS-Bath’s initial response     (also, see here for later and here for latest news):

We are disappointed with the ASA’s decision, and will appeal against it because it seems very odd to us that the ASA wants to prevent us from stating on our website the basic Christian belief that God can heal illness.

The ASA has even demanded that we sign a document agreeing not to say this, which is unacceptable to us – as it no doubt would be for anyone ordered not to make certain statements about their conventional religious or philosophical beliefs. (My emphases)

2. Proof of Political Direction

This issue has unsettling similarities with my own experience with the North Somerset Primary Care Trust three years ago this month.  I wrote to its CEO objecting over the decision to suspend a nurse on the grounds of having prayed for a patient.  Nurses were then ordered not to pray for patients and so I wrote that this directive could put lives in jeopardy, and gave a real-life example, as follows:

Had such an edict been in force during my wife’s emergency admittance to hospital in 2005 she would possibly have lost her life!!

Nina had been in a life-threatening situation where she could suffer an anaphylactic attack at any time and her immunologist was trying to get this under control by means of an extremely high, and thereby dangerous, dose of steroids. But one night her throat closed up and the staff had quickly made preparations for a possible emergency trache-otomy to open her up in order to breathe – a dangerous situation!

A nurse who’d not served in that unit asked Nina if she could pray and Nina nodded as an orderly hooked up the heart monitor. The nurse began praying and right away Nina’s throat opened up and she could breath properly again: wildly oscillating readings quickly calmed down and stabilised.  Afterwards, over an early morning tea the night nurse confided she was there only for that night and had been asking the Lord who she should help – an angel indeed. Thank you Lord.

My concern over the PCT’s directive was ignored by the CEO’s standard reply for he proudly proclaimed adherence to diversity and equality policies – THAT SAYS IT ALL!

Furthermore, since publishing this post I’ve heard that another national Christian body has also been unable to agree to the ASA’s demands over statements of physical healing. Thus, on the face of it, I ask: is the ASA deliberately trying to gag the Gospel of Christ?

3. Proof of Healing

The ASA Adjudication noted, ‘testimonials on the website and in the video…were insufficient as evidence for claims of healing. We therefore concluded the ads were misleading.’ I assume this would have been because there was no ‘proper’ medical evidence.

Paucity of documentary proof has admittedly been a weakness of various ministries involved with Christian healing, yet such documentation compiled by New Age practi-tioners has enabled them to be permitted to work in recognised medical facilities.

In order for Christians to gain better recognition by the medical profession the renowned Randy Clark has launched a Christian Healing Certification Program.  No doubt this will include their astounding videos of a number of people from whom surgically implanted metal rods, pins and screws have miraculously disappeared!!  As there was no ill effect then their bodies were sufficiently healed to enable full physical activity!

At last September’s Revival Alliance Gathering John Arnott of Catch The Fire spoke about dvds he’s produced of medically verified accounts of healings in services.  As Nina’s healing was during one she agreed to go on video. Unfortunately however, no footage was available because her ministry took place off-camera.

In The Bay of The Holy Spirit Revival most healings are evident in their ‘before’ and ‘after’ manifestation, and a number people have returned with medical confirmation of their healing. For example, Crystal Caro brought a medical statement to there being  no known medical explanation for her miracle!!  Her surgically constructed bladder had been replaced by a real one after prayer at the revival meeting.

One mother spoke about the disappearance of a tumour the size of a golf ball from her son Caleb’s brain!  ‘Before’ and ‘after’ scans were shown on a later broadcast. Don’t we have a good God?

In the revival’s early days 18 months ago, the first to receive sight was a man who’d had eight operations to restore his sight, but all failed. He went home from the revival and returned with his whole family of unbelievers who ackowledged that God does heal and wanted to get right with him!  Then there’s the young lady who could only hear through  a digital box on her skull but which is no longer needed.  An older lady who’d had five strokes and whose family were thus unable to look after her, was collected by her sister and driven 500 miles to the revival – she returned home healed, and to save her family!

Have you wept with a young boy upon regaining sight in a blind eye?  Or seen Alanna’s tears at being the butt of kid’s jokes at her limp? She cried, “I can’t take it any more” but upon receiving prayer was healed of cerebral palsy, then walked properly and was soon to run and use a trampoline. Praise you Lord!

