Category Archives: Personal

Personal invitation to build the Kingdom – part 2

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Thank you to Beverley Hall for kind permission to republish from Providential Joy dated Sunday 24th July 2016. It’s also got a ‘serendipity story’!:

BUILDING THE WALL – ALL HANDS ON DECK!

nehemiah-1As I meditated and worshiped – with the events (below) and building the wall story in mind – the word laid on my heart, added to when given at our fellowship gathering, is three-fold:

1. God’s hand is moving to remove hindrances to growth and moving forward in areas of resistance, doldrums and aridity. Seeds planted will be protected, with supernatural watering for growth. The foxes messing with both spiritual and physical plans, growth and fruitfulness will be removed.

2. It’s time to pick up all that God has given you to build – in one hand His Word and His Spirit in the other natural talents, passions, learning, skills, spiritual gifts etc. The cement that brings this together is the LOVE Christ Jesus gives to us freely. The opposition to building the church (no matter what that may look like I’m your area) is on the run – kingdom workers must take up their positions – arise knowing you are fully equipped and your back is protected while you work.

3. Set a watch and establish an alarm mechanism – mockers and attackers may come, but God is our strength and the work will continue and prosper. Even if your “wall” (something you are doing for God) looks fragile, insignificant or incomplete – what God has sanctioned and started will be completed.

Foxes in the garden

bh-fox-photoTwo fox cubs came tearing through my little garden last week – fleeing as if their lives depended on it. After seeing me they bounded with additional speed and leapt onto my back fence. One cub didn’t quite make it and hovered and crawled along the fence before jumping down and running off down the road.

The picture of the fox on the fence stuck in my mind and stirred in my spirit that this happening had meaning.

Motivated by this looked for biblical references. Nehemiah 4 says, “Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.” This verse however introduces how the builders overcame opposition and discouragement. The story tells how:

  • Workers on the wall were motivated to work hard and get the job done;
  • Gaps in the wall were being closed;
  • Strategy and plans were laid to defend both builders and wall;
  • The mockers and attackers were sent packing when they heard that the builders were prepared and ready for an attack;
  • An alarm or communication was established to warn of trouble and to call people together;
  • Work continued around the clock with builders having bricks and mortar in one hand and a weapon in the other.
Footnote:

Another ‘God-incidence’! After having blogged a Kingdom-related 5th anniversary, which became ‘filling’ (or ‘mortar’!) in a Come Build With Him ‘sandwich’ (part 1 of this post), I started catching up with last week’s email. One was about London’s Tower Bridge:

bhall-tower-bridge

Recipients read blogger Beverley’s covering remark, “I trust you find (it) encouraging and uplifting – especially if you’ve been in a season or time where “nothing” seems to be happening. Whether we can see or feel things in the natural or not – the river is flowing beneath your feet. My prayer is that you’ll start to smell and feel the water of life”. Amen!

In view of my recollections of central London I replied on Monday, “This is particularly interesting because I could see Tower Bridge from my desk looking toward Cannon St railway bridge from my office building by Southwark Bridge. [A nearby demolition site’s plaque recorded the site of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.] That was in early 80’s before the new Globe was built and sparked off a deepening interest in Elizabethan and Jacobean history as the area played a central role in London’s history. Also in that connection I’d been musing over the anniversary of a dream I had relating to where I’d worked and the coming Kingdom, as recounted in recent blogs”. (Fascinating to discuss that location and history with our guest at that evening’s meal too.)

That and the day’s blog prompted an astonished reply that she had been led “to writing a “building” word.  This seems to be a clarion call to the church across the UK.”  

I agree and have emphasised because all these recent messages are prophetic of very promising developments in our area – and have already been picked up by an assigned leader! 

Also, Glasgow Prophetic Centre informs me that, as a church, they’ve “been deep in Nehemiah and Ezra since January. Nehemiah is very much the book of the season!”

So let’s be ‘Builder Bob’ with the Lord…

Special September #2 – a Kingdom 5th anniversary today

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Five years ago this morning I awoke from a most unusual visit to central London. And that weekend’s events were to prove decisive in my starting this blog.

Two days earlier on Thursday 1st September 2011 the Revival Alliance, an apostolic team of leaders who’d been closely involved with the Toronto Outpouring and later events, met hundreds of other revivalist leaders for a long-weekend in Emmanuel Church in Marsham Street, Westminster.

Hand and puzzle pieces - Anusorn p Nachol

So now, five years later, I’m surprised to be reminded of it – but things of the Lord are no longer so unusual.  We could say He’s running a paper-chase and leaving a trail for us to follow and catch Him! However, more often than not so little effort is needed because He doesn’t scatter His data indiscriminately but drops them like pieces of a puzzle into our hands. We should, therefore, ‘grasp’ what they are and fit them into a vast, unseen jigsaw puzzle.

220px-Paul_Revere's_rideThe latest piece depicts Paul Revere’s historic ride before the opening battles in the American Revolution to alert citizens that troops of British king George III are about to attack (more here). Readers of my recent post on the spiritual link between UK and USA will have read at its close how a reminder of the event had unexpectedly cropped up.  Had I completed that post when I drafted it last week then I doubt this would have happened. That is, I could well have missed an insight into what happened back in 2011 and its relevance to what the Lord’s now doing in the UK.

Ruminating over and repeatedly blogging about the prophetic word Lydia Marrow brought two months ago yesterday, and its very personal connection with what Nina had seen at 11th June’s traditional royal ceremony, may have stirred my memory – but it’s far more likely the Lord engineered the timing to point to it as being special.

To return to the gathering five years ago, a few days later when writing to Christen Forster, who’d had a prophetic word relating to Ezra 4 about building the house of the Lord and thus desired to convene a meeting of the Revival Alliance in the UK, I learnt about other sources of inspiration at its inception meeting in November 2010. This extract from that meeting’s Report refers to Paul Revere’s ride:

Paul Revere Refc

Tim’s remark about that spreading of vision and creation of a network may be regarded not only as meaning RA-related events alone but, in my humble opinion, could also imply that digital networks be developed and expanded to inform and update Christians on prophetic and intercessory matters.

In this connection and for readers who may not have had opportunity to follow the links in that previous post, let me now relate what happened five years ago today, on Saturday 3rd September 2011. I had a most unusual dream as reported to Christen and to the leaders of Winchester Vineyard Church during their de-briefing meeting and emailed them, as later published in one of my earliest blogs (20 December 2011, as linked below):

‘YOUR KINGDOM COME

‘I’m 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 look from a different quarter’s aspect to see where they’re coming from and notice this view is from a much higher floor and over a different location! Then, 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 that 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 slide 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!…’

This continues with details of three subsequent days’ events, as revealed in Father Let Your Kingdom Come.  There, you will read why and how that dream’s location directly tied in with the RA gathering’s venue. It was only much later upon reading an account of the event that I received confirmation of my declaration “They’re setting up the Kingdom!” in its echoing the idea behind what Californian Bill Johnson offered there in London:

“We would look back at 1st September 2011 as the day things changed in the UK.”

David Edward Pike, a Welsh delegate, noted that Bill went to say it might take time for the impact of this day to be seen and felt across the nation, but gradually it would come. Chris Welch of Hampshire also 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.”

Of course we need a spiritually-minded historian’s take on events, but we do have a few things to ponder over with the Lord in connection with current events…Bill’s reference to growth from an acorn is particularly relevant to Christian ministry too.

As a personal consequence, that first week of September 2011 marked the tipping point in my decision to start blogging because, as indicated in that dream, the news of increasing Kingdom developments needed to be broadcast far more widely – and in public – than by private circulation of emails to my inter-church friends and leaders.

