A VISION GOD GAVE ME WHEN I DIED IN 1993 - HEAVENLY REJECT #2

 

BACKGROUND

Have you ever given serious thought to the “Eternal Plight” of those who choose to live in “spiritual darkness”?

 

In an unusual encounter, in Asheville, NC, in September of 1993, God gave me insight into the immensity of this population, and their influence on all of society.

 

Knowing that the earth’s population now exceeds 5 billion, it is difficult to comprehend the Biblical prophecy that merely a remnant will ultimately be saved.

 

HOW CAN THIS BE?

 

With all of the emphasis on worldwide, evangelism, international radio/TV ministries, dedicated Bible Radio/TV stations in most major viewing markets …

 

HOW CAN THIS BE? …. A REMNANT?

 

ISA 1:9 Speaks of what we call a “doctrine of the Remnant” … but this refers to Judah, and the other tribes of Israel … not to gentiles or the church.

 

This remnant is an assurance, to preserve God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David.

 

Many times, God predicted the deliverance and preservation of a remnant of the 13 tribes … and their final restoration under Messiah.

 

Paul quotes ISA 1:9 in ROM.  9:29 and reaffirms God’s preservation of the descendants of David (Jews) and Abraham’s other household … Ismael’s descendants by including himself … “us”.

 

In ROM 11:1 Paul asks “Is God forsaking Israel?”  Not So:

But for a period of time, God has taken that which was for Israel and given it to the Gentiles (other sheep) because of Israel’s falling away.

 

The Remnant … then is not a God given limit … it is not a guaranteed minimum … to the Jew … but - a matter of neglect indifference, lack of concern on the part of believers.

 

In a recent book, Billy Graham expressed regret over the lack of lasting impact from his lifetime of worldwide crusades…He attributed it to the lack of follow up and the nearly total absence of Discipleship activities carried on by the local churches after the crusades closed.

 

Beyond that haunting question another …

 

IF WE ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH, WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE … BY WHOM?

 

We know that Satan is the master of deception, and his most powerful tool … procrastination …is based on inappropriate priorities, and misguided energies; but, let me share the Asheville encounter.

 

 

It was Tuesday evening, September 7, 1993, at 5:30 PM.

 

Mrs. Pohlkotte (Rowena) and I had spent the Labor Day week-end in Greensboro, NC with our son and granddaughter.

 

Being in business for ourselves, we made calls on companies in Mocksville and Statesville, NC and stopped in Asheville, to have supper before continuing our trip home to Chattanooga.

 

As we entered the foyer of the restaurant (formerly UNO’s Pizzeria), I suffered sudden cardiac death.

 

Due to the location and name change in the restaurant, it took nearly 45 minutes for the emergency medical technicians to arrive with the ambulance and appropriate equipment.

 

Using all of the equipment and procedures at their disposal, the EMT’s applied the shock paddles three times, and had turned away to pack-up … there had been no response.

 

Rowena had been in prayer the entire time.  As the head EMT associate apologized for not being successful in their efforts to revive me, she responded in muffled tones, “Oh dear God … no!”

 

One of the technicians turned back with the paddles, and said, “He is gone anyway, one more jolt can’t hurt.” 

 

With that one last jolt, my system began to respond … but I had been dead more than 45 minutes … rigor mortise had set in … but I began to respond.

 

The ambulance took me to Mission Memorial Hospital … where for five days, I was kept sedated with heavy doses of morphine … the medical reasoning given Rowena was that after 45 minutes of oxygen deprivation, I could not be normal … I would be a vegetable or worse, a violent person with no reasoning abilities.  The best thing that could happen would be death.

 

By nightfall of the fifth day, I regained consciousness, tried to talk, but due to the tubes in my throat, wrote complete sentences to express my thoughts and ask questions about my circumstances.

 

Over the next three days the medical staff of Mission Memorial hospital did everything possible to diagnose/even duplicate the death, so they could implant a pacemaker/shocker to try to offset any future re-occurrence.

 

Through all of this, the doctors still held little or no long-term hope, but Rowena maintained that her God didn’t bring me back to life to let me die there and then.

 

Her witness in the hospital during those six days was universal, reaching every area of the hospital.

 

In God’s divine providence, the true medical problem was a 13 ½ pound abdominal tumor that had exerted pressure on the heart and had kinked a capillary in the left ventricle.  The final diagnosis, Ventricular Fibrillation.

 

Following this diagnosis, it was determined that I was strong enough to withstand surgery, the removal of the tumor.  After the removal the samples of the tumor was sent to the Duke University and then to the University of Michigan for a second opinion.  Both reported the tumor to be benign.

 

Over the next week, as I gained my strength and mental acuity, God gave me a revelation …. A vision … a prolonged viewing and exposure to a life changing perspective….

 

THE VISION

 

In this vision/encounter, the voice of an angel or God, (I never actually saw my guide), spoke with me as we went down a long stairway … the only light was behind me, but sufficient for me to see where I was going. At the bottom of the stairway, we walked along the hallway, and then suddenly, brilliant lighting illuminated a mammoth cavern.

