In my prior post, I reported how I faced the devil in Hell and experienced his absolute hatred for me. I watched him in horror as he strained to attack me, but God had secured his feet to the ground, keeping me just out of his reach.
In this experience, just like so many before, God protected me from harm. In this case, I was instantly transferred to another place, leaving Satin in a rage, trying to break his restraints and harm me.
My destination was the Judgement Seat of the Lord.
I arrived in a tranquil fog that mysteriously had no dampness. The mist engulfed me so that all I could see was gray. I pondered my recent experiences in Hell (see – IN HELL – CONFRONTED BY THE DEVIL) and the Lake of Fire (see – my prior post) and believed I was fortunate to be in a peaceful and calming place like this one.
All of this suddenly changed as I started to re-live the iniquities of my life in a much more vivid way than when I lived them. Once again, I experienced the feelings, emotions, and perceptions of the people I had infringed upon, and it humbled me. All of this occurred instantaneously, however. Instead of taking hours, days, months, or even years, I re-experienced them concurrently.
Suddenly all of this ceased, and I heard a voice coming thru the fog. It was a mature, calming voice, one that projected love. It emitted a confidence that drew me toward it. It was firm and yet unintimidating and had a perfect tempo. Its power, phrasing, and pronunciation were exact, yet the voice transmitted a sense of caring and consideration. I perceived all this from just the four stunning words He spoke.
I thought, how did I decern all this from just four words? After all, it was a straightforward question, yet so profound that it cut to my heart. The inquiry had surprised me, and its implication hit home like a sledgehammer. “Why should you live?” is all the voice spoke without expression of judgment or wrath. Therefore, there were no clues as to what an acceptable response might be.
The ramifications of the question devastated me as I recognized that my response would determine my fate. I assumed there must be a valid answer because if not, why ask the question? Frantically, I searched for explanations to justify my poor behavior.
Then another insight came to me from out of the blue, and it rocked me even more. There are no lies in this place, only truth. Lies do not exist here because the one who asked the question already knows the reality. Everyone here has access to this reality.
Soon yet another fact smacked me into a frenzy. The question pertained to more than merely mortal life and death on Earth. The question is about living forever, either in paradise or in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, the second death (Golgotha – see SWIMMING IN THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE and MY JOURNEY TO SPIRITUAL GOLGOTHA.) I now began to comprehend the consequence and gravity of the question. Death forever! Agony, torture, and suffering in the Lake of Fire for eternity. Everlasting torment at the hand of Satan. Then that “oh, no” feeling swam over me in a deluge, you know, that guilty sensation you get in your gut when your actions have severely harmed someone.
Then I heard a commotion from behind the one who asked the question, and another voice said, “What about good works?” Then, I heard more rustling and fuss, and then the disruption stopped, and a third voice said, “There are none.” I stood there dumbfounded and thought, how can this be since I have certainly performed good works? Then another truth entered my mind. Even my good deeds were done for the wrong reasons.
I understood the focus was on me to answer the question, and I became desperate to find an appropriate reply. I felt I had to say something, so I blamed others and then paused for a response, but the silence was the only response I would get. Then, I admitted that I should not try to blame others for my bad choices, and I surrendered, telling God that I would change, and I requested His help.
That was the last thing I recall about being before the judgment seat of God. My next recollection would be awakening in the ICU in the morning. I had lived through the night by the mercy of God.
Yes, it happened again, just like in my previous postings, where I communicated that someone had been watching out and protecting me. This time, however, the one who saved me had the power to rescue me from the greatest misfortune of all, the second death. You would think that this time there would be no mistaking who was watching out for me, but regrettably, I was still blind. I saw all of this as one terrifying dream. So I moved my memories of that night to a faraway place in my brain and moved on.
But the devil was not done with me, and neither was God. The spiritual battle over me would continue for quite some time. In subsequent postings, I will tell of continuous setbacks in the ICU and the turning point back to God.
This posting is the first of many that documents God’s involvement in my life. It is my Testimony for all to read and rejoice in His wonderful works. In case you have not already read about my childhood experiences, you can find them here: Introduction to Chapter 1 – From the Beginning.
My Day of Death
It was November 7, 1986, a day I would prefer to forget but likely never will. My chronicle of this day and its aftermath will seem unimaginable to many. It was the day death came calling, and I crossed over into the spiritual reality of our human existence. When I look back at this experience, I understand that it was a period of change for me, an essential lesson in the truth about our reality, and an education on why we are here. I knew almost nothing about these things when they occurred.
It all began when, for some unknown reason, I stopped believing in the devil’s existence. Especially since I had a terrifying encounter with the devil as a child (documented in the section entitled, A Terrifying Memory.) In any event, this false belief left me a vulnerable victim of what started on that November day.
I was not feeling well that day, which was a bummer because I was very enthusiastic about going to a concert with friends that evening. As the day progressed, my condition unfortunately worsened. It was a condition that I had been experiencing, off and on, for many months. The symptoms included low energy, facial flushing, and high temperature after dinner or a couple of drinks. I had also gained over thirty pounds during this time. I had gone to the doctor about these conditions on two separate occasions, but they found nothing wrong.
