The Road of Trials and Testing

Joseph Herrin (07-15-09)

I hear from quite a number of people concerning their experiences in this hour. Many are finding the Spirit directing their paths to make preparations for coming days when the four horsemen of the apocalypse will be stalking the land. Following is an account from Joe Boes, a brother in Christ who lives in the Atlanta area. I have been blessed to meet with Joe on several occasions, and we correspond frequently.

Joe was led of the Spirit to sell a boat he had purchased some years back. The boat sold in a remarkable manner, even when he was no longer advertising it and the market for boats was not good. He used the money from the boat to purchase a motorhome, as the Spirit was speaking to him about preparing an ark for coming days. Below is a picture of the motorhome Joe purchased.





















The motorhome the Lord directed Joe to purchase is 20 years old. It is 29 feet long and had only 43,000 original miles on it. Low miles are not unusual for motorhomes as many people leave them parked the majority of the time.

Joe has been making various repairs on the motorhome to get it ready for use. He felt that he should take it on a test trip, as I recently did with my van/camper when I stayed a week by the lake. This shake down cruise (a good term for taking one’s ARK out on the road) would expose any further things that needed to be repaired or made ready.

Joe’s experience is not uncommon. He had a number of problems, each of which had to be worked out to continue the trip. I have been helping others with preparations on their “arks,” and a common denominator with all those I have assisted, as well as my own van, is that there have been numerous problems to fix and modifications to be made.

I recently discussed this with my friend Randy. The Spirit of Christ directed Randy to purchase a 30 foot motorhome built in 1982. It is a Monaco, and when we looked up the origin of the name we found that it means “those who dwell apart.” The model of the unit is 111A. The number 111 seems to be ubiquitous in this hour. America’s 111th Congress is in session. The 111th Supreme Court justice is being interviewed for the vacant position. Interestingly, my van/camper is a model 222 Xplorer van, which is 111 x 2.

Randy could not even drive his motorhome to the house without first doing significant work to it. It has been trial and error, trials and testing. The fuel system had problems. He replaced the fuel pump, filters and line, but still had problems. He eventually had to take both gas tanks loose and get them cleaned and re-coated inside as they contained rusty sediment. This corrected the fuel problem, but then other problems became evident.

The person who sold the RV advertised it as having new brakes. It actually had new brake pads on one wheel, and the brake on that side would not work at all. Randy replaced the caliper which puts pressure on the brake pads to cause the wheel to stop. Then he discovered the brake line was clogged, not allowing fluid to the caliper. Having replaced this he discovered that the brake master cylinder was leaking and needed replacing. This was completed and he now seems to have good brakes.

Aside from this, there are many electrical problems with the motorhome. Randy had assistance from a man last week and got his headlights operable. The rear driving lights yet need to be fixed. The interior lights do not work, and the inverter is not hooked up to supply 12 volt DC power when plugged into a 110 volt AC outlet. Randy repaired the oil dip stick, which would not slide in all the way, and had not been working for a considerable time from the appearance of rust on it. He replaced a leaking water faucet, replaced spark plugs, wires, and tuned the carburetor. After much work, the generator will now crank, but it doesn’t supply any power to the motorhome as the electrical system has been tampered with by someone who did not know what they were doing. The wipers don’t work, and the list goes on.

The entire experience has been very trying for Randy. He has had limited funds to work with, which requires that he perform the work himself. The question arises, “Why didn’t God give him something in better shape if it will be needed in coming days? Why does there have to be so many problems, so many trials and setbacks?”

The answer is that Yahweh’s priorities are different than mans. Yahweh is not interested in making our way easy. He is focused upon raising up sons in His image. This pathway of trials and tests is perfectly adapted to encourage the people of God to arise as spiritual creatures. Every time our flesh is provoked we must die a little more to the Adamic nature. Our trials reveal that our level of patience is inadequate. We must press deeper into Christ, surrendering to Him and drawing spiritual life through the vine to which we are attached. We must find in Christ the patience, the perseverance, the self-control, the faith, the hope, the joy, the love, the humility and every other good thing that we need.

The Israelites proved that mankind’s natural response to trials and adversity is to grumble and complain. God could have made their way easy in the wilderness. He could have given them an abundance and variety of food, water and creature comforts, but He chose not to.

