Tag Archive: Religious



The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

The Vision Statement of the Bride of Christ

Over the past several weeks we have presented a number of postings relating to the bride of Christ. All of this was predicated on a spiritual experience I had in a prayer group meeting, where I became a part of the spiritual bride of Christ. I presented this experience in this posting: The-Spiritual-Realm-of-the-Bride-of-Christ

 Subsequent investigation and research added clarification to my experience at the prayer group meeting. We have identified that the bride of Christ is comprised of the righteous of the Lord, that even though she is comprised of many, yet she is untied as one: Who-is-the-Bride-of-Christ

We learned that the bride brings division to the world by challenging the world with the truth and light of Jesus Christ. The bride brings compassion for the poor and disadvantaged and justice to all. She is found busy doing the work of her Savior. She is the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven: The-Bride-of-Christ-Brings-Division

 We then found the bride of Christ sets the world on fire with the truth that is ignited with the light of Christ. We sited Martin Luther King as an example of someone who revealed the truth about the status quo of discrimination and segregation policies. In doing so Martin set the world on fire over issues of justice, liberty, freedom and truth of God. The-Bride-of-Christ-Sets-the-World-on-Fire

We also found that the bride of Christ is prepared as her lamps are burning and her vessels are full. She therefore is prepared for the return of the Lord for the wedding feast: The-Bride-of-Christ-is-Prepared

We identified that the bride is to take on the ministry of Jesus and therefore is to become like Him: The-Bride-of-Christ-Becomes-Just-Like-Jesus

Then we presented the truth that the bride of Christ is to do even greater works than Jesus did: The-Bride-of-Christ-does-Greater-Works-than-Jesus

Based on these observations we have constructed a vision statement that we believe is applicable to all Christian ministries. For any of you unfamiliar with vision statements, they are designed to present the big picture view of what the end state will look like when God’s purpose is accomplished. In effect, a vision statement answers the question, what will be achieved. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the vision statement for the bride of Christ:

The bride is prepared for the marriage feast when Jesus victoriously returns. Her ministry is the ministry of Jesus and she does even greater works that He did. Her light and truth bring division on the earth and she sets the earth on fire in her quest for compassion for the poor and disenfranchised. She fights for freedom, liberty, justice, and the knowledge of God. 

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”  

 

 

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

 

The Bride of Christ Does Greater Works than Jesus

In our prior posting we talked about the bride of Christ becoming like Jesus. In it we referenced Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world, and then also sited His words pronouncing His disciples are to be a light to the world. Therefore, we who follow Jesus are to become like Him.  In today’s posting we present the proposition that we are to do even greater works than Jesus did. So, let’s start with a scripture to get things started.

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 (John 14:12).

The works of Jesus always demonstrates loving compassion for others. This compassion is manifested in actions that improve people’s lives. Jesus therefore demonstrates that God loves His people and desires the best of everything for them. The following scripture communicates the love and actions of Jesus. 

 

Jesus "The light of the World," Heals a Blind Man

 

When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’” And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them,  “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Luke 7:20 – 23). 

 

Jesus "The Life," Raises Lazarus from the Grave

 

 

Therefore, our opportunity is greater as well. We simply must give what we have, which is our know-how, to the world!

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:16 – 18). 

This is the vision for all followers of Jesus: The bride is taking action to better the lives of the less fortunate by sharing what she has. In doing so, she makes herself ready for the coming of the Bridegroom.

 

Jesus is the Light of the World

 

 


 
 
 

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

 

The Bride of Christ Becomes Just Like Jesus

 

 

In our previous posting we talked about the bride of Christ being prepared for the bridegroom upon His return. We also presented the scripture of the wise and foolish virgins, in which only half were prepared to keep their lamps burning until their Lords return. It teaches us to continue to be a light to the world through out our lives.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Jesus the Light of the World is Transfigured before His Disciples

Jesus brought light to the world that enables everyone to find the truth leading to everlasting life with God. His light enables us to cast aside our walk in darkness and to live in the provision and bounty of God. He demonstrated this light throughout His ministry in the form of mercy and compassion toward us. He did so when He healed our afflictions and cured our diseases. He did so when He taught us the truth Father, even challenging the so called experts of His day. He did so when He gave Himself for us on the cross by taking our rightful punishment upon Himself, so that we may one day live with God in glory. He did so when He turned over the tables of the merchants at the temple in defense of the purity of worship to the Father. He did so when He taught all people the truth, including the scribes and the Pharisees. The life of Jesus demonstrated what being a light to the world is. It is in this way that Jesus passes the torch on to us to be a light to the world also. We therefore are to become like Him and carry on as He did until His return.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14 – 16). 

