Tag Archives: #Testimonies

“You shouldn’t be at our school!”

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Whilst playing with my pals one of them suddenly stops, eyeballs me hard and scolds me, “You shouldn’t be at our school – you should be at the one Cat’licks go to!”

I’m stunned into silence.

I can’t recall my response other than distress.

Upon reflection it’s possible I denied the accusation outright. I’d like to have responded, “So what? It’s where my parents want me to be!”

Such a riposte, however, would have plugged straight into something worse – parental conflict!

We three 1955-6

On Southport beach in mid-1950s

CONFRONTATION

It’s mid-1950s and the reality of the Protestant vs. Roman Catholic divide hit me hard. My friend’s tone clearly implied a stigma to being in the wrong Christian denomination.

Equally hard was my parents’ disagreement over my own schooling. My dear, devout mother wanted to follow their church’s rule that Catholics send children – even of mixed marriages – to a Catholic school. But father wanted me to have the better education provided by the more reputable of two local, state schools – the RC one had a very low pass rate for the 11+ selection exams for grammar school. When dad was a boy his mother took him daily to 8am Mass. Later life taught him the value of a sound education – and my much older cousins in mother’s family were already at college or university.  So, a week or so before my fifth birthday mum walked me the half-mile to Alexandra Park Primary School in Edgeley, Stockport.

Thus, I was brought up in the Roman church yet attended non-secular state schools with their Anglican ethos. Back in the 1950s this was a sensitive issue. In those days a lot more people attended church of one sort or another than today. Religious beliefs are a minor concern today, although attendance at faith schools is now prized purely for educational achievement. Sadly, most of today’s populace are religiously illiterate.

Therefore, I didn’t receive the ‘mandatory’ Catholic education. Religious knowledge, as little as I gained, came through state school and Sunday church. As far as from the latter was concerned, it wasn’t much because services were conducted in a dead, foreign language – Latin!

Kindly bear with me in relating how my situation affected my teenage and adult life’s journey into eventual freedom:

AN OUTSIDER

At the time of the confrontation I’d been happily playing on bikes with two boys outside one’s house.  We three Johns aged 10-11 years had been classmates through primary school, yet I always felt an outsider in my living over 1/2 mile from school. Most of our school lived a lot closer and so, when old enough to go to their homes on my own, I was pleased to be with seeing more of these friends.

But the real issue of this confrontation was in making me fear the prospect of losing the friendship I’d grown up with!  Somehow details of my family’s church must have slipped out whilst chatting, or had I been seen going there? ‘Top of the class’ John seemed to see it as a stigma! The reality behind a difference of opinion at home hit me hard – it was a reality in the outside world too!

Me 1956-7My earliest adventures in coming home alone from school were in walking the longer route via the local library on the far-side of school. And it was a place to explore and dig around in.

It came as a special favour when I was allowed to cycle to friends’ about half a mile away.  Soon I began to relish the independence of exploring the rabbit warren of suburban side streets on my bike – plus learning how to read maps. Later, I’d take my bike and explore for miles around, far away from the main thoroughfares – I avoided those because an older boy had been killed there and I’d seen another have an accident in front of me (he survived).

The only classmates from my local streets were girls. We lived nearer to another school attended by most other ‘baby boomers’ on our patch. But its pass rate for the secondary level of Grammar School was much lower than ours. This meant the boys I’d grown up with on ‘my block’ didn’t have quite the same schooling. So I was piggy-in-the-middle between two peer groups and didn’t feel fully accepted by either.

At school I was one of four boys named John. Such a bore. I decided to start using my first name from the start of the next school year. So on the first day in the new class, a week or so before my 8th birthday, our new teacher went around the class asking our names. At my turn I replied, “Richard”. Everyone was shocked. Some called out, “No, he’s John!”.

Miss Jackson was kind enough to ask me about this and found my reason sensible and said she respected my wishes and favoured the name. From that time on I’ve always been known as ‘Richard’.  At home, however, mother and her family refused to make any change because they’d always called me ‘John’.  Maybe it was because it means ‘beloved of God’. Also, being her first-born boy she’d hoped I’d become a priest – arghh, perish the thought!  Nevertheless, that’s come true in a way because all believers in Jesus are priests (1 Peter 2).

