Our Lord is moving mightily throughout the whole earth. I received a news report this morning that really stirred my heart. You know that I was in Rome in Oct. and we had the privilege of being at the Vatican and the Pope. I want to share something with you. When I met this young man at the Vatican, He said “Agnes my heart’s desire that all men everywhere know Jesus Christ.” He said also that the body of Christ may come into unity and oneness in the spirit. This is the cry of God’s heart over the world. We have limited Him because we have chosen our ways. But this morning I would like to share with you my heart and God’s heart. I know that it’s very vital for us to realize that we’re here on earth for God’s purpose and not for our own. Precious Father, we magnify your name this morning. We exalt Your name and we give You glory. Wonderful Jesus we thank You, that You gave of us Your life that in turn live in our life. Lord we exalt You this morning. We thank You for the precious word of God. We thank You for this mighty word that’s from the heart of God. We ask You for Your blessing upon these people. Give us ears to hear and a heart to receive and a heart to obey. We exalt Your name this morning and give you glory. In Jesus name, amen.
When I was in Rome I felt no barriers. I felt God had totally removed all barriers. It was so awesome, as we were 30 feet from the Pope, when he began to speak out the vision that God had given to me, the spirit of the Lord swept across that place. I began to cry. Dominic began to cry. He said “Agnes this is the vision God gave you.” We knew God had brought us there. We faced thousands of people and I said Lord how many of these people know Jesus Christ. How many of them know You as their personal Savior. I began to pray “God, in every one of these hearts, open them up so they will know Jesus Christ and be redeemed. Through the whole time we were there we were feeling God’s spirit moving in a very mighty way. I think of all the biases around the world; one religion against another, one faith against another, instead of being untied against the enemy and for the salvation of souls. I met with the Pope in Oct. In Nov. they went to India. I met the Cardinal that was going with the Pope to India. They told me if I would write a letter to the Pope (and I had some other things for him), they would see that he got it. They informed me that they gave it to the Pope. I know that God sent me for His purpose. I know it was very mighty and awesome. This is his message on Christmas Eve. I want to read it to you because I feel we need to understand the way God is moving in a world today. Because He wants all men everywhere to know Jesus Christ, and to be ready for the coming of the Lord. Not just us, there’s a world out there. There’s billions out there that don’t know our Jesus. How much do we know Him? Do we know Him enough to forgive one another? Do we know Him enough to love one another? From doing what He wants to do in our life and the lives of others. If we don’t forgive one another the Father can’t forgive us.
“We’re holding things in our hearts today. The Lord is saying you cannot do it, you can’t hate one another. You can’t have bitterness in your heart toward one another. We can’t, we have to forgive one another. When a Father can’t forgive us we have to love one another or the love of the Father is not in us. We need to bow down in total forgiveness before God. Make sure there’s nothing inside of us that would prevent us from receiving from the Lord on that day. For 20 centuries, this joyful proclamation as been burst from the heart of the church. This holy night the angel repeated it to us. Men and women living at the end of a new millennium. Be not afraid, I bring you great news of great joy, for to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior. We have prepared to welcome those comforting words during the Psalm beginning of the great Jubilee. We are spiritually linked to that unique moment of history when God became man, taking to Himself flesh. At this hour, the word today rings out with the unique sound for it is not only the commemoration of the birth of the Redeemer, it’s the Psalm of the beginning of the great Jubilee. We are spiritually linked to tell that moment when God became man looking to Himself our flesh. Yes, the Son of God, of one being with the Father. God from God, and light from light. Eternally begotten of the Father, became incarnate from the virgin Mary, assumed our human nature, from the time God entered history. The incomparable, eternal today of God has become present in everyday human life. We fall down in adoration before the Son of God. We united ourselves in spirit to the wonder of Mary and Joseph. As we adore Christ, born in a stable, we make our own the faith, filled with astonishment of the shepherds of that time. We feel their same amazement and their same joy. It’s difficult not to be overcome by the eloquence of this event. We remained enthroned; we are witnesses of that instant of love, which unites the eternal to history. The today, which begins a time of Jubilation and hope for to us, a Son is given and domain is laid upon His shoulders as we read in the text of Isaiah 9. At the feet of the world incarnate, let us place our joys and tears, our tears and hopes only in Christ. The new man, his true light shed upon the mystery of human existence. With the Apostle Paul, let us contemplate the fact that in Bethlehem the Grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all. This is the reason why on Christmas Night, Psalms of joy ring out in every corner of the earth, in every language. Tonight, before our eyes, we see fulfilled what the Gospel proclaims. God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him might have eternal life. His only begotten Son. Oh you Christ, the only begotten Son of the Living God, come among us in the stable of Bethlehem.
