Climate Change: Have Faith!

Is God surprised at Global Warming?

The good kind wise Creator must have known that humans would discover coal and oil and gas, which, either indirectly or directly, He had caused to be there. The Biblical good Creator has a particular love for humans, uniquely made in His image, uniquely honoured by His Son becoming fully human, uniquely purposed to become His beloved children. This Creator must have made fossil fuels available to humans, and helped them to understand how to use fossil fuels, and been pleased at human lives made better by the use of fossil fuels. This Creator must have known that large scale burning of fossil fuels would raise the Earth’s temperature. Far from being surprised at Global Warming our Creator must have foreseen it and therefore taken it into account when creating.

Creation is adaptable. This is probably the chief lesson of evolution. The survivors are not the biggest and the strongest. The dinosaurs do not survive. The survivors are the most adaptable. Creatures are made with an in-built ability to produce variants. Some of these variants survive better, especially in a changing environment. Through the God-given ability to produce variants, creatures adapt. (For examples of natural adaptability see Climate Change: Stop Catastrophising | Rogerharper’s Blog (wordpress.com) )

Add together:

• The foreknowledge of the Creator
• The ability of creation to adapt
• The continuing influence of the Creator

This gives us

The belief that creation can and will adapt to Climate Change.

Is God taken aback by selfish human use of fossil fuels?

Our Creator knew too that humans have a strong selfish streak: ‘Mine, mine, mine!’ ‘More, more, more!’ With fossil fuels, as with everything else, the rich would benefit more than the poor. Much would be burnt at speed and without heed of wider consequences. This too was known, at least as a possibility, to the Creator and He created with this in mind too.

Not that the Creator planned, nor wanted, this fossil fuel frenzy. His plan has always been that humans will be selfless wise stewards of creation, looking to Him, as loving children, for guidance and approval. This grand plan was destroyed aeons ago. Now our Creator keeps having to respond to our latest selfish, careless, heedless, behaviour and to make good come out of it anyway.

As Love, our Creator never insists on his own way. He never dictates nor coerces. He responds to humans freely choosing, leaving us to make our own mistakes. Life as we know it, does not work out according to a grand meticulous divine blueprint. This is indicated in Jeremiah 29:11, ‘ For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’ Not one plan but many plans. The grand aim remains the same, to give us a future and a hope. (Some translations read ‘a future with hope’ or ‘the future you hope for.’ In context I think it is more likely to be the future He hopes for, close to our deepest desires.} The plan of how to achieve that aim keeps changing. We ruin Plan A, then Plans B C D E F and G, so plan H is implemented. God knows how many plans are needed or will be needed! Literally, He knows, because He alone knows all the possibilities at any given moment and how they can work out. If a human Sat Nav system can map out a new route, to the same destination, every time we make a wrong turn, the Creator is even better, quicker, wiser, at mapping out our new plan. (Technically this view is called ‘Open Theism.’)

Our Creator is adaptable, especially to human behaviour, including bad behaviour. He always has a way of bringing good out of the worst we can do. Jesus stated  ‘He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.’  (Matthew 5:25)

These words echo the promise given by our Creator at the end of the parable of the flood in Genesis 8: ‘Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.²² “As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease..’

Our Creator enables all people to live on our planet, whether we are good, kind and responsible or whether we are selfish, exploitative and careless. He will never allow our planet to become uninhabitable.

Our Creator also knows and tells us, through Jesus and the Bible, that our lives are much better when we recognise, admit, learn from, our selfish, exploitative, careless, mistakes. Our Creator won’t take responsibility away from us, but, when we acknowledge our responsibility for our mistakes, and look to Him to sort out the mess that we have made, He will make a new plan for our good, hopeful, future. Without our confessing and asking, some consequences of our careless behaviour will work themselves out. With our confessing and asking, our Creator and Redeemer will heal all that we cannot heal and put us on a new path to our good future. When we sense a disastrous future because of our mistakes, we have to not panic, to own up to what we have done which we now regret, to ask for and trust that a good future is still possible because we still have a good loving Creator.

Our confessing should not be in words only but in action. Regret that does not lead to changed behaviour is shallow, irresponsible. Regret expressed in words and in deeds is best. Such regret best enables our Creator to develop, work out, implement the next plan He has for us. Our Creator is never surprised by the messes we make. He already has a way of clearing them up, ‘redeeming’ them in theological language. He can still reach his aim of giving us a good, hoped-for, future. He only needs our responsible cooperation, our admitting that we are responsible for not cooperating with Him in the past, and our determining, in word and action, to cooperate more with Him in future.

Without facing up to our selfish human use of fossil fuels, we, and all creation, are likely to survive, thanks to our adaptability and to our good, foreseeing, kind Creator. With facing up to our selfish use of fossil fuels, we, and all Creation, are likely to thrive, to adapt better, to be led into new discoveries and abilities for the changed climate.

The good news is that we have been facing up to selfish human use of fossil, fuels, and we are changing our ways. Making more use of renewable energy is good for us and for all Creation. Fossil fuels will eventually run out and if we can slow down the rate of Climate Change, we will avoid more suffering. We are acknowledging our human exploitation, not only in words but also in deeds. Our Creator will work with us towards our good future.

Faith in the Creator, the God of Jesus and of the Bible, gives us reason to repent and change our ways. The same faith gives us reason not to catastrophise.

Therefore

• Don’t be afraid! The most common command in the Bible, reputedly given 365 times. Don’t be afraid of change. Change in churches always leads to unwarranted fear in a good number of people who see disaster ahead. In reality, change in churches and everywhere means some things are lost and some are gained. Climate Change is no different.
• Talk of Climate Change, not of Crisis, especially not Catastrophe.
• Talk about how we will need to adapt, including the need for a good number of people to migrate, with as little pain as possible.
• Be generous to all who are at the sharp end of Climate Change now.

(More detail at Climate Change: Stop Catastrophising | Rogerharper’s Blog (wordpress.com) )

The Call by Rick Joyner: Mixed Important Messages

The Call, by Rick Joyner, follows on from The Final Quest and is also an account of Rick’s visions and visionary discussions. Rick sees and converses with Biblical and historical characters, he sees a prison camp and converses with one man there, he sees again inner parts of the heavenly mountain he saw in The Final Quest. Mostly, Rick sees and converses with Jesus and His Holy Spirit, in the form of a White Eagle. (As before, Rick rarely calls Jesus by His name, he calls Him Wisdom.)

My copy of The Final Quest has more marks in the margin, more words to remember and quote, more genuine sayings of Jesus, than any other book I have read. Rick Joyner’s ‘The Final Quest:’ A Great Message | Rogerharper’s Blog (wordpress.com) The Call also has plenty of marks, plenty of genuine Jesus words.

The Call also has words more from Rick than from Jesus. ‘Because you are not writing Scripture,’ says Jesus, ‘the words you write will have you in them.’ (p83)

About The Final Quest, I also commented: ‘Rick’s ‘own understanding does not always align with what he has seen and heard from Jesus. This authenticates his visions, his message.’ The treasure of Jesus’ words is sometimes seen more clearly in the earthen vessel of Rick’s own understanding.

Jesus speaks.

Jesus’ message is the same as in The Final Quest. Put Him first in our mind and thought and sight. Love all people, especially His people. Seek harmony, do not stoke conflict. Jesus also conveys fresh truth about True Aim in Life, True Judgement, The True Church, True Use of Scripture, True Worship. Much treasure for us all.

