Saturday, May 30, 2009

Spelling it Out for the Church in America

Joseph Herrin (05-30-09)






















Several people notified me of a remarkable item in the news that contains a somber message for the church in America.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-05-28-spelling-bee-thursday_N.htm

Kavya Shivashankar, a 13 year old girl from Olathe, Kansas won the Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the final word given to her, which was “Laodicean.” This too, is Christ’s final word for the church in America.

The word “Laodicean” has come to mean someone who is lukewarm and lacking in commitment. It would be profitable to consider carefully the words that Christ spoke to the church in the city of Laodicea. Laodicea was a wealthy city in what is now Turkey, but then called Asia Minor. It was situated along a popular trade route, and the soil around the city was very rich and the people of the place prospered greatly.

Today the ruins of the city are evident. There is a well preserved stadium, and there is evidence of great wealth and luxury. According to the website Wikipedia, “The ruins bear the stamp of Roman extravagance and luxury...”

In remarkable ways, the political, social and economic environment of ancient Laodicea bears a great resemblance to America. The church that was founded there faced the same temptations and snares that are found in prosperous and fertile lands where there is great commercial freedom today. There is great benefit in studying the words of Christ to the church that dwelt in Laodicea, for the Spirit is testifying that what was written to them is being addressed to the church in America today.

Revelation 3:14-18
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.’”

The church in America today has equated material success with spiritual attainment. Yet the judgment of God stands in complete contradiction. Across America today stand tens of thousands of churches that are marked by affluence, and they proclaim a gospel of prosperity, ease, comfort and material blessing. This church has rejected the cross that every disciple of Christ must bear. They have traded a Spirit directed life for a life where they are led by the desires and passions of their own souls.

Such a people have become repugnant to Christ. He does not savor them at all. He warns that unless they repent He will quickly vomit them out of His mouth. The words of Christ to the church in Laodicea constitute the last statement of Christ to seven churches that were located in Asia Minor. Even so, the final word at the Scripps Spelling Bee was Laodicea. The young girl who spelled the word correctly and won the contest had the habit of tracing out each word on the palm of her hand, and she did this with the word Laodicea.
















Isaiah 49:14-16
But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”

God cannot forget His people, yet there are times when it appears to the people of God that He has forsaken them. This is because God is very zealous for His people. He disciplines those whom He loves that they may share His holiness, and He will severely discipline the church today that shares the error of Laodicea.

Revelation 3:19
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent.”

The name of the young girl who won the spelling bee is Kavya Shivashankar. This name is of Indian derivation and comes from the Sanskrit language. Kavya means poem. I noted that she wore the number 110 on her shirt, and she comes from Kansas which lies at the center of America geographically. Similarly, in the Bible there is a book of poetry that lies at the center of the Bible. Following is an excerpt from Psalm 110.

Psalms 110
Yahweh says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet." Yahweh will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies..." The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.

Is not America a broad country? The Spirit has expressly been testifying that a day of great wrath is at hand. America will be filled with corpses. Some have reported that the government has been storing up hundreds of thousands of coffins, and with all that is being reported about an upcoming flu pandemic, it is not hard to imagine multitudes perishing. Add to this the collapse of the economy, civil unrest, the implementation of martial law, attacks by foreign countries, and natural disasters and one can begin to understand that which lies at the door.

This young girl’s last name is Shivashankar. This name is derived from the name of one of the gods of the Hindu trinity. Shiva is viewed as the supreme god of the Hindus and is also known as “the destroyer.” Shiva is depicted as both malevolent, bringing calamity and ruin, and as benevolent, brining good fortune and blessing.

The second part of the name Shivashankar refers to the benevolent end of this destructive god. Shankar means, “bringer of good fortune.” This Indian name bears a testimony of the work of the One true God who also destroys that He might heal and produce good in the end.

Hosea 6:1-2
"Come, let us return to Yahweh. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him.”

Hebrews 12:6
“For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.”

If the details of this spelling bee were an isolated incident, there would be less reason to be so certain of the meaning that is derived from them. Yet God has been sending a myriad of witnesses that testify the same message. “It is time for judgment to begin at the house of God, and if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?”

Yahweh has been signifying to many people that it is time to prepare an ark. He has been declaring that judgment is at hand, even as it came in the day of Noah’s flood and the day when Lot fled from Sodom. We see the same focus and activity among Christians today that was present in those days.

Luke 17:26-29
"And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.”

A Laodicean church has embraced a pursuit of the world and the things in it. They are focused upon worldly pursuits and material acquisition. When Christ vomits them out of His mouth, their own deluded sense of divine approval will lead to shock, for they do not anticipate the judgment of a holy God.

James 4:4-5
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain,"The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?

God has “spelled out” His judgment upon His people. The final word is “Laodicean.” Let those who have understanding prepare their hearts and be in readiness for His judgments. They are coming swiftly.

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

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

Friday, May 29, 2009

Stormy Seas

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I recently found out some very good news concerning the four books the Father led me to get published last year. These books are:

The Remnant Bride
Sabbath
The Mark of the Beast
Overcoming Addiction by the Spirit of Christ

The Lord led me to use a book publisher called Xlibris, and I was very pleased with their professionalism and the quality of the books that they put together. The only thing I was dissatisfied with was the cost of the books. Xlibris has a standard pricing structure, and they do not allow the author's to change the price of their books that are sold through Xlibris. It was costing me (and everyone else) $19.99 per book to order them through Xlibris, or directly through an online reseller such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

Recently a sister in Christ asked for a copy of each of the books I had printed, so I went to www.amazon.com to order them for her. I noted that there were a number of book resellers who have agreements with Amazon to sell books through their website. A number of these resellers were offering my books at half the price I could acquire them myself from the publisher.

At first I was doubtful that the listings were accurate, however, I ordered several copies of each book through one of the resellers called Adelightfulbook. They were offering my books at $10.00 each. I would have to order more than a hundred copies of each book to get this low of a price from the publisher, and I have not had the funds to do so.

The books arrived promptly, and were brand new. I am therefore very happy to let people know that the books are available at a much more reasonable price through Amazon's resellers. I can vouch for the service that I received from the reseller named Adelightfulbook, and would recommend them if you are interested in purchasing any of these four books.

I do not sell the books myself, nor did I have them published to have a source of income. The Lord has been my provider for many years, and continues to be the One I look to for all of my needs. I had these books published at the leading of the Spirit, and they are available for those who desire a book in printed form. All these books can be read in their entirety at no cost on the Heart4God website.

www.heart4god.ws

Stormy Seas
Joseph Herrin (05-29-09)































I want to share a recent experience I had. I mentioned in the previous post that the Spirit of Christ directed me to purchase a bus/camper for a sister in Christ who is a widow and who takes care of her elderly mother. I had anticipated delivering this but to where she lives, which is about a thousand miles from Georgia.

I have been busy cleaning it up and making sure everything in it is in working order. There was really very little to do in this way, for the bus is mechanically sound. I went earlier this week to get my driver's license updated with my current address so that I could apply for a tag on the bus and send off for a title. While I was waiting at the Department of Driver Services for them to call my name to take my picture the Spirit put it into my mind to call my daughter.

I say that the Spirit put this thought into my mind, for I truly sensed at that moment that God was saying, "Now would be a good time to call your daughter." I sensed that the thought came from the Spirit and not from my own soul.

I called Kristin and I told her where I was at and what I was doing. Kristin then stated, " Dad, are you sure you don't need a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) to drive that bus. My Georgia Class C license says it is valid for driving all types of motorhomes, so I thought that was all I needed. Kristin went on to tell me that at her church the people had recently encountered this issue when they sought someone to drive their church bus, and so she knew a bit about it.

Since I was at the DDS office, I decided to ask the employee there when he called me up to take my picture. Sure enough, he told me if the bus was manufactured to transport more than 16 people, that even if it was being converted to a camper and had the seats removed, I would need a Class B CDL license to drive it.

I was not disappointed by this news. I simply saw it as the Lord ordering my steps. I knew the Spirit had prompted me to call my daughter at that precise moment, and He was using this information to direct me. I had been praying and asking the Father what He would have me to do about getting the bus to this sister in Christ, and now I understood that I would not be the one driving it to her location.