After two thousand years, we re-live this mystery as a unique and unrepeatable event. Among all the children of men, all the children born into the world down the centuries, you alone are the Son of God: in an ineffable way, your birth has changed the course of human events. This is the truth, which on this very night the Church wants to pass on to the third millennium. And may all you who will come after us accept this truth, which has totally changed history. Ever since the night of Bethlehem, humanity knows that God became Man: he became Man in order to give man a share in his divine nature. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! On the threshold of the third millennium, the Church greets you, the Son of God, who have come into the world to triumph over death. You have come to illuminate human life through the Gospel. The Church greets you and with you she wishes to enter in the third millennium. You are our hope. You alone have words of eternal life. You who came into the world on Bethlehem night, remain with us! You who are the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, guide us! You who came from the Father, lead us to him in the Holy Spirit, along the path which you alone know and which you have revealed to us, that we might have life and have it in abundance. You O Christ, the Son of the living God, be for us the Door! Be for us the true Door, symbolized by the door which on this Night we have solemnly opened!”
This is the message of Christmas 1999: the “today” of this Holy Night begins the Great Jubilee. Isn’t that powerful? That was his message Christmas Eve. I want to read this to give God glory. I wrote this letter to Pope Paul and they gave it to him Nov. 2nd.
‘Dear His Holiness Pope Paul II.
I had the highest honor of the church of being blessed by you, His Holiness. Although our hands never touched I’ve been touched by this great blessing of God. In my heart I wanted to share with you, Jesus great love for you and the love of the Father, in the heart of the Father. The heart of the Father is that all mankind would know the love of the Father through His Son through Jesus Christ. The cry of our heart is to break the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free. Take in the poor. Feed the hungry, take the poor that were cast out of your house that His light may spring forth speedily. I am 84 years of age and I yet have many nations open to take the revelation of Isaiah 58 to meet the needs of the people. I’ve been asked to help the poor in Mexico. I’ll be blessed to have your blessing among the peoples of Mexico, Central and South America, Asia, China and Africa. I want to thank you for remembering us in your prayers.’
I gave him a couple of gifts. That is what I sent to him. We’re hearing some things today. This was in today’s paper. “Pope in historic plea to pardon church sins.” This was today. Not yesterday, not a month ago but today. Alright? You want to hear it? If your bias I think you better ask forgiveness of the Lord today.
“The Vatican City. One of the most significant acts of his papistry, Pope John Paul asked forgiveness on Sunday for many past sins of his church including his treatment of the Jews, the heretics, the women and the native peoples. It was the first time in the history of the Catholic Church that one of its learders has sought such a sweeping parted. Wearing the purple vestments of Lenten, mourning and speaking at the heart of Catholicism in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope and his top Cardinals listed the many past sins of their church grouped in 7 categories. “We forgive and we ask for forgiveness.” The Pope said in his homily during the unprecedented ceremony held on the Catholic Church day for forgiveness for the holy 2000 year. There was great curiosity before the ceremony on how specific the Pope would be when speaking of the Jews. The prayer for forgiveness for sins against the Jews which was read by Cardinal Edward Cassidy said in part “Let us pray when recalling the sufferings endured by the people of Israel throughout history.” “Christians will acknowledge the sins committed by not a few of their number against the people of the covenant.” The Pope then added in his own words, “We are deeply saddened at the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours, the Jews, to suffer. Asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves through genuine brotherhood with the people of the covenant.” There was no specific reference to the Holocaust in which the Nazi’s killed some six million Jews. Last week the Italian Jews called on the Pope, who will visit Jerusalem later this month, to be as specific as possible about the Holocaust during Sunday’s Mass. The Rabi David Rosson head of Jerusalem office of the anti-defamation league said expectation that the Pope would say more were perhaps a little unrealistic. Rosson, a prominent figure of the Catholic-Jewish relations, told them the inclusion of a request of the forgiveness from Jews in the Roman Catholic liturgy in St. Peter’s was a sufficient step. A major document in 1998 the Vatican apologized for Catholics who had failed to help Jews against the Nazi persecution, and acknowledged centuries of preaching of contempt to the Jews.”