Core Message

‘Your highest purpose is to recognise Me, to hear My voice, and to follow Me. (p211) ‘… taking your eyes off Me is all you have to do to drift from the path of life.’ (p40)

‘This is My commandment to you: Love Me and love your neighbor. Only then will your witness be true. Even when I command you to speak of My judgements, it must be in love.’ (p84)

‘This is also your call – to love with My love and serve with My heart. Then we will be one.’ (p198)

‘Everything I am doing in the earth is to restore the original harmony between My Father and His creation and among all creatures.’ (p158)

‘Fear must not rule over you – do nothing because of fear. Do what you do because of love, and you will always triumph.’ (p164) ‘As you behold Me you will not fear. If you fear, it is because you are not beholding Me.’ (p169)

Jesus says ‘… you must learn not to look just for Me, but at Me.’ (p60)

Now we see Jesus with us hazily. C S Lewis wrote that seeing what is real but immaterial is difficult. Jesus says that those who have the true love of God ‘want to be with Me so much that even when it all seems unreal, even when I seem like a vague dream to them, they will risk all for the hope that the dream is real.’ (p61)

True Aim in Life

In the prison camp, Rick meets Stephen, a seeker who Rick helps discover Jesus for himself.

Rick advises Stephen ‘You can see Him with the eyes of your heart at any time. This is also your call – to see Him more clearly and follow Him more closely.’ (p117)

Yet Rick also advises Stephen: ‘You can always go as far as you can see… You must keep going as far as you can see. Never stop as long as you can still see further.’ (p110) ‘I now believe that it is wisdom to always choose the highest mountain to climb.’ (p126)

Jesus says ‘As you walk in the wisdom that I am with you, you will always see the way to go.’ (p100) We look not for the highest mountain but for Jesus with us.

Jesus says ‘You may think that it is time to march, but I will direct you to camp because I see things that you can never see, even from this place of vision. If you follow Me, you will always be doing the right thing at the right time, even though it may not seem right to you. Remember, I am the Captain of the Host.’ (p148f) We must be open to stopping even though we can see further, because we see or know that Jesus has stopped and we follow what He is doing.

Rick says ‘… we can never outsmart the enemy- our defense is to learn to first recognize, and then resist him.’ (p127)

The White Eagle says ‘Just as the sure communication between a general and his soldiers can determine the outcome of the battle, the strength of His communication with His people will determine their victory or defeat in the days to come. (p188)

Looking at, recognising, the enemy and his ways is dangerous. Our priority is always to look at, recognise, listen to our Captain.

True Judgement

Rick tends to see the need for judgement, to point out people’s bad ways and call then to change, especially when he is listening to, or focusing on others, Lot and Jonah and Zipporah, wife of Moses:

Lot says ‘The Lord cannot abide the increasing evil of mankind much longer.’ (p42)

Jesus says ‘We love mankind and Our eternal dwelling place will be with you. Wisdom is knowing Me, knowing the Father and knowing Our love. The light, the glory and the power that I am about to reveal in the earth will be released through those who have come to know My love.’ (p60)

Lot says ‘You must seek His judgements every day and you must make them known on earth.’ (p43) Jesus says we are to seek Him every day and make His love known on earth. Jesus says ‘You are not walking in wisdom if you are proclaiming Me to be the Lion when I want to come as the Lamb.’ (p62)

Lot says ‘Many believers have made falling down in the Lord’s presence frivolous and meaningless…’ (p52) Here is fuel for those who want to criticise their fellow Christians rather than love them. Jesus says ‘… you must come to My Throne of Grace every day…’ (p65.) Every day we need to top up His grace in us, especially for our fellow Christians.

Jonah says ‘it is presumption to only call upon the Lord when you want something. You should call on Him to ask what He wants not what you want.’ (p50) These judgmental words are almost opposite to Jesus telling us to ask and ask again, with no restrictions. Jesus said to people ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus has not changed. He still wants us to tell Him what we want Him to do for us.

Jonah talks negatively about Christians today. ‘Some are already in the belly of the beast. Some are about to be cast overboard and some are still sleeping, but almost all have been on the ship going the wrong way, seeking to trade with the world.’ (p48)

Later, as Rick focuses on the story of Zipporah, wife of Moses, circumcising their son to save Moses’ life, Rick also sees and bemoans the carnality of Christians, who have not had their hearts circumcised. Rick sees The Christian Army and is dismayed by many slovenly selfish soldiers.

Jesus says ‘Do not be discouraged by the way My people now appear, but remember what they will become.’ (p149)

Nearer the end, Rick sees differently: ‘As He talked… I saw in my heart what seemed to be every church I knew. They immediately became much more than just a group of people; they became His Beloved.’ (p173)

Jesus helps Rick to see His way of judgement: ‘The judgement came from every thought being made manifest. It was not a judgement of punishment, but of liberation, if there was no attempt to hide anything. Freedom came with everything that was illuminated so that there was a desire for every heart flaw to be exposed. The love was so great that I knew everything would be covered and made right.’ (p196)

Any judgement we bring must be the same. We assure people that there is an immense love ready to make right everything they have done. We invite people to bring into the light deeds and thoughts which they have kept hidden – as much as they freely choose to reveal. We rejoice with them in their freedom from guilt and in Jesus’ ability to heal all the injuries we have caused to other people and to ourselves. We do not point out what we see as their faults. We bring ourselves into judgement much more than anyone else. We do not disparage groups of people, especially not our brothers and sisters in Jesus.

Here is a fresh view of judgement and a fresh view of atonement. Earlier in The Call, Adam gives the same message: ‘The Lord did not go to the cross just to redeem but also to restore.’ (p79) Atonement is not only paying the price for our freedom but restoring the creation which we have damaged. Not just that we have a ‘no longer guilty’ verdict but that the wounds we have inflicted are being healed. Everything we have done wrong is ‘covered and made right.’

I think this is the core meaning of the Biblical language of sins being covered, by blood. Just our blood covers a wound in our body and forms a scab, ensuring that the wound will be healed, so the blood of Jesus covers the wounds of all humanity, ensuring that the all wounds will be healed. See Atonement as Blood Covering, A Fresh Understanding? 17 November | Rogerharper’s Blog (wordpress.com)

The True Church

Rick sees a Great City, a City of Harmony, beautifully constructed by many Christians from all the different Christian streams. Many connections link the parts of the City. The Highway of Grace links all the streets. Jesus says that the City and the Army are the same.

Jesus says ‘My builders will come from every stream, but they will work as one. Just as great houses need different craftsmen, so does My house. Only when they work together can they build My house.’ (p163)

One key part of the harmony of the City is that differences are welcomed, not made grounds for criticism and accusation. The Final Quest showed that Christians accusing each other are goaded, pushed on, by the devil and his hordes.

Rick notes how strong is the Christian tendency to accuse: ‘Many had been under the influence of the accuser for so long that it was still a part of their nature to accuse, and it could be a while before their minds were renewed. I knew that the church was still a very long way from being united.’ (p168)

‘I knew that what He had said about building with peace in the present and a vision for the future was also essential for the harmony I saw.’ (p159)

‘This is how people judge the church, I thought, and how I have often judged it myself. I have loved God for a long time, but failed to love His people the way that I should.’ (p179)

Jesus responds: ‘Now I will give you My love for My people.’ (p179f)

True Use of Scripture

‘His manna is as gentle and light as the dew, and easily trampled,’ says the White Eagle, Holy Spirit. ‘You must be gentle and light of heart to see it… The Lord speaks every day to each one of His people. They cannot live by bread alone, but must have the words that proceed from His mouth. These are not the words that He spoke in the past, but the words that He speaks to them each day.’ (p185)

Rick has been told to look for, see, expect, Jesus with him. Now he is told to look for, expect, Jesus to speak individually to every one of His people. Rick is to help Christians listen to Jesus for themselves, as the Israelites gathered manna in the wilderness, to keep them going for each day.

