BeLOnGings

Following yesterday’s blog, Cheryl sent me this note shedding further ‘light’ on things!

Our ‘ministry of availability’ begins afresh each morning with our offering ourselves to the Lord for whatever ‘today’s adventure’ might bring.

Yesterday my expectation for the day was heightened knowing that for the year 2020, 6th October was ‘the middle of the feast’. The biblical types and shadows point to this day of each year being the day when Jesus will appear in fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles ( Jn.7:14)

This year I was only mildly disappointed : – )

I opened an email from a friend that began,

“….look what happened in Great Barrington this weekend!”

Then followed a link describing “The Great Barrington Declaration”.

Before getting to the significance of the DECLARATION itself, having highlighted the significance of the TIME, let me also highlight the significance of the PLACE – i. e. Great Barrington.

In the year 2001, Katherine Puleo from Worcester, MA., who lead the annual prayer breakfasts at the Massachusetts State Capital, heard The Flame song, which I has written ostensibly for Australia on the occasion of the 2000 Olympics. Katherine was convinced on hearing the song that it had also also been given for the US of A, and invited us to come to it’s ‘birthplace’ – New England.

The song begins,

“When our father’s joined in that Pilgrim band

They were searching for a promised land.”

and continues,

“Does the flame burn brighter in your hand than it burned

In the hand of your father when he said, ‘It’s your turn

Take the torch of faith, run throughout the land

Let the flame burn bright within you.'”

The Pilgrim Fathers had landed in 1620 at Plymouth Rock with a vision to pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on this part of earth, and then from this part of earth to the uttermost ends of the earth, as it is in heaven.”

On that first visit to New England I also had occasion to sing the song ‘O Ireland’ which concludes,

“O Ireland from whence the gospel light was shed

O Ireland the dove now hovers o’er your head

Only in Jesus could you ever be

One in heart completely free

And once again God’s love proclaim

A burning heart in Jesus name.”

The song is based on a vision attributed to St Patrick (also to St. Bridgit.) In the vision Patrick sees a map of Ireland aflame with the fire of God. The fire however dies down and the saint cries out to God, “Is this what is to become of the land? God says, “Look again”, and when Patrick looks again he sees embers in the north burst into flame, and the island once again being engulfed in the fire of God with flames and light going out to the north and the south, the east and the west!

As I sang that song I saw the same vision unfold for the USA with a rekindling of The Flame of God beginning again in the north

A few years ago Katherine died, however on that first visit we met another couple who pastor a church in New England. Over the years we have become close friends and visited many times. Collins and Cheryl Lein have stood in the gap faithfully for many years for the New England area and this nation.

Their church building is built at the site where a missionary from the Great Awakening brought the gospel to the local Native people. This was evangelism ‘done right’ as testified by the fact that the indigenous people requested that when they died they would be buried in a circle around the missionary’s grave, so that on the day of resurrection the first face they would see would be their beloved pastor!

The Leins (linen) stand, live and pray, wait for it…in GREAT BARRINGTON!

This little town of about 7,000 people ‘just happens’ to be the place where I believe a candle has just been lit in the midst of the present world darkness!

A few months ago when in Boston with Robin, Hilary and I had the opportunity to sing at Living God Fellowship’s ‘Covid’ outdoor service in the midst of the beautiful Berkshire Hills our own Great Barrington Declaration.

“And the whole of creation cries with one voice

Your Maker loves you

Rejoice! O Man Rejoice!”

Last weekend three world renowned professors of epidemiology from the Universities of Harvard, Stanford and Oxford England, met together at a house in Great Barrington

Their purpose was to propose an alternative approach to handling the “Covid crisis”, one based on honest science and morality.

The ‘collateral damage’ from the current draconian measures which they say have violated standard public health protocols has far outweighed any benefit in curtailing the virus. The one country that did not breach these protocols, Sweden, is now seen to be the ‘gold standard’ for management.

Dr Gupta said in a subsequent interview that because of this overreaction,

“130 MILLION will die of starvation alone……just let that sink in!”

