Category Archives: UK

Israelis mark Day of Atonement, reflect on 40 years since surprise attack nearly lost the country.

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Courtesy of James Mark Long, www.propheticartists.comAN IMPORTANT, BRIEF RESUME OF HISTORICAL FACTS, which followed the 1967 onslaught from Israel’s neighbours. In the current crisis we see Syria, Russia, Iran and Egypt still featuring 40 years later in the Middle-East as America, Nato and Britain are sidelined. But it’s not so much that none of the latter feature in scripture and where God’s attention is focussed upon, as their leaders chose to ignore, even mock, His will over marriage. Therefore, it’s no wonder that Putin, Prince of Gog, mocked and has brow-beaten a Western president and a prime minister to take the lead over this matter and across the Middle-East!!

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

(Dallas, Texas) — Today is Yom Kippur, or the “Day of Atonement.” It is a Biblical holiday, the day when God called the children of Israel to repent of their national and individual sins and sacrifice animals to receive atonement, or forgiveness, of their sins. It is the highest holiday in Judaism.

Yom Kippur also marks the day when the modern state of Israel was nearly “wiped off the map” by her enemies. Forty years ago today, the Russian-trained and equipped air forces and armies of Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on the Jewish State, a move that nearly succeeded in destroying Israel.

Today, therefore, many Israelis are fasting and praying and reflecting on their lives and going to synagogue — some because of tradition, and some to follow Old Testament customs (albeit complicated by the lack of a Temple in Jerusalem).

Many Israelis are also taking time to reflect…

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Is the use of chemical weapons in Syria of more importance than the eradication of Christianity?

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Gillan Scott provides an excellent in-depth follow up to my brief note on Barnabas Fund’s call to prayer for the persecuted church. At least our people are not joking in poor taste on this issue as did the Obama Administration over the persecution in Egypt! (See Christian Post and Raymond Ibrahim) Please note readers’ comments too..

Neville Johnson: prophetic word on a new move of God in the UK and Ireland

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Again, I thank Tembissa for the thread of discovery to the following re-posted from James Bailey’s  Z3news.  It is interesting to note Neville Johnson delivered this in the same month as the prophecy sung over UK and Europe by Julie Meyer in USA (The Bridegroom Cometh).:

Neville_Johnson-311x350

At a meeting held in Sheffield England in October 31, 2012, the following prophetic words for the UK and Ireland were delivered by Neville Johnson, a former pastor and missionary from New Zealand.

WORD FOR UK:

There are seeds that lie dormant in the UK, many seeds. These are the seeds of godly men like Smith Wigglesworth. Men like John Wesley. Their seeds lie waiting for the rain to come. When it comes they will be available for the United Kingdom seven times greater than what it was before. So aren’t you glad you are alive in this generation? The church has been in decline, but God has not forgotten you.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick but when it comes it is a tree of life. God is coming to your nation, ready or not. I saw aspects of this in vision form. I saw how God was going to move across your nation and it was wave after wave after wave. It will be sustained and the fire will never go out. Revivals have come and gone but this is not revival, this is reformation and it is a different thing. God is going to take the very best of those seeds, the very best out of the former moves of His Spirit and combine them into one move.

Behold I will do something new. Now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)

One of the things I saw for this nation was mothers praying for their children who had strayed away from the Lord. There were thousands of them in this vision. God is hearing those prayers and He is going to get your children. He is going to form them into an army of the Lord. He is going to bring them in.

The Lord says at an acceptable time I have heard you. In the day of salvation I have helped you.

WORD FOR IRELAND:

I saw Ireland come alive in an unusual way because as God poured out His spirit the gospel was being portrayed in Irish dancing. I was watching this in vision form. Irish dancing once swept the world and it is going to sweep the world again taking the gospel. At the end of all of these performances people are going to flock to the altar to be saved. Eye has not seen nor has it entered into the heart the things God is preparing for you.

Author: James Bailey

James Bailey writes blog articles about current events and how they relate to the truth of the scriptures. His vision is to broadcast the good news of Jesus Christ through blog sites and other media.

Something good in UK’s ‘marriage’ Act for Christians?

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Nero_1The coffee-time conversation with Steve continues. Nina and Simone catch up with us on our way to the cafe’s bar for fresh, full mugs and hear Steve exclaim,

“What! What on earth’s good for believers about the ssm Bill?”  The startled looks our wives dart at each other convey;  “What on earth have our men been talking about?”

Back in our secluded corner, Steve summarises our conversation and he’s ‘champing at the bit’ to take charge. I want to steer it another way but Simone beats us to ‘the off’.  As a solicitor she brings a fresh view.:

Legal eagles’ views

“How the Bill was rushed through and given royal assent clearly smacks of censorship in a totalitarian state. A barrister and senior lecturer at the University of London wrote a splendid professional paper quite relevant to this issue. David McIlroy explains why a democracy’s legal system can’t have a morally neutral playing field. I noted his opinion that,

A public square from which religious influences are excluded is not a neutral public square. It is a public square in which all influences bar the secularist ones have been censored.  That is not a public square in which everyone’s voice is heard and everyone’s views are respected, it is a public square in which religious voices are silenced and anti-religious views are imposed.  This is not a tolerant society, it is a tyrannous society.

“What he also says about the double-importance in a Christian society of how the Last Judgement affects the law is especially interesting…I recall bits like:

…It means today’s rulers are understood, and (should) understand themselves, to be answerable  to a higher authority in their actions. They know they will be judged for how they exercised their power and this accountability is the foundation of accountability to the people.

…citizens know the ultimate judge isn’t the government but almighty God, and this contributes hugely to human freedom.

“It’s an exciting summary of how Christianity has provided a sound basis for secular law..”

“I know, Simone, I’ve got a copy thanks to a fellow blogger – an excellent document! And I wrote about examples of creeping tyranny back in 2009!”  [See 1 & 14 below]

“Also Richard, contrary to what you said about Archbishop Welby and bishops being overwhelmed in the House of Lords, the barrister who founded Christian Legal Centre issued them a written challenge over his version of events and concluded:

I am surprised that the Church of England appears to be vacating the public square when it comes to the issue of marriage. Given the rich teaching of Scripture and strong tradition of marriage, this is something that the CofE should be able to comment on clearly, intelligently and winsomely. Marriage is something to be celebrated, promoted and, at this time, preserved. At a time when the nation needs to hear a prophetic voice on marriage, the CofE’s message is sadly mixed and, as a result, unclear.