Remarkably, ‘these are not the words that He spoke in the past…’ This vital manna, these daily words, are not the words of Jesus recorded in the New Testament, nor the words of the LORD recorded in the Old Testament. Scripture alone is not enough, despite the Protestant rallying call of ‘Sola Scriptura’ ‘Only Scripture.’ Our relationship is not to the Bible but to Jesus. We are not ‘Biblians,’ we are Christians. It is vital for each of us to take in, each day, words direct from Jesus.

It is not just hearing His words, but hearing His voice which will lead you in the way in which you are to go. Many repeat the words that He has spoken, but His manna is the word that He is speaking now.’ (p186)

These words are surprising in a book by an established Evangelical teacher. This message, that Scripture alone is not enough, is highly unlikely to have come from Rick himself. Much more likely to have come, indeed, from the Holy Spirit.

What about Scripture, then? ‘If you are to know His words, you must know both the Scripture and His manna.’ (p187) The italic, stressed, ‘and’ is as Rick wrote it, as Rick heard it. Know the Scripture, especially the words that Jesus spoke. And know Jesus’ words, Jesus’ voice, today. ‘He now wants all of His people to know when He is speaking through them or to them.’ (p188) ‘We must not stop encouraging His people to know His voice.’ (p190)

It is vital for His Church to pay close attention to His recorded words and to the words He is speaking today.

(For an application of this dual listening to a Big Issue of today see 3. Listening to the Holy Spirit | Gay Marriage Maybe (wordpress.com))

True Worship

Rick has witnessed something of the worship of heaven. He is left with a longing to stay in that realm. This is a common response among people who have had a Near Death Experience of paradise. Jesus shows Rick something even greater which makes staying on earth preferable. Jesus shows Rick how The Father responds to the worship of His children now.

 ‘To shake the nations with your words does not impress anyone who dwells here [heaven / paradise.] But, when even the least of My brethren on earth shows love, it brings joy to My Father’s heart. When even the most humble church sings to My Father with true love in their hearts, He silences all of heaven to listen to them.’ (p201)

’Your worship when you are in the midst of difficulties touches Him even more than all the worship of heaven.’ (p205)

Note that this true worship is children expressing love of their Father. Those who know they are children of God, more than servants of God, worshipping, singing to, their Abba Father, using those words of address, more than to their Lord, addressed as ‘Lord.’. All who say ‘Our Father in heaven, Hallowed by Thy name!’ Especially those who cry out for His good will to be done, in lives painfully impacted instead by the evil will of the enemy, the devil. ‘When you worship without seeing His glory in the midst of your trials, that is worship in Spirit and in truth. The Father seeks such to be His worshippers.’ (p205)

Thank you, Rick, thank you! You are a brilliant prophet. You have faithfully conveyed to us the words of Jesus. In your book we see and hear the great eternal treasure which comes from beholding and listening to Jesus. In your book we see and hear something of the earthen vessel of your own, and our, thinking and speaking. The words you have written have you in them indeed. The words you have written have far more of Jesus in them. Alleluia!

To buy The Call go to The Call – MorningStar Ministries

Fay Weldon – Woman of, mixed, Faith

In April 2010 Fay Weldon agreed to me interviewing her for Christianity magazine. In 2000, She had become a notable Christian, baptised in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. She died yesterday, 4 January 2023, aged 91.

Approaching her house, my expectation was to see a cross between Joan Bakewell, glamourous TV intellectual, and Cruella de Vil, from 1001 Dalmatians. She was known as a sharp, pioneering feminist, author of The Life and Loves of a She Devil.’ She would be thin, taller than me, dressed in a green trouser suit, looking down on me.

Fay opened the large off-white wooden door. She was short and not at all thin, with blond, wavy, girly, hair, a broad smile, a quiet demeanour and a steady, penetrating, gaze. A cross between Marilyn Monroe and Margaret Thatcher.

Despite still recovering from a nasty bug, Fay had, that morning, welcomed her hairdresser for the interview photographs. At nearly 80 years old, she was a determined professional writer, presenting her work, and herself, as best she could.

For photos of the interview and brief footage of me rounding off, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6Fh3Zpd6qY

Fay explained that she was born to humanists, ignored the prayers at her Catholic school and, much later, was drawn to St John’s Church in Hampstead.

I just like going to church! Being baptised seemed a sensible thing to do. It wasn’t a great moment of enlightenment or sudden conversion. Partly, I think, I wanted to belong.

Then I was always very worried about saying the Creed, because it’s very literal, isn’t it? And they won’t let you take it metaphorically. And one day I said it, and found that I hadn’t been struck by lightning or anything. Now I am used to it, and don’t query it at all.

Another thing that got me going as a Christian, so to speak, is that I was asked to write an introduction to 1 Corinthians. I was sort of converted by St Paul. It seemed such an extraordinary tale, so new at the time, and I thought ‘What an amazing person.

Faith became a strong part of Fay’s life.

We go to church every Sunday at 8 o’clock and once a month we go to another church at 11 o’clock and sing hymns, which I like doing, and meet people. And every now and then, not always, you feel the presence of God. And I like the whole sense of history, that people have walked up this particular path for the last five hundred years, at least, that you are part of something extremely valuable. If I don’t go, I feel as though I’ve missed something.

Fay learnt to cope with adverse reactions to her new faith:

My daughter-in-law was absolutely terrified of letting my grandchildren near me in case I converted them! People are, oddly, quite shocked because they think it means that you have no intellect. Many are really quite polite, and so many are Christians but you didn’t know. People are almost nervous of saying that they go to church and all the rest of it because it’s somehow, socially, not the thing to do. But you discover all kinds of people who are Christian, and who talk to you about it.

Now there’s a sort of scientist backlash which is trying actually to erase Christianity from the social structure. They say we’re superstitious and old-fashioned. But I find it equally difficult to comprehend what they think’s going on in the cosmos.

Fay wrote as a woman of faith:

You can’t proselytise you know. But everything I write, to me, has a kind of moral base to it. And, on the whole, virtue is rewarded.

When I talk at literary festivals, I explain to people that, if they take an hour, or an hour and a half, out of their lives every Sunday it is rather better than going to the shopping mall, and certainly cheaper. And to gather together and to pray for the sick does nobody any harm at all and might even do them a great deal of good.

Once you’ve seen it and once you’ve seen society as it is in its irreligious state, you think that the sooner it gets back to religion the better. If people don’t believe in God, they’ll believe in anything as Dostoevsky said. If you go to Glastonbury, you’ll see them believing in anything – a ruddy waste of time! My mother lived there for a time with the terrible things going on and she used to say ‘Where there are angels there are always devils as well.

Fay only commended her, traditional, type of church: She decried ‘bongo jingle church in pre-fab buildings.’ She relished ‘… a sense of respect, of God as an impersonal force. This is what I respond to. God is greater than you can conceive. Jesus was in your image but God is not in your image.’

Fay’s understanding of the Holy Spirit was ‘I think we’re born with it and if you allow it to develop, it develops. By an act of will that either denies it or includes it in your general behaviour towards other people.’ It seems that no-one, including myself, helped Fay to know that the Holy Spirit has to be received, as Jesus received at his Baptism and as Paul taught.

Fay’s first serious encounter with faith had been in 1989. After the fatwa of death against her fellow novelist Salman Rushdie, she read the Koran. She wrote the pamphlet Sacred Cows expressing her critical view:

The Koran is food for no thought. It is not a poem on which a society can be safely or sensibly based. It forbids change, interpretation, self-knowledge, or even art, for fear of treading on Allah’s creative toes.

The Koran fails in that, being so abusive of non-belief, it insists upon a concrete interpretation of its text. Thus, it gives weapons and strength to the thought police – and the thought police are easily set marching, and they frighten.’

Fay was herself then threatened:

Ten years later they declared me an Islamophobe, which was rather nasty. They turned up at literary readings and things. It took them ten years to get round to it – and that was written before I was a Christian.

