Tag Archives: #Discipleship

NEWS! Ian Clayton’s FIRST book is out!

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It was most instructive hearing Ian Clayton for the first time at one of our earliest days in Well Church International, near Goldalming. I kept pace with his novel teaching throughout and realised he’s correct when he used almost identical words that I’d had only weeks before on ‘God-incidents’!! (That is, they’re just like instruments playing in an orchestra – see The spiritual significance of the Queen’s Jubilee Bells.) Ian attributed Godly coincidences to the Lord’s Spirit of Wisdom (see next post). Be blessed as you read…

On becoming like Jesus Christ

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fire-of-Holy-Spirit-300x194This profoundly important message comes from Mike Parsons. It’s reposted in full rather than re-blogged in order to emphasise its associated prophetic word and append a book cover and make some observations on four consecutive days of God-incidences. Regular readers know my opinion of such events. For Mike’s original posted in August, click on his following title:

THE IMAGE OF JESUS

Mike Parsons with Jeremy Westcott

Transformation: embrace the season

We are entering into a season preparing us for holiness; a season of removing stumbling blocks; a season of preparation to cross the threshold into the glory realm; a season for transformation. Not just a minor adjustment of surface appearance, but fundamental, radical change, affecting body, soul and spirit.

Let’s not resist it, but embrace it. Let’s cooperate in being changed from glory to ever-increasing glory. Entering into the process of refining and purifying is entirely voluntary. That said, we know that sometimes God will engineer circumstances around our lives to give us further opportunities to volunteer. We can fall on the Rock, or the Rock can fall on us.

Like you have never known

Here is part of a prophetic word which God gave me before I first taught this series at Freedom in 2012:

“It is time to pray that the lid comes off and to call forth my angels who are waiting to start gathering and removing stumbling blocks both within and without. Holiness fire is coming, the highway of holiness has been prepared. It is time to walk in the river of fire. You have walked over it and felt its heat but now it is time to be baptised in fire. The heat will turn idols back into the dust they came from: to be under your feet, not in your hearts.

“Call forth the gathering angels. The lids are coming off the sewers, the secret and hidden things of the heart are about to be exposed. All I ask is for the willingness to submit to the fire that will refine, purify and prepare you for true holiness.

“I am about to restore your souls like you have never known, and lead you on paths of righteousness like you have never known.

“I am going to prune the church. I am going to cut off the branches that are producing no fruit. I am going to remove the stumbling blocks to true kingdom government. I am going to close the access doors that the enemy has had. Some have already been removed.

“I am looking for those who are willing to be pruned in the unproductive areas of their lives and in their desires and their priorities…”

Metamorphosed, transfigured

We have seen that happen at Freedom Church (kingdom government has been established here, but in the process, lids have certainly come off some sewers and we have experienced some painful pruning, both corporate and personal). What is true for us locally is true for you, wherever you are reading this. God wants His whole church transformed, metamorphosed, transfigured, changed, conformed into the image of Jesus; not patterned, moulded, conformed to the world.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:1-2).

Transformation is a process of change, a renewal, a restoration to original condition; not to what Adam was like before his sin but to what he would have become. How would things be today if Man had not fallen, but had spent the intervening centuries pursuing God’s plan for him and for creation? How would we be?

Our goal in transformation is to become wholly like Jesus; to live like Him; to do as He did, and greater things (John 14:12); to be conformed to His image.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

One degree to another

In our day, the prophetic books (portals) have been opened and we are receiving deeper levels of revelation and understanding. But these also call for deeper levels of transformation. It is like going from pre-school mathematics (recognise a number), through primary school (counting, simple sums, addition, multiplication), to secondary school (algebra, equations, calculus), undergraduate, postgraduate and so on. I suspect many of us are not much beyond pre-school as yet.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

There are progressive levels of transformation to maturity, progressive levels of responsibility and authority. God wants to take us from servant to bondservant to steward to friend; lord to king to son.

By the mercies of God

Freedom from sin (Rom 6:16-18); the gift of eternal life (Rom 6:23); peace with God (Rom 5:1); the grace of God (Rom 5:2); salvation from wrath (Rom 5:9); the gift of repentance (Rom 2:4-5); the love of Christ (2 Cor 5:14-15): the mercies of God are new every morning, and they motivate us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, ready for transformation.