[Hand and Puzzle Pieces by Anusorn P Nachol, courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net]

On visions, maps, timing and God’s jigsaw of harvest of souls in New Britain

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Hands Holding World by TwobeePrediction, prophetic words and visions are pieces of God’s invisible jigsaw puzzle. The spirit of wisdom taught Solomon ‘It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings’ (Prov 25:2).

Moreover, as mature sons and daughters of The King, His Holy Spirit may enable us to discern pieces and aspects of the immense invisible jigsaw He’s laying down – and it seems to be of the harvest foretold in scripture.

We need to consider some recent, related events first:

Yinka Oyekan’s vision of the coming harvest of souls in New Britain isn’t the only one to have been received by Christians. His, however, connects into a developing one that came to me before and after the EU Referendum.

Yinka posted on Facebook 4th August about angelic armies, areas being newly blessed and the harvest. The next day Veronika West brought A Now Word for the UK. which opens by referring to the ongoing spiritual battle that I’ve covered elsewhere, and then goes on,

‘Listen!…Listen! Heaven heralds new hope, new life and UNPRECEDENTED HARVEST IN THIS HOUR“! I see battle lines drawn in the spirit…’

I quote extracts from this magnificently heartening word but,  to gain a proper appreciation of the outcome, I strongly recommend your reading it in full from the above-titled link:

HARVEST FIELDS!

‘I wanted quickly share something with you all, this morning in my prayer time, I had a short vision, and in this vision I was shown what looked like a LARGE FIELD OF CORN, THE HARVEST LOOKED READY. AS I LOOKED UPON THE FIELD I COULD SEE WHAT APPEARED TO BE WARRING ANGELS STANDING IN THE FIELD, AS I LOOKED AT THEM, EACH ANGEL PERFECTLY AND STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED, SOME FACED THE EAST, SOME FACED THE WEST, SOME FACED THE SOUTH AND THE NORTH…

‘My interpretation the HARVEST IS READY, AND HELL IS NOT HAPPY!!! I submit Satan has assigned His demonic cohorts to the fields that are READY for Harvest. There is battle over the United Kingdom that is raging in the heavens in this hour for this ETERNAL HARVEST…’

Personally, this is exceptionally encouraging because the parable Jesus taught about the harvest in the ‘Gospel According to an Inland Revenue Tax-collector’ (see Matthew 13:) prompted my starting to write with ‘The End-game is Now in Play’. [If you’re new here you may like to check this out at 7th Anniversary of Writing, which gives a useful introduction to personal themes that sometimes pop up, as now: ‘God-incidents & Jigsaws’.]

NOW, get ready to find out how eight pieces of an invisible jigsaw came together:

Teamwork - prophetic pieces come together

Bringing prophetic pieces together

Lead-in to EU-Refendum 

The day I blogged about previous Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s prediction of popular opinion about the European Union along the lines what prophet Daniel foresaw (see Daniel chapter 7) we went to Winchester for an evening meeting of intercessors. Our friend Neil Mackereth, whose summary Stay or Leave? was one of the first of many blogs on the EU membership referendum, had mentioned that gathering and we thought it appropriate to attend.

That day I published Vision of Spiritual Battle for Britain’s Birthright in which Veronika West claims to have seen mighty warrior angels in a fierce battle and tug of war over the future destiny and sovereignty of the UK, wherein she saw:

“A Mighty Guardian Angel stood hundreds of feet tall and with eyes of blazing fire: he stood with a raised sword and shield which completely overshadowed the whole Nation of Britain”.

At the evening’s inter-church intercession a couple of folk brought scripture and prayers about our spiritual birthright. Towards the close I referred in passing to the vision of UK’s Guardian Angel but, at the very mention, a couple of sisters were affected so strongly in their spirits they immediately reacted physically. (Like when the Lord spoke to Nina during Trooping of the Colour and she saw the scrolling text: “This is MY country!”)

Winchester – 1st jigsaw piece

Other than with Neil and convener Caroline, I haven’t yet shared what I’d ‘seen’ throughout the meeting in Winchester Vineyard church. Here’s my email to her:

‘Whilst we stood in a rough circle I kept getting the impression of a huge outline of Britain hazily hovering a foot or so off the floor between us. It was as though we were standing as giants all around and looking down on Britain with our backs turned towards Europe and Scandinavia…

‘I was positioned by the ‘Isle of Wight’ and, after Neil read about Jesus telling Satan to get behind him, I was moved to declare that S in Europe get behind and away from Britain.

‘Also, I saw a huge tear through the ‘map’ and emerge over a larger area (ie North Downs to Scottish borders?) then when I saw a similar but very clear open vision 12 years ago  (https://richards-watch.org/2011/08/18/comments-on-sharon-stone-collapse-of-society/ refers)

This latest was a faint yet persistent, transparent outline of the English, Scottish and Welsh coastline. I noticed it was as though on a large map-table in a ‘situation’ or war-room and we could perhaps be engaged in strategic planning.

At the close of the meeting it suddenly ripped open, as though an immense and invisible tin-opener had pierced and prized open most of the land. I saw torn parts of metal curling upwards along the length of the country north of Salisbury Plain and across from Swindon area to west of London. The colour of the land that was ‘visible’ was an orange-sand all over – how peculiar, thought I.

Referendum Polling Day

In the late 1970’s ‘Sandra’ was blessed with a vision of Britain lighting up, similar to that of Jean Darnall but without knowing about her until later. The Lord directed ‘Sandra’ to keep praying since 2002 because “the tide has turned” and told her it would look as though He’s not answering prayers, “But I am, in my own time and in My own way”. On 23rd June she was able to observe remarkable events at a polling station and informs me:

“I watched God’s miracles unfold – incredible even though I’d prayed for this for many years. There was 80% turnout…queuing at the door before 7am determined to vote as soon as polls opened. All day they came, old people and 1st-time voters, and many in between. Some did not know how to vote but they were determined anyway. I know God would have influenced them in their choice. Some had great physical disabilities and could hardly walk or some had other impairments but they got themselves there somehow. There wasn’t any time for staff to take lunch. It was truly amazing. In the end, whether they acknowledge him or not, all people will serve their Creator. “Your Kingdom’s coming – Salvation Day – a time of breakthrough – the Lord is on His way. Only our God is strong to save. Only our God will save us.” Thank God that we will never completely know the horrors from which we have been saved had the country voted the other way. Thank God that He will, in time, help Europe too.”

All that’s especially so in view of polling day’s unusually heavy storms and flooding!

Peterborough – 2nd, 3rd & 4th jigsaw pieces

Shake the Nations Legacy Conference in Peterborough (covered briefly here) brought developments upon that Winchester vision. During the elevating, prolonged worship of the first evening I sensed a golden-yellow light radiating towards East Anglia and out over the North Sea. (The 2nd piece.)

Funnily enough it was directional and not a full circle – just like we see on radar screens depicting where the radar beam is sweeping. Again it was another map image.

A couple of worship sessions later I had a distinct impression of a map of the UK main-land and again it was like a bright orange sandy beach but this time it was all over, for the huge gap that I’d seen previously had disappeared! Furthermore, I saw a giant hand moving all around the land gently smoothing and patting it. Any signs of ‘cataclysmic’ tear across the nation had been folded back, repaired and healed and covered by what appeared to be a nation-wide field of colour void of any habitations or forestry. (The 3rd piece.)

Then I realised the entire land looks just like an immense field ripe for harvest: all the way from Lands’ End in Cornwall to John O’Groat’s at the top of Scotland and across from the Welsh peninsulars to the eastern coast abutting the North Sea!  It must surely signify all  Britain will soon be harvested for souls coming into the Kingdom of God – their personal salvation! Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord that His will will be done on earth – in Britain – as it is in heaven!

