England

This is from the blog Richard's Watch:

I saw in a vision 05/23/2014, the country of England rise up, but not completely out of the water, it seemed to be more prominent than it had before.  I saw a crown above the country sort of like the one pictured below, but instead this one was covered with what looked like diamonds and light seemed to be radiating from the crown as it hovered over the country and giving that same light to the country. (Tony Puccio)

My Dreams and Visions
A City with Broken Down Walls
English Bible History

Acts 16:11 - King James Bible

_____

This is a comment I left on Richard's Watch:

I just reread Tony’s dream above and I believe a key word in that dream is “diamonds”. This reminds me of that scripture “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones . . .” (I Corinthians 3: 12) A diamond is a precious stone, it is very hard. If light is shining through the diamonds, it would be, I believe, a very powerful light. It would be the exact opposite of light shining through, say, glass or plastic.

Glass is made out of sand. If we abide in Christ, we build our lives on the Rock of revelation knowledge, not on the sand or glass or plastic of the knowledge of good and evil (the world system or worldly Christianity). A diamond is considered a rock. “. . . for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (I Corinthians 10: 4)

I used to work for a construction company back in Ames, Iowa years ago. We did a lot of concrete, steel and demolition work. There were a few times when I had to cut into concrete with a saw that had a diamond-tipped blade. It cut through the concrete very well. The Christian leadership that will arise through England in the coming years will cut through the world system like a diamond-tipped blade through concrete.

From Shakespeare’s Richard II, lines spoken by John of Gaunt:

“This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house
Against the envy of less happier lands;
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,
this nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings,
Feared be their breed and famous by their birth,
Renowned for their deeds as far from home
For Christian service and true chivalry
As is the sepulchre, in stubborn Jewry,
Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's son;
This land of such dear souls, this dear dear land,
Dear for her reputation through the world . . ."

Precious Stones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-63tlumfT-A

Jeremiah 29: 24-32

This is from the blog Kevin Lotz:

Jeremiah 29: 24-32:

"Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,   The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.   Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?   For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.   And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

 "Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,   Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORDconcerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:   Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD."

In the previous post, we saw the Lord deal with two exiled false prophets in Babylon.  The Lord’s charges against them were adultery and prophesying lies to the exiles.  Because the false prophets also committed rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar had them burned alive.

In today’s passage, we catch a glimpse of the ongoing correspondence between Jerusalem and Babylon.  Jeremiah’s letter has reached Babylon, and Shemaiah, one of the exiled prophets in Babylon has responded.

Shemaiah wrote to three groups in response to Jeremiah’s message:

• The remaining people of Jerusalem
• Zephaniah the priest
• All the other priests in Jerusalem

Shemaiah calls out Zephaniah the priest for not dealing with Jeremiah.  Zephaniah was the priest in charge of the Temple in Jerusalem; he had the authority to address all issues, including disciplinary actions against priests and prophets.

Shemaiah calls Jeremiah a “maniac”, a madman if you will, and a false prophet.  And what are the basis of Shemaiah’s charges?  Jeremiah’s claim that it would be a long time (seventy years) before the exiles would be released to return to Jerusalem (vs. the two years all the false prophets were saying).  And what was Shemaiah’s recommendation for Jeremiah’s punishment?  Public humiliation again via stocks and neck irons.

What was Zephaniah’s response?  Instead of carrying out Shemaiah’s demands, Zephaniah the priest took Shemaiah’s letter and read it to Jeremiah.  Why did Zephaniah the priest not implement Shemaiah’s demands?   Was he sympathetic to Jeremiah and wanted to obey the Lord?   Or did Zephaniah remember what happened to the last priest who put Jeremiah in stocks (see 20:1-6) and showed Jeremiah the letter just to save himself?   Scripture does not say.

Notice that in verses 30 – 32 that Jeremiah does not respond, but rather waits for a word from the Lord.  When the Lord answers, He tells Jeremiah to address the letter to the exiles in Babylon.  The Lord’s message?  Shemaiah was preaching rebellion against the Lord.   The Lord’s judgment on Shemaiah?  The same fate as Hananiah (see 28:15-17) – the death sentence for false prophets (see Deuteronomy 18:20-22).

