Category Archives: Personal

Don’t give up

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Bill is a tremendous encouragement to everyone in demonstrating his incredible faith amidst the trials of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” which is a progressive neuro-degenerative disease. This post AND many comments are wonderfully heart-warming. Bless you Bill and the Lord be with you, always.

Bill Sweeney's avatarUnshakable Hope

After reading some of the comments from my last post (“More than just a Dream”), I’m afraid that I might have left the impression that my only hope (for physical healing) is in the next life. If I believed heaven was my only hope for healing, I probably would have checked out years ago. Waiting (for heaven) to be healed is merely my backup plan; it’s my Plan B. Whether it’s through medical science or a miracle from God, even after 16 years with ALS, I’m still hoping for the best outcome here on earth. This is what I believe for others too, regardless of the severity of their trial.

I realize how crazy it sounds for someone who has received a diagnosis of ALS to be hoping for a complete recovery. I’m not naïve; I’ve known so many good Christian people who have died of this and…

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Detail from Eagle-eyed, John Mark Long: propheticartists.comAndy, I’m absolutely stunned by your including this particular illustration of armour with the word from Bobby. I printed a copy from Bobby’s site last week but several events prevented my reblogging it. BUT at the start of the weekend I bought the only copy of this picture at a meeting! After that I heard Dr Sharon Stone deliver a message on dealing with our enemy!  My wife has now come into the room and her jaw dropped in amazement!  Clearly, the LORD has a most important encouragement and instruction for 2013 – and there’s this inspirational video!!

A visionary word for 2013: “I am tempering you…”

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Credit_ JesusIsComing_th-1Thank you to Tembisa at Jesus is Coming for this vision received by Susan O’Marra, and for this graphic. Swords and associated imagery of our Ephesians 6 armour (see below) have been coming to my attention of late. This account therefore gels with my spirit, so thank you Susan. Thus, I submit her ‘vision 1’ and the Lord’s word for careful weighing by fellow believers, and for waiting upon Him.:

On 01-01-2013, I awoke to a vision of a sword hovering in the air. It was being dipped into different things. The first thing it was dipped into was a vat of sand. The next was a container of wool. The third was a vessel of a silvery liquid. Over and over, the sword was dipped into each thing, one at a time, and repeated many times in it’s circuit of sand, wool, and oil. Then the final thing was the sword was then placed within the folds of a beautiful garment that hung in the air nearby.

Then, the Lord spoke:

“I am tempering you.

“I am rendering you impervious to cracks, to fractures, to schisms, and to divisions.

“I am hardening you to temptations and to demonic assaults.

“I am making you inflexible to compromise and to mixture of any kind.

“I am making you rigidly righteous, and strong in your faith in Me, so that I can wield you fully.

“I am polishing the last of the smudges in your personality that mar My image from being fully seen.

“I want you to gleam with Me in a new sensitivity and reveal a brighter countenance of Me.

“I am enfolding you into each other, My Robe, My Church, and I am adding into your layers a new corporate strength.

“I have tempered you each individually, now I will form you corporately into a formidable weapon for Me.

“This is the Year 2013, when I will form, I will assemble anew, and bring My End Time Army into full battle view.”

Scriptures:

Exodus 30:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: 35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: 36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.

1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

1 Corinthians 12:23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

1 Peter 5:8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 9 Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset–rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.

Ephesians 6:16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. 18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

Susan O’Marra 01-01-2013

http://www.intheimageofhisglory.com/

Blog Alert – for Christians in Southern England and elsewhere

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Thank you Jonathan for organising this most promising day for believers in Jesus Christ to take the next step in the freedom He bought for everyone.:

Image1Image2To read the details click on the images; for more information and to book click on Spirit, Body, Soul.

Apology for ‘missing link’ – and a recommendation

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RJBWould regular readers and visitors who followed an internal link please accept my apology. The target page was incomplete because the first of two items was missing. Thus, its content did not provide all the facts behind my claim.

This has been rectified so I’ve reworded the relevant paragraph from the Blog Alert (for the recent Glasgow Prophetic Centre event) as follows and would ask you to re-visit the link.:

‘It was in Glasgow that Sharon accurately foresaw events weeks later which were to be part of the economic crisis of 2008 (click to read two email).  But more importantly, God was saying that “September would convince you” and be a significant turning point.  For more, see also this blog’s tag Dr Stone and visit Christian International Europe.’

Later that week I was pleased to learn conference delegates from all over the UK, from Europe and even USA were breaking previous attendance records, so the organisers were strongly advising booking in advance to avoid disappointment. Thank you Emma, David, Sharon and Greg for blessing so many. This is also mirrored in an astonishing increase in visitors to this blog who are interested in prophetical matters – are these dark days making many search behind the mundane and towards God’s agenda?

Lion-Bites-logo-2012On our behalf I started following Lion Bites: short personal prophetic words from Glasgow. The first three this week were all relevant in confirming a thought or scriptures that had been in mind the previous day!  Or in fact, in the case of Monday’s, had often been considered and even written about last month (see Sifting tag).

Therefore, I have no hesitation in recommending your checking out Lion Bites – and subscribing.

May you, too, be richly rewarded.

I went in response

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Amen and thank you Jarrod for this recommendation about ‘nudges’, and which no doubt also indicates how to be in the right place at the right time (click to read blog).

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Amen and thank you Jarrod for this recommendation about ‘nudges’, and which no doubt also indicates how to be in the right place at the right time (click to read blog).

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“London’s burning…”

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Nathan 2Thus, proclaimed Nathan Morris on Sunday night as he ministered to the congregation gathered in packed Kensington Temple, the renowned Elim Pentecostal church located in Notting Hill Gate, London.

It could be taken as a prophetic declaration in keeping with Julie Meyer’s visionary song and Bobby Conner’s prophetic reference to a UK ‘Firestorm’. We knew of this only through being on opposite sides of the ‘pond’.

