America on Deathwatch

Joseph Herrin (11-22-2014)

Deathwatch - A vigil beside a dying, or dead person. A guard set over a condemned person before execution.

Yesterday was unusual in the number of signs I personally observed which all point to a tremendous transition coming to America (and by extension all nations). The transition is not one that Americans will consider pleasant. It is one the patriots of the nation would avoid if they had the ability to do so. However, they are not being given a choice. The American Republic which has had her freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution drawn up by her founding fathers is now in her last days. Dire changes are near at hand. Those who are disciples of Christ need to stand in readiness for those things which are coming.

I have noted in numerous blog posts that the number 14 signifies transition. Some may be unaware of the divine connection between 14 and transition, so I will provide an explanation. The Father first made me aware of the significance of this number in 1999 when His Spirit began indicating to me that it was His will that I leave my employment as a computer manager at a hospital complex. I had been employed there since 1985, a period of 14 years.

Yahweh was not merely calling me to another job in the computer field. He was directing me into a radically different life. Everything was about to change for me. Yahweh indicated I was to begin ministering full-time through writing while looking solely to Him for all care and provision of my family. In a short period of time, my family and I went through a transformation of our lives that was comprehensive. We gave up our home, our furnishings, and most of our possessions as we transitioned to life in a 28 foot motorhome. It was a 1986 model motorhome and we acquired it in 2000, this again being 14 years.

Anticipating what Yahweh was doing, and having much fear and anxiety about what He was calling me into, I began asking God to confirm what He was showing me that I might have full assurance that I was following the path He had appointed to my family and I. The Spirit spoke to me and told me to look up the word “fourteen” in the Bible. I went to my computer, opened my Bible study software, and did a search on the word “fourteen.” The program provides snippets from each verse where a word occur. The very first occurrence of this word in the Bible is found in Genesis 31:41. What I saw on the screen was “I have worked for you for fourteen years...” I got up suddenly from the chair, shouting, for I had a strong sense of the Father speaking a word of affirmation that I was to leave my employer at that time.

This verse is found in the story of Jacob as he is leaving his father-in-law Laban’s household to return to the land of Canaan with his wives, children, flocks, and servants. This was a great transition in Jacob’s life. The first occurrence of any word, or number in the Bible often serves to establish its significance. In the first occurrence of “fourteen” in the Bible we see it connected to the idea of transition or change. Looking to the New Testament I found the first occurrence of this word/number in the very first chapter of Matthew.

Matthew 1:17
Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ fourteen generations.

Once again we see fourteen connected to the idea of transition, for at each of the junctures mentioned in the verse above, the manner in which Yahweh dealt with His people was altered drastically. Human experience was radically altered at the passing of fourteen generations from God’s initial call to Abraham. In a recent writing where I mentioned Jonathan Cahn’s book The Mystery of Shemitah, I wrote of my anticipation for the year 2015. 2015 will mark 14 years from the events of September 11th, 2001 when America began to experience a rapid erosion of freedoms, protection from the overreach of government, and a descent toward a totalitarian state. You can find the article on the Shemitah year at the following link:

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/come-what-may-are-you-ready.html

Just prior to Nicholas losing his job and being informed he had to move out of the home he had been staying in since his release from prison, God had been speaking to him of transition coming to his life. Yahweh had done so by showing Nicholas the number 14 in prominent ways. The transition came to pass quite suddenly as he now is living with me and has a new job. Just before Nicholas relocated to stay with me he went to visit his father one last time. His father lives in Columbus, Georgia. Columbus signifies America as a nation, being the name of the man who is credited with discovering the nation. The U.S. capital also bears his name, being the District of Columbia. Lady Columbia also serves as a symbol of the nation.

Lady Columbia

As Nicholas was driving toward Columbus, nearing the outskirts of the city, the traffic on the Interstate came to a halt. Up ahead a large fire could be seen raging on the side of the road. A car had run into the back of a tanker truck and a fire had erupted. Officers began walking down the Interstate instructing people to turn around and go back the other direction. (The significance of this will become evident as you continue reading.) Nicholas found a way to his father’s house by taking back roads, but on his return home he once more found the Interstate blocked. There was a sign instructing all traffic to take Exit 14. This “sign” was indicating that transition/change is coming to all Americans. It is unavoidable. It will be precipitated by some fiery calamity that occurs suddenly.

I would remind readers at this point that the unseen hand, the global powers that dictate the course of the politics of nations, including America, have been subtly declaring what is coming to the United States. Barack Obama is the hand picked designee of the global elite who are working to bring about a New World Order. The theme chosen for his first Presidential campaign in 2008 was “Change.”

In his second presidential campaign in 2012 the official Obama website greeted every visitor with the unusual question “Are You In?”

In this day of text messaging the question above would be written in shorthand form as R U In? Those who designed this campaign slogan certainly understood that the word “RUIN” is spelled when this slogan is converted to a text message. The global elite was sending a message that Obama would bring Change to America and that Change would spell out her RUIN.

Returning to the events of yesterday, the first sign that I encountered appeared when Nicholas sent me a text message from work. He asked me whether I had heard of the 14 car pile-up on I-75 that had shut down both north and southbound lanes. He stated that the number 14 had stood out to him, and he felt Yahweh was indicating that transition is coming to this nation. I had not heard of the accident, so I went to the website of the most popular Macon television broadcaster, which serves this area. Their lead story was the car accident.

One significance of Yahweh choosing to speak of transition in the context of traffic being stopped, is that one of the most disruptive aspects of martial law is a prohibition against travel. This was observed in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings where all residents were ordered to “shelter in place.” This is merely a euphemistic way of stating that the population’s freedom to travel has been canceled by edict of the authorities. Boston, one of the premier cities of America, took on the appearance of a ghost town as all residents were forbidden to be out on the roads.

Boston - Martial Law - Traffic Stopped

Over a week ago I had taken the pecans I collected from the sides of the rural roads nearby to a local business that cracks the nuts and removes the shells. I took a five gallon bucket full, as well as a large bag that contained the nuts I had gathered. I left them at the business along with my name and phone number, expecting a call back in a day or two to say they were ready. Not having heard anything, I decided to call the business owner yesterday and ask him about the nuts. I left a message, and an employee called me back. He said they had a bag with 14 pounds of pecans in it with my name, and it was ready for me to pick up. I mentioned that I also left a white 5 gallon bucket with a screw on Gamma lid. The man was somewhat sheepish when he explained that another customer had taken that bucket with them. He said he would try to contact the customer to see if they would return it, along with the nuts in it.

A few hours later the same man called me back. He apologized, stating that he had been unable to contact the customer who took my bucket of pecans. He said he thought it an odd occurrence, for the person who took my bucket had out of state tags. They should have known that the bucket was not theirs as they had brought only half a bucket of pecans to be cracked, but had left with a bucket and a half of pecans. The man apologized again, and stated that since my bucket was valued about $20 that they would give me a 5 gallon bucket full of pecans in addition to the 14 pounds in the bag, and they would not charge me for the cracking service, which was estimated around $20. He determined that 26 pounds of pecans fill a 5 gallon bucket, so he gave me 40 pounds altogether.

I pondered what the Father was communicating to me through this experience, for I recognize that He orders all the events of my life. The Bible states:

Proverbs 16:9
The mind of man plans his way, but Yahweh directs his steps.

There are no accidents in life. God never sleeps, nor slumbers. He never is absent from the events of our lives. It is wisdom to seek to understand the purpose, and potential message, Yahweh has for us in all things. The number 14 stood out to me once again. Was Yahweh speaking of transition? If so, transition into what? I ended up with 40 pounds of shelled pecans. 40 is a number denoting a time of trial and testing. It is associated with the wilderness, for Yahweh led Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, and His Son was led of the Spirit to begin His ministry by spending 40 days in the wilderness fasting. That I was also receiving free food, for I had picked the pecans up at no cost, and the shelling also cost me nothing (other than a lost bucket), was consistent with both wilderness experiences. For in the Israelites’ wilderness journeys Yahweh provided manna from heaven and water from the rock. We are also told that after Yahshua was tested by the devil in the wilderness that Yahweh sent angels to minister to him with food (Matthew 4:11).

What I discerned is that Yahweh is speaking of a wilderness experience coming to His people. As they pass through this experience Yahweh will provide the food for them they need to survive.

Later in the day, another event occurred that only in hindsight did I connect to the experience just described. I use honey as a sweetener, rather than sugar. About 2 years ago I purchased 6 - 5 pound containers of honey through an online source after searching for a good price. I returned to the same website and saw that a discount was offered when purchasing a minimum of six containers. I totaled up the bill, with shipping, and it came to $97.28. I reasoned that it was a good price for two years’ worth of honey, but I questioned whether I could afford to pay out nearly $100 for honey at that time. I decided to check my PayPal account to see if any donations had come in from brothers or sisters in Christ that day, before making my decision.

