ChristiansUnite Forums

This will be a long one, but please read it through. It is the truth.

As many of you know I have some health issues. Recently I spent close to eight weeks in the hospital.

I have a kidney disease, but my main health troubles are caused by chronic pancreatitis.

Over the years I have been in and out of hospitals. During these times I have met many wonderful people; nurses, doctors, and most special are the older men I meet. They are usually older in the hospital for obvious reasons. I get to become friends with many of theses people, and inevitably, some of these wonderful people pass into eternity right in front of me - in my room - which is usually a ward with four beds.

During my most recent hospital stay, I met several fantastic people.
Here's what happened...

Whenever I find myself in the hospital, I am usually in a good deal of pain, and as a result, I am given powerful I.V. pain medications. For the first month, I was on 100mg of I.V. Demerol every two to four hours, and 50mg of I.V. gravol every four hours. Powerful narcotics, which barely controlled the pain.

I was hooked up to an I.V. pole, which carried my bags of pain meds and the only source of nutrition I had in six weeks before I was put on a clear fluid diet - broth, tea, and jello...I hate jello now! Yes, even the red colour! ;)

Whenever I am hospitalised I make myself the "unpaid nurse" of whatever room I find myself in. Our hospital is very, very busy, and as a result. I found myself being moved from room to room and one floor to another, depending on how many women vs. men in emergency awaiting check-in, vs. rooms that were available at the time. I spent the first 36 or so hours in a tiny room in the emergency department by myself.

As soon as I was sent to a real room, I made myself available to the old fellow who shared that semi-private room. The nurses loved me because they were seldom “buzzed” by whomever I shared a room with. I would make tea, or coffee – or fetch any number of snacks from the pantry for my roommates. I ran as fast as I could with my pole in order to get the odd sick bowl to an ill friend, and I did other clean up type jobs. The nurses loved my, but my new friends and their families (if they had any) became my friends also. However, the most important thing for me was that I did it all in His Holy Name.

It was rewarding to do it, especially when I was so sick – I know that sounds odd, but it’s the truth my friends.

I lost a lot of weight quickly and my doctors and nurses were concerned.
I became very tired and weak, but He held me up and I continued to be moved from room to room and floor-to-floor meeting new friends as I went along.

One particular friend I met was an Englishman, named Arthur.
Arthur was in his mid to upper fifties, and had a beautiful, and extremely loving family.
Arthur had been battling cancer for twelve years, and he had been cancer free for four or so years prior to his latest hospitalization. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and it was in his leg.
He was told it was highly treatable. Arthur would have his chemo treatment in hospital, and was going to be released for a number of weeks, then, he would return for another treatment.
That’s how it was set up.
We became quick friends. I was his private nurse! At least, that was the joke in our room because I also had two other “clients” in our room. One fellow “Jeff” was in my Dad’s battle group in the Far East Fleet during WWII. My Dad was on H.M.S. Illustrious, and it turned out Jeff was on the Indomitable! Of course, they didn’t know each other, but it was great to have met Jeff.

There were four beds in that room, and Jeff was to my right while Arthur was straight in front of me. Arthur and I had window beds.

One day, Jeff was discharged, and I exchanged numbers with him, and I did most of my other friends in there.
That night, at around 7pm, I looked up to see a familiar sight…Arthur’s wife was reading a woman’s magazine – his daughter, who was in her mid to upper twenties was doing some needle work – his oldest son was in Texas, but the youngest son was there working away on a lap-top computer, while Arthur sat up in bed reading his newspaper. It was a loving family who for all intents and purposes, appeared to be in their own living room at home spending an evening together. It warmed my heart to see it each evening.

Later on after his family had hugged and kissed their Dad goodnight, Arthur said, “I don’t feel right John” I asked him what was wrong, and he told me he felt cold.
I buzzed for a nurse. He told the nurse that he felt cold – that his legs felt odd, so the nurse took his vitals. His vitals were not too bad – he had a slight temp. So the nurse went and got his a warm blanket, and Arthur went to sleep.