We’ll NEVER forget Delia Knox, getting out of a wheelchair after 22 yrs of paralysis and learning to walk again into her healing, which was seen around the world by satellite tv – what an awesome, MIGHTY testimony! (Evangelist Nathan Morris and her husband, a bishop, said they both felt an immense power surge around them during the service.)   This miracle was also reported in the UK press’ tabloid Daily Mail – but they twisted its truth by failing to acknowledge it was done through Jesus Christ!  Did they not realise the high cost of refusing to acknowledge him before men? (See Matthew 10:32-33)

So take your pick from many more testimonies on The Bay website. Would the ASA be able to watch anyone being deeply moved upon their receiving God’s healing grace?

Also, let’s be aware that local doctors occasionally send patients to revival services in Mobile, who then testify to receiving a healing.

PRAISE THE LORD THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF NINA’S HEALING FROM PERMANENT DISABILITY!

Click here to read her full story

Is England at a crossroads?

Visiting intercessor and Bible teacher Chuck Pierce claimed, “England is on the verge, (which is) like being at a crossroads”.  If so, how are we individually and collectively to proceed?

In that posting I posed a rhetorical question to consider the kind of choice we could take when faced with four suggested – and quite likely – destinations. It depends on where we really want to go, does it not?  But as personally observed in Death or Destiny? we really need to make the right choice – and do you and I have the wisdom to do so?

On the face of it we could be considering a geographical matter, where a map will help, but this is a matter of morality which forms the basis of all our values as a nation.

Therefore, to consider Chuck’s claim seriously and make a sound decision that enables us to take the right route to arrive at the best destination, then it’s sensible to get good advice. So let’s dig out my trusty handbook, the Best Instruction Before Leaving Earth! 

Checking its index for ‘roads’ and ’paths’ I find a poetic plea from the shepherd-king David for deliverance and forgiveness, as recorded at Psalm 25. Let’s dip in:

(verse4) Show me your ways O Lord; teach me your paths. (5) Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation…(10) All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to those who keep His covenant and testimonies…[full text here, NKJV]

Also, consider renowned Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd…(3) He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me…[full text here, NIV]

And what did God say to his prophet Jeremiah when admonishing the stubborn Israelites who refused to obey and follow Him:

This is what the LORD says, Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said ‘We will not walk in it’…Therefore, hear, O nations; observe, O witnesses what will happen to them…”  (Jer 6 .15-18 NIV)

After the prophetically instructive lesson God gave Jeremiah at a potter’s house, He said:

“…Yet my people have forgotten me, they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways and in ancient paths. They made them walk in bypaths and on roads not built up…” (a highway – NKJV) (Jer 18.15 NIV)

Wow, are these not clear recommendations which way England and Britain should go?

Could there be a lesson in the recent capsizing of the largest Italian cruise liner, Costa Concordia?  Wonderfully, almost all survived but it should not have happened!

In Revelation TV’s Outlook for 2012, Rev Clifford Hill remarked that the event is a true ‘sign’ that the world needs to understand – a very public one through which God may speak and get a point across.  Jesus understood and used this Biblical definition of a sign in, for example, the fate of workers killed by a falling tower. Public opinion thought it had happened because they’d seriously sinned against God (Luke 13.1-5) but:

I tell you ‘No’, Jesus replied,But unless you all repent you will all likewise perish.

In January 2012, thousands were under the care of a professionally qualified team which decided to steer everyone off course on an officer’s personal whim. They headed off the authorised safe route and completely ignored the perils with disastrous results.

Isn’t that like our captains of state?  Like our captains of finance, of business, of media and other opinion shapers? Like the liner’s unwise captain they hear and let themselves get directed by the loudest voices!  We’re all too familiar with who they are in our nation – the most dangerous being those who insist that ‘right is wrong and wrong is right’, with the deliberate aim of perverting our Judeo-Christian heritage and values.

We need to stand and speak for Jesus Christ and as He would have us make our voices heard!

He’s On His Way

It’s SO encouraging that the Christmas advert I wrote about at the close of Points to Ponder: 2011-12 has been displayed to congregations by the leaders of a couple of churches in our locality.

Folk were amazed at its appearance right in the heart of the DailyTelegraph’s financial section. Perhaps when Jesus does return to our world, he may come in the middle of a complete economic meltdown?  Not that ‘the End is nigh’ – I’m not of that brigade!

