An old woman of 90 from Valdres in Norway had a vision from God in 1968. The evangelist Emanuel Minos had meetings where she lived. He had the opportunity to meet her, and she told him what she had seen. He wrote it down but thought it to be so unbelievable that he put it in a drawer. After 30 years he understood he had to share the vision with others.

The woman from Valdres was a very alert, reliable, awake and credible Christian, with a good reputation among all who knew her. This is what she saw:

“I saw the time just before the coming of Jesus and the outbreak of the Third World War. I saw the events with my natural eyes. I saw the world like a kind of a globe and saw Europe, land by land.  I saw Scandinavia. I saw Norway. I saw certain things that would take place just before the return of Jesus, and just before the last calamity happens, a calamity the likes of which we have never before experienced.”

She mentioned four waves:

1. “First before Jesus comes and before the Third World War breaks out there will be a ‘détente’ like we have never had before.  There will be peace between the super powers in the east and the west, and there will be a long peace. [Remember, that this was in 1968 when the cold war was at its highest. -E. Minos]. In this period of peace there will be disarmament in many countries, also in Norway and we are not prepared when it (the war) comes. The Third World War will begin in a way no one would have anticipated – and from an unexpected place.

2. “A lukewarmness without parallel will take hold of the Christians, a falling away from true, living Christianity. Christians will not be open for penetrating preaching. They will not, like in earlier times, want to hear of sin and grace, law and gospel, repentance and restoration. There will come a substitute instead: prosperity (happiness) Christianity.

“The important thing will be to have success, to be something; to have material things, things that God never promised us in this way.  Churches and prayer houses will be emptier and emptier. Instead of the preaching we have been used to for generations – like, to take your cross up and follow Jesus – entertainment, art and culture will invade the churches where there should have been gatherings for repentance and revival. This will increase markedly just before the return of Jesus.

3. “There will be a moral disintegration that old Norway has never experienced the likes of. People will live together like married without being married. [I do not believe the concept ‘co-habitor’ existed in 1968 - E. Minos.] Much uncleanness before marriage, and much infidelity in marriage will become the natural (the common), and it will be justified from every angle. It will even enter Christian circles and we pet it – even sin against nature. Just before Jesus returns there will be TV- programmes like we have never experienced. [TV had just arrived in Norway in 1968. -E. Minos]

“TV will be filled with such horrible violence that it teaches people to murder and destroy each other, and it will be unsafe in our streets. People will copy what they see. There will not be only one ‘station’ on TV, it will be filled with ‘stations.’ [She did not know the word ‘channel’ which we use today. Therefore she called them stations. - E. Minos.] TV will be just like the radio where we have many ‘stations,’ and it will be filled with violence. People will use it for entertainment. We will see terrible scenes of murder and destruction one of the other, and this will spread in society. Sex scenes will also be shown on the screen, the most intimate things that take place in a marriage.” [I protested and said, we have a paragraph in our laws that forbids this kind of thing. - E. Minos.] Then the old woman said: “It will happen, and you will see it. All we have had before will be broken down, and the most indecent things will pass before our eyes.”

4. “People from poor countries will stream to Europe. [In 1968 there was no such thing as immigration. - E. Minos.] They will also come to Scandinavia and Norway. There will be so many of them that people will begin to dislike them and become hard with them.  They will be treated like the Jews before the Second World War.  Then the full measure of our sins will have been reached [I protested at the issue of immigration. I did not understand it at the time. - E. Minos.]

The tears streamed from the old woman’s eyes down her cheeks.  ”I will not see it, but you will. Then suddenly, Jesus will come and the Third World War breaks out. It will be a short war.” (She saw it in the vision.)

“All that I have seen of war before is only child’s play compared to this one, and it will be ended with a nuclear atom bomb. The air will be so polluted that one cannot draw one’s breath. It will cover several continents, America, Japan, Australia and the wealthy nations. The water will be ruined (contaminated?). We can no longer till the soil. The result will be that only a remnant will remain.  The remnant in the wealthy countries will try to flee to the poor countries, but they will be as hard on us as we were on them.

“I am so glad that I will not see it, but when the time draws near, you must take courage and tell this. I have received it from God, and nothing of it goes against what the Bible tells. “The one who has his sin forgiven and has Jesus as Savior and Lord, is safe.”

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WHEN THE OIL FLOWS : Prophecy

An elder in the Pentecostal Church at Moss, Norway, Martin Andersen, heard the following prophecy in 1937, in Moss:

‘When oil comes out of the North Sea and along the Norwegian coast, things will begin to happen, and the return of Jesus is approaching.’

When these words had been proclaimed, people stood up in the congregation and asked the man to sit down and not speak such nonsense. In 1937 it was indeed nonsense to talk about oil being pumped along the Norwegian coast. Today all the world’s big oil companies are pumping oil along the coast of Norway. Norway is the world’s third greatest exporter of oil – after Saudi Arabia.

Original source editor’s note:

Because of my fear of transmitting false prophecy, I have diligently inquired concerning the information in this letter. Publication has been delayed until permission could be secured from Ragna [Von Porat] in Israel. In my contact with her, she has assured me that these accounts are true and reliable. In fact, she relates that the first account has already been published in one of Norway’s Christian newspapers.

I have found in my own research that the first account was also published by the Christian Information Service in Germany. The website of Dr. Emanuel Minos is active today and can be accessed for verification. Although the language on this site is Norwegian, the very similar story of the woman and her vision is posted there in English. The above accounts are transmitted just as they were received.

