If in you’re London this Good Friday afternoon…

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

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So what does Jesus look like?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further reading:

The PM’s Surprising Easter Message

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News from Downing Street yesterday is encouraging in the light of previous events and the spiritual power play in the ‘heavenlies’ for our nation. I’m grateful to Gillan Scott for spotting this and for recognising that its significance warranted his interrupting his break by posting the entire transcript on God and Politics in the UK.

Mr Cameron’s reference to a “Christian fight-back” is especially revealing after many believers have been calling for a stand to be taken against evil that has encroached upon this land. (Readers may recall some of my earlier posts on this here and here,     the latter now having some new links to prophetical material.)

Also, this development suggests prayers for the Prime Minister are in the process of being answered.  Let’s keep praying, especially for Godly men to draw close and that they may encourage and direct Mr Cameron towards our Lord and Saviour (whom he does not deny or reject – Matthew 10:32-33).

Post-holydays update:

Over the break for the holydays there have been a number of posts, some critical, by well-respected Christian bloggers on the PM’s message but which overlook my point. Not so much by coincidence but more the Lord’s quick nudge did I discover that Jarrod Cooper was struck by the ‘remarkable!’ slant of the message and posted its full text on his personal blog as Cameron praises the Christian fight-back!.

Maybe it needs an gifted appreciation of the prophetic to discern what’s going on?

Heaven is for Real

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“Colton, what do you want people to know from your story?” asked the lady editor sitting with his father whilst discussing a book they were writing about what had happened six years ago.

“I want them to know heaven is for real”, he answered without hesitation and looking Lynn straight in the eye.

A little boy's astounding story of his trip to heaven and backWith those words the Epilogue closed in the book that my wife had been given. She’d kept reading snippets to me and so I wanted to read it for myself. It had been sent by a life-long friend with a strong recommendation – and so it now comes with mine to you…

Colton’s father and mother recount their desperate attempts whilst on ‘holiday’ with their son’s rapidly deteriorating bad state of health. It was a matter of life or death and their not-yet four years old nearly didn’t survive.  A few months later, after his fourth birthday, Colton makes a remark about his time in hospital that completely floors his parents – he tells them what they were doing whilst he was on his ‘death-bed’ in surgery!

From thereon the story takes an interesting turn of diplomatic delicacy to discover what actually happened to their very young boy. Being a Weslyan pastor, his father Todd was thirsty for more, yet being familiar with Colton’s level of basic belief he realised what his son may say may not match his own ideas. But he was extremely surprised to learn that what Colton now knew could NOT have come from Sunday school or family chat.

Todd Burpo and his teacher wife Sonja were wise not to overwrite Colton’s child-like descriptive terms by dressing them up into grown-up language for adult consumption. So they restricted themselves to open questions only.

Thus, Colton’s disarming innocence and plainspoken boldness conveys a true account of encounters with the hugeness of God, Jesus’ love for children, angels, even a few surprises for his parents about their family before he was born.  Mum and Dad didn’t push for deep and long discussions from him of what happened.  Most of what Colton divulges just pops out now and then, just when they wished they’d had pen and paper!

I was personally impressed with Colton’s agitation and consternation over a funeral his father was going to conduct for someone who didn’t attend the church.  This gelled well with what I’d experienced with a heavenly visitor.  Also, I appreciated what Colton said about the end-times and his father’s combative role in the Lord’s army – now is that action in heaven – or on earth?  I wonder…

Don Piper, author of 90 Minutes in Heaven, is of the opinion:

“Compelling and convincing. It’s a book you should read.”

And whyever not?

Review (updated 2024) continues here > So what does Jesus really look like?

Evidence for physical healing

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

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

News roundup on healings

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

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

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

Ashton Parker Update – earlier post refers.

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

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

Another Remarkable Healing – watch clip here

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

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

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

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

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

Be mightily blessed as you watch and listen…

“Now we know God IS REAL!”

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Friends – some more about revival in the UK:

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

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

For Such A Time As This

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Back down to Earth…

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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

Update on review of Clearing the Ground

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In the 3rd part of his review of this Parliamentary report, Gillan Scott looks at turning the tide against the myth of secular neutrality.

His sterling summation may assist Church leadership in understanding how legal issues may or may not be changing, and what can be done in the meantime. Just a few snippets, to whet your appetite and I’d like to emphasise elements of his concluding paragraph:

Re. the courts

Given the levels of religious illiteracy in government and other public bodies highlighted earlier in the report, reservations were made about the capacity of the courts to take an active role in deciding what is or is not reasonable in relation to the accommodation or manifestation of belief. In particular concern was raised in relation to the courts lack of acknowledgment of the orthodox Christian belief that marriage should be between on man and one woman….

Attention was then turned to the problems relating to relationships between local authorities and churches or Christian organisations…Following recent high profile court cases regarding the religious beliefs of those wishing to foster or adopt, there is now some confusion about the place of religious people as prospective foster parents and adopters. Local authorities lack guidance as to how they should work with people with religious beliefs.

