Follower of Christ, Author, Musician
Though I have been a "Christian" for so many years, in many ways I feel life with Christ is a quest in with many troubles and dangers. It is frightfully more dangerous than anyone ever told me at the outset. Any "true" adventure would be, wouldn't it?
This blog is about the adventure of discovery in this quest to follow the one who forged the path to life and true love so many years ago. I have found that the epic rescuing story of Jesus is far more relevant to you and I than we give it credit.
I want to share with you a video from my new friend Nathan Wheeler. God has given him a brilliant testimony and so many amazing stories, and also a visit to the other side. He died of heart failure and visited heaven and was sternly instructed by angels to share his testimony. This is what he is doing now and I have been enjoying his story so much. His YouTube channel is called Truthmefree based on Jesus statement:
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (NLT)
Here is a great introductory video of him explaining his time in heaven and what he experienced and what he was told:
Visit his YouTube channel and subscribe and enjoy. I have made the comment to my wife that this is my new favorite “TV show”.
I woke up with such clarity on a specific warning from Scripture that I felt the need to document this. It concerns what is talked about in Scripture as the great apostasy (or falling away, withdraw from the faith) in the end of times.
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1 NLT
Yesterday I was sharing at a nursing home facility about the love of Jesus and was surprised by what came out of my mouth. Every time I share something I pray that the Holy Spirit would speak through me and minister life to those who hear me. This has been a default prayer for the past seven years of ministry. I depend on the Holy Spirit to enliven and bring forth the Scriptures I have immersed myself in for most my life. I let him pick the songs. He determines the flow and the theme and the message. I am his partner in building the kingdom of God, one day at a time, one concert at a time, one song and message or conversation at a time.
I say all of this to encourage you to do ministry dependent on the Holy Spirit’s leading as well. May your every conversation with people be led by the Holy Spirit. He knows exactly how to turn a phrase to grab someone’s attention and, most of all, to woo their heart.
I was blessed by what came out yesterday, and I am also deeply concerned and saddened.
Yesterday he was speaking this to my heart, you are either the persecuted or the persecutors. Which are you? There is no middle ground. You will eventually land on either side. The Nazi’s or the the Jews.
I thought this was interesting and reminded me immediately of Isaac and Ishmael. One was the son of promise, the other of the flesh. One represents true faith and the other what I will call “religion”. Of course I don’t mean true religion as defined in Scripture as ‘care for the orphan and widow and maintaining a pure heart’, but how people often derogatorily use the word these days to describe self righteous judgemental pricks.
Jesus said to his brothers, the world cannot help but accept you, you are one of its own but I testify that it’s deeds are evil therefore the world hates me. Later he said to his disciples, if the world hated and persecuted me it will hate and persecute you.
Of course who is he referring to as “the world”? Not simply those outside of religious circles (many of which heard Jesus gladly), but to the religious of his day. Did sinners have a problem with Jesus? No. They flocked to him. Porn stars, drug addicts, women who had abortions, alcoholics and porn addicts found nothing but love and acceptance and compassion from Jesus.
The Pharisees, however, hated Jesus, persecuted Jesus and eventually crucified Jesus. Jesus had said to them, “you are like whitewashed tombs. You look pretty on the outside but inside are full of dead mens bones”. He told them to their faces, “woe to you! How will you escape the fires of hell?” These are those who had their theology hammered out. They were the respected theologions of their day. The ones who were clearly “right” about everything and had the rest of the world convinced and living in fear of their disapproval. Their acceptance mattered more to the people then the acceptance of God. People would not speak up favorably for Jesus because the Pharisees agreed to put out of the synagogue anyone who did speak up on behalf of Jesus. This was a serious repercussion. The synagogue was their way of life, much like how being a Muslim is not simply just their religion but an entire way of life today.
I recently read the book of Revelation. Yeshua had some warnings to give to most of the seven churches. They each received a message of “Repent, or else” except one church. They received affirmation from the LORD:
The Message to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.
This is the message from the one who is holy and true,
the one who has the key of David.
What he opens, no one can close;
and what he closes, no one can open:
8 “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. 9 Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
10 “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.
13 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
He says to the church of the city of brotherly love, “you obeyed my word and did not deny me.”
What, exactly, is the word that they, and you and I, are to obey?
To love one another. That’s it. This is the one new command of the LORD Jesus. Love.
This is God’s great big master plan to transform the world:
“Love the one you’re with”
That’s it. Those who recieve love will then in turn love and it will spread like wildfire exponentially growing to fill the earth and change everyone’s heart. Lets try it!
THE APOSTASY
The great apostasy that is coming and, newsflash, is already here, is that people are refusing to love others. Religion has become for many, instead of caring for orphans and widows and living a pure life unspotted from the world, now a matter of having all your theological ducks in a row.
We have deceived ourselves into thinking that it is what you know, what you believe that is important, instead of how you live, and the love in your heart. The mantra I hear is ‘your doctrine must be correct or your doomed’. You know what I mean? And if you “step out of line” there are many who are chomping at the bit to report you and crucify you and cast out your name as evil. Where have I heard that before?
I have experienced this kind of persecution and I refuse to take part in it. I choose to be the persecuted rather than become a persecutor. Hey people, this is the separating of the sheep and the goats. I’m serious.
Did you catch the ferocity of Christ’s words there to the church at Philedelphia? Jesus talked about to those who belonged to “Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not”. Does this not apply in our churches today? Do you know those who say they are Christian but have no love? God will judge us for what is truly in our hearts and by our words and deeds. These will reveal where our faith is truly at and whether we follow the true Christ or another who is in Christ’s place (aka the antiChrist – literally “in place of Christ”).
