Tag Archives: #Theology

Brussels bursts the balloon of theological speculation!

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Do this week’s dreadful events in Brussels expose theological errors on the rise of the Antichrist? In my opinion, yes.

eu-and-is

The flags of the EU and of ISIS, courtesy The Four Signposts

As there’s neither time or opportunity to expand upon this claim in depth let me stir your thoughts on a few points.

Students of Bible prophecy know theologians have long-held to the idea that scripture, especially the Books of Daniel and The Apocalypse, foretells the revival of the defunct, ancient Roman Empire. Consequently, the post-WWII Treaty of Rome and creation of the European Union was seen by most modern theologians and teachers on prophecy as the re-birth of that empire, from which the Antichrist would emerge as a world leader. The prophetic corpus explains all the disastrous consequences that would attend such a scenario as a result of a leader’s assumption of totalitarian power and subsequent attacks upon Jews and the state of Israel.

However, since the turn of the Century an increasing number of scholars have posited a different explanation of prophecy; one more in keeping with the geopolitical realities about which it foretells. Namely, Israel and its Middle-Eastern milieu. That is, the nature of Islam makes it, or a part of it, rather than the EU the source of the person to fulfill that prophesied role.

Invisible HandPreviously I’ve noted the author of the book that started my journey, The Invisible Hand, drew attention to the modern ascendancy of Islam, although he followed others’ assumptions about the roles of Europe and of Russia. Even so, as shown in US Presidents’ Actions Relate to Daniel’s Visions, Victor Dunstan’s world scenario drawn in mid-1980s closes: ‘The personification of the Beast will take control of the revived Islamic Empire’!

In fact, this week’s attacks upon Brussels, where the EU’s head is located, symbolise a spiritual conflict and contest between those two candidates for Antichrist!! And this precludes any consideration of the exceptional vulnerability brought about by European defiance of scripture in its anti-Israel policies, as considered earlier in this blog, and the latest illegality of which the Daily Mail published recently.

daniel-revisited-cover-smallAuthor of Daniel Revisited, Mark Davidson considers this theological question and briefly explains in The Attacks in Brussels and Paris, and Rome vs. Islam why Europe can no longer be considered as the source of the infamous biblical personage:

‘If Europe was truly the future power base of the Antichrist, wouldn’t it at least have some vestige of outrage calling for a military confrontation? Why aren’t the Germans, French, Belgians, Dutch and Brits calling for forming a 200,000-man army and smashing the teeth in of Islamic State, the source du jour of Islamic jihadists, um, I mean, terrorists? It’s because Europe is simply not the future power base of the Antichrist. Islam is.

‘The future power base of the Antichrist is the one doing the bombing. And it just occurred to me that these attacks – claimed by IS – are yet another data point showing in reality what is really happening right before our eyes. If you knew nothing of Bible prophecy, which political sphere of influence might have the culture and attitude to support the Antichrist’s ambitions? The Continent tired of war, or the Realm that is in places acting like a wild beast wanting to rip into its victims?’ (Read the full article by clicking above title.)

A Muslim Perspective

Now consider the secular opinion of the Muslim and Pakistan-born author, columnist and broadcaster and a founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress – Tarek Fatah. His article Brussels: Another Wake-up Call in Toronto Sun opens:

‘Another day, another city, yet the script that started unfolding in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998 and that shocked the world on 9/11 in New York is the same — jihadi killers let loose on unsuspecting “infidels”. On Tuesday, Belgium’s capital of Brussels fell in line with London, Madrid, and Paris as Western capitals brought to their knees by jihadi terrorists seeking the annihilation of Western civilization.

‘If the actions committed by the soldiers of international jihad were predictable, the reaction of Western leaders was also familiar to ordinary, anxious citizens of North America and Europe – cowardice wrapped in political correctness…(Emphasis added)

‘As anger at the inability of Western countries to fight the spread of jihadi Islamism grows, the reaction of their leaders has numbed into cliché-ridden rhetoric…When (leaders) of the free world (are) careful not to name the entity that attacks the U.S. and its allies, how can we expect to defeat this evil cancer that keeps spreading?

‘Imagine President Franklin D. Roosevelt not naming the Nazi regime of Germany as the enemy Americans (and British Commonwealth) fought and laid down their lives to fight against in the Second World War.’

In closing let me quote Archbishop Justin Welby:

“In the great Holy Week of Christian prayer and mercy, the Brussels attacks shock all those who seek peace and justice through the terrible cruelty and utter separation from all that is of God. Once again we see the contrast between the vain efforts to terrify through indiscriminate murder, and the call of God to be those who show mercy, who seek peace and pursue it. Let us at every service this week pray for those caught up in the traumatic events at the airport and in the City of Brussels.”

Let us pray also for all our political leaders and ministers to repent of repudiating Christ and that all resolve to uphold and follow rather than negate and ridicule Gospel truths – amen.

UPDATE 4/4/16

“I will make you (Abram and descendants through Isaac) a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you”… (Gen 12:2-3 NKJV)

For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations is near: as you have done (to Israel), it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head (Obadiah 1:15 NKJV)

Soeren Kern, Why Belgium is Ground-Zero for European Jihadis:

The terrorist attacks on the airport and metro in Brussels are casting a spotlight, once again, on Belgium’s ignominious role as a European haven for jihadists. Several distinct but interconnected factors help explain why Brussels, the political capital of Europe, has emerged as the jihadist capital of Europe…

American intelligence official: “When we have to contact these people [European officials] or send our guys over to talk to them, we’re essentially talking with people who are… children. These are not pro-active, they don’t know what’s going on. They’re in such denial. It’s such a frightening thing to admit their country is being taken over.”

Caroline Glick, The Consequences of Anti-Zionism:

…In the aftermath of the ISIS attacks in Brussels, will Europeans demand to know why European resources are being used to fund espionage against the IDF on the one hand, and Palestinian security services that commit murder and support jihad on the other?

Just as Ad Kan’s revelations indicate that law breaking, while not intrinsic to the operations of anti-Zionist, EU-funded Israeli groups, so it would seem that while not intrinsic to anti-Zionist foreign policies, governments that are hostile to Israel tend to have incoherent and incompetent policies for  contending with the threat of jihad.

This of course, is eminently predictable. After all, if you believe that Israel is the cause of the pathologies of the Islamic world, then you will likely be blind to the nature of the jihadist threat and the danger it poses to your nation.

Following the ISIS strikes in Brussels, both Israeli and American security experts spoke bitterly of the ineptitude of Belgian security services. It is not that the forces themselves are incompetent. Rather, the experts said, their political leadership refuses to allow them to take the actions necessary to protect their country.

The Belgians, like their European brethren generally, refuse to deal with jihad. Instead of acknowledging and dealing forthrightly with the phenomenon, they seek every possible excuse to ignore it.

According to senior government officials, the Belgians are among the most vociferous foes of Israel in the EU. Europe’s obsessive castigation of Israel is a central aspect of their jihad avoidance strategy. If Israel is to blame for everything, then they can save themselves by pouring billions of euros on the PA and by funding Israeli anti-Zionist subversives.