It is indeed a process, and it may take some time. But we can begin today (and every day) by offering ourselves as a living sacrifice. We can invite Him to do what He needs to do in us.

He will challenge our conscience, imagination, reason, mind, emotions, will, and choice; our motives, desires, attitudes, mind-sets, belief systems, familiar spirits, patterns of sin, trading systems, idols, stumbling blocks, entanglements; hurts, pains, rejections, fears, inadequacies, inferiorities, disappointments and more besides. He will deal with our sin, transgression and iniquity. He will restore our supernatural abilities.

Are we up for that?
If so, let’s pray:

God I thank you for your presence in my life.
I open the gate of first love and invite you into my spirit
I invite you to activate my spiritual senses and flow through me
Jesus I surrender control of my life to your lordship.
You are Lord of my life.

I choose to be a bond servant.
Train me as a good steward
So that I can be your friend.

Renew my mind
Heal my emotions
Restore my conscience
Cleanse my imagination
Direct my will.

Train my senses to hear your voice
To know your heart
See your vision
And be directed by your peace.

Cleanse my bloodline and seed-line
Transform my DNA.

Father I choose to follow my eternal destiny
Into lordship, kingship and sonship.
I choose, as an ambassador of heaven,
To administer the rule of the kingdom of God
On earth as it is in heaven.

Display me as a son of light on the earth.
Manifest your kingdom rule through me to the world around me.

Related articles by Freedom ARC

Other resources from Freedom ARC

OBSERVATIONS

The year of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, 2012, saw an abundance of prophecies about a new era for the Church (click for a selection).  For me it brought a conviction of seeing things falling into place, especially after an awesome gathering in August at Birmingham, as described in An invisible jigsaw falls into place. It greatly reminded me of having prepared annually for the new school year but going up to a higher class, and Spirit-filled believers have an exceptional schooling (see Back to School-College-Uni).

So I’m most encouraged that Mike refers to 2012, and spells out what was on my mind about increasing in Godly wisdom like when we went through various schools – but I omitted my intention of saying most churchgoers are in, or unwilling to progress beyond, nursery school!

More remarkable are references to ‘stumbling blocks’ and the ‘mercies of God’, because they featured prominently last week, as follows:

  • Tues 18th: the closing verses to the draft of my last post on Jerusalem (re. faith of traditional church leaders) got augmented. I added what had cropped up in that morning’s quiet time but used the literal wording rather than the standard NKJV text, “It is impossible that no offenses should come…”; ie. I wrote ‘stumbling blocks’, not ‘offenses’.
  • My study bible notes to Luke 17:1 state ‘offenses’ means ‘stumbling blocks’, and is literally the trigger of a trap or snare. In the verse it designates something that causes one to sin, and Jesus issues a strong warning against apostasy.
  • Within minutes of publishing that post an Elder called about having an insight into our unexpected month-long recurrence of a major health issue and said he’d seen a ‘stumbling block’! When my wife waited upon the Lord nothing came, she went to watch a TV programme but it suddenly changed to show a long-forgotten but traumatic episode of when she was 9 years old playing out on the TV Screen!!
  • Wed 19th: our Elder ministered as directed into that ‘video’ stumbling block’.
  • Thur 20th: Nina awoke to find there were no signs of this daily manifestation! Praise and thank the Lord greatly.
  • Thur 20th: that morning’s prophetic Lion Bites was exactly on target, as implied in my covering comment to New mercies every morning!  Mike refers above to “the mercies of God are new every morning’!
  • Fri 21st: not normally on-line, but went to adjust that draft only to see email note of Mike’s post being re-blogged on Ecclesia of Burning Ones – thank you so much for bringing this excellent post to my attention.

I can only conclude: NOW’s the time to action Mike’s post!

Angels GatherNote: Paul Keith Davis writes in-depth on ‘angels that gather’ in this book published in 2007. For details click on the book’s cover >>>

 

Blind and on the wrong path

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Wow – a remarkable God-incidence! After reading this on Monday we heard through a contact of something similar happening over the weekend, but there was a serious outcome for ministers who’d unwittingly chosen to be a ‘blindfolded bride’. They hadn’t heeded our contact’s advice to prepare with more than prayer (eg. communion, anointing, donning spiritual armour) before treading where angels wouldn’t tread (psychic fair organised by a coven). So they couldn’t grasp why things went wrong!
It recalled my deliverance ministry training when I realised crucial need for clergy and leaders to be competently trained and gifted in discerning spirits. Sadly, this wasn’t wanted in a church we once attended.