Yes I am insinuating that there are those in the church, some of which are highly respected theologians and teachers, whose hearts are devoid of love who are currently following a poser christ – the antichrist. I know this because I was one of them. It was the most serious battle of my life to separate me from this false Christ because I was convinced that he was the only one there was. Fear ruled me. It took a great deal of time and pain and ultimately, love, to set me free.
Yes, we still have Pharisees in our day as well. Don’t think for a moment we don’t. They don’t seem to have an ounce of error in their doctrine but have little to no real love. They are unkind and treat others harshly. They judge, they condemn, they fear monger. They use fear and intimidation to get you to kowtow and submit to them and their authority. I would suggest to you that this is the real apostasy… the abandonment of love. We have left love and followed fear. We have joined the persecutors instead of the persecuted.
A parable (Ok, so actually this was a dream, but I was concerned about being judged for taking so many lessons from my dreams, it’s just how God speaks to me, and I’m ok with that):
I was out walking one day with my wife and we saw an ugly little lizard. My wife reacted in fear and it immediately noticeably grew which surprised us and caused us both to react with more fear. It grew some more. It seemed to feed on our fear.
It became hostile to us and a battle ensued. We enlisted the help of some friends and it fed on their fear as well. Somehow we managed to kill the dragon as it reached the size of a border Collie. We decapitated it and buried it in a large barrel of sand. It’s body at the bottom of the barrel and the head near the top and we left it.
We forgot about it for a while and enjoyed some peace.
One day I remembered the dragon and for a moment the fear and panic revived in my heart. In that very moment the head of the dragon was drawn back to its body and it revived. It escaped and went on the wreak havoc and spread chaos feeding on the fear which was now rampant until grew into a great dragon.
The Air Force was called in. We were going to bomb this dragon with a serious payload – a nuclear bomb. The dragon, however, snatched the plane out of the sky and sent it hurtling into a volcano. The volcano reacting with the detonation created a super volcano explosion which destroyed the world. The end.
I would propose that fear is the opposite of love. Fear is the enemy of love. You cannot be filled with fear and love at the same time. You must choose one or the other. Which will it be?
Many of us have already gone the way of fear. Jesus will set you free if you want to be free. The thing is, we must actively choose to be free. We must pursue freedom and refuse to listen to the fear mongers.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
My one goal in life is to see others come to Jesus. I want the number to grow of those who will take part in the tree of life. The reward for overcoming and returning to Jesus, your first love and your purpose to “love the one your with” is the tree of life.
The Message to the Church in Ephesus
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” – Revelation 2:1-7 NIV
How interesting that the song From This Valley by the Civil Wars won a Grammy this year.
I have enjoyed many of the Civil Wars songs but none so much as this song. I have been playing it at my concerts for the past year or so.
The song is all about prayer. The Lord has been leading me into a new phase of prayer lately. He is teaching me that this is at the heart of what we ought to do.
Jesus said we “should always pray and never give up”. – Luke 18:1
Here is the lyrics for the chorus:
Oh, won’t you take me from this valley
to that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
to the one I love.
Question:
1. Do you pray?
2. Do you think of Jesus as the One you love?
3. Do you persist in prayer until you “see his smiling face”?
Good question. I’m going to go pray now.
Jesus on prayer:
“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”” – Luke 18 NLT
I once had a conversation with a friend and co-worker about Jesus and forgiveness. He could not believe that God would forgive him for sleeping with his best friends wife. He was overwhelmed with guilt.
I tried to tell him that God forgives all and every and any sin. It fell on deaf ears.
A while ago a Christian brother and I prayed with a man who admitted to rape and murder. He too was so overcome by guilt he could not receive our prayers or God’s forgiveness. I didn’t know whether to turn him in or what. Apparently he “got away with it”.
I am a firm believer that justice does and will prevail no matter what. No one, no where, ever “gets away with it”. The guilty may be out of prison or jail but they are constantly being hounded and tormented by they weight of their guilt. We reap what we sow.
I am reminded of the movie The Machinist with Christian Bale. What an amazing film. Christian Bale starved himself (read more) in preparing for his role as an insomniac, emaciated, delusional character who as it turns out SPOILER ALERT!!! (skip to next paragraph if you want to watch this for yourself!) is haunted by a suppressed memory of a crime he had committed. He finally turns himself in and finds some peace.
I once met a man in the Spokane homeless shelter. He had been on the run for years all over the country and lived as a nameless homeless man. He too was haunted by his past and guilt over something he had done which led to a warrant for his arrest being issued in Spokane. He was back in town to after all these years turn himself in. Jesus had done a marvelous work in his life and he had finally found peace and was ready to face the consequences for his actions.
He turned himself in and to his complete surprise, they could find no record of him committing a crime and no record of his warrant. He was free to go. I saw him shortly after that and didn’t recognize him at all. He had a beaming smile and a new lease on life.
I often wonder what would have happened if King David, instead of trying to hide his adultery and have Bathsheba’s husband Uriah killed, if he instead confessed his sin to his friend Uriah and begged his forgiveness. Would Uriah have tried to kill him in a rage? If it were me I might have. No doubt this was a very real fear for David as he weighed his options.
Instead of repenting, he chose to compound his sin and guilt… and still God forgave him. There were serious consequences that plagued him the rest of his days however, but he was forgiven and embraced back into sweet fellowship with God.
After his repentance the baby died. After David’s moral failure the enemy had access to his family in the area of sexual deviance. His son Amnon raped his sister Tamar and destroyed her life. Another brother Absalom then kills Amnon and later tries to seize the throne. To incite the people to join him and to convince them how serious he was in his rebellion to his father David, Absalom publicly sleeps with several of Davids concubines.