Ragna took it upon herself to verify as much of the above information as she could. Ragna states, “I certainly have no objection to your going ahead [with publishing]. It must be now-if ever.”

May we discern well and heed it better!

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…Peter McArthur

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Theme to consider here : Revelation is a form of spiritual light !

For with You is the fountain of life;

in Your light we see light.

Psalm 36:9

But all things being exposed by the light are

clearly revealed, for everything having

been revealed is light.

Ephesians 5:13

There’s a saying: “The prayer that won’t move your heart, is unlikely to move the heart of God either.”

The meaning behind this is to get us to be engaged in prayer and not just speak out without paying attention to what we’re actually saying. In other words: pray specifically and with fervency. Note what James 5:16 says.

“Confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another,

that you may be healed. The effectual fervent

prayer of the righteous man avails much.”

The emphasis in the Greek apparently is on the word “fervent” not on “righteous”. It’s not simply our righteousness in Christ that gets our prayer heard (even though it’s vitally important of course), but our fervency in asking.

If we initiate something in the Spirit, the Father will respond. The Holy Spirit always responds to spiritual activity – as long as it’s righteous spiritual activity and not deception, pride or manipulation born from the soul of man.

Recently as I was pondering this, these questions came to mind.

• “What revelations did I have this week?
• “What have I experienced this week in the Lord?”

It was as though the Father was asking me, “Are My revelations becoming your experience?” It was quite sobering. I began to see more clearly how the Father desires to present Himself to the Body of His Son. He loves to reveal Himself.

Partly because of this I began to understand how the Father wants us to receive an increase in spiritual ability. This would require us to learn to walk and live in His Spirit. Being sensitive in the Holy Spirit allows the Father to deal with us in many ways.

For example, if we are truly open to the ways of heaven, there may well be occasions when we shouldn’t ask the Lord to stay His hand, but do with us as He chooses. That’s a very serious attitude to have. Remember what Job said: “Even though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15). Now that’s maturity in the Spirit.

Why does the Father desire us be spiritual active? Answer: So we can adjust our lives and align with His purpose. It’s got nothing to do with becoming “more spiritual” and “holy” and honoured by others. So many times people think that by being “more spiritual” they will be seen as more holy. In fact it’s the other way around. Becoming increasingly spiritual is the result of living a holy life, not vice versa.

Many of us have fallen for this trap at various times I’m sure. We think that if we can prophesy well (and hopefully accurately), heal the sick, and have insightful dreams and visions, then we’ll be looked upon as spiritually mature, close to God, anointed, etc.

But it doesn’t work that way. Miracles come out of holiness of life. You don’t become holy because you can do miracles. This is the false reasoning the Catholic church has when it wants to “make a saint”. It goes looking for “holy people” and then sees if they’ve done a miracle – and whamo, you get made a saint! Quite unbiblical.

So it is that revelation, which is a form of spiritual light, enables us to see what God sees. Look at this text about Elisha.

“And Elisha prayed and said, I beg You, O Lord, open his eyes so

that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man.

And he looked, and behold, the mountain was full of horses

and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:17

Dreams and visions are part of this too. Likewise also prophesies.

Now most of us would thoroughly love to “see” into the heavenlies I’m sure. We would be thrilled to see into the spiritual realm and know what’s going on. But seeing what God sees isn’t a one way street. The other side of the coin is: Would you like to see how God sees you? Probably not.

This is the other side of spiritual advancement. To know God AND to be known by God.

The more spiritual you become in Christ, the more aware of sin you will become. The point is, to grow spiritually will open us up to God’s scrutiny. This is a point not usually recognised by many Christians.

The more revelations, dreams, prophesies and spiritual revelation you receive, the more you will personally come under the microscope of the Lord’s gaze. It will be unsettling to say the least.

When God’s light shines, everything is seen in its true colour.

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight,

but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes

of Him to whom we have to give an account.”

Hebrews 4:13

Spiritual advancement (or revival, if you like to call it that), whether it be individual or corporate, only seems to come when God’s light focuses upon us. Therefore we need to see (1) our own state, and (2) God’s abundant grace to meet the state we’re in.

While most of us would think it would be a good thing to “see” just where we’re at, it’s quite amazing that we also have the ability NOT to recognise the pride and self-centredness within.

They said to him, “Let us sit in your glory, one at your right and one at your left.”

But Jesus told them, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink from

the cup that I’m going to drink from or be baptized with the baptism with

which I’m going to be baptized?” They told him, “We can.” Jesus said to

them, “You will drink from the cup that I’m going to drink and be

baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized.

Mark 10:37-39.

The most effective Christians seem to have been those who judge their own lives, not according to their own measure, but solely according to the Word.

But if we judged ourselves correctly, we would not be judged.

Now while we are being judged by the Lord, we are being

disciplined lest we be condemned along with the world.

1 Corinthians 11: 31-32

If we desire spiritual insight into God’s purpose for our lives, our churches, even our towns and cities, then first we need to let God’s light work in us personally. It is a spiritual truth that our spirit is released from bondage and darkness according to the very degree of our brokenness.

Or to put it another way; revival begins furthest from the eyes of man and closest to the eyes of God.

The effects of this are powerful, and indeed, vital. When we know our own weak spiritual state, we gradually learn to hate it. This makes us distrust our own thoughts, and seek only for God’s. As we learn this reality, we actually grow quieter in the Lord. Wisdom brings a settling of the spirit man. This can often be misunderstood by others who think “we’ve lost it” or have given up in spiritual things because we don’t argue the point anymore, or think we have to defend every doctrine that’s being debated.