And what a way to travel…no planes, queues, passport control – no delays, no jet-lag!!  We were online in Mobile, Alabama and then z o o m e d  to London within a minute!

That’s how we got 1/4 way around the world without going outside our lounge. For three hours we ‘attended’ Church of His Presence, where pastor John Kilpatrick taught on the realisation of believers’ potential (along with 22 prophetic words). He spoke of unseen connections God is bringing about and opening doors -where’d we heard that before? (here) – doors that have been locked for 20 years! Pastor specifically included on-line members but my wife was unable to hear this because she’d been ‘zapped’. What he’d already said had ‘plugged’ her into Holy Spirit’s power socket – thank you Lord.

Rev John KilpatrickJohn’s homily was God Is Planning Something SO BIG, Even The Devil Can’t Stop It!  His excellent exposition on how the Lord will do this complements Sharon Stone’s prophetic words on ‘perspective’ and God’s provision, as well as those she’s just released this week for 2013 from the UK’s Prophetic Council. (See also, summary with introduction to prophecy.)

In announcing that their English evangelist was away on a home visit, and as a guest speaker at Reinhard Bonnke’s School of Evangelism, John’s assistant pastor said that Nathan had been invited at the last minute to address the evening service prior to the event. And because of the time difference, that service would be happening at about the same time as their own there in Alabama, USA.

So Nina wondered if there may be a live webcast for that London service. As soon as John had finished, I searched for Christ For All Nations’ site but its UK page just refused to load! (Overloaded?)  A quick ‘google’ soon located the hosting church’s website.

So from a 10.30 morning service to a 19.00 evening service was simple as pie, thanks to technology. With laptop hooked up to TV we took part in both services from our own armchairs. YET, a shock was in store for us…

Along with hundreds of online members we like being with the enthusiastic Americans but, ‘arriving’ at 7.30pm in London just after close of worship we landed with a thud!  Here, we found an ordinary, subdued English service even though it was composed mainly of youngsters and many nationalities!

Or, as Nathan had just started speaking, maybe they were surprised at how passionate he is? Definitely not the usual sort of speaker. Being fire-filled he cannot be anything but excited about his Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Nathan gave a brief outline of his past life of deep sin and how the Lord unexpectedly burst into his life, turned him around and set him ablaze. Then followed a couple of videos outlining his remarkable ministry in Africa and India and showing the revival and miracles at the Bay of The Holy Spirit in Mobile.

AN HOUR LATER, ALL CHANGED!  The congregation packing hall and balconies was  mightily encouraged and keen for more. Nathan always preaches the blood and cross of Jesus without compromise and after which signs and wonders follow. Tonight, therefore, the Holy Spirit’s fire fell.  Everyone was up on their feet on fire for and with Him and wanting more when Nathan ministered to almost everyone. Hence, his declaration in view of what was happening, “London’s burning”, as well as the fact that  people have come from all over London and the home counties.

What’s it like being touched by the Holy Spirit?  He affects us in different personal ways. For me it’s like a warmth and glow upon the face and often makes me feel I’m surfing. For those very sensitive to the Spirit the power may make us twitch and/or cry out. And it can happen ‘remotely’, as above whilst watching a live broadcast, or by the laying on of hands, as when Nina felt as though a thunderbolt had hit her when Nathan touched her as he passed by at Hull (account here).

A sample of the morning worship of Phil Wickham’s ‘Cielo’ with Martin Smith’s chorus My Heart Burns For You will help you to soar and appreciate that afternoon-evening. This clip of the same recorded in July features Lydia Stanley-Morrow, who too was in London .:

Click here for video of this morning’s worship led by Rebecca van Dijk and where Rev. Kilpatrick’s message starts at 1hr35min. (Rebecca starts those two songs at 19 min.)

Finally, an interesting start to the day happened in our morning service here in UK, but that’s for another time…(continued here)

A New Day Dawns…

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Looking through the bedroom window whilst sipping our first cuppa on the first day of this New Year we simultaneously saw.:

1 January 2013

This reflection of the doorway into our bathroom and the window therein happens only when the sun is low in the south-east.  It was so good to have a sunny start to the day and for it to stay so after 2012, the second wettest in UK records.

Only the previous night, New Year’s Eve, we waited upon the Lord regarding the New Year. I was reminded that when Christina Foor visited the church on 11.11.2012 she brought prophetic words for everyone. I’d had opportunity to record what she said to us on my cellphone but we’d not listened to it together. So last night was the right time to do so. Christina spoke specifically into our personal lives about what’s happened and about the Lord fulfilling his promises and moving us into a new season.:

“…You are on the threshold and I see you before a great door and it’s opening into…this is a season of open doors…”

Now I’d completely forgotten all about this but recalled having seen a door in the middle of the night, as related in On the threshold.  Doubtless you may find it hard to believe from that post that I’d forgotten about this prophetic word. That blog was more about ‘God-incidental’ events and I’d first thought what Christina said was specifically for Nina because she’d spoken directly to her. So I didn’t think everything said applied to me.

What we beheld on 1st January was almost identical to what I’d been trawling the web for to mount in that post, yet what I used conveys the meaning very well. This ‘mirage’ reiterates the importance of taking one or several steps together through an intangible yet real doorway into the New Year…

As for this blog, a few new things are in the pipeline but first let’s turn our eyes to Him upon whom we have our very being….

2012 in review for Richard’s Watch

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RJBWordPress.com has prepared a 2012 annual report for my blog, and a hearty thankyou goes to you personally for visiting, reading and following – as well as to each contributor. It is very gratifying to know that items about prophecy are so popular – and will continue to feature herein. So, I’d like to invite you to take a minute to scan through the following brief report which, for noters of numerals, just so happens to be my 222nd posting:

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 11,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 18 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED 2013 TO ALL MY READERS

On the threshold…

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“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3.20 KJV)

White Door in Skydoor

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and… (Rev 4.1-2 NKJV)

The above image is not exactly what I saw, as recounted in 2/12 1st Sunday in Advent 2012. Invisible walls formed by the darkness of our bedroom contrasted strongly with a tall rectangular shape of light immediately before me. Yet, when considered along with the above scriptures this image does represent the real spiritual meaning of the softly glowing light that beckoned me.