These are the kinds of consequences that David suffers for his moment of passion with another man’s wife and his subsequent cover up. We don’t actually “get away” with anything. We reap what we sow. Our sin will affect our children and our children’s children and everyone else around us. Your sin becomes part of your legacy. This is how you affected the world and you have to live with that. But you can change your legacy! Your sin can be forgiven and forgotten for all eternity!
David was forgiven. He changed his legacy. As all the consequences for his sin unfolded in his life, he enjoyed the wonderful bliss of a reconciled relationship with God (who is love) as soon as he repented. But… not a moment sooner.
If any of us want to enjoy the awesome friendship of God as some of the consequences for our sin continue to play out, then we must repent. If we’d rather be miserable and alone as our sin wreaks its havoc and continue to compound our sin and our guilt and our agony, eventually leading to its horrifying abysmal end, then don’t repent. These are the only two options.
Unfortunately the default is the latter option… to do nothing. You actually must take action to repent. To not repent requires no action on your part whatsoever. Put on another movie and distract yourself until your dead. Another misspent life down the toilet bowl of the universe. Forgive me for being feces-ish I mean facetious.
Our sin is serious. So serious that Jesus actually had to die an agonizing death on a cross and most of all suffer the rejection of his Father and bear all the righteous wrath of God for sin on the blackest day ever to repair the rift and discord in the universe that our sin has caused. Our sin will also cause you to miss our purpose, mainly to be loved and then to love others and whatever else it is that God had foreordained for us to accomplish in our short time here. We are, after all, his masterpiece created for good works. We get to repent! You get to repent! God is granting us the privilege of repenting from that which causes us harm! AWESOME!!!
Repentance means having a change of mind. It is taking on a whole new paradigm for how to view reality through God’s eyes. Have a change of mind about who God is, and change your mind about sin. It involves leaving sin (your idols) and coming to Christ. It means to stop trying to be your own god and submit to the only true God who is love. Just think, we get to surrender to love!
“And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.” Luke 24:46-48 NLT
So yes, God will forgive you for anything but you must repent. What do you need to repent of? What do you need to turn yourself in for to God (or even to the authorities)? Take it to the LORD. David gave us a wonderful glimpse into the prayer he prayed to get right with God. He encourages us to learn from his example and use his prayer as our own:
A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. 5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. 14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. 15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. 16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Some really serious sinners have found grace and redemption in Jesus Christ. No, you haven’t out-sinned God’s grace because, “Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds”. Grace is always shown to be greater. Its his trump card. You played your hand of rebellion and sin and you thought you had him beat. He plays the grace card and wins… your heart.
Jesus loves you and I love you! Stay tuned and Subscribe!
For all of my life I have never had the slightest interest in learning about heaven until now. I just knew heaven was going to be good and my attitude was, “surprise me”. I am now fully aware that I am going to heaven… beyond a shadow of a doubt. And this is ALL because of Jesus. It wasn’t always this way. For seven years I was convinced I was going to hell and experiencing a hell on earth. I’ll tell that story some other time.
Salvation and redemption and an eternity of bliss with God is Jesus gift to me and I have received it. Heaven is my home. I didn’t want to cheapen the notion of heaven with my own vain and silly imaginations so I avoided books on heaven and the like and was content to simply know it is “paradise” as Jesus called it and that Isaiah said (Paul quoting him):
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT)
Of course you have probably heard of the book, “Heaven is for Real”, about the little boy who visits heaven as he died during an appendicitis operation. Which, by the way, is a movie coming out this year!
Trailer for this movie:
Lately though I can’t seem to get enough of heaven. It is marvelous! I’m reading amazing books about heaven. I am watching every legitimate Near Death Experience (NDE) testimony of heaven I can find.
I just happened to be doing a search for the heaven book I was reading yesterday (mentioned in previous blog) and trying to remember the title and author so I googled, “visit to heaven”. The first thing to pop up was a man’s dream of Jesus and heaven. I read it and was very moved especially as it related to the content of my previous blog post!
This person in the story below seemed to think that some big and global changing event was going to happen in the middle of this past year, 2013. I think his dream of heaven is legit. As for what he thought would happen in 2013, well, I think it is as Peter wrote, “God is patient, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
I believe that God continues to delay his coming as he is not anxious about bringing the hurt of what’s to come to so many who still refuse to know him or come to the light (or Christians who are living in darkness). We still have some time yet to repent and serve Jesus and bring more of his lost kids into the family of God and into his kingdom of love.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the time is very short and Jesus is coming soon. What are you going to do about it? I suggest you walk in the light. Jesus will show you how as he has shown me. The following is a pretty spectacular dream someone had when they were 15.
I was raised an atheist. Utterly godless. Not even agnostic. No gods.. fairies.. Santa’s or bunnies…Believed nothing at all. I saw all the trouble and confusion it caused and wanted nothing to do with it. I see Christians always fighting and debating and being hypocrites all the time. I see new agers not really having a clue what it is they actually believe in, and going in circles. I see all the other religions all banging their head on a wall but achieving nothing but headaches. I wanted no part in it and still don’t.
But I had a dream / vision when I was 15 that changed my life, but it was not until about a year ago it took effect, and according to the dream it will not be until after tomorrow (28 December 2012), when I turn 44, that it finds fulfilment.
I was 15…still a kid.. but wondering what it was all about, seeing as everything was so totally pointless and without a reason or a goal.
Being an atheist is the most pointless life one can live.. so empty of purpose or meaning.
And like all kids I needed purpose and meaning. So the dream./ vision…
It was September the 28th 1984….a day I will never forget, because its the day my life was taken right OUT of my hands, and I realised that none of us really have a choice…only a will directed by the one who makes the choices.