Let me state my prime viewpoint, namely, that Jesus is coming back for a bride who’s ‘made herself ready’.  Thus, I expect the church to be restored in line with Jesus’ desire that she moves fully in the ‘greater works’ – to be a bride that has arisen with the glory of the Lord appearing over her and thus pierce the ‘thick darkness covering the peoples’, etc. (see Revelation 19.7, Acts 3.21, John 14.12 and Isaiah 60.1-2). There are clear indications that this preparation is happening globally through many ministries.

Click here for previous posting and scroll to the last sub-heading about the advert. If you’ve yet to read about the uncanny predictions reported in that posting, why not take the opportunity to read the full article?

We ARE a Christian country

We now have a hardcopy of an important global prophecy that Nina and I heard on Sunday, the day before its very first fulfilment!  It emboldens me to go out on a limb.

FIRST, however, we need to reconsider carefully our reaction to David Cameron’s recent speech on the 400th anniversary of the King James’ Bible, especially to the Prime Minister’s claim that “We are a Christian country”.

Many question that statement in view of the moral collapse of our nation.  I wrote, ‘that is hard to believe’!  However, shortly after posting my comments I believe the Lord gently took me to task in being critical, even judgemental… 

I realised that reaction is contrary to my preceding paragraph’s contention that the speech may have a prophetical aspect! Also, as this thought came unexpectedly and was definitely not mine, it must have come from ’upstairs’.

The last few decades have surely changed us from being a Christian country – BUT that does not invalidate Cameron’s claim. Those who operate in the prophetical gifting know that a Holy Spirit directed declaration calls forth holy power to create, or seed, out of the invisible, or to bring something non-existent into existence in the material realm.  Often, it can become just a ‘seed’ with potential for fuller existence.  When we hear and release God’s word then it will perform and achieve his purpose:

“So shall My word that goes forth from My mouth…not return to Me empty, without fruit, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55.11 nkjv)

And Jesus taught us how and what to pray for:

“Holy, Father in heaven: Your Kingdom, let it come. Your will, let it be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

then let us recognise it is Father’s will that heaven can and will come fully to earth.  So let us join with our national leader in declaring, “We ARE a Christian country”!

Confirmation

This came later the same evening upon watching a dvd of the international Korean-American apostolic minister Che Ahn at September’s Revival Alliance Gathering in London. [Many leaders believe that event is important for the church and revival in this country – see details and my prophetic feedback.]

Che explained the implications of the apostolic office of Jesus’ five-fold giftings to his disciples, as Paul taught in Ephesians 4, and its close connection to that of prophet. Each born-again believer may display any number of those gifts so that the whole body of Christ reaches full maturity.

As an example of our effect upon political affairs, Che referred to born-again President Reagan’s famous Brandenburg Gate speech in June 1987, saying to Russia’s President Gorbachev, “Mr President, if you really want peace, then tear down this Berlin wall”.  Inconceivable in those days! How would Soviet Russia ever do that? – yet it happened two years later with the fall of Communism.

Prophecy in action?

Incidentally, Che knows South Korea’s Christian President Lee and his heart for re-unification of north and south Koreas. This week’s death of the NK president came as no surprise because, whilst on-line to Church of His Presence for Sunday’s service, Nina and I heard Rev John Kilpatrick close his sermon by prophesying;

“There will be sudden deaths of key people that will sweep the news around the world; sudden deaths that you will see that will be the buzz for months on end about what happened. There will be leaders brought down and others that will be brought up… several sudden deaths that will shock the world.”

So the very next day’s news of millions mourning the sudden death of North Korea’s President came as though validating this is a true prophetic word.

Sunday also saw the public announcement of Turkish President Erdogan’s serious cancer problem, which affects his role in the urgent Syrian crisis. (And let’s not overlook his bellicose verbal attacks upon Israel)

For hardcopy of Rev Kilpatrick’s prophecy click here . He has a track record on true prophecy eg, this year’s massive fires and floods in the States. Plus the wonderful fact that the Lord has chosen him as host for a second powerful move of the Holy Spirit in repentance and miraculous healings.

Therefore, may I humbly suggest that although David Cameron is a ‘babe’ as believer, his declaration on behalf of the nation may prove to be part of momentous changes?

Father, let Your Kingdom come!

The following email submitted details of a dream that had been weighed by the senior leaders of Winchester Vineyard Church and forwarded to Christen Forster, organiser of the Revival Alliance Gathering.