Theirs sounds like a voice of sanity in the midst of the madness.

…….A flame of truth and a holy fire being rekindled in the midst of a corrupt world.

The King is Coming!

Please click below to read, and if you are led, sign, and fan into flame

…..The GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION.

gbdeclaration.org

The word that sealed our move, from Belfast to Minneapolis 27 years ago, was delivered by our 3 year old Gilbert, who at that time went by his first given name, Joshua.

Not to be outdone by his brothers and sisters he too had ‘a word’ as we sought the Lord as a family about the prophecy we’d received a few months earlier, ‘God is going to move you to a different continent.’ 

“This is my verse Daddy’  Joshua said, presenting his bible to me.

I read the passage where it had fallen open. It was Deuteronomy chapter 9.

“Hear O Israel, you are  about to cross the Jordan to enter a land with cities whose walls reach up to the sky……..I go before you as a consuming fire.”

These words were spoken originally to God’s people by another Joshua. For us the Atlantic Ocean was to be our ‘Jordan’, which we were now ‘to cross’ 

Last month we were lead ‘to cross’ our Jordan again. We got a clear message from Dad through details of the trip, that were completely outside our control.

We had two flights to Ireland. On the first flight from Minneapolis to Chicago we were called to the podium to be told our seats assignment had been changed. We were now both in row 25.

Then waiting to board the flight to Dublin, once again were called to the podium and once again we were told our seats had been changed.

Our new seats were once again …….in row 25.

What are the chances?

in “The Biblical Meaning of Numbers” by Dr Stephen Jones we read,

The significance of the #42 was not lost on us for when we moved to the US, our first home was on 42nd Ave.

42 also points to crossing over. The 42nd encampment of the children of Israel (listed in Numbers ch. 33) was when they crossed over into ‘the promised land’ to receive their inheritance.

In Matthew chapter 1 where the generations from Abraham to Jesus are numbered, the text says there are 42 generations to the Christ. However if you count them you will find there are only 41. This indicates how Jesus Christ, the head, is incomplete apart from His ‘body’. The 42nd generation points to the day when the body of Overcomers who have died are raised, and those who are still alive are ‘changed’ to be joined with their ‘Head’ (1Thess.4:13-18)

On the fourth and final leg of the pilgrimage, we were assigned the last two free seats together. This time the two of us found ourselves in row 21.

I realized 21 + 21 = 42.

When I took this photo I happened to notice the time overlying screen saver photo of Hilary pictured at the top.

42 yet again, prefaced with another gracious 5! and the phone is 50% charged…..a third Jubilee!

Thus, I believe we were given a very clear message on this trip across our ‘Jordan’.

The believer’s ‘hope‘ of ‘Jubilee’ ,with a third outpouring of the Holy Spirit, fulfilling the Fall Feasts, as we cross over into our ‘promised land’ receiving again our ‘inheritance’ lost in Adam, but restored in Jesus,

…….is indeed, immanent! 

I want to take the risk of sharing another example of holiness and (Irish) humor that came up this week.

Many are currently puzzled by the lack of common sense and the sketchiness of the science behind the regulations that are currently being imposed on us by some technocrats and politicians at the cost of our civil liberties.

For a sane and scientific look at the facts, here is Ivor Cummins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UvFhIFzaac

I believe Father highlighted for me one root cause of the lunacy

……Self importance

Last Sunday 10 of us humans gathered in the open air at Lisnabreeny Ring Rath.

As we sang,

The heavens declare the glory of God………

And the whole of creation cries with one voice

Your Maker loves you!

Rejoice! O Man! Rejoice!

……..we were joined by a chorus of birdsong.

A herd of cows drew near with transfixed gaze and a couple of dogs appeared scurrying amongst us😊

We were directed to Isaiah 40 which speaks about the greatness and transcendance of Creator God as revealed in the heavens and the stars, in contrast to man, small as a grasshopper, and transient as grass.

“The Feast of Trumpets” pointing us to the day when the dead in Christ will be raised, was begun with the news of the death of the ‘iconic’ Supreme Court Judge, Ruth Nader Ginsburg. As we drove to the ancient circular fort our friends informed us that earlier that morning a prominent local Judge we had known had also suddenly died within the feast.