“The account of her corresponding with him and CoE’s response laments their inability to copy the politicians’ action in ensuring full attendance for voting.” [2]

Raising my finger, “I like her bit on ‘prophetic voice’ as I was struck by the sharp contrast between the Telegraph’s report on Welby’s ‘cop-out’ and what Sharon Stone taught and did [3] – the first started my morning and the second closed it in a much Godlier way!

“Also, in one of many debates on that other blog I pointed out that wise leaders would wait and watch what happens to other countries before foisting it on the British public. It’s opening Pandora’s Box – next will come legal recognition of bigamy, bestiality and paedophilia, as in the customs that defiled ancient Canaan which God spoke against when Hebrews took it over as the land ‘vomited out its inhabitants’.”

“I’ve read John McTernan’s excellent teaching on those socially sanctioned practices,” . adds Simone. “I said to Stan to read too” nodding at her husband. [4]

Nina expresses her deep concern over Her Majesty giving assent to the Bill in view of her Coronation oath “to maintain the laws of God and profession of the Gospel”.

My long spoon lances a hole in the cappuccino’s thick froth as I respond, “Being a constitutional monarch, there was absolutely nothing she could have done about its passing into Law as the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act.

“But from my perspective as lookout on the walls – as it were – our national leader became much more motivated to introduce the Act – come hell or high water – by President Obama during his state visit. So it’s possibly a result of that influence…”

“I’ve read,” reports Simone, “Obama is a long-standing ‘gay pride evangelist’, as can be seen in his recent call to African nations to be ‘converted’. Their righteous leaders have repudiated his overtures…on fact they’re sparked a real backlash!” [5]

“That’s so,” I add. “I’ve followed it all closely through Bill Koenig, a Christian White House journalist.  Cameron’s now copying Obama as an ‘evangelist’, which His Grace Cranmer scathingly lampoons [6]. He notes Cameron’s clearly stated intention [7]:

Only other thing I wanted to say is that I know that the job isn’t yet fully done. It is something to celebrate that Britain is now – and it’s official – the best place to be gay, lesbian or transgender anywhere in Europe. That is a great achievement. That’s not my measure; that is an inter-nationally recognised measure. But there’s still a lot more work to be done.

“God is not and will not be mocked and these national leaders are treating Him with the utmost of contempt. Unless they humble themselves, repent deeply and renounce their ways there is very little hope for their future – but God may have mercy.”

“But at least they’ve not committed the unpardonable sin,” interjects Nina, to which Steve asks, “What’s that?”

She replies, “That’s saying a work of the Holy Spirit is of Satan. In my opinion, many believers have unwittingly done that when attributing God’s presence and His work to the demonic! Some think so about a Canadian whom we know. Whilst at a church in Bath, he sensed God wanted to heal and that evening I was able to walk and dance again – I went from permanent disability to normal ability in an instant! As we all love Jesus, then that could not have been of the devil.” [8]

“Now,” I ask, “Do you want the good or the not-so-good news first? Let’s keep the best for last – after some opinions encountered in fellow believers.”

Not-so-good points

“I’ll try to be brief on what’s very unsettling to my spirit. As I don’t want to have a closed mind on this issue I’d monitored Gillan Scott’s several well-balanced posts on the topic, to which some readers gave a window upon the state of their souls.

“Whatever gay folk say and do they’re no different to any believer for we’ve fallen short of the glory of God and are deeply loved by Him, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have died for them too. So we love them too as individuals  but, as with all sin, we don’t like their sin but hate it for what it is and does in preventing their accessing the fullness of life in Christ.

“Some who claimed to be Christians, however, were not only very supportive of this anti-Biblical Bill but also muddled and confused about what scripture says – even twisting its meaning – as well as being ignorant of sin!  One pastor to the gay community even tried to explain why I’m mistaken!

“One regular pundit couldn’t understand what’s wrong with redefining marriage! We got the measure of one another when I commented: if that were correct there was no need for me to have repented of having been in the occult.”

“Just an aside and reminder,” whispered Simone, “I’d like to check the dangers of yoga as its spirit may be messing around with me.”

I continued, “My remark met a haughty, incredulous retort, ‘Upon what basis do you equate same-sex relationships with occultism, Richard? Your logic is seriously skewed, to put it mildly…!’  It was both sad and amusing because the answer was simple…so very simple.

“I parried it by alluding to the oft-quoted legal totem of ‘equality’, as well as its proper  mathematical meaning, and took precise aim: ‘Your own logic has missed the point, to put it bluntly…The basis of my equation is straightforward, namely ‘equality of sin’ (ie. ‘missing the mark’).’ We ended up agreeing to disagree.

“But there were lamentable tales of some dear folk engaged in unions they think the Lord has ok’d and then wonder why things went wrong. For example, the miscarriage of a child being carried by one of a female partnership – a terribly sad state brought about by sin to their detriment. It reminded me of sin crouching ‘by the door’ to take Cain and make him murder his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:6-7)

“The accounts and opinions come with a sense of despoiling. I recalled Nathan Morris’ strong preaching on Jesus’ admonition to the early churches infected by sexual sin of their needing to be cleansed from wearing defiled robes. No wonder many wise and anointed preachers sound the alarm bells.” [9] & [10]

THE GOOD POINTS

“From a Christian standpoint, the good things of this Act are not so much the adverse  ones but more the scriptural ones. We can, for instance, be most positive about these facts.:

  1. This Bill and Act were never in the Conservative Party’s election manifesto. Thus, in my opinion, the electorate as a whole can’t be held responsible for the revolt against God and traditional values and the consequences.
  2. In requiring and enforcing the Queen’s compromising of her Coronation oath her Prime Minister actually took upon himself the full personal responsibility before God for having broken and contravened it – I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes for deliberately being ignorant in such a gravely foolish action.
  3. David Cameron and everyone voting for the Bill is personal accountability to their Maker for going against His revealed and express will for all mankind – no matter whether they believe in God or not. I pray they’ll have personal revelation on this and take the opportunity to repent before they take up their post-mortem existence – as happened to me when I stood on the trapdoor down to hell [11  In Your wrath remember mercy, Lord.
  4. The sweeping international attempts to redefine the meaning of marriage are so intensely orchestrated that even conspiracy theorists would be left dumbfounded. Therefore, it is and can only be a dark spiritual phenomenon – not one of God but from the one who’s always wanted to usurp His place. But its time on earth is now very short so it wants to take as many humans it can and prevent their salvation.
  5. This so-called cultural change was announced well in advance, in fact 2,000 years ago by no less a person than Jesus Christ himself!”