One of the reasons this event is being revisited is because I’ve since had an increasing expectation within my spirit that today’s major national and international events are lining up with those prophesied in the Bible for the ‘Last Days’ or ‘End Times’. I’m not talking about the end of the world or the close of the ancient Mayan calendar, about which I’ve taken miniscule regard.  I’m think that its closure is merely indicative of such changes coming upon us that the world will no longer be as we once knew it. Of much that I could write, it seems that a greater emphasis needs to fall on the prophetic.

For example, the triple confirmation of ‘open door’ in that vision; viz. the arrival of Paul Keith Davis’ email about it that day, the manuscript note from 2005 in my Bible and then that Sunday’s church copy of the same newsletter, all shout ‘GOD-INCIDENCE’!  That is, the Lord is telling me something important – take notice! – and it’s not perhaps purely personal.

Soon afterwards I recalled one of the first times we heard Paul Keith’s teaching in Bath. We had aisle seats close to the front of the auditorium and at one point everyone stood up as he ministered from the front. A little later he walked up our aisle towards people at the back and, approaching us, he looked into our eyes and said, “Await His return!”

If you haven’t followed the previous post’s link to his e-newsletter A New Day Dawning, here’s the pertinent part of what Paul Keith writes:

The coming days will bring greater dimensions of darkness in the world; yet our hope is for the appearing of God’s weighty Presence…

The Open Door

As emphasized in Revelation 3:20, the Lord stands at the door and knocks and to him who hears and opens the door to his heart, the Lord will dine with him. This is an individual commission and requires an individual response. On the other side of the “open door” we will find Living Word revelation vital for this season and the Heavenly blueprint.

The fullness of the ministry model God has ordained to respond to the great needs and challenges of the 21st Century is not presently on the Earth. It is something that we must obtain from behind the veil in the unseen realm. It is the hidden manna reserved and set apart for this generation that will equip the Bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle and empower her for the harvest…

Dear reader, if you don’t know Jesus Christ you really have nothing to lose by opening the door into your own life and letting Him in. He won’t come unless you invite Him to come in and ‘sup’, or eat and drink as well as rest and relax. Furthermore, He brings His own refreshments for bringing real sustenance into your life.

So, if you haven’t yet done so, why not open the door?

2/12, 1st Sunday in Advent 2012

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WHAT A DAY, WHAT A DATE!  And what a story; whether it be past, present or future version, each strand links into the grand theme. As some say, history is His story. So today’s post is more an illustrated short, but true, story.

In western churches Sunday 2nd December 2012 marks the beginning of Advent – the weeks of expectant preparation leading into celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem. For too many weeks, however, shops have displayed the tacky commercial side of the season.

So it is interesting to note Wikipedia’s entry on Advent, and I was especially surprised upon its emphasis being not upon Jesus’ birth, but upon His return, viz.:

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. With the view of directing the thoughts of Christians to the first coming of Jesus Christ as savior and to his second coming as judge, special readings are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent….

Readers familiar with my personal story may recall Advent’s significance in this blog’s raison d’etre (details at close of this post).  And once again I’m astonished by something relevant, and which I hope will be an encouragement to readers seeking God or already walking with Him. So let your imagination follow me in what happened…

Last Sunday

‘On a roll’ getting off to church I realised I wasn’t carrying my hefty New King James study Bible so, approaching our front door, I grabbed my old New International Version Insight Bible. After scraping thick frost off the car’s windows I drove off. It’s an easy 22 miles via the 1-year old Hindhead Tunnel, and bursting through into brilliant sunlight brought splendid views over the Surrey hills.

Tunnel - Surrey side

A mother and baby were picked up en-route and, arriving later than usual at a school cafe outside Godalming, there was time for a quick coffee before the service started at Well Church International. The young chap on guitar leads those gathered in worship of the Living God. As everyone focuses upon Jesus, however, “John 13” pops into mind. So I pick up my Insight Bible from the table and check it out, trying not to distract others.

My old, floppy paperback Bible is well-worn, some verses covered in yellow highlighter and marginalia jottings on teachers’ remarks, and my own thoughts, as seen below…

“John 13-14Is there something specifically for me to read in John13, Lord?”  The headers therein are ‘Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet’, ‘Jesus Predicts His Betrayal’, ‘Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial’. Nothing stood out other than verse 13, “A new command I give you: Love one another….By this all men will know you are my disciples” Then it leads into chapter 14 where Jesus tells them not to be troubled about what’s going to happen, that He’s going to, “Father’s house…to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the place to where I am going…”

Thomas butts in, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way there?” Jesus answered him with that well-known personal attestation,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:6-7)

I notice my annotation in red made during a conference 7 years ago, then ponder if any of this may be of signficance – and what that may be!

John 14 notePutting my Bible down I get back into worship – only to pick it up minutes later to focus upon those verses. A few minutes later young Danny motors straight into a new song about the door into heaven – and my jaw drops. I’ve just read that in my jottings!

Seven years ago a teacher said verse 14:6 means, “I am the doorway into Father’s throne-room; I open heaven” (see note in red in image to left). A couple of minutes later I go to the front and read this scripture and refer to my explanatory note to encourage everyone.

Mmmm very interesting, especially in view of what had happened only last week.

Later, sitting at the table and completing our offering envelope I question myself about the date. “Yesterday was Nina’s annual spiritual birthday party, that is 1st Dec so it’s 2nd”, I thought. THEN, the moment I start writing ‘2/12…’ I’m hit by that number. [For her birthday card I’d wanted to quote the opening lines of Psalm 91 and took out an old NIV of hers only to find she’d annotated it’s start with ‘God our protector’. So I used those words for her card. As evident from these two events, it’s clear that He knows our jottings!]