Tony's avatarMy Dreams and Visions

I had a dream/vision 10/26/2014 . In this dream/vision I saw a bride walking down what looked to be a dirt path. What was strange is that she was blindfolded so obviously she could not see where she was going. I then saw various people with sight trying to take her by the hand to guide her. However, each time anyone tried to guide her, because in this dream/vision I sensed in my spirit that she was heading down the wrong path, she would lash out at them in anger with a knife.

It’s my belief that the bride in this dream/vision represents the church, the bride of Christ. The people sent to guide her back to the right path that had sight are the prophets. In the dream, even though blind, she refused help and lashed out at anyone who tried.
The scriptures that come to mind are:
Matthew…

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The 3 dimensions of time

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Thank you Lord for Your timing in Ajibola’s publishing this profound post, and in Tim’s reading it hours before my re-blogging Tony’s in connection with what You gave Neville!! (Comments to previous refer.) Re. Mary’s appointed time, readers may be interested in this post on Gabriel prophesying into Time, of which there’s more yet to blog!

Remember, there’s a war on…

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A timely reminder for whenever our peace gets disturbed, especially for whenever our walk gets tough.

Jarrod Cooper's avatarTRIBE

prayer1Hopelessness, depression, relational conflict, worrying debts, misunderstanding, betrayal, people problems, personal failure, deep insecurities, the bombardment of shaming accusations … all sometimes accompanied by unusual levels of emotional tension and unrest.

Ever been there? There now?

What’s going on?

Well, it may just be a bit of something quite practical taking place – but I also want to counsel the Christian – remember there’s a war on.

Ephesian 6:12 reminds us “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

“Bad angels” (demons), authorities, rulers, all engage us in a struggle in the unseen realm fighting against the purposes of God and Church. We feel it, we get stirred up by it all – but we don’t always recognize it. Maybe we need to pray and ask God for a…

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Church On The Move

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This update of a vision received by Tony comes in tandem with that of England, and echoes our congregation’s insights into the glory covering. I recall John 14:23, “If anyone loves Me he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place – Amp) with him“.

Tony's avatarMy Dreams and Visions

Some may or may not remember the following vision I posted a few years back.

When the Lord gave Moses instructions on building an altar using stones, he gave the following command. Exo 20:25 And if you will make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone, for if you lift up a tool upon it you have polluted it. The Israelites were to take the stones as they found them and not to alter them in any way. This was a shadow of what the Lord had in mind as we will see in 1Pe 2:5 [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. We come to the Lord just as we are and it is for…

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Gatekeepers! Watchmen! You are to speak out (The Lord has called you out to be Bold today)

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This item is so appropriate in connection with how ardently Steve Hill warned the Church against replacing the Lord’s values with those of the world and falling for Satan’s lies and deception.

Ancient Paths's avatarAncient Paths

Gatekeepers have three primary roles
  1. To protect the Lord’s house.  This means they defend the gospel, the truth of the Word and Protect the holiness of God’s house. Their hearts are on fire with the Fear of the Lord. They want the Lord’s house to be a house of Prayer and they are not content until they see the Lord’s will come to place. The gatekeeper protects the House. They know the scriptures well and are full of understanding. They are bold to speak out against the sins of the church- even if it means they will be mocked, hated or even kicked out of the church. They stay close to the House of the Lord
  2. They keep the Lord’s people on the right path, keeping them from drifting from the Lord. As a staff or sheepdog would keep the sheep together from straying, so the role of gatekeeper is the same…

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A Scottish invitation to start the year right

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Speakers_banner524492The International Network of Prophetic Centres invites you to their 3rd annual prophetic gathering, designed to help YOU get your new year off to the best start with God!
Come and exalt God in passionate worship with hundreds of followers of Christ. Come and receive new levels of encounter with God and new levels of His Kingdom. Come and expect to be changed, transformed, re-aligned… it’s a personal and corporate revolution in Christ! Continue reading →

On the majesty of His Majesty, The King of Kings

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Nina was once again invited to address a Christmas Breakfast gathering of groups that meet regularly in the Aldershot-Farnborough area organised by Juliet Peatling. Our dear friend is painstaking to honour the Lord in preparations, especially in the exquisite way He inspires her creatively with handicrafts, in which she is highly skilled.