Re. tolerance

The report believes that the bar has been set too low as to what constitutes ‘insulting behaviour’. As it stands, judgment is based on the subjective feelings of the person who has been offended. This application of the law has in several cases led to an undue restriction of the freedom of expression.

Re. ignorance

The final part of this section considers the ignorance and deep-seated lack of understanding about the nature and outworking of religious belief in government, the courts, local authorities and the media. The report finds that there is an urgent need for better coordination of government policy in relation to religious belief. Currently the way that the human rights, legal, and community aspects of religion and belief are handled is too complicated.

Conclusion

The final recommendation of the need to bring religious awareness and education into government presents a challenge to faith groups. This is extremely unlikely to happen without the proactive support and work of faith groups. If the Church and Christian organisations wake up to this need and begin to coordinate and develop a strategy to deal with it, then the benefits to society could be considerable. It is a big challenge, but one that needs to be seriously addressed with a good deal of urgency.

At present I’m seeking the Lord’s perspective on all this but realise it may relate to the word given through Bill Johnson about 1st Sept 2011 being “the day things changed in the UK”  (the Inquiry started in August 2011).

Also today, I picked up on the word given in Clifford Hill’s Feb 2012 Newsletter.

Let us mull over these matters…

Healing versus Human Rights ??

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

The Blind ARE Healed – UPDATED in posting 28 March

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

Clearing the Ground–brief update

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Further to my previous, Gillan Scott has reviewed the Inquiry’s finding on the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) as not being fit for purpose. The official 4-page Executive Summary of the preliminary report may be found here.

You may disagree with me that the EHRC is an authoritarian body. However, a recent posts about the ASA reveals my grave concern – no pun intended, but it drew upon a  real life or death situation – over the implementation of Equalities policy within hospital. (See ‘Proof of Political Direction’ sub-section of Muhammed knows more..). Hence, the Inquiry’s recommendation for a review and restructuring of the EHRC is, in my opinion, quite proper and long overdue.

In advance of the report’s release, last week’s Sunday Telegraph reported the Inquiry:

(Had) heard submissions saying that the EHRC had been “hijacked” by secularists to the extent that it was now “ideologically biased” against religion. It condemns the commission for inviting secular humanists groups with “tiny” memberships to discussions intended for faith groups, saying the policy effectively shut down formal consultations with religious organisations. “With secularists using a veto to block most proposals by religious groups, the EHRC group eventually ceased to function formally.”

Aughton Ainsworth, a firm of solicitors involved with a number of the cases cited by the report, told the inquiry: “The EHRC has been so thoroughly ‘infiltrated’ by an anti-Christian bias that even when the EHRC tries to do the right thing it is ‘hijacked’ and forced to backtrack”.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, to read in the published report about the EHRC’s failings and that,

After numerous requests, the commission did provide a very brief written response that consisted of material already in the public domain. Initially unable to find the time to attend either of two dates offered to them to give oral evidence, after the sessions concluded the EHRC offered to meet the committee for discussions. We hope that following the publication of this report we can develop a more fruitful dialogue than we have experienced to date.

Finally and returning to the Sunday Telegraph, a fascinating interview with the former Home Secretary Charles Clarke reveals his opinion on the Labour government’s big mistakes, for example:

Is Clarke saying that Labour let the Church down? “Yes, I accept that. Lack of engagement is the way I would put it. Our tendency was to say, ‘That’s not a matter for us.’ We were ill-equipped to deal with the issues raised by faith, and that was a mistake.”

Quite an admission, and look at the woeful results!

Landmark Parliamentary Inquiry

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Could this slow the rot?  Does it mark the low-tide in our national fortunes and favour with The Almighty?

Clearing the Ground is a preliminary report into the freedom of Christians in the UK published by Christians in Parliament in conjunction with The Evangelical Alliance.

I understand it is of landmark importance to leaders and believers within every church denomination. Therefore, we should be aware of its findings and so I’ll give links to an excellent summation by my friend Gillan Scott. Before that, however, I’ll provide a short detour into very little-known history.

First, the Parliamentary report opens very briefly:

Christians in Parliament, an official All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), chaired by Gary Streeter are launching ‘Clearing the Ground’ a preliminary report of the committee’s findings.

The Clearing the Ground inquiry were tasked with considering the question: Are Christians marginalised in the UK?

This report reflects the findings and views of the committee and is issued by Christians in Parliament.

The Inquiry was instigated in the light of media reports and court cases and, if taken seriously by the government, has the potential to define how legislation should accom-modate religious belief. There’s a suggestion it may even rewrite iniquitous equality laws!  Furthermore, as PM David Cameron proclaimed, “We are a Christian country”, then perhaps we can hope for improvements. I have good reason to believe he’s supportive of Christian social campaigns.

Early British Church History

The very necessity of this Inquiry is an indictment of our post-imperial history and an affront to our national dignity of over 1900 years as a Christian land. Do you know that Christianity was already well established before the Roman Church’s mission to send Augustine in AD597 to the court of Saxon King Aethelbert at Canterbury?