A number of elements in that dream, which happened concurrently with the event, are related not only to foundational scriptures for lead-in prophecies given in November 2010 but also to activities in the heavenlies at the time of the Gathering, as well as possibly indicating what may be about to happen soon in the UK.

Christen agreed to the dream being posted upon the Revival Alliance Gathering website as Feedback under Prophecies & Testimonials.  [2016 update: links no longer available but details may be read in the update below.]

Here’s the full email:

Email to Christen Forster,  Monday, September 19, 2011                                          Subject: Revival Alliance Gathering, Westminster, London 1-3 Sept 2011

YOUR KINGDOM COME
Nina and I had booked early for the Gathering but were unable to attend. Yet I’m grateful the Lord gave the following on Saturday before the day’s meetings started:

Sat 3 Sept:                                                                                                                     

We are in an open-plan, modern office environment overlooking a town centre. Upon glancing out of one side’s extensive windows I’m amazed to see a large white cube flying very low over nearby buildings! (It’s about the size of a Hercules transport plane.) Watching, I see a few more similar cubes follow and fan out in different directions.

Then I go to look from a different quarter’s aspect to see where they’re coming from and am surprised this view is from a much higher floor and looking over a different location! I notice a couple of cubes hover and discharge some cargo, which floats down to settle on the ground – rather as furniture vans deposit items outside a house.

However, I’m seeing into a room being set up, as though the building itself is invisible! A large wooden table and its several chairs are already there as white porcelain bathroom furnishings descend, but remain hanging in space!

In a flash I understand what’s happening and, without thinking, hear myself comment aloud, “They’re setting up The Kingdom!”

Someone else watching disparagingly quips, “Oh, that’s your perspective”.

Again I’m surprised by my immediate, unconscious retort, “I studied perception at Uni!” (ie. in physics and in psychology, and am thus making a well-informed comment.)

A sudden urgency comes upon me to dash home with this news. Jumping into a car I find my normal route out of the building diverted and a huge vehicle tries to collide with me. Dodging it I drive up a slip road onto a choked road but find this very basic car becomes seriously under-powered.

So I get out to walk yet find all hard paving has turned into lush green grass of wide-open meadows. The congested road’s gone and I’m sliding down a well-worn grass bank to then run, or move, much faster than I can really run across an extensive area. I head a few dozen feet above the land, as though in a glider, and some very large object or person rushes from the left to block my path. Totally unfazed, I deliberately collide into it and it smashes into oblivion without halting or affecting my movement.

On the nearby horizon an unusual low building looms into view but, as I approach this destination, the alarm clock goes off!!

An initial interpretation came with great excitement in view of several revival meetings this month. I believe the Lord gave the above heading for my note of this lucid dream.

All this needed weighing BUT I didn’t expect confirmation and more insights not only in connection with the Gathering itself but also with the prophetic word reported at the Gathering’s Inception Meeting in Nov 2010!

Sun 4 Sept:

At Winchester Vineyard Church’s briefing on Sunday evening one of the attendees described the repentance of leaders at the Gathering. My spirit leapt in knowing this connected into that dream’s bathroom furnishing! (It’s symbolic of cleansing through repentance and forgiveness.)

In the dream, the bathroom appeared after table and chairs were already in place, which may mean a meeting place with purpose and authority. Then came a personal insight spoken as though from Holy Spirit, indicating only those open to Him can perceive and understand the Kingdom. Also, whatever is being set up is not within an obvious structure but fully exposed to those with ‘eyes to see’. (Perhaps, church ‘outside the walls’?)

Only later did I realise why the dream is directly connected to the Gathering. That’s because the setting was in two offices in separate locations (Reading and Croydon) where I’d worked and which came under the authority of central Dept of Environment, then located in Marsham St, as is Emmanuel Church!  [The venue for the Gathering.]

Thus, I believe the dream’s meaning is relevant to the Revival Alliance Gathering being held in Emmanuel Church and to its proceeding out into the wider Church.

Incidentally, having noted the dream under the header ‘Your Kingdom Come’, I later learned that’s the same title of the following week’s healing service in Winchester led by the Gathering’s member absent in the Ukraine – Randy Clark!

Mon 5 Sept:                                                                                                        

Happened to ‘google’ Revival Alliance and discovered website about the Gathering and read its Inception Meeting’s Report and the associated prophetic word.  I was struck especially by the latter’s,

‘It is time to build a house for me to dwell in, God who even the heavens cannot contain, will dwell in a house whose walls are the Holy Spirit’.