And both are prepared well in advance by Him! Early in the year Juliet started preparing cards and decided upon the theme for this Christmas meeting. When she called my wife to ask if she could speak on God’s majesty, neither of them were surprised that Nina had already heard the title and been given what to say. That had happened a couple of years ago too, which was on ‘Peace’. (We were pleasantly surprised upon arriving at the venue to find the colour scheme she used with that matched what Nina was wearing!)

This year’s Breakfast was held in Kings Community Church located in Aldershot. Juliet had decorated and laid out tables with place names and personal presents for each guest. It was as though we were to attend a special breakfast-banquet with our King – Spectacular, as these photos show. Nina’s address follows below:


MAJESTY

“Good morning and God bless you. Juliet asked me to speak today – over 6 months ago.

“I set time aside to pray and see what I should write. Then I put the notes away until a few weeks ago – it was just to look at what I had written, not to make major changes.

“Now some of you will have been at the last 2 breakfasts and heard Mair talk. I was at the last one and, to my amazement, she said two or three things I’m going to say – almost verbatim.

“No, she hadn’t read my notes so she could copy what I was going to say. Neither did Juliet tell her beforehand.

“So if two of us are saying the same thing – independently of each other – I guess that the good Lord has a point he wants to make. It’s something important. So I will leave it to you to pick up on it.

“Yes it’s true, another year has gone and here we are again. The subject this Christmas is Majesty.

“I don’t feel particularly qualified to speak on the enormity of this word. We have such small brains and it is such a big word. If I ask each one of you to define the word ‘majesty’, I wonder what words you would use?

(A brief pause…)

“It is the highest rank you can hold. The Queen is ‘Her Majesty’. She reigns supreme in this country. Hers is the highest title – as a human being.

“I read recently these words describing His Majesty – Our Lord – by Archbishop Justin Welby [RB note: from chat with Charles Moore, who asked him if he knows Jesus].:

“He is both someone one knows and someone one scarcely knows at all. An utterly intimate friend and yet an indescribable majesty.”

“Psalm 93 verse 1 says,

The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.

“The description of Psalm 93 in my Bible is quite wonderful; “It is a hymn to the eternal,universal and invincible reign of the Lord”.

“Let me read that again,“It is a hymn to the eternal,universal and invincible reign of the Lord”.

“May I suggest you all read Psalm 93?

“Now let’s go on a short journey and unwrap the word ‘Majesty’ a little…

“Many years ago I had the privilege of being at a champagne reception at the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall, London, hosted by the Queen and Prince Philip. Beforehand, we were notified of the required code of dress, security check and behaviour etc. All very exciting.

“There were 100 of us present, sipping champagne and chatting when – suddenly! – Her Majesty’s trumpeters appeared up in the gallery and heralded her arrival.

“There was more than a hush in the room, the air was electric. You could hardly breathe with expectancy. Suddenly, A GREAT BLAST came from their trumpets in fanfare!!!

“Then a voice boomed out, “Ladies and gentlemen – Her Majesty The Queen!”.

“Her Majesty was in the room amongst us. You did not hear her coming – she was just ‘there’! It was a WOW moment !!

“So now let me take you further/deeper/higher…

Majesty“One day we are going to be in the presence our heavenly Father, His Majesty, THE King – not A king – THE King of kings!

“When we make that decision to give the Lord charge of the rest of our lives we become adopted sons and daughters

“Therefore, if we truly believe that we are sons and daughters of the King of kings, His Majesty, how do we see ourselves?”

(A brief pause…)

“Members of the royal family have status/authority. They are ambassadors representing the king or queen. How do we represent His Majesty, The King of kings

“As I just said: before meeting the Queen I was told what to wear, what code of dress to be observed etc.

“So what will we be wearing before His Majesty?

“How presentable will we be?

“Will we have clean hands and a pure heart?

“Or, will there be some blemishes not yet dealt with?