I won’t go into any of the horrible details, which I witnessed that night, but I’ll just tell you that Arthur’s final hours were not good. Arthur died at 6am after four nurses and two doctors worked feverishly to revive him…. I witnessed the entire sight, and was heartsick.
It was totally unexpected by everyone – nurses, doctors, his family and myself were all shocked. I had been praying for Arthur from the day we met, and God took him home, so unexpectedly.

I shed many tears for my friend and his family.

I met more new friends, and went on as best as I could until I met Bruce.
Bruce is 46 and was diagnosed with the same cancer, which took my brother – pancreatic cancer. There is no cure for this one my friends, so I was heartsick at once, and I immediately became very close to Bruce and his wonderful wife, Monique.

They were Christians, and Bruce was the kind of person who was instantly familiar and likeable.
We spent many hours taking to one another.
One night, Bruce went for surgery to remove a blockage in his oesophagus, so that he would be able to eat and drink again.
That particular night was a bad one for me pain wise.  My doctor was called after I hit the floor in pain. I had blacked out, and immediately began to throw up uncontrollably.
The nurses were running around wide eyed, and it frightened my room mates (they told me later) the doctor came running in and immediately began barking out orders to the nurses. It was all muffled to me.
I remember being given a series of needles, and the next thing I remember was waking up a few days later with a huge bag of painkiller busily dripping away into my veins.
The nurse saw that I was awake and began to call the other nurses to come see.
It was odd.
That day, as I began to become more aware, Monique came into the room and said that Bruce had surgery to remove the blockage, but it turned out to be cancer causing the block, and he was being moved to another room and another floor.

I went back into a haze, and the next thing I remember was asking where Bruce was.
I was told he was on another floor, and no one knew where.
It took me two days to find him. I dragged my pole around the hospital for two days searching. When I found his floor I asked a nurse to see if Bruce would be willing to see me. She came back with a huge smile and led me to his room.

To continue...

Bruce was in a single bed, room, and there was another bed for his wife, so I knew it was not good.
I had to choke back from crying, so I made some small talk at first.
Then I turned to Bruce, and looked him in the eyes. I could see he was struggling.
“How are you dealing with it” I said.

Bruce looked right back into my eyes and said, ”Whatever God wants is good with me”
I’m crying right now my brothers and sisters, because over the years I had heard these same words from quite a few people, but for the first time ever, I knew he really meant it, and was ready to face whatever was coming…I bit down hard.
I asked them both if I could get personal for a moment, and the answer was an immediate “of course!”
I said, “I know you are Catholic, and some of my Catholic friends don’t believe in the Rapture – what do you feel about it Bruce?” Bruce said, “ Naw, I don’t believe it”
I then said, “Can I please share my belief with you? “ Bruce said “I really love and appreciate everything you’ve done for us John” I stopped him right away and said, “No, my friends, you have given me far more that you can ever know” Bruce asked me to continue.
I was still very foggy from all the drugs but I did the best I could.

I said, “Paul was chastising his students one time. Paul had warned them that they were to disregard any teaching, which was not exactly as he had taught them, even if an angel had come to them.
Paul’s students were concerned that they had missed something Bruce; do you know what they believe they had missed? It wasn’t the second coming as so many believe. It couldn’t be the second coming Bruce, because there would be no doubt about that. Jesus would be among them and the Holy City would be on earth – how could they have thought they had missed th3e second coming? Does that really make sense?”

I could see it in his eyes, Bruce knew that didn’t make sense, it was not the second coming. So what was it?

“it was the Rapture Bruce! They thought they had missed the Rapture!.
Bruce my brother, Jesus Himself will ascend from Heaven with the Archangel, and He will command us to COME UP HITHER! He doesn’t set His feet on the earth, He calls out so loud and so powerful that His voice is compared with a mighty Trumpet call of God! Then, those who have died from the time of Jesus until the Rapture will rise first, and a split second later, those who remain alive at that time and believe in Jesus will also arise and the two groups will meet Jesus together in the AIR in the CLOUDS and from that moment on they will forever be with Jesus!
The reason for this is that God promised us that we were not appointed to wrath. It will be the final seven years of God’s wrath on earth which we are taken away from Bruce!”