That’s a near description of what was in the dream, for I could see as though through invisible walls into rooms. Even so, there was a definite sense of some kind of structure without my being able to ascertain its nature. Could this indicate the invisible power and work of Holy Spirit?

However, upon checking the quoted reference to Ezekiel 42:15-19 (details of the prophet’s vision of the temple) the translations to hand imply that the walls will be material, not immaterial. YET, the dream truly fits the scripture because, as Christen Forster explained to me: “ … in those verses you will see the word “side” (as in the King James), but the word is actually “ruach”, which is wind, spirit or breath. As the winds traditionally had four directions it has been made into “sides” in English. But more literally it says, “he measured the east wind” … hence Spirit.” [It is Strong’s number 7307, which cannot be construed as ‘wall’.]

A second item from the Report is suggestive of the dream’s closing half. It’s Tim Eldridge’s reference to Paul Revere’s preparation to alert an alliance and, hence, the urgency of spreading the news at top speed – his renowned Ride into American history

Thurs 8 Sept:                                                                                                              

Then came an intriguing connection to the 14 years break in revival activities in UK, and when re-starting work on the Temple in Jerusalem, as referred to in the Report and at the Gathering.

The Lord prompted me to dig into my library for a book, The Heart of The Temple.  Quickly, I spotted in the Foreword’s first page (by Jennifer Rees Larcombe):

“How did this passion for the Temple begin for you?”

“The seed was planted in my heart fourteen years ago”, she replied!!

PS: where else have we read about fourteen years? It was the period Apostle Paul spent in preparation before his missionary trips to the Gentiles (see Gal 1:11-2:2).

UPDATE 18 DEC 2017

In view of the original 2011 links’ non-functionality, I copied my papers onto this blog’s Prophecy Library, amending all entries accordingly. The Library summarises events as follows:

Sep’11 – RB dream: “They’re setting up the Kingdom!” and urgent release of its news, as recounted in ‘Father, Your Kingdom Come’.  See also October 2011 email Acceleration in Kingdom Activity. [A similar powerful dream of how mantles of anointing are becoming available from the Kingdom came to Revd Bob Mazeroski of New Life Church, Weirton, W Virginia in 2014, as reported here.  Full details in 5th Anniversary (2016) post follows resonant words and 2009’s “ALL about to be fulfilled” word in Pivotal Prophecies Now Coming Into Play. Dream confirmed in theme, location and timing.]

Bill J Credit BethelSep’11 – Bill Johnson: at the first Revival Alliance Gathering in the UK declared ,“We would look back at 1st Sept 2011 as the day things changed in the UK.” David Pike’s replete record in  Diebach-Welldigger’s Revival Alliance Meetings in Westminster  notes Bill then said it might take time for the impact of this day to be seen and felt across the nation, but gradually it would come. In his library of ‘Revival Prophecies for the British Isles’, Chris Welch noted him as saying, “There’s something about September 1st. I believe you can write it down…‘Everything changed September 1st 2011’….understand that a Kingdom perspective sees the oak tree as an acorn…I feel like it’s a prophetic word over this country: September 1st everything’s different.”

Sep’11 – Christen Forster: a Gathering organiser later reported Che Ahn had told him that, in all the time working with him, he’s rarely heard Bill make an apostolic pronouncement of such a kind. Christen wrote, ‘Bill’s prophetic word in September was a declaration of the start of the new day, the new wave, the new season. The wells don’t need unblocking any more, the water is flowing, we just need to carry their life and refreshment into the dry places. And every week I hear stories that confirm that word.’

RELATED READING:

Yes, Prime Minister – ‘do’ God!

No doubt you read or heard about David Cameron’s address at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford last Friday at the closing celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the King James Authorised Bible? 

His speech is recommended reading for all Christians for the PM strongly eulogised our faith and its scriptures and the profound effect of both upon our nation, as well as insisted upon their being central to our political life. Continue reading

3 validations point to 2012-13 : part 3 of ‘Death or Destiny?’

A little time was needed to gain a fuller understanding of that awesome visitation – the absolute holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ in contrast to my personal sinful nature. No wonder I expected to die and was convicted of my sin!

