The "Eye of God" also known as the Helix Nebula was photographed with the Hubble Space Telescope! Click image for larger photo!
Rom 1:19-20 (ISV) For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God himself has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes-his eternal power and divine nature-have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse.
In 1980, I graduated from Florida State University with a double major in Insurance and Real Estate. After a short work with an independent insurance agency in Tampa, FL, I then went to work as a stock broker. My Father and I opened our own financial planning firm in 1984. I also learned to fly airplanes and received my IFR rating. I had religion, but I did NOT have a relationship with the living God! I was a hypocrate, which means, an actor! I pretended to be Christian, going to church so that other people would think that I was a good man. But in my heart, and private life, I was a very sinful man.
In 1988, I moved into an apartment complex in Crystal River. I owned a house in a prestigious neighborhood at the time, but had rented it as I tried to start a second office in Tampa, which failed. As a new resident of the apartment complex, I went next door to introduce myself to my neighbors, Tim and Jody Hines, who took the time to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with me. For the first time in my 30 years of life, I clearly understood the Gospel. That night I went to church with Tim and Jody and after the service I asked the Pastor "you people are always speaking about being 'Born Again'. What do you mean by this?" He read Romans 10:9-10 to me and explained my need to be saved and asked me if I would pray with him and ask Jesus into my heart. I acknowledged and that night I prayed to Jesus to enter my heart and wash me of my sins by His blood.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see (understand) the kingdom of God. John 3:3
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10
I was truly transformed by the Holy Spirit that now, at the age of 30, was finally living inside of me. I was sickened by my sinful life and chose to change forever. Starting that same day, I returned home and trashed my pornography, called the cable company to shut off the TV, and when Friday night came, instead of going to the bar to drink and pick up a one night stand, I stayed home and talked to Jesus. My drinking and fornicating days had come to an end. The Lord Jesus and I fellowshiped together that entire night. I could feel the presence of the Lord as I told him my whole life's story. I knew He was listening and understood me like no one ever has. The days following my salvation, were different. They had come alive in a new way, and I realized how dead I really was prior to surrendering to Christ as I could literally feel the new life that had begun! My past was forgiven, my future had a NEW destiny, I was a new man! As time progressed after my salvation experience, I would often sit under the starlit night and commune with the living God. I began a daily ritual of waking early in the morning, and finding a peaceful place where I could commune with God and watch the blackness of the night turn to light as I watched the beauty of the sun rising with the birds waking with their songs of praise! Spending the first few hours of the day with the Lord, was the strength that made each day so wonderful. If you have never been "born again", you will not understand the glorious joy of feeling the presence of Almighty God and a new life! Prayer is no longer a bourdon, but a pleasure and joy! Whenever I prayed, I felt like I was being lifted up, out of my body, and being held in the arms of God!
... and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3
I realize that these experiences are foolishness to the unsaved reader, but then, God's word declares that Spiritual things are foolishness to those who are "natural, carnal, unsaved"! Yet, in your heart, if you will be honest with yourself, you too wish you could have a "New Life" experience with the living God, which you can, if you would truly repent and call on the name of Jesus Christ!
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14
In the months ahead, I became consumed with Jesus and His Holy Word, the Bible. Jesus became everything to me! I was no longer ashamed of him or his word. His word became my daily bread of life. I read it through the night until daybreak, learning things I had never known about the Lord. The errors I was taught in my own denomination in which I grew up in, were being washed away with the truth I found in God's Word! It was liberating me, making me free! I would ask Him questions and He would speak to my heart and answer me. I played the Bible on cassette tapes throughout the night, and the Lord would supernaturally wake me up to hear the exact Word from the Scriptures which would answer my question. He was teaching me by His Spirit and His Word!
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32
On several occasions, the Lord would speak to me audibly with a voice that sounded like another person was in the room speaking to me. On one occasion, He foretold something that actually took place 3 days later. It brought great rejoicing to me as it was an answer to prayer.
I began receiving visions of the Lord. One day, after a Jewish woman rejected the Gospel telling me that Jesus was "Just a good Jewish boy" I returned home and for the next 6 hours, the Lord let me see, in a vision, the scene where Jesus was standing before the judges, and a guard lifting the back end of the spear, would hit Jesus with an undercut under the chin. His weakened body would then fall to the ground and a voice spoke to me saying "Just a good Jewish boy!" Then the vision would repeat itself. I wept bitterly as I witnessed the one whom I had fallen in love with, being struck, falling to the ground, and the words "Just a good Jewish boy!" repeat itself for 6 hours.