I could see it in his eyes – He believed it with all he had. He knew it was the truth, and not John’s truth. It was God’s Truth that he heard.

Before I left that room, I said “Bruce, I tell you this for your wife’s benefit, because if God decides to take you home, she will not have to wait long. We will all be joined together soon through His Rapture.”
Then I told Bruce that God could completely heal him, and that I was going to pray hard for this miracle.

That was the last words we spoke before Bruce and his wife Monique went home last Wednesday.

I got home on Saturday night, and on Sunday morning I got a phone call from Monique telling me that Bruce had died on Saturday.

My friends, I got angry with Jesus when I found out Bruce had died.
I told my wife I was very angry with Jesus. Jesus tells us that when two or more of His get together in prayer, that it would be done, and yet my brother died, my friend Arthur died right after I prayed for him, and no Bruce had died!

I said to my wife, “look! Jesus actually spoke to me when I was addicted to booze and drugs, but he didn’t say a single word to me when my brother died. I accepted it because He gave my brother extra time to take Jesus into his heart before he died, so it was a trade-off. But my friend Arthur wasn’t supposed to die! He died after I prayed for his quick recovery! And now Bruce died! I got my brothers to get together and pray for Bruce’s complete healing! Jesus says if we have the faith of a mustard seed we can move mountains! I believed Bruce would be healed! But he died! And Jesus never said a word to me! Nothing! I am angry!!!!!!!!”

And I was, I was really burning mad with Jesus.
My wife began to openly cry because she had never ever heard me say such things to Jesus before. Dawn begged me to stop, but I wouldn’t.
Then Dawn had to pick up our son from work, so she left the house in tears, while I brooded.

Once Dawn left the driveway I began to see what looked like hot steam. Like what you see on a hot day coming off a highway.
Then in a split second our power went out, and in that split second Jesus spoke to me!!
In that split second Jesus said many things all at once to me, and I will share some of the things Jesus said to me with you now.

Jesus said that the time of man is at hand. The following is a well-known bible story (you will instantly know it), but I am still not clear minded, because I am still on painkillers, but this is what He said… He told me that a woman broke open a clay container full of expensive oils and poured it over his head. He told me the disciples got angry with her and told her she should have sold it and given the money to the poor. Jesus immediately scolded them, saying the woman had done a great thing, that she had honoured Him by anointing Him with this fine oil before His death. Jesus told me that my final words to Bruce were also an anointing to Bruce.

When I was in the hospital, my wife had bought a used book from Goodwill for seventy-five cents. It is called “Living Light” on the cover it says…”Daily light in today’s language from the living Bible”

I had not looked at the book yet, but Jesus told me to get the book and look at today’s date, which was Nov 6…

This is what is says on that date…

“When Christ who is our real life comes back again, you will shine with Him and share in all His glories”

I am the one who raises the dead and gives then life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again.

And what is it that God has said? That He has given us eternal life, and that this life is in His Son.
So whoever has God’s Son, has life; whoever does not have His Son, does not have life

The Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a mighty shout and with the soul-stirring cry of the archangel and the great trumpet-call of God. And the believers who are dead will be the first to rise to meet the Lord. Then we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever.
So comfort and encourage each other with this news.

When He comes we will be like Him, as a result of seeing Him as He really is. The bodies we have now embarrass us for they become sick and die; but they will be full of glory when we come back to life again. Yes, they are weak, dying bodies now, but when we live again they will be full of strength.
 There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming”

Jesus told me that He appears to me now as though I were looking through a fog, but that I should read the prophets, and read the prophecies which came true – that this would strengthen me until His appearing, and that soon, I will see Him as he really is and all will be clear to me then. Jesus made it very clear to me that He is with us - really, and truely right here with us - He hears every word and every thought - he knows every tear intimately - He is with us Amen!