Indeed the most common characteristic of a truly mature believer is their humility. They have been broken by the Lord many times, and learned to bend to His will. Spiritual insight and revelatory light is born out of the fear of the Lord.

The very shedding of the Father’s light on us is not for condemnation, but for rewarding!

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139: 23-24

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Teach me to do Thy good pleasure,

For Thou art my God –Thy Spirit is good,

Lead me into a land of uprightness.

Psalm 143:10

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My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,

so that they may dwell with me;

he who walks in a perfect way shall serve me.

Psalm 101:6

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It is a great joy to arrive at this place spiritually. It’s an exhaustive journey because the soul will have to die many times, willing to be crucified and learn the ways of heaven. But the rewards are eternal, and bring great pleasure to our heavenly Father.

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….Peter McArthur

….www.issachar.org.au

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It was just a simple invitation to pray that led a small group of people in 1898 to meet on Saturday evenings from 9 to 10 for prayer. They met at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago to cry out for an awakening. Within a short time, the group grew to 300 passionate intercessors. A few members remained to pray and intercede into the early hours one Sabbath morning. R. A. Torrey joined this small group to pray for a world – wide revival. During that intense intercession, Torrey asked God to send him around the world. Within a weeks of the close of the prayer meeting, two strangers approached Torrey and asked him to come to Melbourne, Australia to preach. These two men had left Australia months before in search of a man that they believed God would use to bring revival to their nation. Upon meeting Torrey, they felt they had found God’s man. The result of that Chicago prayer meeting was an invitation for Torrey to come to Australia.

Torrey arrived in Australia in 1902. 15,000 tried to pack themselves into a building that could only seat 8,000. 8,000 conversions took place in that one meeting. For six months, Torrey and Charles M. Alexander traveled from town to town preaching. Revival swept the nation. Torrey believed that the key to the awakening was prayer. A woman in Melbourne read his book on prayer. She was so deeply touched by his teaching on the subject, that she organized her friends into prayer circles. The groups grew to 1,700 bands meeting regularly to pray for revival. This move of God spread into Britain, Ireland and into other countries. By 1904 30,000 of God’s people were enrolled in daily prayer groups. Their prayer was “Revive thy work, Oh Lord.” These prayers resulted in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1905 in Wales, Britain, America, in India and China! Wales was rocked by a mighty awakening. London experienced a five month long revival. A mighty choir of 4,000 made Londoners wonder what music must be like in Heaven!

It is estimated that Torrey and his partner Alexander led over 100,000 souls into the Kingdom of God. All this had its beginning in Chicago with a small group of people praying, “Revive thy work, Oh Lord!”

May God raise up such prayer warriors in our day who will daily cry out, “REND THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN. REVIVE THY WORK, OH LORD!”

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And this one:

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Wicked sailors, who were upon the top deck, heard the jubilant singing and decided to investigate.  Upon discovering that it was coming from a secret prayer meeting, the vile bunch decided to mock and jeer.  Descending the iron stairs to the place of prayer, the mob fell under the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.  Their jeers turned to bitter tears.  Conviction overcame them and they began to cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness.  For several days, the prayer meeting continued.  Hundreds of the crew were converted.  The captain of the ship sent a message ashore requesting the help of pastors and ministers to come and pray with the sailors.

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The USS North Carolina became a bastion of revival.  Converted sailors, upon completing their training, were assigned to other ships in the fleet.  Wherever they went, revival broke out.  Revival swept the US fleet.  Prayer is a powerful force!

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May these days and His ways come again to us – quickly!

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…Peter McArthur

…www.issachar.org.au

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….Peter McArthur

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VISION: “JUST ONE ROAR OF THE LION”

He saw this vision on the 22nd of August 2006

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I saw a Lion. I walked with Him to a very high rock. The Lion then climbed the rock and stood on the very top of this high rock. I stood below looking up at Him.

He let out a LOUD ROAR.

And EVERYTHING in the atmosphere / universe changed.

In a flash I had a 360 degree vision, and what I am about to relate happened in a flash, but I spent the whole of the 22nd of August  just waiting on God to see in ‘slow motion’ what I had seen in a speedy flash, and understand what I had seen.

I was told that my mind could not grasp the vastness of the changes I saw in the vision. So I stayed at home and did not take up any duties but spent the whole day, off and on, every few hours just re-visiting this vision and seeing it unfurl in more detail, now at a speed that I could cope with. I don’t think I have ever seen such a lengthy vision, condensed into a 360-degree vision flash before.

Frame by frame this is what I saw

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I saw Empires fall, and wars begin.

I saw that where previously, formulas and general understanding were proven, it did not work any more, where there were people and places overflowing with money one moment, the next morning the moneyed had nothing.

I saw many ‘proven’ thoughts, and ways now nullified.

I saw that the balance was tipped in favour of the East.

I saw angels who had been working in the North and Northwest, recalled and sent East.

I saw children snatched out of the hands of some of the parents.

Fresh food stopped in the western area and was diverted to the East. The fertile became barren and the barren became fertile.

All this from Just One Roar of the Lion.

I saw three long lines of writing in the sky. It read:

Lost, Lost, Lost.

But below it I saw the words:

Gain , gain, gain……..where this line ended I could not see, as it just continued on, endlessly.

I saw that the East gained money, food, etc.