Despite all this, I decided the concert was just too good an opportunity to pass on. So, that evening, I met my friends at a restaurant before the show for dinner and drinks. Even though I was not hungry, I had a Mexican dish and a beer. The aftereffect of this combination made my stomach feel overly full and backed up.
We then left the restaurant, walked across the street to the concert hall, and took our seats just before the show started. The music and the performances were outstanding, and everyone was having a swell time, except for me. I was becoming nauseous and sick to my stomach. I tried to delay the inevitable but eventually had to go to the restroom to vomit. As I returned to my chair, I thought there may have been something wrong with the Mexican food. My illness worsened throughout the evening, and I had to depart to the restroom several more times before the concert ended. My friends all wanted to go out for drinks afterward but developing sharp abdominal pains, I declined their invitation and went home instead.
My abdominal pain had become exceptionally severe when I arrived home forty minutes later. As I exited my car, I found that I could not stand upright due to the stomach pain, but bowed down ninety degrees at the waist to minimize it. My wife and I called our family doctor, who recommended that I be taken to the emergency room immediately. Ironically, the hospital brought me within a few blocks or so of the concert hall I had left a couple of hours ago.
Over twenty years ago, God showed me a breathtaking vision of a new Earth that bloomed into a living, flourishing flower filled with Jesus Christ at its core. Today, I see one of the primary components of this vision evolving in our world. Could it be that we are moving toward a world filled with Jesus? I will commence by presenting what I saw that day, more than twenty years ago.
I should begin by stating that I had just handed my life over to Jesus Christ, pledging that I would do whatever He wanted me to do. Consequently, while the experience contains a personal message for me, it also is a good news message to all Christians.
The Vision of a World Filled with Jesus
The vision appeared while I was at home in bed, in that twilight place, between slumber and consciousness. I had my eyes closed when a gigantic fluorescent orange globe appeared in front of a solid, steel blue-black backdrop. I noticed that the sphere somehow radiated a vivid orange light from within. I instantly knew that the orange planet was the earth, even though there were no observable oceans or continents. While knowing this seemed strange to me, I found that this foreknowing would reoccur on this occasion when I needed it. So, I was getting information inserted into my brain throughout this experience.
After I gazed at this captivating panorama for a minute or so, I noticed what appeared to be a small black arrowhead arising over the North Pole sky. It flew in a due South direction, leaving a thin black line or trail behind it. I thought this object could be the Space Shuttle deploying a string of satellites.
THE SPACE SHUTTLE IS SHAPED LIKE AN INDIAN ARROWHEAD
It continued southward until it disappeared above the Southern Pole. A few minutes later, it reappeared at the North Pole again but now orbiting the globe on a new longitude. Once again, it deposited a straight black line behind it before disappearing at the South pole once again.
A TRAIN OF STARLINK SATELLITES ARE VISIBLE IN THE NIGHT SKY
The shuttle continued laying down the longitudes in this same manner until it had printed the ones typically found on a map of the world. The shape of the earth now resembled that of a peeled orange.
With the longitudes now deployed, I wondered what would come next. After a few more minutes, the shuttle emerged at the Eastern Equator, now trekking on a westward trajectory, and then proceeded to circumnavigate the planet until it had painted the important latitude lines across the face of the earth. Once completed, the sphere looked like an orange school globe, exhibiting its longitudes and latitudes.
I watched in awe at the beautiful sight before me, wondering what would happen next. Then I saw the skin of a single slice of the orange globe (a wedge-formed between two longitude lines) rolling backward upon itself into a scroll shape coil at the equator and exposing an astonishingly beautiful pink under-layer. Successive slices of the orange globe followed one at a time, in the same manner. Once completed, the beautiful pink northern hemisphere glowed above the orange coils at the earth’s mid-point.
I could not take my eyes off of what I had seen, and I surely did not want to miss out on anything. As I continued to observe in amazement, the silky pink surface transformed into the petals of a young, tightly wound flower that slowly matured as I watched. As it did, I witnessed new growth forming and then expanding from the flowers’ nucleus, forcing the mature outside petals to flow over the edge and creating a perpetual waterfall of pink petals streaming down.
The majestic loveliness of this ever-expanding blossom had me spellbound, and I wished that it would never end. I couldn’t help but continue observing this awe-inspiring sight, but then, I wondered if I might be dreaming all of this. I thought, what would happen if I reopened my eyes? So, I opened them, lifted my head, and looked around my bedroom. To my astonishment, I was able to see the flower superimposed over the features of my darkened room. It was as if my retinas had a semitransparent video projected onto them. Even though I did not understand how this could occur, I immediately re-closed my eyes, not wanting to miss any part of this captivating experience. Then I started to wonder why this was happening to me? Why should I know this, and what importance could this be to me?