Fay did not change her views for our 2010 interview:

I just think it’s very funny to believe that the Koran came from anything other than Mohammed, (perhaps you’d better not print this or I might get into trouble) who was rather like L J Hubbard, in creating a religion… From St Paul onwards Christianity was an inclusive religion. Islam, by its nature is exclusive.

Fay’s view of feminism did change, not to everyone’s approval:

The women are now, on the whole, happier than they were. Women now can speak up without having the little squeaky voices which they used to have because they were so nervous and so unused to speaking in public.

It’s just the children. If we could just have a 25 hour week. Any child can be without its mother for 25 hours a week. I think it’s the full-time work that’s the problem. Let them spend less time producing the stuff that nobody needs and more time in the home or taking care of the children.

Society has changed. Women now have absolute choice about how they live. What goes wrong is not men’s fault. But some women continue, out of habit, to find fault with men.

The published interview is here: https://www.premierchristianity.com/interviews/fay-weldon-i-go-to-church-every-sunday-and-every-now-and-then-i-feel-the-presence-of-god/3612.article

Fay’s appreciation of gathering together to pray was shown in her welcome of me praying with her that day. Before the interview, I thought Jesus had nudged me to offer to pray for her finances. To me, this seemed an unlikely need for a famous novelist. I offered anyway. Fay, happily amazed, called her husband and we prayed accordingly. This turned a professional meeting into an ongoing friendship.

At Fay’s birthday party a couple of years later, Fay welcomed me praying for her painful leg. When her son died, she welcomed me praying the Book of Common Prayer Funeral Service with her over the phone. At another birthday party, she welcomed prayer from myself and my fiancée for her painful back.

Fay encouraged me about my first novel, the whodunit A British Crash: https://www.laddermedia.co.uk/a-british-crash . She wrote ‘The writing is professional and what the book has to say is really interesting.’

Fay also continued to welcome Kehua, Maori familial spirits, from her upbringing in New Zealand. She wrote about these in a novel of the same name. ‘Kehua are the spirits of the dead, who are not nasty, but just trying to bring you home. The book is about the difficulty of distinguishing a character in a book from a ghost. It’s more or less in this house that it takes place.’ The book was largely autobiographical. Maybe she should have taken more heed of her mother’s warning of devils and angels.

We are all a mixture. Fay, and Fay’s strong Christian faith, was no exception. May she see even more clearly in the light of Paradise. May all the saints and angels enjoy her sharp, sympathetic, impish wit, for ever.

Roger Harper

Raphael Resists Changing The Picture of Hell

The picture of hell changed from this

To this

Jesus pulling people out of hell was changed to Jesus presiding over people being tortured in hell. Hell with a way out through Jesus was changed to hell with no way out. Hell as part of Jesus’ defeat of the devil was changed to hell as the domain of the eternal vicious devil.

The publication of Dante’s book, Inferno, in about 1314 was the final, decisive, agent of this change. Since at least the teaching of Augustine of Hippo in the early 5^th Century, the understanding of hell as eternal torment by the eternal devil had lived uneasily beside the understanding of hell as open to the rescuing influence of Jesus who has defeated the devil. The image of souls who have worshipped the beast being tormented with fire and sulphur, the smoke of their torment going up forever and ever (Revelation 14:10,11) was taught alongside Jesus’ proclamation that he has the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18.) In Art, Jesus pulling people out of hell was the dominant picture. After Dante, people being tortured in hell by the devil became the dominant picture. For more on this change see https://rogerharper.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/changing-the-picture-of-hell-23-august/

In the early 16^th Century Raphael was still resisting the change. The current Raphael exhibition at the National Gallery, London, shows his resistance in two works.

Painted about 1505. St Michael deals his deadly blow to the devil dragon, what the exhibition notes call ‘the fallen angel Lucifer.’ God’s warrior angel (with the cross of St George on his shield) already has his foot on the terrified despairing devil. Michael’s sword is about to strike. In earlier pictures, Jesus himself tramples the devil who he has bound up, ensuring no escape. In earlier pictures, Jesus’ robes billow out, showing God’s dynamic divine Spirit with him. in the same way, here, St Michael’s blue robe billows behind him.

St Michael is painted with Dante’s Inferno in the background. The groups of shadowy figures are, the exhibition notes inform us, various episodes from the book. The smoke is the smoke of Revelation 14. We see the terrifying fate of all the wicked, all the unfaithful.

Much more, though, we see the terrified fate of the devil. ‘Remember this defeat!’ is the main message. ‘Don’t pay attention to the tormenting hell of Dante, now in the background. Rejoice in the ultimate victory of God over the devil.’

Made about 1511-12. Jesus pulls people out of ‘Limbo.’ In Catholic teaching, Limbo is the first level of hell and the righteous from the Old Testament times before Jesus were taken out of Limbo by Jesus. Dante never hinted that any other people can be taken out of Limbo, rather he states that all in Limbo, while not suffering great torments, will never enter the joys of Paradise. Limbo lies beyond the gates of hell, with their inscription ‘Abandon hope all who enter here.’

Raphael chooses to depict a scene which is not in Dante’s Inferno and which gives a different, more hopeful, message. The people being taken out of ‘Limbo’ do not look like Old Testament Patriarchs but Classical Romans. Dante’s description of hell is in the background of the mind of most people who first saw this bronze plaque. Raphael is saying ‘Remember instead this victorious rescue by Jesus!’

Raphael shows no limit to who can leave hell through Limbo. He copies and echoes the standard depiction of Jesus taking out of hell. his robes billowing with divine power. We are reminded that, previously, Jesus was shown rescuing Adam and Eve, representatives of all humanity.

Raphael planned that this bronze would be paired with one of Jesus showing himself alive, after his death, to St Thomas, inviting Thomas to touch his wounds. Raphael must have known that the pictures, icons, of Jesus pulling people from hell are called, in Eastern Orthodoxy, Anastasis icons, Anastasis being the Greek word for Resurrection. The physical reality of Jesus resurrection and the accompanying spiritual reality of Jesus’ rescue of people from hell are affirmed together. ‘Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last and the living one. I was dead. And see. I am alive forever and ever. And I have the keys of Death and Hades.’ (Revelation 1:17,18)

‘And don’t pay much attention to Dante’s Inferno.’ Raphael’s message is still important today.

Roger Harper

Rick Joyner’s ‘The Final Quest:’ A Great Message

Rick Joyner is a prophet indeed. He hears Jesus speaking to him and passes on great words. The Final Quest, 1996, is Rick’s account of visions and messages given about the spiritual battle, in the Church and in each of us. My copy is marked with more lines to record, to quote, than any other book I have read. Jesus speaks with immense loving wisdom for all His people, especially for leaders.

The title ‘The Final Quest’ put me off. I was wary of a focus on ‘the last days’ when Jesus told us that we would not know when he will come again, so we will not know we are in the last days. And of acting like a valiant individual knight seeking adventure in the name of religion? I wish I had read the Final Quest sooner for it is a Great Book for our times. I quote it at length. May you be encouraged to buy the book. You can use this link: https://store.morningstarministries.org/products/the-final-quest?_pos=1&_sid=4698ce8b7&_ss=r&variant=27822991683

The Enemy Attacks

Rick begins by describing a huge battle. He saw a demonic army. ‘The primary strategy of this army was to cause division on every possible level of relationship – churches with each other, congregations with their pastors, husbands and wives, parents and children and even children with each other.’ (p17) Jesus said ‘This is Satan’s ultimate deception. His ultimate power of destruction is released when he uses Christians to attack one another.’ (p21)

How good to recognise that the battle for unity is the key battle. Unity more than sound doctrine – which will follow true unity. Unity in and focused on Jesus. Unity in and because of love. We make love, especially of all fellow believers, our priority, to defeat the enemy’s plans to divide us.