“How do you make that out?” thrusts Steve with one of his bespectacled glares that reminds me of a hen pecking seed. I hear ‘tap-tap-tap’ and turn to see a solitary man at the next table tapping on his tablet. His face and sound mirrors my friend’s and I gently smile. But then I grin in self-deprecation over my natural tonsure as I reply:

“Off the top of my head…a couple of Jesus’ sayings spring to mind.:

“First of all, His teaching about persistent prayer (Luke 18:8) refers to a time like today; one lacking in not only personal but also corporate faith – as widely shown in ditching Christian values for purely hedonistic aims. This is what Jesus foresaw:

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

“Secondly, He instructed His disciples about the coming of the Kingdom of God and to expect exceptional consequences for socially sanctioned wickedness (Matt 24):

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 

“Dr Luke’s carefully collected account of Jesus’ life from witnesses adds (Luke 17):

Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

“Also, His apostle Paul confirmed that Jesus told him the same about a future ‘Last Days’ great apostasy or falling away from faith in God. One of his letters to the early Greek church in Salonika (2 Thessalonians 2) refers to it this way:

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. [Emphasis RB]

“Paul carries on with extra details to the gospels, which you can check yourself.

“Moreover, rabbinical teaching is said to confirm the connection between Noah’s time and today’s. Five years ago two separate people on a radio show spoke about the ancient Babylonian Talmud’s interpretation of Genesis and the cause of the Flood. ‘America’s Rabbi’, Aryeh Spero, said the Talmud’s writings show, “before the Flood people started to write marriage contracts between men…which is more than homo-sexual activity…in other words, giving an official state stamp of approval, a sanctifica-tion of homosexual partnership.”

“Rabbi Spero went on to say, “Even in ancient Greece they did not write  marriage contracts between men.  There was homosexuality, and it was wrong, but  there was not an official ‘blessed’ policy. … Marriage is ‘sanctification’ (not  simply a partnership).”  He said to confer the title of sanctification and holiness upon this behaviour is “probably one of the greatest sins of all that  one does against God’s plan for this world.”

“Another source quotes from the Midrash Rabbah Genesis, a specific commentary upon the Torah, and from the Second Book of Enoch, both of which support the claim about the real events of the ‘days of Noah’, from which we may infer they’re the festivities of which Jesus knew and was referring to. I’ve not yet completely cross-checked those sources, but I can let you have them for checking. [12&13]

“Also the widespread persecution of Christians in Africa and Middle East connects into the Daniel 7 end-times prophecy!” [14]  On top of that, the status of Jerusalem is being discussed in Washington. With three major aspects of prophecy now at the fore we’re definitely entering the End-Times, as stated at the outset of my writing four years ago – The End-Time Is Now In Play – maybe you’d like to check it out?” [15]

Nina adds, “What’s going on proves the Bible is absolutely true and correct!”

“We’re definitely entering into times foreseen by the Lord Jesus and His first apostles as well as Old Testament prophets. What’s happening across the world has been written about and we know the outcome – the return of King Jesus for His Bride.  It can’t be much longer now…As Jesus said when teaching about signs of the end of the Age.:”

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)

Sources:
  1. Theos website article, Is Secular Law Possible?
  2. Challenge issued to Archbishop of Canterbury.
  3. Revd Dr Sharon Stone: Britain is at a crossroads.
  4. Homosexuality vs Holiness – Ordinances of the Amorites.
  5. US and British promotion of LGBT rights sparks backlash
  6. Exporting gay marriage – the ‘gospel’ of St Dave.
  7. Prime Minister thanks campaigners and workers.
  8. From Disabled to Enabled – how Jesus healed Nina’ spine.
  9. Are ‘Christians’ leading homosexuals to hell?
  10. Steve Hill: Warning for this hour – stop spiritual avalanche.
  11. Part 2 of From Death to Life.
  12. WND Janet Porter: How SSM Points to the End of the World.
  13. End-Times Prophecy Watch: Days of Noah:
  14. Muslim Persecution of Christians.
  15. The End Time is Now In Play.

UpdateS on UK WordPress problems

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Thurs 8 Aug: no further problems for me although some UK bloggers still have issues. Over 60 users raised over 300 posts on the central thread started 3 weeks ago (Support Forum thread and engineers’ report). This indicates the seriousness of these problems. Continue reading →

Is Britain taking a totalitarian route?

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Nero_7“Your blog about new decrees for the UK was a tad off-beam,” remarks Steve as we take our coffees into a quiet corner – our wives chat about the new baby prince with some friends seen sitting by the bay window. Revealing what’s bugging him, our friend of long-standing continues…

“The Coalition For Marriage [C4M] had already circulated its grave concern at how the voting had been hijacked! They emailed me about leaders of all three main political parties using their muscle to force through the same-sex marriage Bill without any proper debate whatsoever – totalitarianism, is what it is…copied from Hitler and Stalin!” 

Sitting down stems Steve’s flow as he adds reflectively, “Seems the lady preacher you quoted may have been mistaken. Maybe we are at a crossroads, but what she said was supposed to happen didn’t – quite the opposite!!” [Ref 1 below]

I’m taken aback, not knowing Steve to be a secret reader of my blog! When we four lunch together, all talk about ‘glory stories’, ministry or scripture goes straight over his head. Being a keen golfer and do-it-yourself guy, his skills prove useful in the local parish church. Maybe having a newly licensed vicar who’s passionate on prophetic preaching has inspired Steven to dip into my musings?

“I received the same mailing”, I replied. “In debate on other blogs I’ve pointed out there’s no real electoral mandate whatsoever for this Bill to have been introduced. It’s a mockery of parliamentary democracy. I agree – it is a totalitarian procedure. They ignored over half a million protest signatures in preference for a sham so-called consultation.  Not even the gay lobbyists were wanting this Bill.”