As if, in answer to my questions, everything around me abruptly began moving very fast. My vantage point to the flowering globe rotated ninety degrees, such that my view was now directly over the nucleus of the flowering planet, precisely where the new growth was emerging at the North Pole. Then, a portal dilated open at that exact point, and an unseen force pulled me inside. I found myself at the feet of a Jesus that filled the earth from pole to pole. When I looked up into the perfect clarity, I saw His outstretched arms, and I believed that He was delivering blessings to the souls of the earth. That is when all of the heavenly peace of my vision faded away.
I have since realized that this vision has to be for all of God’s people. I believe that God wants His people to know that His glory is coming to those who believe in Him.
Further, it appears to me that the time could be coming soon. I say this because it seems to me that there are parallels in the vision to the Sky-Link project. First of all, Sky-Link portrays a matrix of satellites deployed all around the earth, similar to what I saw. Here is an artist’s rendition of what Sky-Link satellites will look like when fully deployed.
While there is not a perfect match to the Sky-Link effort, I tend to write discrepancies off, as God presented what would have been recognizable to me at the time. For example, I would not be able to recognize the shape of the Falcon Nine rocket as it did not exist at the time.
The exciting part for me is; if this proves to be a valid interpretation of this vision, then the blooming of the earth immediately follows. The covering of the bud rolls down to reveal the beauty of the precious petals underneath. The petals then develop and grow with overflowing abundance, and the center opens up to uncover that Jesus is at the heart of it all.
In closing, I must say that the vision that God gave me that night was the most-real experience of my life, and I stand behind what I communicated to you about it here. Interpretations, however, are a different story. So I leave the interpretation to you. You may not believe any of this, and that is fine. Or you may have a different interpretation than mine. Whatever your interpretation may be, I pray that it will fill your heart with the good news, knowing that peace is near through your salvation in Jesus Christ.
If this posting lifts your spirit for the coming of a world with Jesus at its core, then I say to you, “Possess the Vision.”
Because I am a Christian, I understand that it is necessary to examine the experiences I shared in CHAPTER 2: The Spiritual Warfare Over Me, to ascertain their biblical soundness. I, therefore, have performed the necessary bible research to achieve a scriptural validation of the things I experienced and present my findings to you here in this posting. I hope that in reviewing this material, you may find, like I did, a real glimpse into the spiritual realm.
A CORRELATION TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
The experience of that night terrified me, and as a result, I did not want to think about it, let alone tell anyone about LEAVING MY BODY and entering the spiritual realm. It wasn’t until after I was born again that I understood what God had done for me. His way of starting our relationship was to show me the truth about my life purpose and myself. God loved me enough to give me a second opportunity to make the right choice. I did not deserve this opportunity, but He gave it out of His love for me. I knew that if He did this much for me when I did not merit it, that He would proceed to bless me from that point as well. I gave in to God, little by little, over time. Everything improved when I eventually accepted the truth that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. God then placed favor into my soul, and we grew closer in a relationship than I could have ever envisioned. As I matured as a Christian, I read the Bible and gained new insight into my spiritual encounter. In the book of Revelation, I found uncanny similarities, correlations, and insights into what happened to me. The following sections present some of the parallels found in the book of Revelation.
PROOF OF THE LAKE OF FIRE
The orange plasma that I swam in (see THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE) is mentioned in the book of Revelation. It is the eternal destination of Satan, the beast, the false prophet, death, Hades, and everyone whose name is not in the book of Life.
Revelation 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
THE JUDGMENT OF WORKS AND THE OPENED BOOKS
In my spiritual reality, I stood in a gray place while being judged (THE GRAY PLACE AND JUDGMENT DAY.) I heard the voices of the beings that searched for the record of the good works I had done. I also experienced the pain that I had caused others as the sins of my life passed before me.
Is there a reference to being judged in the Bible? Are records kept to assist in the judgment? The answer to both of these questions is yes. Everyone will be judged in accordance to their works:
Revelation 20:11 – 13 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things, which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
THE SECOND DEATH
Since only truth existed in the place of my reflection, I somehow knew that the pending judgment before me was regarding the second death. In this natural world, I did not have a clue that such a thing existed. Is there evidence of the second death in the Bible? Yes, again, it is explained in the continuation of the passage above. The second death is the end of hell and death. The result is to be the total elimination of evil. There will also be the elimination of dying, pain, and tears. Sadly, however, there will be no more chances for repentance as only those whose name is in the Book of Life will remain:
Revelation 20:14 – 15 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
THE SAVIOR
On that night, I swam in the lake of fire and brimstone and later walked in the halls of HELL where I faced THE BEAST. I knew that there was no escape from these places, so how did I get out? I also sustained the reality of the second death, but who has power over death; to let live or let die? The answer is Jesus! The following words from the book of Revelation are the words of the resurrected Jesus:
Jesus “The Way, the Truth and the Life,” Rises from the Dead
Revelation 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hades and of death.