I’d had occasion to discover ‘212’ again just before writing about this blog’s anniversary, as here.  Last December I’d been impressed with the possible connection of a house number with the new year of 2012.  After all, it’s just any old house, any old number. Yet between then and now a tiny thought had made me wonder if it may be something to do with an actual date in 2012. Then I completely forgot all about that!  Until now, that is.

But that was nothing to what was to follow…

Our minister Lindi Masters had returned home to South Africa for Christmas but not without printing December’s diary sheet. Copies of this were on each table and I’d not had chance to see it until after our visiting German pastor’s message.  After he finished I took the sheet and turning over was stunned!

Dec 2012 reverseThere, on its reverse, is a copy of the latest news-letter from Paul Keith Davis but abridged to make ‘The Open Door’ its leading sub-header!  AND it just so happens I’d received my own copy of his newsletter only three days earlier – AND during that very night, whilst wide-awake, I’d already been blessed to see the door to which he refers!  As I’d lain awake in bed but eyes closed, I sensed in the middle of darkness an open doorway, but devoid of door, and beyond which was nothing but gentle light. (Click on image to read, and for full content Paul Keith’s newsletter click here.)

No wonder I was utterly stunned in amazement by these three ‘coincidences’ on the ‘open door’!  Is it all a ‘sign and a wonder’?  Bemused, I next recalled that the ‘212’ house number of my childhood home was affixed to the top of the front door. So could the insertion of a zero suggest an open door, or portal, indicating that 212 could become 2o12?  This speaks to me of two kinds of home addresses, one earthly and the other heavenly. I wonder…

Note: the date of my Bible’s note is ‘3.3.5’, which is exactly 7 years 9 months ago, or 93 months ago. Although not into detailed numerical anlysis I can’t but help noting these digits total 12 (9+3=12), and we’re in the 12th month of the 12th year of this century.

All told, an exciting start to Advent. What could it portend?

Further reading:

Blog’s Birthday

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Readers may like to know yesterday marked the first birthday of this blog!

We weren’t sailing off Salcombe, for it’s not a celebratory event – but we did have an enjoyable and relaxing evening at Well Church social party. I went disguised in a black-mop of a wig, and Nina wore a headpiece – a pair of short antlers and Christmas ball ear-rings (photos censored)!

I wish to express my huge gratitude to Nina for her patience on those days when most of the time is spent researching and writing – bless you sweetheart.  My appreciation also goes to the first folk who saw fit to follow my musings: Daniel, Paul, Gillan, Roger and Tony (and for his many contributions) amongst several personal friends who took the plunge after having put up with my earlier emails.  Heartfelt thanks to everyone as you read, whether regularly dipping in here or not.

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I bothered to find out about the fuller aspects of WordPress’ site statistics and was astonished. As I write, the total number of views is just twenty short of 10,000!  Staggering, I’ve just checked again to make sure it’s right. I never thought anyone would be sufficiently interested to visit this blog – so thank you.

I was also surprised to find that one item posted in January has been a regular top-hit throughout the year and its count is head and shoulders above all others. That posting is A prophetic word for 2012 from Dr Sharon Stone, which I will update with an abridged version of my transcript of what she shared as being from the Lord for 2013. (The words concerning hurricane Sandy were only one part of the whole revelation.)

Readers who appreciate numbers and coincidences may be intrigued by this statistical fact.:

No. of published posts, including 64 uploaded pre-blog emails = 201
No. redundant notes (re. uploading), so withdrawn = 3
No. published static, or menu, pages = 30

Total = 234, but this includes 22 ‘reblogs’ from other people’s blogs

So, my personally authored total = 212

Now, this happens to be a personally significant number, as explained in Part 3 of my personal testimony. That was written last December (2011) and two months Iater my ‘hunch’ was unexpectedly confirmed by an ordinary event. Therefore, I amended that post’s concluding paragraphs as follows:

“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 this year’s first Christian conference we were to attend…”

In February 2012 we attended Arise, Frontline Generals conference featuring Patricia King, Sharon Stone and Roberts Liardon. It so happened that, upon parking at the hotel in Torquay where it was being held, I noticed the car’s mileage was showing 212 miles from home to hotel..!!

So that number has now popped up once again – honest, I kid you not!

Could a dream confirm God’s action plan?

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I’m amazed by a vivid dream experienced by someone whose blog I follow. So I must submit why I regard his dream as a valid message from the Lord.:

September was a remarkable month and I’d intended covering the unusual events of its first and last day under the ‘Back to School’ series of posts, but events proved too busy. NOW, in Preparing for battle Tony Puccio recounts a dream that seems to relate directly to my posting on Insights into God’s action plan.  Insight 2 therein refers to an excellent sermon during the 30th Sept Sunday morning service in Church Of His Presence, USA.

As an anointed prophet, Jan Painter admonished and exhorted the congregation to pick up the spiritual weapon they’ve allowed to fall into disuse. I didn’t state what the weapon was but left it for any interested reader to watch the video – it is the sword of the Spirit. This is the Word of God, the holy scriptures, because when wielded it deals decisively with the ungodly, whether of human origin or not.  Its effectiveness is proven in practice, and it can be not only the logos, or written word, but also the rhema, or prophetic ‘now’ word, as well as the language of spiritual tongues. (It was this last to which Jan referred as the weapon that had fallen into disuse.)

My first extraordinary encounter with the sword of the Spirit had been during training in prayer ministry. Inwardly, I heard “1Sam 5” during a ministry session where a lady was prowling around on all fours like a panther. Not knowing what that was about I found the chapter’s first five verses tell how The Ark of the Covenant trashed the idol of a pagan temple. As soon as I read the verses out aloud the lady stopped dead in her tracks and gaped at a vision right in front of her – she was actually seeing the same happening to a Satanic temple’s altar where child sacrifices had been performed!  She was soon freed from bondage in Jesus’ name – praise Him!