The names of the enemy army’s divisions (divisions to divide!) are ‘Pride, Self-Righteousness, Respectability, Selfish Ambition, Unrighteous Judgement and Jealousy.’ (p16) The names of the enemy’s weapons were ‘Intimidation.., Treachery … Accusation, Gossip, Slander and Faultfinding. The first attacks were of ‘Rejection, Bitterness, Impatience, Unforgiveness and Lust’ (p16)

‘The most shocking part of this vision was that this horde was not riding on horses, but primarily on Christians!’ (p17)

Here is plenty to dwell on for years to come. We need to take care that we are not operating under the influence of Jesus’ enemy, who can deceive us into not noticing the truth of how pride, or intimidation or jealousy are driving us forward. How many of us think that our impatience is due to the influence of demons? How much self-examination we need!

Rick saw more work of the enemy.  Fear, Depression and Condemnation. ‘As I watched I realized that these prisoners thought that the vomit of Condemnation was truth from God.’(p20) So the enemy’s Condemnation is passed from Christian to Christian. So sad.

Fighting Back

The first response of Rick and other Christians was to shoot arrows of Truth. But those infected with Condemnation ‘became enraged and the demon riding on them grew much larger.’ (p26) Truth, as we see it, cannot be our first response. Truth has to be spoken in love, truth has to follow love. Truth which is aimed at making ‘them’ change their mind and join ‘our side’ hinders unity. Beware!

‘Another great angel named Wisdom the appeared and directed us to fight from the mountain behind us.’ (p26) Later Wisdom is identified as The Lord, Jesus. The mountain is a picture of progression in the Christian life, of sanctification. Jesus explained ‘You cannot win if you try to fight the enemy on his own ground, but you must remain on My Holy mountain.’ (p32)

On the first level of the mountain, some people ‘began picking up the enemy arrows and shooting them back. This was a very grave mistake.’ (p26) The intention was to hit the demons rather than the fellow Christians. But these arrows were hijacked by the demons so they brought more bitterness and rage to the ‘other’ Christians.’

‘When we reached the level called “The Unity of the Brethren” none of the enemy’s arrows could reach us.’ (p27) Now the arrows of Truth shot by Rick and others would hit the demon on the Christian, not the Christian. We have to be convinced that all Christians are our brothers and sisters, we have to treat them like our brothers and sisters. Only then can we help them, speak truth to them.

 At the ‘Galatians Two Twenty’ level, Rick ‘caught up to Faith, Hope and Love, which before I had only been able to see from a distance.’ (p30) Now Rick had arrows of Hope – ‘we could hit any enemy in the army [of demons] except the leaders themselves…’ (p30)

Galatians 2:20 reads  ‘I  have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’

When we are empty of selfishness and full of Jesus, then we can win the spiritual battle for others. How far from this purity and fullness we are! How important to continue to die to self and to continue to be filled with, clothed with, abide in Jesus.

Rick hoped that ‘the Christians who had been used by the enemy’ would see the enlarged Faith, Hope and Love alongside Rick and his companions. But those in the camp of the enemy who began to see the light of Faith, Hope and Love started calling them ‘angels of light’ sent to deceive the weak or undiscerning.’ (p31)

Rick went further on and further up. At the level of ‘The Father’s Unconditional Love’ he could eat heavenly food and send our eagles to devour shame. ‘I could hear the sounds of terror from the enemy camp at the sight of the eagles ascending.’ (p35)

Jesus was then able to be in the midst of and lead the Christian army, as, it seems, he was not able to do before.

The heart of the mountain, of the matter: the Judgement of Jesus

The Final Quest contains more extended visions, all with similar themes and messages. Rick explores inside the holy mountain, enjoying great treasures, each more glorious than those before. Being in the heart of the mountain, the heart of each truth of the mountain, is more intense than being on the edge, as before. He gains the vital mantle of Humility, without which experienced Christians are vulnerable to deadly Pride. ‘I now think that most of the right things I did, I did for the wrong reasons, and many of the wrong things I did, I had good motives for. The more I learn, the more unsure of myself I feel.’ (p63)

Eventually, Rick has sustenance and guidance and confidence to enter the Hall of the Judgement Seat of Christ. (p84) Here he is led to anguished confession of his selfishness and a fresh awareness of the loving forgiveness of Jesus. A more intense experience of Galatians 2:20, seeing the nastiness of selfishness operating in Christian Ministry: ‘We will fight for truths more than for the people for whom they are given. We will fight for ministries while riding roughshod over the people in them.’ (p95) Someone else says: ‘And we always comforted ourselves by actually thinking that we were doing God a favor when we attacked His own children.’ (p109) The call, the quest, is to turn from selfishness and seek only communion with Jesus.

Rick is told: ‘True reformation only comes from union with the Savior. When you are yoked with Christ, carrying the burdens that He gives you, He will be with you and carry them for you. You can only do His work when you are doing it with Him, not just for Him.’ (p101) ‘You need to see the corruption that is in your own soul, but then you must not dwell on yourself, or seek to justify yourself with dead works, but turn to Him.’ (p102)

‘… The Comforter was so mightily with me I was comfortable. It was clear the Lord in no way wanted me uncomfortable. He only wanted me to know the truth.’ (p117) ‘Not having anything to hide was like taking off the heaviest yoke and shackles. I began to feel like I could breathe like I had never breathed before.’ (p124)

Look to Jesus, Abide in Jesus, Love with Jesus

In the last chapter Jesus speaks more, more clearly. ‘I am coming to use My people to save their enemies. I love all men, and desire for all to be saved… I am not coming to take sides with any one group, but I am calling for those who will comes over to My side.’ (p129)

‘When you know My heart, then the eyes of your heart will be opened. Then you will see as I see, and you will do what I do.’ (p130)

‘I am asking you to abide in Me…If you are looking to Me you will go far beyond what you would have otherwise accomplished. (p138) This message ‘Abide in me – Look to Me with you’ is repeated. ‘I have made the way for everyone to be as close to Me as they truly desire to be.’ (p140)

‘The goal of your life must be love, not power. Then I will give you power to love with. I will give you the power to heal the sick because you love them, and I love them, and I do not want them sick.’ (p142)

The book ends with a moving tale of two Christians, a zealous Minister and a homeless deaf man. The homeless man loves with all the love in him, the Minister with only some of the love in him. The homeless man is then able to experience more of the loving life of heaven.

But what of contending for the truth of Holy Scripture?

Scripture is hardly mentioned. Jesus tells Rick, and us, to speak truth only when we are speaking in love, and we are looking to Him, abiding in Him. The warning about Truth being hijacked by the enemy to bring more Condemnation applies to truths from the Bible. Jesus’ strong instructions to look to Him and abide in Him imply that we must see our primary relationship with Him, not with Holy Scripture.

Sometimes Christians talk of ‘living in the Word’ meaning the Bible. They may hold up their Bible at this point. Without criticising those whose focus is Scripture, Jesus calls all of us away to focus on Him alone. Sola Jesus (‘Only Jesus’) replaces Sola Scriptura (‘Only Scripture.’) In Rick’s authentic vision, some of the great Reformation heroes affirm this.

Rick even has a conversation with Paul who states that priority must be given to the words of Jesus. Paul speaks of his letters: ‘I am concerned with the way many of you are using them wrongly. They are the truth of the Holy Spirit, and they are Scripture. The Lord did give me great stones to set into the structure of His eternal stones, but they are not foundation stones. The foundation stones were laid by Jesus alone… If what I have written is used as a foundation, it will not be able to hold the weight of that which needs to be built upon it. What I have written… must not be used as the foundation… His words are the foundation.’ (p133)

Rick may well be attacked for conveying this important truth. I doubt very much that Rick would have published this challenge if he had not been compelled by Jesus.

