Glory - Part 1

"The glory of the coming of the Lord is at hand." These words spoken to me by the Lord along the banks of the Amazon River in Peru must be proclaimed. My soul overflows, my body is afire to speak, my mind is full of His glory. The message is so wonderful, the truth so thrilling, the reality so soon to be, that I excitedly share this with you.

For five hours God gave me a vision of the glory of the coming of the Lord. From 3 a.m. until 8 a.m., God opened the windows of Heaven like to John on the Isle of Patmos and to Daniel in his visions. I had carried a twelve-foot, ninety-pound cross on foot around the world, across six continents, and had now arrived in Peru to take the cross by boat along the thousands of miles of the huge Amazon River, stopping to preach in the villages along the river. I was in Iquitos, Peru, ready to begin the trip. My daughter, Gina, was with me, along with Mike Ooten. One night before we left on the boat we were reading from the Bible; I Samuel 2:35 struck my heart: And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

The truth of this passage leaped at me! The Lord has so much to share, to say, to let us in on; oh, but we are so incapable of truly receiving what He is saying. God is saying, "I've got so much for you." We say, "Oh yes, Lord, give me a new T.V., bless me, give me that gift..." We are like children, playing and wanting toys when God has --so much more!

I prayed, "Oh, Lord, from this moment forward, I want nothing more than for You to be able to share with me what is in Your heart and mind --- and by Thy grace, strength and Spirit --- to do it. I want to know what Is on Your heart, oh Lord, how do You feel; Thy word in the Bible declares it. Thy Spirit wants to reveal it."

After our prayers, I went to sleep at 1:00 a.m. At 3:00 a.m. I woke up with my eyes seeing this awesome vision. I could see in the room where I was, but also there was another dimension. It was like I was viewing through a huge picture window, for in the distance I could see a tiny speck, glowing in its brightness coming closer ... closer ... toward the earth and me. I could see the swirling colors of red, gold, orange, yellow, and fire --- all the colors of brightness --- coming toward me.

My heart was pounding and I tried to cry out, but on came the indescribable brightness. It was like ocean waves, not rolling from on top downward, but from the bottom up, then around and mixing. Behind was glistening brightness --- not colored but like silver, pure whiteness --- ultra-white -- glowing just behind the fiery stream of glory.

Inside I was exploding as I realized, "The Lord is coming!" I tried to speak but could not; I tried to move but was motionless. I could see my watch ---it was 3 a.m.

The glory of the Lord continued to sweep toward the earth, then upon the earth, perfecting everything in its presence --- coming on toward me, then through the huge window and into the room! The sweeping bright fiery cloud of glory was almost upon me, just missing touching my body. Inside I was aglow. Had the glory touched me, I would have been gone; yet I experienced it inside.

Then I saw the letters before my eyes that stayed for five hours: "Arthur, proclaim the glory of the coming of the Lord is at hand!" I tried to cry out or move, yet I could not, almost bursting. I lay there for an hour as the glory continued to fill the room and sweep by me, pouring forth from the Heaven as a constant stream.

Oh, it was glorious -- nothing to compare it to, or no words to describe. I tell you, you don't want to miss the glory of the coming of the Lord -- better to have never been born than to miss the glory of the coming of the Lord!

Finally, my muttered groanings trying to say, "Gina, Mike... the Lord..." woke up Gina and Mike. They thought I had a stroke, but finally I could speak just briefly. "See ... there ... the glory of the coming of the Lord Is at hand. Can't you see it?" But they could not.

Then I crawled out of bed and over to Mike, lay my hand upon his eyes and said, "Lord, open his eyes and let him see." Then I asked, "Mike what do you see?" "Nothing," he replied as he looked where I was pointing. I then sat down upon the floor and said, "Lord, I don't understand this. I love you; I don't need a vision."

Then the Lord spoke for the first time, "Fear not, receive what I'm giving you." At that point I said, "Okay, Lord," and all my strength left me. I lay on the floor as dead. I could hear the voice of Gina asking, "Mike, is Daddy dead?" Mike replied, "He's having a vision, Gina. Leave him alone and let's just watch and pray for him." At that point I cannot describe what I saw. There are no words to express or things to compare it to. God revealed His glory for hour after hour. I did not know if I could live through it. The Lord just opened up the windows of Heaven to me as I saw His glory. Oh, Holy, Holy, Holy is our Lord! Wonderful are His ways and glorious is His splendor! Hallelujah!

For a while I would experience the lostness of the lost. Water would pour from my eyes as God would let me experience how it feels to miss...oh, to miss the "glory of the coming of the Lord." The horror, the emptiness, the void, the pain of agony. I tell you, friends, you don't want to miss this -- miss anything else in this world, but not the Lord!

Just as suddenly, God would let me be caught up in this glory! How can you describe being consumed in the fullness of God, caught up into glory? I just tell you, it's more wonderful than your must wonderful experience multiplied a billion times! For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with he glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18). But, as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. (I Corinthians 2:9-10)

Later Gina said I lay in His glorious presence for hours; my hands lifted up for over an hour.

Then the Lord spoke to me" "Arthur, proclaim the glory of the coming of the Lord is at hand." I said, "Lord, I don't want to get off on the second coming. I've been called by You to be an evangelist. I believe You're coming again, but I'm no theologian. I get confused with all the prophecies about Egypt, Syria, Russia, etc. I don't want anything that will get me away from seeing people saved." How foolish, but that's the truth as I responded to God. But the Lord replied, "Arthur, leave the theology to the theologian. You proclaim "The glory of the coming of the Lord is at hand."

"When, Lord are You coming?" I asked. "Arthur proclaim, "The glory of the coming of the Lord is at hand," was the reply. But, Lord I'm not able; I'm Your road man, Your dirt man, carrying this huge cross on foot around the world for all these years. Surely You've got someone better than me -- the television evangelist, crusade preacher, etc. -- not me. All I know is You and the common peoples of the world."