The early church historian Eusebius and British historian Gildas stated the Christian faith had arrived here in the time of the original Apostles – before 37AD!  Furthermore, the precedence of the British national church ABOVE ALL OTHERS, including Rome, was recognised by no less than four official church councils in 15th Century. This was based on the donation of land in Glastonbury for a church by King Arviragus to Jesus’ uncle Joseph of Arimathea, and between AD179-190 King Lucius established more churches (details here).

Antiquarian John Chapel writes, “It is claimed that the ancient British royal family converted to Christianity within 20 years or so of Jesus’ death”. (Linus and Claudia mentioned in Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy would have been children of King Caractacus, and the later Emperor Constantine’s Christian wife Helena was of that family.)

The Inquiry’s Findings

The Inquiry’s findings reveal the extent of ‘religious illiteracy’ at all levels of British society. That is, regrettably Britain has become what would have been called in my childhood, a heathen nation!  But we’re simply reaping the degradation that my generation engineered.  For my part, I sincerely repent for having taken part in the 1960’s rejection of a holy heritage and specifically encouraged a liberation in cultural ethics and ‘New Age spirituality’.

The descriptive term at the turn of the Century for Britain was ‘Post-Christian’. Have we now gone worse: ‘religiously illiterate’?  The good news is, however, it’s yet another call for Christians to take a stand – where’ve we heard that before?

At Arise, Frontline Generals! conference we attended in Torquay last week the Lord presented personal surprises. One, was things we have in common with a couple who sat beside us, and one of these being a vision received a year or so before and related to mine of 2004 (read here) of Britain’s restoration – the sleeping giant awakes!

Gillan concludes his initial post on the Inquiry by quoting the report’s final point:

Christians need to take seriously their historical role in leading and serving in public life, and church discipleship needs to account for this role – because the gospel is good news for society.

He is to be highly commended in taking great pains to provide articulate analyses and summation of the report’s findings. Thus, they facilitate a good grasp of these issues:

Clearing the Ground: a Game-changing Report

Clearing the Ground: a Review –

Part 1: Religious illiteracy is strangling freedom of belief

Part 2: The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is not fit for purpose

Part 3: How to turn the tide against the myth of secular neutrality

Part 4: If the Church doesn’t defend justice, who will?

Exciting times, are they not? Lead us onwards Lord…

Personal Plea from MP

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Further to my email below, if you’ve yet to sign the petition please note this plea from a Christian MP on Twitter :

Jim Dobbin MP: There are Christians in Parliament who want to fight to save marriage but they really need the support of the church (My emphasis and here’s the link)

Richard Continue reading →

Special Update from HOTS

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

HOTS_Bath_Logo_2

The facts behind the story

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

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

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

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 →

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

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

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

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

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

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

Muhammed knows more than the ASA!

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

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

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

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

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

1. ASA Adjudication against Healing On The Streets – Bath

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Proof of Political Direction

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Proof of Healing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to read her full story

A few recommendations

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It’s nearly 4 years since a few folk in Hampshire were emailing one another about the Florida Outpouring and which resulted in my keeping friends updated on events, the Middle East in particular. Funnily enough both places are again ‘hotting up’ – but more on that later.

Currently, I’m preparing Nina’s published testimony of healing for this blog. This is sooner than planned but is in response to the ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority against pamphlets for Healing On The Streets – as announced in Bath, where Nina received her healing. (This issue surfaced last week; see below).

One of my aims is to encourage believers to become more well-informed and take a stand against the encroaching antichrist culture in our nation. Hence, my occasional references to the work of Christian Concern, Barnabas Fund, ‘His Grace’ Cranmer here and to several other Christian and secular sources overseas. Continue reading →

Is Britain’s backbone back?

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Normally, I avoid reading whilst walking but after getting the newspaper last Saturday its banner headline grabbed me:

Don’t legalise gay marriage, Archbishop warns Cameron

The opening paragraph read:

Marriage must remain a union between a man and a woman, says the Archbishop of York, and David Cameron will be acting like a “dictator” if he allows homosexual couples to wed.

“AT LAST!” mused  after reading the article. A senior establishment cleric in England  is making a stand against ungodly trends. Could this indicate our nation’s spiritual backbone is re-appearing?

Back in 2004 I’d been confronted with a vision of the British Isles being torn apart because the very fabric of society is so thoroughly rotten. (There’s since been many  reports of breakdown in family life.)  A great tear in the ground from Scotland down to the middle of England opened up – BUT out of it grew a gigantic rock, just where the Pennine chain – our geophysical backbone – is located.  (See pre-blog email.)

I realised this may indicate that the nation’s ‘spiritual spine’ will be restored when men and women of God stand up sturdily for the Gospel of Christ, as in recent centuries.  Now, it occurs to me that this is the only way we can ever hope to regain the description ‘Great’ Britain, simply because it is God’s way.

Could that gigantic tear in England be prophetic of last year’s riots?  And could our sovereign’s sterling stance in her Christmas broadcast herald the appearance of the Rock?

How say you?

Interested readers should visit my above page of visionary reports.

May they stir you deeply in your spirit..