THE JUDGE
In my recollection, I stood while being judged. To whom do I owe my redemption? Who sits on the throne of judgment?
Revelation 7:10 And crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!
I was returned to life that day despite my stained garments. Who has the power to forgive sin?
Mark 2:10 – 11 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins; He said to the paralytic, I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.
I stood in a place where only truth existed and was asked, “Why should you live?” But, who is it that will judge the living and the dead?
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.
The answer is that Jesus the Christ of Nazareth is our Lord and Savior. Even though I had made poor choices in my life, Jesus covered me with His blood and kept me from the second death I truly deserved.
Jesus Sheds His Blood on the Cross
My story provides insight into the meaning of our lives because it accurately describes the consequences of poor choices. I had made the poor choice of disbelieving in the existence of the devil, and God revealed the truth to me. The truth is that the devil, hell, the lake of fire and brimstone, the judgment, and the second death are the consequences of our poor choices. God, Jesus, heaven, and life everlasting are the consequences of our good decisions.
A CORRELATION WITH PSALM 30
As you know from reading CHAPTER 2: The Spiritual Warfare Over Me, I entered the emergency room of a major hospital on November 7, 1986, believing that all would be well soon, not knowing that THE DAY OF MY DEATH was knocking on my door . Nor did I know that God would miraculously deliver me from a long string of attacks and calamities.
A correlation to my experience exists in Psalm 30, a psalm of David, who gives recognition to God for saving him from his foe, for healing him, delivering him from the grave, and saving him from being cast into the pit (SPIRITUAL GOLGOTHA.) I believe that my experience shows that God did these things for me also, and therein lies the correlation. Let’s start by reading a portion of Psalm 30.
Psalm 30: 1-5 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and you healed me. O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Let us honor God for His great mercy and love! I completely relate to the message of Psalm 30. So much so that I modified it to become my prayer of thanksgiving for all that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has done for me. I present it here, so please read along with me in thanksgiving and praise:
I will exalt You, Oh Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not let my enemy the devil rejoice in victory over me. Oh Lord, my God, I have cried out to You, and You have healed me from a great affliction of which there was seemingly no hope. Oh Lord, You have lifted my soul from the grave of death and you have saved me from the eternal damnation of which I truly deserve. You have kept me alive and spared me from the fate of the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and the everlasting torture and agony of the second death. Sing praises to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks to the remembrance of His holy name; His name is JESUS, THE CHRIST OF NAZARETH. For His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is forever. Oh, weeping and sorrow may endure for a night, but joy everlasting comes in the morning, and a new life begins.
This posting is another chapter from my book entitled, Possess the Vision. It communicates the spiritual experiences and messages that were given by God shortly after we moved to California.
Pat and I were expanding relationships at our new church while God was simultaneously alluring us into a closer connection with Him. During this time, I experienced revelations from God that He delivered in several different ways. I have documented four of these experiences for you in the sections below. They are titled: The Audible Voice of God, A Vision of a Straight Path, The White Dove, and A Dream of a Living Cross.
THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD
One day, I was on my deck, catching some sun while gazing at the magnificent seacoast view (may add a link to previous posting here). When I had received enough sun, I walked back toward my loft door. Then, as I proceeded through the doorway, I heard a powerfully masculine and yet calming voice, speak my name.
From the moment that this voice began speaking, everything around me started moving in slow motion – as if time itself was slowing down. The typical sounds surrounding me faded, and I instantly knew that I was listening to the audible voice of God. I immediately lost muscle control as my body became as limp as a jellyfish. My legs had suddenly stopped supporting my weight, my knees buckled, and I plunged downward through the doorway, out of control. My forward momentum now propelled my head onto a collision course with the glass top of a pinball machine that stood just inside the loft door.
Psalm 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice ofthe LORD is full of majesty.
As I had no muscle power to shield my head from being slammed into the pinball machine, and I presumed that I was about to be seriously injured.
Amazingly, my muscle function recovered the instant that His voice stopped speaking. Consequently, I was able to get my hands and arms up to the metal frame of the pinball machine to protect myself from harm.
I then reset my legs back under me and gradually stood upright. I then began looking around for the visible manifestation of God while waiting for the return of His voice. But neither happened. Not knowing what to do, I replied in the custom of the prophets who spoke, Here I am Lord. My heart was pounding as I stood there perfectly still, anticipating a reply, but there was none. Eventually, I walked off, being very perplexed.
Subsequently, I could not help continuously thinking about the voice of God. It was so perfect. How could I not wonder about a voice so powerful and yet so soothing at the same time? How could I not wonder about this voice that exhibited perfect articulation and pace and simultaneously use inflections and tone to convey an attraction to it? How could this voice create such emotions of harmony and peace? Why would it call out my name and utter nothing more? I would get insight into some of these questions the very next day.