By the way, the sister in Christ for whom the bus is intended already has a CDL license for she drives a school bus on her job. This sister has been unable to find any place to park the bus when it is delivered, for there are many restrictive covenants where she lives. Yet this too, I am persuaded, is of the Lord. He both opens and shuts doors.

I suggested to this sister in Christ that she place all options on the table and look to the Lord to direct her. It is even possible that the Spirit would direct her to use the bus here in Georgia, rather than where she lives, and perhaps this is the reason that I was led to purchase it here and am unable to drive it to her, and she can find nowhere to park it.

I am encouraging all God's people to be very open to EVERYTHING the Spirit of Christ might speak to His sons and daughters in this hour. If we have any strong desire in our own soul in any matter, then we risk failing to discern the Spirit of Christ.

I recently shared about a couple of brothers in Christ who were directed by the Spirit to purchase a travel trailer and a motorhome. Neither of these men had any desire to do so that arose from their own soul, but they were surrendered enough to the Lord, seeking only to know His will that they might do it, that they were able to discern the leading of the Spirit and do it. If they had strong aversions toward RV living, they would most likely have discounted the voice of the Spirit and failed to do as Christ was directing them.

In the same way, if my soul was set upon my being the one to deliver this bus to the sister in Christ for whom it was purchased, I would likely have been frustrated at the roadblock that I encountered when I learned it required a CDL to drive it. I might have determined to drive it anyway, or to do what was necessary to get a CDL license. Yet, because I had no strong leaning in my soul, and was seeking only to know the will of the Father, I was able to hear that still, small voice that was saying that this event was from Him and He was using it to direct my steps.

I want to encourage all of the people of God in this hour to come to a state of rest in their souls. If you sense that you are being led by some strong soulish desire, then subdue the desire and enter into rest in the matter. George Mueller, who cared for thousands of orphans in the 1800s said he would never trust himself to hear the voice of the Lord until he had come to a place of rest in his soul. When contemplating some new work or action, George Mueller would first come to a place in his soul where he knew he would be just as content to hear God tell him "Yes" concerning a matter, as to hear God tell him "No."

If we have any predisposition in our soul, we will find it difficult to discern the voice of the Spirit. The soul must be quieted that the Spirit might be heard. This will be a very vital matter in coming days. There will be many voices of fear that will assail us as all begins to shake. Our fears can often serve to drive us in a direction the Spirit would not have us to go. Even soulish emotions as strong as fear must be subdued and a quietness entered into that we might discern clearly the leading of the Spirit of Christ.

Yahshua demonstrated this matter in one of His recorded miracles. We read in Mark chapter 4 of a time when Christ and His disciples were corssing the Sea of Galilee in a small ship. A fierce gale came up. The wind was howling and the waves were climbing higher and the little vessel was about to be swamped. The disciples were becoming panicked, fearing for their lives, yet Christ was asleep on a pillow in the stern of the boat.

This miracle, as all of the miracles of Christ, is a parable. Seas are in one sense a picture of the soul of man. At times there are fierce storms that arise in our souls and begin to toss us about, threatening to swamp our vessel (our body). Yet, in this vessel with us is the Son of God. He is not disturbed at all. He is ever at peace. Our salvation comes in our arising in the Spirit and commanding the soul to be quiet. The soul must obey the authority of the Spirit of Christ that resides within us.

Some may ask, "Why does not my soul become instantly quiet as the wind and the waves did when Christ commanded them?" The reason is that our faith is weak. We are troubled by unbelief. We find it difficult to dwell in realms of the Spirit when this natural world around us is so visible to our natural senses.

Hebrews 11:1-2
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

It was a simple thing for Christ to command the wind and the waves and to see them instantly quited. We need to see this as a parable of how Christ within us is able to command the storms in our soul and to bring forth peace. We are not at the mercy of the storms in our soul. We can command the soul to be quieted, and it will obey when we walk in faith.

Many Christians have never practiced this subjection of the soul to the Spirit within. Far too many Christians have very noisy souls. They are full of the clamor of fears and various passions and desires. Many are like the Temple in the day when Christ went in and ran out the merchants and the money changers. A great many Christians are focused upon acquiring the merchandise of the world, upon commercial enterprises and the desire to acquire and use money. Their bodies (the Temple) were created to be houses of prayer where the still, small voice of the Father could be heard, yet they have filled their souls with the noise of the merchants and money changers.

In many instances throughout the gospels we see Christ performing miracles and actions that serve as parables for bringing quiet to the soul of man. In one event He commands the wind and waves to be silent, illustrating how we can take authority over the unruly emotions of our soul. In another event He chases out the merchants and money changers, illustrating how we must drive out all idolatry, all love of the world and the things in it, from our souls, for God intends us to be a house of prayer.

It is necessary to enter into this place of quiet that we might discern what the Spirit of God is speaking to us. He does not desire to shout at us. He could easily do so. However, He wants His sons and daughters to listen more intently, and to quiet everything in their woul that makes His voice difficult to discern.

It is very necessary in this hour to be hearing and heeding the voice of God. What things are present in your soul that are making it difficult for you to discern His voice? Rise up in the Spirit of Christ, for He truly dwells in your vessel if you have been born of the Spirit. Take authority over the raging soul and enter into peace.

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

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

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

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Prepare an Ark

Joseph Herrin (05-26-09)

I hesitated to share this story out of concern for not drawing undue attention to any works the Lord has directed me to do. Yet I discerned that the details of this event hold such benefit in encouraging the saints of God to be listening intently to the voice of the Lord and acting upon His direction that it should be shared.

The Lord has brought me to have a very precious relationship with a sister in Christ who is truly as a sister to me. She is ten years older than myself, and she cares for her elderly mother. Because she must stay home with her mother most of the day she is only able to work part-time driving a school bus, and therefore has limited financial resources.

This sister has been seeking the Lord to know what preparation she might make for coming days. However, her resources have not allowed her to do anything. I began seeking the Lord concerning her welfare in coming days. I had a conversation with her one night last week and she said that for many years, as far back as the 1970's, she has wanted to get a school bus and convert it into a camper.

I had been checking www.craigsList.com for several days, thinking that the Lord would have me to purchase a pop-up trailer to pull behind my van. After speaking with this sister in Christ I checked Craigslist for the Atlanta area again, not even thinking about the conversation I had just had with this sister, when I noted that a Bus/Camper had just been listed the very hour that we had been speaking. I had not seen any buses in previous days on the list, and I was struck by the timing of this post.

Some saints had given me some money on my recent trip across the country and I had been seeking the Lord to know what He would have it used for. When I saw this bus/camper listed I immediately thought of this sister in Christ and the need she had. The Scriptures declare:

Philippians 2:3-4
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

God says that He especially looks out for the needs of widows and orphans and will supply all their need. This sister in Christ is devoted to caring for her widowed mother, and she is herself a widow. Upon seeing this listing for a bus/camper, I began asking the Lord if it was His will for me to acquire this for this sister. I sensed the Spirit directing in this way, so the next day I called my friend Randy Simmons to see if he would make the 2 hour ride with me to go look at the bus. He agreed to do so, and immediately after hanging up he called me back to say that as soon as we had finished speaking he had observed another image of a dove with a branch in its mouth.

The Lord has been using these images as a witness to us that He is directing His people to prepare an ark in this hour. Randy had himself seen such an image just prior to purchasing a motorhome recently, and he took this further encounter as an encouraging sign.

Randy and I drove to a small town east of Atlanta Saturday to look at the bus. Just short of our destination we stopped at a convenience store, and Randy told me to look at the window of the store right next to where I had parked. This is what we saw.





















This was the very same image Randy had seen the moment after I had asked him to ride with me to look at this bus for this sister in Christ. We both were encouraged that the Spirit of Christ was going before us, and this was indeed His will.

The man who owned the bus told me it was a school bus that he used to go to Nascar events at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. When he showed me the bus I saw that it was actually a former church bus, and it had the symbol of the cross and flame that the Methodist church uses. This man had left this symbol on the bus even when he painted it.





