Rick’s View

Rick comes to know how imperfect his ministry, his understanding, has been. It is good to note that his own understanding does not always align with what he has seen and heard from Jesus. This authenticates his visions, his message.

Rick plays down the necessity of confession of sin. In the vision, grace leads him to see his own sins and, in some way, confess them. But, in the instance noted above, he laments what ‘we,’ church leaders, have done, rather than what he, personally, has done. Surely it is for every person to confess their own sin?

It is possible to over-emphasises the need to have faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, to accept in faith that we are forgiven because of the cross. With such faith, we can bypass the need for confession of sins. I only need to believe I am forgiven, I don’t need to confess, speak out, my sins. Biblical faith is believing that ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all the wrong in us.’ (1 John 1:9)

Rick stresses the importance of not hiding from Jesus. The hiding, though, is secondary. We hide because we do not want our sin to be exposed. We need not only to come out of hiding but to come to confession. Jesus will invite us, nudge us, to see where we have gone wrong, but we have the choice to acknowledge any particular sin. If we don’t respond to the nudge, Jesus will try again another time.

Rick hardly uses Jesus’ name. He writes of Jesus often as Wisdom, and as The Lord. Why does Rick not use Jesus’ simple and glorious name? Does he not feel on first name terms with Him?

After the first vision, Rick writes ‘The Lord is now preparing a leadership that will be willing to fight a spiritual civil war in order to set men free… Just as the American Civil War at times looked like it would destroy the entire nation, what is coming upon the church will at times appear as if it will be the end of the church.’ (p37) These words of Rick sound too much like a rallying call to fight against other Christians.

The True Battle

Rick’s vision showed clearly that the fight is not against people but against demons, not against flesh and blood but against the evil powers. It is not a Christian Civil War. It is the eternal War between Father, Son, Holy Spirit and the devil. Christians must beware of thinking they are fighting for God when they are fighting for the enemy, using his ground, his tactics, his weapons. Christians must follow the orders only of their Commander, Jesus, fighting with Him, in Him and only in love.

The fight is to look to Jesus when the devil wants us to look at what he is doing and can do. The fight is to not be afraid when the devil wants us to fear his footholds in people and his power to corrupt and bring down societies and nations. The fight is to be still, without fear, when mountains are trembling, shaking, when nations are in uproar and kingdoms totter. (Psalm 46) The fight is to keep turning to Jesus alone. The fight is to keep loving when love looks very much like defeat, even surrender, as it did on the cross. This is the Great Message of the Final Quest.

Applying the Message

The big division in our church today is the division over gay marriage. What light does The Final Quest shed on this division?

1  The chief work of the enemy is our division, not that some of us approve of gay marriage and some don’t. If our feet, our hearts, our words and actions are not firmly based on The Unity of the Brethren, we will give the enemy more opportunity to further his purposes of division. We must be looking for unity. Our quest is for a basis of unity in Jesus about gay marriage.

2  We must look to Jesus as the foundation of what we think and say about Gay Marriage. The words of Paul, or Moses, or any other writer of Scripture, must not be the beginning of our thinking. The words of Jesus must be the beginning. We must think and discuss, together as much as possible: What did Jesus say which we can use as the foundation of how we see gay marriage? What is Jesus saying today through the Holy Spirit?

(I have tried to do this and offer these thoughts as a starter: 2. Listening to Jesus | Gay Marriage Maybe (wordpress.com) )

3  We must love our fellow Christians with whom we disagree strongly. We must constantly check what we say and do for any effect of Condemnation or Shame etc. on others. Our priority is to be patient and kind, not arrogant or rude, rejoicing in the truth and not insisting on our own way. If our way cannot be demonstrated to be Jesus’ way, apart from the rest of Scripture, we must not insist on it. We speak and write and act only in and with Faith, Hope and Love so that other people see Faith, Hope and Love more clearly.

Roger Harper

The One Church Forewarned through Prophecy of Covid Lockdown

Woodland Hills Church in St Paul, Minnesota, is an unusual church. The founder and teaching pastor, Greg Boyd, has been heavily criticised by some Evangelical Leaders, notably John Piper, for his un-Conservative teaching – on God’s plan for our lives, on God’s Sovereignty, on Abortion and Gay Marriage, on God and us using violence.

But someone seems to think his teaching is worth backing – the Holy Spirit. None of the recognised prophets in the Western Church spoke about Covid coming. In 2017 the Executive Pastor of Woodland Hills Church, recognised as having a strong prophetic gift, told them urgently that they had to put everything on line. They did and they ‘prospered’ in Covid-time. Greg’s teaching, which some have wanted to outlaw, now has a wider audience through the Covid prophecy.

A couple of months ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Greg for Premier Christianity Magazine.

Tell us about the advice to put everything on line….

One lady, whose name is Janice, is part of our 3-fold Leadership Team and has had a prophetic gift that has been of immense value to us throughout the duration of our church…. She is as logical, as Spock-like, as Stoic, as any woman I have ever met…

But soon after she came on staff, she started occasionally getting these visions and she never knows what they are and she’s always embarrassed by them but she feels that she can’t help but share it… That’s part of what makes her credible… The last thing she wants is the spotlight. She’ll probably get mad at me for sharing all this…

Sometimes we don’t ever know what those things mean, but there’s other times… when it’s like ‘Keep your eyes open and then you’ll find out what the meaning of it is, but only if you keep your eyes open for it.’ She’s had a number of instances where the direction of our church was significantly affected by a picture she had. It’s never a top-down authority ‘Thus says the Lord. You’ve got to do this!’ It’s always ‘I’m sensing this. What is this about?’

Roughly about a year and a half before Covid hit, she just had this sense ‘Start getting all of your material on-line, because that is the direction our church is headed.’ She was just thinking about Woodland Hills Church and there was a sense of urgency about it…

O me of little faith! When the lockdown started, I thought, ‘OK. Our budget’s going to tank, we’re going to have to cut staff, you know, start making preparations.’ But we’ve had the opposite, our church has grown, our finances have grown, it’s just been amazing and I don’t think that would have been the case if Janice hadn’t gotten this prophetic word.

Some people would say that the prophetic advice to put everything on-line was a real confirmation from the Holy Spirit that He wants your teaching to prosper.

I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe because I’m so paranoid of people who make claims like that. To me, it is, but I’m not looking for the confirmation.

I guess when you hang around someone like Janice for so long, it almost becomes sort of your normal. It’s a well-known fact among the staff of Woodland Hills that you don’t want to have an affair going on, because God will tell her. She’s busted a couple of people.

For the full printed interview, altered by the Editor, see Greg Boyd: The progressive preacher on spiritual gifts, racism and Covid prophecy | Interviews | Premier Christianity

For the even fuller audio interview, including explanation of other instances of prophetic guiding at Woodland Hills, see The Profile | Podcasts | Premier Christianity

Greg has written 22 books, including:

‘Letters from a Skeptic’ – the correspondence between Greg and his unbelieving father, which has helped many people to explain Christian faith to others. These letters did, in the end, help his father come to faith.

‘Seeing Is Believing: Experience Jesus Through Imaginative Prayer’ – Greg’s teaching from numerous seminars helping people to a more lively prayer life through using their imaginations. Once deemed ‘too evangelical for Catholic publishers and too New Agey for Evangelical publishers,’ the book has been in print for 17 years.

‘The Myth of a Christian Nation’ – a challenge to the theology of the religious right in America, developing the themes Greg outlined in a controversial 2004 sermon series.

‘The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition’ (with Paul Rhodes Eddy) – arguing against scholars, and others, who claim that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke were expressions of the faith of early Christians rather than accounts of Jesus himself.

‘Cross Vision: How the Crucifixion of Jesus Makes Sense of Old Testament Violence.’ This violence is seen to be not directly ordained by God but allowed as an accommodation to the culture of the times. An academic version of the same material is in the 2 volumes of ‘The Crucifixion of the Warrior God.’