I remember so clearly.. sitting on my bed that night…looking out the window at the stars. Wondering why they were there.. what purpose they served.. if any at all. I remember asking the same thing of myself.. what was my purpose.. did I have a purpose…or was it all pointless.. an illusion.. meaningless and dead?
That night I lay down on my bed.. still wondering what it was all about… and I had a dream….or a vision.. not sure which but it was incredibly vivid.. I was there.. could feel.. hear.. smell….
Where was I?
(Keep in mind up UNTIL that point I had never even looked into a bible or any religious book.. so what I saw was not previously planted in there)
One moment I was on my bed.. in a half awake half sleep state.. a trance you might call it. That zone you are in where you are still aware but also.. not aware. I found myself about 200 meters in the air…an air that was NOT air as we know it. I looked around in shock…I was there.. this was no dream.. I panicked at first cause I thought I was dead.. and for all I know.. I was.
After adjusting to this “Shock” I was able to look around me.. where I was…and what I saw….Spreading around me in every direction to a horizon that just was not there.. was THE most incredible landscape I have ever seen. No majestic scene on earth comes close to this.. awesome.. the SCOPE of it… endless.. and solid and real.
Vast jungles.. parks.. majestic mighty mountains.. oceans the size of earth itself.. and lakes as big as oceans.
Waterfalls a hundred kilometres high.. mighty rivers packed with life.. crystal clear…the trees…small and great.. colourful.. detailed.. each one unique and some full of flowers of colours vivid and bright.. some full of fruit of weird shapes and hue.
ALL was alive.. in a life that was LIFE.. not just living things.. but LIVING beings.. they were not just alive.. they WERE life in its essence…each leaf.. blade of grass.. creature and fish.. bird and reptile.. were not JUST alive.. its like they WERE EMANATING life…
This mighty and majestic landscape went on and on.
What I thought were small hills in the distance, turned out to be mighty mountain ranges that make the Himalayas look like a badly thought up joke in comparison.
The waterfall immediately to my left upon arrival there…WOW…it was (I later found out) over 300 kilometres form where I floated.. and even at that distance it was so utterly magnificent…rising up and up.. above eye level.. like looking UP at a river.. It descended down the side of a “small” (compared to some of the other mountains there) 100 kilometres high cliff face…falling.. cascading.. majestic.. and throwing of rainbows in its mighty mist…
I could go on and on about the details.. but I am going to stick with the main part…and that is.. WHO was standing “Or floating” there beside me.. who until that moment I had not noticed..
I turned to my right…and…wow…there was this bloke…who I Immediately KNEW was The creator of all I saw. I didn’t know his name.. I just KNEW HE was responsible for it all..
He was about 6 foot…medium build.. strong.. yet supple.. he had an air of authority about him.. like a mighty fighter who could whip anyone but with ease.. and KNEW it.. but was humble and gentle and didn’t brag about it.
His hair was white…but not from age.. more of a symbol of purity kind of white. Like a judge would wear a white wig as a symbol. But this hair was no wig. It was his own.
He wore a sort of robe.. not ancient.. yet not modern. Like a royal robe of state. Across his chest from right shoulder to left hip was a red/purple sash about 6 inches wide, interwoven with gold threads.
The robe went to just above his ankles. He had sandals on. But not ancient looking. More of a modern look. But in looking there.. at his feet…I saw holes in them…Then with a shock.. I saw his hands.. they too had holes in them.. just at the ends of his wrists.. each hole about half an inch wide. There was no blood and the wounds were not festy or horrible. They.. were worn like a status symbol.. a mark.. more than an annoying wound. I had the urge to kneel.. but realised I didn’t have a body to kneel with.
So I just looked at him.. KNOWING he could read every thought…and knew my intent was to kneel if only I could have.
He knew.
He just smiled at me.. joy glittering in his eyes.. eyes.. so.. blue.. gold.. green…all colours.. fire.. eyes of fire.. like an opal of magnificent brilliance.
He seemed to radiate a real.. friendliness.. happiness.. total peace.. yet utter and mighty authority.
You felt at ease with him.. yet so humbled as well.
I finally said to him (Well.. I thought it)….”You are God?”
He said simply…”(I AM)”
I thought to myself “This cant be real.. there IS no “God”… I am imagining all this.. I MUST be…”He smiled even broader.. if that were possible.. like he was amused at my simple yet certain belief in nothing. It was not a snide enjoyment he was feeling.. it was more like you would smile at a toddler who said something cute.
He said, knowing my turmoil and thoughts, “Come.. let me show you your destiny” as we started moving through this “Air” that was not air…gliding off at about 60 k an hour it seemed. I was able to measure the speed we were moving, because we floated over a sort of highway with trees planted at regular intervals along it.
It was a twin highway.. divided in two by a river. The river was about 40 meters across.. clear as crystal.. pure and so inviting. I had the urge to go and swim in it for some reason…even though I didn’t actually have a solid body.
The highway was about 15 meters across on each side of the river. And spaced about 200 meters apart were bridges. There were people down there below us.. ordinary .. people.. some dressed in modern garb.. some in robes like togas.. some wearing nothing but light.. if that’s possible. All were people.. they looked to be about 25 or so.. healthy.. vibrant.. solid and real.
I saw children as well.. playing in the river.. laughing and jumping off the bridges into the water. Laughter.. lots of laughter and joy. It seemed to permeate this amazing place. Here and there among the people I saw beings.. LIKE people but different. Taller…powerful.. yet gentle. Talking to people.. walking with them.. some carried books and other things. They seems to be instructing.. and also being instructed. Like they were learning as well. ( These, as it turns out, were angels.. and NO.. they DID NOT have wings )
I saw benches.. tables.. set along the river under the trees. People and beings alike would sit and talk.. smiling.. laughing.. some in deep thought or conversation.. some being light-hearted, some being serious.. like they were contemplating some new revelation they had just stumbled upon.