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Acts 2:17
One day, I had been fasting and crying out to the Lord from the depths of my innermost being that He would manifest Himself to me. That night, after hours of worship and crying out to the Lord Jesus, as I lay on my face in my room, the presence of the Lord filled my room. It was heavy, like the presure you feel when you are at the bottom of a swimming pool, and what felt like an electrical current of energy was filling the room. Then, at that moment, I knew there was someone else in my room. He stood at the foot of my bed and I knew it was Jesus. I was filled with Holy fear as the King of the Universe stood there before me. In the next moment, He was no longer at the foot of the bed, but was now standing right in front of me. I spoke to Him and said "Jesus, I am afraid to open my eyes as I know that if I do, I would be looking at your feet." At that moment, I don't know how to explain it, but I knew He was looking right through me, like a transparent glass, and saw the child that He formed in my Mother's womb. He looked right past my sinful, wicked life and loved that child He formed. Then, I felt Him lay His right hand on my left shoulder. A feeling, like oil, mint fresh, hot and cold, like you experience when you swallow an ice cube and you feel the coolness as it goes down to your stomach, the minty oil like feeling oozed from the top of my head and slowly moved down my inner body until it reached my feet. It was as if I had been washed. I must have spent the rest of the night there on the floor, as I never wanted this presence to leave.
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest (reveal) myself to him. John 14:21
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. [26] A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezekiel 36:25-27
Many more experiences took place, of which I could write a book.
I went to Christ for the Nations Bible Institute in Dallas Texas and graduated in 1992. I was later ordained into the ministry. In 1993, I traveled to Honduras on 2 occasions for short, 10 day mission trips. A year later in 1994, during a short term mission trip to Trinidad, the Lord spoke to my heart to return to Honduras and live there helping Frank Monterroso, another missionary who lives in the Moskito Coast. So I returned.
Between 1994 -1996 I made 3 more trips and spent 14 months in Honduras, carrying the cross, teaching at the Bible Institute, preaching in churches and physically laboring with Frank. On one occasion we journyed into Guatemala passing out tracts. In 1995, during an interim between trip to Honduras, I also worked 8 months as Assistant Pastor at New Life Christian Center in Crystal River, FL. In August of 2000, I returned to Honduras including visiting the island of Roatan, staying 2 months carrying the cross and distributing some 8,000 tracts throughout the country. I have returned to Honduras in 2003, 2005, 2006 , & 2008
I began carrying the cross in 1991 in my hometown of Crystal River, Florida and since then, have traveled my hometown streets with the cross possibly hundreds of times.
When I returned from Honduras in 1996-7, I teamed up with Lance Rowe carrying the cross through southern Louisiana on Hwy. 90. In 1998 and 1999 I traveled with Michael Siemercarrying the cross through Eastern United states and into Canada. In May of the year 2000, Michael and I flew to Europe landing in Barcelona, Spain and traveled through France to Rome, Italy, carrying the cross and passing out tracts. You can read my journal notes at Europe trip.
In May of 2001, Michael Siemer and I traveled to Ireland and walked the cross in 11 cities through Ireland, North Ireland, Scotland and England. To read of my trip, go to Ireland.
I have, on occasions, traveled with other crossbearers. On my web site you will find links to each of these "crossbearers."
Since 1990, the Lord has taken me to preach at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Fantasy Fest in Key West & Riverbend in Chattanooga annually.
On May 8th, 2004, in Dayton, Tennessee, Michael and I were both arrested and charged while attempting to carry the cross during a Gay Day festival. The city later compensated us for the false arrest, the charges were dropped and expunged (removed from our records), and we received a letter of apology from the arresting officer (the Chief of Police)!
Since my salvation in 1988, hundreds of thousands of tracts have been distributed and I've had the joy of praying with innumerable numbers of people for salvation and ministry.
A WITNESS OF OUR LORD and GOD, JESUS CHRIST (Acts 1:8, John 20:28),
Brian O'Connell
"crossbearer"
Doctrinal Statement
1. The Scriptures
The divine inspiration of the Bible, which is inerrant in the original writings, and that, it is of supreme and final authority in faith and practice.
2. The Godhead
One God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. Man, his Fall and Redemption
The creation of man in the divine image, man's subsequent fall through sin, resulting in universal guilt and total depravity; and the necessity, therefore, of redemption and restoration.
4. The Deity of Jesus Christ
The deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, perfect life, redeeming death, bodily resurrection, heavenly intercession, and His personal return.
5. The Holy Spirit
The personality of the Holy Spirit by Whose regenerative work, sinful man is born again, and by Whose indwelling regenerate man is enabled to live a godly life.
6. Resurrection
The bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment of the lost.
7. The Body of Christ
The spiritual unity of all believers as comprising the true Church, which has the duty to preach the Gospel to every creature.
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