 

It took a few minutes to get used to the lights … but in the first cavern I saw every US President, every Senator, Congressmen, Judge, the Capitol Building, White House, Supreme Court Building, and the entire staff for each facility …. all stacked 10 - 12 - 15 layers deep … Totally inanimate, two dimensional … like billboards (or facades).

 

As we moved through the room to another passage suddenly the lights went off and the voice of my companion said, “They were, but are not; … What did they do with what they were given?”

 

Out of the hallway into another lighted cavern … This time ever actor, movie star, singer, musician and dance star that had ever performed.

 

Again stacked 10-12-15 deep were all of the scenes, back drops, curtains, stage coaches, horses, buffalo, etc.

 

The first room was our government and judicial systems and services, in this view we were seeing the performing arts … and …. Again, we passed through and the lights went off …and again, the voice with pathos … “They were, and are not; … what did they do with what they were given?”

 

Another hallway and other cavern … this time engineers, architects, doctors, farmers, pilots … every manner of technical/professional practitioner … and a gigantic museum of their inventions, products, the results of their labors … on display … but again, two dimensional facades.

 

As we left the room, and again darkness embraced its residents … the haunting phrase … “They were, but are not; … what did they do with what they were given?”

 

Again, another hallway and another cavern … but this time, awesome, breathtakingly beautiful, … The Cisteen Chapel, the National Cathedral in Washington DC, the Mormon Tabernacles, beautiful church structures; but not just buildings … people … millions of people, the largest crowds I had ever seen … stacked 25-30 deep, billboards, cardboard figures, facades, two dimensional, silent … but oh, so real.

 

The displays, props, and all of the people seemed to be grouped by denomination, revival era, or culture.

 

Once more the lights went out, the voice proclaimed, “They were, but are not; … What did they do with what they were given?”

 

The realization of the enormity of what I was seeing began to overwhelm me.  I asked about education, only to have a light shine down another hallway.  I inquired as to Religion, World-Wide Crusades, Televangelism, Promise Keepers, in each case, another hallway was illuminated, and then extinguished, and in every instance, that haunting response…. They were, but are not: What did they do with what they were given? 

 

Sales/retail … farming and personal care service providers … and other workers … same as before in groups and numbers …. Then it ended.

 

I was back in my bed in Mission Memorial, left to my thoughts and Bible study … to put meaning to and gain personal direction from what I had been shown.

 

Over these past four years of study, prayer and waiting upon the Lord, I have been brought to a startling realization … All of the millions that I saw in every walk of life, had all been given the same. “God’s Word”; but unlike all that I had been shown, and millions more that I was not shown, …. “I was not, … but now I am; … What will I do with what I have been given?”

 

The question that has haunted me through four years of searching, praying and waiting …

 

WHAT HAVE I TRULY BEEN GIVEN?

 

FIRST

Outside of the context of their position, roles, involvement, image or tenure, man has no purpose for his existence outside the divine purpose of God, and spiritual enlightenment.

 

SECONDLY

They only distinguishment between positions, roles, involvement’s, images or tenures, were costumes, scenery and lines mastered through practice and rehearsal, all of their involvement has had no eternal meaning.

 

THIRDLY

The church universal has not reached the multitude through life changing discipleship.

 

Discipleship that is anchored in the teaching of Christ in John 15:16, and John 15:8.

 

We broadcast the great commission … and we go and tell, but we don’t follow through with the discipleship and involvement that causes the fruit to remain, reproduce and become fruit-bearers on their own.

 

FOURTHLY

I have been given the insight to see the neighborhoods and communities in which we live as our mission field …as our point of contact … Our opportunity to “change lives” through ministry.

 

FIFTHLY

I have been given the awareness that the facades of positions, roles, involvement, images, or tenure, will only be changed through …

 

…. Revelation and spiritual light …

 

…. Divine re-purposing of live, one life at a time …

 

…. but these are not instantaneous changes …

 

·         Discipleship in this diverse a population requires team ministry …Me, You, and…

·         The Father

·         The Son

·         The Holy Spirit

and

·         The body of Christ

·         The redeemed church

·         The combined ministry gifts of the corporate body members

·         Selfless involvement

 

SIXTHLY

Involvement at this level needs to be based on a platform of discipleship/ministry training.

 

Again, the question ….  What have I been given?

… A ministry

… To reach and disciple “Fruit” that “That

     Fruit” should remain …

… To Build on the Rock of the Testimony that

     “Jesus Christ is the resurrected Son of

     God, and in Him is Life and Light” …

… To help Build the church of divine purpose, …

      embracing the redeemed … that will “say so” …

      glorifying God the Father … by “bearing much fruit”.

 

LASTLY

I have been given a sense of personal accountability for the things we don’t do through neglect, procrastination, indifference, legalistic maneuvering, intellectual rationalization, bigotry, bias, even ignorance. Accountability for myself and also my church.

 

As the church administers discipline to those that transgress the Word of God, and tenants of Christian faith, so God gives to each of us the commandment to weigh every word/precept, testing it against His standard of righteousness.

 

• Ministering from a position of spiritual maturity.
• Maintaining a standard of righteousness and divine accountability anchored in God’s revealed Word …
• Walking the Talk so to be living examples for “the Church”; member by member.

Submitted in the love of Christ for your study, evaluation and use as God Directs    …  Mel