That encounter used two very personal aspects of my life to grab my attention, thereby validating the experience as real, not an imaginary one. Even more amazingly, both validations are directly related to the 1st and 2nd Advents!  Thus, they couldn’t fail to enhance my interest in End-Times and which had been launched a few years years earlier by The Invisible Hand (see herein).

The First Advent was the time when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea about two thousand years ago. Hence, the four weeks leading into Christmas are designated within the church calendar as Advent, and which start the church year.

The Second Advent is coming soon and is expected to commence in Jerusalem.

First Validation

I inwardly ‘knew’ the heavenly visitor was indeed Jesus, and that the impressive action was a foretaste of his promised return, when He will come in all His power and glory.

The event reminded me of my favourite picture in mother’s Missal, or service book of the Roman Mass.  This gave the content of every Sunday service throughout the year with a diagram symbolising the theme for each service.  As a boy keen on astronomy I’d been fascinated by the picture for First Sunday in Advent. This depicted Jesus standing on the clouds over a burning earth in the midst of sun, moon and falling stars, indicative of events before his Second Advent!

The confirmation referred to above came almost as unusually. On a healing retreat years later, a minister told me God would show me something after lunch. Indeed, after lunch a stranger who’d been seated at my table confided that the Lord told her to show me something she greatly treasured.

christinclouds-lrgIt was a photo taken, it was claimed, from an aircraft over a thunderstorm. When developed, the photo bore an image of Jesus Christ, as though standing within clouds. However, the facial features were hazy, not defined. It was exactly like Jesus in my dream for I had  not seen His face.  (I recall dark, hazy clouds at the foot of the image. This one is published by Bible Probe.)

Upon seeing this photo my legs gave way – I couldn’t stand but fell into a nearby chair! My companion said I went so white she thought I was going to faint or fall.

Yet, just how did a stranger know to show me this photo?  I’d not divulged such a personal dream – she simply said, “It’s the Lord’s doing”.

Second Validation

I was puzzled over the closing element of the dream-event, that is:  upon my reaching towards Jesus’ feet to grasp his robe, it turned into the branch of a Christmas tree!  So, when I tugged, a Christmas tree toppled over and its fairy fell off and onto the floor.

Weird?  Not really, because that spot by the window was where the family Christmas tree used to be erected. It was a corner closely associated with Christmas.

As a devout Catholic, my mother had told me about Jesus from an early age. When I painted pictures I would put a blue stripe at the top of outdoor scenes to represent heaven, as children did. But I’d also draw a Christmas tree in heaven as being Jesus.

Why? Not only had I associated all the wonder of Christmas with his birthday but I also heard an actor  on TV mention his name whilst looking at a small fir tree. So in my childish way I took the actor at his word and would draw Jesus as a Christmas tree.  Hence, the dream changed him to match that image.

At its close, therefore, the dream-event signified the time had come to put away not only childish misconceptions but also all false teachings and replace them with absolute truth – the one who is the Truth in person.

Truly, the most fantastic Christmas present ever – one that’s daily an ever-present encouragement and help in every time of need, no matter how dire. Thank you Lord.

These events started in 1989 and culminated in 1995 with its prime confirmation. Yet more was to come!  Sixteen years later upon revisiting this story for the purposes of this blog, I was surprised by a couple more insights that dropped unbidden into mind. One was tantalising: could the street number of my childhood home (212) possibly be significant in pointing toward the coming year? That is, to 2012!  

Could that notion be true?  Such musing would be confirmed in a fascinating numerical manner at 2012’s first Christian conference we were to attend…Upon our arrival at the venue I was curious about distance driven from home. The car’s odometer was ‘212’ miles!

Third Validation (updated Dec 2013)

Once again, timing proves crucial in presenting another objective confirmation!  Again, had I not been writing about the visitation I would have missed the crucial linkage!

Whilst writing instalments of My Journey Into Freedom I inserted a report on something pertinent that happened at that time in the USA. This came as a ‘new revelatory word’ from the Lord to Revd John Kilpatrick and began at 2:22am. This too, is very interesting on two counts. Numerically, because my birthday falls on a 22nd. Orally, because that word is directly relevant to my dream visitation in referring to the angelic host as well as in closing with Luke 21:28, namely:

But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.

My mother’s Missal for the First Sunday of Advent is shown below and notice how the scripture on page 69 links into my personal visitation and what pastor John brought.