This is a direct call to be visibly found doing good works that Jesus did. The bride is wise when she is found doing so before others when the bridegroom returns. Her lamps are burning brightly, her good works are visible to all, and they result in the glorification of God the Father in heaven.  

 

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

 


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

The Bride of Christ is Prepared

In our last posting we talked about the Bride of Christ setting the world on fire with her light. In that post we used the example of Marten Luther King as an example of someone setting the world on fire with the light of truth. But to set the world on fire you must adamantly maintain the light of God that dwells in you, less you find yourself unprepared and therefore rejected by the Bridegroom.

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise answered saying, “No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.” And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

 

Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But he answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming (Matthew 25:1 – 13). 

 

In this parable told by Jesus, the lamps that are burning brightly are symbolic of the bride being a light to the world, just as Jesus is a light to the world. Her lamps are always shining.

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

WHO IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST?

In our prior posting I communicated that I attended a prayer meeting in which I spiritually became one with the bride of Christ. Later, as things were to unfold this experience proved to be critical in the development of what God wants us all to be a part of during our remaining time hear on earth. In essence, this prayer group experience becomes a corner stone to the vision communicated in the book, “Possess the Vision.” Because of all of these facts, and since we plan to present this vision to you in later postings, it would seem appropriate at this point to delve into the scriptures and glean additional insight into who the bride of Christ is.

The bride is the cumulative body of Christ, formed of the redeemed of the Lord: 

But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15 – 16). 

This statement ties in with my prayer meeting experience when I perceived the bride to be the accumulation of all the righteous of the Lord into one body, wherein each person is like a single atom of that body. Each individual has its own function and purpose but is at the same time is linked together will all others, such that they function as one body toward the accomplishment of the Lord’s mission.

The bride is pure and holy. She is a gift to God, perfect in every way:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25 – 27). 

This statement also ties in with my prayer meeting experience as I experienced the bride preparing herself for the union with Jesus. She did this by making her garments perfect and pure and by meditating on all the reasons that she is in love with Jesus.

Jesus spoke to His disciples about the bride in the following passage:

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:2 – 6).

In this passage Jesus states that He will come again and take His disciples into Himself. Therefore, the two become one and this is symbolic of marriage where the two are proclaimed to be one. Since Jesus also describes the building of many mansions in the statement above, there must be enough people to occupy these many mansions to comprise the entire city of the holy Jerusalem, which is clarified in the scripture below:

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ”Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God (Revelation 21:9 – 10).

 

So the bride of Christ is the holy Jerusalem that descends out of heaven from God. This passage confirms that the Lamb (Jesus,) has a wife and therefore is married. In our next posting we will drill down a bit into the bride’s preparation.

 


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime.  

The Spiritual Realm of the Bride of Christ

 We had made some new friends at church and they in turn, introduced us to a prayer group meeting that they knew about. It was being hosted by another couple who attended our church. During this meeting, I had an experience where I kept hearing a series of words over and over again in my head. I wanted to memorize these words and the repetition helped me do this.

The Power of Prayer

 In addition, I had thoughts and memories that were not mine. I had the distinct understanding that they were the thoughts of the bride of Christ on her wedding day. It was as if I was inside the bride of Christ. The following passage is what I remember experiencing during the meeting:

We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quiet time; a time of preparedness, for there was to be a great event of which none can compare. There was joy and happiness. There was anticipation, for we are the source of celebration. We are the focus of attention. There is no sound in the room, just the song of rustling linen.

 

The quiet is good for reflection upon the images of the old world. There were trials, tribulations, and threats of war. In looking back, there were wars, earthquakes, storms, floods, disease, famine, pestilence, and sin. The earth was fouled. There was war with Satan, and then the victory of souls. Eventually, confrontation came with the beast and the final victory—the deliverance and unity of the saved. 

We are a new creation! We are the culmination of saved souls. We are one being comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God, assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew. There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is ecstasy in the bride. Every soul that exists in the bride shouts with joy, for we all know that we confessed Him. We all know that we changed our sinful ways for Him. We all obeyed His commandments, and we all loved Him. We are so united when we think of Him.

