Category Archives: Personal

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)

FINAL tranche out to subscribers

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Am hoping to finish the final tranche of email uploads today and get back to blogging. So thank you once again for putting up with so many announcements of ‘new’ posts.

WHY am I doing this?  I’ve regarded previous writings as personal and copied only those related to ongoing current topics, such as prophecies, healings and the Bay Revival.  This would enable any reader who so desired to gain some background information.

Since launching this blog I diverted towards those areas as well as into a few national issues. Nevertheless, I’ve been keeping an eye on Biblically related developments in the Middle East.  Thus, an increasing number of postings will now cover these matters and I envisage the need to refer to previous material.  In view of its content – and the work involved – I’d been reticent to copy over those writings but, upon re-reading them, I believe they’re now very relevant.

ALSO, a few years ago we went to a church meeting in Guildford being run by a South African. William M looked at me and said, “There’s a book in you!” – oh, really?  Well at least it seemed to harmonise with part of a totally unexpected prophetical download I’d been presented with in ’96. This is what happened.:

I’d been delayed getting to a local conference and, as friends went to various sessions, I followed them into one. I didn’t knowing where they were going but then found it was on prophecy.  (Being a relatively young Christian this topic was new to me and I’d never encountered anyone moving in that gifting.)  The young lady leading the class stood in front of me and her eyes suddenly popped open as she saw something right over me – like the image in this post! Then out of her flowed a torrent of Holy Spirit information!

My work and studies involved some writing and, after I was blessed with being able to take early retirement, I then started circulating friends about Biblically relevant news. So putting all materials from two sources together on a website has created an on-line type of book or journal.

It also shows that the young lady and William had heard correctly. Thank you Lord.

May He be with you always and bless you and yours

Richard

What’s up with the weather?

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Taken in case of need, this holiday photo is now serving its purpose – to remind me what wall-to-wall, cloud-less sky is like!  And it’s not hard, but not easy, to recall what lies beneath this azure zenith!  But 8.30am today I walked in warm sunshine, yet a bank of cloud soon rolled over like a gray blanket – but at least it’s not raining and occasionally getting a bit brighter as cloud thins now and then.

Regarded as the wettest April to June (see report and video) since full detailed records for temperatures and rainfall across the UK began in 1910 – they’re forecasting over a month’s rain in 24hrs!  (In the night we heard it like never ever before – it fell so heavily and quickly it sounded like one long roar!)  Even now in July it’s unwise to stow away one’s winter wear!  There have been ‘exceptional’ torrential rains, stormforce winds, at least one small tornado and widespread flooding, sadly with loss of life – all as was anticipated in my dream reported in What’s prophetical about weather? )

But there’s a blessing, nationally and personally – although much earlier than usual, our holiday took place during a fine fortnight with cool winds, and only one wet day. Two winters of abnormally low rainfall left reservoirs and underground aquifers very dry but they’ve been replenished. Also, plans to ban the use hose-pipes have been scrapped. So thank you Lord – let the river of Your Holy Spirit flow…

Over the ‘pond’

On this side of the Atlantic we’ve got away with things very lightly!  Over in the States it’s been a very bad month indeed, as I’ve noted from a couple of blogs. My older cousin south of Tucson, Arizona, is hoping for the ‘monsoon’ as it’s hot and dry (temperatures over 100 degrees F daily) with only a trace of rain this year. The extreme heat then headed eastwards, to affect 25 states and 45 million people, for example:

Now, it’s an interesting and pertinent fact that President Obama had declared June as being devoted to ‘gay pride’, as well as having declared shortly beforehand his personal interest in changing the laws to allow ‘marriage’ for such folk. Many black pastors have challenged and registered strong objections to his actions.

Now, it’s been noted that Obama signed off his official declaration as follows,

“IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Indepen-dence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.” (emphasis added)

Now, is it not an extraordinarily contrary thing to mix this matter with a reference to the life of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour?  Can we not sense where His heart is in this matter and what His response is?  This president has surely put himself in an invidious position and I would not like to be in his shoes.  After all, isn’t it written that Sodom and Gomorrah suffered from intense fire? (Genesis 19:23)  Jesus indicated that those cities  would, however, have repented had they witnessed His mighty works. Furthermore, His statement implies that there is hope for all who do not reject Him (Matthew 11).

Could this be why the United States has been suffering such stupendously atrocious storms, and continues to reap the whirlwind of darker days? (For fuller discussion see  Dr John MrTernan’s Insights blog with journal of events: Defend & Proclaim the Faith.)