[Click to enlarge]

1stSundayAdvent

It’s amusing that the number of hits on this blog passed the 212,000 mark within days of the 4th anniversary of its launch on 21st November 2015.

So a huge thank you goes to every subscriber and regular reader, as well as all visitors – Richard

To find out what happened after the encounter read Rescued from Satan by the Lord of Hosts.

Further reading:

The Heavenly Visitor – part 2 of ‘Death or Destiny?’

That night’s second visit was far more challenging than polite Peter’s chat –  this time it was life or death!

I went back in time – not in this blog’s ‘time machine’ but in a most unusual dream. One so lucid that, over twenty years later, it remains vividly etched within me. So it must be exceptionally significant.  Come back with me to the night of 13-14th September 1989:

I find myself in the lounge of my childhood home and in front of the large casement window abutting one corner of the room.  I look up into the inky, dark night sky.

A small flotilla of large, wingless aircraft drifts slowly across from left to right at high altitude and I groan, “Oh…not that flying saucer nonsense. I must be dreaming!”  (Occasionally in dreams I’d be aware of dreaming and could change the scenario.)

I’m sceptical about the existence of UFO’s, but now another ‘fleet’ appears from the right and heads towards the first.

Now, the dream changes gear (rather, goes up a level) from the normal mixture of mental material > to that of absolutely convincing lucidity:

The ‘light goes on’!  In my ‘knower’, I realise the first fleet is demonic and the second is masses of angels under the command of Jesus Christ. (I did not believe in them, and regarded Jesus as one of many world teachers – I didn’t know Jesus appeared as the commander of the Lord’s host, or angels, to Joshua when outside Jericho. Here, I cannot see any individuals but have inner knowledge of the situation.)

I think I’m about to watch an amazing heavenly battle…but…OH NO!  Somehow, I now know Jesus has espied me far down below and is coming down directly towards me!

All I see is a distant bright light very rapidly getting brighter and larger as it drops down to my location, just like an airliner approaching a runway to land at night. 

Instantly, I realise my life has been one of sin that contrasts starkly against Jesus’ own holiness. Right away I realise what’s claimed about the Judgement is true – but mine is about to happen right now!

Beyond any doubt I realise my involvement in the occult was most definitely wrong. Consequently, I deserve the undesirable abode!

“My number’s up!” I groan, inwardly trembling in knowing I’m about to die at any moment and an invisible trapdoor I’m standing on will drop me straight into hell.

Uttermost mortal terror strikes and I dive right under the drop-leaf table in the other  corner of the room to hide from Jesus. But he knows where I’m hiding and swoops down straight through the wall at the side of the window to stand in my room and right beside the table!

Cowering under the table with my back turned towards him, I glance over my shoulder and see him from the waist down, his face out of sight above the table.

Most unexpectedly, somehow I have the courage to reach my hand out backwards to grab at the hem of Jesus’ robe…

>> As I tug, the event goes into yet another level of revelation regarding my childhood…Then I awake! Thoroughly alert, further sleep eludes me!

The event reminds me of an evocative small picture that impressed me as a child – the return of Jesus Christ:

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Later I understand that my terror had been ‘the fear of God’ brought through his Holy Spirit in convicting me of my personal sinfulness (ie. wrongdoing) and, thus, preparing me to receive God’s grace (ie. undeserved favour).

Also,  what happened when I touched Jesus proves he’s intimately acquainted with the private details of my thoughts as a little boy.  The last moments of the dream show he will topple my childish concepts of him and thus hint at his replacing them with a sure knowledge of his true identity.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (Psalm 111). Mercifully, he plucked me from the domain of darkness to bring me into his own and receive its blessings. I deserved none of that. Truly, Amazing Grace – how awesome and wonderful..!

As a result of the most remarkable dream I’d ever had, I carefully reconsidered all my New Age notions. Meditational and mystical exercises had resulted in my having some unusual, ‘psychic’ dreams, but none whatsoever like this one.

The only remotely similar dream was that of an ‘altered’ state of consciousness known as ‘nirvana’, or bliss, where I’d been taken behind its alluring golden light.  However, ecstasy then turned to abject terror at the sight of an approaching hideous, devouring beast of blackness far worse than any nightmare!  (I didn’t take drugs.)  In this dream, however, fear had been overcome by Jesus himself and his wonderful mercy and love – and pervasive peace.

Confirmation that the event was real would come from a totally unexpected source…