Steve nods, “That Bill’s not had unanimous support. According to C4M, it has not been plain sailing for the Government with over 300 MPs and Peers voting against it. C4M effectively highlighted many problems with this legislation. Many Peers tabled amendments to protect civil liberties but none of the Bill’s backers – leaders in all parties – saw to it that they were voted into the Bill.

“Moderate and reasonable changes were wanted, according to C4M, yet both Government and Opposition objected – even hysterically! – and made sure none were added to the Bill.  A shameful travesty – tyranny, if the truth be known!”

Taking the email out of a pocket he points out its second page’s points on legal protections required for

> Teachers > Workers > Chaplains > Councils > Free Speech > Siblings.

I read the details and what C4M’s Colin Hart writes:

We wanted Clauses on the face of the Bill to protect civil liberties. Instead Government ministers only agreed to a couple of amendments and gave verbal assurances that people should not be victimised, saying that people would be protected by equality laws.

Evidence from the very recent past proves the brazen falsity of that empty promise. No wonder my friend is so annoyed.

Re. Prophetic Decrees

I ask Steve, “When you read my piece did you think what Sharon Stone and her team did would change the course of events?”

“Your blog implies she said what God had given her would affect Parliament’s votes on redefining marriage…”

“Hold on Steve, not quite so. The news I read in that morning’s paper on the overwhelming opposition the Archbishops and Lords Spiritual encountered was a clear sign of difficulties [2]. Archbishop Welby is reported as saying,

Anyone who listened to much of the Same Sex Marriage Bill Second Reading Debate in the House of Lords could not fail to be struck by the overwhelming change of cultural hinterland. Predictable attitudes were no longer there. The opposition to the Bill – which included me and many other bishops – was utterly overwhelmed, with amongst the largest attendance and participation and majority since 1945. There was noticeable hostility to the view of the churches.

“To my mind his words contrasted strongly with Sharon’s solid teaching from a completely different stance – one to be taken by the Anglicans, if they knew how!”

“What do you mean Richard?”

“Rather than being browbeaten by sinners within the worldly, unclean House of Lords it is much better to speak from where they are in spirit – seated with Christ in heavenly realms above. That is, to take real spiritual authority from over and above the darkness.  Now that you’re into my blog I’d suggest checking out Sharon’s ideas on ‘perspective’ in her words for 2013 [3].

“Parliament’s approval was already a foregone conclusion when I wrote about her mentoring day’s profound declarations. Even so, I went ahead and published and thought readers may question it. So, I doubt you’re alone Stan.

“Yes, an immediate turnaround would have been fantastic – and proof of answered prayers. My understanding is; what we declared vocally and from our spirits was released into higher realms. The same way Jesus spoke ‘woe’, that is, cursed a barren fig tree, we were breaking and overwriting thoughts and attitudes seeded and concreted into people’s minds by pronouncements from the unrighteous who are in power and authority over them.  Therefore, it will take time to change but it will – and so the near future will be most interesting, even if things get even more difficult as the darkness increases.

“I’ve only to think of a couple of profound changes the Lord showed me many years ago and are now taking place here and in the Middle East.

“The good thing about this SSM Bill from a Christian viewpoint is…”

Our wives head toward us and so we head to the bar for a top up.

To hear what’s good, and not so good, click to continue the discussion > 

References:
  1. Dr Sharon Stone: Britain is at a crossroads
  2. Daily Telegraph 6th July
  3. Dr Sharon Stone: Prophetic Words for 2013

UCB video on the Welsh Outpouring

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Thank you United Christian Broadcasters for the following half-hour documentary which I highly recommend for all my readers. It tells of God coming to church.

As a lady pastor explains,

Pastors and leaders are coming and churches are being changed…People are so fed up with religion that they want Jesus….They’re fed up with doing everyday Sunday church…They want to experience Jesus in a real way.

This documentary is refreshingly different to the usual presentation by journalists who report and interview in a matter-of-fact, but sometimes confrontational, manner.

It allows those intimately involved right from the start of events in Cwmbran to tell what happened from their perspective. Also, some accounts are from those who came and were amazed to be healed either physically (eg. 10 year’s wheelchair-bound Paul) or emotionally and spiritually (eg. depressive and suicidal youngsters). You will learn that this church had also been established with a heart for rehabilitation of deeply damaged people. From the outset, this Outpouring bears the hallmark of salvation with hundreds responding to and receiving Jesus Christ as saviour.

So, be blessed as you watch and receive:
http://vimeo.com/69160227

“No more anti-depressants and I got a new job!” is one of the closing testimonies of how God wonderfully transformed one young lady’s life.  Paul’s description of his healing confirms what I recently wrote about that of Delia Knox (see 2nd paragraph here).

There is also an interesting reference to the prophetic word from God about preparing for this visitation at ‘such a time as this’.

Also, please note the introductory minute’s reference to the account of Queen Esther (in the ancient Persian court), with more details at 14-15th minutes of how the Outpouring’s first night mirrored her intercessory audience before the king.

Hearing the 3rd referral in 3 days to the same situation from the Book of Esther would seem to indicate the Lord is drawing attention to its importance. But before explaining, those unfamiliar with her story may wish to read Orphan wins beauty contest in Iranian Court in order to understand Esther’s pivotal role. This will introduce its significance for prophetic action relating to Parliament and how that may connect with the Outpouring. (For details of which see Mentoring Day parts 1 and 2.)

EA reports “There’s fresh air blowing through Wales”

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Chine Mbubaegbu, Head of Media with the Evangelical Alliance and editor of their magazine IDEA has kindly permitted me to copy a couple of its current issue’s excellent articles. The magazine is always replete with informative 1-2 page articles on contemporary topics; eg. singles in church; inside a Chinese church in London;  projects for inner city young people; male suicide; the changing face of worship music; and even asks, do babies go to heaven? Click on the magazine’s image for much more information >

Following previous items in this blog, here’s EA’s Gethin Russell-Jones look at exciting news coming out of the United Kingdom.:

An outpouring in Wales

Finding the correct word is virtually impossible. In living memory Christians have resorted to blessing, refreshing, renewal and of course revival to describe a sustained and unusual period of intense communal Christian experience characterised by rapid growth. Where hundreds if not thousands of people are affected. Where a dormant and largely hidden church seemingly erupts into the public domain.

Such periods are often evidenced by mass conversions, healings, the return of backslidden believers and rapid church growth.