We turned to verse 23.

“He makes the JUDGES of the earth chaos, meaningless, as nothing, insignificant, emptiness, vanity, futility, useless, falsity. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

From the top of the hill we had a spectacular view of Belfast and much of the North. We read of the “good news” that was to be proclaimed from the mount of Zion, now Sion represented by Mt. Hermon.

Matt. 17 describes how “On the 6th day“ Jesus along with Moses and Elijah was transfigured on the Mount, pre figuring how some year when the time has come for the feast of Tabernacles to be fulfilled, we too should expect to be glorified. If a day is as a thousand years, six thousand years from Adam chronologically points to this time!

At that time the Father announced, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt.17)

“It’s all about knowing our true dentity.” One of our circle within the Ring offered.

“Let me give you some background. I am a tight arsed Ulster Prod!” He continued.

”Used to be” His wife muttered………as if from the Father…….as we all chuckled.

I was reminded of a comment another Irish friend had made about his father whom he honored.

“He was a very Holy man. Would never have thought of taking the Lord’s name in vain. But he had a very earthy sense of humor that was graphic. For example he used to say,“

“He’s as tight as a bull‘s arse going up a hill!”

For my Ulster Protestant friend to have used the same turn of phrase about himself was to me ‘humorous humility’. For his wife to acknowledge the transforming work of God that can take the negatives we may inherit from our culture or our family and lift us up to discover our true identity as “Beloved sons of the Most High God.” was to me ‘humorous honesty’

A dour mean spirited stereotype can be conformed into the joyfully generous hearted image of the Son perfectly reflecting his loving Father.

Thus was revealed the antidote to Self Importance, when as little men we try to make ourselves big by taking control over others, because we have not discovered who we truly are, in Christ……and “rest secure”

The gathering drew to an end as we sang together,

”I am in Christ. Christ is in me.

This is my true identity

And I will dwell in the shadow of your wings.

And I will rest secure.“

……..and the cows, a symbol of Tabernacles, turned around when the song was done, knowing it was time to engage again in their own “rest work”

The song “Why Would We Not Sing?” posted on the last blog was written long before the ‘novel‘ virus, but has proven to be quite prophetic given the restrictions now being imposed on church’s worship.

Similarly the words I penned several months ago have also proven to have become increasingly prophetic,

“When wrong is called right and right is called wrong

When the court is corrupt, true religion gone home

When wisdom is drowned by the noise of the throng

There will never stop singing this beautiful song……

All will be well.“

I am going to share one response to “Why Would We Not Sing?” and it’s accompanying ‘novel‘ video and then explain why.

“Hey Paul. I just saw on the news that there’s a manhunt underway in Donegal for what they’re calling the Rosguill Flasher! They say he’s Spanish because he goes by the name Seenyour Bum. His wife was heard singing and dancing in a hulah skirt nearby. Her name is said to be Grassy Ass. They said they looked like two agged flower children doing an impression of Sunny and Cher. But sure why would they not sing! Powerful stuff! I won’t shop you. Sure they’d never believe it was a wee prod from East Belfast anyway. Might prejudice your green card. You might get deported by them Trumpians before you even get to vote! The Free P’s won’t listen to you nigh about the end is nigh!“

Now some of my American readers might be a bit taken aback by such earthy and unPC humor! (Some of it might go completely over your head!) However believe me, the writer is a living Celtic saint!

Come to think of it most of the living Celtic saints I know are endowed with this oft overlooked key in my estimation as to “How The Irish Saved Civilization” during ‘The Dark Ages’

…..their sense of humor,

…..particularly their ability to laugh at themselves.…….not to take themselves too seriously!

Might that be called humility?

In Ps.45:7 it is said of Jesus, “God has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.”

This is not limited to the Irish saints. When I get together and with my closest committed companions in the US, like St. Brian, St Bill, St Mike, St.Robin and St.Gil, there is much laughter as well as some tears as things are shared authentically and felt deeply.