 

How many times did He forgive us? How many times did He heal us? How many times did He save us from evil or keep us from harm? How endless is His love? Truly, this is our hour. The preparation is complete.

 

Someone knocks at the door. It is the Father, and He is beaming. He holds out His arm, we take it and walk arm in arm. We enter the great hall where the floor is as a single dark green emerald. In this room, the pews are crystal,29 the walls are gold, and there is no ceiling, just the sky. The seats are filled with the winged angels, dressed in white. They are all gazing at us while singing the wedding song in seven-part harmony. We look for Him, but the aisle is too long to see the end. We walk, and we walk.

 

We see Him! JOY! JOY! He is very handsome as He smiles a big smile, and we see heaven in His eyes. We keep walking, and then we are there. The Father presents the bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings as we take His hand.

 

The angel, Gabrielle, conducts the ceremony, but we can think of nothing but Him. We say, “I do.” We hear, “You may kiss the bride.” Anticipation! He comes closer, facing us. He lifts the veil, draws closer and embraces us.

Jesus is the Light of the World

Cheers and celebrations! We turn to face the assembly. We walk down the aisle. The angels are delirious. They sing, they fly, and they cause great explosions in the sky. A new, larger sun rises30 over the altar behind us. A new world awaits us.

During the prayer meeting, I spoke words very similar to these for all to hear. These are the thoughts and words that I received from God and spoke in prayer at the meeting that day. Despite having spoken these words, I had no previous knowledge of their foundation. I did not know anything about the bride of Christ. Indeed, I did not even know that there was such a thing. I had no idea what I was doing or experiencing.  

When it came my time to pray, I had simply repeated the words that God had given me just moments before. I also thought that they were special enough that I wrote them down when I got home. Not immediately, but over the course of several years I began to see how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

Review – SIGNIFICANCE TO THE VISION

In the postings of the past several months, I have been telling about the spiritual attack that brought me to be brink of death on multiple occasions. An attack that even took me to the other side of our human reality, into the spiritual realm that exists beyond our death. I experienced hell, the lake of fire, the devil and the judgment day while outside my body.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

When I returned I though all of this was a really bad dream but the reality was that the devil kept attacking me time after time until I finally surrendered to God.

 I finally told God that I would do whatever He wanted and He gave me a vision of an earth filled with Jesus that was a beautiful, ever blooming flower. Still unaware that He was moving in my life, God relocated me to a place where I could learn more about the vision He has shown me, and He blessed me all along the way. He drew me to the exact church and ministry where I would find the vision. Shortly after I arrived there I publicly surrendered my life to Jesus Christ and at that moment, a major victory was won in the heavenly realm.

From this point forward there would begin a steady flow of messages designated to instill in me an understanding of the vision God wanted me to possess. I did not understand much of this yet, and a lot would come later with the writing of my book, “Possess the Vision.”

Starting with this posting we will introduce more of the spiritual experience that led to the development of the Vision statement foundation, and we will also look at the scriptures that support them as well.

 

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime.  


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

Review of Prior Postings

In prior postings I have communicated how a life threatening illness sent me to the emergency room near death. My spirit left my body and I experienced the truth of our spiritual reality, of heaven and hell, and the Judgment God.  If you would like to read the details of these postings, please use the following hyperlinks:

The-Initial-Attack

The-Intensive-Care-Unit-and-the-Initial-Prognosis

Entering-the-Spiritual-Realm-of-Death

A-Journey-to-Golgotha

Inside-the-Lake-of-Fire-the-Second-death

Confronting-Satan-in-Hell

Judgment-Day

Reliving-my-sins-before-the-Judgment-Seat-of-Christ

Gods-Question-on-Judgment-Day

Opening-the-Books-on-Judgment-Day

Repentance-Brings-Salvation-Even-on-Judgment-Day

The Last Judgment by Rogier Van Der Weyden

The Last Judgment by Rogier Van Der Weyden

I lived through the Judgment as I made a promise to God to change. I returned to the physical world and underwent several calamities that also brought me close to death. What I did not know was that I was under spiritual attack, an innocent victim of spiritual warfare.

