Hi all,
I want to start by saying a big thank you for those who continue to pray about the blood clot in my heart. My next appointment is a CT in September, but I do believe the Lord is at work – I continue to have normal energy and strength, and trust the Lord is dissolving that thing.
I had 1 trip this past week and fly to Bozeman, Montana Friday for the weekend, and I’m happy to report that Chris is handling the change of his normal schedule of seeing mom and dad very well. He’s called me a couple times on this last trip and he is always positive, for which I was so thankful – when you have a handicapped adult in your care and leave them in someone else’s care while you’re absent, they are never far from your thoughts and prayers.
Mentally Chris is about 4 years old (physically 38), though he picks up on things at a more mature level, so not seeing mom and dad at the regular time due to our trips sometimes throws him off in his moods, which makes it more difficult for the aides at the group home who deal with him.
About this month’s series – This series will answer questions and provide wisdom for those who have experienced attacks ‘out of the blue’, random, for no reason that can be explained other way than being demonic in origin. It isn’t talked about nor taught very often, but these unprovoked attacks come in seasons, assignments, and just as a matter of walking through life. But this series will help you discern if it is a demonic attack, and what to do about it.
Prophetic
It is interesting to see things happening before our eyes on two fronts that the Lord spoke to me about when He visited me in February. The first is the continued development of the alliance between Arab nations, those largely siding with the US and (secretly with) Israel against Iran’s influence in the region, coupled with Russia’s increased involvement in the region.
In terms of analyzing things on a purely political level, the recent strikes against Syria’s bases in retaliation for the chemical attacks were so limited, to anyone watching it clearly sent a message that the US isn’t going directly after the Syrian regime nor Russia’s help of that regime. (Taking great pains to avoid any Russian casualties) In short, the limited nature of the strikes told the world Syria’s government is safe from direct US attack. That will lead to Russia being pulled in even more into the region as I shared in last month’s series on how close are we to WW3?
The other thing and in fact the main thing the Lord talks about when He visits me is about what He is doing in the body of Christ. He told me some things are going to happen in the US and world very quickly later this year (politically and economically), two things spaced just a short time apart (over about a 2 month span with smaller things in between). These and other things will cause many to think seriously about their faith, and from within seek out friends already doing church in the home…
Specifically He said a unity is coming in the body of Christ as it turns outward in focus even as talk in the world of a growing unity among some denominations is heard – the counterfeit mirror image of what He is really doing in the body of Christ behind the scenes and beneath the headlines.
He said in the coming days the Father will stretch forth His hand to do so many miracles and healings among people in house churches that it will be common and a way of life to expect and see such things. Soon, house church will be the ‘hot thing’ in the US He said, and will grow in other countries quickly as well. And while some will get off balance in it as they jump in to what He is doing – as people tend to do with moves of the Spirit – the larger move will be abiding, and find its balance.
He acknowledged that in my perspective, being in touch with many around the world, I’ve already seen dramatic miracles in home churches for years, but they’ve been here a little and there a little. This will be more like a way of life, throughout the body, many will realize this IS normal Christianity to have miracles and home meetings hand in hand, inseparable, that if you need a miracle, find a balanced house church – that is what is coming.
He added this from His perspective: Because many in house churches have already seen the Father do so much and it is so normal, that when He ‘stretches forth His hand’ for the more dramatic, they won’t become prideful nor lifted up, but just accept it in stride as normal Christian life. That was interesting to me, that He commented many in His body have matured enough to handle such things because they won’t get lifted up in pride as if they had anything to do with it, nor boast and make it public that such and such happened in their midst – they will be mature enough to just think “This is normal for Christians, this is just our way of life.”
There is a maturity, a seriousness of the faith in people that is happening. No longer willing to just invite Jesus into their life, but taking their life to Him to do with as He pleases, and that kind of heart can handle larger miracles and workings without them thinking they had something to do with it.
He said first it would start slowly with reports of healings and miracles here and there, and some will immaturely focus on those things as human nature does sometimes, but overall the majority will just see it as the Father stretching His hand to touch His people and stay in balance.
A lesson about a dump truck
A couple of weeks ago we had Chris home for his normal Friday/Saturday home visit from the group home.
On that Friday we had been running errands all day, and I was tired as was Chris and glad to be headed home. We were driving home along country roads that wind around the lake we live on. A big, fully loaded dump truck turned in front of us at a 4-way stop (it was his turn after all) and it was a diesel truck that needed a tune up – thick black smoke swirled over us as I slowed the car to a crawl, unable to pass along the narrow roads.
This went on for a couple miles/1.2 km, and Chris was excited about seeing a dump truck and talked constantly about it, about the smoke, how it stunk, about how it was loaded with something heavy, and so forth. (He runs a constant commentary on about any car, truck, plane or train he sees)
Soon, I saw my chance to pass
As I was about to poke the car out from behind the truck to sneak a peak to see if there was any oncoming traffic, I thought half to myself and half to the Father, “Father, I’d sure like to get around this guy if no one is coming my way in the other direction.”
And immediately, totally unexpected, I heard Him reply: “You may do that if you want, but then again, you might consider that maybe I ordered your steps to be behind it for Chris’ sake and enjoyment.” Instantly I replied as I pulled the car back to my side of the road and slowed, “Oh. Sorry Father, I hadn’t even thought about that”, and He simply said, “That’s okay.”
After a couple more miles we turned right and just after that turn the dump truck pulled over. Chris was excited, and we pulled beside him and I rolled down Chris’ window – the driver said he pulled over because he thought we would want to pass, but I explained that we wanted to be behind him, briefly explained about Chris, and he started up again with us trailing behind – it made Chris’ day.
That lesson, to slow down and consider the dump truck obstacle wasn’t for me, wasn’t missed by me. Not every delay is the devil, not every obstacle in life is the enemy. We have to look past the first assumption of what that obstacle is for, and think larger than ourselves to the Father’s larger work. It isn’t always about us, sometimes it’s about others. And it is the Father at work, not the devil.
Sometimes the Father lets us know we can do what we had in mind for our time frame and agenda. But if we did, we’d miss a larger blessing. Consider asking Him if that ‘dump truck’ causing you to slow down, might not be about you and your schedule and your list of things to do after all, but for someone else’s need or purpose, and He just needs your cooperation to allow Him to work.
We are about half way towards our Kenya water well goal of $7500, and we have an expensive Dutch trip coming up in May as well as some other expenses coming up – we do appreciate your giving, prayers, and letting us know how to pray for you. Thanks for being in our lives, John & Barb