So thank you Lord for the two who brought me into the world and loved me greatly.

CHURCHES IN CONFLICT

At church, children were not sent out of the Mass into Sunday school but were expected to sit quietly through 45 minutes of Latin liturgy and unintelligible sermon.

It was hard for youngsters but my mother had a small book with Latin on one page and English on the opposite – a Missal. As soon as I could read she’d urge me to look and follow – but being artistic I took far more notice of the small pictures displaying the Gospel theme of each Mass.

As Gospel and Epistle readings were in English I caught snippets, and recall thinking it must have been wonderful to see everything Jesus said and did – I would have liked to have been there and met him.

Now my school and home friends attended, or were familiar with, churches. I asked to go to theirs as it was only along the road from our house. “No, ‘cos they’re Congoes,” was mum’s retort and she’d stress, “We go to the church Christ himself founded!”.

‘Congoes?’, I thought that was in Africa so maybe it was a church for pygmies! But in the 1950s we had few Africans in our northern town although our doctor was a West Indian. [‘Congo’ was her term for Congregationalist.]

A year or so later I got through to Grammar School, where Catholics and Jews could opt-out of the Anglican-style morning assembly. But I didn’t opt out and attempted to convey the impression I was non-Catholic.

Unlike today, cooperation between churches was a rarity fifty years ago. Hypocritical conflict between denominations drove me towards ‘New Age’ ideals. It bothered me that IF all churchgoers believe in the same Jesus Christ, WHY were they bitterly opposed and not friends? Jesus himself commanded believers to love one another!

Also, they weren’t working miracles similar to those of Jesus, as he said they would. So, churches had failed on both counts to live up to his commands. Although I was only a boy, it was obvious they’d badly missed the mark. Also, I suspected they’d lost a lot of what Jesus had taught. How could what priests and preachers say and do, be true?

Consequently, I started searching elsewhere for the truth > >  (next).

[Bible quotations are by courtesy of BibleGateway.com]

[RETURN to overview: “Jesus Freed Me!”]

INFO: original instalments (2013)

  1. No 7 and my journey into freedom
  2. “You shouldn’t be at our school!”
  3. Searching for truth leads me into captivity
  4. The last day of my life came ‘like a thief in the night’
  5. Rescued from Satan by The Lord of Hosts
  6. The real Truth delivers me from captivity
  7. Confirmations of the reality of my visionary encounter.

Number 7 and My Journey into Freedom

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This blog post is more like ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg?’  The above title may be back to front because it began as My Journey To Freedom and Number 7. I trust you too will be encouraged by my explanation of that conundrum.

Here’s what happened.:

A friend who organises social breakfasts asked me to tell my story about becoming a Christian. I guess she’d dipped into it on this blog – yet that’s only a brief bit. But how can I deliver the whole lot in speech and not as script? On top of that, when editing my original account I found nostalgia took me down a ‘rabbit hole’ and wasted time.

Only then did I do what I should have done at the outset – ask myself what I wanted to say. I’d put the cart before the horse! I now jotted the main points and was surprised to find there’s 7. Now that’s encouraging for it suggests everything’s ok. Nina thought so too when I did a test run with her. Now please note, we’re not the sort of folk who look for meaning, symbolism and significance in things, although we appreciate the possibility.

[Readers of long standing may note my interest in coincidences arises after events, not in expectant anticipation or forecasting future connections. My discernment of links in ‘God-incidents’ possibly arises from my training in scientific observation and analysis as a disinterested participant. It’s claimed ‘fact is stranger than fiction’, which is why I’ve always tended to steer away from novels. Furthermore, after laying down my ‘old self’ after rebirth in Christ I’ve also avoided my past interests.]

HAH! Upon finalising my Tuesday’s talk I now find its crib-notes done as l a r g e print total 7 pages! What else! What other quantity should I have expected?

In the Bible number 7 is symbolic of divine perfection, and I believe this is understood in other cultures too. Time is measured in units of 7 days – the calendar week. Genesis, the Book of Creation, states everything was created in 7 days with the last being when God was satisfied and rested upon completing His work of creation.