The morning began like every other, as I had made it a practice to read a portion of the Bible every morning before prayer. I had set a goal of reading the entire Bible, and the scripture below was a passage that I read that morning:
Isaiah 43:1–2 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, oh Jacob, and He who formed you, oh Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
This scripture was the confirmation of what had just occurred in my life. Chills ran up and down my spine as I realized that God had just called me by name. I belonged to Him now, and if I did not know it previously, I now knew that without a doubt, He would be with me through all the challenging times ahead. God was with me at that time and would be there throughout my future. He would be there for my walk toward His plan.
A VISION OF A STRAIGHT PATH
A few weeks later, God communicated to me again, this time in a vision. In it, I found myself in a forest of strange trees that had leaves that coiled up, looking something like a tightly wound watch spring. A path had been cut, perfectly straight through the trees that revealed the hills and dales below the foliage. Despite receiving this insight, I did not know what it meant at the time. I asked several people about it, but they could not interpret the vision either. Then one day, I read the following scripture.
The Morning Star Rising on the First Day
Isaiah 40:3 – 5 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
I now see it as a sign that God’s people must make a straight path to prepare for the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This message is for the bride. What did John the Baptist proclaim while baptizing men in the Jordan river for the repentance of sin?
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
The Baptism of Jesus
Matt 3: 1-6 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
The Great Commission
And what did Jesus command the apostles (the 12 foundations of the bride) to do upon His departure?
The Disciples are Sent out
Matt 28: 16-20 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
Are not these two commissions very similar?
Psalm 27:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in asmooth path, because of my enemies.
THE WHITE DOVE
One Sunday, we had an evangelist visit our church. We liked his message and resolved to attend his other services later in the week. I was hungry for the manifestations of God and desired to be at each service. Unfortunately, they were scheduled at noon each day, and this presented some work-related issues for me. One obstacle was that I had to drive across downtown Los Angeles to get to the church, and the commute time would be over an hour in each direction. Therefore, attending these services demanded that I be away from work for a substantial time. To solve this predicament, I planned to take an early lunch, attend the service, and then return to work and stay late to make up for the lost work time.
Something extraordinary transpired on my commute to the second service that week. As I drove down the Interstate in heavy traffic, I saw a white dove off in the distance flying in my direction. As it flew closer, I could see that it was in my lane, flying straight toward me. As it advanced, I noticed that its wings were beating very rapidly and that it was looking right at me.
The Holy Spirit
It became very apparent that the dove was flying toward my windshield, directly toward me. I braced myself as it neared, and at the instant of its anticipated contact, I turned my head away to shield myself from the impact. But nothing happened, and the windshield was undamaged. I speculated that perhaps the dove had swooped away at the very last second.
I arrived at the service a bit late, but the minister did lay hands on me, and the Holy Spirit did manifest in me that day. I now see this experience as a sign that the Holy Spirit will support the earnest efforts of those who are diligently seeking Him.
THE LIVING CROSS
Some weeks later, God gave me yet another vision. In this one, I saw an old wooden cross standing alone on a desolate hilltop. I knew it to be the crucifixion cross of Jesus. It stood there tilting backward somewhat and listing to one side at about a forty-five-degree angle. It looked as if no one had been taking care of it.
I lingered to watch, and then something moved me much closer to it, and I commenced to examine it in greater detail. My observation focused on the grain of the timbers that began to glow a fluorescent red-orange. The brightness of the wood grain now resembled that of an electric stove-top.
Then the entire cross began glowing, faintly at first but slowly growing in illumination, until it was vibrantly gleaming. The cross that had appeared dead just moments before came to life! I could now see blood circulating through that grain, just like blood flows through the veins of our bodies, transporting nutrients and revitalizing energy throughout the body.
Next, the transparent wood took on a three-dimensional appearance. I could now see into multiple layers, and everything in the cross became visible to me. Subsequently, the glowing red cross began firing randomly colored photons of enlightenment in seemingly random directions. One blast at a time, these photons discharged in rapid succession like that of a machine gun. The cross of Jesus is alive!
Below is a scripture in which Jesus tells a man to take up his cross and follow Him.
Mark 10: 20-21 And he answered and said to Him, Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth. 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.
I now realize this vision to imply that the Christians who seek to be members of the bride of Christ must have the living cross on fire in their hearts. If they do so, they will do what He did.
John 41:12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Doing these things is how the bride prepares for the second coming of Jesus. The bride is ready for the return of the Bridegroom because she has taken up His cross. The cross of Christ must become alive in our hearts and minds.
SERVING THE CHURCH
We were committed to our congregation in our attendance, tithes, time, and serving God and His people. But even in this capacity, God was showing us what was in store for the bride.
A VISION FOR THE ANNUAL CHURCH CONFERENCE
Our church held an annual conference that had become a tradition over its twenty-five-year history. People of God came from all over the world to teach, preach and worship God.
One Sunday after the service, our pastor engaged Pat and I in a talk about the conference. He indicated that they lacked an illustration for the cover of the conference brochures. It just so happened that God had shown me something a few days earlier, and I presented it to the pastor. He liked it and had an artist drawn it up for the pamphlets. Here is a description of what I saw.