As we close out Chapter 29, we also come to the end of this group of events in Jeremiah’s history.  Let’s take a quick look back on the events of the last few chapters of Jeremiah’s life:

• He preaches of the Temple’s destruction and Jerusalem’s desertion; a lynch mod immediately forms and demands his death (Chapter 26)
• He disrupts a high-level international gathering of ambassadors coming together to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar by wearing an oxen’s yoke and preaching subservience to Nebuchadnezzar (Chapter 27)
• He has a face-to-face confrontation with a rival prophet who represented the majority opinion of the prophets and who had the heart and minds of the people (Chapter 28)
• He writes what many would consider a letter of treason to the exiles in Babylon, encouraging them to settle down and get on with their lives in Babylon (Chapter 29)

And if we could ask Jeremiah why he did all these things, he would likely let out a deep breath and say with quiet but firm conviction, “I am doing what the Lord told me to do.”

May we, like Jeremiah, have the courage to follow the Lord’s leadings, to be faithful to the Scriptures and God’s prompting, no matter what the cost.

May we, like Jeremiah, wait on the Lord for our response, even when the attacks are personal and unfounded, or the majority of public opinion has turned against us.

May we, like Jeremiah, be more concerned about giving God glory and speaking the truth in love than worrying about our reputations.

May we, like Jeremiah, put our confidence in the Lord and leave the results of our obedience in His hands, and not try to control the outcome of events in our lives.

Blessings,
~kevin

The Mystery of God

This is from the blog A Word in Season:

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory”
1 Corinthians 2:7

True ministrations of the Holy Spirit present the Mystery of God in a hidden wisdom that is indiscernible to the natural man. This is not a mystery that is to remain unknown but a mystery that cannot be understood with the intellect; a mystery only entered into by a pure heart and a child-like faith. This mystery can only be explored by the lamp of obedience, the result of Love beating within the heart of every pilgrim. It draws men with such beauty and promise that, upon seeing it, they go and sell all they have in order to hold that “pearl of great price”. The religious and curious love to sit and discuss aspects of it, they enjoy expounding upon its merits and possibilities, and are content with it remaining an ethereal concept. To those who have tasted and caught glimpses of its Glory nothing can alleviate the cry to enter into its depth and fullness. Men through all ages have touched the hem of this life, this wonder, and have been so captivated by its beauty they gladly lay everything down for its reality. It is with this motivation that men speak to one another, encourage one another and stir up one another to a greater passion for the living Christ. It is to such a heart that this mystery unfolds His Majesty and Worthiness.

Hidden to be Revealed

The scriptures declare that God conceals Himself in wisdom. Love compels Him to make Himself known but that knowing is wrapped up and hidden from the wise and prudent of this world and revealed to babes in heart.

“I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes”
Matthew 11:25

The hidden things of God are only hidden with the desire to make them known. God created the material world and all that is in it to make Himself known. This is the only means by which men move from darkness and religion into fellowship and friendship with God. Relationship is impossible where one of the parties involved remains hidden and obscure. The good news of the Gospel is that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…” The Gospel, the reaching out of God’s heart to man, was God’s initiative, prerogative and design. Our sin, rebellion and sheer ignorance made Him foreign and unknowable in our lost condition. The ability to see, hear and know Him requires change on our part. It requires a “new birth” in order for us to “see” His Kingdom.

“Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God”
John 3:3

While many in Christendom are satisfied with the mere seeing of the Kingdom there are those whose hearts have been touched by the baptism into His Spirit; those who instinctively feel the call to not only the see the Kingdom but to enter into it.