Isaiah 30:20
The Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression...

Why does the Lord choose a difficult path for His people when He could make it much easier? It is to humble our natural man that we might fight to emerge as a spiritual people. We must die to the old nature to live to the new. Struggle is a necessary part of our training in righteousness. Even Christ learned obedience by the things He suffered.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3
And you shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.

Yahweh could make our way much easier, but that is not His priority. He wants His people to fight the good fight of faith daily. We must all face trials, obstacles, disappointments, setbacks, sorrows, and a myriad of things that our flesh and soul despise. We must face them and consciously, intentionally, and with great perseverance, patience, and self-control refuse to give ourselves to the natural Adamic response which is to cry out bitterly in complaint, questioning God and His ways. We must guard against all murmuring and all expressions of discontent with the path Yahweh has chosen for us. This is the way of the cross.

Consider the context and meaning of the apostle Paul’s words to the saints in Corinth. He shared with them about the example of the Israelites who were led into the wilderness with Moses. Their way was hard. The dangers faced were real. Yahweh did not shelter them from being tried. He promised to be with them in all things and to bring them into their inheritance, but He did not say they would not have to fight, endure, or be tested to the limit. Sadly, most of that first generation over the age of 20 failed the test.

I Corinthians 10:5-13
Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, " The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

The Amplified Bible renders the last verse above in the following way:

I Corinthians 10:13
For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

All men are tempted to grumble against God when things do not go their way. All men are prone to complaint and to questioning God and His ways. Suffering patiently does not come naturally to any man, nor does maintaining joy and hope in the midst of endless adversity. Yet God, in these verses above penned by a man who knew a lot about suffering, declares that every trial has been perfectly apportioned to each son and daughter of His. He will NEVER put you through a trial that is greater than your ability to overcome. He will always provide a way through the trial victoriously. The children of God never have to grumble, complain, or speak words of unbelief or rebellion.

I am finding that many in following the direction of the Lord in making preparations for coming days are finding that their way is attended with difficulty. All things do not go smoothly, even when God has clearly directed us to go a certain way. Christ told His disciples to enter the boat and cross to the other shore. On their way a great storm overtook them and the wind was contrary so they could not make any headway. The boat was taking on water, and their labors were not getting them to the destination to which Christ had sent them.

Why didn’t Christ give them smooth seas and a wind at their back? Why the struggle? Why the test? It is to elicit from inside of His disciples a faith and resolve that will not turn back. It is to promote every fruit of the Spirit that must be manifested in such times in order to stay the course. It is to cause us to learn the habit of looking intently to Him in our time of need. He will not leave us forever. If we wait patiently for Him, not giving in to frustrations, fears, pride, or any other contrary thing, in the right moment Yahshua will come and rescue us. He will get us safely home.

The following testimony brings out this truth in a marvelous way. I pray that you might have a discerning heart as you read.

Dear Brother Joseph,

I just wanted you to thank you for continuing on sending your message out for the Saints to prepare and abide. It is not a popular message and lot of ‘Christians’ may scoff at it, but the ones for who it is sent out, receive it with open arms. Thank you and my prayer goes out to you that the Lord may continue to give you the knowledge and the wisdom to bring forth His message at this hour.

I’m still in Ohio with the motorhome and what seems to be a vacation for my wife and child, turned out to be another part of preparation for the wilderness for me. Just as the writer in your previous blog was pointing out seeing the number 666, I also have been seeing this number on this trip and wondering about its meaning. In my fleshly and carnal mind I thought I had prepared the motorhome for a long 2 week vacation with my family. A work related event forced me to go to New Jersey rather than on the “two” week vacation and I shaved off one week of the vacation.

We decided to go to Lake Erie instead. On the way up here the electrical system of the engine started to give me trouble and upon arriving, my main battery was dead. I replaced this battery two weeks ago. I started troubleshooting and thought the battery switch was not working anymore. I purchased a switch locally, but the spirit directed me to double check my troubleshooting and I found the alternator to be defective as well. So I went to the local parts store to purchase an alternator and installed it. This seemed to fix the problem.