In all it was a very busy.. yet very relaxed scene.
The trees themselves were amazing. Mighty branches.. spreading out in majestic awnings of life over the river and the benches below. I saw fruit in the trees.. gold.. green.. orange.. purple.. blue.. all sorts of colours. People were picking the fruit here and there and casually eating it.. like it was just the “Done” thing…and there were no scraps. There were no pips or skins left over.
People looked up at us as we passed overhead. They waved and smiled.. at BOTH of us.. yes.. I was very visible to them. I was not sure how to wave back.. because I had no body to wave with.
“Jesus” or “Yeshuah” or whatever you want to call him…waved back.. smiling.. laughing.. joyful and at peace with his creatures.
I looked out beyond.. to what was ahead of us. I saw fields. Stretching on and on and on.. I saw lights dotted here and there over these fields.
I asked “Jesus” “What are those lights? “He said.. “They are cities.. or towns. Dwellings and hubs of commerce.” “Commerce” I thought? Of what USE is commerce in this place?
He just looked at me and smiled.. and said “you will know in time.. see.. there is our destination” He said.. pointing directly to the end of the highway…
I looked.. way way ahead…seemed like thousands of k’s.. into the far distance…there was a bright light.. like a brilliant sunrise.. multi hued.. radiating colours beyond description…and the music…you could FEEL the music coming from it. It was everywhere.. yet I was not actually conscious of it till I concentrated on it. Harmony.. pure harmony.. rising from one stanza to the next.. to reach a crescendo.. only to fade out into the next phase.. ever building to a climax.. but never reaching it.. music without beat.. without end.. timeless.. eternal.. pure..
I was STUNNED…nothing on earth was anything like this music of colour blended with sound…had I had a body I would have exploded in sheer joy at just five seconds of exposure to this eternal symphony…I was surrounded by it from the moment I arrived.. but not until THIS moment had I actually put my focus on it..
I was hooked…
I said (Or thought) in stunned amazement…”WHAT is THAT?”
HE smiled and said simply.. “THAT..is the capital.. where my father dwells.. and where we are now going”
So on we went. He was talking to me the whole time.. but I was not really paying attention. I was utterly wrapped up with where we were heading.. trying to lose myself in the eternal song…I wanted to BE the song.. to join with it.
But try as I might I could not quite grasp the flow of it. It changed from one moment to the next.. always ascending into a new and unique stanza.. and just when I thought I “Had” it, and was about to hum along with it.. it would blend and change into something new.. and no two stanzas EVER repeated.. each was unique.. each a masterpiece.. each never to be heard again.. as ever new stanzas were created and blended into the whole.. always building.. always growing.. always new.. always.. utterly without description.
He kept speaking to me.. telling me of events to come in my life.. main points and turnings in my life ahead. I was half aware of what he was saying.. but he knew I was lost in the song.
And this was why he waited until I was lost in the song to tell me. Because everything he told me about my life ahead was forgotten on my conscious level.. like a half remembered dream. But as each event actually took place in my life, the memory would surface.. like a vivid Deja Vu.. and it would all be clear…and I would KNOW this event.. good or bad.. was ALL part of the plan.
We travelled for what seemed like days…or hours.. or minutes.. its hard to tell time in a place that has no time. He laid out my entire life before me.. from conception to birth, to the present (That moment when I was 15) to the very end.. which is only a few years away now ..going by the events and their sequence.
Tomorrow I turn44.. (28 December 2012) THAT year is PIVOTAL for me (AND.. for the world as a whole).
As to why??.. well.. its something he said when we reached the capital. I will get to that soon.. because I want to describe the capital.. its AWESOME.. and one heck of a work of master building and insane architecture..(Insane as in AWESOME.. not crazy). As we drew closer the music did not get “Louder”.. it was at the same volume no matter where you were. But the light display that accompanied it grew ever more brilliant.
The colours would flow with the music.. each wave of scintillating fire.. colour fire…wove through the sounds as they emanated from the centre.. like and explosion of choreographed fireworks accompanying the music. The sounds were the colours.. and the colours were the source of the sound.
The centre.. where the brilliance emanated from, still seemed hundreds of kilometres away…still set on this impossible horizon that was not a horizon.. and at this point we reached the outskirts of the main capital.. and WOW….
I saw the first buildings. Modest really. Reasonably “Simple”.. compared with what I saw further in. But even these “Simple” structures put to shame anything on earth.
Take your basic hovel there for example…the LOWEST of the simple buildings…I focussed upon one in particular, just to burn into my memory what the LEAST of the creative powers of the master builder was capable of.. It was about the size of your average house here on earth.
It was constructed of pure elements.
There were no bricks or mortar.. no alloys or mixtures. Each part of that building was pure element. For example.. the windows.. framed with a rich ebony like substance, shot through with gold veins.
Each pane was.. what LOOKED like pure diamond.. or crystal. The walls of the house were like a sort of moonstone.. opaque.. yet solid. Light flowed in and through the walls themselves.. like a fibre optic cable in actual application.
The light was taken from all around and magnified throughout the house. The windows would break the light into amazing colours and decorate the interior with rainbows of fantastic hue.. then the walls would absorb and magnify the light, and sent it streaming outward.. to the house next to it.. and the process would repeat.. along each house.. all sharing this amazing visual display and amplifying it to its peak.. only to send it along again to the next dwelling.. and the next…
I was utterly flabbergasted…WHAT a design.. and the mind who thought up this amazing idea of optical brilliance must be unfathomable.