If you would like to read the details of these postings, simply click on the following hyperlinks:

Back-from-Death

The-Physical-Impacts-of-Spiritual-Attack

The-Stench-of-Death

The-Aftershocks-of-Spiritual-Attack

Spiritual-Attack-Brings-a-Hopeless-Outlook

A-Catheter-in-the-Aorta

A-Healing-Miracle-Follows-Meager-Attempt-to-Find-God

Standing-Firm-for-What-God-put-into-my-Heart

The-Spiritual-Attacks-Continue

Spiritual-Warfare-Changes-Everything       

Satan-Calls

In the past few postings I have reveled how much my life has changed since these experiences. It all started when I surrendered to God (I-Finally-Surrender-to-God) and told Him that I would do what ever He wanted me to do. Immediately afterward I have this awe inspiring vision of Jesus filling the earth (Surrender-is-Followed-by-a-Glorious-Vision). The next thing that I knew was that all of my worries about my job were resolved in a miraculous way. Finally, God leads me to the exact place He wants me to go by moving me half way across the country (Gods-Plans-Begin-with-Blessings). All of this leads to an official surrender to God in the church that He led me to.

PUBLICLY COMING TO CHRIST

We started attending this church on a regular basis immediately after this first visit. The pastor would deliver an altar call every Sunday so that everyone would have a chance to give their life to Jesus. Each week, people came to the altar to accept Jesus. For me it was only a few weeks before I was one of many who stepped forward and gave my life to Christ. On the day of my rebirth, I would say that the pastor was flowing in the spirit. He had one hand raised high above his head as he came to me. His eyes were blazing, and he stared directly at me as he shouted praises to God in a very loud voice. I remember thinking to myself—there are twenty people up here—why is he staring at me? Much later he told me that he had sensed a major shift in heaven at the time. Perhaps this referred to the spiritual victory that was achieved by the Lord snatching me right out of the hands of Satan. But the pastor did not know what I had been through because I never told him. Surely God had been communicating with him that day.

SIGNIFICANCE TO THE VISION

The devil kept striking me but I finally surrendered to God. I said that I would do whatever He wanted and He immediately showed me the vision of an earth filled with Jesus blooming into a beautiful ever blooming flower. Then He moved me to a place where I could learn more about the dream and He blessed me all along the way. He drew me to the exact church and ministry where the vision could be found. In return I publicly surrendered my life to Jesus Christ and a major victory was won in the heavenly realm. From this point forward there would begin a steady flow of messages designated to instill in me an understanding of the vision God wanted me to possess. I did not understand much of this yet, and a lot would come later with the writing of my book entitled, “Possess the Vision.” In the next series of postings we will introduce the vision statement and how my spiritual experience and scriptures help to form its foundation.

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Review of Prior Postings

In prior postings I have communicated how a life threatening illness sent me to the emergency room near death. My spirit left my body and I experienced the truth of our spiritual reality, of heaven and hell, and the Judgment God. 

If you would like to read the details of these postings, please use the following hyperlinks:

The-Initial-Attack

The-Intensive-Care-Unit-and-the-Initial-Prognosis

Entering-the-Spiritual-Realm-of-Death

A-Journey-to-Golgotha

Inside-the-Lake-of-Fire-the-Second-death

Confronting-Satan-in-Hell

Judgment-Day

Reliving-my-sins-before-the-Judgment-Seat-of-Christ

Gods-Question-on-Judgment-Day

Opening-the-Books-on-Judgment-Day

Repentance-Brings-Salvation-Even-on-Judgment-Day

The Last Judgment by Michelangelo

 I lived through the Judgment as I made a promise to God to change. I returned to the physical world and underwent several calamities that also brought me close to death. What I did not know was that I was under spiritual attack, an innocent victim of spiritual warfare.

If you would like to read the details of these postings, simply click on the following hyperlinks:

 Back-from-Death

The-Physical-Impacts-of-Spiritual-Attack

The-Stench-of-Death

The-Aftershocks-of-Spiritual-Attack

Spiritual-Attack-Brings-a-Hopeless-Outlook

A-Catheter-in-the-Aorta

A-Healing-Miracle-Follows-Meager-Attempt-to-Find-God

Standing-Firm-for-What-God-put-into-my-Heart

The-Spiritual-Attacks-Continue

Spiritual-Warfare-Changes-Everything       

Satan-Calls

Seek God and He Will Lead You to Find Him

In the past few postings my life has changed significantly. It all started when I surrendered to God (I-Finally-Surrender-to-God) and told Him that I would do what ever He wanted me to do. Immediately afterward I have this awe inspiring vision of Jesus filling the earth (Surrender-is-Followed-by-a-Glorious-Vision). The next thing that I knew was that all of my worries about my job were resolved in a miraculous way. I got a job offer in California with a substantial raise, while at the same time accepted an early retirement program from my current employer that included a year’s salary, medical benefits and flight privileges for life (Gods-Plans-Begin-with-Blessings).