“Might it be an idea to deal with them/address them while there is time however long time is? I want to face my heavenly Father, His Majesty, knowing I did my best.”

(A brief pause…)

“Was I qualified to meet the Queen? – Yes, I had a certificate and an invitation

“Am I qualified to be before His Majesty – Yes, I am his adopted daughter. As confirmed in Ephesians 1.”

(A brief pause…)

“Lastly, as I close:

“The effect on me of the heralded arrival of the Queen and being in her company was a wow moment in my life – almost life changing!

“How about when the time comes to meet His Majesty – THE KING?

“How awesome will that be, what expectation, what excitement!

“What a life changing second before His Majesty!

“Think about it…”

(Nina pauses, then reads lyrics to a well-known worship song by Tuinfort and friends…)

“I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by your side.

“I can only imagine what my eyes will see when Your face is before me.

“Surrounded by Your Glory what will my heart feel?

“Will I dance for You, Jesus, or in awe of you be still?

“Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?

“Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all?

“I can only imagine,

“I can only imagine,

“I can only imagine when that day comes and I find myself standing in the Son.

“I can only imagine when all I will do is forever, forever worship You.” 

Continued in ‘Radiant Majesty’ >>

“I don’t believe in God either,

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…that is, not the kind of God you’re thinking about.”

How often do we hear all sorts of complaints from people as reasons for not believing in the Almighty? If we enquire of them to gain a glimpse of their personal ideas and beliefs we usually find concepts of a divinity created out of a mixture of inaccuracies – no wonder they don’t believe in such oddball, mythical notions, and neither would I.

It is rare to find those possessing a clearly defined and well-instructed faith even among Christians!  A surprising number have a poor grasp of theological basics, and can even presumptuously assume the holy character of their Maker and Redeemer will endorse their personal desires!

With this topic in mind let me share the more eloquent, analytical prose of two sisters in the Lord. First is that of Benedictine Sr Catherine Wybourne, aka Digital Nun.:

The God In Whom I Do Not Believe

People often tell me why they don’t believe in God: he has not answered their prayer; he has allowed someone close to die; he does not do away with all the evil and suffering in the world; the Church is full of abuses. I have to agree that I don’t believe in such a pathetic God, either. I don’t believe in someone who is merely there to rubber-stamp whatever I want; who doesn’t take me seriously enough to allow me free will but wants me to be a puppet on a string; who only has time for those who are good. I don’t believe in a God who is capricious, small-minded and mean; whose existence can be ‘proved’; who is as finite as I am.

You see, the arguments against the existence of God that many people use are actually rooted in unthinking petulance. I asked God for something, but he didn’t give it (question: why should God give you what you ask?); God took away someone I love (question: what kind of love desires what is good for itself rather than what is good for the other?); I want there to be nothing difficult or cruel in the world (question: what kind of world is that?); I want the Church to be full of saints (question: isn’t the Church meant for sinners in the process of becoming saints?)

The God in whom I believe is a Person of infinite tenderness and love, of breathtaking beauty and intellect. Eternity will not allow me to plumb the depths of God, how much less this brief life on earth! But this I can assert with absolute trust and confidence. Whatever I believe about God is so much less than the truth of God. ‘As the heavens are high above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts.’

Ultimately, it is not a question of the God in whom you or I believe or don’t believe but of the God who is.

Oh the excellent simplicity in my sister’s thesis and conclusion, as published here. It deserves emphasis:

Ultimately, it is not a question of the God in whom we do or don’t believe but is purely a matter of the God who IS.  We can know His nature and character because He has revealed Himself through His written Word and Jesus Christ – through Whom we have access to Father God’s throne room!  A truly awesome privilege – thank you Jesus.

The second comes from an American sister who blogs at Your True Christian Journey  and her forthright consideration may be read here > Why doesn’t God stop evil?

Is Christianity supernatural? Is Jesus imperfect?

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We’re taking a break for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, readers may like to mull over some meaty morsels, and to ponder the possibility of a recent prophecy having been fulfilled in Egypt!

Is Christianity a supernatural religion?

One blessing from the prolonged problems with WordPress in July was contacting a couple living eastward along the coast from our favourite haunt, Chichester harbour. Keith Lannon writes with an unusual grasp of not only theology and history but also psychology. His in-depth articles about Apostle Paul’s ministry may be found under Management of the Miraculous.