Upon checking my PayPal account, I discovered that a sister in Christ had sent me $100 earlier that day. I at once felt released to make the purchase. As I considered the matter, I perceived that twice in the same day Yahweh had provided for me healthy and nutritious foods while requiring no outlay of money from my pocket. I sensed Yahweh indicating that He would provide for His people who looked to Him in faith in the days ahead. Interestingly, both the pecans and honey are natural products. They can be found in the wild, and can be eaten without any processing, or cooking required. They are true wilderness foods.

Yahweh had more testimonies to share with me before the day was over. Some dear friends, a brother and sister in Christ who reside in the deserts of Arizona, had contacted me earlier in the week. The brother had taken his elderly father into his home a few years earlier to care for him in his declining years. They notified me that they had called in hospice a few days previously, as the man’s elderly father had quit eating, and beginning that day was no longer drinking any liquids. Yesterday morning they notified me of his passing. Yesterday evening I received a further e-mail from them. The subject line read “The Last Farewell.” This sister included a photograph of her husband (the son of the deceased man) holding open the front door on the porch of their home as two hospice workers rolled out a gurney that held the flag draped body of his father. (It is customary for American military veterans to be covered with the U.S. flag when they die.) All that could be seen was the American flag being rolled out on a gurney.

As I viewed this image my spirit was immediately quickened to the parable it contained. America is on deathwatch. The constitutional republic that the world has known as America will soon perish from the earth. Yahweh had been speaking to me all day about the transition to come.

SS United States

I was reminded of the recent blog post from October where I wrote of the former ocean liner the SS United States also being placed on what amounted to deathwatch. The conservancy that had striven for years to find a savior to restore the ship to its former grandeur announced that they were running out of time. A decision had to be made soon to sell the ship for scrap if an investor could not be found to shoulder the huge burden of converting the ship into a dockside restaurant, shopping, and entertainment complex. It was estimated that it would cost in excess of $300 million dollars to do so. As of this date, no angel investor has come forward. The ship SS United States is looking pallid and ravaged by the years. It is costing around $60,000 per month just to keep it docked in Philadelphia, the city in which America was conceived, and in which her seminal documents were written. You can find the post on the SS United States at the following link:

http://parablesblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/late-bloomers-and-fall-of-america.html

Notably, the couple who are mentioned at the beginning of the post on the SS United States are the same brother and sister whose father just passed away. Surely Yahweh is speaking through these events.

Yahweh was not finished speaking for the day. There was one more message I received from the Father, and it has led me to the discovery of some profound information that has great relevance for the near future for America. It is my habit to play a game of Scrabble on my computer before going to bed. It helps me to relax and unwind from the day. Upon finishing the game last night, a game which I won handily against the computer opponent, a summary of wins and losses is displayed. Following is what I observed.

Joseph Wins! 222 Wins, 48 Losses, 2 Draws

The numbers arrested my attention, as I saw a relationship to the things the Father had been speaking to me throughout the day. America is a nation comprised of 50 individual states. These states are often broken down into “the lower 48" plus Alaska and Hawaii. Thus, the 48 and 2 on the scoreboard stand for the United States of America. The number 222 is equally significant. This is a number I have written of in the past. The Lord has often shown me this number in relation to America’s downfall, though I have at times failed to discern how this number relates to timing. Even now I do not wish to be dogmatic about specific dates and times, but I believe it is expedient to share with other believers that which I am perceiving that they might test the matter themselves and take it before the Lord.

The Father first drew my attention to the number 222 some years ago when He provided me with a camper/van that I used to travel this nation to speak to His people about the judgments to come and the need to yield their lives fully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The camper/van was a Xplorer Xtravan, model 222. The Father chose a brother in Christ to travel the nation with me. The first trip we made was to Fort Wayne, Indiana. I understood that vehicles represented ministries, and the number 222 was stamped upon the ministry Yahweh had given to me. 222 contains a repetition of the number 2. E.W. Bullinger, in his excellent book Number in Scripture, provides the following comments about the meaning of the number 2.

TWO
We now come to the spiritual significance of the number Two... It is the first number by which we can divide another, and therefore in all its uses we may trace this fundamental idea of division or difference.
[End Excerpt]

In a very significant fulfillment of the idea of division, the brother Yahweh appointed to travel with me struggled mightily with Yahweh’s assignment. He was reluctant to set forth with me, and spoke of turning back almost from the time we started. We left from Georgia, and by the time we reached Louisville, Kentucky, this brother was in such distress of mind that he told me he could not continue, but wanted to board a bus and return home. I took him to the Greyhound bus station in Louisville and purchased a ticket for him to return to Macon. The ticket cost $111.00. I at once saw the significance of this. It was one half the number of the model of my van. It spoke of a division and sundering of the ministry team Yahweh had chosen.

Yahweh has also been speaking of division coming to America. He has spoken of brother being divided against brother as it occurred in the Civil War. You can find two posts on this subject here:

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/brother-against-brother.html

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/february-3rd-2013.html

The number 222 has arrested my attention on a number of occasions. Some years back a train crash occurred in California when Metrolink 111 crashed. The train was carrying 222 passengers. The train had left Union Station and crashed head on at full speed into a Union Pacific freight train. The entire event was a profound parable of the upcoming destruction of the Union of America. Of the 222 passengers aboard, 26 died, and 135 were injured. 81 of the passengers were transported to hospitals in serious or critical condition. The high number of casualties leads to an interpretation of there being very few who will escape the coming destruction of the American union without suffering some serious injury or loss.

Another occurrence of the number 222 in relation to America is observed on the back of the one hundred dollar bill. The clock tower of Independence Hall is displayed on the bill. The clock hands are set to the time 2:22.

Following is a close up of the clock face on the tower.

2:22

It was inside this building in Philadelphia that the nascent government first met to hammer out the plans for the new nation and to set their signature to its first documents. I have long wondered about the significance of the number 222, for it appears in significant ways in relation to America. The second year of Barack Obama’s term as President of the United States was the 222nd year of American government. His tenure began concurrently with the seating of the 111th Congress, for each Congress runs for 2 years.

Sensing that there is truth in Jonathan Cahn’s suggestion that this present Shemitah year that ends on September 13, 2015 will once more prove calamitous to America, and after seeing the tallies for the Scrabble game last night, I was prompted to calculate what occurred in America 222 years prior to the year 2015. I wanted to see if there were something significant that occurred in the year 1793 which would relate to America’s fate 222 years later. I was surprised by what I found.

On September 18th (6+6+6) 1793, George Washington laid the cornerstone for the United States Capitol. America will mark 222 years from that date on September 18th, 2015.

George Washington Laying the Cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol Sept. 18, 1793

I wrote of this event in the book Dragon Flood. In it I made mention of George Washington being a Freemason and appearing in the garb of the Freemason as he officiated at this event. The Masons presented offerings of corn, wine, and oil, following the pattern of the offerings presented to Baal in the Old Testament.

Hosea 2:8
For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

Could the legislative body that meets in the U.S. Capitol building reach an end of its existence 222 years after the cornerstone of the building was laid? Just this week Barack Obama has once more acted as an imperial President by utilizing an Executive Order to provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, usurping the legislative role that was assigned to Congress by America’s founding fathers. Will we soon see Congressional powers usurped altogether, and all authority placed into the hands of the Executive office as martial law is declared? I do not know the answers to these questions, but I see an affirmative response as a very real possibility.

It was something else that occurred in 1793 that led to much sober reflection on what is coming to America. In 1793, not only was the city of Philadelphia the largest city in America, it was also serving as the new nation’s capital. In that year there was a Yellow Fever epidemic which struck Philadelphia. In this city of 50,000 citizens, 5,000 people perished in a period from August 1st to November 9th, 1793. This was 10% of the city’s population who died from this pandemic outbreak. Not only this, but 20,000 citizens fled the city to escape the plague. This was 40% of the entire city’s population who left.

With all the media attention given to Ebola, and the talk of instituting quarantines, and limiting travel, it is easy to see a parallel between what occurred in America in 1793 and what may occur in 2015, 222 years later. As people began fleeing Philadelphia to escape the threat of Yellow Fever, other towns and cities began establishing roadblocks, and refusing entrance to anyone who was a refugee from Philadelphia. Wikipedia provides the following entry.

Some neighboring towns refused to let refugees in from Philadelphia, for fear they were carrying the fever. Major port cities such as Baltimore and New York had quarantines against refugees and goods from Philadelphia.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Fever_Epidemic_of_1793]

Could the upcoming societal and governmental upheaval that America faces be precipitated by a real or contrived pandemic outbreak in her midst? In Philadelphia in 1793, business was so disrupted by the outbreak of Yellow Fever and the chaos that ensued, that banks could not collect on loans to businesses in the city. Consequently, the banks automatically renewed any loans that were outstanding until after the outbreak passed. If a similar event occurred today, banks would not be so accommodating. All the power is in their hands, and they control the reins of government. Millions of people and businesses would be brought to poverty, driven into a desperate dependence upon the government for handouts. In this way the masses would be subjugated to the governmental masters who feed them.