I want to say this. I have a tape, a document of him. His playmates were Jewish children, when he was a child. He saw them take them and kill them, his playmates. It isn’t any wonder that God is using him today. He suffered a lot in those days. He’s always coming forward against the things that’s happening in the world that’s wrong. A dirty laundry list of sins.
“We asked for forgiveness among the division among Christians for the use of violence that some Christians use in the service of the truth. The behavior of the differences and hostility sometimes towards the followers of other religions.” the Pope said in his homily before the prayers. The word violence and the service of truth is much used in reference to the treatment of heretics during the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Crusaders, who forced conversions of native peoples, for the role that each one of us has had with his behavior in these evils. Contributing to the disfigurement of the face of the church, we humbly ask forgiveness.” he said. Seven categories of forgiveness for general sins. Sins in the service of truth. Sins against Christian unity, against the Jews, against respect for love for peace and cultures, against the dignity of women and the minorities and against human rights. There was no reference to homo-sexuals who had asked to be included in the list of those that asked for forgiveness. Prayer for forgiveness’s from women and minorities is said Christians had been guilty of attitudes of rejection and exclusion, consenting to acts of discrimination on the basis of racial and ethnic differences. The prayer for forgiveness for human rights abuses us Christians who have not recognized Christ in the poor. The persecuted, imprisoned and too often acts of injustice by trusting in wealth and power. Referring to abortion he said Christians had not defended the defenseless, especially the first stages of life. The Pope said Christians had violated the rights of ethnic groups and peoples and shone contempt for their cultures and religious traditions. A prayer mentioned sins against gypsies. The Pope said that often that the Catholics should see a part of the millennium as an ideal opportunity to seek forgiveness for past sins including those of the church, as a community. They also called this a necessary purification of memory in order for the church to move forward. The Pope also said Christians are ready to forgive others for the abuse suffered over the centuries.
Let’s turn to Isaiah 58. God is requiring repentance.
1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
3 Wherefore have we fasted, [say they], and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness:
ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
The fast that God was speaking about here in Isaiah 58 was the one fast once a year He required, the fast of repentance. So that God could forgive our sins, so that we could have a new life in Him. Yom Kippur was the day that was called the Day of Atonement. This is what He was saying [in] Isaiah 58. He was talking about this one special day that He had asked of them to do nothing but come before Him of a repentant heart and give every moment to Him. In this background of Isaiah 58, He gave it to us on the day of Yom Kippur. It’s the holiest day of the Jewish year. Why was this the holiest day? What is the Day of Atonement? That’s the day that Jesus atoned for the sins of the whole world. The day He died on the cross for us. So they were coming to Him, but they were only coming with lips. How many of us only go to Him with lip service? How many of us don’t really pray from our heart? Right now the Lord is saying “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, their sins.” And they go on. They said “Well, we seek you daily, we pray, go in sack cloths and ashes and you don‘t hear us.” Why didn’t He hear them? In their heart was not repentance. In their heart was bitterness, strife. He says fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness. He’s saying God didn’t hear us. A lot of times we’re having problems in our daily life and we blame it on God. Get angry with God. God that you remember. God gave us a right to chose. Turn to Duet. chapter 30:11
11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it [is] not hidden from thee, neither [is] it far off. What is He commanding us to repent?
12 It [is] not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
13 Neither [is] it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14 But the word [is] very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
What did I just read in Isaiah 58?
