Hi all,
A Walk Through the Old Testament:
With the new year, I begin a year-long study of the Old Testament, starting this month with Genesis. It will be fascinating, enlightening, and thought-provoking! The study will be a huge blessing by adding to your general knowledge, and we’ll see Christ throughout the OT.
Atlanta conference.
We had a wonderfully rich time in the Lord during our Atlanta Saturday conference on the 11th. I’ve heard from many how the balance of the teaching, practical wisdom, and move of the Spirit in worship changed them. We also ate lunch and dinner together, so new friendships formed. I think we had 11 states represented, and many of those who couldn’t make it due to the weather were able to join part of the sessions via Zoom. We plan to do more of these 1-day events later this year!
Visitation: In a visitation recently I asked the Lord about the year to come. It’s interesting how He talks, for He at first said: “I’ve already told you as it stands now, what will happen in this new administration, so I don’t need to tell you again. (I’ve shared part of that) Hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Settle your hearts and prepare your hearts, for these next years are a time to prepare and establish, not a time to be lazy and think all things will continue as they have.”
Those who are walking with the Lord like you reading this, known in your spirit ‘something is up’. There is a sense of the Father doing things or about to do things we’ve not seen in this country before. In this visitation He shared the way this country would be going in the future, as many will after this new administration, look for the government to be their source and supply. For us though, He spoke of miracles being seen in homes, miraculous supply, and a situation in which we will be vilified in the culture, but on a person to person basis, people will come to the Lord in massive numbers. There is great peace in this.
In the US among conservatives, it seems like a ‘party atmosphere’, gleeful in the promise of happy days are here again…that’s just the thing the Lord was warning about, and it pertains to all nations. We have a window of time to settle our hearts, to prepare our hearts.
In a different context in Luke 21:14 Jesus said: “Settle it in your hearts now to think before how you will answer.” The word ‘settle’ is ‘tithemi’ and means ‘to place’ or ‘to set in place’. It was used in Matthew 5: 15 that you don’t place a candle under a basket, and in Matthew 27: 60 to describe where they ‘placed’ or ‘set’ the body of Jesus in the tomb.
Jesus in that context of Luke 21 was talking about cultural or direct persecution, and said to now, before you see that, to set your heart in place.
How to ‘settle’ the heart
Hebrews 10: 32 says: “Call to remembrance the former days, when you were first illuminated (born again) and the great difficulties you faced.” The meaning being to remember His faithfulness from start to now, and settling your heart to know as He was faithful then, He is faithful now, and will be faithful in the future. You can settle the heart against future difficulties if you call to remembrance his record of faithfulness throughout your life. And some of us can think of our lives before we came to the Lord and remember that He was faithful to bring us to salvation in the first place – without Him many of us would be dead or locked up! Remember the early days, settle your heart that He was faithful, is, faithful, will be faithful. Fear nothing. Stay away from web sites that have spirits of fear attached, for there are many ‘Christian’ sites that have unclean spirits attached. Be disciplined no matter how curious you are….faith in Christ is serious business, guard your hearts and minds.
For those walking with Him, who hold onto His peace, will see His faithfulness in all things.
As we start a new year, we thank you for your prayers, emails, written prayer requests – I wish I could respond with a thank you note to each and every one, but it isn’t possible. Know that we love you, appreciate you, and I pray for every prayer request – you are important to us, and we are thankful you are in our lives!
Blessings,
John & Barb, Brian & Amy