As I dug deeper into the pandemic outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793, I discovered a fascinating book published by Yale Press in 2013. (It is at Yale University that the Skull and Bones secret society is headquartered.) The book is titled Ship of Death: A Voyage That Changed the Atlantic World.

The author did extensive research to track down the source of the Yellow Fever outbreak that afflicted Philadelphia in 1793. The trail led to the Hankey, a British ship whose voyage began at Gravesend (a very portentous name), England which is located on the Thames River where it meets the Atlantic. Onboard the ship were a group of abolitionists whose intent was to bring an end to the slave trade. The ship traveled to West Africa where it was met with numerous mishaps, not the least of which was encountering the Yellow Fever. After the majority onboard the ship either died, or abandoned the mission to return home, the ship continued to the West Indies spreading Yellow Fever wherever it went. In Grenada 50% of the white population died of Yellow Fever within six months of the arrival of the Hankey.

From there the ship went to what is now Haiti. Napoleon’s French troops were so devastated by the Yellow Fever that he abandoned the West Indies and decided to sell the Louisiana Territory to America at a fire-sale price. The Hankey was driven out of port, and fled to Philadelphia where it once again spread the deadly scourge it first picked up in West Africa, the same area where Ebola has its source.

Despite the best efforts of other American cities to keep the pandemic from spreading, Yellow Fever made its way to New York, Boston, and Charleston along with every major urban port in the nation. Tens of thousands died in America from the disease. A special hospital for those infected with Yellow Fever was set-up in Philadelphia. 50% of the patients in the hospital died from the illness, a death rate comparable to that of Ebola. The parallels to the Ebola outbreak which began in West Africa are obvious. The difference is that transportation has evolved from ships to airplanes, spreading disease quicker and further.

What is Yahweh speaking? Are the messages of transition coming, linked to events where all traffic is halted, a sign of an upcoming governmental response to a pandemic outbreak? This certainly seems like a possibility, particularly in light of what occurred in America 222 years ago. I have much anticipation for what will occur in 2015. I continue to watch and pray.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws    

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com    

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

Would Jesus Press the Snooze Button?

Joseph Herrin (11-20-2014)

I have found one benefit of having a young brother in Christ stay with me at this time is that there are many opportunities to discuss diverse subjects relating to discipleship and our daily walk in this world. Recently, Nicholas and I have had a number of discussions about Christians’ tendency to compartmentalize their lives. Christians tend to seek to know the mind and will of God in certain areas of their lives while neglecting to seek Yahweh’s mind in a myriad of other areas. We have all been guilty of this. I have found that discovering the multitude of ways in which our lives have been affected by a Satanic world system, and the ubiquitous influence of the sinful flesh, is a task that can last a lifetime.

Nicholas had observed a Christian man at church discussing the need to surrender to the will of God regarding the clothes we wear. What the man shared was good and insightful. It represented a proper attitude toward God in this very significant aspect of our daily lives. Many of the people in this area, including those who attend the church Nicholas is now in fellowship with, come from a Mennonite background. They are traditionally conservative when it comes to matters of personal appearance. Yet, these same people often neglect to bring the same level of spiritual scrutiny to other areas of life that are equally important. The result is a disparate mixture of soulish actions and spiritual actions. I shared with Nicholas that we all have areas yet to be discovered in our lives in which have not given proper thought to the will of God. There are things we do out of habit, or through the influence of the culture we have been raised in, where we have not considered whether these behaviors are pleasing to the Father and in accordance with the will of His Spirit.

Some time back I made mention of one of these often overlooked aspects of human behavior. This occurred when I first posted a number of my writings in e-book format on Amazon’s website. I noted how common it is for people to put a price on the items they are selling that falls just short of a round dollar figure. For example, someone may price their books for sale at $9.99 each, or a store may advertise merchandise for sale for $1.95. If we are not prone to thoughtful reflection and fail to deliberate over our actions, we may never have considered why it is the near universal practice of merchants and individuals everywhere to price their wares in this manner. Why not sell the $9.99 book for $10.00? Why not price the item on the store shelf at $2.00 rather than $1.95?

The reason, of course, has to do with perception. A product priced at $9.99 has an appearance of being under the threshold price of $10 dollars. The mind sees the number 9 and forms an impression of it being significantly less than the number 10. Yet, in truth, there is only a one penny difference between the items priced for $9.99 and $10.00. It would be more convenient to simply charge the round figure of $10.00, thus eliminating the need to make change (taxes not included). However, merchants assiduously avoid round numbers, for they want to give the appearance of people receiving a bargain. Ultimately, they are practicing a subtle form of deception and manipulation.

It is contrary to the character of Yahweh to practice deception and manipulation. If Christ were a merchant, I do not believe He would follow the pattern of the world by marking prices one penny under the nearest dollar. I believe He would sell an item worth $10 for $10. He would not attempt to con someone into thinking they were getting a substantially lower price by marking His merchandise at $9.99.

Perhaps you have never given thought to this matter. Maybe you have sold items yourself and followed the worldly model of merchandising. It is very easy to do such things without even realizing that we are participating in behavior that is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. It may seem a small, inconsequential matter to us. We may imagine that it is unnecessary to even ask whether the Lord has an opinion in such matters. Yet, it is the will of our Father that we bring ALL THINGS in our life under submission to the will of His Holy Spirit. This requires that we become much more aware of everything we do. We must live contemplative and deliberate lives where we are constantly abiding in Christ and surrendering everything we do to the leading of the Spirit who indwells us. We must break free of the trap of surrendering some areas of our lives to God, while failing to bring vast areas of our daily lives under His purview. We must invite Him to make us aware of all areas of our lives that are at variance from His nature and will.

Last night before going to bed Nicholas was discussing what time he ought to get up this morning. He gave deliberate thought to the matter, allowing enough time to shower, prepare his lunch, eat breakfast, and spend some devotional time with the Lord. He determined what he thought would be a good time to arise and set his alarm clock. This morning he was sleeping soundly when the alarm went off. It took him some time to realize the alarm was sounding, but finally he roused himself and turned the alarm off. The beds are arranged adjacent to one another in my bus/motorhome, so there is little privacy. It is sort of like living in a dorm with other people. I noticed Nicholas did not get up at the time he had determined to be beneficial. Instead, he chose to reset his alarm. Fifteen minutes later it went off again. He was a little quicker to turn it off this time, but he still did not get up. He hit the snooze button. Five minutes later the alarm sounded for the third time.

When Yahweh led me to invite Nicholas to come live with me for a season, I understood that God had greater purposes than merely using me to provide shelter and accommodation for a young brother in need. Nicholas and I have known one another for about three years. We have a father/son relationship in the Lord. I anticipated that our time together would afford opportunity for a greater degree of discipleship training. The Father would have me to serve as a spiritual father to Nicholas. I have prayed for Yahweh’s wisdom, guidance, and strength to fulfill this role in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

This morning when I observed Nicholas delaying his time to get out of bed, I perceived an opportunity for a spiritual lesson. Over breakfast I announced to Nicholas that I wanted to share a discipleship moment with him. I began by asking him whether he thought in the age to come, when Christ has established His rule over all the earth, whether there will be snooze buttons on alarm clocks. I then asked him to explain his answer.

After some back and forth discussion, we both agreed that the snooze button was an accommodation to the flesh. Every time a Christian presses the snooze button they are giving into their flesh’s desire. This reinforces fleshly behavior. Rather than the spirit being the dominant aspect of our life, at the moment a person presses the snooze button and rolls over to get a few more minutes of sleep, they are allowing the flesh to rule their life. Those who are spiritual men and women do not need, or even desire, to have a snooze button on their alarm clock. Choosing to have one would be an act of deliberate accommodation for the flesh. Would Yahshua/Jesus press the snooze button and say “Just give me five more minutes to lie in bed”? Of course not. The Son of God never allowed Himself to be ruled by the passions of the flesh.

The Scriptures declare that God is at work in us (those who are disciples of His Son) with the goal of conforming us to Yahshua’s image (Romans 8:29). It is His will that we should arrive at the perfect image of Christ.

Ephesians 4:13
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.

In order to become “mature” spiritual men and women, and to arrive at the full measure of Christ’s own stature, we must become perfect in all our ways. Things that seem small matters in the eyes of the world, and in the eyes of those who are carnal, take on a different aspect to spiritual men and women. In this post I have mentioned two examples where Christians frequently conform themselves to the ways of a fallen world system under the rule of Satan. Christ came to set us free. He has transferred us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, and from the kingdom of this world to the kingdom of heaven.

There is a profound matter underlying both of the examples I have mentioned. In a myriad of ways we have been inculcated to adopt behaviors that are all around us in this sinful world under the dominion of the prince of the power of the air. It is the will of Yahweh that we break free from the influence and behavior of sin. It is His will that we crucify the flesh in order that we might walk as spiritual people in this world. We are aliens and strangers here, and we should live in an alien manner.

