Today I share a “profound and holy song” (as one person has said) written by Sinead O’Conner. I did some research about this sister and as it turns out she is a believer in Jesus. She may not believe everything the same way you do (and who does?) but I was blessed to learn she has faith in the Savior! She is even an ordained minister in a “fringe Catholic sect” and has an album called “Theology”. It was interesting listening to a few of the songs on that album today.

This is a song that my girls and I have been singing around our house for the past week. Please don’t get distracted from actually using this song to connect with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Sing along:

Thank You For Hearing Me Prayer Update:

So yea, God actually hears and heals and finds and saves and holds and loves us. He responds to our prayers. The really cool part is when and how he speaks to us. The following is a testimony of this:

So I had a facility that owed me for some Christmas concerts I did. There was a miscommunication and confusion and I never got paid for these concerts (It was over $100 dollars). I contacted them a couple of times and hadn’t heard from them in a month. It was now April. I drafted up an invoice and had it in an envelope and put it on the mailbox to be picked up.

As I was driving away the Lord said, “No, go back and get that envelope. Don’t send it. I got this.”

“What? This makes no sense but OK.”

I didn’t have peace about mailing it… for days.

Finally, and this reflects my lack of complete trust and that I freak out over money too much, I put it in the mail. I actually did have peace about it now for some reason.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, the check arrived in the mail the following day. I called up the facility to thank them and told them to throw away or “return to sender” on the letter I had sent. Should have stayed trusting God’s, “I got this”.

So, how can we learn to hear the voice of God better?

I’m reading Hearing God by Dallas Willard… and the Bible. Join me in reading it with me?

Your answered prayers:

God has set me free from the bondage of getting involved with religious debates and has instead directed me to use my time to record and share these music vid’s with you. Religious debates and politics are another HUGE source of depression! I’m going to avoid both of them! It literally feels like I drink poison whenever I get involved in a religious debate, and I haven’t cared about politics for forever ago… I doubt heaven cares either. God does still rule from heaven ya know. He is still Soveriegn, so get your eyes and heart where they ought to be and know PEACE!

Do you have an answer to prayer you’d like to share? Leave a comment! Subscribe to this blog and stay tuned!

I was praying the other night for a sneak peak of heaven. Well, I think I had one. I was looking through some sort of binoculars into a scene unfolding in heaven. I felt the presence of someone near me, I think it was an angel.

The Lord has been gracious to allow me to have a few previews over the years. I have always believed that Christians can “go there” because, well, the holy Word of God says we are there!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God… (read more)

Here is one of the most profound visions I have had of heaven from many years ago (extremely similar to this young mans experience!):

There I was at the base of this hill with so many children dancing and singing and clapping as Pastor Alan played on this portable piano. We made our way up the hill and into the dance hall.

It was brilliant. If you have ever seen the birds “dancing” in Rio 2 that was as good as I could describe the scene before me. I had never had an interest in dancing before in my life yet I desperately longed to join this dance. How many were apart of it I could not say but it was a joy to watch.

I gathered my courage and simply trusted that I would instinctually know the dance steps as I stepped out to join them.

I fumbled. I stumbled. I was two left feet.

I retreated to the sidelines embarrassed.

I then overheard two ‘angels’ talking about me.

“What a shame”, one said to another.

“Yes, this is because of how he behaved toward Catherine”, the other replied.

And then I woke up.

At the time of this vivid dream I was in a relationship with my now wife Catherine. We were engaged to be married but I was not behaving toward her as a godly young man should. (Besides that I had been introduced to pornography by some Christians at work.)

This dream served as a sober warning. This is the fate of all who refuse to live a holy life. They miss out on so much! As Jonah said, “those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”

“God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

(This is the very chapter the Lord gave me in a defining vision early on in my walk with him!)

God is raising up a love army in these last days before his return. Witnesses who will proclaim the Truth and display the Glory of God in beauty and power to bring in the greatest move of God of all time. Yes, these are exciting yet perilous times. You must choose who you will love and serve. Jesus, or… well, any other alternative is the enemy… the devil.