I’ve always known Christianity is intrinsically a supernatural life yet, in my humble opinion, many believers have little comprehension of this fundamental fact. After outlining Holy Spirit’s activities in the Church’s first decades, Keith writes:

This whole historical trawl, that I have only half glanced at, is for no other reason than to make the point that the miraculous is the New Testament norm. Cryptically expressed, the supernatural should be natural to the Christian. Christianity is naturally supernatural.

Keith’s Christianity has the Supernatural in its DNA is a thoroughly good read and I can highly recommend it.

Was Jesus Christ Imperfect?

T E HannaAfter being challenging by a Muslim, T.E. Hanna considers the above question. He ably digs into and unwraps this provocative paradox in Embracing An Imperfect Jesus. You may wish to reflect upon his brief, yet sound, consideration of the conundrum of Jesus’ humanity and divinity. It has generated interesting reader comments.

A prophecy causes pause for thought

Koenig’s Eye View from the White House reports upon last week’s International Institute of Counter-Terrorism Conference in Israel. It mainly covered Syria but included Egypt  under its military leader Gen Al-Sissi. The first couple of points in Bill’s notes reminded me of what I’d heard from a delegate at Dr Stone’s Mentoring Day on 11 July (as under ‘Coffee break’).

According to that Institute, Egyptian President Morsi was imitating the Islamic template Turkey’s PM Erdogan had established to dismantle his secular military and arrest its generals.  Egypt’s Al-Sissi beat Morsi to the draw in arresting him and ‘decapitated the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood…’ (emphasis mine).

That reminded me of Kim Clement’s prophetic song and word about Queen Esther, Mordecai and evil Haman, wherein he prophesied:

A head will roll during the summer; I said a head will roll during the summer!  There will be a decapitation of a mind that is evil, a mind that is sinister. (Emphases mine: see link)

That was published on 22 June and Morsi was ousted less than a fortnight later on 3 July (details may be read in Guardian). In spite of US administration’s protestations and liberal media’s biased reporting, well-informed folk were aware of the great dangers Morsi and his MB posed to secular societies and Christians, not to mention Israel and Jordan. So it seems Kim Clement heard correctly from the Lord.

Courtesy of Gilbert and Beers

Hidden Meaning of the Menorah

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Melissa’s description speaks right into what I sensed during worship yesterday as our assembly sang “You provide the fire, I’ll provide the sacrifice”. I sensed a flickering spread of orange and red with ill-defined objects bowing low and knew this was before the Throne of God. Mulling over Rev 4, I wondered if the image represents the flames of the seven spirits. So be mightily blessed as you inwardly digest this post.

Melissa Johnson's avatarDefining Words

MenorahSymbols of the corporate church abound in scripture. We are alluded to as the bride of Christ, God’s vineyard, the body of Christ, and His temple built of lively stones. Whenever it comes to the individual believer, however, I’ve heard relatively little in the way of scriptural symbolism. In preparation for a conference this month, I stumbled onto a rich trove of delights in studying the 7-candle menorah. The following is a digest of my findings that may prove to stir something within you, too!

Before we start, let me briefly explain the difference between the 7-candle and 9-candle menorah, and why we are focusing on the former. The 7-candle menorah is the traditional candelabra prescribed for use in Tabernacle of Moses. It has come to be a symbol of Judaism and much more as we will, here, divulge. Nine-candle menorahs are known as Hanukkah menorahs, and are lit during…

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One Day At A Time

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Thank you so much for this encouraging personal insight Bill. It was our motto during disability too. So our repeating it to suffering brethren comes with not only our firm assurance from adversity but also Jesus’ promise to never leave or forsake us. May He favour you immensely.

Bill Sweeney's avatarUnshakable Hope

At the beginning of this trial, so many people, mostly long-time Christians, would advise me to “Just take one day at a time.” I’m sure that every one of these wise people thought they were the first to give me this sage advice. Of course, I always acted as if they were the first to give me that advice and I politely thanked them. (If you are one of those that offered me this advice 16+ years ago, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that a hundred people already gave me that same advice).