 So we moved to California not realizing that it was God pulling all the strings for us. We soon moved into a new apartment and shortly afterward had a visit from our daughter who had just graduated from college and had the summer off. One day, I came home from work and found the two of them in the living room talking about God. They were laughing and having a great time but for some reason, I could not relate to what they were saying. Then for some unknown reason I blurted out, “I don’t know what it is that the two of you have, but I want it!” They just stared at me in a daze, seemingly totally surprised at what I had just said. Now this was the second time that I had verbally exercised my need for God. I should have known that He would honor my request.

 One evening not long after, I was in the loft trying to find something to watch on television and was rapidly flipping through the channels. I flipped right past this man in a white suit who was talking about God. Something about what he said in that half second caught my attention. By the time that it hit me, I had already flipped down three additional channels. So, I flipped back to hear more and the more the man talked, the more I liked what he had to say. I called my wife into the room, and she liked him as well. More interesting, he was going to be at a church near Los Angeles, California that week. We did not know anything about this church but were excited about what we heard. So, we decided to see this man in person. I had never before attended a charismatic church service and was not sure what to expect. Apparently, this pastor was famous and he demonstrated signs and wonders in his ministry.

We had to drive half way across Los Angeles to get to this church which was approximately fifty minutes away from where we lived. When we got there, we had to wait in a line that wrapped all the way around this very large church building. Everyone was talking about this man’s visit. They made it seem like a really big deal. We hurriedly grabbed a seat to the side of the choir. The service started with music and song. They had an excellent musical group and a large choir. They played and sang the loudest church music I had ever heard. In addition, all the songs were new to me. Everyone else seemed to know the words by heart. I noticed that people were raising their hands while singing. They were praising God so I decided to join them by raising my arms as well. I was trying very hard to get connected with God.

 Then a minister came out to lead the people in prayer. I remember hearing the people next to me pray in a language that I thought was Latin, and I wondered what this might mean. I thought that perhaps they were foreigners. But then, they spoke such good English prior to the service. This is extremely strange, I thought.

Then the visiting evangelist came out, dressed in a white suit. He started to preach and after the message, led the people in praising God with music and song. This continued for some time. The program slowly progressed into spiritual praise and worship. Then suddenly and without any warning, he coiled his right arm all the way around to the left side of his body. Then he swung it back around, past the audience in front of him, and across his right side. The momentum then extended it back toward the choir behind him while he shouted, “Choir, receive your anointing.” To my amazement, the entire choir that had been standing behind him fell to their chairs in unison. I couldn’t believe my eyes. This was astounding. They fell as if they were an integrated unit. They fell in such precision. It appeared as if someone had released a trap door where they were standing. I remember thinking that this could not be faked. It was executed so perfectly. Even if they had practiced for months, they would not have been able to achieve this degree of synchronization.

 But even more importantly, we were hit by it as well. No, I did not fall to my seat along with the choir but I got hit with what seemed to me to be a bolt of electricity that ignited my heart. Because of its impact I had to catch my breath. This powerful charge to my heart started a pleasant warming sensation that lasted for the rest of the church service. I did not know what was going on inside my body, but there was something real working in my heart.

 I then looked all around the church to see what was going on around me. I saw people down in their seats in all sections of the building. It would seem that they also had been affected as I had. There was no doubt that God was working at this church. I was really searching God, and I found Him that night. I had said that I wanted Him in my life and He led me to the place where I could do so. He had taken us to where He wanted us to go. He blessed us for earnestly seeking Him and the blessings were not to going to stop. Just like the ever blooming flower in the vision that He showed me, the goodness of God goes on forever.


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Review of Prior Postings

In prior postings I have communicated how a life threatening illness sent me to the emergency room near death. My spirit left my body and I experienced the truth of our spiritual reality, of heaven and hell, and the Judgment God. 