No doubt, many who read this blog would be shocked to perceive how many behaviors they participate in daily that are Satanic in origin, rather than springing forth from the mind and thought of Christ. The transformation from the fleshly, selfish, sinful people we were when Christ first called us to Himself, to the fulness of the stature that belongs to Christ, is radical. It is as remarkable as the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Yahweh is at work in us to produce entirely new creatures that bear no resemblance to that which we were before the Spirit of His Son entered our lives.

I invite you to ask your heavenly Father to begin to make you aware of every action, word, and decision you make, revealing anything that is a departure from His will. I encourage you to pray and ask Him to open your eyes to see as He sees, and to give you the strength to walk as a spiritual creation in this world. What you begin to see will astonish you.

I will close by making mention of Nicholas’ response to what we spoke about over breakfast this morning. If you read the preceding post, you may already anticipate his reaction. He said, “Thank you Papa Joseph, for helping me to see something I had not thought about before.”

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws    

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com    

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

Thank You Papa

Joseph Herrin (11-16-2014)

For most of the past two weeks the Father has had me attending to the needs of a young disciple of Christ named Nicholas. This has been a change from my normal routine of writing, research, and sending out newsletters to men in prison. Whether the Father calls us to minister to one, or to a multitude, the dynamics are the same. There is a necessity to be led of the Spirit of Christ in all that we do. Daily I find Yahweh giving me the ability to perform whatever task He sets before me. He both guides and provides that we might fulfill whatever work He calls us to. What a blessing it is to have such a heavenly Father.

I am blessed to report that Yahweh has gone before Nicholas in a mighty way. Nicholas will be starting a new job tomorrow (Monday morning). He will be working ten hour days, five days a week, at a large dairy. His duties will be in the area of maintenance and repair of the facilities and equipment. His supervisor is a Christian man who attends the same church as my daughter. This man is knowledgeable and skilled in all areas of facilities maintenance, which should afford Nicholas a good opportunity to continue to learn new skills and hone the ones he already has.

Since Nicholas will be heading off to work around 7 A.M. each morning, and will not return home until after 6 P.M., also having a class to attend every Saturday to fulfill the requirements of his parole, I will find myself with an abundance of time alone once more. This will afford me time to continue to write and fulfill other areas of ministry, and I will still have the blessing of fellowship with Nicholas in the evenings.

These past two weeks have been very fruitful. Nicholas has a sincere eagerness to grow in the Lord and to please Him. He is a humble young man, a characteristic I find encouraging as the Lord uses me to serve in the role of a spiritual father to him. Nicholas receives instruction very well, and does not shrink back from words of admonishment. A notable aspect of Nicholas’ behavior and attitude is that he is very grateful for all the blessings Yahweh brings into his life. I do not know any other person who expresses thankfulness more often than he does. The one phrase that I hear coming forth from Nicholas’ mouth with the greatest frequency is “Thank you Papa Joseph.”

As I have interacted with Nicholas these past two weeks I have at times reflected on the type of sons that are pleasing to our heavenly Father. One thing Yahweh must do with all of His children is to give them instruction, guidance, and oftentimes correction. Those who fulfill the role of spiritual fathers will find themselves being called to do the same. What a difference it makes to interact with people who accept instruction and correction, even welcoming it. The experience of “fathering” humble sons and daughters is vastly different than the experience of striving with those who are prideful and unteachable.

I at times agonize over how to express some word of instruction or correction to another individual. I wish to do so without injuring their spirit. I want to assure them that my words are not born out of anger, or any personal offense or sense of being upset. Rather, I am seeking their welfare, and offering words of admonition that they might grow up into the fulness of the image of Christ. It has been with some trepidation that I have broached some subjects with Nicholas, but in every instance I have been met with a remarkable response. Nicholas has thanked me for bringing some matter to his attention in which he needs to mature and be perfected before God. What has been remarkable is that his words are spoken with enthusiasm. He truly appreciates having someone who cares for him to offer him guidance and correction. I can hear him now saying “Thank you Papa Joseph!”

This extraordinary response, which is so atypical of what one usually encounters in the world, has led me to meditate upon that attitude which God finds pleasing when He instructs and corrects His children. Yahweh is pleased when we demonstrate humility and a teachable spirit before Him. He is delighted when we acknowledge our gratitude for all He does for us, even when He must correct us.

I remember an occasion back in the mid 1990s when Yahweh had to discipline me severely for failing to handle money matters wisely. I kept going into debt to purchase things my soul coveted. In one particular act of discipline, the Lord scourged me, afflicting me with a physical injury. The Spirit of Christ made very plain the reason for my injury. It was to teach me to walk carefully in an area in which I had been very disobedient and self-willed. At the same time He showed me the principle that those of His children who were not faithful in the use of money and material possessions could not be trusted to receive true spiritual riches which include revelation and understanding of the mysteries of God (Luke 16:11-12). I had a great hunger for spiritual revelation and understanding. When I perceived that Yahweh had disciplined me so that I would correct my behavior and be judged worthy to receive these “greater things” I was deeply thankful for what He had done. I began vocalizing my thankfulness for His chastisement of me as a son. I confessed His righteousness and my disobedience. I thanked Him for the stripes which were leading me to a greater conformity to Christ.

Nicholas also expresses thankfulness for the material things that are given to him, large or small. Throughout the day I hear him say “Thank you Papa Joseph.” I do not tire of hearing this phrase, for I desire to see a heart of gratitude formed in all of God’s people. I know that if Nicholas is expressing gratitude to me, he is also doing the same toward others, and he is doing so to Yahweh as well.

Nicholas’ frequent expressions of thankfulness are the fruit of humility in his life. A spirit of thanksgiving and humility are closely linked together. The humble man or woman does not walk around with an attitude of entitlement. They do not take everything that is given to them for granted. They see themselves as undeserving and realize God could choose far more austere and unpleasant experiences for them. Consequently they are conscious of even the smallest gifts and blessings, and are quick to express their appreciation for that which they receive.

At this time of year when we are approaching the Thanksgiving holiday in America, many people’s minds should be turned toward the subject of the things God has blessed them with. Sadly, for many, Thanksgiving means a family gathering, eating turkey and watching football games on television. Little time is actually spent contemplating the riches of Yahweh’s blessings we receive every day.

When the Father was taking me through some lean times years ago, I became sensitive to the smallest of blessings. There was a period of time when I was living out of my car for five months, and I spent 80 days camping in the woods in a tent with very little food, and limited water. It was winter time and I did not have winter clothes. I kept warm at night by sleeping close to my two dogs inside my tent. The last 17 days I was in the woods I had no food at all. Upon leaving there the Lord directed me to go to a homeless shelter. I was appointed to fill the role of Resident Manager for the men in the mission’s alcohol and drug recovery program. I was given a small room and three meals a day in the mission’s dining room. Although I was working 80 or more hours a week, I was paid a small stipend of $100 weekly. I did not resent this at all. Rather, I was very grateful. I had room, board, and adequate spending money for necessities. Having experienced living in a car and a tent and going without food, I was sincerely grateful, and considered myself blessed, to have a roof over my head and more than sufficient food available to eat each day.

During the lean days the Lord led me through, I came to appreciate a great many things I had given little thought to in earlier years. No doubt Nicholas’ experience of spending 4-1/2 years in prison has caused him to appreciate many things that those with greater freedom and material possessions give little thought to. I have found it to be a source of delight to be around Nicholas as I find the two of us expressing appreciation throughout the day to our heavenly Father for all He is doing for us. We are truly blessed, receiving far more from our Father than we deserve.

I am persuaded that one hallmark of those who are spiritual men and women should be that they have a culture of humility and gratitude. Thanksgiving should flow from their lips as a steady stream daily.
There is an oft quoted statement attributed to Chuck Swindoll that I find much agreement with. He speaks of the importance of attitude.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church....a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.

Our attitude should be one of humility and thankfulness. Life is transformed by the manifestation of these qualities. A man or woman with a bad attitude will moan, murmur, and complain in the midst of tremendous blessings. They can have an abundance yet find fault in some small detail that does not suit them. On the other hand, there are many who are poor in this world who overflow with thanksgiving. They look for the silver lining to every cloud.

Just a couple weeks ago Nicholas was told he needed to find a new place to stay. Around the same time the Spirit of Christ impressed upon him the need to be forthright with his employer about his prison record. When he told his employers about his past they terminated his employment. He was faced with needing a place to stay while having no job. Yet, throughout this experience Nicholas did not complain against God. On the contrary. He expressed his faith in Yahweh’s goodness and his confidence that God would provide for him. Attitude! It transforms our lives. Look now what God has done! He has brought Nicholas to a place where he has fellowship with other believers and has provided for him a good job.