The day before yesterday the refrigerator stopped working on AC power and is running on propane sporadically. I again troubleshot intensely, yet could not figure out what the problem was. I downloaded the repair manual, but exhausted, I gave up. Again, the Spirit directed me the next day to perform a simple task of unplugging a plug on the PC- Board and plugging it back in and the AC light came back on. It works on and off, but I know I have to replace the PC board to fix the problem. One of the relays on the PC board is defective.

The Spirit is directing me to all the things I still need to do on this ark before it’s really ready to launch. I realized this is not necessarily a vacation for me, and my wife stated the same, saying that I worked almost every day so far on the RV, feeling sorry for me. The food we ate was anything but fancy either. We so far have lived on very simple meals. We rented a small car to be mobile away from the RV and the plate number on the rental car is 6447, the plate number on our ark is 9447. I know this to be very significant, but have not received anything in regards to it yet.

I found it is easier to hear the voice of the spirit in our normal everyday surroundings, but in unfamiliar territory like traveling with a motorhome 800+ miles away from home, it is more difficult and needs more discipline and patience. The Lord is teaching me without a doubt.

We are leaving tomorrow morning, trying to make it back to Georgia in one long trip. The Spirit has given me a list of things to do as soon as I return. He may be adding something tomorrow. I know the Lord is speaking through you encouraging His people to trust in Him and to follow Him. Faith without works is dead. It is that “works” part I’m being schooled in right now and I’m sure I’m not the only one struggling at times with it.

May the Lord bless His Saints. Thanks Brother Joseph,

Joe Boes

A few days later Joe wrote to me again.

Dear Brother Joseph,

I want to share with you the things that happened to us during our return trip, and you may want to share it with Randy since he is going through similar trials on his preparation work of his ark.

God will leave you little clues all the time for us to discern. Our return trip incorporated some events I discerned are from the Lord. It was a wonderful experience, even though the things that happened are anything but wonderful in a carnal sense. Let me tell you the events as they happened during the trip. I will add the discernment later, since the Lord gave me the meaning a day after the trip ended.

I decided to return from Geneva, Ohio back to Flowery Branch, Georgia on Saturday in one big trip and not split it into two trips as we decided on the way up there. I determined if I could get rolling by 7 am on Saturday morning that would get us to Flowery Branch around 9:00 or 10:00 pm Saturday night. I had problems with the Alternator on the way up and replaced it while staying at the campsite. Our stay was anything but fancy. We did not go out to eat, but lived from what we had brought with us in the RV.

I started the trip as I had determined, and was rolling at 7:00 A.M.. We had rented a small car at Cleveland airport and brought it with us to be mobile during the week. My wife was driving behind me in the rental car on our way back to Cleveland to return the car and continue our trip back. About 25 miles into the trip I noticed the smell of antifreeze coolant and looked at the gauge. The engine was overheating. I pulled over on the emergency lane at I-90 and the engine was definitely overheating. I investigated and noticed the belt was missing from the water pump and alternator. It had wrapped around the fan and was rendered useless. I told my wife to go get a belt at the next local auto parts store since we still had the small rental car. She came back approximately 45 minutes later with the part. I installed the new belt and everything started operating normal again.

We continued our trip, dropping off the rental car at the airport, heading south on I-71. Torrential rain stayed with us until we reached Cincinnati. In Kentucky the rain stopped and the weather started improving. I was on a mission and made only two fuel stops. I was determined to make it home. In Tennessee the weather was real nice. I kept on driving at a pace between 55-65 mph and made good progress. The GPS was confirming my efforts. Arrival time was estimated at 10:15 P.M..

While driving down I-75 towards Atlanta, the RV stalled completely without warning and I coasted to the emergency lane and stopped. I tried to restart but with no success. The engine was turning fine but did not start. I figured maybe a fuel problem, yet the generator ran fine from the same tank.

I looked at the GPS and we came to a stop exactly 3.0 miles from our next way point I-285. I calculated it out later and this put us 44 miles from home.

It was dark and I could not figure out what was wrong. We called AAA to get towed in. The only one available to tow a motorhome that evening was a service out of Jackson, Georgia, approximately 1.5 hours south of our location. AAA sent him on his way and we waited patiently for his arrival. AAA provides free towing for the first 100 miles.