I criticised the content of President Obama’s speech in Cairo Speech and expressed reservations about the nature of his faith. After recent ‘clarifications’ on that issue and  his address during the National Prayer Breakfast, I have reviewed my reservations – especially the claim that he may be ‘born again’.  However, I’ve yet to be convinced.

The fact remains, that whomsoever President Obama is acountable to as his spiritual mentor or pastor seems to have ignored Jesus’ instruction to His Apostles, and hence to all those in spiritual authority, about how to make disciples of believers:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19 Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

This is New King James text, but New International Version renders verse 20 as,

 “…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded…”

So just what did Jesus command?

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Back to the blue sky…aaahhh.  And what was beneath it?  A favourite beach….

 

In the right place at the right time!

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Let’s continue considering coincidences in more depth. My last two postings (here and here) reported upon connected instances of serendipity; the fortuitous occurrence of meaningful random events or coincidences. However, when these seem to relate to our relationship with God and we can discern His hand or instruction in events, then many refer to them as ‘God-incidents’, as you may have gathered from the last posts.

Therein, you’ll have glimpsed a train of serendipity.  In fact, each event along with its associated insights could only have been recognised because of a related previous event. For example, had I not been there then this would not have happened; had I not done this then that would not have been understood.

Furthermore, I’m reminded of scientific, physical laws of cause and effect as well as of simple arithmetic and maths. And recent coincidences are no simple linked chain but more like a tree, its trunk representing the observed sequence of events. Then three branches, and their own offspring, shoot out from the time of my ‘mistaken’ search on the web.  So now’s the time to divulge the amazing, crowning event!

Therefore, we may come to understand how this concatenation, or series of over a dozen related events, can be regarded as a distinct entity. It may be hard for non-believer and believer alike to even consider that the whole is pointing to the Living God – if not coming direct from Him.

But an astounding ‘God-incidence’ actually confirms that He is in these insights. It’s a though, using the last post’s metaphor of an orchestra, the conductor himself turns around and addresses the audience – like in the last night of the BBC Proms when the conductor humourously speaks to the celebrating promenaders before leading into the traditional, rousing grand finale.  Funnily enough, after that post’s musing about music I came across this from Professor Maucus du Sautoy:

With music you pick out the connections between one theme and another, and it is the same in maths……musicians are mathematicians at heart even though they may not know it. (Telegraph Weekend Review 2.6.2012)

GLORIOUS GOD-INCIDENCE VALIDATES GOD-INCIDENTS

Within two days of being amazed by unexpected events I received validation to everything from a recognised prophet.  In her mentoring class held opposite Windsor Castle, Dr Sharon Stone gave a brief resume of strategies and said Jesus has already brought breakthrough (word used by Beni Johnson) and opened doors.

We need to cross the threshold and walk through, as well as to guard our tongues against negative speech. With kind permission to quote, here’s my brief note of what Sharon taught:

Four Biblical Laws for Advancement of The Kingdom

Posture – How we do this is key – act on what God says, recalling that Jesus’ instruction at John 21 to the disciples to move only a few feet brought different and positive result.

Obedience – This is the watermark for next glory move of God that’s being released. Matt 17:24-27 shows how Peter’s obedience to God’s inspiration found and brought forth glory. His calling’s extreme purposes required extreme obedience.

Serendipity – “Amazing, accidental discovery! Wow! No matter what we do and what God does He surprises us with lots more – eg. Pentecost”. See Ephesians 3:14-21 – verse 20 in Amplified Bible reads:

20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super-abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] – 21 to Him be glory…. (my emphasis)

Adaptability – We can get stuck in old familiar ways and find we don’t know how to handle the new. We set our size according to our ‘container’ but God wants us to move into the FAR bigger – but we don’t have a long time to adapt! Ask God to help us do it.

Sharon then said Revelation 10:5-6 applies: no more delay (as well as Matt 21:1-3).

There it is, dear reader – I was left ‘God-smacked’!  This prophet had given scriptural support, if not reasons, for the concatenation of God-incidents, thereby validating the ideas and insights into the deeper significance to Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee Bells:

ALL to and for His glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations forever and ever.

[Hah – whilst separating sentence from preceding into closing paragraph, my pc begins playing a Vineyard classic, All Glory To Him!]

The spiritual significance of the Queen’s Jubilee Bells: part 2

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Do you recall, dear reader, the last time you were struck by an unusual and personal coincidence?  My previous post about the Jubilee bells referred to the fortuitous, happy occurrence of such events – serendipity. But on this occasion it all came in like a flood tide of information and understanding from several sources!