Now, what I was saving for another post but didn’t get chance to write about (maybe so as not to influence Tony?) is the following.:

Earlier on that same Sunday morning, 30th Sept, here in the UK we’d attended church and received a new diary sheet for the next month, October.  It bore the illustration you see heading today’s post!

Therefore, dear reader, you may now understand why we were excited later that after-noon to hear Jan specifically stress the importance of the sword as a spiritual weapon – and now by Tony’s dream!  And there’s much more, lots more, to learn in all this…

It is written:

 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV)

Amen.

Back to school / college / uni – part 2

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The Why and Wherefore

When were you last with anyone not speaking English?  Maybe whilst on holiday where the national tongue is completely unfamiliar to you?  Could you understand what people were saying or did you try to converse?  In such situations have you ever heard a word or phrase suddenly pop up in English?  I find that especially amusing 🙂  Occasionally I’ll hear Polish or other Eastern European folk in the street chatting to one another and its weird when they mention a well-known brand-name or a locality around here.

Whenever that happens the English starkly stands out and catches one’s attention. So you may imagine what it’s like being in a gathering where the leader is speaking in an unintelligible language. Everyone else but you knows what’s being said and can follow naturally. But you’re left puzzled and reliant upon gestures and other indicators to get a gist of what may or may not be said.

What’s that got to do with my topic? Is it all about a language school?

No. But you could guess what it was like for me as a boy when my English mother took me to a place where everyone was speaking what was not only ‘double-dutch’ but also a dead language – one that no-one spoke in normal life anywhere!  It was from ancient Rome and used in mother’s local Catholic church during Sunday mass, or holy service.

Apart from when the priest would address the congregation on some grown-up stuff, the whole ritual was unintelligible to me, a young boy.  And in those days the celebrant had his back towards the people. Growing old enough to pay attention, with mother’s help, I heard odd snippets in English I could easily understand: the readings from the Gospels and Epistles.  Thus was sown an appreciation of the story of Jesus Christ, for I didn’t attend Sunday school.

I can recall thinking from these accounts it must have been fascinating to have seen the miracles, and I wondered what it would have been like to watch Jesus in action, even to hear Him or to eavesdrop whilst He was teaching His disciples, as though in His private and personal school. If only I could go back in time…

So let me bring you forward in time – by half a century! – to when I came across the blog item referred to in part 1. I was ‘nudged’ to catch up with Stewart’s blog and discovered  his School of Jesus. It evoked all those memories and supernaturally spoke into them.  Maybe it was the way Stewart says “Let’s go to school” and in unfolding the original Greek introduced us to our teacher, the one who will be not only our personal mentor, or rabbi even, but also headmaster and dean or vice-chancellor of this special school and who is also a lord and king; The King of Kings.

Before explaining about September 2012, first let me introduce you to Teacher:

Back to school / college / uni – part 1

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“Richard, you’re here!” Turning, I find a friend from Bath beside me in the short queue for morning coffee.

“Good to see you Richard” – I grin – “Thought I’d spotted you by the windows”.  So we catch up with one another’s news.

Nina and I hadn’t been to Bath since last year, when Richard had mentioned a meeting in the Midlands. (I’d intuitively known it was important for me to hear its teachings, and it proved so – see Glory stories.) Today, however, we are in  Windsor for Christian International Europe’s Annual Conference. It’s an easy 33 miles drive there to Dr Stone’s monthly meetings, but not  for my namesake and Richard asks, “Where do you live?”  We laugh upon discovering that he knows of the locality and says it’s like the area around Bath. (Our low hills and woods are in the South Downs National Park – take a peek.)  And next, two interesting points follow…

I outline to Richard some of what happened last month and that Nina had been strongly impressed last December that September 2012 would be significant in some way. (This was connected with her seeing an unusually special Christmas picture in a newspaper. The impact was so great it inspired her to ask at ladies’ breakfasts she speaks to, Are You Ready?  Nina starts these talks by saying the Lord had given her the full content in connection with “this picture”, which she displays, and its subtly implicit message – see image He’s On His Way at close of this year’s first post Points to ponder 2011-12.)

“Others have said the same about September”, is Richard’s immediate response! AND as though to confirm both Nina’s impression and Richard’s remark, the guest speaker will briefly speak on that topic in the very next conference session!!

So exactly what is it about September 2012?

First, let’s go to its lead-in: the end of August with its inevitable ‘back to school’ theme.  We’re not normally faced with that, yet our two youngest grandsons were about to start pre- and primary school, and the oldest at his new school in early September.  But that wasn’t why this theme had my attention. It had been on my mind all month!  Why? An ancient ember deep within me had been fanned by a commentary by the leader of Bath City Church, Stewart Keiller. He writes about the fourth chapter of St Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church and his post is entitled:

School of Jesus

I hope you, dear reader, believer or no, will click on that title to consider carefully, even digest, Stewart’s pithy style of excellent teaching. He writes about ‘the old man’, ie. the lifestyle we had before being ‘born anew’ (my term) to become a new man/woman, and then ‘let’s go to school,’ wherein he describes what ‘the School of Christ’ is like, viz:

You learned him (Greek) ‘emathete’, how do we learn a person?  The first lesson in this school is its about a relationship, you get to know Jesus by being with him and spending time with Him in your day to day life (John17:3). <my emphases>

You heard him ‘ekousate’, you hear through the Spirit and Word.  The Spirit is at work in you to speak to you life, you need to tune into him.  This is not some theory class, this is a learning to tune into the very speaking spirit within.  But we get tutored in the word of God, the word on paper becomes the word in Spirit, this is not just subjective feeling it is supernatural reality at work.

You are taught by him ‘edidachthete’, actually the word is “in him”, Jesus is the atmosphere in which we are taught.  This is part of the theme ‘in Christ Jesus’, the immersion into Jesus.  Its why baptism is such a great description of the reality of our faith, we are immersed into the life of Jesus.