Through the Covid prophecy, the Holy Spirit encourages us to pay attention to Greg’s teaching.

Roger Harper

Leroy Logan: Prophetic Policeman

The beginning of the career of Leroy Logan in the London Metropolitan police has recently been dramatised on BBC1 TV: BBC One – Small Axe, Series 1, Red, White and Blue A good story, well told, well acted, with some dramatic licence and ‘look at my techniques’ shots.

A couple of months ago Premier Christianity magazine published my review of Leroy’s autobiography, ‘Closing Ranks.’ Closing Ranks – Leroy Logan – SPCK Publishing.

A moving, enlightening, account of one man’s calling to make the Metropolitan Police more servants of local communities and less an occupying force. Leroy explains how heavy handed police procedures breed mistrust in minority ethnic communities, making witnesses reluctant to speak to police, thus hindering the detection of crime.

Leroy’s first job was medical scientist. His manager suggested that Leroy would make a good policeman. Leroy’s immediate response was ‘Do I look like a white racist?’ Leroy had spent formative years in Jamaica. For him black policemen were more normal than for most Black British men. He recognised a calling and stuck with it for 30 years, retiring as Superintendent. Several times over the years Leroy was well aware of the support of Jesus and His Church as he stood up for justice within and against a ‘closing ranks’ culture.

‘Nigger’ scrawled inside his police station locker was the shocking, blatant, racism. Many other comments and actions showed the depth of racism in police culture. Leroy helped form the Met Black Police Association to support Minority Ethnic officers, to challenge and call for cultural change. Years later he became Chair of the Association. He describes the ridiculous length some senior police officers went to to discredit him as a leading black officer and, through him, his colleagues.

Leroy tells his story well. Interesting accounts of apprehending criminals, supervising officers, meeting Princess Diana, planning the Olympics, dealing with accusations of Christian homophobia, working with Sadiq Khan, receiving an MBE, and more.  Some readers may find too much detail of the Black Police Association, rather than of ordinary police work. All readers will benefit from coming to know this clear-thinking, courageous man and the culture he continually tried to change. His prophetic call may yet be heeded beyond his home country.

5 stars

National Prayer Against Coronavirus

Lying on my back in bed this morning, enjoying my usual Friday, day off, musing and praying with more time. I sensed or saw myself in Jesus, as inside a suit. Friday is my day for praying for my nation, Britain. You may like to join in with all or part of what came to me, or use it to stimulate your own prayer.

Sweeping Angels

‘Abba, Father! Please send angels throughout our land to sweep the virus towards and into people who are immune. Please use the costly immunity we have now to kill off the virus.’

I know many people who have had Covid-19 symptoms and have now recovered. The current evidence is that the immune systems of these people now recognise the virus as an enemy and kill it.

(South Korean microbiologists have identified that the virus which the Chinese had seen in some recovered people is deformed, unable to reproduce, no threat.)

Asking God to help along the natural immunity He has given us felt a positive and realistic prayer.

Tongues and Quiet

Then I prayed, sang, in tongues, something I have neglected recently. (Praying in tongues is simply praying in sounds which feel like they have a life, a flow, of their own.) A happy, smile-making prayer.

The tongues changed into a tune I was given a few years ago, to which I have put words, the chorus of a ‘Come Holy Spirit!’ song. A slow, lilting, tune.

Then I settled into quiet. My head and body enjoyed silence. I half started to pray in tongues again but sensed it better to remain quiet.

Holy Spirit Furrow

After a while, the idea came of drawing a line from the top of Great Britain to the bottom. This fitted in with a dream my fiancée saw earlier this week. I imagined my finger starting at the North coast of Scotland, tracing down the middle of the country. ‘Come, Holy Spirit! Come, Holy Spirit,’ I repeated.

Down on the Channel coast I realised I had gone too quickly and had to start again, more slowly. I have seen enough of Britain to remember much of the land in the middle of our island. I seemed to be making a Holy Spirit furrow.

Arching Rainbows

In Derbyshire, which I know very well, and which has a good claim to be the centre of Britain, rainbows leapt out of the furrow on both sides. Fairly small rainbow arches, which doubled, trebled, multiplied, as they arched East and West. As I continued, rainbows sprouted from the furrow, from the top of Scotland to the bottom of England.

An Old Hymn

Lying still, smiling at all the rainbows across the island, some now weaving North and South as well, the tune of an old hymn came. Originally ‘Judge eternal, throned in splendour’ I enjoy singing a slightly different version, inspired by rainbows. (Ask YouTube to play you the tune.)

God Eternal, throned on angels,
Dad of dads and King of kings,
with your living light of blessing
purge this land of bitter things;
solace all its wide dominion
with the healing of your wings.

Still the weary folk are pining
for the hour that brings release,
and the city’s empty  business
waits and hopes for fuller streets,
and the homesteads and the woodlands
plead in silence for their peace.

Crown, O God, your own endeavour;
cleave our darkness with your sword;
feed the faithless and the hungry
with the richness of your word;
cleanse the body of this nation
through the glory of the Lord.

(Henry Scott Holland alt Roger Harper)

‘Judge eternal throned in splendour’ conveys a stern, immovable, God. Jesus and the Bible convey a Father God, ‘seated on the cherubim / angels’ who are creatures of movement. The judges of the Book of Judges in the Bible are not remote, impassionate deliverers of verdicts, but involved, proactive, deliverers of people from their enemies. So is the eternal Father God of Jesus.

A New Song

Yesterday my fiancée sent me this link to a new song: https://youtu.be/payjb4n9aS0

I had not listened to it before. Marvelling at the connection, I sang along:

Where are You when the wildfire is taking ground?
Where are You when the wind comes and knocks us down?
Where are You when the waters rise and it looks like we’re gonna drown?
Where are You now? Where are You now?

Where are You in the questions, the in-between?
And where are You in the waiting and the unseen?
Where are You in the aftermath surrounded by debris?
Where are You now? Where are You now?

Right in the middle of it, right in the middle of it
That’s where You’ll be found
Right in the middle of it, deep in the center of it
That’s where You are now
You’ll be right in the middle
You’ll be right in the middle

You are there on the front lines and the retreat
You are there in the chaos and in the peace
You are there in the victory and You hold us in defeat
That’s where You are are, that’s where You are

Sure in the storm, fixed in the flood
Oh You will never run

That’s who You are, there through it all
Our God is here with us

(Kalley Heiligenthal)

A Modern Classic Song

What a feast of prayer! I thought Jesus said to stay with the silence, the ‘Come Holy Spirit’ chorus, for there might be more.

Sunshine. Bright golden sunshine all over Great Britain.

I sang again. A late 20^th Century church favourite, slightly altered:

Shine, Jesus, shine
Fill this land with the Father’s glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze
Fight in us with fire
Flow, river, flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light

(Graham Kendrick alt Roger Harper)

Since the virus came, we have had more than our usual amount of sunshine. Covid-19 cannot survive in direct sunlight. We want, we ask for, more sunshine and less virus, please! We ask for more fire in our immune systems. And let there be light!

Over the next couple of weeks, the next month. I think we will see the difference.

Roger Harper

Coronavirus: Not Judgement.Blessing to come.

The rainbows in the windows of UK houses convey hope: ‘After a storm comes a rainbow.’ After the virus comes a fresh start.

 

The rainbow in the Bible conveys assurance that God will never judge people by killing or injuring many. God may well think of or feel like wiping people out but He has told us He won’t. Genesis 8: ‘The Lord said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. ²² As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Covid 19 is not God’s judgement. The God of Jesus and the Bible does not work like that.