These symbols are very significant in that the Spirit is testifying that in coming days a remnant of God’s people will be led through a wilderness experience where they will be purged, purified and refined. The flame is a symbol of purification. The word fire and the word pure both come from the same Greek root. The cross is also a symbol representing the end of the flesh, which is necessary in order that a spiritual creation might arise.

I sensed a great peace from the Father in considering making the man an offer for the bus/camper, and he accepted my suggested price of $1,200. I drove the bus home to Macon, a distance of some 110 miles, and it drove flawlessly. It is in very good mechanical shape, and is ready to be outfitted inside. Following is an inside view of this 30 foot long bus.





















As I was driving the bus back to Macon I noted that it was manufactured by Carpenter Body Works. There is great symbolism in this name, for Christ was a carpenter by trade and He will perform a great work among His body in this hour.

Driving home in the bus I also went through a torrential rain, yet the bus handled very well in these adverse conditions. I was once more reminded of the symbolism of being inside an ark of safety when the judgments of God are upon the earth as they were in the days of Noah.

The Father gave me a further confirmation of His will in this matter. The sister for whom the Father is providing this bus had told me that the previous week she had thought the Spirit of Christ was directing her to buy a set of truck mirrors. She thought at the time she was buying them for me, but later realized I had new mirrors on my van. When I looked at the bus I noted that one of the mirrors was broken and the ones on it were inadequate. I was immediately mindful that this sister had a new set of mirrors that would work very well on the bus.

I share this as one more testimony of the Lord’s leading in this hour. I also share it that others who have the financial means might be encouraged to consider how they might be used of the Father to assist those who have needs. We should remember the many promises of the Father concerning those who give to the needs of the poor, the widow and the orphan. We will all need the compassion and care of our Father in coming days, and caring for the needs of others is an activity that does not escape our Father’s notice.

Consider the rich promises of the following Scriptures:

Proverbs 21:13
He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11
"If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which Yahweh your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,' and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to Yahweh against you, and it will be a sin in you. You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings. For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, "You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.”

Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.

Isaiah 58:6-9
Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; The glory of Yahweh will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer; You will cry, and He will say, “Here I am.”

Matthew 25:34-40
"Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him,’Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

James 2:13
For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Matthew 10:41-42
"He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."

Proverbs 19:17
One who is gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh, and He will repay him for his good deed.

Galatians 6:10
So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Let us all seek the Lord daily to know what He might have us to do, for the Spirit is expressly testifying that days of great trouble lie ahead for the nations.

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

P.S. Please note that the Lord has me busy these days laboring in these physical preparations for the days ahead. I anticipate spending most of this week occupied with those preparations the Father is directing me to, and I anticipate driving the bus a thousand miles to deliver it and then catching a ride on Greyhound to return to Macon. Therefore, my time for e-mail is very limited and my responses may be delayed. I am trying to read my e-mails daily, but I do not have time at present to answer them all. Thank you for your understanding.

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

How to Prepare for a Day of Disorder

The following blog is a re-print of a post from February. A sister in Christ wrote to me and said it was very encouraging to her and that all the people of God would benefit by keeping these things in mind.

In recent posts I have written of the trials that are coming. There is a trail of tears for all of the people to walk in days ahead. Yahweh is leading His people to make preparation that they might not suffer unnecessarily, yet avoiding pain and suffering should not be our focus. There is a cross appointed to all of the people of God, and this cross is necessary to purge, purify and refine them. Yahweh is focused upon bringing forth a spiritual people, and it is needful that the flesh be reduced in order for His desire to be accomplished.

At the same time, we should always keep in mind that Yahweh will travel with His people through the wilderness ahead. They will not walk alone. He will try His people, but He will also direct them and provide for them. There is a place of peace that all can enter into as they entrust their lives into the hands of their heavenly Father.

Joseph Herrin (02-27-09)

With the multitude of witnesses being given of the disintegration of America as a nation, many Christians are waking up to the nearness of the very dark days which are at the door. A normal reaction to the dawning of this understanding is to want to know what things might be done to prepare for days of great disruption.

The days ahead for America will include a complete and devastating economic collapse. The dollar will be rendered worthless. Those people who have their life savings in dollar denominated assets will see them disappear suddenly, in a manner akin to the US Airways flight that disappeared from radar as it descended with Bank of America executives aboard to a splash landing in the Hudson River. Those on board escaped with only the clothes on their backs, being grateful to be alive. So too will the banking system of America crash in the near future, and with this event the entire infrastructure of the nation and the world will be experience severe disruptions.

A sister in Christ shared recently that the Lord had told her that even the electricity supply would become unreliable. At times it would be available, and other times it will be unavailable. I shared a similar revelation some months back as the Spirit of Christ brought me to understand the character of coming days.

Along with economic collapse there will be great interruptions to transportation. Stores will run out of food and supplies. Gas stations will run dry and find that re-supply is sporadic at best. Civil unrest will be a natural consequence, and multitudes will find it expedient to flee from the cities, many of which will be ablaze with fires and unruly gangs and rioters.

All of these things, and much more, has been prophesied for the days which are near at hand. How then should a Christian prepare for such days?

I have pondered some of the difficulties that will be part and parcel of those days. Food and shelter are critical needs, but the normal provision for these things will be altered drastically. Most houses in America are only comfortable to live in when there is a reliable supply of electricity. Here in Georgia where I live, the summertime heat and humidity would render most houses uninhabitable if electricity and air conditioning were unavailable.

The Lord has been preparing me for such a time. Last summer I lived in my small van/motorhome that I parked on the property of the Macon Rescue Mission. At times I was able to run a small fan to blow air across me as I slept, but I never used the air conditioner. Even with a small fan I would be awake until midnight or 1 to 2 A.M. waiting for the van to cool off enough to make sleep possible.

Most houses today are not designed to be lived in without electricity. The high ceilings and large screened windows, the open space beneath the floors that allowed air to circulate, and the vents and windows that could be opened and shut over doorways to aid circulation, are no longer built into homes. Homes are now tight, with little air circulation. They are made to be energy efficient, but are unsuitable for life without electricity.

With intermittent electricity there would also be the problem of loss of refrigeration and food spoilage. People no longer have root cellars, or coolers that utilize block ice as they once did. Many who have electric stoves would be unable to cook, and even water supply will be intermittent in coming days. It will become difficult to wash and dry clothes without electricity. Few people today have wash basins and wash boards, or outdoor clothes lines to dry their clothes.

One of the most pressing needs will be food and water. Many prophecies have been given about the stores being emptied of food in one hour. In this day there are few people who have any store of canned goods. The practice of canning food out of a garden has fallen by the wayside. Few people have a source of food other than the grocery store. The pressing need of food and water will foster much unrest, and violence will spill over in the towns and cities of America.

I have considered what it would take to make provision for all of these needs, as well as many others. People who wear contact lenses (like my daughter) would need to get glasses to insure against a lack of contact availability. People who rely upon prescription medications for their health would face their own set of problems.

A community of people could go back to living “off the grid” similar to what some of the Amish people have done for years. They could become self-reliant, producing much of their own food, making their own clothes, pumping their own water from a well. The transition from a wealthy, energy dependent society that utilizes the banking system for all things, to a third world nation that is contending with economic collapse, political and civil instability, terrorist threats, natural disasters, and health emergencies all at the same time will be an exceptionally arduous predicament that will not be solved quickly.

Yet, this is God’s intent. He has sent many prophets to the nation and the church over a long period of time. He has sent judgments, and warned the nation to repent time and again, but they did not want to repent. Even today as the financial systems are collapsing, the government and the people of the nation are unrepentant. They are giving themselves to ever greater abominations, and the judgment now will be exceedingly grievous and will not be remedied in the near future.

In a recent radio interview that I provided a link unto, one of the men speaking suggested that Christians do what they can to prepare, but he added that the Lord had shown him that whatever Christians do, it will be woefully inadequate. I doubt there is one family out of a thousand among the Christians in America who have made any preparation for coming days. They have not stored up food or water. They have not prepared for power outages, for food preparation, growing their own food, raising chickens, washing clothes by hand, or any of a number of other things that will be needful in coming days.