When Jesus Christ is at once the subject, the object, and the environment of the moral instruction being given, we may have confidence that it is truly Christian. For truth is in Jesus. (John Stott)

“So what is our response to school?” asks that writer, before covering what it produces.

“What is your response?” I ask you, my reader.

May I suggest you run off a hardcopy of that 4-page piece, weigh its words and chew its scriptural content? Then, next week we may be able to appreciate my response and an account of what happened this September and, keen as I was, why this had to wait until after last weekend – as well as to read about the 2nd point in 2 Richards’ chat 🙂

…continued in part 2

National Day of Prayer & Worship

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A night very wet with wild winds belies the morn’s destiny to be the  third consecutive Saturday of warm bright sunshine!  The morning view atop Worldham Hill t’wards far hills of Surrey hints at autumnally tinged trees. (‘Neath the top of far ridge a long hole unblocks a once heaving road over its crest, linking London with ancient, naval Portsmouth.)

A fortnight ago today was my birthday ‘on the town’ in Trafalgar Square, where we went to practise healing on the streets.  And a week ago today we were at Wembley basking under its open-roofed stadium – reminded me of an ‘open heaven’. Arriving as the gates opened at half-past midday, we found our seats only nineteen rows from the lush-green turf and directly across the pitch from the musicians’ stage.

Within minutes the various bands, choirs and well-known worship leaders greeted us with worship songs and a tremendously uplifting day commenced. As may be seen from the programme below, it focussed upon various national and international needs and went by far too quickly.  Some time was spent in repentance in accordance with the out- come of the ‘Listening Hour’ in Parliament on 12th June (click for brief summary).

Click to read this brief report how Wembley was submerged with waves of prayer and praise and flick through this photo gallery to get a glimpse of what was going on. Also,  read about the amazing beginnings to this event in my next post.

Worship was woven so well between all the prayer strands and took us all soaring as we approached the close. The rousing chorus to There’s a Battle Raging Over This Land, sung by Godfrey Birtill, left most folk humming all the way home – so listen/join in to get a feel for the day through this song.:

“Just one touch from the King…changes everything!”

Our deep gratitude goes to Fleet Baptist Church and their secretary’s skills in organising a couple of coaches packed full with those wanting to attend this stirring event.

THEN, next day at church we found the following prophecy from 2010 about Wembley had been submitted and printed onto the new schedule for October: a God-incidence?

AMEN to all the above!

H.O.T.S. now H.I.T.S. – part 2

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In Part 1 I started a ‘taster’ of our day with Mark Marx, founder of Healing On The Streets (HOTS),  when he taught on praying for healing in public. Over a hundred delegates then went to Trafalgar Square to pray and were bathed in warm sunshine.  Part 1 asked, what does Mark teach and is it different to prayers in church?

I’ll attempt an answer below with some subsequent insights all of which, I submit, will be of interest and application not only to readers in the UK but also to those overseas.

First, however, have you heard about the Alpha Course? This friendly and very social course is a means of introducing non-believers to the history and beliefs of Christianity.  The course started in Holy Trinity church in Brompton, London, and most branches of the worldwide church now conduct an Alpha course – for more see website.

It is now reported that Healing On The Streets is growing even more quickly than Alpha!

So what does its founder Mark Marx teach?  This very brief overview is my own, not official, but HOTS’ scriptural found-ations and most of the principles are similar to those taught in Christian ministries. HOTS’ especial emphasis is upon expressing God’s compassion and love in the market place, whatever the weather and, thereby, enables the church to connect directly every week with the community it serves.

The secret of HOTS’ success

Mark describes HOTS as ‘a stepping-stone’ in God’s action plan to get the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, outside the church walls.  Therefore, as such it is a model only for it will probably become modified as believers learn to move increasingly in the  fullness of their authority in Jesus Christ; for He promised,

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)

Thus, we should seek God for a personal revelation of who we are in Him and of what He has given us.  Even so there’s something more and, in view of my previous posts on the Bay of The Holy Spirit Revival and the teaching of John Kilpatrick and evangelist Nathan Morris (here and here respectively), this particularly grabbed our attention.:

HOTS’ ‘secret’ is not truly such, for it is Christianity’s special feature that distinguishes it from every other religion; it is the presence of and our reliance upon God’s Holy Spirit. This is something even those who are not Christians can sense, and which they can therefore physically experience and react to; e.g. “This is weird but I’m feeling…”.

For example, in making a brief mention of HOTS’ work across London at last month’s Revival Alliance Gathering in Birmingham, Gerald Coates referred to that special effect upon a completely uninterested passer-by. This man turned upon the team to accuse them of having pushed him – but they were busy praying for someone!  They told him it was the strength of God’s presence he’d felt. So, even if someone doesn’t receive any prayer it’s likely they’ll be affected. Anyone who misses this could be completely closed off to God; maybe that’s why they’re known as ‘the lost’?

The Muslim passer-by returned with his family and they all knelt and gave their lives to Jesus Christ!  Praise you Lord, keep blessing them and their friends.

In quoting a scriptural principle to back up his statements about the presence of God, Mark used one I’ve never heard any preacher mention in this connection. BUT it is one I became personally aware of in a most dramatic way – AND with being in the very same connection as Marks’ explanation!  So that served to validate his teaching.

[Mark was speaking briefly about the possibility of demonic manifestation during prayer time and referred to the account of the Israelites’ Ark of the Covenant that had been captured by Philistines and placed in their pagan temple. Now the Ark was where the Living Lord would manifest within the holy temple and the Philistines returned twice to their temple only to find its idolatrous statue broken by God’s power!  Read about this in prophet Samuel’s first book at 1Sam 5:1-5.  The Lord had given me those verses to read aloud during ministry time when a lady was prowling around like a panther. She stopped immediately and stared wide-eyed at an open vision of the satanic temple used by her ancestors for child sacrifices – she watched it being well and truly trashed!  “Just like watching a video”, said she, now freed from oppression and praising the Lord.]