I encourage you to make thanksgiving a part of your daily experience. Don’t wait for the holiday to roll around one day a year. Wake up each morning with words of gratitude on your lips. Give thanks to your heavenly Papa every day, all the day.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws    

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com    

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

Faith Journey

Joseph Herrin (11-09-2014)

In the previous blog post I shared some of the experiences of a young man named Nicholas. This post will continue the narrative, as much has transpired in his life in the past week. I had mentioned Nicholas being challenged by Yahweh to overcome fear and confront conflict rather than running from it. His status of being on parole, and having served 4-1/2 years in prison beginning at the age of 16, the first part being in a Youth Detention Center until he turned 18, presents many challenges in his life now that he is walking as a disciple of Christ.

On some occasions when Nicholas has disclosed to people his background it has led to unpleasant consequences. This proved to be the case once again when he was convicted of needing to tell his employer about his criminal background. He had been on a job a couple months. It was the first really good job with steady income that he had been able to obtain in the year since his prison release. The Spirit of Christ made it known to Nicholas that it was not Yahweh’s will that he walk in fear, or fall short of being honest and straightforward with his employers. Nicholas’ ultimate welfare and provision is not dependent upon the vagaries of human judgment, for he is a son of God and Yahweh has promised to care for him.

It was a disappointment to me, and I am sure it was to Nicholas as well, when his employer decided to terminate him after Nicholas told him about his past. The man said he would give Nicholas a good reference for future employment because he is a very conscientious and hard worker, but he chose to terminate him anyway.

Nicholas recently observed his 22nd birthday and the incident he was put in prison for occurred when he was 16 years old. Despite his young age at the time he was convicted, and the transformation that has occurred in his life, the state continues to treat him as a criminal. Unlike the kingdom of God, there is little allowance in this world’s judicial systems for repentance and grace.

A short time before Nicholas was let go from his job, the elderly couple he was living with informed him he would need to find a new place to stay. They were selling their home and moving to another town. Due to the requirements of his parole, he has to have any potential lodgings approved by his parole officer. Nicholas was facing having to find suitable lodgings while not having a job, while also needing to secure gainful employment, and the clock was ticking. The people gave him 2 weeks to find another place to live, and the two weeks was almost up when he lost his job. Nicholas had secured a place to move locally, but since it was in a rental home owned by the man who had just fired him, that door was now closed.

Remarkably, Nicholas shared with me that he was at peace in the situation. He confessed that God was in charge of his life, and he had confidence that he had done the right thing in telling his employer about his past. Nicholas made reference to the following Scripture passage.

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Yahshua.

Nicholas told me he had a peace in his heart that surpassed understanding. It was a peace not based upon his circumstances. Rather, it was founded upon his knowledge of God and his confidence in Yahweh’s goodness.

It is amazing to note how various events at times seem unconnected until Yahweh reveals how they are all woven together. It is as if we see the individual strings in a tapestry and they appear confused until all of a sudden we see the bigger view and comprehend a design that had previously eluded us. Then each string, each event in life, is disclosed to be part of a grand design.

It began to come into my heart that Yahweh might permit Nicholas to move to the area in which I was located in central Georgia. This would be about a two hour drive from his previous place of residence. I had thought it would be good for Nicholas to be able to experience the fellowship of other sincere believers his age. There is an unusually spiritual group of young men and women at the church my daughter Kristin attends. I began to anticipate that Yahweh might be going to accomplish the very thing I had desired for Nicholas since his release from prison.

I considered that if Nicholas had just needed a place to stay, but still had a good job, he would have looked for a residence in the vicinity of his employment. However, by God bringing Nicholas into a circumstance where he needed both a job and a place to stay, he was free to consider other options. What may appear on the surface to be very undesirable circumstances in our life can at times prove to be a great blessing.

I had previously considered inviting Nicholas to stay with me, as I have had another man live with me in my bus before. One of the reasons I had not suggested it was my concern that the parole officer would not approve of his staying in a motorhome, especially one that was a converted school bus. The elderly gentleman with whom Nicholas had been staying was putting pressure on him to move out, and knowing that he had no other options available to him, I was happy to suggest that he come and stay with me. This was a relief to Nicholas, and he contacted his parole officer the next day.

By this time Nicholas also had a job interview lined up in this area as my daughter had contacted some people she knew and made arrangements. When Nicholas told his parole officer he had both a job interview and an offer of a place to stay, she approved his transfer. However, she said the approval for his residence was temporary. Within 14 days the parole officer who oversees the area in which I live would have to make an onsite inspection and approve of the living arrangements. If the parole officer did not approve of them, Nicholas would have to move again.

Nicholas fit everything he owns into his 20 year old Honda Accord that has 243,000 miles on it and arrived here on Friday, November 7th. He had been here little more than an hour, and was still unloading his car, when two parole officers drove up. I did not know who they were at first, but recognized that they were wearing law enforcement shirts and had pistols strapped to their sides. When they said they were here to speak to Joseph Herrin, I experienced a momentary sinking feeling as the last two times someone with a badge and gun came looking for me I was notified that I had to appear in court and I ended up in jail. If you are not familiar with this part of my testimony, you can read about it at the following links:

http://parablesblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/testimony-of-dying-son.html

http://parablesblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/garment-of-humility.html

I can truly empathize with Nicholas, for, like Joseph in Egypt, I know what it is like to be judged as a transgressor without any hope of persuading people otherwise. It is humbling to be numbered among the transgressors. The experience feels the same whether you are not guilty of the things you are accused of, or whether you have transgressed but are now washed, sanctified, and justified in the eyes of God. In either case, men of this world are not judging as God is, and it is hopeless to expect that explanations will change their minds. Our only course is to see ourselves as sheep among wolves and entrust our lives to the care of God.

God gave us favor that day. The two parole officers softened quickly when I explained to them that I was a minister with a prison ministry and I had encouraged Nicholas to locate to this area so he could be part of a fellowship of young adults who loved the Lord. When they learned he also had a job interview the same day and it turned out that one of the parole officers knew some of the members of the church my daughter attends, things became very cordial. In retrospect, it was a blessing for the men to show up right after Nicholas arrived. He did not have to experience two weeks of waiting to find out whether they would allow him to stay with me.

Nicholas’ job interview also went very well. The job he interviewed for is at a dairy, the largest one in Georgia. It is located about ten miles from where I am parked. Nicholas did not hesitate this time, but voluntarily told the man he interviewed with about his prison record. Nicholas received assurance that his past transgression would not prevent him from working there. He is expecting to receive a job offer this coming week. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

I would share at this time some things I have been pondering. I have made mention recently that I do not know how long the Father will have me at this present location. All of us have to yield our lives to God, to go where He says go, and to do what He says do. If Yahweh blesses Nicholas and I by allowing us to abide together here for months to come, we will both consider it a great blessing. There is much peace and solitude in this place. Yet, in my spirit I am sensing that days of calamity and great societal unrest are near at hand. I have enumerated some signs that lead me to believe this to be true, and I will be sharing more in upcoming posts. At this time, however, I will limit myself to some things Nicholas observed just prior to relocating here.

For several weeks Nicholas shared that God had been showing him the number 14 and he was sensing that Yahweh was indicating that some transition was coming to his life. He spoke this to me before he had lost his job or had been informed that he would have to find a new home to live in. The number 14 in Scriptures signifies transition. What Nicholas had been sensing regarding an impending transition certainly came to pass, and quickly.

One aspect of this transition is that by leaving LaGrange, Georgia where he had been living, Nicholas was leaving his family behind. The two of us have spoken about this since his arrival here. This is an experience often shared by those who surrender their lives to follow God. Abraham was led to leave behind his father’s household and all that was familiar to him. This experience has been repeated many times among those who are the called out of God. Yahshua said:

Mark 10:29-31
“Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, aeonian life.”

I anticipate that one of the great tests of obedience in days drawing close will center upon disciples of Christ being willing to leave behind their family who do not share their commitment to walk in a surrendered obedience to the Spirit of Christ. A Christian brother sent me a link to a broadcast on Trunews where Rick Wiles interviewed a man named Stephen who has left the United States and relocated his family to Central America. I had heard this man Stephen speak before and was quite impressed with his spiritual insight and his surrender to follow the Lord wherever He would lead. The broadcast was posted the same day Nicholas left his family behind to travel to where I am located. We listened to it yesterday, not knowing what it was about. Stephen spoke of God bringing a division among family members at this time. He stated that those who are walking closely in a life of surrender to the will of God are being led apart from those who are not. There was much in the interview that was excellent. The interview with Stephen begins about 20 minutes into the broadcast, and I highly recommend it.

http://www.trunews.com/friday-november-7-2014-stephen-panama/

A significant thing occurred two days before Nicholas moved in with me. Various family members wanted to see him before he left, and on Wednesday of last week he drove to Columbus, Georgia to visit his father. On the way there Nicholas saw a fire up ahead and traffic on the Interstate was backed up. He called me and said it looked like a large blaze. He sat there a while until highway patrolmen began coming down the road instructing everyone to cross over the median and return back the other way. Nicholas had to get off at an exit and continue on back roads to his father’s house.