This new vision was soon to be confirmed. On the morning STN staff shared their vision for further global evangelism worship leader Lydia Marrow from Alabama suddenly burst into prophetic flow about many towns in the UK erupting with heavenly rivers – the 4th piece!  Also, she called for “Redcoats” (Yankee term for 18th Century British army) to come, which must relate somehow to what the Lord was indicating when Nina saw the Coldstream Guards marching down the Mall for Trooping The Colour. [UPDATE: video and transcript now available.]

aurora-uk_2192580k_Image credit Telegraph

I’d drafted most of the preceding paragraphs as soon as I could on Wednesday morning. As I was doing so yet more pieces to the jigsaw puzzle appeared via my PC. Whyever not?  Many times as I blog relevant email, news or songs have turned up ‘coincidentally’ . After all, the Lord taught me a deep lesson whilst building it (see And Now A PC Gospel?)

Angels in Peterborough – 5th & 6th jigsaw pieces

Now for an excellent example of the Lord’s timing, or ‘God-incidence’. Soon after I started writing about Winchester an email arrived from a couple with whom I’m only occasionally in touch. We’d met Peter and Rosamund D at the gathering of early 2012 mentioned in the post about the new PM’s mission fulfilling a 2005 prophecy (see Fulfilled Prophecies #9).  [‘Weirdly’ enough the distance to that venue in Torquay was another validation of my encounter with the Lord in 1989 as well as of prophecies for 2012, as recounted here.]

Their email is headed ‘Vision on 3rd August 2016 at Faith Camp Peterborough (!!) during the prophetic worship’ and is the 5th piece. It reads:

‘Immediately the prophetic worship started on Wednesday evening, I had an awesome vision.

‘My husband and I both heard a “creaking” sound!  The Lord said, “I have opened the ancient gates to the nation!”  Then I saw millions upon millions of warrior angels arrive through these ancient gates.  They were all dressed for battle and close together in formation.  Then I saw a great light, as the Lord Himself arrived.’

Immediately I stopped blogging and, in view of the 6th piece – a dream I’d had that very morning (Wednesday), I could confirm their vision and replied as follows:

‘Had an awesomely powerful dream that woke me up wide-awake. It was multi-level symbolism and conscious learning with continual and intense praying and prophesying in tongues for UK. In essence, I think it means the Lord is empowering intercessors…to declare and prophesy Godly changes into our leaders and situations, thereby taking our heavenly rulership so that His will will now be done on earth as it is in heaven; ie. for and in Britain. He even gave me an understanding of how His purpose for Britain inspired Henry VIII’s building a naval fleet, thereby preparing for our great maritime power in evangelising globally and building a Christian empire.
‘…the most powerful part was when I saw swing-doors/gates closing against what was coming from the heavenly realm YET the power from heaven continued to pour through mightily!!’

Peter replied, “We are encountering one divine set-up after another!”

Therefore, intercessors may want to note those principles of prophetic declarations. [For more see Mentoring Day parts 1 & 2 and Apostolic, Prophetic Decrees Over The UK.]

Prophetic Word from Oz – 7th jigsaw piece

Taking a break later that day I mulled over hard-copies of long prophetic words that I only have time for quickly scanning on-screen. One was Word for the Nations, including UK from Amanda Wells, now shown in Thursday’s post.

It confirmed that insight into Henry VIII’s fleet by Amanda’s referring to August trade winds having “enabled the European empire to expand into the Americas and trade routes to become established across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans…Historically trade routes were the avenue were the avenue where religion, trade and technology spread across regions…many became paths for great revivals also…”

The ‘Now Word’ for UK – 8th jigsaw piece

Today (Thursday) I decided to scroll through Veronika West’s site as my Facebook blog-page doesn’t get any automatic feeds from those I’m interested in. So I caught up with her post of 5th August, as above, wherein she describes seeing “A large field of corn – the harvest looked ready”, rather like the UK-wide golden ripe field in my third map vision described above.

All of this relates back to 2009 when I had to tell friends and church leaders about Matt 13 parable of wheat and tares and that I’d heard, “This is ALL about to be fulfilled!”

Conclusion

To those personal eight pieces we could add the original that ‘kick started’ them, the vision of a spiritual battle given to Veronika and that to Yinka of regional awakening and harvest.

Could our heavenly Father like doing jigsaw puzzles with us? Has He got a jigsaw box ‘Souls Harvest’ and does He want us to help Him solve it and put it all together?  Events and evidence suggest that’s what He’s got and would like us to do – so we thank and praise our Heavenly Father in revealing His plans to His sons and daughters.

Credits:
  • Thank you to my quoted contributors and for permission to quote
  • Hands Holding World by Twobee, courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net
  • Teamwork by Franky242, courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net
  • Aurora from International Space Station, courtesy Telegraph

Revealing the Sons of God

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Thank you Mike for such a good reminder of a vital part of our following in Jesus’ footsteps. It is timely too in tandem with this morning’s dream that awoke me into being fully alert, because it was one of the most awesome and powerful dreams I’ve had since He rescued me from satan’s domain. And it enables me to confirm Mike’s remarks on heavenly realms per Galatians 4

Freedom ARC's avatarSons of Issachar

Mike Parsons

RevealingWe are all on a journey from slavery to sonship, and those two conditions are very different. Slavery breeds a poverty spirit, fear and lack of identity; sonship breeds faith, identity, resources and responsibility.

Empower a slave and it leads to rebellion, betrayal and treason, as with Israel in the wilderness. They were given freedom and responsibility, but they showed no loyalty to God or to Moses because they still had a mindset of slavery (see Exodus 15-17, 32, Numbers 21). On the other hand, restrict a son and it will hinder creativity. When someone knows who they are, God can inspire them to release their own creativity into His creation.

So we have to be careful not to empower people who don’t know who they are nor to restrict those who do. We need to put things in place which will help sons come into the…

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‘God-incidental’ teaching on Holy Spirit’s anointing

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Detail of cover to Ladies of Gold by James Maloney

ONE Saturday in mid-May the Lord inspired and enabled two people known to one another to teach, unbeknown to the other, upon His Glory and in such a way that encourages us to focus upon it personally and daily. This has since become very appropriate in view of the prophesied changes that are about to happen here. Continue reading →

Encouraging ‘coincidental’ news on KP&B Days 1 and 2

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It was most encouraging to receive the following email from friends in the coastal area of south Devon to Monday’s Keep Praying and Bless for Plymouth and area (followed by Exeter). I’m grateful for their permission to publish the following:

‘How amazing; I was just hearing that people from all over the world are coming to Plymouth in the expectation of something very special about to happen. Devon is rocking! A Devon Awake conference last week, and some significant prayer over Dartmoor last Thursday, in which we were involved, all led to a big shift in the spiritual atmosphere (and) there has been a significant reconciliation of people from different walks of Christian life in a spiritually significant place – who would have thought it!

‘The plans for the Mayflower anniversary in 2020 are really bringing the town alive, and a programme of regeneration is visible to all; Plymouth is firmly on the UK map as a great centre for business after many years in the doldrums; this is all verifiable and of course is the outworking of what is happening in the spiritual realms. I have contacts from one of the churches in Plymouth, but have heard the same stories from several local people …’

[Exactly two years ago I published a few posts about a celebration and prophetic words on Plymouth and its spiritual significance. It so happens that Yinka Oyekan of The Gate, Reading was a guest at last week’s Devon Awake (‘Five days of crying out to God for awakening’), as told in his and River Church Exeter’s Facebook entries for 13 July – my late father’s birthday!]

This email news is most welcome confirmation of my going out on a limb to commit myself to copy that daily prayer for 10 weeks in a busy schedule. At least its a relatively simple task of copy-pasting, a little editing and setting an auto-schedule for publication.

Dart QuayAfter that ‘drunken dream’, however, it seems the Lord wants me to do this. Having done so I then realised it fits in with an impression I had a couple of months ago of how the Lord may want me to take a new tack in blogging and using maps! That unusual dream’s scenario reminded me of the kiosks and buffet-station (although light-green in the dream) on the river Dart’s quay beside Dartmouth’s main square, as in my accompanying photo.