The Judgment Seat of Christ 

If you would like to read the details of these postings, please use the following hyperlinks:

 

The-Initial-Attack

The-Intensive-Care-Unit-and-the-Initial-Prognosis

Entering-the-Spiritual-Realm-of-Death

A-Journey-to-Golgotha

Inside-the-Lake-of-Fire-the-Second-death

Confronting-Satan-in-Hell

Judgment-Day

Reliving-my-sins-before-the-Judgment-Seat-of-Christ

Gods-Question-on-Judgment-Day

Opening-the-Books-on-Judgment-Day

Repentance-Brings-Salvation-Even-on-Judgment-Day 

 I lived through the Judgment as I made a promise to God to change. I returned to the physical world and underwent several calamities that also brought me close to death. What I did not know was that I was under spiritual attack, an innocent victim of spiritual warfare.

 If you would like to read the details of these postings, simply click on the following hyperlinks:

 Back-from-Death

The-Physical-Impacts-of-Spiritual-Attack

The-Stench-of-Death

The-Aftershocks-of-Spiritual-Attack

Spiritual-Attack-Brings-a-Hopeless-Outlook

A-Catheter-in-the-Aorta

A-Healing-Miracle-Follows-Meager-Attempt-to-Find-God

Standing-Firm-for-What-God-put-into-my-Heart

The-Spiritual-Attacks-Continue

Spiritual-Warfare-Changes-Everything       

Satan-Calls

 The past three postings address my surrender to God, (I-Finally-Surrender-to-God) and the beautiful vision of the world to come (Surrender-is-Followed-by-a-Glorious-Vision) and my dramatically changed (Gods-Plans-Begin-with-Blessings.)

GOD’S PLAN BEGINS WITH BLESSINGS

The vision that I saw that night was an experience of an eternity. But morning came and it was back to the reality of everyday life. I had not escaped the job problems that, in retrospect, I really brought upon myself. I received the poorest job performance review of my career and while it was quite unfair, I expected it. I had a big mouth and told the truth once too often. Shortly after the performance review, my boss called me into his office. He told me that I did not have what it took to be a manager. As a result he urged me to take a downgrade to a technical position. I coldly refused. I figured it was just a trick to get me into something that I could not handle. Granted, my performance review was less than an average, but it certainly did not communicate incompetence. Therefore, it could not be used as grounds for a demotion. In addition, I had more than ten years of great reviews which certainly would support my case.

 

But, there was no misunderstanding that this guy was out to get me by hook or by crook. As fate would have it, an opportunity was soon to come his way. Revenue of the business had become very poor. The economy had taken a nosedive. As a result, the management team requested that the IT department take an across-the-board headcount reduction. This was music to my boss’ ears. It was evident that he planned to surplus my job and cut me in the ensuing reduction in force initiative. In the meantime, the company decided to offer employees an attractive severance package. This meant that you could voluntarily leave the company and still receive retirement benefits. To qualify, you had to be near retirement age and have twenty or more years of service. I qualified for the twenty years of service rule. But, I would not meet the age requirement until my next birthday. The package was nothing more than a special early retirement offering. It included health insurance benefits until age sixty-five. In addition, since I worked for an airline, my wife and I would also receive retiree flight benefits for life. On top of all this, they would give me a year’s salary as a severance. This was a great package, if I could only get a waiver on the age requirement. I talked with the personnel department and was successful in getting a time bridge on my retirement date to my birthday. They decided to allow me to take a management leave of absence until that date. My boss had a different idea though. He tried to get me fired just a month prior to my eligibility for the retirement package. My response was to tell the personnel department that I planned to file an age discrimination suit if I was denied the package we discussed.

 

They understood my point of view and the ultimate consequence completely. Despite all of this, my boss was successful in eliminating my position in his department. He told personnel that he had no work for me, and that I should be terminated immediately. I had heard through the grapevine that the two departments were battling each other behind closed doors over the issue.

 

One day out of nowhere I was notified that a director that I had previously worked for was offering me an open managerial slot to enable me to work until I qualified for the severance package. I did not realize it at the time, but God was there again taking care of me just like all of the other times. Again, I thought that I had received a lucky break. What I certainly did not know was that this was just the start of God’s plan for me. I had promised to do whatever He wanted. Now, He was going to take action. He was going to lead me directly to where He wanted me to go, and what He wanted me to do. In addition, He was going to shower me with blessings and favor everywhere I went. This was just the start of the new life that God had in store for me. God was going to make my world blossom, just like in the vision.