Honesty, Humility and Humor seem to me to be a Holy Trinity!

Currently we are once again experiencing an assault aimed at destroying the Judeo – Christian foundation of Western civilization. Our confident hope however is that by the grace of God we will emerge from this current Dark Age into a new ‘Kingdom Age’ for “the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it”……and All Will Be Well.

……..and maybe God in that process might just use again “a wild Celt”…. who is able to make people laugh

…….and is able to laugh at himself?😊

……..and is not embedded in the establishment (but in the blog).

P.S. A few of us will be gathering to worship and celebrate ‘the feast of Trumpets’ tomorrow (Sunday) at Lisnabreeny Ring Rath at 2.00 pm. You would be welcome to join us. (To car park. From Four Winds roundabout along Ballymaconaghy Road. Left at Covenanter bookshop T junction. Left at Farmview Meats along Lisnabreeny Road. Destination 1 mile on left.)

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rm.11:33)

Just a few minutes after posting the last blog I got the following graciously clarifying message.

The amazing thing is that it came from my friend Eugene who I consider both a Saint and  Bishop! 

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rm.11:33)

Eugene wrote:

This might throw some light on the psalm numbering mistake!

For those who read translations of the psalms based on the Septuagint version (Vulgate and most Catholic translations) rather than on the Hebrew (most non-Catholic translations), discrepancy in the enumeration of the psalms is immediately evident. Translations following the Hebrew enumeration are frequently one number ahead of those following the Septuagint, e.g., Ps 22 in the Septuagint and Catholic translations is numbered in the Hebrew and non – Catholic translations is Ps. 23. The discreptancy is due to the division into two by the Septuagint of certain psalms which in the Hebrew and non-Catholic translations remain as one psalm, and to the division into two in the Hebrew of other psalms which remain as one in the Septuagint.

Septuagint 1-8 9 10-112 113 114-115 116-145 146-147 148-150

Hebrew 1-8 9-10 11-113 114-115 116 117-146 147 148-150

Maybe the Bishop was “right” after all, in an odd RC kind of way!

After posting last Wednesday’s blog, Dad gave an amazing ‘sign following’ – quite literally, in a sign

Hilary and I “had  a notion” as the song says, to visit her birth city of Londonderry or Derry.

Last week we had been in the town of Hilary’s teen years, Downpatrick. Rocky (pictured above at the Giant’s ring near Belfast) had taken us together with his best friend Paul McAree to visit for the first time ever, the Catholic Cathedral. 

Although Hilary lived beside the Anglican Cathedral in historic Downpatrick and played in the grounds (in fact literally on the gravestone of the Irish Trinity of saints, Patrick, Bridget and Columba) she had never crossed the street to enter the Catholic counterpart…….until last week that is, when Paul whose family also hailed from the town introduced us to life on “the other side of the tracks.”

It was a fairly traumatic initiation as we needed to “use the bog” as we say in Ireland. When the janitor of the Cathedral discovered we had rushed into the Restroom, she almost had a Covid apoplectic fit, God love her! 

Fresh from this memorable cross community experience in Down  I “had a notion” again, to cross the tracks in the Maiden City.

On discovering that the Anglican Catherdral was still under Covid lockdown, I climbed the *green hill” not far away, but “outside a city wall “ as Derry’s famous hymn writer wrote, to visit St Eugene’s Catholic Cathedral, which was open. (The virus is obviously a bigot and is attacking Protestants more ferociously than Catholics😊)

As I passed through the Cathedral gates, I looked up, and there on the sign at the entrance was the very scripture I had blogged about that morning!

“I rejoiced when I heard them say let us go to God’s house.”

Then I noticed the error on the sign, made many years ago, as if writ for me on that day!!!

You can see the scripture reference was mistakenly inscribed, not as Psalm 122, but Psalm 121!

I remembered as a teenager chucking at my spiritual mentor’s  expression of reassurance when someone made a mistake, “Sure it could happen to a bishop! “ Now here at the Cathedral, “the seat of the bishop”, the Bishop’s mistake (after all that’s who the buck stops with) was plain for all the world to see.