It would be interesting to know the mathematical probabilities of these personal events – it was as though it had all been orchestrated. Perhaps the Lord Himself is composer, arranger and conductor of an orchestra – players stand and play their ‘instruments’ at specific moments and a melodious tune can be heard.  Also, singers give thanks and praise to their maker/composer – even angelic choirs may join in and the whole gives glory to God.

So for not-yet-believers and nominal Christians, what follows may seem weird, perhaps ‘inaudible!’ but let it sink in and sink into it. In Part 1 I told about my ‘stumbling’ upon this revelatory information and provided links for readers to check for themselves.  Here’s why it’s exciting.:

As previously recounted, a blog from Kingdom Vision in SW England popped onto my pc screen by ‘mistake’ and which begins:

For 48 hours now I have seen myriads of angels in the heavenlies standing in rows. “Myriads” is not a word I would use, it dropped into my spirit when I saw them. Myriads means “uncountable.” Then I heard the sound of bells pealing, over and over. Sometimes they got REALLY LOUD. (my emboldening)

This was at the close of May and American Kathie Walters goes on to tell about lots of cheering accompanying the bells, like at a wedding, and she realises it’s to do with the UK.  Then she gets an email with news of the imminent Diamond Jubilee celebrations and hears that:

My friend Beni Johnson says God has been telling her things for a year about the bells. God told her, “The bells are going to ring again in England. Bells that have not been rung in years.” Beni said, “The bells are going to ring again and call people to prayer and worship as they did before. The bells will cause a sound in the atmosphere and it will be a sign to the UK. A sign of change (look back at the meaning of “peals”) and bring a shift.”

Following that English site’s link I read Joy Hall’s explanation of the number of Jubilee Bells and its Hebraic meaning, which is exceedingly encouraging for the UK.

But what particularly impacted in my spirit is the recollection of the effect of pealing bells when Nina and I visited Beverley, East Yorkshire, as recounted in Back down to earth.  Strolling around the market we decided to visit the close-by Minster. As we went down the street the heavy Minster bells started to be rung, not as a plain toll but in a most melodious tune.  Nina and her companion were both immediately ‘blasted’ in their spirits and had such difficulty in remaining upright they had to get into the nearest doorway to lean against it.  Any passer by could have thought they were drunks – but at that time of day?  At just gone 11.30 am?

As for me, I was busy taking photos but noted how unusual the bells sounded and surmised angels would enjoy it.  But Nina heard it as a continuous announcement and declaration into the earthly and heavenly realms within the region!!  So, there was a real spiritual dimension to these bells being rung, even though in a humanly organised schedule.

The last link connected into a prophetic well in SE London, which plugs straight into an article I’d commented upon just before going on our holidays, from which we’d recently returned. This new post begins:

There has been a massive amount of prophetic chatter about the sound of bells ringing in the heavenlies – some linked to resistance and spiritual warfare with others linking to the message of hope, a call to worship and a call to the “UK” believers in Jesus to awaken from slumber and take hold of God’s intended purposes for this nation.  (my emphasis)

Now, in the very busy week prior to going away I’d made time to comment upon Gillan Scott’s blog Has the Church fallen asleep on its feet?  You may like to read this short debate wherin my hastily penned contribution summarises where I believe the Church should be heading.  But reading further into the on-screen item I was hit by:

Within our fellowship we have had many words from the Lord about new beginnings, the start of the new things of God, breaking through of glass ceilings, wells of salvation, healing and heritage being opened up again – this past Sunday evening was all about the fire of God – key is that we have to ensure our lamps are full of oil and that we are to be totally focused on watching and waiting for the groom as we have to have the oil of His Holy Spirit within us to catch the fire! (author’s emphasis)

To understand this impact please note that, whilst I was away, Tony in Arizona had left me his following comment on exactly the same scriptural theme of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25)!

The Hour is Late and the Time is Short

I had a dream early the morning of 04/29/2012. In the dream my wife and I were in bed sleeping and it was very late. Our door bell rang and I remember saying to my wife, “who would be ringing our doorbell at this late hour”. We both got up to see who it was. What was odd was that each of us had an old fashioned hurricane lamp, the kind you fill with oil, as our light . When we opened the front door, we saw an angel standing there with a jug of oil in his hands. He filled our lamps and told us that the time is short.