 

I realized the first part of God’s program when the early retirement package was awarded. The next step was finding gainful employment, so I started looking around for another job.

Surprisingly, a very well know Entertainment Company in Burbank, CA sought me out. It is a long story, but my resume coincidentally just showed up there. They wanted to hire me over the phone. I couldn’t believe it. Even though anyone else would jump at a chance like this, I was cautious. I asked them to fly me out for an interview. They really wanted to hire me right away, but I was still several weeks away from completing the time element for the retirement package. Again, I had good fortune shining on me. They decided to wait for me to become available so that I would have no gap in employment.

So, we moved to California for a thirty percent raise. I also had a retirement package in my pocket that would start to produce income in five years, and I had medical and air travel benefits. In addition, I had a severance check for one year’s salary. We moved into a nice apartment in the town of Santa Monica, California, just three blocks from the ocean. It was just the place to enjoy beautiful views of both the ocean and the mountains from our deck. What a change of events. Not bad for someone who was still clueless about what God intended to do. He was putting everything in place. Unknowingly, I just went with the flow.


The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Surrender is Followed by a Glorious Vision

Shortly after my surrender to God in the hallway of my home something amazing happened that was to signal a vastly different future for me. It happened as I was in bed. I was in that twilight place halfway between sleep and consciousness that I had a most beautiful vision. I will make an attempt to adequately describe what I experienced, even though I am sure that no description could ever live up to what I saw. None the less I will make an attempt to do so here:

 

The first thing that I saw was a bright florescent orange globe that appeared against a steel blue-black background.

The colors were sharp and crisp, and they emitted light from within somehow. The image was clearer and sharper that anything I had ever seen in my life. From time to time it seemed that knowledge about what I was watching would enter my head. In this regard I knew that the orange globe represented the earth. Despite this knowledge the sphere was one solid color and did not contain any visible signs of continents or oceans.

 

Then an object appeared at the geographic most Northern point of the sphere. The object had the shape of an Indian arrowhead. It was black, pointed on one end and had a short tail on the opposite end. In addition, it was very smooth and flat on the surface.

I thought of it as being a shuttle for some reason.

 

The shuttle started moving due south, leaving behind a thin black line at its trail. It traveled directly to where the South Pole is found and it disappeared, leaving a perfectly straight black line connecting the North and South Poles. It was a line that dissected the globe into two halves. I continued to watch as the shuttle reappeared at the North Pole again. This time it was on a different longitude track, drawing another black line across the face of the orange globe. I watched as it slowly traveled across the great face of this huge globe, seemingly inch by inch. I continued watching for quite a long time as several new lines were drawn over the face of the globe to the left and right of the original north/south line. The new lines were drawn in sets. Each line of a set was of equal distance from the original center line. When the shuttle had completed its vertical slicing, the shape of the globe resembled a peeled orange. All of the lines ran through both the North and South Poles. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of it all.

 

But, the shuttle had not completed its work. It reappeared at the eastern side of the ball’s equator and circled the globe several times until all of the latitudes were completed. I gazed upon the orange globe, now marked with horizontal and vertical lines. As I was marveling at its beauty, the orange skin started to peel away at the North Pole. Specifically, one of the orange-slice-shaped pieces curled back into a tightly wadded roll. This section rolled back until it passed the equator line. It stopped curling and looked like a tightly wound scroll. Then, one at a time, the rest of the orange slices performed the same curling process and each achieved the same result. This process revealed a pink layer that was previously hidden underneath the orange skin. The smooth, pink surface turned out to be the petals of a flower that was about to bloom. The tightly wrapped flower petals started to grow and mature. As they did, beautiful pink flower petals began to unravel. The flower continued to grow, and the petals continued to open up into a mature state. Next, the fully mature flower continued to produce new petals at its center, which is the equivalent of the North Pole point of the globe.

 

As the newly formed petals grew to maturity, they migrated to the outside to make room for new growth. Eventually the petals at the outside edge ran over the edge of the globe. They would hang down in a long stream of petals that somehow remained attached to the flower. The process continued and the train of pink flower petals continued to grow longer as well. I just watched in amazement, awestruck with the beauty of all of this. Then, somehow it dawned on me that this process was infinite. It would have no end. It would go on like this forever.