One of the other distinguishing marks of HOTS is to convey the ‘compelling love of Christ’ to everyone so they may sense his peace, even in the busiest environment.

Healing in Trafalgar Square

courtesy Supranatural Life FbookTeam members  take this atmosphere they carry wherever they go. It has been found kneeling brings more of this. So they kneel at a place until God’s presence becomes tangible. Thus, as we arrived mid-afternoon by the steps leading up to the National Gallery the group knelt down, as here>(courtesy Facebook/ Supranatural Life -see posts dated 3 -26 September.)

Consequently, everyone who came by would be attracted, affected – or even repelled! – by the spiritual nature of what we were doing.  As the Apostle Paul explains,

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

 For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

 To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. (2 Cor 2:14-16 Amplified Bible)

The truth of that scripture cannot be denied but it brings sadness to each believer for the lost and their future. Whenever Mark cited cases of medically inexplicable healings arising from HOTS ministry I often recalled the obduracy of atheists I’d encountered on several blogs this year. Their mindsets seem to be encased in ‘concrete’ that prevents them from rational examination of evidence. For example, the lady who complained to the ASA about HOTS in Bath and, in Trafalgar Square, a young man strode past me to get away from the large gathering and remarked to his girlfriend, “It’s a scam!”.  Mark had told us to watch people’s body language and make good eye contact before trying to hand out a leaflet and invite them to receive prayer – so this couple were avoided.

Our group was sandwiched between two other public offerings – ‘free hugs’ and a few men performing dance and acrobatics to pop songs.  Nina reminds me how appropriate it was to hear them singing, “I believe in miracles”!!

With about a dozen chairs, or ‘hot-sits’, quite a number of people received prayer and after an hour or so we returned to base and were pleased to learn of how successful our endeavour had been. (Some may be found on Facebook/Supranatural Life.)

It was a most memorable occasion and I’ve since received a few insights into God’s action plan, which I’d like to share in another post – click here.

H.O.T.S. now H.I.T.S. – part 1

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“God set us up!” she chuckled…

This lady’s husband had responded to Mark Marx’s offer of prayer for healing by saying his wife needed some. This was on the National Gallery’s concourse in Trafalgar Square, London. As she sat down, three or four ladies came and knelt around to pray in Jesus’ name.

Within minutes she was feeling much better and ‘hubby’ took his turn. Meanwhile, their son was chatting to Mark and both were amused to learn they were from the same town in Northern Ireland!  His parents were visiting him whilst he’s temporarily working in London. Afterwards, all four were encouraged by yet another amusing way the Living God looks after us personally.

Mark had gone to Coleraine and started Healing On The Streets (HOTS) there at Easter 2005. Since then, churches across the town had met every Saturday to pray for anyone who needed healing – and met with great success!

Nina and I were in Trafalgar Square after attending Marks’ training day for HOTS hosted by Christen Forster’s School of Supranatural Life at Emmanuel Centre in Marsham St.  This became Healing In Trafalgar Square when all 100 or more delegates went out on a mission on the streets of Westminster!  (See Supranatural Life Facebook page here.)

Let me give a flavour of the day… Continue reading →

We felt it 4,500 miles away!

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4,500 miles – that’s a quarter of the way around the world!  The British boy was at his best under the ‘unction of the Holy Spirit’,  ie., the anointing from God Most High to preach and teach the Gospel with the power of His Spirit, as he spoke about ‘Divine Exchange’.  Most of the large congregation had, in fact, already ascended in worship and found ‘fullness of joy’ in His presence, which was strongly felt throughout the 3 hour-long service!

Late Sunday afternoons here in Hampshire, England, we go to church in Mobile, AL, USA, for a morning service, as do thousands of other online members of Church of His Presence. On Sunday, English evangelist Nathan Morris reported healing miracles had  happened when the Bay Revival team recently went to Lake Charles, Louisiana, a week after hurricane Isaac’s visit.

(PS. whilst there Nathan warned a much greater, more severe storm’s coming – The King Is Coming!  Click to watch message; read these posts too – Watch, Get Ready.)

Soon after many there repented, Nathan had a prophetic word about someone’s health, “degenerative disease in the kidneys” (ie. kidney failure).  A lady with a 6 months-old baby yells as he quips, “The preachers weren’t watching, but the Son of God is!” and what happened next is most wonderful. If you too would like to know – and see – then carry on reading:

Listen to Nathan’s account and then watch it happen as he plays two video clips to the congregation. [Click on ‘play triangle’ and as it loads click on grey bar to advance play, speed depends upon your broadband speed.]  Nathan starts telling about this miracle at 1hr12min30 and the video section of baby Jeremiah’s healing starts at 1:18:00….at 1:21:30 it changes to the next day’s meeting for an account of the boy’s severe medical status by his exurberant mother as she tells about that morning’s astonishing results of his creatinine blood test…praise the Lord!

At 1:36:00 a ‘live’ testimony is given for the Lord’s healing of terminal colon cancer and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. What is remarkable is that the patient was one of a very, very tiny group of people without a specific enzyme which adversely affects chemotherapy.  The Lord directed her to search on the internet to find out about this (1:40:00). She got in touch with chat rooms and therefore insisted doctors test her before treatment. Thus they discovered that she was one of this rare, at-risk group!

Divine Exchange

After a strong admonition (at 1:45:00) and exhortation to that nation (US) and to young people, Nathan ends with an unexpected brief word about faith in anyone other than Jesus Christ, and says, “I don’t know where that came from, it’s not my message!”

At 1:50:50 he begins an exceptional message on coming into God’s presence and the signs of the Kingdom, as exemplified in those healings, teaching from the Biblical books of Hebrews and Exodus.  Any summary would fail to do justice or convey it properly – it needs to be heard and entered into.  Are you able to do so?