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”
John 3:5

Exception to Entrance
Into The Kingdom of God

This seeking of the Kingdom and the desire to touch the invisible, to know the things of God which are beyond knowing (Ephesians 3:19), and the participating in the Mystery of God can only be known by a childlike heart. The word “except” in the scriptures above  eliminates the ability to see and enter the Kingdom of God by any other way. “Except” is an exclusionary term especially when God is the one speaking. Jesus added to the list of exclusionary scriptures by saying…

“Except ye be converted,
and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”
Matthew 18:3

This “exception” declares that this must be the experiential reality of those who would enter this Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is the Mystery. It is the mystery of righteousness and the mystery of faith that can only be revealed to those who meet the criteria which God has set forth. It does not require much effort to look over the landscape of the religious world and realize that the wonder and mystery of God is a foreign concept. We have allowed teachings, doctrines and dogmas of men to replace the wonder and glory of His Spirit. We have been caught up in “words” about God instead of the Word of God. We somehow have equated “knowledge” with the means of entering; that somehow the gathering of more knowledge about God will qualify us to enter His Kingdom. This was the mindset of the Pharisees in Jesus day; they knew much and saw little. Jesus spoke to them concerning their “knowledge” of the scriptures…

“Search the scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
and they are they which testify of me”
John 5:39

They handled, spoke and condemned the very manifestation of the Kingdom to their own shame and damnation. Pharisee in the original language means “called out ones”. They were the religious “elect” of their day. They excelled in their knowledge of the scriptures and they excelled all others in their blindness. If the Kingdom came by words and knowledge there would surely have been a people who entered in long ago. However, the Lord tells us the Kingdom is not in word but in the power of His Spirit.

“For the kingdom of God is not in word,
but in power”
1 Corinthians 4:20

Entrance into Kingdom by
Obedience and Character

The entrance into the Kingdom is not by what we know but by what we become through the operation of His Spirit within our hearts. The simplicity required by God is produced by our being “converted”; the depth and power of that conversion brings about a childlike faith and heart. Men with much instruction can become hardened, rigid and lose the ability to flow in the things of the Spirit. The Word becomes too familiar and too well read through the glasses of their own doctrinal concepts and natural reasoning. The Word loses its wonder, its glory and its mystery. The Bible, the pages of which are filled with over four thousand years of God speaking, becomes a one-dimensional plane of religious phrases instead of the pulsating, living and vibrant voice of God. Men cease to hear the voice of God and of the prophetic men who penned such a marvellous work.

“For they that dwell at Jerusalem,
and their rulers, because they knew him not,
nor yet the voices of the prophets
which are read every sabbath day,
they have fulfilled them in condemning him”
Acts 13:27

There are many who read and hear the scriptures every Sunday/Sabbath/Meeting that never hear the voices of the prophets who languish in the throes of a religious wilderness. They hear only good things without the power of God to become expressions of Him in authenticity and truth. There is a form and appearance of being righteous but the inward reality is absent. These are those of whom Jesus spoke “because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not; neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). It is a hearing that will never produce acts and works of faith. “Faith cometh by hearing” and that hearing is the result of a pure and right heart. It is the “pure in heart” who shall see God; those who know that the real issues of life are the heart’s condition, obedience to His Word and the overall desire to see God glorified (not themselves).

Understanding the mystery of God is on the grounds of faith and obedience. This entrance into the Kingdom of God has the following conditions:

1. A true willingness to do the will of God. “If any man will do his will, he shall know…”

2. Growth and development of His Life within us. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. 2 Peter 1:5-11

Spiritual blindness occurs when men stop adding the virtue and wonder of God to their faith. There is a slumber and a religious stupor of knowing a thing without becoming. Knowing without doing is the pathway to deception and sorrow.

“But be ye doers of the word,
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”
James 1:22

Rest of article continued on next post.

Brian Troxel

Are you a Disciple?

This is from the blog My Dreams and Visions:

I had this dream 3 years ago but today the Lord dropped something new into my spirit that I feel led to add here as I republish the previous posting.