 

As I continued to watch this spectacular show, I wondered what would happen if I opened my eyes. Was it possible that I could be dreaming all of this? So, I opened my eyes and lifted my head in an effort to look around the room. To my astonishment, the vision continued even with my eyes wide open. Moreover, I could also see my dresser and the walls of the bedroom through the transparent-like vision of the flower. I did not understand how this could happen, but I did not want to miss any part of the dream. So, I quickly closed my eyes again to focus on whatever else might happen. However, I couldn’t help but wonder again about why this was happening to me. Why should I know this? What significance is this to me?

 

I am not exactly sure what happened next. Either the globe moved, or I moved. Perhaps it was a combination of both. Whatever occurred, it caused my perspective relative to the flower to change by ninety degrees. Initially, I was gazing at the flower from a point approximately even with the equator. When the movement was completed, I was gazing down on it from a point directly above the North Pole. To be more exact, I was directly above the precise center of the budding flower. While I was considering this in my mind, an opening appeared in the center of the flower, and I was drawn into it as if pulled by a magnet.

 

Once inside, I found myself at the feet of Jesus. This Jesus was not the same size as the man who once walked upon the earth. Rather, He filled the earth from pole to pole. His giant feet were planted at the North Pole. His head towered to the South Pole. He was dressed in a long white robe. I attempted to see His face, but the distance was further than I could clearly see. I was able to examine His arms, however, as they were outstretched to each side like the statue in Brazil.

It was as though He was administering a blessing to the people of the world.

 

The vision was beautiful in every way. It was more real than any of the experiences in this life. Interestingly, it occurred within days of my surrender. I did not know it then, but God was there once again. He had shown me the big picture or the end state. He had revealed His plan for me by showing me the vision. I was about to enter a world that would bud into a beautiful flower. This world would blossom forever because Jesus was at the center of it. In addition, this vision was not for me alone, but rather, for everyone who places Jesus at the center of their world. For them it is prophetic of God’s blessings that are to come upon His people. It is a picture of peace, well being, love, and relationship with the Father that God gave me to communicate to you. It is a promise of spiritual victory over evil right here on earth. It ultimately is a fulfillment of the Lord’s Prayer that proclaims:

 

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9 – 10).

 

Therefore, the victory is in our hands. For God’s kingdom to come to earth, His will must first be done here on earth, just as it is being done in heaven. What a wonderful end-state it is! The inspiration to write my book, Possess the Vision, is founded on a world filled with Jesus at the center. As you will soon find out, God was about to bring me into a world filled with Jesus right here on earth.

Review of Prior Postings

For people interested in gaining insight into the context of this experience to everything else that was happening to me at that time, the following section is provided as an index to my postings about them.

In prior postings I have communicated how a life threatening illness sent me to the emergency room near death. My spirit left my body and I experienced the truth of our spiritual reality, of heaven and hell, and the Judgment God. 

The Judgment Seat of Christ 

If you would like to read the details of these postings, please use the following hyperlinks:

 The-Initial-Attack

The-Intensive-Care-Unit-and-the-Initial-Prognosis

Entering-the-Spiritual-Realm-of-Death

A-Journey-to-Golgotha

Inside-the-Lake-of-Fire-the-Second-death

Confronting-Satan-in-Hell

Judgment-Day

Reliving-my-sins-before-the-Judgment-Seat-of-Christ

Gods-Question-on-Judgment-Day

Opening-the-Books-on-Judgment-Day

Repentance-Brings-Salvation-Even-on-Judgment-Day 

 I lived through the Judgment as I made a promise to God to change. I returned to the physical world and underwent several calamities that also brought me close to death. What I did not know was that I was under spiritual attack, an innocent victim of spiritual warfare.

 If you would like to read the details of these postings, simply click on the following hyperlinks:

 Back-from-Death

The-Physical-Impacts-of-Spiritual-Attack

The-Stench-of-Death

The-Aftershocks-of-Spiritual-Attack

Spiritual-Attack-Brings-a-Hopeless-Outlook

A-Catheter-in-the-Aorta

A-Healing-Miracle-Follows-Meager-Attempt-to-Find-God

Standing-Firm-for-What-God-put-into-my-Heart

The-Spiritual-Attacks-Continue

Spiritual-Warfare-Changes-Everything       

Satan-Calls

 The past three postings address my surrender to God, (I-Finally-Surrender-to-God) and the beautiful vision of the world to come (Surrender-is-Followed-by-a-Glorious-Vision) and my dramatically changed (Gods-Plans-Begin-with-Blessings.)