If the concept of a weekly cycle is applied to that of the year then 1/7th equates to 52 days and a ‘design purpose’ for the year’s seventh 1/7th could be that of resting before another cycle starts. That had been in mind in Pause 4 thought when musing about having unexpectedly arrived at the close of a personal cycle. So, it made sense to take a more relaxed pace over August and September and await any changes.

PRINCIPLE OF 7 AND MY JOURNEY

Now, a few weeks later, ‘7’ has got my attention once again and so I take notice and new notions drop into mind like inspired potions infused from ‘above’. As my task is to talk about my past, it is as though a door has opened for me to see and walk through in my spirit. Whilst writing, I recollect the Hebrew date for this ‘new year’ not only signifies an open door but is also shaped like a 7; although as the 4th letter of Hebrew alphabet it denotes No. 4. (Not mentioned in The door to a ‘new season’.)

My first thoughts were:

  • 7 years are said to complete a growth cycle, as in ‘Seven ages of man/woman’.
  • so it’s appropriate to consider seven’s multiples, 14, 21, 28, etc, as cyclic too.
  • major changes or significant events happened on or around the 7th, 14th & 21st anniversaries of my Christian walk.
  • my personal life took hugely significant changes of direction at each 3 x 7 years, ie. every 21 years and around my birthdays. Number 3 denotes completion and unity.

These notions were confirmed last night when I learned the 7th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Zayin (pronounced ZAH-yeen) and then read John Parson’s comment,

Since Zayin represents both the number 7 and a sword, it is not surprising that it is used to divide or ‘cut up’ time into units of sevens (The Letter Zayin, emphasis added)

Perhaps you’d like to check all this yourself and see if it may apply to you too?  Only a couple of days after realising the significance of those aspects I heard a contact-lady at our online US-church mention a couple of major traumas in her family life. I noticed they were seven years apart. (She’s since confirmed having had personal insights on this – thank you W.)

In addition to the above link, more information may be found on Biblical Numerology at Christianity.About.com. and on the Biblical Meaning of the Number Seven at The Bible Wheel.

So which came first, my journey or several number 7s? Of course, objectively I noticed all the events before, during and since gaining my freedom. Recognising they’re linked inextricably with number 7, then I must conclude the spiritual principle was the active and persistent power orchestrating those events, as in the scale of 7 musical notes.

Thus, 7 came, and comes, first.

Should you wish to continue reading about my journey into freedom, please click here  for its first ‘leg’ or installment.

INFO – installments of original (2013):
  1. No 7 and my journey into freedom
  2. “You shouldn’t be at our school!”
  3. Searching for truth leads me into captivity
  4. The last day of my life came ‘like a thief in the night’
  5. Rescued from Satan by The Lord of Hosts
  6. The real Truth delivers me from captivity
  7. Confirmations of the reality of my visionary encounter

[Images courtesy of Stoon at Freedigitalphotos.net and Melissa at Definingwords.com]

Pick your own parable

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It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;  

to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

Just after the morning rush hour along the A3 we arrived at a ‘PYO’, or pick-your-own garden and horticultural centre, to harvest some bags of strawberries and raspberries. We’d come here only the previous week with our 4 year-old grandson, but it was a Monday and there were few pickings after the weekend’s visitors had ‘grazed’ and left the fields bare but for unripe berries. But it was a useful time to teach Luca how to pick them.

So this time we went mid-week and arrived as the centre opened at the start of another very warm summer’s day – wonderful, at long last! The berries had basked but not baked in at least three hours warm, early morning sunshine. Nina headed for the strawbs and I went to the raspberries, only to find not so many ready for me!

And yet, in what I discovered I also found a parable from the Lord.

PYO1Ripening raspberries around the top and sides of the long rows of bushes need only a slight squeeze and tug off their stalks. Ripe ones come off very easily. Now, I always look within the bushes and at a lower level to search out any hidden from view under all the broad leaves.

PYO2Inserting my hand at waist height, and down to my knees, I slowly waved my hand inside the bush – ripe berries dropped into my palm! The motion had nudged them off their stalks. Completely effortless! The best, lush ones had been missed by previous visitors and were so ripe they were about to fall to the ground.

PYO4

I was blessed in this sign of the abundance that comes when we draw close and reach into our heavenly Father.