I saw a star that generated multiple sets of uniquely tinted light beams that flashed in all directions, some reaching the earth, very far away. The rays hitting our planet were sharp and penetrating and included the entire spectrum of light.
Then suddenly, the star grew several times larger than its original size and brightness. 34 Because of this massive expansion; it was now closer to the earth, and as a result, it scorched our planet with its searing light.
Isaiah 30:26 Moreover the light of the moon will be as thelight of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, asthe light of seven days, in the day that the LORD binds up thebruise of His people and heals the stroke of their wound.
Afterward, the starlight slowly dissipated into a soft cloud-like light that encompassed the globe in a canopy. I believe that this is a foreshadowing of the things that must transpire before the fulfillment of God’s plan. Here is the explanation of what I saw in the vision above:
In the beginning, God communicated with His people from a great distance. However, in the future, His words will come in like direct sunlight in summer, and they will burn up those planted in stony ground.
Matt 13: 3-8 Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
Therefore everyone anchored deep into God’s good ground will understand His desire more clearly than ever before and this will kindle a revival that will spread across the earth. The result will be a massive harvest of saved souls. The Word of God will become known to everyone, and the people whose roots have grown deep into the living water of life will flourish, but all others will be scorched and die.
John 4:13 – 14 Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
Then God’s love will encircle and protect the earth, and His people will prosper under His soft and gentle love.
Just a few days later, our new pastor once again pulled me out of the congregation and spoke the following words:
And my son, what I have done is small compared to what I will do. It is but a seed compared to what I’m getting ready to explode. It is but an investment compared to what I’m getting ready to release. As I have talked to you again and again about the hundred fold, oh yes, and your carnal, analytical, add it, subtract it, divide it mind has said, God, but that is so much. But, my son, it’s not that much to me. But you have said, God I’m not looking for me. I’m not looking even for my family. Oh, I’m looking for the kingdom. And the Lord would declare there are even amounts of finance that you have asked Me for and you know it will take miracles to bring it. But, it shall be released, says the Lord. Because I have had an account for even a last day revival—the wealth of the wicked that has been laid up for my sons and daughters. And many do not even realize I’ve already set it aside. I’ve already done it, says the Lord. And the Lord would declare unto thee, limit Me not. Favor—favor is thy word. Favor is thy heritage. Favor is thy future. Favor will bring thy increase. New wine, new wine into new bottles!
I understood this prophecy as a promise of God’s provision for whatever resources are necessary to accomplish the vision presented in this book. I hope that you have enjoyed my stories and that you were able to see the wonderful future that God has for his believers. A new earth filled with Jesus at its core, forever blossoming into a beautiful flower.
I trust that this blog may have helped you to find God’s purpose for your life. If you have not found it then I suggest that you seek it, for the Bible states; seek and you will find. Chances are that you will discover like I did, that it was there all the time. I compel you to possess the vision of the bride of Christ prepared for the marriage feast when Jesus victoriously returns.
It was at the time that we moved to Colorado that I started to have a number of visions, the first of which was the trench to the glory of God. In it I saw the outline of a darkened earth backlit by a wonderfully illuminated sky. The illumination came from the glory of God that was shining just below the horizon. It made the sky look like an enhanced version of the Northern Lights. They were enhanced because the colors were much brighter and more vivid than in our world. They were effervescent like the light from a neon bulb. In addition, the lights were presented in a panorama of intermixed colors. While they lacked a specific design, they were very pleasing and beautiful. They were also dynamic—constantly changing patterns of color. Slowly and gradually they changed from one indescribable, yet fantastically beautiful arrangement to another. I was very content to simply watch them change. In any event, this was the background upon which the earth was placed in my vision.
The darkened earth was illuminated only by the light on the horizon, and there was just enough of it to enable me to see the three-dimensional curvature of the earth. This sight was something like the dawning of the first day of the new earth when God returns to be its only light.
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light (Revelation 21:23).
I could also see a perfectly straight trench40 that had been dug across the entire face of the planet.
Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face (Psalm 5:8).
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3 – 5)
It was about eight feet deep by four feet wide and tens of thousands of miles long. I marveled at the perfection of its straightness, thinking surely it must have been dug by a very special machine. It extended all the way to the horizon, where a notch appeared in the otherwise-perfect curvature of the earth. This notch on the earth’s horizon aligned perfectly with the source of God’s glory. It was at this position that the sky was its brightest. I could see the reflection of the brightly colored lights on the inside walls of the trench at this point on the horizon. I knew that the trench led to the glory of God! I also knew that I would enter into this trench, and once inside I would be led straight to God by following the light to the other end. The light would guide me in my journey. My walk would lead straight toward the magnificence of God! The trenched walls would keep me from the distractions on the earth.
This vision obviously is a projection of the new earth41 that occurs with the second coming of Jesus.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea (Revelation 21:1).
It projects the dawning of the first day when Jesus, our Morning Star, becomes our light in the New Jerusalem. It is a call for preparation of the bride. An artists interpretation of this vision can be found on the image of my book cover below.