This position is of course irrational and by clinging to it, the Europeans have enabled the jihadist forces arrayed against them to gather and grow…

(Emphases added)

Read also ‘ne-plus ultra’ journalist Glick on the EU’s illegal trade war on Israel.

 

Catholics speaking in tongues! The Spirit-filled movement of the 1960s

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This informative post by RJ Dawson homed in on me upon its receipt because: 1) I too was raised Catholic and decided not to stay so in my teens. 2) Decades years later I was baptised in the Spirit at a meeting on healing convened by a group of Charismatic Catholics, Baptists and independents – it was so awesome and its effects lasted 50 days! 3) The date of that movement connects into details of a prophetic word for 2016 that I’ll be blogging about next…

What is the “Gospel of the Kingdom”?

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Since posting a couple of items on orthodox Judaism’s reconciliation with Christianity (here and here) – as well as on Time – I revisited Romans 9-11 (which continues in 12:1 ‘Therefore…’ ) to prepare a follow-up. So this weekend I was mulling over the disciples’ prayer, “Our Father…Your Kingdom, let it come” and their wanting Jesus to tell them when that would happen (Acts 1:6). This morning ‘God-incidence’ arranged an email about Nelson Walters’ incisive new post on these matters (note interesting discussion thread too):

Credit: The Gospel In The End Times

Credit: The Gospel In The End Times

‘During Jesus’s earthly ministry we are told he came preaching the “gospel of the Kingdom.” How is this Gospel of the Kingdom different from what we all have come to know as the “Gospel?”

One of our regular readers asked me to comment on this topic, and I think….Continue reading > What is the “Gospel of the Kingdom?” →

What’s the difference between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology & Biblical eschatology? And why does it matter?

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VITAL information for everybody, no matter their faith or none…

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Harvest-Joel-preaching3NOTE: I am so grateful to God that four Iranian-Americans were released from prison in Iranover the weekend, including a Washington Post reporter and an Evangelical pastor. Click hereto read more about how God was using Pastor Saeed Abedini to preach the Gospel inside the worst prisons of Iran.

(Riverside, California) — Yesterday here in Southern California, I did a Q&A session and delivered a sermon on the differences between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology (End Times theology) and Biblical eschatology.

I explained why this topic matters, and why it’s particularly important right now.

This was the first of a series of messages I will be delivering as part of our month-long book tour for The First Hostage,and I’m very grateful to my friend, Pastor Greg Laurie, for inviting me. My intention is to post notes and the video or audio of each message along the way. I hope you find them…

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Many notice acceleration in eschatological events

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Not many people know this, introduced the first readers of this blog to the excitement of eschatology. Here’s what I wrote in November 2011:

‘As you may have gathered from my Welcome, I’m into eschatology – the theological study of the destiny and judgement of nations and all people, even angels!  You may know it as ‘The Last Days’ or, more popularly, as ‘End-times’. The origin of this term is in the ancient Hebrew Torah’s description: Acharit Hayamin, ie. ‘Last of the Years’.

‘Let me take you for a very brief visit into one of my favourite classes where Dr Chuck Missler asks his students, ‘”Why Eschatology?‘

“It is very practical”, he answers himself and explains:

“Apparently, we’re being plunged into a period of time about which the Holy Bible says more than any other period – including the time when Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee!

“Now that’s a preposterous statement – and I challenge you to challenge my statement! To do so you need to do two things:

1  Find out what the Bible itself says about this and – this is a bit harder,

2  Find out what’s really going on – but you won’t get that on the ten o’clock news!

“Fortunately, thanks to the internet, the alternative press and to talk-radio you can do some homework and find out what really is going on. The more you do those two things the more you’ll understand why many scholars are extremely excited about the horizon we’re moving into – because it all deals with the return of Christ to rule earth.

“It really is remarkable how controversial this topic is, but there are:

  • over 1800 references in the Old Testament to this event – 17 Old Testament books give prominence to the event.
  • over 300 references in the New Testament – 216 chapters in 23 of its 27 books give prominence to this primary issue: the return of Jesus to rule on earth.

“You may not believe what the Bible says, but what’s utterly astonishing is that so very many claim to believe in Jesus yet have no grasp of the idea Christ is to literally return and rule!”

‘I respect Chuck for frequently stressing that we shouldn’t take what he says as ‘Gospel’ but always do a ‘Berean check’ per Acts 17:11; that is, to search the scriptures to find out whether or not his ideas line up with them. Also, I admire his public apology for admitting that, having long taught about an anticipated Middle Eastern war from a certain scriptural stance, he’s gained a better understanding from other passages. So Chuck explained why he’d changed his mind.  For more information visit his website at Koinonia House.

‘What are we to do when mainstream news doesn’t help?  To find out, click here…‘

Update:

In a later repeat of this post I noted these few examples from many developments:

Around the date the second anniversary in 2013 a few events took place in connection with Iran about which I posted a brief trilogy, beginning with A weird mix-up resurrects this blog’s ‘Welcome‘.

Yet another two years pass and we see a peculiar kind of repetition that I will write about shortly.

So, within the past four years there has been an increasing number of eschatalogically-related events across the Middle-East that have been noticed by an ever increasing audience. Furthermore, we’ve seen a rapid acceleration in the number and frequency of such events.

A Prophetic Week of 20-plus Unprecedented Events

This weekend in Koenig’s Eye View from the White House (subscription only) William Koenig remarks under the above heading as having seen and posted a year’s worth of news in one-week! That happens once or twice a year but, says he, he’s never observed a week with so many biblically significant events happening within just five days.

He thinks these will play off each other and become even more significant, and cites Monday and Tuesday as a “breathtaking, prophetically significant 48 hours with Iran, Russia, Turkey, Syria, the United States, the EU, France, the UK, Germany, NATO, Israel and the Palestinians in the news.  The final day nations are taking their positions rapidly” (emphasis mine).

William proceeds to list over 30 eschatalogical matters appearing in last week’s headlines, of which my readers may be well aware

SO keep looking upwards as the hour of our redemption draws closer…

Do you, too, sense a ‘quickening’?  See next post >>

A prophetic evening with John Kilpatrick, Friday 28th August

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Sept2Remember-AUG28

Watch Revd John Kilpatrick live this Friday evening as he presents a topical message, Could this be a September to remember? at 7pm Central Daylight Time, USA.

Click that title for a link to Church of His Presence home page where you’ll see at the top of screen a countdown indicator for ‘Next Service’. This changes to ‘LIVE NOW’ and becomes your direct link to live streaming.

NB: UK VIEWERS – 7pm CDT on Friday is our 1am Saturday morning (BST). Check for global time differences using Time Zone Map.

I’m informed the service will be archived and available in ‘View Latest Messages’ on home page, or use this link to Recent Messages on their media page.

In introducing his message ‘Wanted: Handwriting Expert’ at last Sunday’s service John said that, on his return from a trip the day before, he went to his study and read chapter 5 of the book of Daniel and,

“Just as I was reading about ‘the handwriting on the wall’… as I was reading that scripture, rabbi Jonathan Cahn called me. My eyes were on that scripture where the finger wrote on the wall, and I said, “Rabbi – you won’t believe what I’m reading!” He said, “John, you won’t believe what I’m going to tell you…”.