What He has for us is so readily accessible – it is at hand. All we have to do is hold out our hands, rather than pick and choose from what’s in front of our nose but not yet ready. If we take that, it may be ok but not as good as what is already available deeper in His Presence. So why be satisfied with less?

I recalled Proverbs 25:2 about the glory of God and that of a king, as above. Also, this occasion spoke of a recent debate about the Bible and nature of God between a blogger friend and a disbeliever. Today’s parable speaks of her gazing at this bush only to focus upon the many unripe berries. Even in selecting a reddening berry she’d squash it with a hard grip.  Luscious, ripe fruit is out of sight. It is hidden because mental blinkers prevent lateral looking. Its existence dare not be considered or sought for. Such an attitude stops oneself, and would prevent others, getting closer to the bush.

Thank you Lord that you’re closer than we can conceive, and readier to speak than we are to seek…

Paul Keith Davis and Rick Joyner discuss ‘Times and Seasons’

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If you liked Paul Keith Davis’ teaching on the 3 anointings then you will like this 83 mins chat with his friend. (It is superior value to anything on the ‘one-eyed’ blind god we call TV.)  Their closing answer to an online question made it rather personal for us last night because we’d learned of Frances Metcalf’s profound ministry in the Lord through our local church.  May you be blessed in hearing these men of God.:

 

Topics covered:

  • current events – Church in transition – 2013-14
  • full discipleship foundations – contemplative prayer
  • angelic encounter whilst writing The Final Quest
  • Jesus knocking to come into what belongs to Him
  • the Rev ‘overcomers’ are not ordinary churchgoers
  • the greatest tribulation/opportunity in global history
  • confrontation with false teaching in spirit & power of Elijah
  • ‘koinonia’ (real fellowship) essential for preparing The Bride
  • role of past overcomers/witnesses in today’s acceleration
  • different destinies within heaven
  • 1st Century Apostolic ministry required for 21st Century
  • questions from online viewers – grace – true holiness – restoration of family structure – is USA in scripture (v good point from Rev 12) – increasing evil
  • Francis Metcalf’s experiences of rapture and translation, difference between them, an understanding of the message of Enoch.

The final four minutes are highly instructive and encouraging and I pray the Lord will give you an understanding and insights into these matters. The whole ‘webinar’ is a rich banquet. Thank you gentlemen.

An interview with Pakistan’s only Christian MP

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“Whenever I was in the company of my party colleagues – most of whom were rigid Muslims with long beards – they urged me to tell them about my religion. If I did not tell them it would be too unfair to my religion, my Christ.” Asiya Nasir

I was immediately struck upon reading the above remark in the Evangelical Alliance’s magazine Idea because we’d returned from Hull where a Muslim man had demanded of his Christian friends, “Why have churches kept quiet about knowing Jesus?” (brief report here). These are only a couple of the increasing reports of Jesus Christ revealing Himself to Muslims and conveying His love for them (see Footnote 3).

The following EA interview is thus most significant and encouraging news in view of the rising severity of persecutions and murders of Christians across most Muslim nations.

60 seconds with Asiya Nasir MP

Asiya nasir_dave landrum

Asiya Nasir is the only Christian MP in Pakistan. Dr Dave Landrum, director of advocacy at the Alliance, met her to talk about what’s going on in her country.

DL: How did you get into politics?

AN: My great, great grandfather settled in the province of Balochistan before independence before. I was educated there, a teacher there, and wanted to be a professor, but God had His own plan. I never thought of becoming a politician, though my father was in the House and twice contested elections there. It was not a decent thing for women in Pakistan. In the 2002 elections he asked me to replace him. It wasn’t an easy decision for me; I had three children. But my husband supported me. I thought that somebody had to enter politics, if we wanted to bring change to the system, change in the rule of politicians. The party I joined was a right-wing Muslim Islamic party, right wing. Many of my community criticised me for joining that party. It was seen as anti-Christian or anti-minority, but I was really surprised firstly when I met my party leader as he really warmly welcomed me.

Was it difficult being a Christian in this context?

