By Rick Rupp, December 9, 2010
It's really an unsolved mystery as to what I saw circling the city of Topeka from atop Burnett's Mound Sept. 30th. But because it was pitch dark outside that night and because we had clear skies, I really believe the best explanation for what I and a few others saw, was most likely our God sending angels like He did in Daniel 10 when Daniel prayed. After all we had a gathering of people from many church denominations including people from every race represented to worship, pray for Topeka to experience transformation.
All I know is I could not take my eyes off the angelic looking beings as they circled both the tent we were worshiping Jesus Christ from. At first, I tried to explain it away saying it must be light reflecting on a flock of geese flying in the shape of a semi-circle instead of the normal v-shape. These things were like 50 foot long and shining dimly as they flew. The stars in the sky were quite bright, and in comparison, these angelic beings were barely visible to the naked eye. That's why I thought they were white pigeons or white doves flying in formation or a flock of geese. But if it were birds then why no honking noises nor sounds from their wings flattering? So next I wondered if Topeka had large white bats that circled our city after dark eating insects but flying in a semi-circle formation.
As I stared into the skies that night, I counted seeing 9 or 10 of these heavenly creatures each flying at different elevations and for the most part flying counter clock-wise around our prayer tent. But then one changed direction and flew clockwise, and then it literally stopped and hovered directly above the prayer tent.
Then I watched it change its shape as it stopped right over the prayer tent. It actually transformed into approx 40 bright fireballs over the prayer tent and went into the shape of a circle or like the shape of a wheel. It was fixed over the tent for only a minute and then disappeared out of my sight.
Obviously I have no way to be 100% sure that what I saw circling the tent was an angel or numerous angels, but I really don't know what else it could have been either.
Reflections on City On A Hill Gatherings
By Jon Packard
Written on October 12, 2010
Two Into One Meeting on Thursday, September 30-- There was a wonderful welcome by the First Nations Peoples, led by Lisa McFarland. Then we worshiped, prayed, and made some declarations. It was a great show of unity to have the Pastors and their wives come forward so we as the Body of Christ could repent of our lack of support and declare our commitment to them (Proclamation III needs to be put on the blogspot. I never got a copy of the program. Would you email me one?) God ministered by His Spirit to those that were up front, and then we took a break to greet them and speak words of encouragement to them and one another. Psalm 133. In Ephesians 5:25-26, the Word says that Jesus gave Himself for the Church so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word. Then in verse 27, Paul speaks of a glorious church that is holy and blameless, without any spot or wrinkle. In moments like the Two Into One meeting, we catch a glimpse of the church that Jesus will return for. As I was holding one of the two sticks before they were joined, I saw a picture of this.
During the early morning hours of Friday, October 1, God brought me to Ezekiel 47:1-12. I saw a vision of the water descending from the Throne of God, flowing forth through our worship to the city. In Ezekiel, it starts out as a trickle, increases to ankle deep, to knee deep, then waist deep, then becomes a river that can not be crossed because of the strength of the current. In my vision, it was a trickle. As the Citywide Church gains momentum, the depth of water flowing from the Throne will increase. Along the bank of the river there are trees. The leaves on the trees are for the healing of the nations, and the fruit represents the life the Citywide Church brings to the city (Revelation 22:1-2). The river of life flows into the sea, making the waters fresh. In it are very many fish, representing the souls saved as the Church joins together to share the Good News with the city.
On Friday evening, David Packard's team was ministering, and I was prayer leading. There were many people there, many of them Hispanic. I announced that the Healer was in the house. People who needed healing rose their hand, and many gathered around them to pray. Ron testified to God's healing touch in his leg. Peter declared healing for his ear, which has had nerve damage since he was a child.
The Saturday morning, October 2 Citywide Celebration Service was a glorious conclusion to the meetings. On Thursday evening, we had joined two sticks together to form a cross which was buried in the ground at the altar. We sang our theme song "God of the City" and shared testimonies of what God had done during the meetings. Then we carried the cross to the top of the Mound and declared to the city that Jesus is LORD. During the testimony time, I shared from 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. As I listened to others testify, God birthed in my heart the truth that truly all things are become new. We no longer recognize each other according to the flesh, but rather by our spirit man, which is continually renewed if we keep our focus on Him. Jesus gave us the ministry of reconciliation. We must go forth into the world in unity as ambassadors for Christ and proclaim the true Gospel. We must preach Christ crucified, Who became sin for us, that we might become the people He purposed for us to be from the foundation of the earth.
Since the meetings, some have questioned why there were no really big churches involved. When the exiles from Israel came back to their land, the foundation of the temple was laid, and some wept who had seen the earlier temple. God said to Zerubbabel, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit." Then He said, "For who has despised the day of small things?" Zechariah 4:6, 10 God has started with a remnant of the Body of Christ in Topeka. We are small, but mighty. We walk in the power of the Spirit, and do what He shows us to do. Join us, and allow Him to use you.
City on a Hill Testimony
By Peter Bone
This is a short testimony of what God did in and for me during the City on a Hill solemn assembly which took place from Thursday, September 30th through Saturday morning, October 1st. My story takes place on Friday night during the second part of the solemn assembly when the worship and prayer was taking place for 33 hours straight.
I came out for the second night to support the prayer and worship part of the solemn assembly after having already attended the first night when the First Nations peoples welcomed us onto the hill of Burnett’s Mound. I was spending time in worship and prayer when Jon Packard and his team came up to lead worship. They began with a really powerful time of worship where the Holy Spirit led us straight into the presence of God. After a few songs, Jon Packard began to speak by the Spirit of God that God wanted to do some healing in this place and if anyone wanted prayer would they please raise their hands and people would gather around them to pray for them. At first I didn’t want to raise my hands for fear of being disappointed, but I felt God was telling me to raise my hands and ask for prayer by faith believing that not only could God heal me but that He also wanted to heal me. So I raised my hand, and several people began to gather around me, lay their hands on me, and pray out loud for me while Jon Packard was praying over the microphone for people to be healed.
At first, I felt nothing at all, but I began by faith to praise God and thank Him for the healing that He has already provided for and that He has done by the stripes of Jesus. After a few minutes, I began to feel the Spirit of God come over me, and my hands began to shake uncontrollably, and I started to praise and worship God in my Spirit language. I also began to cry openly as I felt the love of God roll over me like a river. I felt such peace and love that I knew God was in that place, and He was moving in my life and body. After Jon was done praying, he asked if anybody had a testimony to share, and I heard God saying to me by His Spirit to get up and share that I had been healed by faith even though nothing had changed in the natural, and I still could not hear fully in my left ear, which had been mostly deaf since I was a child. My right ear also does not have full hearing even though it is the ear which I hear the best with.
So, I got up and shared what I just shared with you. I spoke by faith that God had healed me and restored my hearing completely. I do not hear better in the natural yet, but by faith I believe I am healed and will hear again completely without hearing aids when it is His time to receive the most glory and honor from the healing. I believe those who are doubters and unbelievers will come to Christ and surrender to Him as they see the faithfulness and goodness of God in my life. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. I believe that as I speak out the truth of the Word of God and what He has done in my life by faith, I will see His promises of healing come to pass and many will taste and see that the Lord is good and be saved.
Amen!