These phenomena may not happen simultaneously but when they do we are lost for words.  In recent months a town in the county borough of Torfaen, an area famed for heavy industry and radical politics, has witnessed powerful and strange occurrences. Since 10 April Victory Church in Cwmbran has seen more than 200 people become Christians, baptised nearly 80 new believers, received news of multiple healings and is gathering in excess of 500 people every evening for worship and prayer.

Dubbed the Welsh Outpouring, it all began on 10 April during a midweek prayer meeting in this independent Pentecostal church. A man who had been wheelchair-bound for 10 years received prayer, began to move muscles long since wasted and ran around the hall.

This was not the norm for this church. But it is now. At every meeting first-hand accounts are read out about transformed lives. A sceptic might conclude that this is an isolated example and not representative of mainstream evangelical Christianity. Allow me to puncture that comfortable myth. Nestling in the Berwyn range of hills in north Wales lies Coleg y Bala (The Bala College). With an historic pedigree stretching back to the foundation of the British and Foreign Bible Society, it now serves as the Presbyterian Church of Wales’ youth centre. In the last 12 months there have been numerous reports of many Welsh and English-speaking teenagers becoming Christians at various events and conferences. Coleg y Bala has also had a profound influence on a now annual event called Llanw (Fill). The nearest equivalent in England would be Spring Harvest.

Although this gathers tens of thousands, Llanw also aspires to model contemporary Christian through the medium of Welsh. Such an event would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. In fact it was the received wisdom until recent times that the game was up for Welsh-speaking Christianity.  The last taffy should turn the lights out. And all the surveys and statistics indicated that Europe’s oldest surviving language would soon cease to witness to Christ in this ancient tongue. There are many who still hold to this view. But there’s fresh air blowing among the Camry.

“It’s beginning to feel like a new day for the Gospel in Wales.”

In addition to Llanw and Coleg y Bala, Capel Gomer in Swansea is the first Welsh language church plant in generations. Furthermore the church planting network, Waleswide (Cymrugyfan in Welsh) is facilitating a number of new church plants in the nation through the medium of both Welsh and English. It’s beginning to feel like a new day for the gospel in Wales. Less than 20 miles from Cwmbran is the old steel town of Ebbw Vale. Famed for its heavy industry and hard men it has also bred legendary preachers, long since forgotten. But here again there are spiritual stirrings.

Church on the Rise is a Baptist church in the Beaufort district of the town. A few years ago the church was stirred by a sense that God was asking them a question:  “Are you thirsty for me?” This resulted in a weekly pattern of prayer and fasting that is still continuing.  Another major consequence was the establishment of a CAP (Christians Against Poverty) Centre in the church, reaching out to dozens of financially-distressed families in the area. Four families have now become debt free through this programme and the church has doubled in size. Twelve months ago, its Sunday gatherings numbered 35. Today there are more than 70 and the church is looking to relocate to larger premises. Fresh air from heaven is blowing across Wales. All the examples cited are different to each other and yet they all point to the timeless power of the gospel to change lives and communities.

NOTE: for further information and latest update click on image below:

Tonight in Cwmbran, after Hull and Wolverhampton…

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“WHY HAVE CHURCHES KEPT QUIET ABOUT KNOWING JESUS?” a Muslim wants to know.

Nathan_banner-390x238This man explained to a packed Hull City Hall last Saturday night that he’d been trying to find out more about God. As a result, he had a divine encounter and found out who Jesus Christ really is. But he didn’t know how to worship or pray to Him, so had to seek the help of Christian friends. Hence his complaint to them, and now he wants to share his good news with fellow Muslims.  His was one of the most touching personal testimonies at last week’s  ‘Days of Wonder…’ 

Here are a few more.:

A testimony that started the three days was a ‘follow-up’ from a lady who’d suffered the same severely debilitating handicap but had been healed on Nathan’s previous visit 15 months ago. (Her smile features on the video clip at the foot of this invitation.) This time we found ourselves sitting behind her, and her friend told us how she herself had been healed from an allergy after last March. Upon accompanying her friend to tell Nathan, it became another occasion for thanking Jesus for what He’d done.

Nathan-Morris at CwmbranAmongst many testimonies of healing, we heard a Polish-Welsh lady excitedly welcome Nathan Morris in advance for speaking tonight at Victory Church in Cwmbran, Wales. She wasn’t the first we’d heard claiming they’d watched  The Bay Revival on God TV ‘ by chance’, but were amazed when Nathan immediately addressed them direct – over the airwaves – about their need for repentance/healing, with which Jesus then blessed them!

After a prolonged time in the presence of the Lord during the final night’s exceptionally high praise, everyone was in tears upon seeing a 4-year old walking across the stage – at the far left of the stage were his leg braces and wheeled walking frame!  In tears, his (then) non-believing father told Nathan the boy was born with cerebral palsy. However, his son was now grinning as he walked freely and properly – completely unaided!

In a different vein, we were saddened to hear from a young man of his fathers’ suicide. In the first conference session he attended this man couldn’t tolerate being there and simply had to get out – possibly with suicidal thoughts. But he just couldn’t get out of the building!  Then he met Jesus – as was clearly evident from his radiant recounting what had happened. Praise you Lord for your saving grace.

As an aside, it was a pleasant surprise to meet Nathan’s wife Rachel and his supporting team: two more Nathan’s and Jordan. Nathan Marrow keeps tabs on testimonies as well as introduces folk to Nathan for recounting their healing. (Evangelist Nathan’s Facebook page has more news of healings.)

Latest update of the Outpouring in Wales

Read latest brief report of saved souls and healings and watch this short video:

PS: I pray readers who long for a touch from the Lord to help them through the turmoil of physical and emotional hardships may find encouragement in the above accounts.  Those who are really struggling may find Why Me? helpful, as have so many folk – the Lord bless you and keep each of you.

2013 Revival in Wales – Outpouring in Cwmbran

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In the covering comments to a blog about Anglican church attendance I treated claims for the demise of Christianity in Britain with gentle contempt. I hope regular readers of this blog will be aware of my focus upon the Bride’s preparation for her soon returning Groom, our ‘blessed assurance’.  Many Christian leaders who are close to Him would also regard such claims as absurd, as may clearly be inferred from my recent raft of blogs about God’s ‘new season’. [See here for some specific prophecies.]