The few who have made preparation have for the most part only done so in part, and only that which will carry them through a brief period of time. When they have hundreds of other hungry, needy people asking them to share with them, what they have will be depleted very quickly.

As I pondered these things this morning I began to pray and ask the Father what should be done. I asked Him if there were something He would have me to do in order to prepare for my little corner of the world. The same sister who said the Lord had spoken to her about the electricity becoming unreliable said the Lord told her to stock up on paper products; toilet paper, paper plates, paper towels, etc.. When the stores are suddenly emptied, and there are no trucks making deliveries, such things will be hard to come by. I would not personally care to do without toilet paper.

Considering all that would need to be provided in order to prepare for myself and a large number of Christians that I know to be in this area, I was soon daunted at the enormity of what would be required. Even should I convince all of the Christians I know to begin to make preparation, it will all inevitably prove to be very inadequate in a very short space of time. I prayed and asked the Lord if I should even speak anything to His people about making preparation. I asked Him to guide me and give me wisdom. As I listened for His voice I sensed the leading of the Spirit to pick up the devotional book Streams in the Desert, and read the entry for the day (February 26).

I have not been reading this book regularly, but I had it sitting nearby on a table. I picked it up and, upon opening, it turned directly to the day’s date. This was very unusual and the Lord used it to get my attention even more. I read carefully what was written for the day.

My grace is sufficient for you. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

The other day I was riding home after a hard day’s work. I was very tired and deeply depressed, when quickly, and as suddenly as a lightning bolt, the verse came to me: “My grace is sufficient for you.” When I arrived home I looked it up in the Word, and it finally came to me this way: “My grace is sufficient for you.” My response was to say, “Yes, Lord, I should think it is!” Then I burst out laughing.

Up until that time, I had never understood what the holy laughter of Abraham was. This verse seemed to make unbelief totally absurd. I pictured a thirsty little fish who was concerned about drinking the river dry, with the Father saying, “Drink away, little fish; My stream is sufficient for you.” I also envisioned a mouse afraid of starving after seven years of plenty, when Joseph says to him, “Cheer up, little mouse; my granaries are sufficient for you.” Again, I imagined a man on a high mountain peak, saying to himself, “I breathe so many cubic feet of air every year, I am afraid I will deplete all the oxygen in the atmosphere.” But the earth says to him, “Breathe away, filling your lungs forever; my atmosphere is sufficient for you.”

O people of God, be great believers! Little faith will bring your souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls. Charles H. Spurgeon

His grace is great enough to meet the great things -
The crashing waves that overwhelm the soul,
The roaring winds that leave us stunned and breathless,
The sudden storms beyond our life’s control.

His grace is great enough to meet the small things -
The little pinprick troubles that annoy,
The insect worries, buzzing and persistent,
The squeaking wheels that grate upon our joy.
Annie Johnson Flint

There is always a large balance credited to our account in the bank of heaven. It is waiting for us to exercise our faith to draw upon it. Draw heavily upon God’s resources.
[End Excerpt]

With these words, I had my answer to my query to the Father. The banking system of America is about to fall, but the bank of heaven knows no disturbance. The largest draw upon the grace of God will never leave His vast resources diminished one iota.

There was a time some 3,500 years ago that God led a people out from all they had known. Their comfortable homes in Egypt were left behind. The Nile River with its bounty of fish, and abundant flow to supply water to drink and to irrigate the land was to be left behind. The people, numbering 600,000, a vast mixed multitude, all departed from that which they had known. Their lives were altered as greatly as will be the lives of millions of Americans, yet God did not strain to meet all their needs.

Yahweh led an entire nation into a wilderness where there was lack everywhere. It was a very inhospitable place to take a people who needed daily food and water and shelter, yet they found all they needed under the shadow of God’s mighty wings. The God who created the Universe spoke and water poured from a rock, bread rained down daily from heaven and quail were scattered upon the ground all about the camp.

What seems daunting and even impossible to man does not even strain God’s little finger. The load of responsibility and care did not tax His omnipotence then, and it will not do so in the days ahead.

Numbers 11:18-23
"Therefore Yahweh will give you meat and you shall eat. You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but a whole month...” But Moses said, "The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat in order that they may eat for a whole month.' Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?" And Yahweh said to Moses, "Is the Lord's power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not."

What a question to consider! “Is the Lord’s power limited?” The answer is a resounding “NO!” There is no limit to the power of Yahweh God. He is omnipotent; literally “ALL POWERFUL.”

The Lord has testified through many witnesses that He will have a place prepared for His people in the wilderness.

Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Who has prepared the place for the woman who stands as a symbol of the people of God? It is Yahweh, and He has said that she will be nourished.

The entire nation of Israel followed the Lord in the wilderness. They carried what food they had on hand, and nothing more. Very soon, even in a matter of a few days, there food was gone. Then they cried out to God and He sent them the bread of heaven. Oh yes, He tested the people with hunger and thirst to humble them and to see what was in their hearts, but He always had a provision for them. He looked for a people who would manifest a strong confidence in Him.

For a moment I looked at the wind and the waves. I saw the storm rising with mighty fury. I saw the multitudes of God’s people and the inadequacy of man’s ability to meet the challenge. But then God showed me His omnipotence. Where we are weak, He is strong. His GRACE is perfected in our weakness.

If the Father has shown you something to do in order to prepare for the coming day, then do it speedily and with an excellent spirit. Seek Him now, and ask Him to direct your steps and to lead you to those things He would have you to do. But when all is said and done, know that all you can do is insufficient.

In the wilderness period ahead all must learn to lean heavily upon the Father. The weight pressing against Him will seem not so much as a feather. Can a fish drink the ocean dry? Can a man exhaust the stores of air in the heavens by his breathing? Neither will you, or I, or a great multitude of men, women and children begin to diminish the resources He has set aside for the help of His people in a day of need.

Song of Solomon 8:5
Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

In the wilderness the people of God learn to lean upon Him. When the lesson is well learned, then He will bring them up.

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

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

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

Saturday, May 23, 2009

The Trail of Tears

Joseph Herrin (05-22-09)















Philippians 1:29-30
For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

The Spirit of Yahweh provided a theme for my recent trip across this country where I met with many of the saints of God. If you have been following these writings for a while you are most likely familiar with the prophecy He spoke a word of prophecy through Debbi Rennier, declaring that Acts 14:22 would VERY SOON be fulfilled in my life.

Acts 14:22
Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

The very next day after receiving this prophecy the Spirit spoke to me and told me it was His will for me to leave that week to go forth on the road to speak to His scattered remnant. I am now back from seven weeks of traveling in which I covered 8,000 miles and spoke to 12 different groups of saints. At every place I went I exhorted the people of God to prepare their hearts for days of trouble which are very close at hand.

While I was on my trip across the country my attention was drawn repeatedly to the history of the native American Indians. I visited a number of historic sites, such as the location where the battle of the Little Big Horn took place, popularly known as Custer’s last stand. I browsed through a number of native American bookstores where there were a large collection of writings on the tragic treatment of the Indians by the government of the United States. A legacy of broken treaties, false promises, fraud and mistreatment is found in the dealings of the Federal government and the Bureau of Indian Affairs with the Indians of North America.

I passed close to the site of the massacre at Wounded Knee where hundreds of Native American men, women and children were slaughtered by Federal troops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wounded_Knee_Massacre


At one of the Indian bookstores I purchased a booklet on the forced relocation of numerous Indian tribes from the East Coast to reservations out West. One of the most evil chapters in America’s dealing with the Indians came to be known as The Trail of Tears.

The Trail of Tears was the relocation and movement of Native Americans in the United States from their homelands to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) in the Western United States. The phrase originated from a description of the removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831. Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation while en route to their destinations, and many died, including, for example, 4,000 of the 15,000 relocated Cherokee.