As I entered the sanctuary the janitorial ladies were as busy in Derry as in Down!….frantically sanctifying with spray and cloth, door knobs and railings.

I took a photo of the beautiful stain glass window at the front of the Cathedral and noticed the stain of the intruder in the foreground…..fear written across his forehead…..an insurgency into the very heart of the faith community! 

I looked up the Psalm that should have been 122 but was mistakenly 121. Of course it was no ‘mistake’ at all in God’s economy. 

“I lift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?”

This verse references the pagan hilltop shrines and asks the question of the people of Israel, 

“Who is it you are trusting in for help? Are you looking to something or someone other than the living God for your salvation?”

This week we have lived amidst the stunning majesty and beauty of the Rosguill Peninsula.In the middle of last night I was lead to go outside and look up, beyond the hills of Derry and Donegal to the heavens. Freed from the glare of the city the vast array of heavenly lights now visible to my naked eye was breathtaking! 

Like the prophet’s servant of old, Father reminded me that this was the heavenly host, ‘without number’ that was arrayed on behalf of his believing saints in the midst of these dark times.
From the whole of creation the answer booms forth…….

“Our help comes from the Lord……the Maker of heaven and earth.”

I realized that human ‘mistake’ made years ago was ‘meant’ to be,

…..for such a time as this.

What a beautiful highlighting by our Father of the message of reassurance in last week’s Ps. 122 blog……”You Can’t Get It Wrong.” ……for He incorporates our errors into His foolproof redemptive plan.

……and He is also not as concerned as we often are about ‘getting it right’ (and not wrong!). If we do something simply because we just ‘had a notion’ it’s not so much about what we are doing, but about who we are doing it with. 

In other words are we living in constant companionship with our Father? 

………living life, looking for Him, listening to Him, and learning from Him, how to truly love, as His children

I trust today’s title has caught your attention, if last week’s didn’t!

This should have been Part 4, but last week I mistakenly titled the blog once again Part 2, if it were possible to make a mistake. Of course from our point of view we make mistakes all the time, but from God’s point of view there are no mistakes, only poor choices that he can use to train us through, and incorporate into his foolproof plan of redemption.

The classic acknowledgement of this in scripture is when Joseph reassures his brothers who tried to put their cocky young brother in his place and fear they are about to get their comeuppance. “Don’t be afraid. You purposed it for evil, but God meant it for good….”

So when I realized that last week I had typed and published another Part 2 instead of Part 3 Father reminded me that 122 was the number of our flight last week to Ireland and then linked this with Psalm 122. This is one of the Psalms of Ascent recited by the children of Israel three times each year on their way up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts.

I wrote a song based on Psalm 122 many years ago that has never been recorded …..until now that is. This morning seemed to be the God ordained time and setting, to record it at, “Studio One Take!“

We literally do these recordings once, unrehearsed, and then notice any “signs following”. This time we sang the song against the backdrop of Mulroy Bay with the never ending artistry of Dad’s shifting shadows and shafting sunlight bringing the beautifully distinctive Donegal landscape alive!

The bridge of the song references Luke chapter 21 which speaks of ‘signs in the sun’ and of seeing ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud.’

In the original language the word translated cloud could also be translated crowd, as in the cloud which is a crowd of witnesses in Hebrews. In other words Christ’s appearing will be in his saints!

Then Hilary appeared to join me in the last choruses where we play on the word ‘peace’ changing it to ‘piece’ – for as ‘living stones, built together’ in the New Jerusalem this is how we can encourage one another for what already is and is shortly to be fully manifested, – ‘Christ in YOU the hope of glory!’

Then as we sang the final chorus together to YOU, did you notice the dark clouds gave way to a glorious brightness?!

We could not have choreographed this ahead of time, but it obviously was orchestrated by our Father, who works all things together according to the purpose of his will : – )

“So what” you might ask, for the third time, “has this got to do with the book Father Elijah?”