His comment was to my posting Get Ready.   Later, when I discussed all this with Nina and told her about Tony’s dream she was stunned,  “That’s the topic of my talk at a ladies’ breakfast in mid-June!”   She had written it two months before what I reported upon in my post.  I recall her having said it would be a follow-up to previous addresses; but this time, she said, she’s going to have to sock it to them, no holds barred, because the time to Jesus’ return is getting very short!

In February, the Lord had given her the whole message and title, which is – reader, are you ready for this?…‘Are You Ready?’ !!   Just upon the thought and mentioning the title whilst we spoke, she was hit by the physical reaction of being fired up by Holy Spirit.  (It happened again last night when telling visiting friends about it!)

Two days after all this I attended Sharon Stone’s mentoring class in Windsor on the eve of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.  Upon the suggestion of another prophet, we went discretely to cleanse and bless the River Thames prior to the next day’s Jubilee flotilla.

Beni Johnson’s Prophecy on Breakthrough for the UK:

Intercessor Beni is in charge of Bethel Prayer House, Bethel Church in Redding, Calif. Her words about the bells have been quoted far and wide in part but what validates all the above impressions is this brief reference:

…We ended up in London where Big Ben is, on a river tour when it rang at high noon –  which, for an intercessor, is the time to pray – high noon represents everything exposed, like nothing hiding,..Then we took a train to Paris… and got a taxi to Notre Dame.  The minute we got out at Notre dame it was ringing high noon..then we got it (understood what the Lord is stressing about bells).

Now look at photo displaying the time when Nina was ‘struck’ – 11.35am. The bells were ringing and declaring in preparation for high noon!  If you’re a believer, then listen to the whole 7 minutes of Beni’s greatly encouraging message above.

There’s lots more to all this, perhaps even a mathematical proof of God’s existence?

Prophecies and visions for Great Britain

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A new header Prophecies & Visions on this blog covers a brief introduction to Biblical prophecy. It also explains the difference between the office of prophet and the gifting of prophecy. For those interested in how the prophetic may apply to current national and international affairs, links are given to a number of fulfilled reports and others ‘pending’.

First listed is Smith Wigglesworth’s prophecy concerning revival in Britain. Do you know that its two preparatory aspects have already happened?  Or do you know of his prayer partner’s surprise fifty years later upon seeing the same vision?  Or, are you aware of: Continue reading →

Are we clutching at straws?

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The personal blessing of Resurrection Sunday, listening to inspirational preaching and ministry on the breaking point of Gethsemane, watching believers come ‘out of their tombs’ during anointed preaching, reading a couple of excellent blogs on Easter have made it an intellectually and spiritually active fortnight. On top of which I’ve been involved with some interesting discussions on-line:

Thank you to Archbishop Cranmer and Peter Kirk for your several Easter articles, especially when a non-believer sought to divert the latter. A supporter of the ASA had caught up with an old posting that I’d commented upon and he claimed, “Richard and HOTS are grasping at anecdotal straws”. He then proceeded to distract the blogger from his inspirational jottings with lengthy arguments on scientific procedure for testing healing. So I waded in with the irrefutable factual testimony of a redundant carer! Enjoy the long thread here.

There have also been several well-written critiques, comparisons and discussion of PM Cameron’s and President Obama’s Easter messages (see Cranmer, Peter Kirk, Gillan Scott), which I would recommend to those who may have time to read. I’ve found them to be most instructive and enabled me to reconsider my views.

Yet more – I was encouraged that Jarrod Cooper in Hull had also noticed what I’d reported about Cameron’s support for ‘a Christian fight-back’!

Should you want to read more on that, see Charles Moore’s A society that persecutes Christ is heading for trouble, wherein he writes:

“If you start extirpating Christianity, it will start fighting back.  And even if – highly unlikely – you beat it down, behind it will come the more implacable, much more shamelessly political adherents of Islam.”

Also, reporting today about a new advertising campaign on London buses, Cranmer writes,

”…these plucky Christians are merely doing what the Prime Minister exhorted them to do: ‘ fight back‘.”

Having taken up our whole armour, let’s stand in the Lord…

Back down to Earth…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Open letter to the editor of the Daily Telegraph

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It’s very interesting how momentum is gathering pace to make this a special year, not only for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee but also for the whole well-being of our nation. I’m no monarchist but would highly recommend the BBC’s informative documentary, The Diamond Queen.

