Barnabas Ministries UK

Rev. E. Anderson

How a Diver Died – then met God

Ian Mcormack is an ordained minister from New Zealand who travels the world to tell his astounding story. He and his wife Jane have three children. This was his experience…

ONE night while diving on Mauritius I was stung by five box-jellyfish. One box-jellyfish can kill an adult in four minutes.

En route to hospital I began to see my life flash before me. At this point I was an atheist - but knew l was nearly dead and I didn’t know if there wAs life after death or just nothing. As I lay there dying, I saw my mother in a vision praying for me, encouraging me to cry out to God and he would hear me and forgive me. For the first time in my life I prayed from my heart and gave my life to the Lord.

The doctor tried to save my life but within a few minutes I seemed to slip away. (Apparently life ceased in my body for some 15 minutes)

During this time I found myself in a very place. I heard men’s voices screaming at me “that I deserved to be there”, “that I was in hell”. But as I stood there a radiant beam of light shone through the darkness and began to lift me upward Then I found myself in the presence of awesome light and power. God’s is light, I thought, am I standing m the presence of God?

I felt totally exposed but as I drew back towards the darkness a wave of light swept through me and pure unadulterated love flowed over me. I thought, how could God love me? I’ve taken His name in vain, I’ve slept  around I’m not a good man …… but no matter what I said, waves of unconditional love continued to flow over me. I found myself weeping uncontrollably. He had totally forgiven me and accepted me as I was. I could feel a healing presence touching my broken heart, deep inside where no one gets to see.

Suddenly in front of me I could see - his garments were shimmering white and his hands were outstretched to welcome me. I knew I was looking upon God. Behind him was a brand new world - fields with trees and flowers, a crystal dear stream, rolling green hills, mountains in the distance, blue skies

- perfect creation. And in my heart I knew I belonged here, that God had

created me to live here. I knew I was home.

I was just about to enter in and explore, when God asked me, “Do you wish to step in or return?” I looked back, and behind me in a vision was my mother. Would she know I made it or think I went to hell, because I had no faith? I realised it could break her heart and decided I wished to return. Looking back again I saw all my family, and thousands and thousands of other people. God said he loved those people and wanted them all to come to know him.

Then I was returned to my hospital bed. I prayed to God, and that night he completely healed me and enabled me to walk nut of the hospital the next day

Rev. A. Hocking has been an Assemblies of God minister for over 50 years and is now a retired Prime Timer within the Fellowship. He has served a number of churches along with his wife, Claire. Alan also was on the Radio Council and has greatly contributed in this ministry and still maintains and active interest and commitment. Along with me, he serves along the National Committee of Prime Timers and has proved most helpful. He is now writing some Christian articles to aid people to a faith in Jesus Christ.

YOU NEED A HEART TRANSPLANT?

There have been reports recently of people who have had heart transplants who have apparently taken on some of the characteristics of those whose heart they received.   People who had no interest in sport for example have suddenly found they had a keen interest in the sport the donor loved.

Whether donated hearts, kidneys or other organs can have this effect on people has yet to be scientifically proven.  However, God says that He will give us a new heart and with it a new nature.

In Ezekiel 36; 26 God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

I have seen so many people whose lives have been changed dramatically the moment they gave their lives to Jesus Christ.  I think of John, who had spent something like 27 years of his life in and out of prison.  He said “God can’t do anything with anyone like me!”  However, he took the chance and surrendered his life to Jesus.  What a change!  He never went near a prison again.  He began to help others like himself, to find the new life in Jesus that had changed his life so much.

No matter who you are or what you are, if you let God put His new heart in you, you will find that you take on

His characteristics!  Whereas before, your life was full of sin, unsatisfying and craving for something to make life worthwhile, you will find a new joy, peace and satisfaction.

Years ago someone wrote a song, “Things are different now, something happened to me, when I gave my life to Jesus.  Things I loved before have gone away, things I love far more have come to stay…” 

You may wonder ‘what is the meaning of life’.  ‘Why am I here?’ ‘Life seems so empty’.  Let Jesus give you a heart transplant and find out what REAL living is!

Pray this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I don’t understand what life is about. I know there are things wrong in my life and I know I need You to sort me out.  Please forgive me and give me a new heart.  Thank you that you died for me on the cross.  I accept you now as my Saviour and Lord.  Amen”

Email us and tell us that you have accepted Jesus.  We would like to help you.   God bless you. ejabarmin@blueyonder.co.uk

Rev. E. Anderson

Little Faith + Big God = Huge Results
by Rick Warren

[The boy’s father said,] “. . . If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!” Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”   -  Mark 9:22-24, MSG

Is it possible to be filled with faith and doubt at the same time? Yes!

You can have faith that God wants you to do something and still be scared to death. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is going ahead and doing what you’re called to do in spite of your fear.

You have to begin with the faith you already have: it may be just a little, but you start there. A beautiful example of this is the story of the man who brought his sick son to Jesus in Mark 9. Jesus looked at the man and said, “I can heal your son. If you will believe, I will heal him.”

The father then makes a classic statement: “Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.”

Have you ever felt like that? “Lord, I have some faith. But I also have some doubts.” This man was filled with faith and doubt, yet despite his honest doubts, he went ahead and asked Jesus for a miracle. And he got his miracle – Jesus healed his son.

No matter how weak or how frail you think your faith is, it’s enough. It’s enough to get you through what you’re facing, and it’s enough to complete the vision God has planted in your heart.

Matthew 17:20 says, “If you have faith as small as the mustard seed . . . nothing will be impossible to you.” (NIV) That’s not a lot of faith; in fact, it’s just a little faith. But what else does that verse teach? “If you have faith as the mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, ‘Move’ and it will be moved.”

Mustard seed faith moves mountains. Don’t get this reversed. We like to read this verse backward. We want it to say, “If you have faith like a mountain you can move a mustard seed” – as if it takes enormous faith to do a very little task.

God wants you to start with the faith you have, and based on the example of the mustard seed, you don’t need a whole lot of faith to do great things for God. You just need a little.

What does this mean?

• Everybody has faith – You had faith this morning when you ate your cereal – faith that your spouse didn’t put poison in your granola! You had faith when you sat down in your computer chair – faith that it wouldn’t collapse.

• Everybody has faith; the difference is what you put your faith in – Sometimes people will say they don’t want to go to church or make a commitment to Christ until they understand it all. Believe in this trustworthy equation: Little faith + Big God = Huge results. You take your little faith, “Lord, I believe! Help me with my unbelief!” You put it in our big God, and then he’ll show you how he works out huge results.