Articles
Charismatic Canine
This passive pet is actually full of charisma. Would you believe she just spent a long time at the organ? Would you believe it was actually a keyboard? Well anyway, she really did visit the keyboard player and the members of the congregation in order to make it clear that she was saying, “I love you.”
Our church’s gathering place for summer camp meetings is in the heart of Kathryn Kuhlman country. She was not only a very charismatic and anointed preacher of the gospel in Franklin, PA, but her miracles and healing ministry swept across America. I saw Kathryn Kuhlman in Eureka, CA. In her book, “Nothing is Impossible with God,” Kathryn tells the story of Clara Curteman of Fortuna, CA. Clara was thought to have a brain tumor, but further diagnosis showed she had a very deadly and incurable blood disease. Clara was told to make provisions for her five young children as she would be dying soon. She was taken by her employer, a restaurant owner, to the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for a Kathryn Kuhlman meeting. Kathryn called her down to the stage where a healing was completed much to the joy of Eureka and Fortuna residents! Clara got her job back, got her health back and got to be a joyous mother of five children.
When the press would beg Ms. Kuhlman to tell them her secret means of healing, she would very simply reply, “I do not have any secret. Jesus does all the healing work, so you’ll have to ask Him.”
I grew up being forced by my father, to listen to Katherine every Sunday morning, whether I wanted to or not. After a few radio programs, I was devoted to her preaching, teaching, and effective prayer. I did not become a Christian until years later, but Katherine Kuhlman was one reason I was anxious to become a follower of Christ.
Morgan, the beagle, pictured here, at a somber moment, spends more time in the ecclesia (church) than most people do and she is one of the most loving creatures I have ever encountered. Morgan is not alone. Another dear lady associated with the church, whose first name is Jean, was glancing occasionally at her handbag. When the service ended, I asked her what was in the bag. She opened it wider, so I could see and inside, snuggled the most beautiful Chihuahua I had ever seen Pumpkin is her name! As I marveled at Pumpkin, Jean commented, “Don’t worry I cleared her with the pastor.” With all the love in this church; worry was the farthest thing from my mind. I was overjoyed, knowing that the scripture says, in Colossians 1:20, “And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven.” Both Morgan and Pumpkin seem to spend considerable time in Earth and some in Heaven, too. In 1Corinthians the Bible tells us to do all our things with Love. Jean’s love for those in the church and for Pumpkin is so obvious. She is filled with the Holy Spirit and has taken what God is doing on the Earth to a whole new level. It is hard to tell Jean is a senior citizen, because she is so on-fire for the Lord with her passion, ability, and humility!
Around this state and many others, animals, we are told, do not go to Heaven and are not reconciled to God because they don’t have a soul. If anyone knew that soul means “mind, emotion and will,” they would stand up and shout. “My dogs, my cat, my parrot, my iguana or my British hedgehog have a soul, Hallelujah!” I am persuaded that across America most citizens of our country are convinced that not only is their pet a part of their family, but if anyone is going to Heaven, their pet already has a ticket.
This is not a head trip, but this comes from the heart of enlightened and loving people. While they may believe in their heart that animals surely must go to Heaven they are often told by their church, “Animals don’t go to Heaven, because they don’t have a soul.” I cannot imagine one single example of an animal that has no mind, emotion, or will! Living animals tend to be loving creatures that desire a little love themselves and are far more loyal than most people. I am rejoicing because at the church I attend, I meet people who are filled with the Holy Spirit, that really love Jesus Christ; that the presence of God is always discernable, and that pets are usually present, as part of the family of God.
In 1996 the Union of Concerned Scientists released a film called, “Keeping the Earth.” This film was produced by the Union of Concerned Scientists in cooperation with the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. The film features Jews, Christians and scientists who cooperated together to produce this video. It is understandably narrated by the soothing voice of James Earl Jones. Some of the spiritual and scientific information was given by Calvin DeWitt who was Executive Director of the Au Sable Institute for 25 years. The central points of the film, which I underlined in my heart, concerned many aspects of environmentalism. As well, the documentary depicted the deliverance of humanity by Noah and his ark and saving every animal species from extinction through it.
Noah did not distinguish between the human beings he was taking on board and the animals. God was concerned about all flesh!! (Many churches, now, tell the history of Noah as if only eight people, alone, were on board the ark, and fail to address the incredible rescue of animals that may no longer exist! They say little or nothing about the animals.) The video, which I have shown to numerous friends, concludes that we should open our churches, temples, and synagogues to all of God’s creation.
I began studying what the Bible had to say about animals in Heaven and Heaven in animals from the release of that film, but I found few churches paying any attention to what the Bible had to teach us or what the movie had to reach us with. Half a decade later, a very few human souls began to preach about the subject. Some of the men, who touched on it, were famous international preachers who I will mention further along. The message still has not reached critical mass, but it has come a long way since 1996. Today, if I am not feeling well and do nothing, but watch spiritual programming all day, I am almost certain to find theologians, teachers and preachers, who affirm what the Apostle Paul enlarged upon in many ways.
When Jesus was born, He was surrounded by animals. When He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, He was with the wild creatures and the angels ministered unto Him. Colossians 1:20 shows us that after He shed His blood on the cross, died and was risen from the dead, great things could happen for people and animals. Adam once paid great affection and attention to the animals. No doubt, they were frightened and severed from the love they received from God through Adam, when he fell. They were frightened and neglected and eventually abused greatly by the likes of much of mankind, particularly Nimrod.
Jesse Duplantis, C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, Jack & Rexella Van Impe, Randy Alcorn, St. Francis of Assisi, and Martin Luther along with many others on You Tube, testify to this once almost totally obscured revelation, sealed until the time of the end, in the Holy Word of God! Please don’t doubt your faith that your pets or even wild animals go to Heaven, because there is simply a lot of light and revelation and scripture to substantiate your faith that God is love and that He loves animals more than we do. God be thanked for that!
The facility once enriched by the presence of Kathryn Kuhlman has now become a place where the greatness of God’s love is available to all. We haven’t had any little children leading about wolves, lions, and bears, but I expect that won’t be too far in the future. Isaiah the Prophet promised us this would become a manifest reality in 11:6. A great transformation is happening as we speak. No one would turn their children over to these dangerous animals unless they had been changed, become friendly and safe. God uses the word “restored.”
For now Pumpkin, the Chihuahua, and Morgan, the Beagle, will have a lot to say about the world to come, just by their happy, loving, presence. I hope that a representative of every species will show up just to confirm that Heaven is full of animals and according to Revelation 4:6 & 8, Jesus doesn’t mind them on the throne and flying above it, for they see the past, they see the future and looking ahead they bless Him saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come.”
Most Christians were lost without hope, and now are transformed and reunited to God. (See Ephesians 2:12) Christ, through the Holy Spirit led us and accomplished our deliverance! Not just upon human kind, will God pour out His Holy Spirit. It takes a lot of spiritual power to change a lion into a safe playmate for a child, but look at Joel 2:28a, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh…”