There’s hardly a dull moment when following the Living God and His Son Jesus Christ. Thank and praise you Lord…

Praise bus goes ahead of the Olympic Torch

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Originally posted on 31 May 2012 and republished in commemoration of the first Day 2 on 20 May 2012, when we saw the Praise Bus and Olympic Torch briefly stop in Kingsbridge en-route between Plymouth and Exeter:

What a ‘merry-go-round’ month of May’!   We’ve been away; sandwiched between busy–ness was a most relaxing holiday.  A month of various extremes left a kaleidoscope of memorable images, a couple of which I’d like to write about: Continue reading →

Thoroughly drunk and rolling around the streets at 7am

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Upon sitting up in the middle of the road this morning I squinted at one of several bemused strangers as they too took an ‘invisible’ drink. I reassured him, “Don’t worry – there’s no hangover!”

Being ‘smashed’ I then rolled over, my face hitting the brick-coloured road surface – it was soft! Most surprising…I awoke with my face buried into the bedsheet and grinned.

It’s been some years since I’d been filled with the joyous laughter of the Holy Spirit and left seemingly drunk – and there’s absolutely no toxic limit!

Whatever is the Lord up to I wondered, whilst I tried waking up. This fascinating dream had developed from my being in what may have been a church hall. After going outside I found a largish kiosk on the pavement and, walking around to its other side I saw a white-haired man speaking to people. He was putting his hand on them and someone beside him suddenly got touched by the Holy Spirit. As I approached he touched me and I suddenly rolled to the ground under Holy Spirit’s influence – then came the prolonged chuckle plus a number of amusing incidents involving strangers in that street. I could even recall when it had happened before.

Could this unusual dream signify things are definitely starting to change?

New Britain’s Independence Day – my internet flooded!

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uk-resurgence-of-democracy-restoration-of-sovereignty/

Democracy’s Resurgence & Restoration of Sovereignty: credit/link Archbishop Cranmer

Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that whoever reads it may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false’ (Habbakuk 2:2-3 NIV)

Thursday 23rd June 2016 – Independence Day for Britain, was very busy with email and blogs. Based on that information I decided to really stick my neck out with a prophetic declaration about a ‘New Day’ BUT then our internet/ phone line got dug up, flooded out and cut off!!

As suspected the previous day, there seemed to be some opposition from gremlins – the next day it came out into the open! Thursday16th a hole was dug in the pavement for an engineer to access location of the phone line’s fault the next day, but he found problems and needed another hole digging at the other side of our two-car driveway to make a fresh connection from the house to the street’s main-line.

Original hole and box

But on Tuesday contractors arrived and back-filled and asphalted that first hole. The engineers had been able to advance their new work a fortnight because three weeks had elapsed without our having any phones. So those contractors returned on midday Thursday to re-open the hole that had been re-filled, and dig another new one!

Nina had been delayed by two lots of severe road works whilst out and so we voted after lunch between showers. I went back online to blog the most important posts of that voting day BUT found the internet had crashed!! I went to find out what the guys had done and found the re-opened two and half feet deep hole half filled with rain water and almost drowning the telecoms 15″ joint-box!!

IMAG0675

New connections

But I was determined to go ‘out on a limb’ and push to get a declaration published. Fortunately I have web-guest access at the Acorn Christian Healing Foundation half a mile away. So, thankfully I could complete the previous two posts on the exposure of economic lies against Brexit and New Day of Independence from the EU.

Next Day – a few hours after voting results were announced – the engineer team returned to complete the work and by lunch-time we had a properly working phone and internet line at normal speed. Thank you Lord. (Apparently a normal access pit cannot be installed because the power and gas mains are too close.)

Prayers & Prophecy

Voting day’s first blog mentioned my remark about Britain’s guardian angel at the previous evening’s prayer meeting. Apparently, this fired up the convener Caroline to pray whilst driving home and upon arrival was greeted by a huge confirmatory clap of thunder -confirmation! I emailed,

‘Whilst we stood in a rough circle I kept getting the impression of a huge outline of Britain hazily hovering a foot or so off the floor between us. It was as though we were standing as giants all around and looking down on Britain with backs turned towards Europe and Scandinavia (I didn’t share this as we were visitors and I didn’t know if it would be appreciated)
I was positioned by the ‘Isle of Wight’ and, after Neil read about Jesus telling Satan to get behind him, I was moved to declare that S in Europe get behind and away from Britain.

Also, I saw a huge Rock tear through the ‘map’ and emerge over a larger area (ie North Downs to Scottish borders) than when I saw a similar spiritual rock emerging 12 years ago (https://richards-watch.org/2011/08/18/comments-on-sharon-stone-collapse-of-society/ refers)’

I received an email  from another leader saying on Tuesday they felt the Lord powerfully upon them and sensed Him saying, “Thursday would be a NEW DAY for Great Britain”. As I’d woken up with that in mind too, this encouraged me to stick my neck out and use it in a post’s title.

Also, I had news from Prophetic Releasers for UK Revival that some of their people had been hearing similarly: eg. that one had kept getting the outcome had already been declared in heaven!

Thank and praise you Lord that it is now manifest…

PS. It was an hour or so later that I became aware of this morning’s Telegraph headline, ‘Birth of a new Britain’!!

Further Reading

  • Archbishop Cranmer’s post (click/tap above title image)
  • Revd Clifford Hill – Deliverance Day

Today’s storms mirror Battle for Britain in the ‘heavenlies’

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StormcloudsIt just cannot be coincidental…

Prolonged heavy thunderstorms and flooding since late last night and well into the early hours today across south-eastern England surely speak of what’s going on in the spiritual realms, as in the powerful vision for Britain’s birthright Veronika West experienced:

“In this hour I see a fierce battle, a tug-of-war that rages over the Destiny and Birthright of Britain, but fear not for your words and prayers have been heard and He has come!”

Last night we were blessed to attend interdenominational intercession held in Winchester Vineyard church.  A couple of folk brought scripture and prayers about spiritual birthright and I briefly referred to a Veronika’s prophetic word and her seeing the Guardian Angel of Great Britain.

Mention of that angel immediately affected a couple of sisters so strongly in their spirits they reacted physically (like when the Lord spoke to Nina during Trooping of the Colour and she saw the words as scrolling text, “This is MY country!”).

As we left the building Nina noticed ominous clouds gathering but we drove away up and over the country hills eastwards with north-northwest sky lit by the sun below the horizon. Occasional rain started 20 minutes later upon reaching the small town on the heights of the A31 and began our descent of the dual-carriageway towards Alton.

Well beyond there, over our destination’s far horizon, we saw the darkest cloud masses lit by flashes. The overhead sky’s fireworks welcomed our arrival home after the 40 minute journey. It quickly sailed away – but more, lots and lots more with lashing, torrential rains was to follow throughout the night.  Incredibly, I missed the directly overhead crashes and flashes!  Drats!  I love watching night storms but was quite tired and awoke fired up.

Internet disruption – hint of opposition?

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Thank you to all regular readers and new subscribers for trebling daily hits on this blog in the fortnight leading into the EU Referendum.

We’ve been trying to tolerate communications disruption all month. Moreover, could my blogging give our opponent some grief as may be inferred from internet disconnection last Friday. Engineers had located an underground fault and, after obtaining council approval, a hole was dug on Thursday and two engineers came early the next day to do the repair.

However, we returned only to find broadband disconnected too and another area marked out for digging!! Presumably the engineers hoped to return as soon as the new hole’s open.

So on Monday I worked offline on the last post and went to nearby Acorn centre to access the internet. There, I tried contacting my phone provider online without success and then the fire alarm went off right over my head. The building was evacuated and we returned, only for the alarm to ring again and the fire brigade to attend. So I stayed to watch and then return home thwarted. I’ve been drafting this to update you and then upload it there.