We now have evidence of this ‘new era’!  You’ve possibly heard the ‘chatter’ about an Outpouring in Wales about which I’d received an update, but I was unable to blog about it until now. [Was just signing off to take a break for home renovations.]

Pastor RT - Credit WelldiggerThank you Graham for alerting me last July to a stirring in Wales, as hinted at in A spiritual slant on Olympic torch’s route. Just a few months later fellow delegates at Windsor spoke about it and so I’m grateful to Peter and Rosamund of Logos Linguistics for the link below. On Sunday we heard about our church leaders’ visit to Kings Church in Burgess Hill to hear Cwmbran pastor Richard Taylor’s account of the Outpouring. They were impressed he testified to not only healings but also to ‘old fashioned’ Holy Spirit led repentance, as in the 1904-05 Welsh Revival etc.

Richard’s splendid Welldigger blog provides a detailed account of Welsh revival history together with events of the current Outpouring.  Horsham Pastor Andy Robinson writes here on his discovery of what was going on at Cwmbran (see A on map below).

What’s more, this is additional to the Grace Outpouring of recent years at Ffald-y-Brenin (Sheep-fold of the King) House of Prayer and retreat under Roy and Daphne Godwin’s oversight! (Located at B on map)


For another good introduction to this 2013 Outpouring see Anita Mathias’ account at Dreaming Beneath the Spires.  I’m pleased to learn that the Outpouring’s theme praise is “Just One Touch from the King”, about which we raved at the National Day of Prayer and Worship at Wembley (as here).  Now listen to Godfrey Birtell tell of the inspiration behind this song, especially his important points on making declarations over our land:

I’d also particularly recommend all Anita’s postings about Heidi Baker, especially for anyone unfamiliar with Iris Ministries’ miraculous work. In the above linked blog, Anita refers to Heidi’s casual reference last August to revival coming to the UK. In fact, her Revival Alliance associate Bill Johnson had prophesied 1st September 2011 would become known as the ‘date things would change in Britain’. (Details, which include my ‘remote’ confirmation of this, may be read at Father, let Your Kingdom come – first link to ‘Revival Alliance Gathering – Post Event’ takes you to Bill’s remark.)  Then last year his wife Beni and others had prophetic revelations that the Queen’s Jubilee Bells may be of relevance to this renewal (here).

Also, how could we ever forget the prophetic song “Behold, the Bridegroom Cometh” delivered at their associate Randy Clark’s conference last October (“something greater than John Wesley… it’s not over”…Click for full transcript):

May the Lord thoroughly bless you as you read, listen and consider this holy matter…

There’s more in the next post: The Unstoppable Church

A New Season: A New Message…

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When Rev Dr Clifford and Monica Hill visited Israel in 1986 he was drawn to what God had spoken to the prophet Haggai,

“In a little while I will once shake more shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory…” [Hagg 2:6-7]

Since then, “I’ve just had to go on warning and warning of the coming ‘great shaking’.”.  Also, Clifford began to understand something of prophet Jeremiah’s complaint about his mission bringing insult and reproach.

C Hill 163835Author of over 30 wide-ranging books, journals, studies and audio resources, including some written jointly with his wife, Rev Dr Clifford Hill MA BD PhD is a sociologist and theologian. His pastoral ministry has been in inner-city areas of London, a long ministry in the East End, Senior Lectureship in Sociology of Religion in London University as well as founding one of the largest urban mission organisations in Britain, and Prophetic Word Ministries. This had an extensive international ministry from 1982 to 2005 with its flagship magazine Prophecy Today.

The ‘action arm’ of their ministry is Issachar Ministries UK, which ‘seeks to be a people who understand the times, listen to the Lord and know what should be done’. It is now recognised as a national ministry having influence throughout the nation, as well as in  Parliament, and with Christians who want to explore their faith more deeply. Clifford was closely involved with ‘Listening to Jesus in the Palace of Westminster’ (click for report), as announced here. The latest news and reports of their work may be read here.

In Issachar Comments Paper for Winter 2012, Clifford announced.:

The Lord has been speaking to me for some time about a ‘new season’ and a ‘new message’. I’ve been growing in excitement but I’ve not dared to say anything to anyone (apart from Monica) in case it’s just been my imagination, because for 25 years I’ve carried the same message and I have longed for a new message. In fact I have quite literally cried before the Lord time after time to relieve me of the burden of this message and give me a fresh mandate. But every time the Lord has said “My grace is sufficient for you”.

The full text of this exciting and encouraging message about the new work that God is doing amidst on-going national and international ‘shaking’ deserves very careful study(continue reading here). Also, I’d encourage interested readers to visit their website for more about the Hill’s activities, and even support them or subscribe to regular updates.

It is interesting to realise that Clifford was not alone in hearing the Lord speaking about bringing a new season. Many other prophetical voices have confirmed this; for example, Rev John Kilpatrick’s message A season change, Dr Sharon Stone’s on new season of the increasing glory of God, as well as over a dozen others since 2011, as reported in ‘Prophecies for a ‘new era for the Church’.

The promise and excitement keep mounting….

How Margaret Thatcher’s Christianity changed the face of Britain

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Gillan, your review is appreciated and I’d honour Mrs Thatcher as a sister in the Lord and past PM. However, as a civil servant supportive of the PM’s monetary principles I was adversely affected by a ferocious drive that blinkered her ability to achieve her aims satisfactorily for all involved.
So I am not a fan. But it is heartening to learn that Margaret Thatcher’s political stance was based upon Christian beliefs, as in the personal touch recounted by His Grace Cranmer. Also from personal experience, it’s even better to know that she chose a far better and thoroughly blessed realm for her post-mortem existence.

God is in the House(s)

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Courtesy of James Mark Long, www.propheticartists.comAmen, and Lord may Your Holy Presence come and put the rising spirit of rebellion and anarchy under Your feet…Thank you to Gillan, for I believe this is more timely than we may conceive, and to Richard Parkhouse for your contribution too.

Forthcoming events in England and Scotland

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 18-20 APRIL – Bath

Bath Church 50417School of Prophecy 2013: a 3-day school to raise, nurture and minister to prophetic people – to be all that God made them to be. Worship, prophetic ministry and seminars led by Faisal & Sabina Malick and Liz Evans – details/registration here. Also see Covenant of Life Ministries.