Your choice will result in either great rewards or dire and tragic consequences. We must be pure in heart and not have the slightest hint of sexual immorality! This is not an option. To refuse this is to refuse and reject God and you may find yourself as one whom a holy saint or angel will be thrusting a sword (or rebar!) through when God comes to bring vengeance against all who have refused to surrender to Love!

The kingdom of God is incredibly fun! There is a joy to be had in relationship and partnership with Yeshua the Christ but sin and your ego is not invited to the grace party. If you want to join the dance, then you must, as the Lord once told Jeremiah, “give up your mistaken tone of distrust” and give up your sin. Come to Jesus and leave your self destructive pride and sin behind. A life surrendered to him IS a holy life and with the faith of a child you will embark on the greatest spiritual adventure of your life.

Please join me. I will never judge you for anything you share here with me. I love you as a fellow human being created in the image of God, created to be loved and for a friendship with God who is Love! I only seek to be your friend as well and your well being and joy!

“Seek the LORD while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)

——————-

Related video:

It had so many similarities to dreams I have had. Especially getting struck by the bolt of lightning (my rapture dream), the tunnel formed by clouds (tornado), and the dance party.

Listen and tell me what you think.

I woke up rehearsing in my mind what I had said in my last post about feeling as powerless as ever. What a can of worms…

So… are we powerless?

Well, not according to God’s Word… yea, the God who cannot lie. He says that if you trust in Jesus for salvation you have the same power that raised Christ from the dead living in you. Here are a few Scriptures I have read over the past couple days:

“We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1)

“I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.” (Ephesians 1)

My family has been sick for the past two weeks. Like really bad. My wife seems to often suffer physically… for as long as I have known her. My daughter Ellie’s teeth had been rotting out of her face for no apparent reason for the past couple years (and we have good hygiene around here so don’t judge). My daughter Emma has been suffering with bad sickness too. Even my dog got so sick last week I had to put him down. (He was really old for a dog and it was his time, but that didn’t stop me from praying that God would reverse his aging and heal him.)

All of this has been prayed for… a lot! And seemingly with no results.

It was Ellie’s teeth situation that got me inquiring about and pursuing the gift of healing in the first place. I had the elders of the church come and lay hands on and anoint with oil with no results. Does this mean I think that the Bible is lying?

“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him…” (James 5:13-15)

I guess we didn’t pray with any faith… whatever that means. What a can of worms… right?

What am I supposed to think?

But, here is what I know about the gift of healing:

I have personally experienced God healing someone through me. There was no second guessing it. God was present in and with me and moved in compassion for someone else and literally healed them.

I personally know someone (Bill) who, without even knowing who John Wimber was, found himself at a Wimber meeting. Wimber started getting words from God about people in the audience. He pointed straight at Bill and said, “You there. Pray for the woman next to you. God is going to heal her teeth.”

Ok… he turns and looks at this woman whose teeth are all crooked or missing and not knowing what else to say he mumbles a, “God, heal her.” Instantly he heard a crackling sound as he literally watched new teeth grow in and straighten much to her and his shock and delight.

Bill decided to become a pastor after that. (This is the stary as I remember it being told to me.)

John Wimbers journey started with a desire to see the gifts of the Holy Spirit operating. He had just come to faith (I think back in the 70’s) and would read the Bible and ask those in church,

“When do we get to do the stuff?”

“What stuff?”

“You know, like the hearings and miracles I’m reading about in here?”

“We don’t do that anymore,” he was told.

John Wimber wasn’t convinced. Once he became a pastor himself he started praying for the sick most every week. By his account no one ever got better instead some even became more ill and died. A year passed but he faithfully persisted in praying for the sick. One day a man calls him up on the phone, “Pastor, will you come over and pray for my wife? I have to get to work and she needs to watch the kids.”

Discouraged though he was he agreed to go over and pray. He prayed for her and then turned to the man and started to explain why these things sometimes don’t work. Meanwhile the man looks over his shoulder and sees his wife get out of bed and casually thanks John for coming over. She was healed!

On the way home John gets an open vision of a honey waterfall (representing healing or the gifts of the Spirit) and some people were loving it and entering into it. He saw others, however, reacting with disgust.