The losses were loss of power, prestige, money, position.

I saw:

Where a soldier stood to load his gun, to shoot, even the last single bullet he had was taken away.

Where a soldier stood ready for packing his gun, where truce had been declared, divine bullets loaded his gun, and led him to shoot.

In the universe, expected cosmic events were diverted and unexpected ones were brought forth.

Deserts bloomed, greenery was made barren. Light that had focused on the West, now moved East.

This was so sudden that it was like saying…”One morning I woke up, and all was changed”.

(Scripture: Amos 3: 8: )

The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

The Lion has Roared.

Dark clouds disintegrated from one place and gathered in another.

Whilst there was a West to East exchange on a large level, on individual levels there were changes too. Everything, everything, everything, was changing.

All this from, Just One Roar of the Lion.

Just that One Roar, and things from here, were flying there and vice versa. People/ Nations, who had got used to a way of life/of thinking, were in for either a shock or a surprise.

CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE.

The hungry were fed, and the fed, went hungry. All opposites were happening.

Many homeless were housed, and many of those with homes became homeless. Light became dark and dark became light.

Whatever the present situation, the opposite was happening.

Many rich became poor and many of the poor became rich.

All this from Just One Roar of the Lion.

Clouds that were meaning to rain, suddenly disintegrated and it rained elsewhere, where least expected.

People were in puzzlement. They said to themselves, “but I thought….”  No, nothing would be as “I thought.”

Many were saying, “But it always worked this way”. Now no more.

For those who said, “It’s never worked for me” they were surprised to know that it will, now.

Heralds blew trumpets, proclaiming: “ End of empire, end of empire”.

Anyone who had been a specialist, monopolist, the kingpin in any area of his life/business, now that would begin to end. Nations that had empires or aspirations building towards it, would now see the beginning of the end of those empires.

Nothing was the same. Everything, everything had changed.

Just One Roar Of The Lion.

And He Has Roared.

Empty pockets were filled, the filled emptied.

Strategic changes were taking place. Whatever had worked like clockwork would not work now. People of peace were making war, and warring nations calmed down.

For the warring nations it was like the wind was taken out of their sails.

Just as Egypt, Persia, Babylon, Rome, Britain etc were all once super powers/empires, but their reign and era ended, so now any ‘super power’ or aspirations thereof, was being diffused. Nations that were looked up to were now beginning to be looked down upon and vice versa.

Balance of power and favour had shifted East.

Angels in the West, held Gold Books. One book was titled “Most Wanted”, the other “Most Favoured”.

‘The Most Wanted’ Book had living photographs of the most evil people, the traitors etc. Each one was dealt with and disposed.

The Most Favoured, in the other gold book with living photographs, were some of those, who had lived through most desolate conditions, such were lifted up.

(All that is related here, remember, was happening all at once.)

In the midst of all this, I heard the Angels sing: Glory, Glory, Glory.

Time was sped up in some places, in others, it was slowed down.

Wild beasts were all crouching in fear, afraid. I saw the milk inside of cows curdle.

Just One Roar Of the Lion.

I saw eagles, fitted with miniature bells. The bells were so minute, it was hard to believe that if they rang any could hear. Eagles did not speak, they just carried the bells that were fitted to their beaks.

People were to ‘read’ the sounds.

Wheresoever the eagles flew, to some the ringing of the bells was as a very high, deafening pitch. I was not allowed to hear this high pitch sound, but it was revealed to me, that it was an unbearable/ deafening high pitch sound.

But there were others who heard the same bells, which the Eagles had attached to their beaks, and to these the sound transmitted was different. It was sheer music. I heard this. Such people, had their hands lifted high and they were happily sighing and exclaiming, “Finally!”

I saw Angels collect gold crowns from those in the North, and they dipped the crowns in a smoky place (the kind of smoke one sees with dry ice), and when the crowns emerged from the smoke, they looked exactly the same, but now they were silver.

No matter in which direction I looked all had changed.

It seemed that the very nature of nature changed.

Volcanoes that were dormant, the ashes were removed, and a new fire was lit in them. It seemed that certain species, suddenly became extinct.

Reams of paper fell from the sky; paper and pens were sent down, for chroniclers and historians, for it was going to be a busy time for them.

Nothing of all creation was left untouched, at Just One Roar of The Lion.

Outside the earth looked still, but within were rapid-fire changes.

Quick, sudden, some were devastating, others surprisingly favorable, but this favor was mostly for the East.

I saw what looked like a flight-path that normally airlines describe on their brochures, as routes of flights/destinations.

For prophets, their flight -paths were moved from here to there, as if randomly, but it was not random, it was the Plan of God for prophets. Prophets will be suddenly moved, and see things from a new vantage point.

I saw some people become tar, whilst others became fountains of water.

Just One Roar Of The Lion.

Many changes took place in the Universe.

On earth, snows of old melted, and water in unlikely places froze.

It is no ordinary thing, when the Lion Roars.

Those dressed warm in the winter, had their clothes taken away, they were left naked. But the naked street-dweller was clothed.

There was a divine transfer of wealth, knowledge, and understanding.

People who’d talked and talked for years, had their mouths taped.

But as in Ezekiel 24: 2 those that had been mute for a season now spoke.

As the vision progressed I heard the Lord Say:

“My People have no roof over their head. I Am their Roof.”

I was flown speedily, over building after building, and as we flew, I heard the Lord Say: “ Not Mine, not Mine, not Mine, not Mine, not Mine, not Mine, not Mine.”