In 1831, the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee-Creek, and Seminole (sometimes collectively referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes) were living as autonomous nations in what would be called the American Deep South. The process of cultural transformation (proposed by George Washington and Henry Knox) was gaining momentum, especially among the Cherokee and Choctaw. Andrew Jackson was the first U.S. President to implement removal of the Native Americans with the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. In 1831 the Choctaw were the first to be removed, and they became the model for all other removals. After the Choctaw, the Seminole were removed in 1832, the Creek in 1834, then the Chickasaw in 1837, and finally the Cherokee in 1838...

In 1838, the Cherokee Nation was removed from their lands in the Southeastern United States to the Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) in the Western United States, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 4,000 Cherokees. In the Cherokee language, the event is called Nunna daul Isunyi—“the Trail Where They Cried.”
[Source: Wikipedia.com]

I sensed that the Spirit of Christ was directing my attention to the history of the Native American’s treatment by the government of the United States and her citizens. Brad Daugherty, with whom I visited in Sheridan, Wyoming, also felt strongly that the Lord would have us visit some Indian sites together. I have been pondering this matter since, and the understanding of what the Spirit is speaking through these things is becoming more abundantly clear.

In pictures that portray the journey of the Indians who experienced these forced relocations it is possible to see a glimpse of that which is coming to America, and in particular to those Christians who remain faithful to Christ.


















The Indians left most of their possessions behind. They made long treks in all types of weather, and many perished along the way. Reliable accounts suggest that one fifth to one quarter of the Cherokee Indians who set forth on the journey died before they reached the end.

If the Indian people had foreseen what was coming they could have better prepared themselves for the journey and their suffering could have been lessened. Yet, many of the Indians from the Cherokee and other tribes were waiting until the last minute to do anything, for they hoped that the United States government would protect them and safeguard their rights to remain on land that was given to them by treaty and declared to be a part of their own sovereign nation. This hope in the government proved to be misplaced and very costly.

I was contemplating writing this article I was driving down the Interstate here in Middle Georgia and the Spirit quickened my understanding when I saw a travel trailer going along in the same direction that I was traveling (Please note the parable in what I just stated.) Below is a picture of what I saw.






















It was raining at the time, and I took this picture as I was driving. The rain on the windshield reminds me of the Trail of Tears, and the travel trailer being towed has the name Cherokee on the back of it. Yahweh orders our steps, and I have no doubt that He showed me this to impress upon me a message.

As I mentioned, I live in Georgia, and the Cherokee also once lived in Georgia. One of the events that precipitated their mistreatment was the discovery of gold in North Georgia around the town of Dahlonega. Dahlonega is a Cherokee word meaning “yellow money,” or “gold.” I believe it is significant that I saw this travel trailer on a rainy day in Georgia traveling in the same direction that I was going.

The Spirit is testifying that the paths He has led me down in the last ten years will soon become the experience of His people. I have suffered the loss of many things, including family members who have parted ways with me and others who esteem me to be stricken and smitten by God. Worldly possessions have been left behind, and many difficult experiences have been my portion in the last ten years. I truly wandered from place to place, looking constantly to the Father’s provision and care for myself and my family. He was always faithful. He did not spare us from trials and difficulties, but He provided the necessities of life.

Matthew 6:28-32
“And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

The apostle Paul summed up what our attitude should be regarding those things that are truly necessary in this life.

I Timothy 6:7-8
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

It was very difficult for members of my family, and others who observed our lives during those years of trial, to arrive at a contentment with what they observed. The church today requires so much more than food and covering, and the experience of my family was not as comfortable as the majority of Christians around us. Much criticism accrued to me for not providing the comforts and luxuries that were so common to others. Yet the Spirit had testified clearly to me that the experiences I was passing through were merely a foretaste of even more difficult days to come which many more of God’s people would have to endure.

At this hour the Spirit is leading many people to get ready for the days ahead. He is leading many to divest themselves of earthly possessions and to live more simply. Many are being directed to purchase travel trailers, motorhomes, or tents in order to have shelter in an hour when a great many will be displaced from their homes, and many will find it necessary to flee the cities. Others are being directed to make other types of preparations.

I am not advocating that all prepare in the same manner. Yet all should be listening intently to the voice of the Spirit and acting quickly upon those things He is communicating to them. I know some who are hesitating. Some have been influenced by the churches they are in fellowship with. There is a business-as-usual attitude among many church leaders and their congregations. Their ears have become dull of hearing, and they are no observing the multitude of signs the Spirit is giving to indicate that which is coming.

Others are hoping that perhaps things will not turn out so bad after all. They are hoping that the government will be both benevolent and powerful and will safeguard their present way of life. Those who are putting their trust in the government will fare no better than the Cherokees. Their failure to discern what is coming will prove very costly, and much suffering that could have been avoided will be their portion.

The Spirit sent me out on this recent trip to declare expressly to His saints that “through many tribulations me must enter the kingdom of God.” These tribulations cannot be avoided. They must be passed through. Those who are wise and spiritually awake will consider and seek the Lord to know how they might prepare.

If you are living life in a business-as-usual manner when the Spirit has been testifying that collapse and chaos and disruption are at the door, will you not suffer for your carelessness? If you are still sitting in front of the television and spending your days in other vain and empty pursuits, will there not be a cost? This is an hour to be pressing into the Father and seeking His mind to know all that we might do to prepare ourselves and others for the tribulation that is so near to us all.

I received a number of testimonies from others as a result of the last blog, and I want to share some of them here. First let me share my own testimony in this regard.

Thursday I had a wiring harness installed on the back of my van so that I could tow a trailer and have working lights on the trailer. I was sensing for some time that the Lord would have me to pull a pop-up tent trailer behind it. This would provide much more room than what is available in my small camper van, and it would be provision for the day when family members will be reunited with me.

As soon as I had gotten the wiring harness installed, I pulled over in the parking lot of a theater to put the panels back on the inside of the rear of the van. I had to remove them to access the lights. I was working on this when my daughter Kristin called. She asked what I was doing, and she then asked me to guess what she had just done. I could not guess, so she told me that she had just purchased a pop-up tent trailer from her boss at work. She got an incredible deal on it, and she told me that she believes when it is fully extended that it is 22 feet in length.

My daughter does not have a car capable of pulling a trailer, and I had just added a wiring harness to my van to enable me to do that very thing. It is very possible that I will be pulling her trailer for her with my van in the days ahead. Following is another testimony that I received.

Joseph,

I just want you to know that your latest blog really impressed me. I have sent it on to many of my email friends...

What really hit me in your blog was the fact that my youngest son (25) and his wife were given a 26 foot travel trailer this past year when we were discussing going camping as a family. It is an older trailer but in good condition. The weird part is that it has been parked in his driveway and has not been used yet. I was starting to think it was a waste to have it, but after reading your blog I now think that there is a plan in all this. My husband and I also have an older small tent trailer parked on the side of our house also. We've never used it but who knows what is in store. I have been impressed to purchase many foods and items over the past couple of years also for what is coming.
Your blog made me more determined to be in prayer for my family and what we are to do for what is coming. We certainly are way behind you as far as maturity and pruning of the flesh but I pray that the Lord finds us worthy to enter the wilderness when He says it is time.

Thank you for all your hard work and obedience to the Lord and for your willingness to share and feed us sheep our here in cyberspace.