Jesus said disasters would continue to happen but the end, the judgement, would not be in them. Matthew 24: ‘You will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: ⁸ all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.’ We are not to think of any natural nor human disaster as ‘the end,’ ie as the judgement.

God has appointed a judge for all humankind – Jesus. Acts 17: ‘God has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’ The judgement of Jesus is God’s judgement. God has no other judgement than through Jesus. God does not judge people through plagues or any other widespread disaster, He judges people, He will judge people, through Jesus.

People are too quick to blame others

We humans are too fond of judging others. Jesus warned of the consequences: ‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.’ (Matthew 7:1)

Who was responsible for Covid 19? The Chinese? The American military? The fossil fuel burners? Who sinned? The wrong question.

Jesus disciples also asked the wrong question: ‘As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ³ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.’ (John 9)

No one person’s sin, no group of people’s sin, caused the natural disaster of blindness. Jesus does not want us trying to find someone to blame. The disciples assumed that God works judgement on people, because of their sin. Their only question was ‘Whose sin?’ Instead Jesus told the disciples to observe what happened as a lesson in how God works. ‘You need revelation of God’s works. What happens to this man will show you how God works.’

The man born blind was healed by Jesus. Seeing the healing, the disciples should have learned that God’s works are healing, blessing, works, not judging works. ‘For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.’ (Matthew 5:45) This echoes the promise of the rainbow in Genesis, the promise of the continual blessing of the days and the seasons. Rain and sunshine will continue to come from the heavens for God is continually, unfailingly, kind.

Blame the devil

For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

If God is against Covid 19, who is behind it? The devil. Our world, our planet, are too much influenced by the devil. The fact that Covid 19 cannot survive in direct sunlight seems a metaphor for it being a work of darkness. The devil has more tricks up his sleeve than we realise.

The devil tries to make people afraid, to make us blame God, to stop us from reaching out in love. If we think God sent Covid 19 so we move away from Him or move away from people suffering, we are duped by the devil.

Let us look for the healing blessing of God, through Jesus.

Our current natural disaster does not come from God. God wants people healed. All that we are doing to heal and protect people is done with God’s support.

We look for healing, blessing, through human scientific knowledge, human care, skilled and unskilled, as inspired by the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth, including the truth of how to deal with Covid 19.

We look for healing, blessing, through connecting people with the healing Holy Spirit, as Jesus did with the blind man. We pray, we ask, for healing in the name of Jesus. We do not presume too much, we do not make exaggerated claims nor declarations. Neither do we limit our praying to comfort and peace instead of actual healing.

We pray against Covid 19 as a work of the devil. ‘Abba Father! Your will is for healing – make it happen. Pour heavenly rain, shine heavenly light, on earth to kill the virus. Send angels with healing bread to strengthen the immune systems of those battling Covid 19. Yes we have sinned and have not always been as forgiving and merciful as You. Lead us to love like You. Deliver us from this evil!’

When healing comes, God’s fingerprint will be half hidden

When the man born blind was healed, plenty of people did not see Jesus, nor His God, as behind the healing. Jesus did not insist on having all the credit. The man himself was healed by Jesus before he knew Jesus. He could have walked on without returning to find out who had healed him.

Perhaps the most obvious thing about God is that He does not make Himself obvious. Life gives us evidence for design and creation; life also gives us evidence for chance and cruelty. Some evidence points to a creator God, but not enough to be overwhelming. Life gives us evidence of random tragedy, destructive storms out of nowhere. Life gives us evidence of remarkable recovery, life becoming unexpectedly enjoyable. Some evidence points to a healing God, but not enough to be overwhelming.

As we ask, the rain and the sunshine from heaven will become healing rainbows over and on and in people and streets and towns and nations. The rainbows will replace the virus. As I have prayed, I think the time will come, sooner than most people think, when the antibodies in people will become stronger than Covid 19 and the virus will, fairly suddenly, be in serious retreat.

Some of us will see evidence of God and His Son Jesus in the retreat of Covid 19. Others will not. Some people will want to connect more with the God of Jesus, others will not. Jesus will not insist on having all the credit. That’s life!

Praying Against Coronavirus

‘I can see my wife, I can see God with her.’

‘How is God showing Himself with Jasmin?’

‘An angel with her. I can see 2 wings stretched out, covering her and the children.’

We thanked the Holy Spirit for showing the angel and asked for more. He said he could see a bright light, along with the angel, with his family. We told the virus to leave them alone, for them to be safe in the light and under the angel’s wings. ‘Make it happen God! So be it!’

This prisoner, Mark, then gave permission for me to write about our prayer together, changing the names, to help other people praying for their family and friends.

Mark had talked with Jasmin the night before. She cried on the phone, saying how hard it was to be at home all the time with 5 children, not knowing if they would find the food they need. He wanted to pray for them all.

I asked him what we were asking God for, and suggested pictures of the Holy Spirit coming to keep his family safe and healthy – a shower of water washing through them, a light shining on them, Jesus’ hand on their shoulder. He chose the light.

Prayer Tip 1: Think how you are asking God, the Holy Spirit, to come. Find a picture for your prayer.

The best picture is the one which seems best to you or to the person you are praying for. You may need to spend some time thinking over what picture would be best. Or an idea might come quickly. One Christian teacher has written of praying for angels with flame-throwers. The flame does not harm people but does destroy the virus. Any picture is good. Jesus said to people ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Ask whatever you want’ He asks the same today, so tell Him clearly.

Prayer Tip 2: Ask the Holy Spirit to come. Ask for the picture.

‘Come Holy Spirit!’ I began. ‘Come as the light shining on Jasmin and the children.’ Add whatever words you want, words of thanksgiving for the people, of detail about what you are asking the light etc. to do. Make sure you do invite the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ Spirit, and you ask specifically for the picture you have chosen.

Prayer Tip 3: Wait and watch to see what comes. Welcome whatever comes.

After making our request, Mark and I sat quietly, waiting. For a short while we stopped praying and relaxed, Mark’s eyes closed. Mark seemed very relaxed, focused. I asked if he was aware of anything, or nothing particular. He said he could see God with Jasmin. We welcomed that and asked for more.

What comes, whether we are praying on our own or with someone else, may be a sense of peace or a warmth or a tingle or a picture or anything.

It may be what we have asked for or different.

All is to be welcomed, in trust. ‘Wow, thank you Jesus! More, Holy Spirit, please, more.’ Take time to welcome.

• Welcome peace by relaxing: breathe or sigh deeply.
• Welcome light by being still, sunbathing, telling the pores of your skin to open up.
• Welcome warmth or tingling by asking the Holy Spirit to flow further.
• Welcome pictures by looking more, opening the eyes of your heart more, seeing what else comes.

If you are praying with someone else, welcome whatever comes to you. ‘My sense is of the Holy Spirit coming as a blanket…’ etc. If you feel prompted to pray in tongues / sounds do so. You may need simply to explain that you are praying in sounds rather than words.

As you are aware of the Holy Spirit flowing, tell the virus to go. ‘Virus, unclean influence, you are in the wrong place. Give up the fight and let yourself be carried away to the rubbish bin of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, be gone!’ Keep welcoming the Holy Spirit for He is the deliverer.

Carry on as long as seems good, as long as there is a flow of the Holy Spirit, or until you have a sense of faith that your prayer has been heard.

Leon was open, when asked, to prayer for his ex-partner Patience and their daughter. Patience seemed to be recovering from coronavirus but he had heard that it sometimes comes back. He chose Jesus’ hand on their brow. We asked for that, I prayed in tongues and told the virus to go.

‘If that doesn’t work…’ he began to say brightly. ‘You’ll want your money back,’ I quipped. ‘No, no. The opposite. I have hope now. I could see her with Jesus’ hand on her brow and something dissipating around her. Little bits of something disintegrated, moving away from her.’

‘Yes! So be it God!’