Drawing to a close Nathan recounts the drummer / youth pastor told him how amazed he was when a blind eye opened as he prayed. Nathan then exclaimed,

He was so full of it – he was rejoicing – and I looked at him and thought, “Son, you’d better get ready, because if you keep having a divine exchange with God, blind eyes will be nothing – He’ll show you things that will blow your mind!!“

He went on (2:27:00):

Before I knew you were worshiping, I could feel it in my spirit. Normally I can’t hear you in the back room but I heard something…and said so to the pastor…I could feel it because there’s something that happens when the Body of Christ joins in one accord to – we enter the Throne Room  where divine exchange takes place!”

Everyone re-entered worship and even across the ‘pond’, here in the UK – a quarter of the world away – we too felt the strong, undeniable touch of precious Holy Spirit as His fire fell once again in Alabama.

And  why ever not?  After all God’s Spirit is present in all those who believe in the one He sent – Jesus Christ. In our human spirits there’s no separation whatsoever from Him or from the fellowship of His Body.

Paws-4-thought: And now a PC Gospel?

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A little play on words in this header: a ‘Politically Correct’ Gospel?

Definitely NOT!  No how, no way, no when, no where!  NEVER may the Word of the Living God be so; unless politics itself gets ‘properly correct‘ and follows Godly principles based upon the beginning of wisdom:

‘…and He said to man, “The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding”.’  (Job 28.27-28).

An outline of proper political correctness is in Job 29, where young Job was blessed by the Lord with His own heart for justice, mercy and righteousness. (A modern example of that scripture may be the standards under which Patricia King’s ministry in Maricopa, Arizona, is rescuing both victims and culprit’s of the child sex trade in Cambodia and Thailand, for which the latter’s government has given them freedom of action.)

But what about a ‘Personal Computer’ Gospel?

Is there such a thing? There’s lots of Bible-related software, but how could a desktop computer itself be connected with – or even demonstrate – the good news of Jesus Christ? Consider this intriguing lesson thrust upon me the year before last.:

Last year my pc failed to boot up; not even the dreaded ‘blue screen of death’, just total darkness with cyclic coughs of trying to start. I had to test its ‘motherboard’ and return it under warranty. Having no laptop to fall back upon I dug out bits of 6 years-old kit to re-jig a working pc. Doing that reminded me of an amazing Gospel lesson which had hit me when previously rebuilding the pc, and for which I have to thank our kitten! Why?

Finding she could jump onto this desk, kitty then found the window ledge was a good place to espy the outdoors. Perhaps she was being prophetic?  She would ‘keep watch’ with me as I kept an eye on developments in the Middle East.

Soon, however, I found the speakers on that ledge weren’t producing any sounds! Upon checking the pc’s rear panel, I discovered the audio plug drooping at an angle from its socket. Somehow kitty must have dropped down the gap between ledge and desk, hit the speaker lead near the plug and bent the end of its pin.  Hence, all quiet. So I straightened the pin and the status quo resumed – until she once again pulled down on the lead. This time the pin’s point was completely broken and, when I removed the plug, that same end bit was left stuck at the bottom of the socket!

I had no option but to get under the ‘bonnet’ and found that audio socket couldn’t be fixed or replaced as it’s an integral part of the main circuitry, or motherboard. Also, and more frustrating, upgraded photo software kept crashing when I tried using it!  The task manager’s process monitor showed me the 2005 pc’s single-core processor simply wasn’t up to the job.

The only answer seemed to be to either buy another pc or laptop, or perhaps build one myself! I accepted that challenge  with relish, and research. Technology had rapidly advanced and my plan was to buy the latest components, an anti-static strap and latex-free gloves and follow a novice-friendly, clearly written do-it-yourself manual.

Dah-dahh!  All done…..now switch on….. the moment of truth has arrived!

But all I got was the CD drawer opening and shutting with a flashing light and internal speaker making sounds reminiscent of the loud, intrusive verbiage heard on radio adverts!

OH NO!!  AND the monitor screen was blank!!!  (It should show the basic input output system to prepare for installing the operating system.) Oh Lord, help!

What had I missed? All connections between all bits of new kit had been correctly made – so it seemed.  However, I soon found I’d made a choice contrary to the instructions in the motherboard’s handbook!

Also, looking closely I saw the ‘how to’ manual’s photo of an 8-plug power connector is actually of two 2×4-plugs. Both are black and the two halves look identical – not easy to see.  Upon plugging one of these into the appropriate 4-hole socket on the board I saw the other much too close to the power supply’s fan. So I simply swapped the plugs around. The handbook’s instructions on this had been the only part I’d totally ignored!

So I extracted the connector I’d plugged in and noticed the small square 4-hole socket was divided into four small squares, all separated by dividers in the shape of a cross (see picture of board – right). And there was a slight difference between those two near-identical connectors in that two plugs of one connector had bevelled corners. I realised that by getting that connector’s ‘attitude’, or alignment, in the correct position it would exactly fit the corresp-onding part of the socket. Note this 12 volt socket provides power to the central processing unit, the pc’s heart (thin black cable toward top left below).

Hey presto! As soon as the correct connector was in place the pc powered up without any problem whatsoever. Hooray!

THEN, the Lord dropped this into my mind:

“Only the correct attitude to the Cross produces the full power of My Holy Spirit!”

I was suitably chastened to realise that my poorly informed choice and failure to obey direction was similar to that of those who go their own way in life without reading and following the Best Instruction Before Leaving Earth.

Furthermore, even when familiar with the Holy Bible, unless there’s a correct reverence for and understanding of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice one may not, as a consequence, be fully empowered by the Holy Spirit.

A wonderful Gospel lesson within the heart of a Personal Computer…and all thanks to a pussy cat!

Be encouraged and blessed.

Read another event at Paws 4 thought from ‘under the bonnet’ – (‘hood’, in US English)