June 18, 2013
Dear friends,
Barb
and I have truly been overwhelmed by the love, gifts, and support of so
many concerning Chris and his accident. Thank you! We were told this
week the orthodontist and dentist have met about Chris’ teeth, and
scheduled a consultation with us to go over their plan on July 8 –
appreciate your prayers for wisdom. We do know they will put Chris
‘asleep’ once again for about 2 hours, then work on pulling the 3 teeth
jammed into his gums back down, and attach a wire to bring them fully
down over a few weeks. A third appointment later will be root canals and
caps to restore things back to normal. Thank you for your prayers and
support. Chris’ teeth have firmed up enough that he is able to eat
fairly normally, so things are calm once again.
CWOWI
has received from all over the world and in turn given, several
thousands of dollars of cash and gift cards to victims of the Moore,
Oklahoma tornado, and the tornado and floods in that area the week
following, again, through your generous giving. One recipient in
particular was moved to tears and also wrote us a thank you note
expressing amazement that strangers so far and wide would give so
generously to her and her family– Thank you!
Prophetic
The
week before last I was asking the Father about the fall when He said:
“There is coming a spirit of confusion on the United States later this
year. It will be marked by uncertainty, fear, and not knowing what to do
next. There will be several elements coming together later this summer
and fall rather than a single event, though there will be benchmark
events along the way. In fact, there will be benchmark events of greater
note next year for the effects of this fall will carry over into next
year.” A few days later when I was asking the Father about the economy
in particular He said: “What you are witnessing is the purposeful
measured decline of the US dollar.” He didn’t say anything else except
that, letting the silence between us hang there…Usually that means
‘Think it through, John, search it out, do your homework’.
So
many things He says are about root or spiritual elements rather than
headline events. Unfortunately people look for headlines, not realizing
He often speaks of subtle causes that if mentioned in the news at all,
make the back pages, yet they pave the way to a future headline.
For
instance, most Americans recognize December, 7, 1941 as the day Japan
attacked Pearl Harbor. But do people know the reason for the attack was
that earlier in the year the US, Britain, and The Netherlands had frozen
Japanese assets, making it impossible for them to buy oil. In
desperation they felt they had to make war to get the US to lift the oil
embargo. By comparison, the way the Father speaks often is to tell of
the embargo rather than the headline making event of December 7,
1941.
Jesus
did this when He spoke of end times conditions like love turning cold,
rumors of wars, and to look to the fig tree (Israel) for clues to the
season of His coming – rather than foretelling specific headline making
events.
So when He speaks of confusion,
uncertainty, and fear this fall, my mind goes not to the fall, but what
is happening now and in the past several months, as well as this summer
(starts Friday the 21st). You can sense the uneasiness even now in the
US, so we will be watching for subtle decisions, reports, and events
that are laying the groundwork for an interesting fall.
People
ask what I am looking at – well, I know historically in 1929 the Stock
Market hit all-time highs just weeks before the crash in October. I
understand many people with health insurance now will have it abruptly
canceled later this year and be forced to choose new programs later this
year due to Obamacare requirements. The Federal Reserve has said it may
reduce, or even increase, the policy of $85 billion a month purchase of
assets to shore up the US economy. Internationally I am watching
Turkey, Syria, Israel, Russia and Iran.
While
I watch the news, my main focus is on what the Father is saying. What
He is saying to me is peace, provision, just be about your business. You
may recall after the March, 2011 Japan earthquake and in the first
parts of the ‘Arab Spring’, the Lord appeared to me and I was able to
ask Him about Egypt and Japan. He told me a couple things and then said,
“But what are these to you? You must be about the Father’s
business.”
Of
course He was quoting Himself when He was about 12 years old, when Mary
and Joseph had been looking for Him in the caravan leaving Jerusalem
after the feast. He was so focused on being about the Father’s business
for His life, that events of the world (and family in His case) didn't
affect His focus.
What
this told me was that life will continue all around us as the course of
the world unfolds, but not to be caught up in it, just keep focused on
what He asks us to do today, this day, this week, this month – In the
middle of that focus is His provision and supply, His peace and
assurance.
So I
am not concerned that some will be confused this summer & fall, nor
concerned that some will be afraid and not know what to do next. We DO
know what to do, we are not afraid, we are not confused at all because
we see the times and seasons. We can't be moved by other’s ignorance and
fear, we must seek Him and His righteousness because we are His kids
and part of His family and He takes care of His own. There is great rest
in that. Thanks for being in our lives!
Blessings,
John and Barb
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