26 APRIL – Glasgow

Friday-Fire-Backdrop-withlogoFriday Fire: monthly worship events on last Fridays of April, May & June hosted by Glasgow Prophetic Centre and Healing Rooms Scotland. Calling all ‘burning ones’, those who are passionate about Jesus Christ, for powerful praise and worship and expectancy of miraculous signs and wonders as His will is done on earth, as in heaven – details/registration.

17-18 MAY – Manchester

CIEurop APT_Graphic_mod_111036Prophetic Training: designed to take you to a deeper level of operating in the spiritual gifts with boldness and confidence regardless of whatever level that you are at – more details/registration here. CIEurope’s trainers aim to provide a safe environment to activate and release the spiritual gifts within you. Through active participation you are enabled to be a demonstration of Christ by releasing his voice and increasing your prophetic flow.

(NB: The preceding details are for information purposes only and without any liability.)

Poignant snippets from The Passion in London

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To readers and visitors who are completely unfamiliar with the account of Jesus Christ’s astounding completion of His mission, I’d suggest it will be well worthwhile watching the dramatic reconstruction of events, as available online for a few weeks (details here). In less than 2 hours discover the heart of Christianity. (See also, Do you know Him?)

Last Sunday I spoke at church to a couple of members of the Wintershall Players about Good Friday’s Passion in Trafalgar Square, as in my earlier post.  Having watched it live we felt the power of the holiness of the re-enactment.  Our minister was there and could testify to the strength of God’s presence in the square.  Nearby, one man wept openly and two men who’d been drinking and chuckling to themselves about the play suddenly stopped, became quiet and even reverential.

TCredit Wintershall - Trafalgar Sq 2he trials by Jewish priests and by Roman governor Pilate as well as the crucifixion were performed at the foot of Nelson’s column. Tourists on board open-topped buses must have been amazed on passing by, taking photos. An ambulance was present for the 3 ‘crucified’ to get warmed up after long exposure to near-freezing temperatures in a bitter wind.

Roger told me he’d asked James Burke-Dunsmore, the actor playing Jesus, “How do you manage to keep smiling through so many shivers?”

“I focus upon my role and a peace just comes upon me”,  was James’ reply.

His focus is most intense during the Way of The Cross, his near-naked walk from the judgement seat of Pilate carrying the heavy cross to Golgotha, the site of crucifixion. This was a done through the crowds on Trafalgar Square, just like in packed ancient Jerusalem. The audience was deeply affected and the soldiers have been instructed to steer anyone who’s moved to come to James’ assistance away from him so he can stay undistracted ‘in the zone’ of deep, contemplation through scriptural prayers well-known to Catholics.

My friend recalled his admiration, after the resurrection, when watching James speak so carefully and warmly to the crowd whilst he watched, measured and responded to individuals’ reactions.

The whole drama of jubilant entry into Israel’s ancient capital, confrontations with the high priest and his delegation in the Temple, betrayal by a close disciple, ‘Last Supper’ to celebrate Passover, night-time arrest and secret trial, judgement by Roman governor, severe scourging, ‘way of sorrows’, crucifixion, death and triumphant resurrection were all so profoundly instructive and moving. Click here to watch and be blessed.

For a gallery of photos see Mail Online, its accompanying text by a secular journalist.

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Thank you Gillan for drawing attention to this Christian action of walking in the huge footsteps of our past pioneering evengelicals.

Nathan Morris returns to Hull – June

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Nathan 2A great, not-to-be-missed event!  Our appreciation goes to  Jarrod and team for convening and organising it. To get an idea what it will be like, click here to see Jarrod’s video-clip of last year’s conference, and to link into accounts of our blessed time there.

I’d draw leaders’ attention to the afternoon Leadership Stream sessions.

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A great, not-to-be-missed event!  Our appreciation goes to  Jarrod and team for convening and organising it. To get an idea what it will be like, click here to see Jarrod’s video-clip of last year’s conference, and to link into accounts of our blessed … Continue reading →

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Counting the cost of the S-S Marriage vote

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Courtesy of James Mark Long ; propheticartists.comGillan, a commendable commentary in view of the controversial circumstances.
In all this, three facts point to the ignored core issue and to the truth of scripture. These are: 1. people deny their sin, thereby making God a liar and repudiating what Jesus did for them on the Cross (1John 1:8-10)  2. many believers are unclear, confused and even deceived (2Tim 3, Matt 24) 3. the underlying role of the EU in this confirms its link with the ‘end of days’ messianic vision in Daniel 7 (see Cranmer).
Behind those facts (not to mention hatred of righteous expression and twisting of many definitions!) one can discern the source and strategy outlined in Revelation 13. Oh by the way, the technology for implementing the Mark of the Beast (666) is ready and waiting! (John McTernan 666 Surveillance System, updated with more items including Britain’s superdrone.)

Healing On The Streets in Bath – 2012 Report

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Thanks be to Jesus for the testimonies in this report received from Paul Skelton, which is followed by a note explaining my personal interest for newer readers of this blog:

HOTS_Bath_Logo_2_thumb.jpg

LOOKING BACK OVER 2012

Here’s just a handful of the many stories resulting from prayer from the HOTS Bath Team over the past year, both out on the streets and as members walk it out as a daily life style. :-

“I’d been feeling really hounded with facial twitching for the previous 16 days…. after
they prayed for me on Tuesday, the twitching stopped.”

“My back was prayed for …and it is 90% better. I have had problems sleeping because of it, but slept really well the last 2 nights.”

“We were chatting away when suddenly she turned and cried out as her back gave her
great pain… her eyes watered with the pain….I told her that our Father wanted to heal her of that and laid my hand on her and prayed and after a while she looked better. Later that day she sent me a text to say that her back was better!”

“I had badly sprained my knee the previous Saturday….. The prayer was an amazing experience and at such an unexpected venue. My knee pain immediately disappeared and I walked 2 miles on Monday, two days after walking around on crutches and three
days after being told by the GP it would take 4-6 weeks to heal!”

“Thank you for your boldness and frankness to demonstrate and proclaim the Kingdom of God out on the streets and for your amiable manner and the naturalness in which you shared with us and the people on the streets. It was a pleasure to experience the anointing for healing and evangelism you brought along.”

A Team Member’s Journey

PICT0921b - HOTS BathI have been a Christian for over 25 years, studied the Bible and have been fully committed to following what the Bible taught, with a limited amount of success.