I knew I was in Christ, and knew my foundation was really strong. I felt I needed to identify myself with Christ, and felt I should never hide myself from people. Whenever I was in the company of my party colleagues – most of whom were rigid Muslims with long beards – they urged me to tell them about my religion. If I did not tell them it would be too unfair to my religion, my Christ. I told them. And slowly and gradually people became interested in it. Many of my ministers asked me and my husband to get some Bibles for them.

Many Christians go into politics, but break under the pressure as they do not have the foundations of a personal relationship with Christ. But, for you it was the opposite?

Yes, because in all difficult situations I realised he was the only anchor for me. I cannot find shelter anywhere else except him. I know eventually everything will perish, but one will remain. His name will remain, so we have to glorify His name. I will not be an MP forever. I will be here until He wants me to be here – no one can denounce me or remove me.

Shahbaz Bhatti was a Pakistani politician and a Christian who was killed for his outspoken criticism of the country’s blasphemy laws. Do you fear for your life?

No, I don’t fear. I have no fears. I do not fear death because I know He has given us everlasting life, life after death, so why should I fear? Each one of us has to die some day, with the tablet in the hospital or with a bullet. So why not die for His name? ) Someone once asked me how many bodyguards I have. I said only one – my Lord Jesus. I don’t have any bodyguards because I have never received any threats. Jesus says you are not called for this, you are called to be bold, courageous and truthful, honest, so I am only afraid of that threat, not of anything else. But I have never ever received any threat.

Pakistan seems to need more secular government and civil society whereas the UK may need less. Any comment on the difference between the two countries?

We need balance, not religious extremism. There is debate in Pakistan about how we can segregate state and religion. Many think religion does not affect affairs of state, but I say no, you cannot segregate for a long time. To some extent religion needs to be involved in the affairs of state. I don’t think you can ever really separate. My party always appreciates me because I don’t have secular ideas. The debate in Pakistan is whether we are going to be a secular state not theocratic. I say no, it should not be theocratic but also not a secular state. We need a pluralistic culture, need freedom. I believe in freedom of religion and don’t want to impose religion on me or others, everyone should be free. I don’t want to go and preach my religion but not practise, I want to practise first and want others to learn from my life. If they are impressed with my life they will convert or learn from my religion. Even in Pakistan we have a lot of diversity, religions should not want to impose. My party is religious but does not believe in imposing on others, they have never asked me to convert or put on a veil.

Is the gospel spreading in Pakistan?

The Christian Church is very fast growing in Pakistan. Pentecostals are growing more. Churches are full. There are not enough places to put people. People are trying to set up new churches. People are bringing their friends, giving room for prayer in houses.

Footnotes

  1. Photo credit and original post re-published by permission of Idea (visit here).
  2. Those stirred by this courageous lady’s faith through adversity may wish to visit Wilson Chowdhry’s website and blog at British Pakistani Christian Association.
  3. For more about Muslims meeting Jesus see closing part of All Hail The Lamb.
  4. The next post explains my interest in this important interview.

Sit alongside prophetic teachers in conversation

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Thank you to Andy for publishing this video on Decree because it reminded me to watch this fascinating discussion. We were privileged to have heard and met these two mighty men of God several times in the UK.  I unequivocally recommend readers who want to learn more about the Kingdom of God to set aside an hour to listen to these two friends.

First, however, let Andy introduce them to you…

Faith Changing Testimonies and The Great Cloud of Witnesses, and lots more – Paul Keith Davis with Bobby Conner

“I love watching this discussion and teaching time in this very special episode of the Voice of The Bride Webinar, where Paul Keith Davis sits down with dear friend Bobby Conner.

“They dive into wonderful conversation concerning these last days, commissioning of the sons of God, and the Great Cloud of Witnesses.  We also hear some incredible stories from Bobby that will challenge your faith and encourage your spirit!

PKDavis“Paul Keith and Wanda Davis founded WhiteDove Ministries after the Lord sovereignly sent a beautiful white dove to them as a prophetic sign of their calling. They now travel extensively speaking at conferences and churches, imparting the end-time mandate of preparation for the Glory and Manifest Presence of Christ.