As the expected ‘shaking’ has already started, next month may see its amplification as a prophetic, historic event. So, the evening promises to be most interesting.

May you be greatly blessed…

‘God-incidents’ validate cycles and point to the near future – 2

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A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Courtesy Digitalart at Freedigitalphotos.netTo continue from part 1 on the significance of 40 and 55 years periods and how the latter had cropped up in a video on a Wednesday, followed by an insight into it on the Thursday…

Next came an astounding surprise on the Friday – making a triplet of consecutive ‘coincidences’, again!

An extraordinary confirmation

I was completely unaware on Thursday 26th March that a Richard Barker – my namesake – had emailed me. However, in the busy-ness of getting a blog published that afternoon I’d not checked incoming mail. Unusually for our regular long weekends off-line, I was ‘nudged’ to check my email on the Friday.

I was amazed to find one not only from someone with my name, but also because what he wrote covered the very subject matter I’d heard on the Wednesday evening – ie., Dr O’s brief remark about the early Church’s rejection of its Jewish roots. This was on the evening before Richard emailed me!

We’re both writers, retired Civil Servants and our journeys in Jesus have a common factor which has taken us along different paths, which have now crossed.  Taking the decisive step in 1970 to follow Jesus, Richard joined the evangelical Reformed Church. After studying the early Church Fathers, however, he became convinced the Reformers were mistaken and was received into the Catholic Church 15 years ago.

My journey went from Catholicism of my childhood to the ‘New Age’ when a young man and engaged in occultism until Jesus rescued and ‘saved’ me in 1989. Then, to provide a solid Biblical grounding, He put me in a ‘Free’ Baptist church and a few years later I was baptised in the Holy Spirit. Subsequently, I received training and practised prayer counselling and deliverance ministry, and after moving and marrying entered ‘the River’  that honours the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements, as well as the prophetic.

So, I appreciate the other Richard’s Catholic, ex-Calvinist perspective as being highly informative as well as interesting.

Moreover, Richard’s profound encounter with Holy Spirit in July 2013 introduced him to the prophetic and revelatory realm, about which he has been led to write. This brought about a deep interest in Apostle Paul and he ‘stumbled upon’ my blog in doing a search on his own name and his e-book centred on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians – and which he’d published that very day!

[It’s noteworthy that another writer blogged that same month about an exciting trend of the Spirit drawing Christians together. Also, a New Era for the church was dawning, as prophesied by many; eg. Keith Powell spoke of “2011 being pivotal” and Bill Johnson upon 1st September being a turning point in the UK – see ‘2011’ in Library.]

So it’s good that Richard can think outside the institutional box, and especially in being blessed by Holy Spirit’s direct revelation – and is being faithful to what he’s received.

My namesake has kindly allowed me to quote his email about a prophecy he believes the Holy Spirit gave him,

“…the main thrust (of which) concerns the re-unification of the churches and also the reconciliation of our Jewish Fathers of the Faith with their Gentile children (us) whom according to Paul have been incorporated into the Kingdom ahead of them to “provoke them to jealousy”  (Rom 11:11). That reconciliation I believe will be achieved when the churches (not least Rome) acknowledge misunderstandings concerning the promises to the Jews in the Old Testament (pertaining to “the fellowship of the secret” (Eph 3:9-11 Greek) which I am clear nobody has really understood including myself until my encounter with the Spirit.”

On the last point and in view of his background, Richard has probably realised that the Replacement Theology taught since the early Church is widely recognised as an error. Nevertheless, as he states, a higher revelation beyond most theological understanding could be emerging.

The concept of inter-denomination reconciliation/re-unification to which Holy Spirit has led Richard reminds me of the words Heidi Baker brought last October on a new move of God within the UK, for which this brief extract cannot do justice:

Heidi at CTF Wembley“There’s going to be a movement of unity in the UK that’s going to shake the world, says the Lord. I hear the prophetic word of the Lord. It’s going to flow through the universities and the colleges of the universities. It’s going to flow through denomination and the non-denominations. There’s going to be a move of unity within the Body of Christ.

“… There’s going to be something that the people of other faiths are going to see in this nation, as believers come together in radical love.

“… There’s going to be another historical move of God…

“…And there’s something specific happening as you start just lining up in this unity. There’s going to be a unity beyond anything the UK’s ever seen. It’s like there’s something, I feel like you’re going to become like these radical lovers of God that’s going to cross all denominations, all the barriers.” (Emphases reflect emphasis in Heidi’s voice.)

The ‘Mysteries’

Richard and I share an appreciation of the Kingdom ‘mysteries’, or secrets, as in Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. About the time of blogging An insight into the supra-natural I searched out all NT references on ‘mysteries’ in my study Bible, highlighted and mulled over them – including Jesus’ comment to His disciples,

“To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside all things come in parables….” (Mark 4:11 NKJV)

I particularly note Apostle Paul’s quiet sojourn in Arabia where he must have deepened his relationship with the living Lord thereby beginning a life of revelations on “The Way” of Christ. There’s frequent reference throughout his letters to his personal insights.

I look forward to reading Richard’s prophetical-cum-theological ‘take’ in his e-book The Fellowship of The Secret. He describes it as identifying, “the key that unlocks an age-enduring  mystery surrounding the apparent disconnection between OT prophecy and the out-working of the Church/Gospel age.” 

This claim, however, is not so new or surprising to those who study prophetic scripture outside the confines of the Catholic or Reformed churches, especially in view of the latter’s wide consensus on the cessation of Holy Spirit’s activity after the 1st Century.

In the overview of his e-book (as above link), Richard focuses upon Paul’s statement in Ephesians 3:8-11 about his personal revelations. I especially appreciate this conclusion regarding the mutual failure in Jews and early Christians to understand one another:

“…Christendom’s part pertains to a failure to grasp the “the fellowship of the secret” – its implications to broader providence and God’s as yet unfulfilled terrestrial promises to the nation He first chose for Himself.”

Dipping into the extracts Richard makes available online, I like his hammering home on what the Church has lost and missed, and especially note the following from the first chapter ‘The Hidden Dispensation’ of ‘The Fellowship of the Secret’:

“The New Testament “elephant in the room”: the biblically unexplained and largely undebated non-fulfilment (or subversion) of scriptural prophecy regarding the terrestrial and political aspects of the Jewish apocalypse pertains to a secret disclosure, revealed to and through Paul of which I was previously unaware but now realise is the key to understanding Old Testament prophecy…”

Preceding that section Richard’s remarks are of direct relevance to recent posts on this blog about keys to and unsealing of the Book of Daniel, with emphasis added:

“In the religious sphere an on-going learning curve has been guaranteed through the intentionally cryptic profundity of Holy Scripture that was never intended to be entirely unravelled until the end of the age, for it contains at least one significant mystery (or secret) that was not to be disclosed until such a time (Dan 12:1-4 & 7; Rev 10:4,7)…”

I suspect that those who love to sink their teeth into a theological treatise topped by a prophetic icing will gain by reading my namesake’s e-book – especially in broadening  our own understanding of End-times. I certainly will.