For more information about the bride of Christ please use the hyperlinks below:
A few weeks ago we proposed that a universal technology be developed and deployed with the purpose to unite and empower Christians around the world. This technology is to be built and established by Christians for Christians. It is designed to help usher in the kingdom of God by supporting the growth and development of all Christian churches, missions, and peoples. It is to be a tool to enable Christians to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ more effectively and, in so doing, become more fruitful as a people. Fundamentally, this technology is to be a tool to help Christians work together in the ministry of improving the world around them; by helping the poor and disenfranchised better take care of their families.
One way to achieve this is to provide a foundation for political influence in the United States of America and other countries through the use of the technology we mentioned above. The primary focus of this will be to support and promote Christian values, beliefs and religious rights. This includes support systems for the election and appointment of Christians who believe in bringing the will of God into their political office. The systems we recommend will support for our religious freedoms as well as the human rights of the individual as viewed from a Christian perspective. For example, we have seen school teachers in one school tell students that they cannot wear a cross in their class. While many of these things are simply misguided, all such issues should initiate a united action from the Christian community. The system we propose should achieve that end.
The system we propose is designed to organize and put in place such action. A loss of individual rights can occur whenever the common people do not stand up to the tyranny of the powerful few who plan to profit from their demise. Such is the case today—as major corporations, other nations, and special interest groups attempt to change the laws of our country through the leverage of their power and money. Often, this comes at the expense of the people who are supposed to be protected by their government. For example, legislation that is passed based on the influence of the insurance lobby can produce results that restrict the benefits that would otherwise be due to hard-working Americans. This being the case, it would seem to me that we have lost our representative form of government. The fact that these injustices can occur must mean that there is corruption in our government. This, in turn, means that we are no longer a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people. If laws are passed based on the desires of the rich and powerful, then we are a nation of major corporations and foreign interests made up of special interest groups who represent the rich and powerful. When these things happen, there should be a unified Christian force to confront our government in a righteous and balanced way.
We must restore the honesty and integrity that we once had by establishing a true system of checks and balances like those that our forefathers had intended when they drafted our constitution. We must get big money out of politics and restore our government to the people. Think about this statement for starters. If for some reason both of our political parties were being influenced and/or paid by the same group of powerful people and corporations, then we would have lost the power of our vote and, as a result, the control of our government and in the end our civil rights. It is in this way that the system we propose can provide a valid check and balance that may be missing today.
One major use of this computerized system will be to gain political influence by providing a facility that will enable the Christian community to identify, define, debate, and unify around Christian opinions and issues. For example, it can make it possible for the entire body of Christ to voice their opinions on candidates and proposed laws. It will allow the collection and consolidation of information into easily digestible packages that will inform and enable Christian voters to align on issues of importance to the Christian way of life. In addition, this system will provide a capability to initiate, create, and pass petitions to change existing laws. In addition, dialog capabilities will enable Christians to discuss the issues openly. All of this is necessary to protect our most precious rights in the United States—the right to freedom of religion and speech. These rights have been systematically under attack in recent years.
So, in these ways, the collective body of Christ will gain more political influence in government actions, appointments, and elections. In addition, the body will gain more influence over our public schools, our environment, our local governments, and laws that pertain to our welfare. In addition, we will be able to take a stronger and more forceful position on abortion, sex and violence on public TV, prayer in schools, corruption in politics, and the influence of big corporations in government. The unity of the entire church body is necessary to bring influence in all of these areas.
Development of Course Ware in Support of Universal Christian Education
A few weeks ago we recommend that the universal Christian Community work together toward the deployment of a Christian Educational system. This system could be available to anywhere in the world by leveraging existing computer, communications and software technology.
A key component of all of this is the development of educational content. Content will be the very heart of the product that is to be delivered to the poor and disenfranchised peoples of the world. This course ware will be developed by Christians from across the world and then donated as a gift to all peoples of the world. In addition, processes will be established that enable continuous improvements to the course work as is appropriate. Educational materials will also be modularized such that good material can be reused in future course ware development.
The course ware will be displayed in a multimedia format much like television but will also have interactive components as well. Therefore, this material will require the interactive participation of subject matter experts to address student questions and needs for support. A major portion of this support is to come via on-line television that connects the student to the teacher via the Internet. The thought here is that subject matter experts can be made available much easier when travel and residency outside one’s native country are not a requirement. This strategy will also be very useful in areas of the world where Christian persecution is a problem.
The Martydom of Saint Paul - Tintoretto in 1556
For cases where the physical presence of a subject matter expert is required, the recommended course of action will be to use local people who are trained to accomplish this mission. So, while I expect that there will be some cases which will require the physical transportation of subject matter experts and teachers, in all cases a plan to transfer this capability into the hands of local people must be carried out. Therefore, train the trainer programs will be developed to achieve this objective and in some cases practical experience must be achieved by transporting people to the host country.