“Paul Keith has a unique gift for imparting prophetic understanding of times and seasons with a message of preparation and expectancy for the Lord’s Empowering Presence. He spent many years in extensive study highlighting the ministry of revelation and power exemplified throughout the church ages with an emphasis on the 20th century church. His heart’s desire is to see the full restoration of Biblical Apostolic ministry manifested through the Spirit of Truth residing in God’s people, expressing salvation, healing and deliverance to the Glory of God and His Christ.

bobbyconner“Bobby Conner is a ‘Gentle Giant’ uniquely anointed with refreshing humor and razor-sharp prophetic accuracy that’s been documented around the world. Bobby’s dynamic capacity to release outstanding demonstrations of the miraculous — healings, signs and wonders — reveals the very heart of the Father toward us! Surviving a dramatic abortion attempt by his mother, being rescued again by the hand of God from drug dealing and suicide, the story of Bobby Conner is a display of a man who now walks in his God-ordained destiny to set others free! Out of his deep intimacy with Jesus Christ, Bobby is super-sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is now doing throughout the world! The Father-heart of God, expressed so beautifully through Bobby and his wife, Carolyn, lastingly transforms lives in every service.

“Bobby has an extensive ministry background as a Southern Baptist pastor and he ministers in a high level, proven prophetic anointing. He believes his calling is to equip the Body of Christ to hear and discern God’s voice in these times. He is well-loved and best known the world over for his sensitivity to and leading of the Holy Spirit. Highly esteemed as an internationally acclaimed conference speaker, Bobby has ministered effectively to over 45 foreign countries as well here in the states for many years.”

So, my dear reader, be blessed with this presentation. Your comments below are most welcome…

‘Outside the box’ and at the ‘cutting edge’!

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Cream TeaCream tea – so scrumptious and yummy I wish we could all gather around and grin as we share it and catch up with what happened Wednesday. First thing, I went for morning coffee with a friend from our prayer ministry days. We had not had chance to meet until now.

Before meeting ‘Alan’ however, a local mutual friend, ‘Brenda’, had contacted me with  reservations over Tuesday’s post in view of her work with those suffering depression, as well as dementia. Quite rightly, her objection was that the writer’s list mixed up the sin itself, (eg. selfish or violent behaviour, idolatry and rebellion) with the result of that sin (eg. depression, fearfulness etc).  Consequently, the message lost its impact and was tactless as the latter results can also arise from medical causes and conditions. Hence, my withdrawal of that reposting.

In view of this, it was fascinating how Wednesday morning and afternoon unfolded! With Alan, we discussed how we’d become Christians and, after having seen Nina bring a resurrection message at Brenda’s breakfast group last week, it was hard for him to think of her as having been registered permanently disabled!  (Read her account here.)

But I was more amazed to learn what had happened to Alan many years ago when a virus affected his brain stem.  It caused significant cerebral and neural damage that has left some minor tell-tale signs.  Although one would hope for, even expect, the Lord to heal fully, my friend can testify to how often Jesus has over-ridden those handicaps on occasions. (Likewise with Nina, twice whilst confined to a wheelchair and when praying for the sick whilst in the high dependency unit!)  For Alan, it meant he’s usually unable to take the lead role in ministry, except for the times when the Lord ‘overshadowed’ and directed him. Also, he alluded to times when the condition brings an understanding beyond the ‘mental frame’ of one’s brainbox!

As we and our wives are trained in the nuances of prayer ministry, we recognise it can, however, limit us to working within a prescribed discipline or procedure. And, of course, our own medical situations enable us to empathise and minister to those who are facing situations we’ve overcome or been brought through by the Lord. All this suggests a rich, fruitful field for further discussions.

Then in the afternoon’s house group meeting, Nina asked about our minister’s previous reference to healing one’s DNA. Lindi explained this as a personal revelation from Holy Spirit that enables us to perceive the DNA’s coding and how it’s been affected by our personal and generational history: ie. our inherited physical and spiritual well-being. As this is intimately connected to our individual creation then it also needs to be brought to our heavenly Father to be dealt with before His throne: to which Christians have right of access through the Blood of Jesus Christ.  Our minister gave an example of how this unusual methodology can work in practice.

Hopefully, both person’s accounts are an indication of ‘cutting edge’ insights coming to the wider church that may eventually help those suffering under the medical effects of issues. As Brenda maintains, it’s essential to keep Jesus Christ in the centre and our eyes on Him because such ministry and healing come under His authority and power.