Well a few days ago I mentioned the book to our daughter in law. She said with a shudder. “Oh yes! I read that book many years ago.” It was the shudder that got my attention, and without even asking, I knew why.

At the end of the book as a world in turmoil continues to move in an alarmingly totalitarian direction, the final scene depicts Elijah and a fellow priest coming up over the brow of a hill to view the city of Jerusalem. The final page is then a transcription of Revelation chapter 11, which describes ‘the two witnesses’ and the drama of their death and resurrection on the streets of “the great city”

To present a young girl with such a frighteningly unresolved depiction of the end times is bound to leave her with a shudder!

Paul writes to the Thessalonians regarding the coming of ‘the day of the Lord’, “Now beloved brothers and sisters concerning the question of God’s precise times and specific seasons, you don’t need me to write anything to you.” (1Thess. 5:1 TPT)

I know this could not have been said of me, as it was of the Thessalonians, at the time of writing Come Lord Jesus. However over the last 25 years Abba has been filling in some blanks in my understanding.

One of the things I have been learning is that with a Hebrew mindset the prophecy in the book of Revelation is better understood as historical rather than futuristic and allegorical or spiritual rather than literal.

I have also been learning how an understanding of the whole of scripture rather than just certain New Testament passages is required to understand ‘the end times’ especially the prophetic nature of the law and in particular ‘the feasts’. We are now near the end of the story anticipating the fulfillment of the final and most joyous of the feasts – Tabernacles or “Ingathering”

So my blog title ‘mistake’ was ‘meant’ so that I could explain why we do not need to ‘shudder’ at the things that are transpiring in these days but rather rejoice!

“ I rejoiced with those who said
Let us go to the house of God
Our feet are standing in your gates
O Jerusalem”

Our primary focus should be, in faith not fear

……on God’s gates more  than Bill Gates😊

…..on OUR resurrection more than the US election 😀

For we are, even now, standing on the threshold!

P.S. As another witness we just got word that our daughter Laurie and family who returned a year ago from New York to heal at The Big Green House will, the day after we return, cross the threshold of their next home, which just happens to be …..number 122😊

P.P.S. The cottage where we would normally stay Is at the end of this lane, a few miles from ‘Studio One Take’. I suppose Ps.122 is where we are no matter where we are, or how we read it😊

Having just set foot again on Irish sod, and with our other foot planted firmly on American dirt, it seems like an appropriate time to publish this blog…..  

As I woke a few mornings ago, I believe Father spoke to me,

“As was Paisley, so is Trump.”

He pointed out to me similarities between the two men. 

• Both where ‘Wild Celts’ of Scottish origin. Like Braveheart, neither could be accused of a lack of courage.
• Neither were career politicians. Paisley was initially a clergyman, Trump a businessman.
• Both could be described as ‘bombastic’
• Both have an abrasive ‘public’ persona, reportedly quite different to their kindlier private treatment of individuals. 
• Both provoke a very strong reaction either ‘for’ or ‘against’.  

Last week I mentioned the ‘miracle’ we experienced in Community of the King where, when the world’s press were putting out headlines about death and destruction in Northern Ireland, heaven’s press were focused on a different story as we experienced the Lord changing hearts, healing relationships and mending a divided community. Come Lord Jesus was an expression of this action of the Holy Spirit.

After 35 years of the ‘Troubles’ another miracle took place on the political front. The way I recall hearing it was that, one evening Ian Paisley came down from a prayer time in his bedroom and announced to Eileen his wife. “God says there is ONE MORE THING I have to do……we need to leave a legacy of peace for our children'”

In a totally unforeseen move he extended a hand of friendship to the leading Republican politician, Martin McGuinness. and as they say ‘the rest is history’ as the ‘chuckle brothers’ oversaw an end to the long years of VIOLENCE.  

In Matt, 24: we read, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

In Genesis 6:12 we read about the days of Noah, “Now the earth was CORRUPT in God’s sight and full of VIOLENCE”

This is once again the violent and corrupt world we find ourselves living in today.