I had a dream the morning of 09/26/2013 . In the dream I was inside a church although not a part of the church, I was just inside observing. I saw 2 sets of pews that were full  of people on both sides with an aisle separating the pews.  Then I saw, towards the front of the church, a large cross and it was laying with the top corner of the cross and foot of the cross  positioned in such a way as for someone to stoop down and get underneath the cross and carry it.  The cross was positioned with the foot of the cross towards the pulpit and the top was facing the doors of the church. It was as if it were placed there for anyone willing to stoop down and pick it up. What I found significant is the fact that in every church I have ever been in, the cross was always standing, usually on the platform where the preacher preaches his sermon but here it was not, instead, it was among the people The people in either side of the pews paid no attention to it as they were engaged in worship getting their Holy Spirit buzz. Then I saw a young man get out of the pew, walk towards the cross,stoop down, pick it up, and then proceed to walk out of the church.  I remember people laughing at him as he did this. Sound familiar?  The young man was undeterred and carried the cross, now his cross out of the church.

What the Lord dropped into my spirit is that only the young man in my dream was His disciple. Those who stood worshiping and then who were  subsequently  laughing at the young man carrying his cross were not.

Whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me doesn’t deserve to be my disciple. (Mat 10:38)

Veronika West republishes month-old urgent word for USA

Veronica West

This is from the blog Richard's Watch:

Veronika’s latest Facebook entry posted around 4am (BST?) today 12th September reads:

I felt to repost this word this morning as I prayed for the USA!

9th August 2016
AN URGENT WORD FOR THE NATION OF AMERICA.

“IT HAS BEGUN”, says God

Early hours of this morning I was woken by sudden and violent jolt, immediately I was taken up into the spirit realm where I heard these words, “IT HAS BEGUN, WATCH, As I overthrow thrones of darkness and witchcraft, WATCH as I shatter and annihilate the strength of an ungodly government in this Nation, WATCH, as I overturn the plans of the enemy, YES, even the secret plans of the wicked one shall be exposed and rendered powerless and impotent, WATCH, as I drive out those that have opposed My plans and purposes in this Nation, WATCH, as I shake, shift and radically change the direction of presidential race to the White House, WATCH, as My Governing hand now moves strategically to realign and reposition even those that are standing as candidates to become the next President of the United States of America, and many will say, BUT HOW CAN THIS BE”, says God

After hearing these words, I was shown a gold signet ring and again I heard a loud voice that said, “America I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, WATCH, For I will Restore to you a place of Authority and Honour among the Nations of the Earth once again”, says God.

NB: ON 31st August Veronika posted another Word for America (emphasis added)

…Late last night while in a time of worship I suddenly heard the Spirit say,

“Daughter tell My Warriors in the Nation of America to BE ALERT, TO BE SOBER, TO BE WATCHING, TO BE PRAYING, TO BE PRAISING, TO BE PRESSING AND TO BE EXPECTANT, FOR MY HAND WILL MOVE MIGHTILY AND STRATEGICALLY OVER THE NATION OF AMERICA IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, AND WATCH FOR AN ANCIENT DOOR WILL OPENED TO DONALD TRUMP”! ……(click above title to read in full)

DOES THE LAST REFER TO THIS? (courtesy Bible Prophecy Tracker posted 7 Sept)

A Dream about Donald Trump
A Vision of Britain and the United States

His Word (The Word of Fire) Part One

This is from the blog A Word in Season:

His Word

Part One

The Word of Fire

“Is not my word like as a fire?
saith the Lord;
and like a hammer that breaketh
the rock in pieces?”
Jeremiah 23:29

God’s Word is not only an expression of Himself it is also an extension of Himself. He is His Word and His Word is Himself (John 1:1). We read in both the Old and New Testaments that our God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24, Hebrews 12:29). They who bear His Living Word within their hearts know in a corresponding measure to their walk the truth of this. For His Word is the very expression of His Nature, His Thoughts and His Ways. Words without fire are words without unction. Men cannot touch His Presence and remain unaffected, apathetic and unconcerned about His inheritance in the earth. His presence is fire and glory. His zeal for His House (Psalm 119:139, John 2:17) in the earth is a consuming fire within the hearts of those who have His Word.