Neighbours had kindly offered use of their wi-fi but external signal strength is low – and I need a secure connection for blogging. That’s why I can’t use my mobile phone on the normal network (apart from being too fiddly). Although I can receive emails and the odd Facebook notification on the ‘smartphone’ all replies I’ve sent have failed!!

Yesterday morning the hole containing a joint-box of several houses’ phone lines was filled in by sub-contractors and asphalt laid because of the council’s closure date, but the phone engineer turned up this morning expecting to continue work! AGH!!

Also because of repetitive issues in this street a more extensive job’s been scheduled for a fortnight’s time. The engineer was very surprised the broadband’s down because he’d left that alone and in working order albeit at reduced speed. Today he’d hoped to rig up a temporary external cable from our next-door neighbour’s house to ours but frustrated upon finding there’s no spare capacity, despite unused wires being available.

Incoming calls are diverted to Nina’s mobile but outgoing calls costly as landline’s on free calls option. So we groaned and grimaced at lack of progress and I shot up a prayer for a speedy resolution…

The router was on in my hoping the temporary line would work, and I’d noticed a security alert stating unable to ‘connect to server’. But then I thought of retrying the connections and suddenly email are pouring in! At last.

All very peculiar! The last time there were awkward connections was around the time of this blog’s 2nd anniversary when I wanted to write about another Iranian rehearsal to attack Jerusalem.

Maybe what I’m doing has agitated the ‘prince of the air’ and it’s making mischief? If that’s so, it shows the case against EU from a spiritual standpoint is correct!!

UK/EU in/out #9: Prophetic word and image from the Lord

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This remarkable word and image received in separate locations on the same day comes with a personal confirmation and the recipients’ permission. The aural part was received on Friday 29 April by Revd Ray Scorey at a conference in Halifax, Yorkshire. Meanwhile, 180 miles away south in Norwich, Norfolk, his wife Ruth received a visual impression from the Lord!

Ray asked the Lord why He’s using the first person plural and possessive pronouns (as at * below). Ray felt it was God making His position of intimacy with us as Christians very intentional; that is,as in Song of Songs “I am His and He is mine”.

Ray’s impressions from God (about 08.30am 29.4.16):

I asked the Lord about the EU: “What do you want Lord?”

The reply was,

“Leave! Why? Because of the advance of the spirit of antichrist in the European union and for our* future… The character of this country is changing; we* need to be free of the shackles that are being quietly laid around our* ankles. And the transformation of our* culture needs also to have freedom from the antichrist culture attachments, which are like a traitor in disguise of friendship. Yes, some because their relevant cause is purely self. Others because they don’t have the spirituality to deal with the decisions that will need to be made. Britain has to be free.”

That’s the basic picture and others we know bear testimony to the hidden danger of this friendship.

“Also, the Queen has led the way, demonstrating how to have friendship but not be controlled by spirituality that is not of Me. Britain has a mantle to carry; to show the rest of the world how to be democratic and yet serve Me at the same time, just as Jesus stood against those, in His time, who were wrong. Britain needs to do the same and pay the cost of that choice. Yes it will be difficult for a time, because those who want to see Britain lose its sovereignty will be in opposition. But other nations will value Britain’s stand and alliances for trade and productivity will happen because of My favour on Britain.”

Ruth’s picture received during worship 29.4.16 (check out Britannia images online and compare):

I see a side-on view of a figure facing left and looking passive, sitting in a wheelchair with golden wheels. I feel that I should know who the figure is, because the figure I see is familiar with a sense of the iconic. I have to think hard about who this person could be. Finally the penny drops and I am shocked to realise that it is Britannia sitting disabled in a wheelchair with golden wheels. Britannia enriched but crippled. No shield, no trident, no Union Jack in sight. My sense is that if she will only stand up on her own two feet (and she does this in plain white robes), while she may no longer have the golden wheels, she will no longer be shackled and The Lord will be her shield; indeed He will armour her up in the way only God can.

Revd. Ray and Ruth Scorey run Norfolk School of Prophets in East Anglia.

Footnote:

Upon receipt of this message from Prophetic Releasers for UK Revival I was struck with its authenticity and ran off a hardcopy but didn’t read until just before retiring for the night. In the morning I read it aloud to Nina during our morning ‘cuppa’. As soon as I started to read Ruth’s remarks about a figure Nina knew immediately she was referring to Britannia – ie. before I read of Ruth’s searching for its identity!

The reference to shackles around ankles reminds me of the detailed vision Wendy Alec had in July 2005: “…And I saw thousands upon thousands of people bowing in obedience to this tree and the roots were tightly twisted around their ankles…” (overview at #5).

Happy 90th Birthday Your Majesty, Servant of The King

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ServantQueen

A very happy, most enjoyable birthday Ma’am.

I recall not only mother’s parents and her brother, who lived close by, but neighbours too had called at our house when I was five years old. And they were all crammed into our lounge!! Dad had recently been up at the roof to nail a weird metal frame by the gutter and point it to the sky, then trail and fix a wire down to small boxes on the skirting boards in the front and rear sitting rooms. Next he went to his workbench in the cellar and fixed another wire onto a water piper! This puzzled me and dad said it’s necessary to ‘earth’ the whole lot if any lightning hits the aerial : the electricity would go into the ground and not damage the house and the big, new, wooden-varnished box with knobs on.

With everyone seated in our larger lounge on 2nd June 1953, he drew the curtains to shut out daylight and turned a knob on that box in the far corner. Its shiny light-grey mirror then turned into a black-and-white picture of crowds in a street somewhere in far-away London.

We were about to watch the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, a princess 20 years older than this little chap in his first year at primary school. Little did I know it was the first such occasion to be televised live and watched by 27 million, over half the population. Good job they wouldn’t fit into our house!

It was an amazing and enjoyable occasion to which was added a neighbourhood party. Nationally, it marked a welcome turning point after over a decade of death, destruction, privation and real economic austerity. I didn’t succumb to becoming a monarchist but I’ve come to admire her majesty as a stalwart Christian whose faith makes a special mark as an evangelist.

Believers and non-believers alike, have much to learn from the Queen’s example of duty to God and nation. This low-cost book about the reality and practicalities of her walk with Jesus is well-worth your careful study. (For details and to buy visit CPO website.)

In view of my above remarks I note the chapter on the Coronation, in particular on ‘The Secret Ceremony’. This moment of the ceremony was too sacred to be televised because it was when the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed her as Queen. It reads in part.:

‘In that commitment, she follows the example of Christ who was also anointed, as the word ‘Christ’ means, and set apart not to be served but to serve and, in his case, sacrifice his life so we can have life which lasts forever. Royal biographer William Shawcross wrote:

‘When Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953 she found, like her mother before her, an almost sacrificial quality at the heart of the service…It was the moment when the holy oil was applied to her, rather than her crowning with St Edward’s crown of solid gold, that was of supreme importance for the Queen. Indeed it was the most solemn and important moment of her entire life.’

May the Lord continue to bless her and move mightily in this nation and commonwealth. May Your Spirit move mightily, that this anniversary year becomes a turning point in our history where we repent and once again become a Christian and consecrated people in Holy Revival…

.

‘Archbishop Cranmer’ blogs in The Queen’s 90th: Happy Birthday Ma’am.:

‘God has saved her and she has lived long. The first two invocations of the National Anthem have been and are still being fulfilled. Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th Birthday is a cause of national celebration and personal joy. It is also a time for reflection and gratitude. Never in the history of British Monarchy has one reigned so old or so long. Nor, perhaps, has one seen so much social change and sweeping transition, at least in the absence of war and glorious revolution. And rarely has one been so devoted to Christ in the service of peace and reconciliation...’