Nathan Morris returns to Hull – June

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

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

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

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Healing On The Streets in Bath – 2012 Report

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

HOTS_Bath_Logo_2_thumb.jpg

LOOKING BACK OVER 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Team Member’s Journey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LOOKING AHEAD INTO 2013!

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

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

HOTS Bath is a Reg. Charity No. 1133098

Footnotes by RB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

courtesy Supranatural Life Fbook

 

Back to school / college / uni – part 2

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The Why and Wherefore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Update 1 of 3 – on healing

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Readers interested in healing and miracles may wish to know that I’ve updated the header page God Heals Today! with details on the following items:

  • encouragement from ‘Journey of Hope’,  a deep story of bereavement by a fellow reader from north east India, between Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma).
  • the latest blog from Australia on ‘Miracles, evidence and scepticism’. (This is also a good place from which to start considering the question of divine healing. Its site Is There a God? is very helpful for those investigating the big questions of life.)

To read in full please click here and look under ‘NEW’ and ‘UPDATE’. I trust you will be blessed…

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

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

Acceleration in Kingdom activity: part 2

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COPY of pre-blog email (as in ‘About’):

Further to 8 October, we were blessed to watch the live service I flagged up a couple of weeks ago and hear Nathan Morris reporting about a move of the Holy Spirit in the North East of England.

[Reminder: After a brief UK  tour, evangelist Nathan Morris of Shake the Nations visited Alabama for a camp  meeting in July 2010 en-route to Hawaii. Suddenly, the tangible Presence of the Lord God came into their service, heavily affecting Nathan. The host, pastor John Kilpatrick recognised this as the same as happened for him in Pensacola in 1995. Thus commenced the Bay of The Holy Spirit Revival. Nathan therefore stayed until his US visa needed renewing around May 2011. They were praying this renewal would be quick, which at 5 months is much shorter than the average of 18 months – thank you Lord!]

On his return to Mobile on 9 Oct Nathan spoke of the deep hunger in the nations for the glory of God, as evident during his visit to Finland where many came from across Scandinavia (even from Australia!), to Jerusalem – and within UK.

Away from USA he learned of the immense international impact of the Bay Revival – eg. miraculous healings from HIV-aids, whole Muslim families giving their lives to Jesus, pastors reporting holy fire falling in churches. He wept over many who’re so desperate because of deep darkness to get to the Bay but are unable to afford travel.

Upon Nathan’s return to UK, the power of God was felt from the outset of visiting New Life Church, Hull. Later, so many had been healed there was a 5 hr queue for Sunday afternoon’s service, which ran into the next day! It was harder to get in that evening because, upon entry, everyone got ‘zapped’ by Holy Spirit: “It was like a battlefield” – wow, the Living Lord God was in charge! Leader Jarrod Cooper reported, “I came into my office Monday morning and all my staff were laid out on the floor for hours!” (That is, they were under the weight of God’s glory in the church premises.)

In Newcastle, pastor Ken Gott’s 8yrs old grand-daughter was wonderfully healed. Born with malformed hip joints that turned both legs 90 degrees from normal, the only medical remedy was to break them at the hip and thereby turn and pin the hip around (12 month recovery).

Nathan went on, “In the service, she said ‘Mummy I feel a wind blowing around me – my legs are burning!’ Then she sat down cross-legged, which she’d never been able to do (for which her school had put her with disabled children). Her father, a doctor, declared he didn’t know how God did that but He had to turn her leg joints around!” Is it any wonder Nathan gets so excited? Wouldn’t you?

On-line in Mobile, Alabama, Nathan admonished,
“When you ask for revival fire of God, get ready! – (because) He comes to purify our hearts, to purify His Church!”
(Through words of knowledge Nathan has even warned pastors to get right with God because of sexual sin! They didn’t and the next day it splashed across news headlines!)

IMHO that whole service is well-worth following, especially to hear Pastor Kilpatrick’s instruction on how blessing the congregation greatly multiplies their regular offerings. Run the video and as grey buffering bar progresses click on it to advance to 1hr 15 for  the start of Nathan’s stirring report, followed by his message…

Why is Nathan so loud and excited? He explained, “It’s the Fire inside my belly”! (Probably that’s also why he gets so hot!)