My friends, those who know me will know this is the absolute truth, other’s can choose to believe or not, but I tell you that these things are true, Amen.

Thank you Jesus.

John (Bronzesnake)

Bronze,

Thank you for sharing.....................what a blessing, and how blessed YOU are.  We KNOW there are no coincidences.  He's never late.  He's never early.  He's always on time.  He came at the exact minute you needed Him.  He removed that anger from you.  He gave you that peace that surpasses all understanding.  Praise God!  He understood exactly how you felt.  What an awesome God!

I'm glad you felt well enough today to type all of that. It took a lot time and energy.  Go get some rest............you deserve it! :)

You're a blessing, Bronze.  He's still using you.  He will always use you because you love Him.

I'm happy you're home now and I pray that you will get stronger everyday.

Thanks for the hope and blessing today.  I needed it!!

Grace and peace,
cris

     

Brother,

It is a hard thing to see the suffering and death of these fleshy bodies of ours especially when they belong to family and friends. I praise God that we who are saved will only have to go through that once, that we will all be in heaven together with no more pain or sorrow.

I also praise God for dear friends like you that know this pain and sorrow first hand that also know the joy that awaits us all and can share that with so many.

Thank you, Brother for this wonderful testimony.

Brother John,

Thank you for sharing your beautiful testimony with us. You've given us all a lot to think about and pray about. We've both been in the hospital for the months at a time and faced death, but we are still here. In my mind and heart, I know that the LORD has a reason for everything. I simply give thanks that God has used us and allows us to serve HIM. For us and many other sweet Christians that we know, our death would simply mean "absent from the body and present with the LORD". I was just thinking about the Apostle Paul talking about his contrasting desires: one to stay and continue his ministry and the other to go home to be with the LORD.

Brother, the Holy Bible tells us that the physical death of one of HIS children is precious in the eyes of the LORD. It's hard for the friends and family left behind, but it's eternal joy in GLORY for the child who left this world. I'm thinking about my aunt who passed away recently and your friends. We are immediately translated into the Kingdom of JESUS when we accept HIM as LORD and SAVIOUR. So, "passed away" has a different meaning for us, and it's truly beautiful. I'm praying that many lost people read your testimony and it puts them on a path to accepting JESUS as their LORD and SAVIOUR.

John, you are a dear Brother in Christ and I give thanks for you.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Revelation 21:23 NASB  And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Bronze, Thank you for sharing your testimony. God's ways are so mysterious, we will not understand them because His thoughts are not our thoughts. We think in the here and now God is the Awesome Wonder and the Truth. I fully understand that anger is one of the first things people feel when they lose a friend or a loved one. I know first hand because I had a beautiful baby boy who died 4 days after he was born. I also got mad at God. But understand this God does not want us to suffer, and I believe that your friend Arthur is now resting peacefully in the arms of Jesus. You, my brother, did a wonderful thing in sharing your story about the rapture with Arthur and his wife. When we get to heaven we will find out exactly whose lives we have changed and how. I believe that you took a leap of faith and in all actuallity Arthur is now healed no longer suffering.
I am praying for your health as well, and even though I have never met any of my Christian brothers or sisters, the love of Jesus in our hearts makes us feel like we have been life long friends. In this way we know that we are following the command Jesus gave "a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you". It is God's amazing love that allows for us to have fellowship and feelings, and compassion. You are very blessed.
Maria. :)

aria my sister what a painful experience you went through and how I admire your faith in Him. You are a blessing to us all.

It was my friend 'Bruce" who I went on the journey as I described it my sister. Arthur was another new friend who had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in the early hours of one sad morning a couple of weeks before dear brother Bruce went home.

 I want to clarify a detail in my testimony before I continue.

The book I spoke of which my wife had bought is a sort of daily study. There is two pages of scripture for each and every day of the month for an entire year. I did not know this when Jesus told me to pick it up and search out the message for that particular day, which was Nov 6. The message from that day (Nov 6) was the Rapture verses, and the last words I ever spoke to Bruce.