I looked at the creator there next to me…amazed at how brilliant he was.. that even the “Simplest” of his building designs were thousands of light years beyond the most brilliant minds of earth.
I saw Him with an ever increasing respect.. and awe.. He just looked at me and smiled again.. enjoying the moment.. like you would enjoy the look on your child’s face as he sees with awe something his father had spent time and effort on constructing JUST for you…a sort of pride of workmanship.. satisfaction in a job well done.
Yes.. he enjoyed making all these constructs.. he really enjoys creating things…and loves to challenge himself in each ones uniqueness from the next.. and each ones amazing simple complexity.
He IS an artist without compare.. and keep in mind.. this was just one of his “SIMPLE” designs…there was far more amazing things ahead as we headed towards the centre of the capital.. I took my focus then off this one house.. and noticed with awe.. again.. HOW the “Suburbs” were designed.
No two houses were the same.. each had it own unique design.. and yet.. each and every house.. some close to others.. some farther apart.. each one when seen from the air as we were…fit into a grander pattern.
Have you aver seen a fractal?…design and structure without end?
It was like that.
The suburbs were woven into an ever expanding pattern of extreme order.. and no two streets.. or houses.. were the same.. but all fit together into an amazing grand work of art. The very colours of the houses.. silver.. gold.. platinum.. marble of all hues.. ebony.. copper.. crystal.. diamond.. amethyst.. citrine.. even a sort of purple metal that I could not name.. all wove together to form an amazing tapestry of design.
Some single storey.. some double.. some triple.. and these were just the OUTTERMOST buildings…the “Simple” ones.. and the light flowing through each house.. from house to house.. flowed from the centre.. the storm of ordered colour and sound.. flowing throughout the houses.. in an ever changing spiral of amazing complexity.. lighting up the entire scene in a kaleidoscope of utter amazement.
I simply could not grasp it all…I looked at my creator again…with awe.. and he just enjoyed the moment.. he even pointed out some unique parts of the design.. like the way the river we had been following all this time was woven into the suburbs in vast spirals.. interwoven waterways…each house having a small part of this river flowing near or through or under it.. feeding the whole.
The main river flowed on ahead…surrounded by the most majestic landscaping I have ever seen.. parks.. fountains.. groves of trees planted in amazing patterns.. according to size and colour.. all woven around the river which was the main theme.. all flowed from the river.. and the river flowed from….. well.. the THRONE.
There.. in the distance.. rising above the houses.. was a building unlike all the others in size. But.. it was also.. easily recognised AS a throne. Hard to explain unless you actually see it. We travelled on and on…following the river…towards the centre.. where the light and sound had its source..
We began to rise up higher.. we reached about.. I would estimate.. about ten kilometres. He did this JUST so I could grasp SOME of the layout.. and even then from that height the city stretched out seemingly forever.. I could NOT see the edge of it.. we were close to the centre now.. only a few hundred kilometres away.
I looked down in awe.. yet again.. as I saw SOME of the overall design. It was indeed a fractal.. a very organic fractal. Spirals of ever increasing complexity.. colours of amazing hue and vibrance flowed majestically through each “Suburb”.. blending with the whole in an endless dance of incredible design and workmanship.
The river.. flowing ever straight towards the centre.. the tributaries woven into and through the “Suburbs” like a blue/silver lattice work.. woven INTO the grand design like threads of a complex embroidery.
And everywhere.. people.. LOTS of people.. and angels.. and millions of children. Running.. playing.. having an awesome time. No tears…no cries.. all happy and all having an absolute BLAST. The kids.. I tell you.. the kingdom of heaven IS theirs.. there are SO MANY of them there.
But considering there are 30 million abortions each year.. its not really surprising. I looked around.. I saw ahead a “Blank” spot in the series of majestic spirals and parklands. A field.. a circle.. of pure gold.. like a field of burnished glass.. like a bright citrine colour. It was about 200 kilometres across from edge to edge. It was transparent.. because I could see the river flowing UNDER it…from right under the structure in the centre.. the building that was ALSO a throne….and looked to be about two kilometres high. We began to descend towards it.
Gradually getting closer and closer.. the field was empty.. not a thing stirred on it.. not a bird flew over it.. like.. it was “Reserved” for something.. untouchable until the moment its use was ready. The creator and I settle down and down.. drifting closer and closer to the throne…and this is the weird part…AS we drew closer to the throne.. WE either became bigger.. OR.. the throne became smaller…not sure which.. The throne was white.. pure white shot through with veins of gold-like fire.
Solid.. eternal.. and yet.. it was also a structure.. a dwelling. I never did get an explanation for that except to realise that it was also an “Admin” building.. like a courthouse.. seat of parliament.. something like that.
We settled down right in front of it. I reached out to touch it.. and then realised I had no body.. as such. But I DID feel something…like a purity.. awesome power of utter authority.. like the place where ALL decisions are made and all cases ended.
This is where it got serious for me…There I “Stood”.. at the base of the throne.. KNOWING I had been there before.. like a massive.. MASSIVE Deja Vu hit me all at once. I RECOGNISED this sea of fire.. of golden glass.. I KNEW this throne.. I KNEW this entire field.. but WHERE..WHEN??…..
My creator looked at me.. like he was waiting for the realisation to hit me fully…he was not smiling at this moment.. he was rather serious.. like he WANTED me to remember.. the moment…of WHEN I had been there before…and was just patiently waiting for the memory to take shape…
Having realised I HAD been there before I said
“Lord creator. (I didn’t know how else to address him at that time). I know.. I know YOU..I KNOW you now.. I’ve seen you.. this place.. this throne.. this sea of fire/glass.. I HAVE been here.. with you.. but.. when?.. It does not seem like long ago.. and yet.. HOW?..”