That was the beginnings of the gift of healing being released in John Wimbers life. He proved Jesus words true, “Ask and keep on asking and you will receive. Seek and keep on seeking and you will find. Knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened.”

(the following is his testimony and some really great teaching):

Persistence is required.

Jesus said, “men should always pray and never give up.” People have had visions of angels bringing the answer and about to deliver on a prayer request but actually being turned away by the very ones who prayed because they gave up and “let God off” making some excuse on his behalf.

So… I keep praying for my daughters teeth to be healed. She is likely going to have the healthiest teeth you’ll ever see with all the prayers that have gone up for her. And I am believing that God is going to “do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.” Perhaps God will release a gift of healing in our family like he did for John G. Lake. (Read his amazing story here – FREE book!).

My wife recently prayed for a young girls ankle and the next day it was better… at least according to the report back we received. My friend who had come over and anointed my girl with oil and prayed has now seen a miraculous healing and recovery in his nephews life.

So are we powerless?

Not according to God’s Word… yea, the God who cannot lie. So put that in your pipe ‘n smoke it.

“Seek the LORD while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT

Come Lord Jesus from our new album Reflect Love. Now available at www.reflectworship.com:

The idea for this song, Come Lord Jesus, came as I was reading a book by C.S. Lewis called the “Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” to my five year old daughter. C.S. Lewis wrote this book as an allegory for the Gospel. In this captivating story there is a white witch who had kept Narnia under her spell for a hundred long years. It was always winter and never Christmas. Everyone suffered under her rule and everyone who opposed her was turned to stone.

Then Aslan, the Creator of Narnia and the Christ figure of the book, returns to Narnia. The white witch loses her power. Everything thaws and Spring comes in a single day. The birds are singing, trees and flowers are blooming. It is beautiful!

As I read that to my daughter, a thrill came to my heart. I thought about the day when Jesus will come back to this world he created. The devil will lose his power and my prayer is that our hearts, which the devil has kept frozen, untrusting, and suspicious of the true nature of Jesus, will thaw at his return!

This is also what happens to anyone who comes to the Lord. Spring enters our heart. All your life previous to knowing Christ was the longest, hardest, most brutal winter you’ll ever know and then you meet Jesus! Spring has come at long last!

The first century church had an Aramaic word they used to greet each other: “Maranatha”, which means, “Our Lord is coming” or “Come Oh Lord”.

Jesus is returning soon!

Lyrics:

Come Lord Jesus

The winters passing on and spring has
Come, come, come Lord Jesus
Our hearts are thawing ever drawing
Near to you Lord Jesus

Fill our hearts with love and beauty
Fill our lives now, Holy Sprit

The trees are reaching for Yeshua,
Come, come, come Lord Jesus
The birds are singing Hallelujah,
Come, come, come Lord Jesus

Fill our hearts with love and beauty
Fill our lives now Holy Sprit
Fill our hearts with love and beauty
Fill our lives now, Holy Sprit

Spring rain is falling down,
Spring rain is washing out,

All the filth, all the things we could do without
All the pain all the stains you are cleansing out
All the filth, all the things we could do without
All the shame all the stains you are cleansing out…

(Instrumental)

Come Lord Jesus, Come Lord Jesus
Come Lord Jesus, Come Lord Jesus

The winters passing on and spring has
Come, come, come Lord Jesus
Our hearts are thawing ever drawing
Near to you Lord Jesus

Come, come, come Lord Jesus
Come, come, come Lord Jesus

Click on Album Cover to Listen or Download

A few extra details about this song: I wrote the music for the song after a concert one day at a nursing home. The song was first recorded on a smart phone on the first day of Spring as I played it for Daniel Betters, a man of God who was on his way to be with Jesus. He passed on into the next life that day and I later played this very song at his funeral. They had called the memorial service a “celebration of life”. And it most certainly was! I was delighted to hear all the amazing stories of this man of profound faith and love for Jesus. I was so excited and glad to have been there to hear of his walk to remember!

Jesus would tell each one of us, “Love the person you are with in the moment.” This is how we will change the world!

Enjoy!