Jesus told me many things in the span of no more than one second. I am changed my brother's and sisters. I can not adequately express how in words, but I am. I know Jesus is with us at all times - I absolutely, unequivically know it. I always believed it before this experience, but now I know it.

It was a miraculous event, and I am forever blessed and changed because I came into contact with the single most awsome and pwerful eternal force of eternity. Once Moses came even closer to God, because Moses actually gazed upon God's back. Moses' face had to be covered from that moment on because it actually glowed. My face doesn't glow, but my soul does!

Thank you all from the deepest recess of my heart to all my good friends here.

Tom, Roger, Bob. Cris - I have known you all for a good whilw now and have come to love you all.

Tom is such an inspiration to me for reasons I could now describe adequately. My first contact with Tom was a great big "Oklahoma Howdy!!"

Tom understands my pain because he is also suffering with a long term illness, as are my other close friends Roger and Bob.

Tom is always quick to encourage and send a loving word at just the right moment.

Thank you my dear friend.

Roger and I became almost instant friends. Roger is also one of the strongest faithful brothers I have ever known - not quick to send even a justified rebuke at other's when it was so richly deserved, and yet not a fool either. Roger knows exactly when to hold em, when to fold em, and when to bring down the hammer.

Roger, my dear friend I thank you so much for keeping the Fifth Day going. I am not going to improve too much health wise, so I am handing over the keys to the site to you my brother. I am not physically able to keep it going any more.

These past few posts have been very tough to get through,I am sick to my stomach quite a bit, so I'm taking my time here!

Tom my dear brother. You have been through more painful trials than anyone I have ever known, and you are a constant source of inspiration and amazement for my my brother! Thank you for showing me the heart of a True and faithful servant!

Cris, I don't know you as well as my brothers here, but it is easy to see that you are a strong and faithful servant who loves Jesus with all her heart. You have often made my rough days a little easier to get through! Thank you!!

There are so many other's here who I have come to love. Thank you all.

My doctors tell my I have leveled out, and most likely won't improve much from where I am now, but I can honestly sit here and tell you all that I have never, never been happier and more full of His loveing Grace that I am today!!!!

I won't be posting as much as I have in the past, but you can bet I will do my best to stay active here my friends!! :D

God has blessed us all.

Thank you all for all the prayers and encouragement you have so freely and lovingly given.

I'm off to bed for now, but I'll be back soon.

God Bless!!! :D :D :D :D

John (Bronzesnake)

Brother John I thank you for the kind words and want you to know that my feelings are mutual. You are a very good friend that has always had words of incouragement for others.

Brother I also thank you for your trust in me with the Fifth Day. I realise that you may not be up to keeping it up but I cannot accept the keys from you completely. That door will always remain open to you, if and when you are able to do anything there please do so.

(((Bronze))) :'(, I don't know what to say, its only been 2 or 3 months since I joined this forum and already I feel a closeness to all of my friends here. Your words of encouragement and love are so inspireing, yet I feel your pain I know you are ready to do whatever God wants. And you may not realize it but your face probably glows too. I know when I go to visit my daughters, they always tell me how my face glows, they say I have something that draws people to me and a joyful peace that inspires them. I personally don't notice any difference, but  I always tell them it is the Holy Spirit inside me and upon me. After your encounter with Jesus there is no doubt in my mind that you too are glowing. We all have a purpose on this earth, that is why God has chosen us and has kept us here, but He will not let us suffer beyond what we can bear. I have come to realize that almost everyone of us at the forum has some type of physical ailment, I myself have several neurological diseases that are progressive and incurable (from man's point of view), but I press forward as if I was fighting not for my own life, but for the life of my loved ones and friends and fellow Christians, and even the lost. It is a constant (spiritual) battle, for those of us that physically ill, God gives us spiritual strength. I cling onto Him as Jacob did when he was battling the angel of God. I know you do the same. I am praying for you my brother, and someday in heaven we will all be able to fellowship face to face and never again have any pain. You are on my prayer list. :D
Your sister in Christ, Maria.