Headlines and articles within the Daily Telegraph, one of our leading newspapers, are increasingly focussed upon the importance of Christianity in the UK.  (See links at the foot of this post.)  In view of previous posts you’ll no doubt realise my keen interest, and so I wrote today to the editor regarding a fellow reader’s published letter : Continue reading →

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christmas broadcasts

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We trust you had a blessed time. We were particularly pleased to hear the Queen close her Christmas Day broadcast with such a clear emphasis upon Jesus, for instance:

”…Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) – but a Saviour, with the power to forgive…”

Click here for the full transcript of the Queen’s speech.

The political blogger ‘His Grace Archbishop Cranmer’ concluded his posting of Tues 27 December on Christmas messages as follows:

“There was only one Church leader who spoke inspirationally of courage and hope; only one who used the occasion to speak of the importance of family, friends and the indomitable human spirit. Only one who spoke of the gospel of forgiveness, the uniqueness of Jesus the Saviour, the love of God through Christ our Lord:..”

I particularly took note that both the political head of our nation, PM Cameron, and Head of State and Head of Anglican Church, Her Royal Majesty, have now strongly spoken out in public declarations concerning our nation’s true source of spiritual stability. Could we have turned a corner? Maybe Christen Forster of River Church, Maidenhead, was correct in reporting last September,

…at the Emmanuel Centre in Marsham Street, Bill Johnson prophetically declared to 1,000 leaders from Church, Culture, Commerce, Community and Civic Government that we would look back at 1st Sept 2011 as, “The day things changed in the UK”.

Personally, on Christmas morn I was blessed to see our recording of the broadcast I recommended, Carols From Bucklebury, bring strong messages from each interviewee/ reader. (See brief disocesan report.) Only a few weeks previously I’d visited my ‘best-man’ and farm manager John Bishop, and was introduced to Bradfield CoE Primary School’s head Andy How when John took me there on a brief visit as school governor. John told me the broadcast was recorded by a Christian media organisation that’s part of the Rank Foundation. (From CTVC – Our History I read that J Arthur Rank, now Lord Rank, has been involved with Christian media since 1930s.)

Whilst living west of Reading prior to our marriage, I’d attended a number of Christmas services in Rushall Manor Farm’s barn. Its Christingle events are always solidly packed by a couple of hundred folk. This time, however, John used the larger cattle shed because it could better house the 1000 strong congregation!! Ah well, perhaps this is another indicator of changes happening in Britain? Bradfield village has had a Christian presence since Saxon times – maybe this ancient well is now getting unblocked?

May you all have a wonderful New Year

Richard & Nina

Happy Christmas

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Dear Readers, we wish you a Happy Christmas and a Joyful New Year

with three little gifts…

1st There’s nothing like celebrating Christmas in a BARN, so come along to my previous church house (and barn!) group with Tilehurst Free Church (Baptist) for Carols From Bucklebury on Christmas Eve, ITV1 at 11.15pm.  (The farm is actually outside Bradfield, just a few miles down the road from Kate Middleton’s home village. The barn is always packed out for its three Nativity services.)

‘A traditional candle-lit carol service from rural Berkshire, where villagers join together in a rustic barn to celebrate the story of the nativity. Kate Garraway meets members of this pastoral community as they prepare for Christmas with traditional carols including Silent Night, In the Bleak Midwinter and O Come All Ye Faithful.’ (DigiguideTV)

2nd a real ‘hoot’, which surprised us at the church we visited last Sunday

– the winning entry from ITV’s competition, Nativity Factor – Beatbox Nativity!

– an instant hit on YouTube from the Lyme Regis area, Devon!

If you‘ve not yet seen it (as we hadn’t) you’re in for a treat you’ll want to repeat. So, click/tap above Youtube screen to play competition 3 min video and extra extension video. There’s also background information.

3rd Greetings to all Christians from Benjamin Netanyahu, PM of Israel

(translation script is Korean but Bibi addresses the viewer in English)

May our Lord bless you afresh on His Birthday
With love from Richard & Nina

Father, let Your Kingdom come!

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

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

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

Here’s the full email:

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

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

Sat 3 Sept:                                                                                                                     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sun 4 Sept:

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

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

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

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

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

Mon 5 Sept:                                                                                                        

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

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

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

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

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

Thurs 8 Sept:                                                                                                              

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

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

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

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

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

UPDATE 18 DEC 2017

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

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

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

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

RELATED READING:

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

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

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

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

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

First Validation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Validation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Third Validation (updated Dec 2013)

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

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

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

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

[Click to enlarge]

1stSundayAdvent

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

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

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

Further reading:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2ndAdventDiagm

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

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

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

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

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

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