For details on Richard’s blog click > The Fellowship of the Secret. (updated 20.4.16)

Summary

Reflecting on all this I notice the trio of ‘coincidental’ and thereby significant events, took place over 3 successive days, making an excellent example of ‘God-incidence’. That is, one that confirms and validates what I’d heard and recalled, as shared above.

All this suggests the Lord’s invisible hand is distributing keys to a complex network that connects Biblical and private prophecies and events to interweave them with historical cycles, as well as with personal destinies – wheels within wheels.

Next, we consider a 70-years period and how it points to 2017, as well as confirmatory teachings Charlie Shamp brought at the Passover-Easter conference; eg., on Daniel, the Age to Come, Blood Moons, the Temple and the Old Testament power behind Islam; taking us full circle and up another level – what else!

To be continued

Images credit:

Freedigitaliphotos.net kindly supplied the following courtesy of
  • Digitalart, ‘Burning  Heart’.

The Keys of the Kingdom – true confessions at the Gates of Hell

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Good post Jo. I’d add gates were a ‘power-base’ of government, legislation, and business. So even satan’s governors aren’t able to overcome Jesus’ assembly, or true holy synagogue/ekklesia. (Useful reference http://www.gotquestions.org/city-gate.html)

Jo-Blogs's avatarThe Kingdom

Key to the KingdomI found a key with ‘J’ on it in my sleeveless vest pocket.  I don’t remember acquiring it.  It must have been after I helped set up the sound equipment for my church, but I can’t find the owner of the key.  It’s funny because my initial is ‘J’ and I’d been reading in the Bible about the Keys of the Kingdom.

Where do these keys fit and what doors do they unlock?  What did Jesus mean when he said He would give the keys to Peter, the apostle who declared he was the Messiah?  The promise of authority came with a question; “Who do you say I AM?”  Jesus asked.  Simon Peter answered “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my…

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Eat This Bread, Live For Ever

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food-23453_640Fascinating ideas here marry science to the concept of ‘trans-substantiation’ (bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood). They lead to the inescapable conclusion that in absorbing Jesus’ DNA we receive not only Father’s DNA but also His mother’s DNA – a Jewish virgin! (Thus taking Romans 11 to a deeper level.) Therefore, anti-Semitism should have absolutely no place within those in Christ! Thank you Mike. Interesting comments too…

Freedom ARC's avatarSons of Issachar

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown (surround) him with glory and majesty!
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
(Psalm 8:4-6).

It has always been God’s intention to have a people who would rule over the planet – and the universe – on His behalf. Man was to begin with the garden God made for him, and then go on to fill the rest of creation with the image and likeness of God. What was in heaven would be manifested on earth, and we would bring that rule of heaven to earth through our lives. We are made in the image of God, and are to be…

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Follow-up: Stephen Sizer “temporarily unavailable”!

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It’s highly significant this ecclesiastical censure follows upon the heels of Justin Welby’s opposition to anti-Semitism, as in my previous post.

cmewonline's avatarChristian Middle East Watch

sizerSo says the website of Rev Stephen Sizer, whose bishop states that his “strong but undisciplined commitment to an anti-zionist agenda has become a liability to his own ministry and that of the wider church.” His sins have led finally to him being severely disciplined by his own church.

Rev Sizer has been in hot water several times with his ecclesiastical bosses over ill-advised social media posts about Israel and the Palestinians. He has always protested his innocence of any intention to offend Jews and claims to like Israel (see previous article in The Commentator).

He has, however, repeatedly attended and spoken at conferences and meetings where antisemitism is the order of the day and the state of Israel is denigrated and demonised with aggressive rhetoric seldom backed up by solid facts.

His most recent “slip” was to post a link to a blatantly anti-Israel conspiracy theory article blaming Israel…

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Be careful what you link to!

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Readers’ attention is drawn to Nick Gray’s reasons for this warning. Anyone impartial soon becomes suspicious of ‘Revd’ Sizer’s stance because of his extremist associates. His oft’ feigning innocence is dubious, if not disingenuous, as may be inferred from blogger Cranmer’s dossier over the period since I covered the 2011 TV debate with Clive Calver on replacement theology (see also). Here, Nick Gray graciously considers the latest misdemeanour and investigative Daphne Anson’s attached comments from ‘down under’ are illuminating. UPDATE 9/2: Sizer banned from using social media. See also Archbishop Welby speaks out against anti-Semitism.

cmewonline's avatarChristian Middle East Watch

Sizer Rev Stephen Sizer speaking at a Palestine Solidarity Campaign meeting

Click to go to antisemitism sectionThe pleasant and rather up-market town of Virginia Water in South-West London must have wondered what was going on this week as it was invaded by live-broadcast satellite TV vans and their accompanying film crews and reporters.

As random worthy citizens of Virginia Water were interviewed it came to light that it was their vicar, Rev Dr Stephen Sizer, who had brought this invasion upon them.

Stephen Sizer is an evangelical clergyman of long standing, who besides pastoring his congregation somehow manages to cause dismay and concern over speeches, writings and Facebook posts concerning Israel. In fact it would not take too deep a reading of his material to encourage one to label him as firmly anti-Israel in both his politics and theology.

Sizer repeatedly claims that he cares “…passionately about the safety of the Jewish people and the right of…

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On unsealing Daniel’s prophetic visions

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Detail from Eagle-eyed by John Mark Long: www.propheticartists.comThe ‘sealed up’ prophecies within the Book of Daniel are coming under increasing scrutiny. This blog has relayed news of a couple of nuggets dropped into our hands, and we’ll consider a third in this post.

The first nugget from Freedom ARC serves as a useful introduction to the ‘sealed up’ words. It also grounds us in the vital centrality of Jesus Christ and letting Him remove every obstacle so we’re prepared for new things God is about to reveal and do.

Next, we considered the historical details of how the prophet Daniel’s visions remained sealed and their relevance to current and likely events, as in the ‘Four Signposts’ theory of Mark Davidson.

Now, let’s dig deeper into those scriptures with Nelson Walters’ introductory thoughts from Why Is No One Talking?. His insights warrant re-posting in full:

bibleseal

THE UNSEALING OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL

“In my opinion the root cause of most of the arguments in the church about end times stems from a little realized fact: God has prevented us from understanding the book of Daniel in the Old Testament where most of our end-time prophecies originate. If you read Daniel, it won’t be obvious. It appears to be like any other book of the Bible.

“The story of the Daniel in the lion’s den and all the other words Daniel wrote are exactly the same as they were nearly 2,500 years ago in ancient Babylon. But God has supernaturally placed a “clay seal” with his holy imprint on them and kept their full meaning secret until the “time of the end.”

But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4 NRSV)

As for you, seal up the vision. (Dan. 8:26 NRSV)

He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:9 NRSV)

“I realize this may seem a bit strange. It has always been strange.

“Although we should have known better, throughout the ages Christian expositors have ignored the sealing of Daniel and guessed at its meaning. This is where the problem started. Many of these men were intelligent and led by the Holy Spirit. Although they were able to rightly interpret most of the Bible, their guesses based on sealed scripture were completely off track. God limited their understanding and this has caused division and argument throughout the entire church era. I would dare to say that the biggest reason why the modern church avoids preaching on the end times is this division caused by the sealing of Daniel.