I found on the news the cause of the fire. A car had run into the back of a tanker truck.

Photo of Incident

Later that evening when Nicholas was returning home he found that the Interstate was still backed up. All traffic was being diverted around the site of the accident. A mobile sign stated “ALL TRAFFIC MUST TAKE EXIT 14.” We spoke about this, and the timing of Nicholas’ move. A possible understanding of this “sign” is that everyone will be going through a sudden and unexpected transition soon. The transition will be precipitated by a conflagration of some type. Since this occurred on the Interstate, it may be a conflagration between nations.

One other event that caught my attention was that Nicholas’ father have him a watch during his visit. Nicholas celebrated his 22nd birthday the day before and this was a late birthday gift. Nicholas already had a watch, so he gave the one he had been wearing to another man who was present. When I heard of this the phrase “changing of the watch” came to mind. The changing of the watch is another type of transition. It is also related to time, and the impression I am left with is that a time of transition is at hand, not only for Nicholas, but for those who are not Christians, such as the man to whom Nicholas gave his old watch.

It seems significant that the conflagration on the Interstate resulted in a division between Nicholas and his father. Nicholas was only about 30 minutes away from Columbus, where his father lives, when he found the road blocked, and everyone was required to turn around, though he did eventually find another way there. Nicholas’ father is not a Christian, and what occurred mirrors the message spoken by Stephen in the aforementioned interview.

There have been many signs given to America indicating that the nation is soon to experience what amounts to a new civil war. In the civil war families were divided, brother against brother, and father against son. These are things to ponder and pray about.

One last thing occurred on the day Nicholas was driving to my house. On the way here he was driving behind a black SUV. Suddenly a male deer ran out of the woods and hit the SUV directly on the side, badly denting one of the doors. Nicholas saw one of the deer’s antler’s shatter as it struck the SUV. The deer was killed by the impact. We have often commented on deer representing Christians. One of my favorite books is Hinds’ Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. The title is based upon a passage from

Habakkuk 3:19
Yahweh God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

The imagery of a deer running blindly, either out of fear, or in a passion of lust (it is both hunting season here in Georgia, and the time when deer are in rut), does not bode well for Christians who are driven by the same impulses. I recently wrote of a young woman named Christian Faith who died of fright when her heart failed her in a horror theme park. Some Christians will run wildly, blindly, without any sense of divine direction in coming days. They will surely suffer grievous harm. Only those who overcome their fears and calmly commit themselves to follow the Lord wherever He leads will pass through these days victoriously.

Addendum: Speaking to Nicholas last night about what was shared in this post, he informed me that the watch his father gave him was set to military time (24 hour format).

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

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws    

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com    

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

Be Not Afraid

Joseph Herrin (11-1-2014)

In this post you will find two recent testimonies of disciples of Christ who are manifesting courage in the face of threats and trials. Having recently posted two writings on Christians being overwhelmed by fear, I believe it will be profitable to demonstrate how important it is to face our fears now and to overcome them. Those who are overcoming fear now on a daily basis will be more likely to walk victoriously in the coming days when many men’s hearts will fail them for fear.

I have found both of the following testimonies to be quite moving emotionally. Testimonies of men and women who are disciples of Christ overcoming their fears and manifesting faith in Yahweh is something very dear to my heart. It is a subject even more dear to the heart of God. I have no doubt that He is tremendously moved as He observes His children making themselves vulnerable, looking to Him alone to save them, guide them, and provide for their needs. One of my all time favorite Scriptures is the following.

II Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of Yahweh move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

What the prophet is conveying in these words is that Yahweh is ever intently looking for those who will entrust themselves wholly into His care. His eyes are seeking out those men and women who will manifest faith in Him. Only those who are courageous, who refuse to be daunted by what their eyes see and their ears report, but who reckon according to the presence, power, and love of God which cannot be observed by human senses, will be able to overcome the many fearful experiences that are the portion of all who would be Christ’s disciples. It is those who make themselves vulnerable, casting their entire lives into the care of their Creator, who will experience the grace and power of God loosed on their behalf.

Regular readers of this blog will remember previous posts regarding a young woman from England who was led of the Spirit of Christ to travel to Mexico to minister the life and love of Yahshua to the people there. Eliana has experienced numerous trials as she has walked as a single young woman in the midst of a land that is populated by many evil men. She has spent time in areas where drug cartels operate with impunity. She has been dependent upon Yahweh to guide, protect, and provide for her to a degree that most Christians in Western nations have not experienced. She followed the Lord to Mexico having no missions organization or church to support her. Her provision has come from her heavenly Father, oftentimes as He has moved upon the heart of some member of the body of Christ to send her financial support in a time of need.

Eliana Preparing Tomato Salsa

Eliana has faced threats from men with evil intentions. She has been mistreated and taken advantage of by false brethren. She has encountered numerous perils so that I am reminded of the following words of the apostle Paul.

II Corinthians 11:26
I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren...

Recently, Eliana has been facing a new type of peril. This being confrontation and warfare with spiritual forces of darkness. Following is a portion of her testimony from her most recent newsletter.
---
This month I had some experiences in my work with Tonia that I can only describe as stepping deeper into the realms of spiritual warfare.

I have needed to strengthen my inner man and step up to these new challenges of engaging in higher-level spiritual warfare as a true warrior and soldier of Yeshua haMashiach...

Tonia asked me this month if I could go to pray at her house especially for her 15 year old teenage daughter, whose name is Briselle... (or Bris for short, which is what Tonia calls her)... Tonia felt the need for me to anoint her daughter and 11 year old son Cheppe, and their whole house.

This month Tonia´s (ex)husband returned to Las Margaritas, and arrived at Tonia´s house asking to see his children... Tonia left her husband before she became a believer, because he became involved in witchcraft and wanted Tonia to join him in making their living in this. When Tonia refused, he told her he would seek out another woman, and so she left him and her community and brought her children to Las Margaritas. It has been 11 years since this man has been practising witchcraft, and Tonia told me that from what she has heard he is now involved in some way in organ trafficking, which he was drawn into because of a need for money. We are discussing here a man entangled in Satanic realms of activity at a deep level, and Tonia has told me that she knows he has placed curses upon her and their children. Tonia believes that the Father has liberated her from much spiritual oppression as a result of these curses, but that her children, not being believers, are still under their influence.

Tonia shared with me this month some of the spiritual struggles that Bris (her 15 year old daughter) has been experiencing now for a long time. There was a period where she was involved with a gang of other girls in Las Margaritas, and almost living on the streets with them. Tonia told me that after many months of prayer, Bris returned home and chose to leave the gang.

Bris has had many experiences of demonic involvement in her life. These are some of the things she and Tonia shared with me:

• Many nightmares of beings attacking her, invading her, dehumanising her.
• She once woke in the night to see a presence in her room, like a dark shadow, which moved towards her bed. Bris wanted to move but felt unable to. This thing then went under her bed and began scratching the bed from below. Bris felt frozen in her bed but terrified. After a while this thing moved out again from under her bed and across the room and towards her bedroom door. At this point Bris in her mind called out to Yeshua, and she was able to move again.
• Bris has had many other experiences of seing or sensing beings in her bedroom at night.
• The family have a laminate roof which has some holes in it. Bris tells me that a black cat regularly climbs onto the roof of her bedroom when she is lying in her bed, and puts one eye to the hole, and watches her. She tells me this never happens when Tonia is in the house, but only when she goes out.
• Bris had a dream this month that her father was pursuing her with an axe. She was running away from him in the dream, until she arrived at a door that was locked shut, so that she could not escape. As her father drew closer, he changed into an animal with chicken like claws and began attacking her and scratching her. Bris was finally able to force the door open and kept running, at which point the animal turned into her father again. She then woke up, and the next day in the shower noticed she had scratch marks on her chest and stomach. I only saw some scratch marks on her chest, but Tonia had seen the scratch on her stomach, and told me it was quite long.

I told Tonia that I would go and pray for Bris, and anoint her and the home, if Bris would accept this.

Bris with her mother Tonia, and Tonia´s grandson Alex

It was interesting and quite incredible to see all the ways that haSatan tried to place obstacles to this event taking place. I am going to list them here:

• Firstly, on the day I was originally due to arrive, Tonia received a last minute call to attend a meeting as part of some government aid she receives in terms of small food packages and other occasional things. Therefore we rearranged for me to come the following day.
• When I arrived the following morning (Bris and Cheppe (her younger brother) go to school at 1pm in the afternoon), the neighbour living opposite Tonia had unexpectedly asked the children to help him load some things onto his pick up truck, and help him deliver them. This delayed the prayer for another hour or so
• While Bris and Cheppe were with the neighbour, I felt that I should pray just with Tonia first, before praying with the children, and read some scriptures. I brought with me a mp3 audio Bible in Spanish called a Mega Voice that I have, which I have begun to use with Tonia. She is learning to use it, and with time, I hope to give it to her, if I can be sure she will use it.