To be honest, even though a hundred people repeated this “Take one day at a time” cliché to me, I really didn’t understand at that time exactly what it meant. Like so many clichés, I think people throw them out to fill dead air space in awkward moments when they have nothing else to say. But…

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One of the most exciting trends in Christianity is the Spirit of God drawing Christians together

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Courtesy of James Mark Long, www.propheticartists.comAnother very good piece on the ‘new era’ in the Church. Our Heavenly Father is (at long last) answering Jesus’ prayer at John 17: 20-26, the full context of which is important for grasping its key buried within – and how He’s going to work through us. Yesterday our apostolic leader spoke along the same lines as Gillan and Richard P. He echoed my opinion that non-believers are such because they see – and know of – widespread division in Christianity. The Holy Trinity is united in their diversity, which is what Father wants Jesus’ body to mirror; “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me…”

Work should NOT be a curse!

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Really good one – thanks (and to Kenny)! This reinforces what our visiting speaker said yesterday on Ephesians 4 about God’s purpose for the Church being rooted in Gen 1: reproducing after His kind and establishing the holy pattern of authority, tasks and marriage – ie Adam had an assignment before he had a wife! So, work is important to God – it didn’t come as a result of the Fall. (Therefore, our visitor stressed the importance of our ‘metron’, or sphere of influence in our daily lives.) Click if link fails (most unusually WordPress has been playing up lately)

Seeking God

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Some wonderfully written tips here on ‘how to’ – and Amen to your closing prayer Nancy. (Thanks Kenny for this link).

Nancy Ruegg's avatarFrom the Inside Out

 

Seeking after God.  It’s a concept we come across frequently in scripture.  But God is Spirit; he’s invisible to us.  How do we seek after someone we can’t see?

Perhaps we can answer that question by considering the ways we seek a person, who can be seen.

Example #1:

When my husband, Steve, and I are separated in a crowd, it’s quite amazing how quickly I can spot him.  Beyond height, hair, and eye color, I know the breadth of his shoulders, the way the hair grows on the back of his head, the shape of his ears.  In fact, it’s such nuances as these that draw my attention, even more than the descriptors listed on his driver’s license.

Perhaps our first step in seeking God is to get to know what he looks like, although not his physical Being, since he’s chosen not to reveal himself that way.  But…

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Amazed by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

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Charles Moore writes,

I am amazed. I first saw this man 40 years ago, when we were both pupils at Eton. Later, I was with him at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was the shyest, most unhappy-looking boy you could imagine. Now he is 105th in the line that began with St Augustine. He seems to be loving it. I remark on the change, and he agrees. “That’s something to do with the Christian faith,” he says.

The Most Rev and Right Hon Justin Welby had just led Charles Moore into the garden of Lambeth Palace with a tray heavy with coffee cups (sorry no photo), down its wide steps and into wider lawns.  Past editor of The Sunday Telegraph and Daily Telegraph, following The Spectator, who continues to write for the last two, Moore finds fellow Old Etonian Welby to be by far the most relaxed Archbishop he’s interviewed in that ancient abode. (This archive photo doesn’t do justice to that of Saturdays’ News Review & Comment section by Heathcliff O’Malley.)

Charles Moore’s op-ed pieces are expressed now and then upon a firm Christian faith which, I believe, is from a Roman Catholic perspective. I recalled my pleasant surprise when the New Year edition covered His Grace’s pre-inaugural visit to – of all places – a conference at Trent Vineyard Church where the Elders laid hands on him in prayer and blessing (here and a video).  Journalist Charles Moore may have had that event in mind when opening his interview with a question on charismatics  – and got more than he’d bargained for!

More morsels from Moore.:

Is it necessary, I ask, for a true Christian to have had a personal conversion experience? “Absolutely not. There is an incredible range of ways in which the Spirit works. It doesn’t matter how you get there. It really does quite matter where you are.”

Does he know Jesus? “Yes. I do. He’s both someone one knows and someone one scarcely knows at all, an utterly intimate friend and yet with indescribable majesty.” (emphasis added)

(On the Pope’s Ignatian and Franciscan spirituality) It is spirituality that the two men share, and it is overcoming the divisions of 500 years: “One of the most exciting trends in western Christianity is that the Spirit of God is drawing Christians together.”