God bless you, dee dee

-------------------------------------

Hey Joseph,
Sorry we missed each other. We were unable to make it to Houston. Lord-willing in the future we can meet. :)

Your last post was really good. In fact this week we just got a 30 ft trailer to live in as well. We've been loading it up and will be leaving to Detroit on Monday to visit some brethren. I know another brother who's been selling all his stuff and has his house on the market with the intention to by a trailer as well. Seem's like the Lord is leading many to do the same type of preparations.
In Christ, Sean

--------------------------

Hi Joseph,
Your recent letter reminded me of what the Lord did for the neighbors who were so faithful in helping me care for my parents prior to their death. Note that this was written to some friends in August of 2007.
As many of you know I spent 30 years in the mortgage business until the Lord led me out of it in 2001 and as this mortgage/real estate meltdown continues to snowball I have been filled with praise and thanksgiving that I am no longer caught up in that business.
I have begun to follow the spread of the effects of this and I think they will be widespread and devastating to the people who trust in the things of this world and the work of their hands. But, my purpose for writing this today is to share just one example of how our Father protects those who put their trust in Him.
Most of you know that after the Lord took me out of my business, I spent 2003 and 2004 caring for my parents who were terminally ill. There was a neighbor there who the Lord had provided to my mother who treated her like Ruth cared for Naomi. My mom and dad reached the point that they could no longer drive and my mother, who had seen this coming, had reluctantly tried to identify those that she could ask for help. Ultimately, none of the ones she thought she could count on were any help. However, this woman next door had lived there for 10 years previously and during all that time had never once even met my mother. She sold the home and moved away. Became a widow, then remarried, then she and her new husband became Christians in the Assembly of God, then were led outside the camp, and finally bought the same house she had previously owned next to my parents.
Then, the woman felt led to quit her job. Shortly after doing so, the mother of a friend became terminally ill and she cared for her until she died. Then, after a few months, her own mother became ill with cancer and she cared for her until her departure. A couple months after that her father became ill and she cared for him until he died. So this is the woman who became as a daughter to my mother and she loved both of my parents until they departed in 2004.
Her husband had a very good job as a lineman for the electric company, yet they had begun to consider moving to the Carolina mountains and early this year had sent me an email notifying me that they had sold their house and moved.
This is the background. Today (2007), I was reading some stories illustrating how the real estate market is crashing in the Tampa Bay area and thought of how fortunate these people were to have sold in time and I called her to let her know how she had been blessed. Then, she told me the rest of the story. A couple in the neighborhood had come up to them last year and told them that they liked her house (which they had never been in) and to please call them if they ever wanted to sell. Our neighbor said that she and her husband had decided they wanted to move to the mountains but had been procrastinating because of his good job and the fact that there was limited employment in the mountains. One afternoon early this year she was praying and seeking guidance and as she prayed "Didn't you see the boat and the helicopter I sent" popped into her mind. (This refers to the joke about the guy standing on the roof of his house in the flood praying to God for deliverance and waving off first a helicopter and then a boat which came, because he was waiting for God.) She believed God was telling her that He had already sent her the answer to her prayer.
She immediately told her husband to call the people that wanted to buy. He wanted to wait until they got back from going out to dinner, but she insisted that he call them right away. He did, they came over and paid him his full asking price with no real estate agent involved.
This part I already knew. But today when I called the neighbor in Carolina to tell her about how the market has deteriorated she told me that the night they called their buyers that they already had an appointment in one hour to buy another house. If the husband had waited until after dinner to call they would have missed the blessing...
This time of trouble is no longer coming. It is here and I don't think it will be limited to the economy. Glen

This last testimony particularly illustrates the need to act WHEN God says to act, and to not delay. I pray you would have ears to hear what the Spirit is testifying in this hour.

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

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

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Be Ready for the Wilderness

Joseph Herrin (05-20-09)

The Spirit has been speaking much about leading His people forth into a wilderness experience. If you have been reading this blog very long then you will have noted many teachings that speak of that which the Spirit is testifying in this hour concerning that which is to come. The Spirit is expressly testifying that God will lead a remnant through a wilderness experience in these days that they might be purged, purified and refined.

Yahweh has been revealing that the days ahead will follow the pattern of Moses as he led the people of God through a wilderness experience. God spoke to Moses to warn the people that they were about to depart Egypt. This departure from Egypt is a parable of coming out of the world and its ways. Moses was instructed by God to tell the people that this departure would come upon them suddenly, and they should be ready for it.

Exodus 12:11, 28-33
Now you shall eat [the Passover supper] in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste - it is the Lord's Passover. And the children of Israel went away, and did as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And Pharaoh rose up in the night... and he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ‘Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, serve Yahweh, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.’ And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, ‘We be all dead men.’

Notice in this passage that what came upon the people occurred with suddenness. They had to leave in haste, even in the middle of the night. There was no time to pack when the word to leave came. They had to go forth immediately, so all their preparation had to be accomplished beforehand.

Even so, in this hour the Father has been testifying through many witnesses that great calamity will come suddenly upon the earth, and His people need to be ready to move out at a moment’s notice when His Spirit directs them to do so. The Spirit has been directing those with ears to hear to get ready. They are to be prepared to march forth at His command.

Yahweh has shown me that my life during the past ten years contains many similarities to the experiences that will face His people in coming days. Back in 1999 I was living the life of a typical American Christian. I had a house full of belongings and furniture. I had cars and many goods. However, the Father began leading me through a process of disengaging myself from the entanglements of this world. He had me begin selling off my possessions, and eventually brought my family and I to a place where we were living in a 28 foot motorhome that He had provided for us and outfitted in an extraordinary way.

I am seeing this process repeated in the lives of many of God’s people at this very hour. I will share some specific testimonies of what the Spirit is leading His sons and daughters to do to make themselves ready, but first I want to share with you concerning the reason that the Father is doing these things.

All throughout the Scriptures the people of God are portrayed as wanderers upon the earth. God appeared to Abram, a man who had a home and possessions among the people of the earth, and He directed this man to leave all behind and to become a sojourner. From that day forth Abram/Abraham dwelt in tents.

Later we read of Moses who was raised in Egypt and educated in all the wisdom of the earth. He was a man of possessions until at the age of forty he forsook all.

Hebrews 11:24-26
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt...

Like Abraham before him, Moses in departing from a land of affluence became a wanderer and a stranger upon the earth.

Exodus 2:22
And she bare [Moses] a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, “I have been a stranger in a strange land.”

Forty years after Moses departed Egypt to become a dweller in tents, he led forth the entire nation of God’s people to experience the same. The Israelites had houses and lands in Goshen, a fertile section of Egypt, yet they were instructed by God to leave it all behind and to become vagabonds and refugees upon the earth.

In the past ten years the Father has directed me to paths where I had no fixed home of my own. At times my family and I dwelt in rented quarters, yet God never allowed us to become fixed in one place very long. In a period of about four years we moved nearly fifteen times. Later, when I was walking by myself the Lord directed me to dwell in a tent for a period of time, and then provided a small motorhome. For the past year and a half I have been very much a vagabond and a wanderer upon the earth. For me, my small motorhome became to me like the tent of Abraham, or the dwelling of Moses in the wilderness.

Many Christians today would never consider that God would have His people to live in this way. Oftentimes when they read of Abraham and Moses, they assume that the day they lived in was much more primitive, and their manner of living was normal. Yet it was not. Both of these men were raised in civilized society. Both men grew up in homes, and knew permanent dwelling places. Then one day the Lord appeared to them and told them to leave these things behind. What they experienced afterwards was not typical. When Abraham was in Canaan, he sojourned in the midst of cities that were full of homes and buildings, yet he lived in tents.

Nor is living differently from the majority in the world a relic of the Old Testament. During Christ’s entire ministry He lived as a homeless man. He declared to those who would be His disciples that they must be willing to live as He did.

Luke 9:57-58
And as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go." And Yahshua said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

Christ was telling this man, and all who would be His disciples, that He did not live as the world did. Christ had no permanent dwelling place. He lived to do the will of His Father, and was content with whatever His Father chose for Him. Beasts, and those marked by the beast nature, demand a permanent dwelling place. Foxes have holes and birds have nests. But those who would be conformed to the divine nature must not set their hearts of things of the earth, for their dwelling is in heaven. They must consider themselves to be aliens and strangers in this earth.

God is not opposed to His people having homes. I know that God has provided homes for many of His children. What God does require is that we be content with whatever He chooses for His sons and daughters. If they demand a home, then they cannot be disciples of Christ, for Christ did not demand anything of His Father. Christ lived to do the will of His Father, not to be served by Him. This mind must also be in all those who are disciples of Christ.

The Spirit is testifying that days of great trouble are coming swiftly upon the earth. The troubles will be greater than the earth has ever experienced. Along with natural disasters, famines and wars, there will also arise great persecution against the people of God. Any of these things by themselves can lead to great dislocations of populations, but all of them combined will create great numbers of refugees. Among these refugees will be God’s people, for not only will the Father direct them to places of safety and provision in an hour when the earth is experiencing His judgments, but they will have to flee from the persecution of the world.