Now I was despairing. What then was God’s?

Then I was shown, people in the fields, with instruments. They had no roof over their heads. These were God’s own.

The buildings we flew over, were demolished by an elephant’s trunk and many TV studios had a fire underneath them.

Apparently these buildings had been re-built on the same grounds where prior buildings had been condemned and burnt. These new buildings had been built on the foundations of charred remains and ashes.

I saw oil poured out from the sky, in two separate ways. One fell over people who gladly received it over them and laughed in the ‘oil rain’. On the other hand, for others, the oil rain caused to be set aflame all that was below.

All that was up to the present became obsolete, and new technology, the secrets of which were hidden in nature, appeared.

Science made simple but profound discoveries. I saw Scientists have a ‘Eureka’ moment. For many who were researching, studying, looking for, the ‘thing’, it was right there before their very noses. Once they saw it they slapped their foreheads, lamenting “Silly me!”

Follies of science were exposed. The simplicity of the discoveries to come were mind-boggling.

Just One Roar Of The Lion.

The very nature of nature seemed to be changing. It was as unbelievable as Isaiah 11: 6-8, ‘the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;……

In some places, I saw an overabundance of wheat, which flowed into the sea, as it was so plentiful. But in other places, I saw land, which was once green, and was now parched land where nothing grew.

I saw beautiful blooms on cactus/desert plants.

He who understands these changes, will prepare.

The earth was in a global eclipse. One half had light, the other half was in darkness. It seemed that plates were shifted/removed from the earth. There were people who raged against God. “We’ll do what we have to, let Him do what He wants to” they were saying.

Trees trembled. They knew that their time to be cut had come. To many, prophets and counselors were restored, but from others, the prophets and counselors departed. Sadly those from whom they departed noticed it not.

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All this, by Just One Roar Of The Lion.

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www.issachar.org.au

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One of the greatest lessons of Scripture is that God is “going on”. In other words; Revelation is progressive. Now this doesn’t mean EXTRA revelation beyond Scripture. No. It simply means that God increases our spiritual understand and insight progressively throughout Scripture.

We shouldn’t expect to find in earlier texts something that is revealed more fully later on. For example we don’t find Noah circumcising his sons. And we don’t find Abraham keeping the Sabbath day.

We naturally expect that more revelation (Truth) can be found in the New Testament that in the Old. But do we take this to its logical conclusion?

Even in the New Testament there are some revelations that are more urgent and important than others.

There is a greater emphasis on revelation in the Epistles than in the Gospels, and there are greater things in Paul’s later epistles than in some of his earlier ones. Progression.

Hence our studying of Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians is very helpful.

The great lesson of Ephesians is that “the Father is concerned with us IN His son”. The phrase “in Christ” or “with Christ” appears 14 times in Ephesians.

We are identified with Christ. See Colossians 1:27b “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.

Note these parallels of Christ and us.

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Note how often the word “together” appears with the phrase “in Christ”.

• Crucified together with Christ
• Died together with Christ
• Buried together with Christ
• Raised together with Christ
• Seated together with Christ
• Manifest together with Christ

But there’s ONE right in the middle that’s vitally important tp grasp. “Made alive together”. (Eph. 2:5 and Col. 2:13)

“…when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)”

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions…”

Why is this so important?

Abraham believed, but he believed in “ the One who gives life to the dead.” (Rms. 4:17)

Paul said “I am crucified with Christ” … “but I am alive in Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Crucified, Dead, Buried, Raised, and Seated, all point to one final great event:

Our revealed glory (Col. 3:4)

“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Eph 2:7 tells us that this event is beyond our understanding.

“…so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Note the word “surpassing”. It means “exceeding, to transcend”. What a thought!

Our day-to-day “resurrection living” is to give us a glimpse of that great transformation that awaits us.

We (the mature perfected Body of Christ) will “show forth” (=exhibit) what GRACE really is!

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

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Peter McArthur

www.issachar.org.au

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.The Disaster Resulting from Confusing Divine Truth


“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet” (Acts 2:34-35).

“Jesus standing on the right hand of God…” “The Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56).

“If Christ is in you”; “…his Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:10-11).


It is a matter that should be clearly understood by all Christians that to confuse the truths of God is very often to nullify their value in the life of a believer, and worse than that, to bring about a condition which is a positive contradiction of what is fundamental to true Christianity. With great seriousness then we seek to discriminate between the different essential aspects of the truth, and the above passages represent one of the instances of immense importance. Although there are three quotations given, there are only two really separate matters signified. The first two are but two sides of one thing, but while those two and the third constitute a full Christian life, and are essential to such spiritual fullness, they are two distinctly different things which must on no account be allowed to overlap.

In the first two Christ is represented as in heaven at God’s right hand, but in two postures ‘sitting’ and ‘standing’. There is no contradiction here. We must remember that we are in the presence of language which is figurative. In His “sitting” – “made to sit” (Ephesians 1:20): “Sit thou” (Acts 2:34) – there is the Divine attestation that His work was complete and perfect, and that as Son of Man He had won and inherited the place of absolute honour and glory. “We see Jesus…crowned with glory and honour” (Hebrews 2:9). The right hand is first the place of honour. It is of great significance that the new dispensation commencing with Pentecost begins with Christ sitting at God’s right hand. All begins with a work completed! The seventh day the day of rest – becomes the first day. The colours of the rainbow end where they began. It is the law of the octave, the eighth is as the first and marks a new beginning. Our Christian life begins at the point where the work is already completed in our Representative Son of Man. There is nothing to add to it, either in need or possibility. Immediately we try to contribute something to it we in effect, for ourselves, nullify it all, and God stands back. We shall come back to that again presently.