He looked at me with a slight grin.. he kinda looked proud of me in a way and said “
“15 years ago earth time you sat with me on my lap, up there on that throne. You were an infant.. full of life and questions and curiosity. You were fresh from my mind.. created almost an instant before, brought into being on earth direct from my very spirit itself. You were born very premature. You did not want to stay at first so I brought you here to explain a few things and give you a choice. But first I sent you back telling you your time was not yet.. you had a destiny to fulfil and if you had stayed you would never see it take place. being an infant you did not understand, so back you came, rather stubbornly I might add. “
He continued.. despite my looks of.. confusion ???…
“So I explained patiently.. while bouncing you on my knee…the joy that awaited you.. and millions of others.. IF you went back and lived out your planned destiny. I told you that the reward for going back would be well worth it, and beyond imagination. You looked at me with baby blue eyes asking why.. eyes I fashioned to look similar to mine. I like blue.. its my favourite colour.. as it is yours” (Yes.. I love blue.. always have.. and there I found out why).
He went on to say…
“15 years ago earth time you didn’t want any part in that destiny.. you kept trying to leave your body.. small and frail as it was.. you wanted to be here with me.. your “Daddy” as you called me from the depths of your innocent infant spirit. How I loved it.. to hear you call me that. I am your “daddy”… I am everyone’s “Daddy” if only they would realise it.. and through your final decision to return and live your life… many millions WILL.”
I asked him.. rather dumbfounded “So.. I died as an infant.. willingly.. died.. JUST so I could be here with you?”
He said “Yes.. twice you actually succeeded.. and you tried many other times as well.. before you managed to stop your own heart by an act of your will. The first time I sent you right back after a brief explanation. The second time.. I KNEW you would come back because I was the one who created IN you the curiosity and pure stubbornness to GET a full explanation of the facts. You have an inquiring mind.. one I created FOR the purpose of your destiny.. you will find it very useful in the days ahead.. but also.. it will also be a hindrance at times.. but that’s why I gave you a mind like this.. to BE an “Overcomer”.
An “overcomer” I said?…WHAT is that?
He smiled broadly and motioned his hand out over the sea stretching out before us to the “horizon”…”See this field.. this sea of glass??.. in a few decades you, and millions of others will be here.. and yes.. your sister and daughters as well (Daughters.. I will have DAUGHTERS??) will all be here.. jumping and leaping for joy.. as the climax of all creation is made known to all.
I asked him…
“So I’ve been here.. and chose to go back once you explained WHY I had to go back. “?He said “Yes.. I was very proud of you.. you are a fighter.. you never give up.. although you do tend to be discouraged easily.. but you also get up again and again.. you never quit.. THAT is why I am proud of you. You fall and fail.. yet you try and try again. Its not how many time you fail I take note of.. its how many times you get up again and keep going.
THAT is character.. and character is all important and vital for what comes after your life on earth is complete.”
I looked at him and said “Huh”?..(rather stupidly I might add)
He just grinned and said “There is coming a time soon.. a few decades from now earth time…when all you have learnt.. and all you will learn will find its meaning. You think you will sit around being all happy here in this place doing nothing forever? NO.. you will have work to do.. places to oversee.. administration.. government.. all very busy.. and decisions will be needed.. from people with character.. people who have gone through the fires and beat them.. and.. people who are wise.. strong.. resilient.. steadfast.. in a word.. overcomers”
He went on to say “Now you know why you never knew me except as an infant. You know why…because in all the things you have gone through these last 15 years.. you grew character.. without the “Crutch” of religion….you fought on and on.. you overcame your weak frail body.. it grew strong.. you overcame the sicknesses that resulted from your premature birth… you overcame the anger and grief of your mother…you overcame the incessant teasing at school.. the bullying and the physical beatings.. just because you were “Different”…you saw through the lies on TV.. you never bought into the rubbish…the deceptions.. you kept on and on.. always asking.. looking.. reading and searching.. for deep down you KNEW there was more to this life than met the eye.. and deep down.. was the seed I had planted there when you and I had our little chat.. and now here you are today…and I am answering your question in full.. for know.. that all was not in vain.. life DOES have a purpose.. far greater than you can ever imagine.”
I stood there.. taking it all in.. it suddenly all made sense…all the trouble I had been in.. the hurt.. the pain.. the despair.. the victories.. again and again.. a cycle of defeats.. followed by victories.. and followed again by defeats.. and followed again by victories.
I was always alone.. never a friend…but I kept going.. I KNEW.. even though I actually “Believed” in nothing.. that I was WRONG somehow in that “belief”.. which.. after all.. was NOT a belief but an assumption.
He stood there…letting it all soak in.. it all fit together.. and explained a lot of what had happened in my childhood.. the early formative years of the basic character I would need in the next three decades.. as he was just about to warn me about… He said “Come with me.. up there..”
We both rose up to the throne.. and we sat on it together.. looking out over the sea of citrine yellow fire.. glowing in awesome majesty.. vacant.. for now…
(I was not actually “Sitting” as I was in spirit.. no body as such.. but you get the idea)
He pointed down to a spot near the front of the throne.. slightly to the right of it and said. “Know this for a fact…in less than 4 decades from now earth time.. YOU.. and your two daughters.. will be standing right there.. on that very spot.. you will be leaping and shouting victory.. joy.. gladness.. your arms around your young ones, who I will bless you with at the right time.. and there you will finally understand all that you are to go through in the next 35 years. Behind you.. surrounding you.. will be many many people.. who will only be there because of your words.. what you say.. and because of the moment you said them. No one will know you.. you will not be on a stage.. or on a movie or in a book. Just your words.. will spread out and impact many lives.