Matthew 10:16-23
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles... And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next...”

It is not wrong to flee from persecution. David fled from the hand of King Saul, and God was with him. It is not by coincidence that David’s persecution of the government of the day led to a wilderness experience in his life and the lives of those with him. “That which has been is that which will be. There is nothing new under the Sun.”

God has a great purpose in those experiences which lie ahead for His remnant people. Like my own experience of past years, the people of God will have to shed a great deal of that which they have accumulated in this world. They will be pared down to a place of very lean living. They will be directed to travel light through this world, and to not view this world as their dwelling place, and their habitation. They will come to see themselves as aliens and strangers in a land that they are passing through. God will strip His people of the world’s goods that they might set their sight on their inheritance in heaven.

It is possible for a man to have much of the world’s goods and still be an alien and a stranger in his heart, yet it is very rare. Indeed it is so rare that it almost appears impossible. Much can be gleaned from the following discourse between Christ and His disciples.

Matthew 19:23-27
And Yahshua said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" And looking upon them Yahshua said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?"

Ancient cities had walls built around them for protection. In these walls were set great gates which were closed in the evenings, and on certain days. At times it was necessary for to permit entry into the city without opening the gates, so a small door was fixed in the wall. This small door was referred to as “the eye of the needle.” In order for a man, or a merchant to get his camel through this small gateway he would have to take all the baggage off of the camel, and cause the camel to get down on its knees to pass through the gate.

This is the imagery Christ used in speaking of the manner in which those who are wealthy in the goods of this world must enter the kingdom of heaven. They must freely unburden themselves of all of the goods they possess. They must humble themselves as a camel must do when getting down on its knees. By the grace of God, even a wealthy man might accomplish this act of obedience.

Matthew 19:21
Yahshua said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Luke 14:33
"So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”

We must understand that when the Israelites left Egypt on the night of Passover that they left much behind. They could not take their homes with them. Neither could they take their many furnishings. They could take only what they could carry on their backs and upon the few wagons they may have had.

The Spirit is testifying that the people of God will VERY SOON be led forth into a wilderness experience. They will not be able to take the possessions of Egypt with them. The vast majority of their possessions must be left behind.

I know that this leaving behind goods is not merely a spiritual parable, for the Father has required it of me in a very practical sense. I have few of the goods of the world today, and I am content to have left the things of the world behind. Paul admonished Timothy with the following words.

I Timothy 6:7-9
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

People of God, though such words of instruction may sound profane and offensive to a carnal church who have been steeped in the message of prosperity and ease, they should not appear as strange to those who are truly disciples of Christ. All those who would follow the Lord in coming days must be content with having food and covering. The Lord is actually being very gracious in this matter as He is preparing His sons and daughters for what lies directly ahead. Let me share with you now some testimonies of God’s leading and provision in the lives of His people.

I have already mentioned how God provided a camper/van for my own personal use. God has given me all the provision that was necessary to make repairs to it and get it roadworthy. I just finished a seven week trip in it where I drove 8,000 miles, and this 23 year old vehicle had no problems at all. God is indeed very gracious.

The day I left Georgia (March 20th) to go on this recent trip, Andrew, a brother in Christ from Indiana called me. He informed me that God had spoken to him and told him to put his house up for sale. Andrew and his family had moved out of the house about 8 months previously, but he had no release to put it up for sale until that time.

The housing market in Fort Wayne is not good. There were several homes on Andrew’s street where homes had been for sale for over a year, and the owners finally took them off the market, for there was no interest in them. Andrew did as the Lord instructed him to do, and in five days he had a contract on his home, and before a month had passed he closed on the house.

I suggested to Andrew that day when he called me that he should pray about getting some type of mobile residence for his family in preparation for coming days. Andrew did not understand why the Lord might direct him this way. He wondered if there would even be gas available to drive in days ahead, so his mind was not naturally inclined to make such a move.

A short time later Andrew’s family van began encountering mechanical problems, and he sensed the Lord would have him replace it. He was led to purchase a SUV that was large enough to pull a travel trailer. After his house sold, Andrew set out several fleeces in order to know whether the Father would have him to get a travel trailer, and God affirmed every fleece and opened every door before Andrew. Consequently he purchased a 30' travel trailer for his family. The name on the travel trailer is FLIGHT. This reminded both Andrew and myself of numerous Scriptures, including the following:

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves... But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next...”

Christians are pictured here as doves. Doves flee when there is danger near. Their wings are given them as a provision to escape from the beasts who would prey upon them. In the same way, Christ admonished His disciples to “flee” or to “take flight” when danger is near. This is not the same as being driven by fear. We are to be led of the Spirit in all these things, and the Spirit will direct the people of God to places of safety. A day may come when God determines that we should lay our life down as Christ did, but until then, of our hour has not come, no one will be able to harm those who are yielded to the Spirit of Christ.

Also while I was on my trip across the country, I heard from a brother in Christ from Atlanta who makes copies of my videos for me. Joe did not know about Andrew’s experiences when he wrote the following to me.

An interesting development has taken place in my life indicating imminent changes and a strong call for preparation. The Lord directed me to make an important purchase yesterday. But first let me go back a little concerning purchases I made in recent years. I acquired years back a private pilots license and found great joy in flying airplanes, my spiritual maturity at that time was nonexistent to very low at best. Living in the flesh, enjoying Egypt so to speak. But GOD had always HIS hand in my life, whether I knew it or not.

I thought it would be great to own an airplane, but airplanes are expensive, so I thought a partial ownership should be the way to go. And off I went, bought into a partial ownership of a Cessna 182 airplane. Very shortly after placing the money into the ownership (money we really did not have), the airplane crashed to the ground during take-off. The two pilots flying it, sustained no life threatening injuries, but the plane was history. My life began a different direction and I quit flying altogether.

A few years back my family was complaining about recreational possibilities and wanted a swimming pool but I said no to that. Us living close to Lake Lanier, I went along with their idea of buying a boat. Well, I purchased a boat, we used it a few times (one summer) and enjoyed time together, but shortly after that, Lake Lanier drained and maintains a scary low water level for the last few years. There was no place the get the boat in the water unless one would drive a long distance and with the low water level boating and swimming in Lake Lanier became dangerous.

By then, the LORD had worked in me and I understood clearly that my life was purchased not for boating or flying around. I repented of making such purchases and prayed that he would find me a buyer for this boat since it was sitting in the driveway for more than one year. The economy went down and my hope for getting rid of the boat went down too. I ended up repenting for my unbelief when GOD brought the buyer of the boat to us (We had stopped advertising the sale of the boat weeks ago).

I’m sharing this with you for a better understanding on what I was led to purchase over the weekend and the significance of it. I’m seeking the LORD in everything I’m doing now and especially what I purchase... We are debt free except the single mortgage for our home. PTL. The LORD had put in my mind to look at alternative living arrangement and for a while I have been looking at campers, but our pick-up truck will not pull even a 24ft camper and I prayed about this and asked for guidance. To not do anything out of my fleshly desires but to do what the FATHER want me to do.Let me say this, camping has never been a great desire of mine to begin with. I quit looking and told the LORD if you want us to have a means of alternative living to lead me to it. Yesterday I looked at a 29ft motor home fully self-contained with only 43000 miles on the original engine. Its 20 years old but in great shape, it was kept in one family and well maintained. The LORD is speaking through my wife to me, because she wants it completely stocked with everything needed always ready to go at any time. The seller knocked $850 off the selling price and I purchased the whole thing for $6000.00.

I know the LORD wants me to have this and to get it ready quickly. My wife said, it will enable us to leave town quickly if we had to. I knew this to be a word from the LORD spoken through her. Great shakings are at the door and we are to prepare quickly.

I was very much impressed with this testimony from Joe. Like Andrew, Joe had no soulish leaning in this direction as there was nothing in him that excited him about camping. Yet Joe sensed the hand of the Lord directing him in this way, and like Andrew, Joe was able to sell a possession of some value that enabled him to make the purchase. His ability to sell his boat in a depressed market, weeks after he had quit advertising it, is a testimony of God’s intervention and gracious provision.