With regard to the second posture of Christ as in heaven – “standing on the right hand of God” – this is seen when the Church is in the conflict, or when things are needing to be done for her, not in the sense of her justification, but for her defence and support in adversity. Thank God, there is One in the glory standing up for us, and He will see to it that the enemy overreaches himself, as in Stephen’s case. Much could be said about that, but it is not our subject just now.

We pass straight to the third position of Christ:

Any mental difficulty as to two so widely separated locations of Christ at the same time is got over by the further words “By his Spirit that dwells in you”. Christ and the Holy Spirit are one.

Here we cross over to another phase of things entirely, and the only link between the two is that the second is the outworking of the first.

“Christ in you” is unto our being “conformed to the image of his (God’s) Son” (Romans 8:29). It is to work in us that which has been perfected by Him. It is the whole realm of our being made Christ-like; having all the faculties and features of Christ, which are resident in the new life received at new birth, brought to maturity. Every spiritual and Christly virtue has to be brought to full growth; love, meekness, goodness, gentleness, intelligence, etc.; so that we are not just theoretical and doctrinaire Christians, but real ones, spiritually responsible and accountable, with the root of the matter within. This, however, necessitates much discipline; what is called ‘chastening’. This discipline, which employs many forms of adversity and trial, has the effect of bringing to light what we really are in ourselves, and it is an ugly picture. Our own features do not improve as we go on. We know ever more what poor, wretched, and deplorable men we are, and – but for the grace of God – hopeless. But something is being done deep down which will show itself in due time to the glory of God.

But here is the point of our peril. Let no child of God whose heart is toward the Lord, who has not deliberately and willfully and knowingly resisted the Holy Ghost, ever for a single moment confuse ‘chastening’ and its accompaniments of self-discovery with judgment. You do this at the peril of the joy of your salvation. If a child of God who loves the Lord and wants nothing more than to be well-pleasing unto Him should think that he is under the judgment and condemnation of God because he is finding out how evil his own heart is, that thought carries with it the suggestion that Christ did not die for our sins; that the wrath of God was not exhausted on Him and by Him when He was made sin for us. It goes back behind a completed work and Christ’s sitting at God’s right hand, and contradicts and denies the very bed-rock of our salvation – justification by faith. Satan is again given the place of power so far as such an one is concerned by such a thought. No, a thousand times No!

Although I may discover unimagined depths of iniquity in my own heart, if I have put faith in Jesus Christ as the bearer away of my sin and myself, His perfections are placed to my account and God sees me in Him. This will never, never become to me an occasion for living complacently on the ground of what I am in myself. Without working through all the reasons for and the nature of Christian growth, with all the values in service which issue from it, let me keep on this emphasis. There are so many dear children of God who have so confused the two things mentioned as to be in an altogether negative condition.

They are paralyzed by their sense of sinfulness. They have seen the need for a subjective application of the Cross of Christ, and have recognized that when Christ died, they died in Him; but the realization that the work is not yet completed in them has resulted in their living in a world of death, and knowing little or nothing of the fact which cannot really be separated from union in death with Christ, that is, union in resurrection and exaltation.

If such an one should read this, may I say to you that if you are unhappy, worried, depressed, or negative, uncertain, lacking in absolute assurance, and therefore limited in your usefulness to the Lord, you have entirely misunderstood and misapprehended the truth of union with Christ. You are really a contradiction to what you claim to believe. It would be better that you put back your subjective truth until you have got fully and firmly established in the glorious facts of what Christ sitting at God’s right hand really means for you. Nevertheless, it is possible to be moving triumphantly and strongly in the path of a deep inward work of the Spirit, while knowing utter dependence and weakness.

Let me appeal to you again that you do not let these two things become confused. If you come upon fresh realizations of your own worthlessness, say, Yes, that belongs to the realm of God’s work in me, and He will deal with that, but it makes no difference whatever to my acceptance in the Beloved so long as I do not condone my wrong, excuse it, and accept it. Remember, dear friend, that God demands the first ground, the ground of our settled faith in the finished and perfected work of Christ, in order to make any beginning inside of us. It would be fatal for Him to touch the inside had He not got that objective faith. We must be careful that we do not upset God’s order and bring ourselves on to false ground. This can only result in destroyed testimony and much gratification to Satan at the Lord’s expense in us.


…..T. Austin-Sparks

…..First published in “A Witness and A Testimony” magazine,

…..Jul-Aug 1965, Vol 43-4

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“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jhn 3:30)

All true spiritual insight is gathered up in this one little sentence.

John the Baptiser had an insight into the person of Jesus Christ – which was to fulfil the Father’s purpose.

Who must increase? Jesus. Who must decrease? Us. Simple really, but so hard to apply.

But when (and if) we apply these seven little words a wonderful transformation can happen. We begin to learn that everything (past, present, and future) can be explained by this fundamental principle.

It explains everything the Father HAS done, IS doing, and WILL do. What a breadth of thought this is!

Let’s take a closer look at John 3:30.

The word “must”. It literally means “it has to be” or “it is necessary”.

The word “increase”. It means “to enlarge and fill, to give increase.” In other words Jesus is to go on increasing. His authority and influence will spread unhindered. What a thought.

