A Dream about Stoneleigh Bible Week 2001

I had a very interesting dream last night.

I was travelling with my family through the English countryside and we were heading somewhere (I can't quite remember where) but our route led us through the Stoneleigh campsite ground where the Bible Week was in full swing (incredible to think the last Stoneleigh Bible week was held 10 years ago this year).

I remember the beautiful campsite bathed in sunlight and the tents leading for miles. And I remember the sound of music drifting over the quiet campsite. And then as happens in dreams, I was transported to near the front of the main hall where the worship was in full swing. I think we were singing one of my favourite songs; "Great is He". The feeling of joy and wonder.

And then (again as happens in dreams) we were travelling away from Stoneleigh back towards our destination.

I remember waking up in the morning feeling destitute, lonely and depressed. This year will see the final "Together on a Mission" conference in Brighton. Another "final". For many - this isn't a particular problem. Their budgets can stretch to flights to Hong Kong or to the Middle East where the next great conference is being held. But at present for me and some of my friends that isn't an option. What's left in the United Kingdom?

This is where I'm so grateful for my dear friend Pete Day - I shared the dream with him as I do most of my dreams. And he agreed - he said; "I don't know. It seems we are robbed of the glory times. But we must press on!". This word of truth reminded me - maybe there was a reason why I was allowed to dream as I did. Maybe it is a heavenly reminder that these times of refreshing happened as a gift from a gracious God - and more are to come!

I hope so. I hope the UK hasn't been forgotten.

Fireworks Shoot Across the Sky!!

I'm rather horrified that the last time I posted on this blog was in January of this year - proof about what a dry year it's been in terms of the prophetic. So many of my friends and loved ones have struggled and gone through trials that beggar belief. The key theme has been disappointment, cynicism and hoped-for promises from God that remain unanswered. It's come again and again and again. I'm transcribing one of Rob Rufus's sermons from the "Grace and Glory Conference 2010" at present where he called cynicism; "The grain in the cogs of the church".

This song - "Firework" by Katy Perry - actually reminded me of Terry Virgo's closing sermon at Stoneleigh Bible Week in 2001. He re-preached one of Ern Baxter's classic sermons on eagles and ended with a phrase I will never forget. "Soar into your full potential - eagles are meant to fly". This song - "Firework" - makes me think of another statement;

"Fireworks are always seen and heard as they soar across the sky - they just need to be ignited".

So I dedicate this wonderfully prophetic song to my dearest friend Pete Day - pastor of Lansdowne Evangelical FREE church in London. The glory will come - let's hold on together!

"Firework" by Katy Perry. (Lyrics below)

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag

Drifting throught the wind
Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards
One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep
Six feet under scream
But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that there's still a chance for you
Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road
Katy Perry Firework lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/katy-perry-firework-lyrics.html

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on slet your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on slet your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em goin "Oh, oh, oh!"

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon".

An Invitation to the Dance of Life

It's interesting this one - I don't think Christians like dancing very much. Particularly Western Christians! And I must confess I'm not overly keen on it in church - maybe once a year at the Brighton conference during the offering night. But I do have a guilty pleasure - I like going out and dancing in clubs. If you assumed I got drunk when you read that - you assumed wrongly and shame on you. I just like dancing.

So I was at the gym yesterday and was listening to Madonna's newish song "Celebration" (I won't post the video - you can watch it only if you're bad like me!). Say what you like about Madonna and disapprove of her if you will but it was the lyrics that caught my attention. In particular;

"And if it makes you feel good then I say do it
I don’t know what you’re waiting for ...
But for now just come here, let me whisper in your ear
An invitation to the dance of life".

I love the song and have heard it and danced to it a number of times but surprisingly as I was running on the treadmill I felt the Holy Spirit remind me of a prophecy that Terry Virgo brought at the first Stoneleigh Bible Week I went to (2000) which said;

"As you come on your hands and knees, ground that you would have thought was outside your sphere that you were disqualified to get near, I've cleared the ground for you" says the Lord. "I've cleared it for you so that you can dance now. You can dance on holy ground. I've cleared the ground for you! I've provided grounds that are level and clear and steady. Even as I came to My servant Isaiah, undone and ruined by the revelation of My purity, undone forever, I've provided him a burning coal - clensing and purging so that he could be in the holy place. I want you to know that I have provided for you, my sons and my daughters out of My love. You will never stamp the ground to make it level, you will never clear the grounds of thorns and weeds. I have cleared the ground for you.