His Word is a fire which consumes, purifies and impels those who bear it to speak with intensity to all who would hear. This fire cannot be quenched, compromised or contaminated by the tepid atmosphere of religious men who would desire something less than God Himself. This Word is antagonistic to the comfortable, to those who would seek a complacent and more popular approach to God; yet to those who desire to walk and live within the fiery presence of a Holy God it is the necessity of life itself.

It is the work of God to bring His people to such expressions…

“But his word was in mine heart
as a burning fire
shut up in my bones”
Jeremiah 20:9

Men without fire have not yet touched His Presence. It is ever the work of the Holy Spirit to bring men to such places (Exodus 3:2) where the Fire of God burns like the Holy Lamp did in the days of the Tabernacle/Temple of God in the Old Testament. The Word of God declares “ye are the temple of the living God” and as such there ought to be the fire of His Presence burning within our hearts.

The Priesthood of Eli

Eli was a priest who through neglect became blind in His service to God and as a result the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle! This lamp of fire had been preserved and watched over by the priests of God for over 450 years! His sons had become immoral and loose in their walk before God. This was a day of no accountability. Men did as they pleased and the ministry was silent concerning God’s Righteousness. The outward observance of God’s law continued but the fire went out and men did not lay these things to heart.

There is also in our day a ministry in the earth which has neither fire nor unction; a ministry which has resulted in the fire of God going out in His house. There is a religious environment in which men hold the Word in the form of teachings and doctrines rather than in their hearts by the living fire of His presence. These are they who hold His Word in unrighteousness, who seek to fill their churches and fellowships with kind and comfortable words but have no actual concern for the condition of His people or their walk in righteousness. The Word speaks of the fruit of such a ministry:

“And because iniquity shall abound,
the love of many shall wax cold”
Matthew 24:12

The reason the fire goes out is because of iniquity and sin. The Love of God beating within a man’s heart will cause him to forsake sin. A Gospel which does not have the very fire of God within it is not God’s Living Word. In contrast to this unholy ministry we read of another.

The Stranger and the Words of Fire

Two disciples walking down the road to Emmaus in deep despair and perplexity were joined by a “stranger”* who spoke sternly to them concerning their plight and their lack of faith. Their eyes where blinded to the One who spoke with them as they journeyed. Would our hearts receive such words from a stranger?

“O fools, and slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have spoken…”
Luke 24:25

After realizing the stranger was in fact the risen Lord who had spoken to them these hard words the disciples remarked to one another:

“And they said one to another,
Did not our heart burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way,
and while he opened to us the scriptures?”
Luke 24:32

Empty words proceed from hearts lacking fire. The words of the religious are different than the Words of Jesus and they who serve at His Altar will speak His Words and seek His Glory and not their own.

“And it came to pass,
when Jesus had ended these sayings,
the people were astonished at his doctrine:
For he taught them as one having authority,
and not as the scribes”
Matthew 7:28-29

Burning Words flow from burning hearts!

Even so Lord draw us to the fire of your presence and cause that fire to burn, purify and consume all that is unholy and carnal in us. Make us to be “ministers of flaming fire”. Men who will not abide in such words now will perish in the fire of His return.

“If a man abide not in me,
he is cast forth as a branch,
and is withered; and men gather them,
and cast them into the fire,
and they are burned”
John 15:6

* Men reveal by their response the true condition of their hearts. Here a stranger came and spoke hard words, yet these two downtrodden disciples resisted not the admonition for they were men who desired truth and loved it. Men who refuse the fire and the hammer of God’s Word are not abiding in His Spirit. They have not the love of truth burning within their heart. They appear religious and will seek to build and do religious things but in their inner heart truth is not desired nor pursued. It is the day of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and in the revealing of Him men’s works will be made manifest even as by fire.

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest:
for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire;
and the fire shall try every man’s work
of what sort it is”
1 Corinthians 3:13

--Brian Troxel