Where will his discussions with the Pope lead? “I haven’t a clue,” he says, disarmingly. He thinks that the ordination of women bishops, though he vigorously supports it, is the biggest obstacle to unity with Rome, but he also believes that both Churches now accept that they must “walk together’’.

As ever, it is a highly readable and eloquent example of journalism and an interesting informative interview with a man who is, ‘trying to find new ways in which this country, despite the secular age, can give its allegiance to God again’.

But what particularly amazed his interviewer and how did this Archbishop become a Christian? Read Charles Moore’s I Was Embarrassed – It Was like Getting Measles to learn the answers to those and other questions.

This Saturday feature came a week to the day I read the Telegraph’s Religious Affairs Editor’s remarks about His Grace Welby’s concern over the ‘overwhelming’ sea-change in attitudes toward sexuality (here). In part, he 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.

“In some things we change course and recognise the new context.

“In others we stand firm because truth is not set by culture, nor morals by fashion.

“But let us be clear, pretending that nothing has changed is absurd and impossible.”

Quickly scanned that early Saturday morning, these claims made a deep contrast with what was to come during that mentoring day in Windsor.  I started writing about that in connection with the Book of Esther (here) and will continue to unravel that theme.

Mentoring Day part 1 – apostolic/prophetic alignment and surprises!

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Let’s first consider these verses in chapter 4 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (NKJV):

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”…11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

In his ardent teaching upon the benefits of apostolic/prophetic alignment for churches,  Jerome Joseph stated pastors and teachers have been leading church for a season, but this new season needs them to align to, and thereby be strengthened by, the apostolic and prophetic ‘ascension’ gifts.

It is time to move away from adherence to a local church/pastor/priest, for that is a form of idolatry which is past it’s ‘sell-by’ date. And that is not of God.

It is time for an uncompromising, ruthlessness for righteousness and God’s gospel to be expressed throughout the body of Christ. When the Commander-in-Chief speaks through the apostolic/prophetic we should obey Him – we’re not a peace-keeping ministry but a militant calling.

Before that hour’s solid teaching I’d taken my seat after worship. Out of the corner of my eye I’d sensed a long grey, vertical shape whiz down the aisle invisibly carving a deep furrow through its carpeted floor!  I thought it was like an ice-breaker but upon analysis thought it may be an axe or adze being swung. (See next post for correct answer!)

These photos may help you gain an impression of the impact I sensed – imagine the ship without its white superstructure and the motion of the other’s prow through ice.

Coffee break

Fresh CoffeeOver coffee afterwards I chatted with a couple of fellow attendees. One mentioned she’d been praying with friends the previous evening because of a recommendation (here) for a prophetic word from Kim Clement relating to the Book of Esther.  It was about wicked Haman’s fate being applied today. So, I filed it away mentally for reference (as here), but along with the above impressions, it proved to be related to what Dr Stone was about to teach!

This was the first of three references to the Book of Esther that I drew attention to in respect of the video on the Welsh Outpouring. The second and fullest occasion was when Sharon taught about a new level of being able to decree and overwrite what’s going on with this nation’s legislature. The foundational principles are contained in the book of Esther, as indicated in the last post, and continued in Mentoring Day part 2.

Meanwhile, please visit Dr Stone’s website to learn what the Lord gave her that very morning about very important Apostolic Prophetic Decrees Over the UK.

More about revival in Wales…

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Welsh Revival DWRobertsIt’s wonderful to hear about the increasing impact the current Outpouring in Wales is having upon many newly saved, as well as mature Christians, for churches and communities across the UK.

Thank you Dyfed for your comments received today. I’d like to draw the attention of readers interested in my reports on Cwmbran and wanting more, to your research into The Welsh Revival and its aftermath.  Looks an informative read.

It is important, however, not to assume an exact replay of that revival because the Lord’s given us many encouraging promises of an entirely ‘new season’ in these days, as recounted herein.

In fact, only last Saturday a pastor told me of his recent visit to Cwmbran and how it may match his understanding of what God’s about to do in Britain.  I was stirred with the similarity between the open vision he’d received and the one that had astounded and troubled me back in 2004. It seems his may forecast the next, or a later, phase of what’s been happening in Britain as a result of having turned away from our heavenly Father, to where He graciously turns the tide to bless us and bring full revival to our ‘walking dead’.

We shall soon see…

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