“If that is true, why did God do this? I don’t know. I have suspicions but they are only my opinions. My first guess is we didn’t need to know until now. People who would not live to see the end times had no need of unsealed verses. For 2,500 years these prophecies have been a moot point. Winning souls for the kingdom is what mattered to John Wesley or D. L. Moody. They obviously died prior to the end times and their God-given call had no need of the sealed prophecies.

“Secondly, in my opinion, God sealed the prophecy of future events so that we would walk by faith.  “Without faith it is impossible to please him”  (Heb. 11:6 NASB).  If we know every detail of every step along God’s Roadmap we will be walking by sight not faith.  In the next post EAT THIS SCROLL! we will learn there are seven seals on the Book of Daniel.  God will break the seals sequentially allowing us only the information we need to take our next step of faith.  God repeatedly commands us to keep watch during the end times.  Without these seals on Daniel we would not be required to be watchful.  We would understand God’s entire plan.

“My final opinion on this topic is that God sealed Daniel so the wise could know what will happen and be saved, and the foolish would not know and be given over to their unrighteousness.

“The wise among the people shall give understanding to many … None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand” (Dan. 11:33, 12:10 NRSV)

“With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: “You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.” (Matt. 13:14-15 NRSV)

“These verses have the same message as the parable of the ten virgins we saw in “IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GOSPEL.” The foolish virgins have the scriptures; they have their lamps, but without the oil of the Holy Spirit they can’t interpret the sealed scripture. They will be taken by surprise by the events of the end times and caught unaware. The end times will come like a thief in the night and like the virgins, these churchgoers will be unprepared.

“Although these are just my opinions, what is known is Daniel will be unsealed in the time of the end. God will give his church understanding of the sealed verses and prophecies when they have need of them. I believe the time of the end is already upon us.”

Readers who wish to study this in-depth are directed to Nelson’s website The Gospel in the End Times, especially:

  1. Studies from the Book of Daniel and the latest parts:
  2. Did Satan fear this prophecy and try to keep it secret?
  3. Precise Historic Fulfilment of Daniel 11

Learn about an unusual coincidence to this post’s publication in the next post.

Image credits

Four ‘Signposts’ of the Books of Daniel and The Apocalypse

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The prime purpose of this blog is to inform the public and students of Bible prophecy about its relevance to contemporary world events. Recent research prompts a fresh look at long-cherished scholarly assumptions on scripture and history.

daniel-revisited-cover-smallThus, Mark Davidson’s analysis of the Book of Daniel enables us to keep an even more informed watch upon changes taking place in the Middle-East, especially those on the Gog-Magog alliance foretold in the Book of Ezekiel.

On holiday last year I was enthralled to read his latest book, Daniel Revisited, and want to give an overview of its fascinating thesis. Mark’s following summary of his findings will enhance readers’ understanding of the previous post on Roman history and Daniel’s ‘sealed visions’:

The Four Signposts: A Summary

“The Four Signposts are four sets of events which will occur, one after the other, prior to the Tribulation or Rapture. These events are derived from the Biblical prophecies of the four beasts in Daniel 7:1-27, the ram and goat in Daniel 8:1-26, and the four horsemen in Revelation 6:1-8. The fulfillment of these events identified in prophecy, have been, and will continue to be, reported as news stories in the Middle East.

“In my book, Daniel Revisited, I go into detail of why these three prophecies qualify as identifying the Four Signposts. These three prophecies all share three things in common:

  1. They are all applicable to, and will be fulfilled in, modern-day end times just prior to the Tribulation (passages in Daniel 7 and 8 indicate this is so);
  2. They all describe the nations involved in, the actions of these nations, and the societal conditions of the geographical areas involved, during the times just immediately prior to the appearance of Antichrist;
  3. They all describe the same set of events, just from different perspectives.

colorlion“The First Signpost includes the lion with wings that is forced to stand upright and its heart replaced, and the first horseman that rides a white horse. The democratizing of the nation of Iraq and the career of its former leader Saddam Hussein, are the news events that fulfilled these prophecies.

colorbear“The Second Signpost includes the bear that is higher on one side, the ram with two long horns, and the second horseman that rides the red horse. The supreme leader of Iran is the first long horn on the ram; the leadership of Iran’s IRGC is the second horn coming up last and longer.  Iran will invade many countries and cause chaos across much of the Middle East.  They will most likely interrupt the Gulf oil supply and end America’s petrodollar causing economic chaos.

colorleopard“The Third Signpost includes the four-headed leopard, the goat with the one great horn, and the third horseman who rides the black horse. The news events to fulfill this signpost are still completely in our future. It will include a four-nation Sunni confederacy taking back the conquests of Iran, and ending Iran in the form that it currently exists. Due to the probable cut-off of oil, food will be available but will be very expensive. We do see today some events setting up the Third Signpost. In addition to food price hikes we have seen in the last few years, the governments of Turkey, Egypt and Syria are becoming Islamist. This situation is required for fulfillment of the Third Signpost.

colorbeast“Finally, the Fourth Signpost includes the terrible ten-horned beast, the little horn on one of the four horns of the goat, and the fourth horseman who rides the green horse. The news events to fulfill this signpost are even further in our future. It starts at the end of the Third Signpost where the great new nation that covers much of the Middle East fragments into four pieces. The man who is to be Antichrist will arise out of one of these four new nations, take it over, conquer two others, and have the fourth submit to him. The remainder of the Islamic realm then will also submit to him. At this point, a pre-Trib Rapture and the seven-year Tribulation are imminent.

“These Four Signposts are warnings to God’s Church. By watching these Signposts, we may know – as our world goes through each week, month, and year – what season of God’s plan we are in during these end times prior to the Tribulation. These news events will be truly terrible due to their causing economic and mental anguish among the populations of the world due to the cutoff of oil. Islam may be seen as gaining the upper hand and western civilization as being on the decline. But these events, instead of being continual bad news, can be seen instead as fulfillment of detailed and absolute prophecy that must be fulfilled in order for God’s promises to come to fruition.

“Those of us who are His must prepare.  Those on the fence in the churches will have their last chance to repent and follow Christ wholeheartedly.  The unbelievers can be witnessed to and shown that the Bible is the living and breathing word of God and is telling all of us what is playing out right before our eyes.”

[Illustrations courtesy of Mark Davidson.]

Further Reading:

  1. These considerations continue in On unsealing Daniel’s prophetic visions.
  2. Account of God’s hand upon item 1: Incredible timing of ‘unsealing’ and ‘keys’.
  3. For a summary of how the four beasts relate to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse read The ‘Winds of Heaven’ Connect the Horsemen to Daniel 7.
  4. For further material and associated discussions, dig into The Four Signposts.
  5. Nelson Walters blogs on The Gospel in the End-Times for pastors and leaders; see The Purpose of Prophecy – it’s all about the Gospel and saving souls!