It was after midnight when he arrived and we stared getting the motorhome prepared for towing. We had to get the driveshaft off the differential not to destroy the transmission during towing. The young driver of the tow truck hooked up the RV and we went on our way home. I was riding with him in the tow truck to give him directions to our home. His wife was in the back of the semi cabin to keep him company. She is pregnant and is expecting to give birth to a baby boy in December. The driver’s name was Joshua and he said he is on call 24/7. He brought us home safely and backed the RV in the parking place. At 3:00 am on Sunday morning we made it home.

During all this I did not receive any discernment, but knew the hand of our Father directing me and I understood there was purpose in all that happened. I prayed and asked for understanding and discernment of all that had happened to us during this return trip.

After a few hours of sleep I got up, wanting to pray and to seek HIS presence. I opened my bible at random and it opened on page 911. On Sunday throughout the day the Spirit started to reveal things to me concerning these events. My trip was a parable for what is to come, for what is ahead of us and there are elements we are to discern very closely.

When I started the trip back home it represented the return to God. The message revealed was to trust in Him, to rest in Him, to walk by faith, and to cease from our own works. This is what the tribulation is all about.

Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

I left self-willed and determined on my own the pace, route and timing of this trip. I decided how this trip was to be completed. My carnal nature was in control and was controlling me. The engine overheating was the first indication that we cannot trust in the arm of the flesh. I was not a willing vessel, I was a controlling vessel. I still had carnal means available to continue the trip as I had determined it. The rental car served well to get what we needed to continue our journey. As soon as we dropped off the rental car (our fleshly means of help), and I mean immediately after, it started storming with heavy rain and it rained heavy all the way through the state of Ohio. For most of this part of the trip I could not see anything. So will it be for us when in the coming days our Father will ask us to start our journey. We will not see (understand) much of what is going on around us, but we are to trust in HIM and the ark he has provided for us.

As soon as we do, we have to cast down any self-will, pride and any other stronghold in our hearts and minds and submit to him humbly and in meekness. We cannot reach the end of this journey on our own, by our own means. He showed this to me when I broke down with the motorhome exactly 44 miles from home. I coasted over to the emergency lane at I-75 southbound. I tried to figure out myself what was wrong with the motorhome. I quickly came to the end of my testing and checking and quickly surrendered to Him. We sat at the side of the road and, while my wife was calling AAA, I prayed and thanked God asking Him for his mercy and grace, to forgive me for the things I had said and done that did not please him. I put my trust in Him to provide whatever HE decided I needed at that moment. I declined an offer from a police officer who stopped to check on us, and offered to call a tow truck for us. Instead we waited 1.5 hours for a tow truck from Jackson, Georgia.

(A) is the first letter in the alphabet and is therefore stamped numerically as 1. AAA represented 111. The driver’s name of the tow truck was Joshua and he said he is on duty 24/7. So is our Lord Yahshua. He is our driver and He is working for us 24/7. Joshua’s wife being pregnant with a baby boy represented the woman about to bring forth the man-child.

The whole trip was stamped with the number 44. The plate on the RV has the number 44 in the center (9447). The plate number on our rental car had the same pattern (6447). On this trip I passed 44,444 miles on my odometer and I came to a halt exactly 44 miles from home The Lord directed me today to see which is the 44th book in the bible. It is Acts. The book of Acts is all about the birth of HIS true Church, about Pentecost. We are about to have our own book of Acts to go through.

I pray for all the brothers and sisters who have come out of Babylon and who seek Him in faith and repentance, that they might break down just as I was shown. As soon as we do, Yahshua will come and bring us home.

HALLELUJAH!

Joe Boes

What a marvelous testimony, and what wonderful significance is found in the details. At the end of a long trying trip Joe found the grace available to wait patiently for help to arrive. Help was in the form of a young man named Joshua who is on call 24/7. What a picture of our Savior who is always standing by, ready to help those who call on Him. He will get us to our destination even as He did His disciples. When He came walking on the water and stepped in the boat, immediately they were at their destination.

Trials and tests will be our portion in abundance, but we need not complain, fret, or manifest some fleshly outburst. If we will but die a little more to the natural man, we will find Christ increasing in us. Truly, we must decrease that He might increase.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063