Because God promised to never again destroy the earth with a flood I. like many, believe we are to expect a flood of the Holy Spirit resulting in a great harvest being gathered, in the midst of the darkness, as illustrated in the ‘Come Lord Jesus” painting by Colin Davidson  

“So what has this to do with the book Father Elijah?” you might ask again.

The pinnacle of Elijah’s prophetic ministry could well be seen as the dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal at Mt Carmel. Then after God coaches him through his post ministry blues at Horeb, he says,

“Oh, and by the way Elijah……. ONE MORE THING’

He then tells Elijah to anoint Jehu as king.

Jacque Ellul writes brilliantly in his book, “The Politics of God and the Politics of Man” about how a clearly imperfect man called Jehu, is the one God selects, as an instrument of judgment, on a system that is CORRUPT

I believe God was showing me last night that so with Donald Trump at a time in his life when he could retire to a place of peace and safety to enjoy his great wealth, he has been called knowingly or unknowingly as was Ian Paisley to do……

ONE MORE THING.

P.S. I suppose it was inevitable that after last week’s blog one of you would have sent me the recording of Days of Elijah, by Robin Mark! The other “One More Thing’ however Elijah was given to do, was to anoint Elisha as prophet. These are the days we are entering. Remember the (16) miracles of Elisha were double that of Elijah (8) !!

Father Elijah‘s real name is appropriately David. King David was a type of Christ and of the Overcomers.

As the story unfolds David is faced yet again with the grief of losing a person he loves deeply, in a life already filled with the multiple losses of every loving and stable person he has ever known.

The death of his pregnant young wife in a bomb blast in Jerusalem is the final crushing event that precipitates his transition from a secular Jew, rapidly climbing the ladder of academic and political success, to a life of religious devotion.

He is surprised when summoned from his simple monastic life on Mt Carmel to go to Rome where he is commissioned by the Pope to bring the challenge of the gospel to the ‘Antichrist’ figure, a task he feels deeply inadequate for.

Though salted by life, there is still fire to face, and his saintly spiritual director points out to him, that at times he will experience ‘consolations’ but at other times it will simply be ‘by faith’

As I revisited Come Lord Jesus, I was deeply moved as I joined again with that community of life, worshipping together in spirit and in truth. 

The next morning someone else who had watched texted

….I saw faces that were new to me. I saw faces that I knew but younger and I saw faces of those who have departed……but what I actually saw – was eternity!

……departed ones like Paul Cupples whose story I told, of dying in total weakness but bravely, a few months ago, and my mum who oft quoted,

“THIS TOO WILL PASS.”

I lay in bed that night considering the snippet of a verse in the passage from 1 Peter 1:6, about how though now,

“.…for a little while, if necessary.”

……you suffer griefs in various trials 

“….for a little while, if necessary.”

Imagine that! Whatever it is we are suffering, in the light of our eternal destiny, it can be viewed simply as,

‘a slight inconvenience’

I pondered the discovery I made that afternoon.

………that I have mistakenly booked and paid for not one but two trips to Ireland next week!

‘a slight inconvenience’

and then a few hours later the discovery

……….that our drains were backed up and sewage was flooding our basement 

‘a slight inconvenience‘

Both were resolved the following day!

…..THESE TWO DID PASS!!

This is the truth called PERSPECTIVE, that sets us free.

The greatest grief in this life is that of loosing loved ones, which in turn prepares us for the loosing of our own life!

My mum gave up her spirit just after I had finished singing to her,

“Good shepherd may I sing thy praise

Within thy house forever.”

In the above still I captured from the recording of 31 years ago, my mum is singing, “Sing a new song to the Lord”

This exhortation comes to us from those now part of that choir above, where unending worship rings…..through all eternity. 

If I read the book for only one line, it was when a weary and discouraged Father Elijah asked the godly Don Mateo,

“A message? From whom?

From our King. He wants me to tell you this.  

‘By day and by night my gaze is fixed upon you. I see how much  you suffer for me.'”

May we beyond ‘consolations’ find our consolation in fixing our eyes, on the one whose gaze is continually fixed on us…. from all eternity, 

“…..who has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Pt. 1:3)