Unity across churches manifests God’s Kingdom

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Puzzle Globe and Book by ThanunkornHere I share more insights gained since Holy Week, citing an example to prove this post’s title and looking at early church history. First, listen to Jesus in prayer:

“Father, I pray for those who will believe in Me..that they may all be one, as You Father are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent me.” (John 17:20-21 NKJV – emphasis added)

Is Jesus’ prayer about to be fully answered at long, long last? Especially for the sake of saving lost souls?

Sixty years ago many Christian denominations had scant tolerance for one another, even though a large percentage of Britons attended church regularly or, if not, would at least go for Easter and Christmas. Those who didn’t were religiously well-informed – unlike today’s spiritually unwashed masses who are religious illiterates! As a youngster I was subject to some most unexpected personal animosity between Protestants and Catholics – despite their claiming to believe in the same God!

Thus, disunity was one reason for my rejecting Churchianity and seeking truth beyond science and religion in metaphysics and mysticism (the Eastern and New Age variety).

As well as ignoring Jesus’ expressed desire for unity and command to love one another, believers weren’t doing what Jesus did – and more – as He foretold:

“Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father.” (John 14:12 NKJV)

History demonstrates churches across the East and West hadn’t complied with Jesus’ desire. Moreover, it seems God didn’t answer His Son’s deep prayer request!  Mankind’s free-will and Satan’s steering were determined to prevent its fulfillment at all costs.

Heavenly Father can ensure Jesus’ prayer gets met. No doubt He’s waiting for the right time and conditions for inspiring believers who are responsive to His Spirit; rather than to make them comply. He didn’t create robotic automatons. First, however, we need to want and allow Holy Spirit into our lives rather than deny, quench or grieve His gracious ways.

Re-born Into Christ

Consequently, it was an extremely pleasant surprise to find after being born again in 1989-90 those antagonisms had disappeared. When I was baptised in Holy Spirit in 1992 I saw Jesus healing people and so I wanted to associate with the group who’d organised that day’s event. That Circle of Prayer for Healing in the mid-Thames Valley was a mixture of Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists and independents – and all charismatics!

Thus, spiritual unity of that small group enabled Holy Spirit to flow in power and manifest the presence of the Kingdom of God – praise You Lord. Hopefully we may expect a much larger manifestation now we’re 25 years further down the road…

An increasing emphasis from those with prophetical voices and gifting is indicating Holy Spirit wants to inspire, infuse and direct our hearts and minds with Jesus’ love for fellow Christians, and to express that as a Unity of spirit and action – so the world no longer sees believers as squabbling hypocrites and realise who Jesus is and that we really do have the answers they’re desperately needing and seeking spiritually.

Hence my enthusiasm towards unity in belief and action (with the caveat of obedience to Jesus’ instructions) throughout Christendom  – no doubt the intensification of secular and terrorist persecution is drawing us out of our shells and making us stand up!

So, let’s remind ourselves of recent ‘God-incidents’ focusing on Unity (as here and here).:

  • Extraordinary vision: “I watched as these fiery, burning and anointed ones moved together in PERFECT UNITY”.
  • Revelation from the Lord about angels of Revival being released and that “The body of Christ is coming alive in Jesus, in purity, in life, in love, in UNITY”.
  • Obedient response to: “The Rhema Word God has had for me the past few months is UNITY”.
  • Writing a new book for which “The major outcome theme…is Unity”.
  • Three years’ preparation for church-wide act of unity across the UK.

The details of the last from Malcolm Duncan warrant brief re-iteration:

Revd Malcolm Duncan“I lead Spring Harvest and for three years I have been working on an act of unity across the United Kingdom that will see all…evangelical bible conventions and celebrations declaring that, whatever our theological differences are, we are one in Christ Jesus. It is going to involve 130,000 Christians from March (Spring Harvest) through to October next year with the Festival of Life…perhaps the biggest demonstration of Christian unity that we have seen in the evangelical church in the United Kingdom for almost two hundred years – and they’ve all said “Yes” – there’s the miracle! They’re all on board, and I am sure the Bible says,

“Where the brethren dwell together in unity, the Lord commands a blessing.”

Seventeen months ago Heidi Baker brought a word about ‘A New Move of God in the UK’  which prophesied about Unity as follows (underlining added):

Heidi at CTF Wembley“…There’s going to be a movement of unity in the UK that’s going to shake the world, says the Lord. I hear the prophetic word of the Lord. It’s going to flow through the universities and the colleges of the universities. It’s going to flow through denomination and the non-denominations. There’s going to be a move of unity within the Body of Christ.

“You’re going to fill Wembley Stadium. You’re going to fill stadiums, stadiums, with worshippers of the living God. And there’s going to be this holy affection where people come before the Lord. They’re not going to even know who’s speaking in the stadium, they’re not going to even know the name of the preachers, because they’re coming fixing their eyes on Jesus. It’s going to shake the nation, says the Lord.

“There’s going to be a unity even between Scotland and Ireland and the UK, that’s going to SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE. There’s going to be a shaking that’s going to bring a unity, says the Lord. There’s going to be something that the people of other faiths are going to see in this nation, as believers come together in radical love…”

Amen to all the above.

The Early Church on Jesus and Unity

My meditations have been based upon Apostle John’s understanding and revelations of the glory and nature of His dearly beloved rabbi, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This meant musing upon, seeking the Lord and researching into what the disciples may have learned after the Resurrection; ‘To whom’, the physician and chronicler Dr Luke records that Jesus, ‘also presented Himself alive after His sufferings by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and (His) speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.’ (Acts 1:3 NKJV)

[THUS, after that privileged private teaching they logically concluded the Kingdom was going to be restored to Israel. That’s clearly the Lord’s action plan – they just wanted to know when to expect its execution. Had that not been a legitimate request they’d have been rebuked. But Jesus told them that’s not their – OR His – concern because it’s The Father’s prerogative! Jesus had another plan for them: transmitting the Gospel with all the consequential signs and wonders: ie. fulfillment of John 14:12 – see Acts1:6-8.]

MBarkerWebPhotoScriptural meditations encouraged me to re-read The Hidden Tradition of the Kingdom of God – an exceptionally informative book by the Methodist Bible scholar Margaret Barker, whose Doctorate in Divinity was conferred by the Archbishop of Canterbury, ‘in recognition of her work on the Jerusalem Temple and the origins of Christian Liturgy’.  (It is designated, ‘Temple Theology’.)

Dr Barker’s significant new contribution to the understanding of the New Testament opened up important fields for research.

In checking out her website I found the paper ‘Jesus the Nazorean’ most illuminating and confirming my thoughts on Paul’s many references to the ‘mysteries’ of God. On page 9 therein lies a useful insight into our consideration of Unity in the Lord (emphases mine):

“Theodotus, the second century teacher whose work survives only as quotations in Clement of Alexandria, was condemned by later generations as a Gnostic. He taught about Jesus’ role in restoring the unity, just as John’s Jesus did in his final prayer after the last supper. This is what Theodotus said:
They say that our angels were put forth as a unity and are One in that they came out from the One.
Now since we existed in separation, Jesus was baptised that the undivided should be divided until he should unite us with them in the Fullness, that we, the many, having become one, might be mingled with the One which was divided for our sakes.’

“And this is what John’s Jesus said:
”[I pray] that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”. (John 17.21)
Restoring the unity was a sign of divinity. But John’s Jesus also brought judgement: ‘[The Father] has given all judgement to the Son’ (John 5.22).

“Theodotus is not telling us anything different from what Paul said in his message to the
Ephesians:
’For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth’ (Eph.1.9-10).

“So too in his letter to the Colossians, Paul said that Christ holds all things together (Col.1.17).

“The secret of the kingdom was the secret of unity, restoring all things to their unity with God, and so Paul saw the future as the Son of God bringing all things into the kingdom – he called it subduing all things, the judgement – ‘that God may be all in all’ (1 Cor.15.28).”