When we began to listen to the first scriptures, there was an extremely loud noise that hit against the laminate roof, and reverberated in echoes, which startled us both. A few moments later, Bris came into the kitchen, and we asked her if she knew what on earth the noise we just heard was, and Bris was holding in her hand a small metal bullet. She said someone had just been walking by with a pistol, which they fired, and after it hit the laminate roof, it fell near to where Bris was standing by her neighbour´s house, which is how she saw it and picked it up. If Tonia had not been there, my jaw would have really dropped!

• When Bris and Cheppe finally returned, I told the children that my visit that day was for the purpose of praying for them. Before I could say much more, Cheppe began to complain, and said he did not want to be prayed for, and he actually ran out of the house, and did not return at all while I was there! Tonia told me that the day before she had been talking to her son about the need to draw closer to Elohim, and he had told her that he was ‘in embrace with the devil’ and so could not draw near to the Father. Cheppe is actually a sweet and affectionate kind of boy, and both children are quite loving towards their mother; they are not aggressive. But there is clearly a spiritual barrier in Cheppe´s life too, and Tonia believes that it is related to the curses placed upon them. When some time ago I showed a film about the Gospel of Luke at my house, Bris came, but Cheppe did not want to see the film. Tonia tells me that when they go the congregation, he often falls asleep in the services, or is fidgety and easily distracted.
• So without Cheppe, Bris, Tonia and I were ready to begin praying. At that moment, Tonia´s phone rang, a further distraction.

Before I began praying I spoke with Bris and asked her about her spiritual experiences. I asked her direct questions, and sensed even that she may have had experiences with demonic beings trying to have sexual relations with her, which is actually quite common, and she confirmed that she had. We spoke openly and she told me that the only help she has found when such experiences happen, is to call on the name of Yeshua (it is actually the Hebrew name she uses, as this is the only name Tonia´s congregation are taught to use). She knows the power that His Name wields in the spirit realms, but I explained that she must surrender her life to YHVH through repentance and faith, to receive true spiritual freedom and life, now and in the world to come.

Tonia and I moved over to Bris, and we both began praying. I had brought with me an oil I had prayed over the day before and that morning, and labeled with the word Ruach in Hebrew, meaning Spirit. When we finished praying I began anointing the house- all the doorways, windows, and beds, while praying in the name of Yeshua haMashiach, and in the authority He has given us. I repeated certain scriptures in ownership of that authority, such as Yeshua´s words in Luke 10.19:

Behold I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you...

Tonia related to me that the night after I had prayed and anointed the house, Bris woke up around 2am in the morning to a foul smell that filled the house, like garlic but worse. When Tonia awoke in the morning, she smelt it too, and it lingered for the whole morning before gradually dissipating. It had no obvious source, and I believe it was some kind of physical manifestation of the presence or departure of demonic beings in the house.

I can see how YHVH is using me in Tonia´s life and the lives of her children, and haSatan is attacking this. So many times when Tonia and I have had plans to do something, there has been some kind of disruption of our plans, and we have often had to rearrange. Tonia has also noticed this too, and she keenly senses how the enemy is trying to stop us spending time together.

Even though I have never met her husband, just the fact that I am waging war in the name of Yeshua haMashiach places me in opposition to her husband, and is an offense to whatever ways he has tried to exert Satanically derived power and strongholds over the family. At the time of writing, this man is still in Las Margaritas, and I too have felt the need to pray for YHVH´s complete covering and spiritual protection against the enemy´s attacks.
[End Excerpt]

You can find the complete monthly newsletter, as well as past posts, at the following link:

http://the-good-seed.org/category/ministry-newsletters/

It requires courage for a young woman to travel to a foreign land, to have no ministry or organized church to support her, to yield herself to go wherever Yahshua leads and to do whatever He commands, all the while looking to God to provide and protect. It requires faith in God to allow Him to guide her to encounters with people who need the love, power, and deliverance of Yahshua in their lives. Satan does not yield territory willingly. Consequently, it also requires faith and boldness to intercede for others in order to see them set free from the cruel slavery of the adversary. Please pray for Eliana that she might be strengthened daily to continue in faith, finding peace in the abiding presence of Yahshua.

I want to share also a recent experience that Nicholas, a young man released from prison last year, has had, for it too concerns overcoming fear.

Nicholas and Champ Last Year

Nicholas was sent to prison at the age of 16 for a sexual offense. He spent four years in prison, with an additional two years of parole which will last for about another year. While in prison Nicholas committed himself to living for the Lord, and his life has been radically transformed. I am put in mind of the following Scripture.

I Corinthians 6:9-11
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Yahshua Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

Nicholas began receiving the newsletters I send to men in prison about two years before his release. He also began corresponding with me, and I came to know him quite well. I could sense the sincerity of the changes that had occurred in his life, and noted a sensitivity to the leading of Christ’s Spirit as well as an earnest desire to please God that are rare in this hour. This being coupled with humility and an eagerness to learn, made corresponding with Nicholas both an honor and a pleasure.

I have observed the difficulty of men reintegrating into society once released from prison, for even those who have been transformed by the Spirit of Christ remain stigmatized by society. Nicholas had difficulty in finding employment, something that is a requirement of his parole. A number of businesses either refused to hire him, or let him go upon learning of his prison record. Through it all, I have not heard Nicholas complain. He has only given thanks when God did provide him with a job.

It is quite natural for someone in this position to experience hesitancy, or fear, of telling others about their past. Even when an employer has a legitimate interest in a potential employee’s background, the person may be reluctant to disclose their past due to the possibility of rejection. This fear can be especially heightened when there is pressure placed upon the individual to meet expenses and satisfy the requirements of parole.

Yahweh has allowed me to remain in close contact with Nicholas since his release from prison. Although he has been living about 2 hours away, we have spoken on a nearly weekly basis, and during the past three weeks Nicholas has made the drive to see me, spending Sundays with me and getting to meet my daughter Kristin as well. I have been blessed to be used of the Lord as a spiritual father figure in Nicholas’ life, and I have sought to counsel and encourage him, while holding him up before the Father in prayer.

I had noted a growing reluctance in Nicholas to be forthcoming with others regarding his past. I can sympathize with wanting to move beyond the sins of the past. Nicholas is truly not the same youth he was at the age of 15 or 16. He will observe his 22nd birthday on November 4th, and he has grown tremendously in the Lord in the intervening years. I certainly believe a person should be discerning in regard to the matter of sharing past transgressions with others, but there are some occasions when we are expected to do so, and I believe our heavenly Father would have us to do so as well. One of these occasions is when we are seeking employment.

There are actually issues of faith and trusting God involved in this matter. If we believe Yahweh will provide for us the necessary employment to meet the needs of life, then we need not compromise truth or honesty in an attempt to secure work. We must believe that as we walk in integrity before God, doing the right thing by being forthright with people, that He will remain faithful to open the doors He wants to be opened.

A couple months back Nicholas was seeking work where he is locally. He went to apply at an air conditioning business, but they did not have any immediate openings. When he exited the business he saw across the street a propane business and sensed the Spirit of Christ directing him to go over there and see if work was available. The owner hired him on the spot.

I remember when Nicholas called and told me about his new employment. I asked him if he told them about his prison record. He replied that they did not ask, but he was sure they would discover it on their own as businesses do background checks on employees. I did not say anything else about the matter at the time, but it remained upon my mind.

On his own, Nicholas experienced thoughts of whether he should have been up front with his new employer about his background. He spoke of his concerns to an aunt who lived in the area. She has at times provided counsel to Nicholas that is not in harmony with the mind of Christ. She told Nicholas he need not speak of this matter to his employer for they already knew about it. She stated that a relative was friends with Nicholas’ employer, and she was confident this relative had told them about Nicholas’ past and how he is a changed person now. Nicholas had some doubt that this conversation actually took place, but he decided not to pursue it further.

Two weeks ago the people whose home Nicholas has been living at since his release from prison informed him that he would need to find a new place to live as they were selling their home and moving to another town. They told Nicholas that he should plan to find another place in two weeks time. As Nicholas began to consider where he might move, an opportunity arose for him to share a rental home with an older man he worked with at the propane business. This man rented a three bedroom home from the owner of the propane company, and lived alone. He told Nicholas that he could move in, and gave him a price that was quite good for the area, including both rent and utilities.

This opportunity, however, caused the issue of full disclosure of Nicholas’ past to once more be raised. Nicholas is required to have a telephone land-line as the parole office contracts a business to call parolees at various hours to make sure they are home and following their curfew guidelines. Nicholas was concerned about the man he would move in with finding out about his past, and the information getting back to his employer in the chance that he actually did not yet know about his prison record. Additionally, the parole guidelines said Nicholas could not live with someone on probation or parole, though his parole officer had discretion in the matter. The man Nicholas would be moving in with was on probation due to a driving under the influence charge.