Heaven Around Us, Heaven Within Us

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Detail from Eagle-eyed by John Mark LongAn excellent exposition as follow-up on moving into our inheritance. I concur with Mike’s understanding as to how it directly relates to the return of our ‘blessed hope…the glorious appearing of our God and Saviour, Jesus, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own…’ (Titus 2:13-14)

Freedom ARC's avatarSons of Issachar

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

TransfigurationAnd He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light (Matt 17:2).

The Greek word ‘metamorphoó’ (the same root from which we get the English word ‘metamorphosis’), is translated ‘transfigured’ in this passage and ‘transformed’ in Romans 12:2 (‘but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’).

When Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration he was representing mankind. He was showing people what it would be like if they were fully able to reflect God’s glory through their lives. They would literally be shining. As we are fully transformed into the image of Jesus and mature into becoming joint heirs with Him, we will begin to shine as He did when He was transfigured/transformed. Something of God’s glory will be seen in us.

Our inheritance

And as joint heirs, God wants us to have our…

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Occupying Our Inheritance

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Courtesy of James Mark Long, www.propheticartists.comImportant teaching, in my opinion, not least because of its timing on New Year’s Eve but for connecting on 3 personal points: (1) an explanation of ‘revival’ from heavenly aspect; (2) reference to ‘our destiny’, upon which the Lord blessed me with a deep insight on New Year’s Day; (3) its title answers the rebuke I’d read 20 years ago in a book dealing with demonic attack upon the church. One of the ‘hardest words’ its authors encountered was from ‘…someone coming out of Satanism: “The Church is powerless, because they do not live in their inheritance”!’ (See Paws 4 thought: Christian inheritance and the End-times church.)

Freedom ARC's avatarSons of Issachar

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott – 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… (Rom 12: 2).

We are to be transformed so that we will know the will of God for our lives, what our destiny is, ordained by God in eternity past, when we were a spiritual being.

We are all unique; we all have an individual destiny, but for each one of us it is to bring the rule of God into our own particular sphere of influence. God called Adam to subdue the earth and rule over it, to bring heaven to earth, so that earth would be a reflection of heaven. If we don’t know what it is like in heaven, we cannot reflect it here on earth.

The Promised Land

The Promised Land is an illustration of our inheritance, both physical and spiritual.

The “-ites” nations occupied Israel’s inheritance and were…

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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…

The Return of The King – part 2

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This excellent part 2 continues this blog’s theme on The Lion of Judah, as in part 1 and subsequent post, Vision of a Lion.

Jo-Blogs's avatarThe Kingdom

Lion of Judah 1Jesus has a dual aspect to his character.  He’s the Lion of Judah and the Lamb Of God.  So far, the world has only met the Lamb.  Are we ready for the Lion? 

The Lion speaks of triumph and the Lamb speaks of sacrifice.

“Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.” Revelation 5:5-6

His capital city is going to be Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is mentioned 669 times in the Bible.  It is not mentioned in the Koran at all.

Jerusalem was the capital of Judah, whose emblem is a lion.  Jacob’s prophecy over…

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Vision of a lion – the four faces of God

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Lion of Judah roars

To continue Paws 4 Thought on Ffald-y-Brenin about the frightening vision of a lion and as promised at the close of ‘Nuggets’.:

To recap briefly, let me set the scene…

Ffald-y-Brenin

In his blogspot of 2011 David Pike writes about the 1,500 year Christian history of the mountain upon a shoulder of which Ffald-y-Brenin nestles.:

“I find it very interesting that the place God chose as the location for the centre is on the side of Carn Ingli – the Hill of the Angels. It was so named because it was where 6th century Celtic saint Brynach who came from Ireland and settled in this area used regularly to ascend the mountain and spend time there communing with God. The people of the local community he served were clearly aware that his times of fellowship with God were special and supernatural times, and so the place got its name.”

“Roy and Daphne [the centre’s managers] are aware of this connection, and draw inspiration from the way the Celtic saints served their communities out of a deep and personal communion with God in which a regular rhythm of prayer is a key feature.

Chapel credit Ffald-y-Brenin

“In the meanwhile, the level of Holy Spirit activity at Ffald-y-Brenin has increased in the last months, especially after a pastor from Africa visited the centre to come and pray for God’s blessing on his nation. After some time alone in the chapel, he came to see Roy, looking somewhat startled and wide-eyed. He wanted to know for how long there had been a lion in the chapel. 

Beststockpictures images20USU0KH

“A lion had appeared while he was praying, and had stood on the natural rock that is the centre-piece of the chapel, actually part of the mountain on the side of which the centre is built. It had faced in each of the four directions of the points of the compass, and roared in each direction. The man was shaken to his roots! Since then [2011] there has apparently been an intensification and a deepening of the effect of the power of God in Ffald-y-Brenin.”

3smprepareyeway

Reading that whilst blogging upon return home, I noted his closing reference and used it as my closure to my account of the Christian retreat centre:

“There’s a lion’s roar going out of Pembrokeshire right now. I feel it will be heard to the ends of the earth, in all four directions in the coming days.”

In doing so, I noted his reference to ‘all four directions’ also relates to the worship at last month’s ‘Days of Wonder’ gathering in Cardiff.

There, the worship band declared the holy name of the LORD in its original Hebrew and done as practised by the priest in the holy of holies in the Temple. Each consonant of His Name, as revealed to Moses (in King James’ English, “Yehovah” – Exodus 6:3), was declared in turn whilst facing each of the cardinal points of north, east, south and west.

The Four Faces of God

Four Faces bookGod is One, yet Three in One, and reveals Himself in four main aspects, as John Bickersteth & Timothy Pain write in The Four Faces of God (Kingsway Publications, 1992).

The authors explain why God is represented by four creatures, four colours, four offices and four offerings in the Old Testament; why we celebrate Christmas one way when the Bible presents it in four; why there are four different Gospels, each with their traditional emblem.

They explain that, in the Gospels, “Matthew wants his readers to obey the king; Mark hopes his readers will allow His servant to serve them; Luke asks his readers to follow the perfect man; John writes about life, light, love, truth and glory so that his readers will love and believe in God’s glorious, light-bearing, life-bringing Son.”

4Faces p71The grounds for these scriptural concepts were enthusiastically taught by one of the elders at Tilehurst Free Church (Baptist), where I found the Lord had put me after He saved me. When an anti-Christian I’d vowed, “I wouldn’t touch Baptists with a barge pole, ‘cos they’re such Biblical bigots”. But I didn’t know God has a huge sense of humour and, as related in my story, was stunned to find myself at a Billy Graham event in 1989.

A few weeks later I rejected the Gospel but nearly died that night. After being personally rescued by Jesus himself, I decided to attend the church but couldn’t find out what sort they were.  Unbeknown to me they were going through a crisis of whether or not to allow the charismatic gifts. Some went returned to the parent church but the ministers at TFC taught the Bible solidly and learned about and equipped members in using Holy Spirit’s giftings.  So, it was as Smith Wigglesworth had foreseen – the proper balance of Word and Spirit in church. I was in the right place at the right time  Thank you Lord.