There was always an underlying frustration that I did not see the transformation in peoples’ lives that the Bible led me to expect, and I saw very little of the signs and wonders that Jesus promised would follow those who believed.

Surely Jesus promised “life in abundance” (John 10 verse 10) NOW, not “pie in the sky when we die”!

During this last year I got involved with a group of Christians who prayed for people on the streets. But first this required talking to people, mostly non-Christians, about Jesus, about God. This was a scary challenge to me since they don’t understand our church jargon.

As I simply told people how much God loved them, a surprising thing started to happen to me. What I was telling others started to hit home in my heart – God really loved ME!  I had known this in my mind and could quote appropriate scriptures, but I now realised that my heart hadn’t fully got the message until now.

I now feel such a joy inside, which had not been there before. The frustrations I had experienced with people have somehow been exchanged for compassion and apprec-iation. So, this is why Psalm 16 verse 11 says “in His presence is fullness of joy”.

This is what some people feel when they first become Christians; the Bible becomes
alive as never before, and they can’t get enough of His presence, whether meeting together with others to pray and worship or by themselves.  (Ed Humphreys)

LOOKING AHEAD INTO 2013!

Here are some of the ways you can connect with us this year:

  • Come and see us, as HOTS Bath is back on the streets every Tuesday and Thursday starting 5th of March.
  • ​​Host a training school equipping you to bring others into an encounter with God and see the sick healed in your Church, Cafe, outreach ?  – download the flyer here.
  • Pray for us as we go out on the streets, for the ongoing Mission trips, and for the equipping we carry out.
  • ​Support the work financially through monthly giving, you can download a form here.

HOTS Bath is a Reg. Charity No. 1133098

Footnotes by RB

This report is most encouraging because a year ago, within three months of this blog’s debut, a political ruling prohibited prayers for healing in public places. Consequently, my wife and I contacted Paul about including her testimony of healing on the HOTS Bath website. This was because she’d received her healing from permanent disability in that city before the days of HOTS. I’ve since supported and promoted his campaign against the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and which attracted Parliamentary interest. An official review found a substantial flaw in the ruling, as reported here.

Until now I’ve not mentioned the following more personal and related events:

An unexpected outcome to Paul’s publication was that an investigative journalist came to our house – an expert in exposing bogus claimants of the Disability Living Allowance! That is, some fully fit and able people use counterfeit permits and fraudulently receive the state allowance.  He was fully expecting to see a permit on our car but didn’t – he was quite perplexed!

So we invited him in. Over ‘a cuppa’ we told him the full story and Nina showed him the documentation.  Regrettably, the journalist didn’t get back to us. Did his editor squash his story?

More important, however, is this expert’s opinion that the proof of Nina’s healing is not that she is now able-bodied, but that she contacted the Dept of Pensions to cancel the allowance to which she’d been entitled because of her disability! That is, she is out-of-pocket. (The Dept’s computer system had no way of coping with such an about-turn!)

Therefore, I contacted the lady who’d made the original complaint to the ASA and gave her the reporter’s opinion of the incontestable facts. Although supposing herself to be an investigator of the supernatural, she hadn’t the slightest interest in our evidence or pleasure to learn about the healing. She thereby denied its truth and demonstrated her complete lack of integrity – a fraud herself. But what else can an atheist do?

Another outcome of this issue was the inclusion of Nina’s account on this blog within a  library of accounts of healings, some medically inexplicable, with which we’re familiar. All of these may be found under God Heals Today. And whilst in Hull, we chatted with a lady who’d been healed from being fully wheelchair-bound for over 3 years (video)

The posting that set the ball rolling was Muhammed knows more than ASA! and, should you want to read it, the saga may be followed under the ASA tag.  Other posts may be found under the HOTS tag and Healing/Miraculous categories. (Tags & Categories are listed on the Home page.)

To learn about our training day with Mark Marx, the founder of Healing On The Streets, and activity in Trafalgar Square click here.

courtesy Supranatural Life Fbook

 

A tragic yet miraculous event in London shows God’s hand

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Hat tip to Mavis for advising that headlines in today’s Daily Mail refer to a miraculous escape during yesterday morning’s rush-hour on the South Bank, London, viz:

Two workmen last night thanked ‘divine intervention’ for their astonishing escape from death as a helicopter crashed  into their crane and turned into a fireball.

The pair should have been in the cabin when disaster struck, sending burning debris cascading 700ft on to the rush-hour streets of London below.

Instead, Richard Moule and his colleague Nicki Biagioni were late for work – both had overslept for the first time in  years – and missed death by minutes.

Regrettably, Peter Barnes and Matthew Wood were the only ones to have lost their lives when Pete’s helicopter inexplicably went out of control and crashed into the crane and  ‘friendly giant’ Matthew was the unfortunate passing pedestrian down below.  [See Daily Mail’s online account and photo library.]

About a dozen people only (!) were injured, as today’s Telegraph reports under 2-page broadsheet headline.:

‘Miracle’ of how so few died when fire rained down on the rush hour – The fact that only two people died when a two-ton helicopter crashed on to a busy road during the morning rush hour was nothing short of miraculous, police said.

Telegraph 17jan13

Emergency workers who scrambled to the scene had expected the death toll to be “much, much worse”, but instead they came across a series of astonishingly narrow escapes, including a baby who was inches from death when a piece of  wreckage smashed through his parents’ car roof on to the seat next to him…

Fate contrived an extraordinary set of circumstances to limit the death toll to the helicopter pilot and a pedestrian, including a red traffic light that kept the crash site almost entirely clear of vehicles.

“It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to think what would have happened if that helicopter had crashed onto a bus or a heavily-occupied building,” said Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London.

[All emphases within quotations by RB]

I’ve commuted through and driven around this area many times when I lived in greater London, including the same areas as both families. Whenever I visit I can find my way around quite easily but am always surprised at so many tall buildings in our capital city. Nina reminded me many people escaped death during the infamous 9/11 Twin Towers attack simply because they’d been divinely warned and stayed away.

Traumatic as any unexpected death is for their family and friends, there has definitely been an amazing protective blessing over this accident – perhaps angels ‘arranged’ the fixed ‘stop’ light?  It indicates the Lord had a hand in this, perhaps to prove His grace to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike?

Be amazed as you read the reports, see the images and consider the details…and then thank the good Lord.