15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, [and that] ye shall not prolong [your] days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
We can’t blame God for the mess the world is in today and what God is speaking all over the world. We are the ones that make the choice in our own heart. There’s not a living soul that’s going to be able to stand up and blame God. So if you got any of that blame in you today you better repent and get rid of it. If you have blame inside of you against people you better repent and get rid of it. We’re not the judge, He’s the judge. We better empty our hearts so that God can truly forgive us of our sins in the ways that we have been. I knew that even when I went to the Pope there were people that rose up, because they were Catholics and I went to the Catholic.
When I went to Israel and India, these last few days I’ve been realizing something, why God sent me there the way He sent me. I’m beginning to see a picture from that time until now of what God is doing. This very word I read to you today I began to understand what happened to me in 1976 in India, on my first trip there. Joseph had invited me to come to Hubli. So he drives to Bombay to pick me up. I went with a group from Los Angeles. I didn’t fly there with them, I flew back. I was two weeks ahead of them in India. Joseph picks me up at the Bombay airport. He said “Agnes I want to show you Bombay.” It’s a huge city with one million people living on the streets. At that time it was one million. It was the highest festivity of lights of the Hindu religion. Everything had bright lights and shooting like the 4th of July here. The strangest thing happened. There was a precession going down the streets of Bombay. On these carts were the idols. They were in trucks, carts down the middle of the streets of Bombay. I get in that precession with Joseph going down beside the idols of the Hindu religion. It’s showing me both sides on the way. But on both sides of the streets were thousands of people bowing down to the idols. That was a strange situation for me to be in. Immediately the Lord said to me, “Pray in the spirit and I’ll take the powers of the idols off the minds of the people.” Here we are in this precession; remember they are bowing down to idols. It was a good opportunity to pray for every one of them. The spirit of the Lord began to pray on both side of the street. God was doing something right there on that street; He was doing His mighty work. On my first trip to Nigeria I had an experience also. It isn’t what we think it is necessarily. It’s what God is doing. Sometime I was in a place called Dandily. There it was all Hindu’s, a lumber camp and we spoke there among the Hindu’s. Again we were high above the people and after I gave the message, Joseph’s father interpreted, then the Lord said to me “Pray in the spirit.” All these precious Hindu people, hundreds of them, I don’t know how many but my arms were ready. I need people to hold up my arms as we began to lay hand on those Hindu people. The Lord said “Pray in the spirit that I break the powers off the idols of their minds.” The next year I didn’t go back to Dandily. The next year I went back they knew me they were excited to see me, because God began to break the powers off the minds of the people. Don’t under estimate what God wants you to do. Just obey Him, it’s His spirits going to do it. Not us.
Then as we went to China, where we were waiting for the airplane, some things happened. And again God began to pour His love out. If we think we’re going to do it in our strength, we’re mistaken. If we think we’re going to do it in our knowledge, we’re mistaken. Because it’s only by the spirit of the Lord that it’s going to be done. Again I felt God’s love spreading out over China. It’s time to repent so that God can move across this world and meet the needs of the world. Now He said “There is a fast that I have chosen and that fast is to loose the bands of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free.” Before we can do this there has to come a repentance. There has to come a cleansing and a purging. Just about ourselves this morning. What a mess we’ve been in because of doctrines of men and all the things one against another. Do you think God is going to wink at it? Keep Isaiah 58 in mind. To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens. What are we going to do? Is that what God did through me? Yes it was. Let’s take an emergency right now, which we have in India right now. We have the state of Orica is so very bad. This is the picture I see. They ask the Christian they literally burned alive, a missionary and his two children in their car. Poured gas over them and lit a match. God in His fury sends the worst cyclone in the history across that state. Shaker was with me in Israel, he went home. All of this began to happen. They came to the Christians and asked them “Will you go and help in Orica?” In my heart I was feeling that God was going to use this to shake the Christians and get them lined up for what He wants us to do. So I heard little things, because I felt that what God wanted was much bigger. Then I hear that 14 nations are representative going to India. On a Sat. in India
March 12, 2000