In summary, the computer systems, networks and course ware will support existing missions with the capability to improve the living standards of the peoples of the world, while also spreading the word of Jesus where it is currently absent. They will be a demonstration of the love of the body of Christ for all people. It will help them be self sufficient, not relying on the handouts of others but rather instilling in them the confidence of their ability to adequately care for their families and lead their respective communities.
Undertaking such an initiative will require a tremendous amount of work. But we already have a treasure of religious educational services in place. Certainly there are educational programs deployed for child education that includes K-12 courses. There are religious colleges that specialize in both contemporary as well as religious programs. There are seminaries and religious programs designed to prepare people for ministry. There are also existing audio/visual materials that are teaching programs, bible studies and religious education. These are the places to start because much of the material is available, well though out and proven to be effective. The work to be required would be to transfer this existing material into a form where it can be made available to others through the facilities we have been talking about.
One of the benefits of participating in such an effort is that there are several positive effects of developing such subject matter. First of all, it would enable these school systems to deploy this material in their own schools. This would provide teachers with a wealth of material to integrate into their own curriculum’s. This can provide the benefit of reducing the amount of time invested in developing this teaching material from scratch. This in turn could free teachers for other necessary activities like providing personalized tutoring, grading exams, preparing for future lesson plans or administrative paperwork.
The material developed for online course work can also be used by new teachers to reduce their class ware. In addition, since the material will be modularized, there will be times when pieces of material from one course can be reused. In such cases teacher productivity is improved. Other productivity improvements will also be provided such as self grading tests, templates for lesson plans, and student collaboration.
UNITY AND LOVE ARE REQUIRED IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST
One objective of this posting is to communicate the mission of Possess the Vision ministries. In presenting this mission however, we take a good look at the subjects of unity and love which must be at the heart of any ministry attributed to Jesus Christ.
A mission statement addresses the primary objective of the ministry by identifying the direction in which the people are to direct their activities. A good mission statement should also answer the question, what are we to do? The Possess the Vision Mission Statement is presented below:
Christians from all denominations and sects will work together (unite) to collectively deploy the tools, technology, resources, and support necessary to enable all peoples of the world to improve their lives and living standards through the knowledge and blessings of Jesus Christ.
As we mentioned earlier there are two major components of the mission statement. One component is unity and the other is love.
A major component of the mission is to create unity in the bride of Christ as Jesus commanded. It is clear by looking at the following scripture that Jesus expects us to as one in Him and the Father:
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me (John 17: 20 – 23).
The Power of Prayer
This means that we must work with all other Christians toward continuing the mission that Jesus left us, which is that we love one another. The vision and mission statements presented here lead us to do this in a organized way. This mission is like that of Jesus in that it is designed to spread His love across the planet. Therefore, we must act as one body in love just as Jesus prayed.
This means that we will have to work around many of the issues that are dividing Christians currently. Therefore, our focus must be on Jesus our savior exclusively, striving to do the things that He did while He was on the earth. Further, we must look past our differences by understanding that they stem from the inability of men to always understand the ways and words of God.
Conflicting interpretations of the Bible for example, only reveals that one of the parties are wrong. Such differences can only be attributed to the fallibility of man since there is only unity and peace in the body of Christ. Therefore we must realize that our differences regarding church doctrine, philosophy and dogma are nothing more than different styles. Often these things make no difference in getting into heaven. What I do know is that we must work together because Jesus taught us that a house divided against itself cannot stand.
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25).
In addition, the mission started by Jesus is a mission of love.
Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, “Where I am going, you cannot come,” so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:33 – 35).
The second component of the mission is love. If we love one another we must find a way to work together so that we will not be a house divided and secondly, so that the world will know that we are the true disciples of Jesus. If we love one another we will carry on the mission that Jesus left us. We will seek with all of our heart to have the same impact on the world as Jesus. The people who followed Jesus were fed. The sick that came to Jesus were healed. The people who heard the words of Jesus received the truth about God the Father and His love for them. The mission of Jesus was a mission of love, and the people touched were much better off for the experience. It is in this way that our mission is also a mission of love. It is to this goal that we aspire: that the impact of our ministry will leave the lives of others in a much better state, both physically and spiritually. A mission based on love is supported by the first two commandments.
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:18).
Moses and the Ten Comandments
In addition, much is expected of him to whom much has been given. This places a great deal of burden on us in the developed countries of the world, who do have the goods of the world at a time when there is much poverty and depression in undeveloped areas.
Jesus is also clear about loving unconditionally.
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:27 – 38).
Therefore, our goal is to love even those who hate us and abuse us. In addition, the love that we give is what we have and what we are. It is a love that will improve the lives to whom it is given. This love includes providing food, medicine, and clothing when needed. In addition, it includes telling the truth about Jesus, which should be evident, based on the demonstration of our actions. In today’s world, our love should show others how to better care for families. We must share our knowledge and technology and, therein, provide the capabilities necessary to achieve this objective. In this we will take them from the darkness and into the light.
SEEKING JESUS 