I’m not going into the book in any depth, just providing an overview to reinforce my main point. After considering the Gospel writers different emphases upon Jesus’ mission, the authors look at the four-fold Jesus, the four-fold Gospel, four-fold discipleship, four-fold prayer.

4Faces p97Old Testament ‘fore-shadowings’ are considered in-depth, first by means of the names God gave to describe His person, the main ones being:

Yahweh Sabaoth – ‘LORD of Hosts’

El Elyon – ‘God the Most High’

El Shaddai – ‘The Almighty’

El Qodosh – ‘The Holy One of Israel’.

After elaborating upon his mentor’s work, Pain considers Israel’s four-fold Messiah – “your God, your king, My Servant and the man”. Then, as in Isaiah – “Wonderful Counsellor”, “Mighty God”, “Eternal Father” and “Prince of Peace”.

They then consider Ezekiel’s vision of the four living creatures ‘of human form but the sight of them was like the glory of God’! These were later recorded in the revelation that came to Apostle John, but for 2nd and 3rd century theologians, Ezekiel’s vision is ‘the clinching and most important four-fold fore-shadowing of the four Gospels‘.

Those authors, however, don’t refer to what Ian Clayton elaborates upon the faces of God, eg. as in Genesis 17:1

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (KJV)

The original Hebrew of Gen 17:1 reads as follows (emphases added):

And he-is-becoming Abram son-of ninety and nine years and he is appearing Yahweh to Abram and he-is-saying to him, I El Who-Suffices walk-you! to faces-of me and become-you! flawless…

Apparently when the high priest declared the name of Yahweh as the ‘Tetragrammaton’ or four Hebrew consonants – ‘Yod’, ‘Heh’, ‘Vav’, ‘Heh’ – they not only turned towards all four cardinal points and sang out each consonant, but also imagined one of those faces of God in turn being before them.

You cannot imagine the effect of this sound during our worship. No wonder we went heaven bound ‘into orbit’ at that gathering in Cardiff…!!!

According to Ezekiel’s vision, the four living creatures each have faces of a man, lion, eagle and bull. It’s thought they’re like that because, being constantly before Him, they reflect all the Lord’s facial characteristics.

Hence, my amazement at learning about the African pastors’ vision at Ffald-y-Brenin of a lion roaring to each cardinal point.

Discerning the times full image

Later, I will write how the Almighty’s personally descriptive name directly reveals Jesus’ fore-ordained sacrifice on the cross.

A closing thought: the cross of Calvary is also four-directional. like compass points!

Footnotes:

See Vision of Glory Firestorm and Four Faces of God, and Why I’m Writing for information on the personal revelance of the eagle.

In notes accompanying his painting Four Living Creatures, renowned prophetic artist James Nesbit states,

We have had the privilege of being in countless worship gatherings where we have joined with the voices of the four living creatures and twenty-four elders for hours on end…

(To read more click image to enlarge, and here to access James Nesbit gallery)

Four living Creatures description

Top/closing images credit: Discerning the Times – the Return of the King is Near –  ‘African Lion Roaring’ credit: Best stock pictures – ‘Preparing for the Roar’ credit: At The Father’s Feet

The Return of The King – part 1

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So timely, it must surely be of the King! A week ago today I closed the week’s blogging with a promise at the end of ‘Nuggets…’ to write about a connection with a lion vision. The next time I went on-line this excellent post was waiting in my in-tray as a fitting intro’. Be mightily blessed…

Jo-Blogs's avatarThe Kingdom

AragornIn my story the Kingdom, I have imagined the King to be like Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings.  Aragorn is a King but to the Hobbits he is a ranger called Strider, their guide and protector.  If you watched the Return of the King, you saw Strider become who he was born to be; the King of Gondor.

The story reminds me of our own world.  Right now, we’ve got our own nightmare version of Mordor with the eye of Sauron (Horus) glaring at us and enemies pouring out the gates, bent on conquest.

The Church has been holding back the darkness for 2,000 years, but the lights are going out in places.  The tiny nation of Israel is holding the Jihadists back in the Middle East.  They are God’s chosen people and an outpost of freedom, but Christians are persecuted elsewhere.

As I write this ancient churches…

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Plymouth Celebration points to prophetic promises

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Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Contend for the Faith

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. [NKJV per BibleGateway.com – emphases RB]

It’s been too long since the exciting time when Nathan Morris ministered in Hull (report) and our watching the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival nightly. (For brief reports of healing read Video Clips of Testimonies.) The ‘fire in his bones’ makes him a highly charged preacher passionate for Jesus. Whilst the power of the Holy Spirit ministers through him he gets drenched in sweat!

Note my following transcription of his message uses various type founts to try to convey Nathan’s passion and flow whilst speaking.

For those unfamiliar with this British Evangelist and wanting some details, please see ‘Background‘ sub-head in Prophetic word 2012: setting the stage for the End-Times. 

10314656_744176875646502_3406752339798330571_n

Click above photo for Nathan’s Facebook page with photos and comments on the Summer Celebration in Plymouth.

The first evening he taught about landmarks and boundaries of the Christian faith which churches are unwisely moving, thus giving room for the enemy of our souls to advance. The topic for the third and closing evening was fire and anointing. When speaking of God’s power his iPad lost its power, which he took as an indication for preachers to not use well-prepared notes but rely instead on Holy Spirit’s leading and inspiration – which  Nathan certainly did.

Extracts from the middle evening follow below. In my opinion, what Nathan delivered is in harmony with what the Lord is indicating as now necessary for the awakening giant to stand on his feet, as mused about in the last post.:

CONTEND, DON’T PRETEND!

“A couple of weeks ago the Lord gave me the title for tonight, it’s just a simple phrase: CONTEND, DON’T PRETEND….Contend; Don’t Pretend!

“I read to you this verse in Jude (above) where there comes this cry from the heart of God, this cry from the Holy Spirit, that says to a generation: in these last days I’m calling a people that will not lay down and accept the norm but they will contend for the Word of God in their lives.

“They will contend for something greater than themselves. We are living in a generation today that is literally watching the final chapters of the Ages come to pass!  How can you watch the news today and NOT SEE that every word that Jesus Christ spoke is coming to pass. This is IT!

“Church, nations – THIS IS IT! Jesus said in the last days there will be wars and rumours of wars – nation will rise against nation – there will be pestilence and famine in nations around the world – and the love of MANY will grow cold…the LOVE of MANY will grow cold.

“And yet in the darkest of hours – in an hour when many will run with fear, or tremble – the superpowers of this world are ALREADY trembling because they HAVE NO ANSWER.

“Jesus said that the world, the nations, it will be like a woman in labour, there literally will be times when they will CRAVE, they will desire the Coming of the Lord – THIS IS IT!

“What you’re seeing in Israel…what you’re seeing in Russia and in the Ukraine…across Europe. Something is beginning to rise that NO NATION, NO GOVERNMENT, CAN STOP!

“THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAS PROPHESIED WILL BE THE SIGNS –THESE WILL BE THE SIGNS OF THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST…He will stand AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

“I spoke to you last night, Jesus died and rose again. He shed His blood that you might have a hope…you are CHOSEN.