There.. standing there where I am pointing
(He raised his hand and pointed to the exact spot I will be standing in three decades or so from then)
I will acknowledge you to the others.. the ones who are there because you CHOSE to stay on and fight through.. I will let them all know your name.. and then you can spend the rest of the 1000 years meeting them all.. and sharing your testimony in person.. and hearing theirs. It will be an amazing time for you.. you will be utterly astounded at just who you reached with your words.. and their effects.
Nothing happens for nothing.
Your words.. born in the fires of agony and trials.. will touch many lives.. and also save many lives.. and the reason I tell you this now..“
( He suddenly got all serious.. His smile of joy at the future memory of this event faded.. and the present came rushing back in.. and with.. a tear?…in his eye.. and a sadness I could only see the edge of..)
He continued…
“In the years ahead.. you will try to find me.. here.. there…you will look and search…you will try churches.. drugs.. alcohol.. parties.. friends.. all looking for me…trying to find WHERE I can be found on earth. You will forget most of what I have told you today UNTIL the day BEFORE it all comes to pass.. and your true destiny begins.. which will be in your 44th year ….”
( THAT is tomorrow.. I turn 44..and YES.. its only NOW.. the DAY BEFORE.. that I remember EVERY WORD he said to me that day so long ago.. until TODAY…I could only remember bits.. and the place itself.. NOT the warnings or the details)
He continued…
“…in the years ahead.. you will long to die.. you will experience such deep despair.. such grief.. so much pain. The fires will forge you.. stronger and stronger you will become with each forging. There will be three times you will attempt to take your life.. which I will prevent.. three times you will survive.. and get up and keep going.. again.. each step.. closer to the final product.”
“You will die to yourself.. you will die to this world.. you will eventually die out to the “Need” of human love.. finding it to be untrustworthy and fickle .You will know in the end.. only MY love is certain.. and only I can be counted upon.
And on that day.. you will walk as a lion.. fearless.. dead to the world.. trusting only in me.. and THAT.. is the reason I will let you wander.. to find out once and for all as Solomon once did.. that ALL.. apart FROM me.. is vanity.
And there.. lies real strength…and courage.. and wisdom…and with those three attributes forged INTO you by the fires of life itself.. you will march forth in your 44th year.. and devastate so many lies…so many half truths.. you will clear a pathway.. just with your words.. to truth.. to life.. and many will follow.. but NOT YOU…they will follow the TRUTH you have learnt so hard.
No one will EVER know who you are.. until that day.. the day I tell all, in front of the vast crowd.. your accomplishments. Both yours.. and many other warriors who will have done similar to you.
You will receive your reward then.. no sooner.
So.. go now.. back to earth…and I will be with you every step.. I will guide your every step.. and I will not let a single hair on your head be harmed.
There will be many attempts on your life by the evil one.. I will guard you.. see there?
( He pointed out across the field.. and there.. hovering above the field were two angels.. BIG ones..stern..strong..6 feet across at the shoulders.. at least 16 feet high…each dressed like a warrior.. with a ten foot long broadsword in a jewelled scabbard.. ready for anything)
These two have been with you since birth.. they are your protectors.. in the days of your destiny you will get to know them personally.. but until then they will remain hidden.. from you.. and from others.. but NOT from the forces of darkness…who will flee left and right at their very look.. thus no harm will ever come to you.. you must be kept alive at all costs.. even against your own attempts to end your life.. you cant even harm yourself.. much as you are going to want to.
(As it turns out.. I DID try to kill myself three times.. and each time.. it failed…overdose.. nothing.. just woke up a week later feeling great…drink myself to death?.. nup… I always passed out or vomited it all up..CAR accident?.. Head on crash at over 130 kph into a concrete pole which left the car a burning wreck?.. same.. was flung from the car as it burst into flame.. not a hair singed.. and not a scratch…that was my last attempt.. I gave up trying to kill myself after that.. no point.)
He then looked me right in the eye.. with his amazing eyes of multi hued blue fire and said..
“(My name)…in the years immediately following this conversation.. you will remember only parts of what I have said. Here and there I will allow a brief flash of remembrance. During dark times.. when you need it the most.
But for the most part your decisions.. and mistakes.. and outright rebellions, will be your own. But they too are a part of what you must learn. You will even get very angry at me in several years time.. when you fail to find me in any churches or doctrines or drugs or books or seminars. You will even curse the day you were born.. and your anger and grief will lead to some dreadful mistakes.. but those same mistakes will be the making of you.. your anger and your grief at not “Finding me” will in fact be what allows you to find me in the end.
A week before you turn 44 the final test will come.. your family will disown you and turn against you… and in that moment you will make a final decision (WHICH I did) which will enable the memory of all I have told you to re-surface one day before you turn 44..and when you do.. begin…for your 44th year is when everything you have ever learnt will come into play. The world will grow very dark.. people will be dying and losing hope.. BE that hope for them.. and tell them.. they DO have a “Daddy”.. that I am here FOR them.. and that nothing in their lives has happened for nothing either.. as I hold all events.. and every life.. well and truly in the palms of my hand. Now go.. and I will see you again here…in just under 4 decades your time, from now.
Then.. BANG… just like that.. I opened my eyes…and looked at the clock next to my bed…I was there for what seemed like hours.. or days.. but only about five minutes had passed.
And true to his word…I forgot almost everything he said…until today..
SO, What do you think of this persons dream? Leave a comment. Have you encountered any stories of people having a vision / dream or near death experience of heaven you’d like to share?