Therefore, in my humble opinion, this information is well-worth mulling over. I’m especially pleased Dr Barker refers to and stresses Ephesians 1:9 (see my covering intro to God’s Eternal Purpose – and reference to Unity therein). This reinforces my interest in what Paul knew by personal revelation from Jesus Himself, as well as gained when he was caught up into heaven.

Thank you Lord that Your Spirit of Wisdom and of Revelation brings knowledge of You (Eph 1:17).

Footnote:

In discussion with a leader at a local church we visited recently I queried his opinion upon the source of Paul’s knowledge of the Last Supper and the Resurrection. He was keenly recommending a new devotional book, 40 Days With Jesus by Dave Smith of New Frontiers church. In considering the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, the leader echoed Smith’s citing ‘compelling evidence from 1 Corinthians 15 (as) important because not only was it…written early [in 55AD] but (also) Paul’s evidence would have come from meetings with the other apostles that took place only a few years after the resurrection itself’.

This book’s a useful adjunct to my meditations, but the above remark may be playing fast and loose with scriptural data!!

Paul’s letter to the Galatians may be dated 6 years earlier, depending upon which of two groups he was addressing, or else contemporary with that sent to the church in Corinth. In stating how he changed from being a severe persecutor of believers to becoming an on-fire believer and preacher, Paul writes (Gal 1:15-16 NKJV):

“When it pleased God…to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus.”

In about 62 AD, Dr Luke completed his careful investigations of early church history. He wrote, ‘In his account to King Agrippa Paul states, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision but declared first to those in Damascus…(to) repent, turn to God and do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:19-20). Earlier, in recording post-conversion events of Paul in that city, where Paul regained his sight through Ananias, Luke states ‘Then Saul spent some days with the disciples in Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in synagogues…’ (Acts 9:19-20).

Therefore, if Saul didn’t receive full revelation personally about the Last Supper and the Resurrection whilst blind, then wouldn’t he have got the basics from Ananias’ group?

Further reading:

[Credit: ‘Puzzle Globe and Book’ by Thanunkorn, courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net ]

Jesus is alive – back to life from death! Alleluiah!

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At this time every year Nina creates a tableau for contemplating Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. She’s inspired about what items to collect and arrange, usually including a rock with a central hole eroded by the sea and which we found on a beach. It serves as both the ‘skull’ and garden tomb of Golgotha. For example, the above display has a scarf as a ‘river of life’ flowing out of the empty cave/tomb below the cross. (In 2012 it gave an insight that I’ll share below.)

A slightly different display is set up each Maunday Thursday, the night of which Jesus and the twelve leading disciples ate Passover Seder early (see video explanation). Following the meal, one disciple betrayed Him by leading Temple guards to capture Him at night for trial by a ‘kangaroo’ court of Jewish leaders.  It was a foregone conclusion that they would demand authorisation of His death from Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect, or governor, of Judea.

If you’re unfamiliar with this true story and how it led to Jesus’ gruesome torture, death and burial followed by his amazing bodily resurrection and appearance to His disciples, read doctor Luke’s investigative account and the personal account of Jesus’ closest disciple John. (Later, a Jewish leader violently opposed to them but who encountered Jesus en-route to Damascus would write He was seen simultaneously by over 500 – 1 Cor 15:6)

A Bit of Theology

Jesus Christ died so that each of us may be forgiven for our sins. As a result of this new status, we now have direct personal access to God. As the Son of God, He suffered on our behalf as our ‘scapegoat’.  That is, Jesus took the place of death that we deserved because of our sinfulness, for the shedding of a sinless one’s blood was the only way our status could be changed for us to gain personal salvation. Apostle Paul put it thus to the Romans:

8But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:8-11, NIV, see whole chapter.)

Now, when I was a new Christian I found that rather hard to understand – but it works! The theological term is ‘atonement’, or ‘substitutionary atonement’.  In bringing forgive-ness to the guilty, however, this can cause deep problems for those who’ve been the victim of crimes. After all, why should a killer find forgiveness by God? And what about the victim’s families, or the victim of abuse? They find it very hard if well-nigh impossible to forgive.

In 2012 I heard a Portsmouth prison chaplain address this issue with a concept taken from the criminal justice system: restorative justice. This involves active dialogue between victim and offender, plus reparation.  And it has a sound basis in  theology. How?

Jesus was a guiltless victim, directly of those who wanted Him killed, and indirectly of everyone’s ‘fallen state’ of sinfulness, which could only be rectified by His death.

And Almighty God, the Father, is a victim too. How? He’s victim of humanity’s rebellion against Him. For example and especially over the way religious leaders murdered His son – how they seethed with rage when Jesus denounced them! (read Luke 20:9-19).  So, every victim can find an identity and affinity in both God and Jesus Christ in their situation. Hence, they can receive God’s own ability to forgive because He will help them choose to forgive those who’ve harmed them. [Lack of forgiveness may be the only thing that hampers God – see Matt 6:14-15]

A Tableau in Time

During contemplation upon the tableau illustrated above, an insight dropped into mind that the Resurrection created a distinct point in the flow of, or perhaps even a change in, time itself. That is, the now termed ‘common era’ calendar is the medieval Christian one that counts years from the approximate birth of Christ as ‘anno Domini’. But in fact, a more powerful one would be the point at which things in heaven changed and thus affected our lives on earth and its ultimate role in God’s scheme of creation. This took place at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, His revival to life from death itself.

That such a concept may be valid can be found in the discoveries about the material of the shroud in which Jesus was thought to have been carried and covered during His interment, known as ‘The Shroud of Turin‘. It is of astounding significance when examined from an understanding of quantum physics!  It can actually be regarded as a ‘singularity’, which is the term used for the starting point of the creation of the universe, or ‘Big Bang’. Don’t take my untutored word for this but consider particle physicist Isabel Piczek. She is also a monumental artist and award-winning figura-tive draughtsman. Consequently, her very detailed analysis of theories about how the shroud’s image was formed is fascinating and authoritative (see first of several detailed articles here).

This scientist’s conclusions about how the image was formed are astounding – it seems that the image of Jesus can only have been created by its hovering equidistantly above and below his reclining corpse. And furthermore, this necessitated the body’s levitation – perhaps not an impossible feat during the moment of resurrection power-blast? After all, the disciples had witnessed Jesus walking on water!

Dame Isabel succinctly summarises:

We have a piece of cloth and it leads us to a mysterious gate which opens for us, and it lets us see a completely different world, an extraordinary world with extraordinary laws.

You can consider these claims by watching this 19 minute video extract from the DVD The Fabric of Time (please bear with initial advert).

PS: the republished version of this post closes with a fascinating update and another investigation: He IS RISEN! Surprising Scientific Facts of Jesus’ Burial Shroud.

Confirmations of 2016’s prophetic words for a New Season

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A week ago this morning, last week got kick-started before I was even awake! It was an eventful dream, which I’ll relate shortly.

In fact, someone had already tried getting in touch in connection with the dream! That may seem astonishing but this sort of coincidence isn’t at all unusual. ‘God-incidents’ always make me rejoice for we have a God of surprises.

When I got around to checking the weekend’s email one near the top of my in-tray was from the senior leader of Falkirk Full Gospel Church in Scotland, Thomas Harry. In view of what I’d dreamt his message stunned me!…It reads:

church

‘URGENT: Word for 2016 – New Season – Building on the Apostolic & Prophetic’

“I have attached an urgent word from the Lord that has had an overwhelming number of confirmations…regarding the new season we are in and ensuring we build on the biblical foundation of the Apostles and Prophets found in Ephesians 2:20.

“It has been confirmed by respected Christian leaders globally and the document includes 10 confirmations including from Catherine Brown, Sharon Stone, Cindy Jacobs, Peter Wagner & others.