You are free to dance now because of my eternal grace to you, my kindness and my celebration over you. I celebrate in My finished work. I celebrate in embracing My sons and daughters running home. I invite and welcome the prodigal into dancing ground. I draw back the man whose head is hung low with a sense of inadequacy and failure and say, "This is dancing ground! This is dancing ground!". This, My son, was dead, he is alive again! He was lost and now is found. This is dancing ground! I welcome you into My heart and into My Presence as mercy and a gift to you", says the Lord.

"Out of My heart of love and out of My full embrace, I don't want you to come timidly. I don't want you to come wondering, can I accumulate enough worth, can I demonstrate enough merit that I am allowed in? I tell you, I have cleared the ground by My blood. Only there will you find fullness of mercy and because it is fullness, it is not simply ground to kneel upon but it is ground to dance upon for your welcome is complete. The ground is clear! Come My sons and My daughters - I welcome you to this very place. I am full of ambition for you, full of desire to bless you with My love. Full of tenderness and mercy because of the obedience of My Son that frees Me to bless you. Some come dance, rejoice, drink deeply of My love, says the Lord. Enter in, enter in to the mercy of God. The joy and favour and everlasting love of your God, says the Lord".

The two threads seemed so obvious.

A Christian + real grace = dancing.

Don't worry - this wasn't some legalistic charismatic way to force dancing. The impression I got was simply that when Christians really get grace, they will be so overflowed with joy and celebration that they will dance. The more I thought about it as I sweated on the treadmill, I became rather overcome with an image of nightclubs left empty - because the wonders of the grace of God were so thrilling the church and drawing the lost - that who needs a nightclub to dance in (and hide away) when you can dance and celebrate and rejoice in the church?

Whereas the void at the moment is that if you do dance in church (even many so-called charismatic churches) you will be seen as excessive and "showy". Maybe that's why many Christians do escape to secular music. Maybe that's why God can and does use secular music to speak to His people!

But a day IS coming when the wonder of the revelation of the New Covenant WILL break through to His people and the earth will shake in awe at a people who dance and must dance to express their joy!

Dreaming of Hong Kong .... again!!

Well it's been a good while since I have had what I think is some sort of prophetic dream that I could remember and experience so strongly. So I was very excited to wake up this morning after having one such dream. Again - as usual - I have some idea why I dreamt it and what it means. What I don't know is whether it is prophetic of the future or more some commentary on my thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears.

I know most Christians are suspicious of dreams but I hardly need state again that I don't care about such suspicions. The Word of God is full of men and women "dreaming". Time and again God brought warnings and messages through dreams. And of course in Acts 2:17 it states quite categorically;

"'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS".

As with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts I am not ready to declare they cannot exist simply because of excess and fanatacism as some have done. The Bible says that God can and will speak through dreams therefore I am ready to believe that He can speak to me through dreams just as He speaks through His Word.

So last night I dreamt I was in Hong Kong clearly for a "Glory and Grace Conference". I was on my own - which reminded me of my first visit to Hong Kong a couple of years ago. I did feel lonely (just as I did the first visit) - watching everyone greet each other. Rob and Glenda Rufus and Fini and Isi de Gersigny of course were there and were mainly surrounded by everyone. I remember seeing particularly Rob and Glenda ministering to Fini and Isi and watching them receive powerfully from God. I very much again had the feeling of being a "spectator" - wishing that I could be part of what was going on but not quite managing it - no matter how much I hoped.

As often happens in dreams, there is an element of life on "fast-forward". I had the experience of walking back to the apartment where I was staying on my own absolutely drunk and barely remembering where I was living! I thought that I was drunk on alcohol but then had someone tell me that I hadn't drunk a drop - so clearly the inebriation was from the Presence of the Holy Spirit!

Just before the end of the dream I actually was able to get time to sit and talk to Rob Rufus - which was of course amazing and everything I dreamt of. I don't quite remember the content of the conversation (whereas if/when I do actually get to meet Rob, I think I will be carrying a dictaphone to capture EVERYTHING said!). But I do know that I was sharing my hopes and fears with Rob and that he never once laughed at me or judged me - but was a loving spiritual father - as I imagine he is to the church family in Hong Kong.