The word “but”. Here it simply means “now”. So the text would read “Jesus must increase; now I decrease”

The word “decrease”. Means “to be less in rank, to be inferior in dignity, to decrease in popularity and in authority.”

So filling all this out the text could read like this:

“It is necessary that Jesus should enlarge and go on increasing.

Now it has to be that I must be less in rank and decrease in

popularity and my own authority.”

Or at least something akin to that.

Notice that the divine (biblical) order is for Jesus to increase first, and then we decrease. The world sees it the other way round. The natural way of thinking would be to say, “As I choose to decrease then Jesus can come in and fill up the empty places and so then He can increase in me.”

That’s fleshy thinking. It is soulish, but it’s not how the Father thinks or works. The Word clearly and quite bluntly says “Jesus must increase FIRST, and then you decrease”.

It’s as though we need Christ to exceed more and more within us, so that we realise there’s no more room for “me” inside, only Him. Jesus first; then us.

This is a remarkable and wonderful truth. It doesn’t say “Jesus MIGHT increase”. It firmly says “He MUST”. It’s a certainty; He has to increase.

Truth is truth whether we know it or not, whether we believe it or not, whether we agree with it or not.

“…if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus…” (Eph. 4:21)

It’s a process that Jesus is increasing. It MUST be so, therefore it IS so!

“He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Eph 1:9-11)

But the issue is – we must decrease. The Father’s purpose is for Jesus to increase and for us to do the opposite. Die to self, to ambition, to our own plans even. A horrible thought for most of us. But, it’s the way forward and the way of the upward call for the prize in Christ Jesus.

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have the pre-eminence in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him.” (Col 1:17-19).

Notice that extraordinary phrase, “in ALL things that Jesus Christ might have the pre-eminence.” This is truly a monumental text. We should think soberly and deeply on its truth.

The reason there needs to be an increasing and a decreasing is so that FULLNESS can have its perfect way.

“…His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Eph. 1:23)

“He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.” (Eph. 4:10)

So there it is. Seven little but great words. Apply it and see the transformation that comes from obedience.

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…...Peter McArthur

……www.issachar.org.au

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For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Rms. 8:2)

Our Christian faith is based on a LIFE PRINCIPLE.

What I mean by that is that we do not practice a dead religion (the tomb is still empty!)

We do not join an organisation. We do not (should not!) become set in our ways.

No; we are JOINED to a Living Person.

All the covenants of God expressed this; they used blood. Why? Because there is life in the blood.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.” (Jhn 6:53)

Both parties to a covenant were JOINED by blood, and in fact shared the LIFE OF ONE BLOOD. This is what made a Biblical covenant unique and holy.

So, to violate a covenant was to break the blood-bond of LIFE. It was regarded as a “death” if you did so. Hence departed Christians, even though physically dead, are regarded as “asleep”. The life of the covenant still operates even beyond death, but only to those who have been part of it during their living days.

The Book of Hebrews focuses on this very Life Principle. Nothing in the New Testament calls us to have a “set way of doing things”. True spiritual life doesn’t come just because we have a New Testament style of meeting on Sundays, or have Elders instead of a man at the top, or – anything else!

New Testament life is found in having a FIRST HAND revelation of Christ and a FIRST HAND relationship with Christ.

In fact the New Testament spends most of its time trying to show the exciting realm of living in the Spirit of Christ.

Each believer is a believer because they’ve had a FIRST HAND revelation of Christ. This knowledge of Him is their very own.

For God who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6)

“Life” is therefore a fundamental Biblical principle (Rms. 8:2)

This is a life proceeding from the life of Christ and therefore producing further life to others.

“All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (Jhn 16:15)

The same principle is reiterated in John 6:56.

“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

So many things are linked up here: the life producing principle, the disclosing and passing on to others (us), and the abiding. This is the wonder of a shared life with and in Christ Jesus!

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…..Peter McArthur

…..www.issachar.org.au

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In Exodus chapter 24 the Lord commands Moses and Aaron, with 72 others, to ascend Mount Sinai. There they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.  (Exodus 24: 10-11)

A slightly more accurate translation could read: “…as they were eating and drinking they saw God…”

But what did they eat and drink? Whatever this was they nevertheless had a table prepared for them by the Lord. They sat at His table!

Later (in Exo. Chapter 23) Moses alone went up the mountain, while Aaron was left below. We are told that Moses was delayed. While this happened the Israelites made the golden calf. It’s as if they “ate” something of their own making. They had in fact prepared their own table, their very own feast, even though they justified it as a “feast to the Lord”.

Now when Aaron saw this he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD”. So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. (Exo 32:5-6).

They didn’t want to know what the Lord had provided; they didn’t wait for Moses to come down with a word from on high. They forged ahead with their own “food”.

In these days we could say that the Lord is indeed preparing a table for us to eat at. What we choose to eat of is vital for the next season of the Lord.

Many modern prophets have been saying there is a coming and marked increase in dreams, both to the saved and unsaved. To the saved for encouragement. To the unsaved to drive them to madness! I find an echo of this in the following text.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. (Eccles. 9:3)

When the saved dream dreams of the Lord, their hearts will be at peace. This will be due to their righteousness, even amid tribulation and persecution. But when the unsaved dream and “see” what is coming on the face of the earth, they will become restless, with great anxiety. More and more their wickedness and horror will cause them to go insane. The rejection of truth will always bring about opposition to the Lord and cause the mind to be greatly disturbed.

The question we should now ask ourselves is, “at what table do we find nourishment?”