“I CAN’T SAY THAT ENOUGH TO THIS GENERATION, to those who are watching me now that YOU’RE SEARCHING IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES FOR YOUR IDENTITY. Your identity is found in Jesus! He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb. He purposed you, He destined you – He spoke LIFE into your being.

“When you know that you’re Chosen, when you know that God has purpose for your life you realise there’s something that God is doing in your life that is greater than you are – something that’s greater than your own dreams – something that’s greater than a promotion. You know what, I thank God for blessing these people, but I’m TIRED of preachers telling the Body of Christ that a measure of their faith is whether they have a mansion or a Ferrari.

“What really matters is this: Is the life that you’re living COUNTING FOR ETERNITY? Is what you live for, breathe for and you’re willing to die for, going to count for eternity?

“You see what’s happening in this nation and in America right now – I preached to you last night…the hedge, the line of separation (between righteousness and the world) is being removed. MORALITY IS BEING BLURRED. I see across the Body of Christ as I travel around the world THERE’S A CONFUSION because SUDDENLY THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING – even in the Church – that people say,“I DON’T KNOW…I THOUGHT THAT WAS AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD!”

“But there’s this generation that arises and says, “No, that’s ok..You don’t have to give your all…you go to church, you sing songs but you can have your own sinful life-style. Live how you want to live…Jesus loves you!

“Well my friend, THAT’S NOT THE GOSPEL because JESUS GAVE HIS ALL, HE PAID THE PRICE WITH HIS LIFE – He gave His ALL and He DEMANDS NOTHING LESS FROM YOU!

“He said, “If you give ME your LIFE I’ll come and live INSIDE YOU. ALL THAT I AM, I will be IN YOU!”

“There’s a generation today – we need the FIRE OF GOD TO FALL UPON THE UNITED KINGDOM AGAIN – we need THE FEAR OF THE LORD TO RISE IN US AGAIN..!  (Loud cheers across packed auditorium!)

“I talk to young people, I start talking to them about the fire of God – I say to young guys, ‘Listen, when the fire of God fell on me it RADICALLY CHANGED ME!’ – You see we want a notebook with 8 steps of ‘how to’…but I’m not that kind of preacher…I just had AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS…the power of God took a hold of my life!

“I talk to them about the power and the glory of God. Oh, I’ve seen the glory of God come down like a mist. I’ve watched people paralyzed get out of wheelchairs – the blind see, the deaf hear…I’ve watched as thousands are touched by the fire of the holy Ghost and I SEE A GENERATION LOOKING AT ME AS THOUGH I JUST FELL OFF MARS!! Staring at me as ‘THIS GUY’S CRAZY!’

“What I began to realise is this: THERE’S A GENERATION TODAY COMING UP THAT KNOW NOTHING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD – THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE FIRE OF GOD – THEY DON’T KNOW there’s something SO AWESOME AVAILABLE THAT CAN EMPOWER THEIR LIVES TO CHANGE THE DESTINY OF A GENERATION.

“But we don’t want to contend any more…

“I want to speak to the United Kingdom for a moment. I was born here, I was raised here and I want to say that I love the Church. I love the people of God…but I’m an evangelist. I want to see the lost saved…and the thing is this – you CAN’T PERSUADE people into the Kingdom..THEY MUST HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS.

“WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER THE PRESENCE OF GOD THEY ARE CHANGED!

“But it’s like we don’t want to FIGHT for the things of the Spirit of God ANY MORE – we’d rather have a nice service with nice presentation, but just NO FIRE.  Well I’m telling you right now there’s something the Holy Spirit’s placing in my heart,

“It’s time to contend. Time to contend for the Glory of God to FILL our churches, to fill our lives that we might know Him in Whom we have believed!”

Nathan goes on to teach from 2 Kings 4 on the Shunammite woman providing a room for the itinerant prophet Elisha and her faith in the supernatural provision of God being vindicated. She knew despite having been barren and then her boy unexpectedly dying, that ‘all was well’! – indomitable faith had developed because she made room for a man of God and her prayers had been answered.

Nathan tells how, despite having been into drugs, he was saved and filled with holy fire. Then going to church and having read the Bible and about miracles, he realised there was something inside him that made him passionately want to see it happen today. He realised he had to contend for this – not like 1/2 hour ‘fast-food’ Christianity.

“But I learnt I had to abide,. If you want an encounter with God you can’t quit too soon. You’ve got to know what it is to CONTEND, to cry out to God…”I’m here, I’m waiting for You.” He then gives a reminder and word for a viewer who had a prophecy over his life.

“IT’S NOT TIME TO PRETEND BUT TIME TO CONTEND – OUR GENERATION ARE IN THE BALANCE!!

“That’s why I like what Canon Andrew White said. He spoke about suffering and fighting – contending for the faith. YOU CAN’T CONTEND IF YOU WANT TO PRETEND!

“The days of pretending are coming to an end. The days are going to become SO DARK that if you DON’T HAVE THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY in your life YOU’RE IN TROUBLE!”

On Repentance

“You know why people are against me so much on repentance? It’s because repentance MAKES ROOM FOR GRACE! The devil hates it because the devil knows that if a man responds and says, “Jesus, you have my life, I’ll make room for you. Come and dwell inside”, then he’s in trouble.

“AND I WANT TO SAY THE SAME TO THE CHURCH. People think my ministry’s just about miracles. NO, there’s a message that goes with the miracle – the message is: ‘JESUS DEMANDS YOUR ALL! YOUR LIFE, EVERYTHING YOU HAVE’. And when you make room for Him HE WILL BREAK EVERY CHAIN, every bondage, He’ll wash you, cleanse you – HE WILL SET YOU FREE!

The Problem

“The problem is, when you’ve never encountered the glory of God you don’t even know what I’m talking about ‘cos if you try to understand God in a natural place of your own understanding…one thing God’s got to get His Church to – to get you to – is to a place where you understand that what He wants to do in you is SO GREATER THAN WHAT YOU THINK and who you think you are.

“IT’S SO SUPERNATURAL, IT IS ONLY BY HIS GRACE, HIS PROVISION – HIS POWER, HIS GLORY IN YOUR LIFE – THAT YOU’RE EVER GOING TO MAKE IT.

“You’ve got to look at something that the world says is impossible, that the CHURCH EVEN SAYS IT’S IMPOSSIBLE, and (say) “NO, in Jesus’ name – it IS well”.”

The United Kingdom

“We’re believing God that something will be sparked in these 3 days…I believe God has something for the United Kingdom that is SO AWESOME that the nations will take notice.”

During the Celebration’s final evening one of the many receiving ministry was a severely deaf boy who was then able to hear. Thank you Lord for this and all the healing you are doing. Later, Nathan closed in farewell,

“We’re believing for God to move in our generation in what you’ve seen these last three nights…Can you imagine if the Body of Christ let the Spirit of God move? Not wanting the fake or the strange, but wanting JESUS to be GLORIFIED.

And when you glorify Jesus, young boys who are deaf leave this place hearing, because THAT is the message of the Gospel in the United Kingdom to the nations of the world…”


Hallelujah!  More happened than shown on the videos, as reported on Facebook.