As I traveled across the country I encountered one person after another who had similar testimonies. Randy and Kathy Furman have a friend in Tucson with whom Randy used to know from days when they both participated in prison ministry. We had dinner with this gentleman, and I noticed a nice large motorhome parked next to his home. He said the motorhome had been given to him, and the person giving it to him said the Lord told him that he would need it in days ahead. He did not understand this, but I sensed strongly that this was the Lord’s provision for this man and his family, even though he did not yet discern the necessity of it.

The last meeting I spoke at on my trip was in Lafayette, Louisiana. I stayed in the home of a brother in Christ, and the morning I departed I stood in front of his house and spoke to him about what I was seeing God leading a number of His people to do in purchasing travel trailers and motorhomes. When I finished speaking this brother told me that the year before the Lord had directed them to purchase a motorhome and they kept it parked at a local campground.

A few weeks back my friend Randy Simmons received a financial gift and the day he received it he was sent to a location on his job that he does not often travel and he noticed a large motorhome parked on the side of the road for sale. The Lord directed his attention to it, and he stopped to look at it. He was particularly impressed with a sign on the owner’s property. The man has a pest control business, and following is a picture showing the message below his sign.





















The coming wilderness experience will be a “cross” walk. It is intended to reduce the flesh of the people of God that a spiritual creature might arise. The man was asking $4,000 for the motorhome, and four is a number denoting humility. God must humble our flesh, and the wilderness experiences ahead are designed specifically with that goal in mind.

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

Randy thought the motorhome looked very humble as well. It had a coat of primer on it, but no paint. Randy had been praying about whether God would have him to get it, and we discussed going together to look at it when yesterday I received the following e-mail from Joe in Atlanta.

Dear Joseph,

I’m sensing in the Spirit dramatic changes to occur “very, very soon.” Much has been talked about and many signs have been given. I have wrestled with myself for quite some time to be patient and to rest in GOD. An avalanche of information has surfaced concerning the end times and upcoming calamities and disasters. In your teaching you have made the very important point, that, yes these things will occur sooner rather than later, but most important is the spiritual preparation of the Saints. A maturity absolutely necessary to endure what is coming at us.

I have battled this more intensely the last couple of weeks and have learned to hear HIS voice in others and to see HIS signs in small things. Many times in the past I have overlooked signs and directions thinking that something could not possibly be a sign for me to discern. But it is necessary for us to be fine-tuned to listen to HIM. It is the very small signs HE wants us to see and to observe. The big things everybody can and will see. When planes crash and buildings collapse, when hurricanes destroy large area and devastate regions and claiming hundreds of lives, the majority of GOD’S people discern this right and interpret this correctly as a sign and judgment from GOD. It is the personal communication between the Saint and the FATHER that has to be trained. For the longest time I had trouble understanding this and hearing HIM. I thought “ well, GOD is not talking to me” in fact HE was talking to me all along I just did not fine-tune in to HIS voice correctly.

A couple of things have occurred to me to and have been shown to me as a confirmation of the changes to come very quickly and very sudden. After I bought the motorhome, I stared working on it to get it ready. I’m still working on it, but only minor cosmetic things. Yesterday morning during my time in prayer and study, I opened my bible and the Spirit directed me to Matthew 24:38 and while I was reading it, he stopped me at the point when is says…….until the day Noah entered into the Ark… and LORD spoke to me and said: look beside your house, your ARK is parked there. This verse 38 pretty much sums it up. If I look around me, that is what I see. My physical Ark happens to be a motorhome, this is what the FATHER has prepared for me in the days ahead.

On Sunday I spend some time cleaning out my car and while vacuuming the inside, I found an audio CD under the driver seat. It was a CD I had burned from one of D. Eells’ bible studies some time back. What caught may attention was the title on the label I made for it.

The title was “Second Crash, Leave the City.” I listened to it and David was discussing dreams and visions sent to his ministry on a pending stock market collapse in connection with a 911 style attack and natural disasters. The Spirit directed me to the title almost like a direct order.

Yesterday night during my evening study, I looked through some websites I frequently visit and while at the UBM site the Spirit directed me to a small link under “Special Announcements.” In this audio link David is explaining and discussing the very soon coming move of his ministry from Pensacola, Florida to somewhere in Tennessee. He explains that the LORD is indicating HIS ministry to move north very, very soon. He is ready and is just waiting on his marching order from the LORD... the Spirit is indicating to me the very closeness of judgments through the signs he has given me.

In Christ,

Joe

My heart has also been pondering recently how close the judgments of God are at hand. I knew the Lord sent me forth across the nation at this time to proclaim a message to His scattered remnant “that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” I can only conclude that He sent me at this time because these things are very near at hand.

I was impressed to call Randy Simmons and share Joe’s e-mail with him. When Randy answered the phone he said that God was speaking to him that things were going to happen “very soon.” Randy then told me of two things he had observed just a short while earlier that he understood God to be speaking to him through. He said he was driving down the road and a car was stopped in front of him that had 777 on the license. He then said that as he was driving that a dove flew up in front of his truck and the dove had something in its mouth.

He was pondering what these things might mean, and he had just told the Lord that perhaps Joseph would know the meaning when the phone rang and it was me on the other end. Randy shared all these things with me BEFORE I mentioned Joe’s e-mail. I told Randy that I did indeed know what the signs meant that he saw, and I then read to him Joe’s e-mail.

The dove with a branch in its mouth is found in the story of Noah and the ark. Joe had just written to me about God telling him that the motorhome he had been directed to purchase was his ark, for he and his family. The number 777 signifies the end, and completion. I told Randy that it immediately brought to mind the words from Genesis:

Genesis 6:13-14
Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark...”

The dove that Noah sent out also is related to the number seven.

Genesis 8:8-12
Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark; for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. And the dove came to him toward evening; and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth. Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.

There are three sets of seven days in this passage that all relate to the dove and the ark of Noah. Randy strongly sensed that the Lord was directing him to go and look at the motorhome he had seen, and he felt that he was not to delay. I rode with Randy to look at the motorhome, and he ended up purchasing it. Randy offered the man a thousand dollars less than he had advertised, and the man said he would have to discuss the offer with his wife. Randy asked the man to call him when they made their decision.

Randy and I had not gone far down the road when the man called and said that he had spoken to his wife and they felt that the Lord would have them sell it to Randy at the price he offered. Randy then pulled over at a store to call the man back and in the parking lot there was a large bus with the following image on the side of it.























This was a further confirmation from the Father that He was ordering Randy’s steps, and it was His desire for Randy to purchase the motorhome. As Joe had just written earlier, it is necessary for the people of God in this hour to “fine-tune” their hearing that they might perceive the many ways in which the Father is speaking to them. Randy has had his senses attuned to look for the presence of the Father around him for some time, and God was filling his world with His message that day in ways that were clearly understood.

I have also sensed that the Lord would have me to purchase a pop-up trailer or a small travel trailer that I can pull behind my van. I believe in coming days that some of my family members will be traveling and living with me once again, and He would have me to make this preparation. I have an appointment tomorrow to have a wiring harness put on the back of the van so I can hook it up to trailer lights. I then anticipate looking for a suitable trailer.

People of God, Yahweh is declaring that the hour is late. Great shakings are soon to be upon the earth. Yahweh is gracious in speaking to His people, declaring to them to get all things in readiness now. An hour will come when they need to move at a moment’s notice. Those who do not heed His voice will find their way made much more difficult in that hour, for it will be too late to make provision when God says to leave.

Yahweh may not direct all of His people to make the same types of preparations. Not all may be called to purchase travel trailers or motorhomes or tents. But a common experience will be known by all of His people in coming days, and they will find that they must come out of Egypt, leaving many things behind.

It is very important in this hour to be discerning His voice and to be acting quickly upon those things He directs His people to do. I pray that those reading these words might truly be “fine-tuned” to the voice of the Spirit in this hour. This will be the only place of safety.

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

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

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