Many ministries are moving to and from amongst the Body of Christ. Some are a blessing; some are dangerous through their pride of false revelations and soulish teachings. Spiritual food is being presented in copious amounts at present. So much teaching! So many prophecies. So many “great ones” of God presenting themselves! So much danger.

Jesus Christ truly needs to be Lord and Master over our spiritual food in these days. I heard of church in the USA that decided to fast and pray for 3 months because it had realised it was living from pre-conceived doctrines that weren’t entirely in accordance with the Word.

What a great thing for a group of believers to do. I have often wondered what would happen if congregation after congregation sat down for a couple of months and went through their bibles to see if their cherished doctrines actually measured up with the Word. If they didn’t, would they have the courage to jettison or change their teachings? What a day that would be in the Body of Christ.

How the Lord needs to be allowed to feed us from His prepared table, and not that of our own setting and fancies.

Biblically speaking a “table” means “the place of God’s covenant”.

For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. (Numbers 25:2)

When you eat at table you are identifying yourself with the god of that table. Tables represent gods. See how Moses tries to rectify this in Exodus 32:20. There he causes the Israelites to drink the powdered image of the calf mixed with water.

And note also how the disciple’s eyes were opened at Emmaus when at table they had a revelation of the stranger among them – Jesus!

Using the imagery of table manners, I sense we need to have protocol (good spiritual manners) and eat only from what the Lord sets before us. Eating what is given at each season of God.

Here is a principle to consider: When you eat what the Lord gives you, others will also want to eat from you!

It’s a sin to feed people what the Lord has NOT given you to eat first. Otherwise you will only feed them your thoughts and teachings. There is far too much second-hand teaching passed around in the Body of Christ these days. Eat for yourself, digest it well, and only then pass it onto others.

Some of this personal “eating” may take many, many months (and in some cases years) before you have digested what the Lord gave. When it has done its work in you first, then you may feed others. Not before!

Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. (Heb. 13:9-10)

When the Lord sets a table, we might not like what’s on it – but He is looking for our response. He is after those who will respond to His Spirit.

Sometimes we find many “dishes” set before us, but only ONE might be of God. It’s then we need to use our spiritual discernment. Learn to increase this.

The “vessel” or “dish” may not actually appeal to us – but it’s the FOOD that’s important.

Wisdom speaks and says, “Come, eat of my food and drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake your folly and live, and proceed in the way of understanding.” (Prov. 9:5-6)

It has been said that Wisdom not only supplies the right principles of life, but also forbids the wrong principles. Choices are being laid upon our table by the Lord. Let us discern well and eat gratefully!

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.….Peter McArthur

…..The Issachar Ministry

….www.issachar.org.au

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(Philippians 1:9-11)

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

A key area of spiritual growth will be in the gift of DISCERNMENT. The word means to make a right judgement by spirit, to divide, to perceive correctly.

I believe this will be a much needed gift in order to make good, decisive and accurate choices in the days to come. Watch! Discernment will increasingly be talked about.

“Knowledge” about many spiritual issues has been rapidly increasing in the last 20 years or so (See Daniel 12:4)

The decade of the “Teachers (of the Word)” was generally seen to have been in the 1970’s. However I believe we are yet to see the coming forth of what I call “Teachers of Revelation”.

I am definitely not talking about those who have flaky off-the-wall mystical experiences, angelic visitations that are not Biblical, or visits to the Third Heaven which are so subjective it’s almost impossible to correct the protagonists.

The teachers of Revelation will be those who stick to the Word, not experiences, and who are given great insight to the meaning of what is already written in the Word.

Most believers today probably “know” much more (in terms of accumulated understanding) than Christians of 50 years ago. Yet where is the supposed accompanying wisdom and maturity?

So there are two things that arise out of this. (1) Discernment, and (2) Knowledge.

It’s been said that discernment and knowledge without love is nothing more than human suspicion. I think I agree.

That’s why Paul says “love” must abound – to hold these two things in check.

Verse 9: And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment

To put it the positive way: Love, Knowledge and Discernment are all linked.

You’ve heard people say “I just want to love God; I just need Jesus, not all this other stuff”. Well frankly, and Biblically, that isn’t solid enough.

Love grounded without knowledge and discernment actually DISAPPROVES us to God.

A strong passion for God without proper biblical knowledge and experienced discernment will only make us zealous, which is a soul thing, not a spirit thing.

The Jews of Jesus’ day certainly had zeal for God, but not according to accurate scriptural knowledge.

Paul writes: “…so that you may approve the things that are excellent…” (verse 10a)

“Approve” means to discern. That is, to know by experience the good things of God and test everything else by that standard. In other words, learn to act out of such spiritual discernment as a regular part of your daily walk in Christ.

Isaiah 11: 3 “And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear…”

This is a messianic text about how Jesus lived. It is a model for us to seek after.

When we allow two different standards to be side by side in our life, we dishonour God.

Scripture encourages us to DEVELOP our inner character with a “sincere” heart. The word “sincere” means “without hypocrisy, without fault”. It refers to how ancient potters would attempt to disguise flawed vessels by putting wax into the crack. But when the object was lifted up in the light of the day you could see the defect.

So too our inner character is to be flawless, without hypocrisy. It is to be inwardly “sincere”.

Let us therefore strive, not by the flesh or soul, but by the Holy Spirit who enables our spirit to discern well in all things.

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…..Peter McArthur

..…The Issachar Ministry

…..www.issachar.org.au

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