The job Nicholas was in was the first good job he had obtained since being released from prison, and he also had a deadline to find a new place to stay. This put pressure on him. Consequently, he was loathe to tell the man he would move in with about his background, but he saw it as potentially unavoidable since he would have to get a land-line which is quite unusual in this hour when people generally use only cell phones. Nicholas was wrestling with these issues the past two weeks when he came to visit me. He had to contact his parole officer and inform her he was needing to move. She would have to inspect the place he was moving to and approve the location before he could move in. In his first contact with her on this matter, he did not tell the parole officer that the man he would be sharing the house with was on probation.

Then an unusual thing happened. Last Sunday after Nicholas had left from visiting with me and was making his way home, he saw a traffic stop ahead of him in a small town about an hour away. There were lots of cars lined up, and numerous patrol cars, and, not wishing to be delayed from getting home, Nicholas looked to see if there was an alternate route. Not being familiar with the town, he was unsure where the various streets led, and decided it would be best to turn around and backtrack to find another route. He did not realize that in doing so the Sheriff would pull him over and ticket him.

The Sheriff’s department was checking to make sure all driver’s had their license, insurance, and were not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Nicholas was driving legally, with no violations, but because he had turned around rather than going through the traffic stop, the officer wrote him up for hindering and obstruction of an officer. The ticket was $700.

Nicholas called me shortly after this occurred and I sought to console him, while also urging him to seek the Lord to know if there might be some spiritual message in this. As soon as I hung up the phone the spiritual understanding of the event came to me. The officer was essentially charging Nicholas with avoiding a confrontation, even if the confrontation might prove he was doing nothing illegal. Yahweh was signifying that Nicholas needed to quit trying to avoid confrontation when there was a legitimate purpose for it. I spoke to Nicholas later when he had arrived home and shared with him what I was discerning. I encouraged him to contact his parole officer the next day and let her know that the man he was planning to move in with was on probation. I also encouraged him to pray about sharing his background with his employer, and asking Yahweh to give him opportunity to do so.

I know what it is to live in dread of something being disclosed about our background. We often subject ourselves to unnecessary torment and worry by not being forthright about some matter. It is better to follow our conscience and the conviction of the Spirit, than to live in dread. What I shared bore witness with Nicholas, and he committed himself to no longer avoid legitimate confrontations. The next morning he contacted his parole officer and informed her of the probation status of the man he wanted to move in with. Later the same day Nicholas found himself in the office alone with his supervisor, the office manager of the propane business, and he shared openly with her about his past. It was revealed that his past was not known to her, or the business owner, and it was suggested that Nicholas should not delay in informing the owner.

The office manager evidently sensed some reluctance in Nicholas to approach the owner over this matter, and she asked if he would like her to do so. Nicholas said he wanted that to be her decision, and she then volunteered to speak to the owner. She was with the owner about 30 minutes, and when the owner saw Nicholas a little later he did not mention the matter. That afternoon Nicholas’ parole officer called and said it would not present a problem for him to share a home with the man on probation, as his charges were unrelated to Nicholas and his situation. It appeared that Yahweh was giving Nicholas grace, and Nicholas shared with me that he felt that he had passed a spiritual test.

For the next three days Nicholas’ boss said nothing about the matter, but on Friday the man finally spoke to Nicholas and said he was letting him go that day. He said he would give him a good reference for future employment as he was a good worker, but he was terminating him due to his background.

Earlier in the week Nicholas and I had discussed an experience in my life where I also capitulated to fear and withheld information in an attempt to avoid a conflict. It was in 2003 when my family and I were about to relocate to Montezuma, Georgia. Although the Father had indicated that this was His will for us, I was tested quite severely. I had to be out of the home I was in by a set date, and we arranged for a group of people from a church we had recently started attending in Montezuma to come move us on the morning we had to leave. The day before we were to move I still had no leads on a place to move my family. In the afternoon I was informed of a possibility and was told the owner of the home would be available to talk that night around 9 P.M.. If all went well I could move in the next morning.

That afternoon as I awaited the time to make the phone call I was tossed about by worry and fear. I considered that if this home possibility did not work out that I had no other options open to me. I considered the embarrassment of all the people showing up and my not having a place to move. Also, without a place to stay, my family and I would essentially be homeless. Things looked promising, but then I remembered that nothing had been said to the people renting the home about our having two dogs. I considered that if they did not permit dogs that we would be in a very bad situation. Out of fear I decided to not mention anything about the dogs unless they specifically asked. When they called, they did not ask.

Yahweh is not glorified when we walk in fear. Fear is antagonistic to faith. I was not manifesting faith in God, and the Scriptures inform us that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Because of this, Yahweh made sure that I would have to face the test again until I passed it. Quite unexpectedly the situation changed with our landlords as a recently married son decided to move back home and the owners needed the home we were renting for their son and his wife. At the same time my financial provision dried up so that I was unable to pay rent. I was forced to have to move after only two months in this location. Interestingly, Nicholas was only two months into his new job when he was terminated.

I faced a similar time pressure in moving to the next home in Montezuma, but this time I determined to be up front with the landlords. I told them at once that I had two dogs, and that we were accustomed to keeping them indoors. Amazingly, the landlords told us that they had no problems with us having indoor dogs. They only would not permit outdoor dogs as they had dogs of their own that roamed free outside on an adjacent property.

At this point, I am sure some readers are saying, “What about Nicholas?” Wasn’t he obedient in choosing to no longer hide information from his parole officer and his employer? Why is he being terminated from his job? Is Yahweh punishing Him? As radio personality Paul Harvey would always say, “Now, for the rest of the story.”

Nicholas had been sharing with me during his visits the past three weeks that he had been seeing the number 14 a lot in significant ways and sensed the Lord was speaking to him about transition coming. (14 is a number denoting transition in the Bible.) I had mentioned to my daughter on several occasions during the past year that I believed Nicholas needed more than a job and a place to stay. Nicholas had never known close fellowship with other believers, especially young people who love God and are sincere in their determination to honor Yahweh with their lives. The only group of young people I knew of who fit this description are found at the church my daughter attends.

I found the timing of these events very interesting. Nicholas had been out of prison for more than a year, but had never traveled to visit with me until this month. Additionally, my daughter invited Nicholas to attend church services with her this Sunday (tomorrow) so that she could introduce him to some of the young people here. They talked about this last Sunday prior to Nicholas receiving a traffic ticket and all the ensuing events. Not only this, but there is a dinner and social gathering to be held right after the church service tomorrow which will afford Nicholas a great opportunity to meet people.

Yesterday (Friday), the day Nicholas was let go from his job, I had no plan to go to town. However, with Nicholas coming Sunday I felt I needed to have some groceries on hand and the forecast for Saturday was for a significant temperature drop so that I did not relish the thought of riding my trike the 30 mile round trip to town in the cold. I decided suddenly to go yesterday, and since it was near lunch time I thought to call my daughter and ask if she wanted to have lunch with me at the local Mennonite restaurant. We were eating lunch together when Nicholas called and informed me of being let go from his employer. When I informed my daughter, she volunteered that it would be nice if Nicholas could find work and a place to stay in this area locally so he could attend church and be able to visit with me more readily.

I made this a matter of prayer and meditation afterwards. I considered that if Nicholas had merely been told that he needed to find another place to stay that he would not have considered leaving the town he was in as he had a very good job. Similarly, if he had lost his job, but still had a place to stay, he would have not thought of looking elsewhere. But by needing to find a new job and a new place to stay at the same time, he was free to consider other possibilities including other towns.

Consequently, what initially may appear to be a setback and a very negative response to Nicholas’ decision to disclose matters fully to his employer may end up being something very positive. Yahweh is certainly honored by Nicholas’ decision to make himself vulnerable and place the outcome of his life decisions in the Father’s hands. Therefore, I have an anticipation of some very good things resulting from this act of obedience. Although there is no physical evidence to lend credence to my optimism, my confidence rests upon the knowledge of Yahweh’s character and His ways in dealing with His sons. I don’t know where the job will come from, or where Nicholas would move to, or how things would work out with his parole officer, but Yahweh has power and authority over all of these details.

If you have read this post to this point, I encourage you to pray for Nicholas. Sunday he will meet with a group of young people who love the Lord, something that should bless his heart greatly. He will also have the possibility of meeting with some people who may need an employee, or know of others who need an employee locally. For my part, I will continue to pray, and I will provide an update as soon as there is something to report.

In closing, I would mention that the experiences of these two young disciples of Christ should be the normal Christian life, but they are in fact quite rare in this hour. How will the majority of believers face the things coming on the earth with faith and obedience if they are not facing their fears victoriously now? These are practical matters for all of us as Yahweh’s children. Press forward in obedience and faith my brothers and sisters. Be courageous!

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws    

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