“This will affect us all one way or another, so I felt it was vital I shared with someone like you. Most of us realize there’s a great move of God coming and the Lord wants to ensure we have our foundations and houses ready for this …’

“I believe it signals the biggest shift in the church since the reformation…”

I agree with Thomas that this prophetic consensus warrants church-wide circulation to leaders and congregations for serious consideration and weighing with the Lord.

To read the full document use this link to ‘Word for 2016…’ and scroll for downloading it as a Word or pdf document. More easily, however, read it courtesy of James Bailey with extensive comments on his Z3News by clicking here.

Thomas’ document begins:

‘The Lord has confirmed that the church as a whole has shifted to a new season and consequently we must build on the Apostolic and Prophetic foundation laid out in Ephesians 2:20. The attached document has been collated by Thomas Harry, through the leading of the Holy Spirit in order to communicate this word to the global church. Due to the urgent nature of this word, please circulate this to believers and leaders both here in the UK and beyond. I urge every believer and leader to take the time to read through this as it is certainly one of the most important words for the church in many years.’

I’m grateful to Thomas for kindly quoting a couple of items from this blog. Furthermore, we know from recent posts there are many more confirmations than those he quotes. (Not to mention the content of daily Lion Bites from Glasgow Prophetic Centre.)

Moreover, this blog’s A New Era for the Church lists over 40 prophetical promises made before November 2014 and building up over the following year; presumably leading to a tipping point!

A Revival-related Dream

The dream I’d had a few hours before reading his email was this.:

A crowd that I supposed had come from a church were milling around and confused. One man of some standing sharply accused me, “You’re not a Christian”.  Upon my addressing that issue the scene changed and time seemed to pass, as though the dream’s earlier part was about historical events.

At one point my spectacle lens is about to fall out and so I use my special screwdriver to adjust and tighten it. (This symbolises a change in clarity of vision in order to understand the dream’s meaning – and what was about to unfold!)

Then I find I’m looking into large hall inside a building – the ceiling’s not visible but I sense it’s open to the heavens(!) The distant walls resemble many side chapels in a large cathedral. One is noticeable and commemorates the period of Celtic saints in pre-Catholic British church.

Heather ClarkAnd NOW – actually whilst typing – I’m getting distinct ripples and chills down my neck as Heather Clark sings, “For the Lord our God He is holy…holy, holy, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty…” in her distinctive rendition of Exalt The Lord. (‘Glorious Praise’ cd.)

The hall in my dream is jam-packed with excited believers, quite the opposite of the earlier scenes. Someone nearby holds his Bible to his mouth (signifying not only he will speak in accordance with scripture but also as led by the Lord; ie. with full prophetic anointing).  And so I understand he’s going to preach with a holy unction….

But then the alarm goes off!

The dream’s impact left a lingering impression. So I chuckled upon reading our morning prayer focus from Keep Praying and Bless. The day’s scripture is 1 Chronicles 16:29,

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name!

We decree that a day will come when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

After the daily prayer of blessing for our family, friends, locality and that day’s particular city came its specific blessing:

“We bless the nation to receive a spirit of worship, to give glory and honour to Almighty God, that His Glorious Name be praised by all men.“

How appropiate – even more so when I read Thomas’ email.

May you too be mightily blessed…

Catholics speaking in tongues! The Spirit-filled movement of the 1960s

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This informative post by RJ Dawson homed in on me upon its receipt because: 1) I too was raised Catholic and decided not to stay so in my teens. 2) Decades years later I was baptised in the Spirit at a meeting on healing convened by a group of Charismatic Catholics, Baptists and independents – it was so awesome and its effects lasted 50 days! 3) The date of that movement connects into details of a prophetic word for 2016 that I’ll be blogging about next…

Deeper and higher – and catch fire!

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Lion_Roars_email_logo_HIGHERThese are the encouraging prophetical confirmations ‘coinciding’ with the 7th anniversary of writing and watching. They’re also related to an invitation and spiritual sighting of a huge blank scroll seen a week ago today and, as stated in closing the last post, are a personal directive:

DIVE DEEPER INTO THE WORDS OF GOD (Lion Bites Friday 26 Feb)

Still yourself and listen to your heart. Can you hear it cry out for more of the nourishing word of God, as a hungry stomach rumbles to be fed – or as a deer pants for the water?

If you dive in and read and listen to the word of God you will be rewarded. There is most certainly a need and a time for slow, careful study and quiet reflection (always!) but this particular urgency is to dive into new and deep places, reading longer passages and dining on larger portions. You will be rewarded and refreshed. If you can, read aloud, so that the words bless your mouth and your ears, as well as your eyes. Dive deep, swim into a new adventure in the word of God! There really are few things that you can possibly do in this world that will be more beneficial and radically transforming.

What are you waiting for?!

PS Why not start with Psalm 119, an epic celebration of the word of God?

Psalm 119:9-16 (but go on and read the whole Psalm!)
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

“WHAT DO YOU SEE?” (Lion Bites Monday 29 Feb)

There is a deep place of revelation and a higher place of sight that God is pulling you up to in this time. Like Jeremiah, you will be one who sees the word of the Lord, interprets it and brings it into a place of action and application.

Where there has been hinderance with your spiritual sight, God now releases ease. Where a fog of confusion obscured what you saw, now there is a release of clarity and understanding. As you receive this anointing, God asks you, ‘What do you see?’ There are new revelations and insights that you have yet to receive that now you will.

But God also asks you, “Where do you need to look again?” There are places, peoples and revelations that you are being prompted to look at again through this new anointing. In the previous season, as you looked at these things, you may have missed some of what God was doing but now, as you look again, you will have a wider view and a higher perspective to see the fullness of what the Holy Spirit is orchestrating in this hour.

Receive the gift that God freely gives you; open your eyes and look at the new things but also look again, through fresh spiritual eyes, at previous things.

Jeremiah 1:11
“Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
And I said “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.”

And today’s Lion Bite returns to the subject of holy fire, what else:

THE ALL-CONSUMING FIRE

God has placed His fire around you; to those who seek Him it is a fire of love, warmth, protection and provision.

He desires that you would come closer to His fire, as if you were embracing the flames of love and feeding from Him – He is the fire. He is a holy fire that will consume all those things that would set themselves up against you, leaving you safe and in a place of his warmth and love.

All you have to do is say, ‘yes’ and draw ever closer in your worship and adoration. Let Him do the rest for you. Remember, He wants to give you more than you care to receive. He cries for you to surrender all, so that His fire is in you, as well as around you. He is an all-consuming fire.

Deuteronomy 4:24
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Lion-Bites-logo-2012Lion Bites are daily prophetic words published by Glasgow Prophetic Centre, and appear here with kind permission.

7th Anniversary of Watching

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Courtsey StoonnDedicated to personal and cyber friends and readers who’ve followed my musings over the years – kindly bear with any repetition below.

On the last day of February seven years ago I emailed some friends in various churches about how I’d been stunned upon opening my Bible. Having been in touch about the previous year’s events in Lakeland, Florida, we continued chatting occasionally. However, my attention was suddenly directed to look at Biblical prophecies in much more depth.

We will see how this may be relevant to the previous post but first, in celebrating that date, let me repeat the opening of that two-part email (click title to read in full – and I hope the many links below don’t cause readers any scrolling problems):

The Endgame Is Now In Play Continue reading →

Coals of fire are being released for prophets – Lana Vawser

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WOW! This word confirms and thus speaks directly into a dream of 11 days ago whilst attending the Awake conference (and which plugged into the podcast on Time). ALSO, for some reason this word was missing from my email notifications, although the next (Angels of Recovery) was in today’s in-tray! It was found by looking in my WordPress’ Reader folder, which I don’t always check upon blogging as I usually go straight to its admin desktop.

UPDATE 23 April 2020: stuck to home-page in view of latest comments below Continue reading →