I don't know - as I say - what this means but I want to capture it here as I have done with other dreams (something that both Jack Deere and Isi de Gersigny recomend). I hope that it means that 2010 will see me going to Hong Kong again - but hopefully taking friends with me!

A Prophecy for Me (and everyone else)!!

When I get a prophecy like this I can see why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that prophecy is to be eagerly desired. It did my soul so much good! It was from my dear friend Brogan in South Africa;

"Fly my son. Fly with the eagles. Fly high above this earth upon My Spirit. Walk on the waters, My spirit will guide you. Do you know that I made you? I planned how you would be. I created you wonderfully. My son I will plant you beside the river so your roots may grow deep. I am your God and I love you. You are My delight".

I share it because the truth is for everyone. God's love and abandon is for each of His children and I pray it blesses everyone who reads it!

I Miss You - Val ...

Okay last night's dream was a very interesting and again a very vivid one. When I used to live in Dunstable I had an ever-so dear friend to me - sort of like an older sister! Her name was Val and she was the wife of one of the elders in our church - who also became an amazing friend and mentor to me although we disagreed quite vigorously at times about issues particularly the Holy Spirit! Val was a teacher at the Christian school I went to and saw me through the yucky teenage years of my life and yet treated me firmly and kindly. What I think I will never get over was that she was always willing to speak to me like an adult whereas many others in the church treated me (and still do!) like a child!

Regretfully, sadly and yet victoriously Val was taken to glory in 2001 prematurely through a disease I detest and loathe - cancer. I will never forget walking the streets of Birmingham crying out that God would take me instead. She was a kind, wonderful, caring, loving wife and mother. I at the time was a mess. She deserved to live! I deserved - well less I felt! Yet God still took her. Martin, her husband told me that people in the church did pray for her healing - but yet it was one of the most upsetting days of my life sitting in the church at her funeral. I will never ever forget her smile particularly.

So in my dream I was somewhat amazed and thrilled to be dreaming that I was walking with Val through Dunstable. She was alive and well. Yet deep down somehow I knew that she was ill and she spoke to me about needing prayer. I had a book of C H Spurgeon's sermons with me in the dream and I found myself flicking through it furiously trying to find something - anything about miraculous healing and signs and wonders. When I woke up I spent a long time trying to figure out why I dreamt that. I don't think I ever felt it was "her time to go". Cancer robbed her family, her friends, me! And I wonder if that dream was speaking to me and reminding me that there is indeed a search on - a desperate search because people are dying (Michael Jackson being a notable one yesterday) every day.

I'm not necessarily saying I felt the call to go and try and pray for Val's resurrection from the dead. I think her death was a memorable and traumatic one for me at the time and that dream reminded me that healing and signs and wonders are more than just theology to argue over. If someone is healed, if someone is raised from the dead - then family and friends and a watching world are saved from the heartache that I still remember so vividly when I heard Val had gone to glory.

People - even children are dying early. I heard the day before yesterday that a former collegue of mine from Bristol was killed in a car crash and he was only in his late 30's. And it's time we saw that;

STOP!!

Terry Virgo and Angels Snipers!!

I had a rather odd series of dreams last night mainly about Terry Virgo. I must admit I don't quite understand them but I thought I would document them and see if some sort of interpretation comes - or whether I can just hold up my hands and admit I ate too much cheese last night!

The first dream was based around some sort of cell group meeting in Terry Virgo's home. I was with my family as though I was a child (but still my own age and thought processes). I remember that there was a wonderful feeling of community and belonging. I can't quite place whether we actually were just visiting Brighton and CCK or whether we belonged to the church but it was a wonderful feeling. Of community. Of togetherness.

The second dream was the interesting one. I was following Terry and Wendy Virgo into what looked like the Stoneleigh Bible Week meeting hall. And Terry was sort of the narrator during the dream. And yet even though he was narrating - I could actually see what he was saying. He was talking about angels being present everywhere. And the angels present in the room were looking at each person gathered there - no one was missed out! But everywhere the angels looked and pointed, there appeared a target - as though it was a shooting gallery. The guns the angels were carrying were golden. And the narration explained that they were glory guns - that each person was targeted for downloads of glory. That no one would or could miss out on being "shot" with the glory from heaven! That was the angels roles.

And Terry in my dream said; "They are marksmen! They are marksmen!".

So there we have it. Too much cheese?! Or something God is trying to say?!