The Economic Crisis and Our Faith

As I've said before, I am always listening for the Holy Spirit to bring to my attention various blog topics. Today was no exception. I already knew that I needed to address the growing economic crisis in our nation. After all, you have to have your head in the sand if you aren't aware that our nation is facing a time of intense difficulty and doubt in our financial system. Yes, we've faced it before; in 1929 and most recently, in 2008. The response has always been government intervention in the form of bailouts, buyouts, or the printing of more money (as in just adding more zeros to the fabricated bank ledgers).  

In full disclosure, I am not a financial expert and I am not qualified to give financial advice, but I'm smart enough to know that our financial standing in the world is falling at a drastic rate; we haven't managed our national debt at all; the markets are being manipulated to benefit the powerful and the global elites; and none of it is good for the common man. From what I am gleaning from the talking heads, this latest financial debacle has brought us to the point where our backs are against the wall. Every solution only leads to more debt, higher inflation, and the likelihood of a recession [or even a depression] that will affect the whole world. 

You can feel the panic in the air. Banks are being overrun with phone calls inquiring about the safety of their money. But don't worry, the Big Boys have already got theirs. What we need to worry about is that their greed may likely lead to financial pain for the rest of us. But we have to own up to the part we've played, too. Let's face it ... both the US government and the average American household has been living beyond their means for far too long. With the banks failing, there is no one to finance the lifestyles we've become accustomed to [even though a lot of us could not afford them]. We've always relied on Uncle Sam to come to the rescue, but he's run out of options -- foreign governments no longer want to loan to us, and the value of the dollar is declining faster than we can print it. Now it's time to pay the piper. But if we all cut back on our spending and are forced to live within our means [and most likely way beneath our means], then a recession is likely, and the future no longer looks bright.

So, I've been contemplating this financial turmoil that is threatening to engulf us all and wondering, first of all, how do I look at this from my Biblical perspective? We know that Jesus warned us about the love of money and making it an idol. But maybe it's time we all ask ourselves the crucial question: In 2008, author Mario Seiglie posted an article on that financial crisis in Beyond Today, and asked, "What is our true currency? It shouldn't be money, but faith. If we are faithful to God, He will provide. In a period of widespread famine, He fed the prophet Elijah through ravens bringing him food for many days. God can intervene in many ways to provide for His obedient and faithful servants". 

It's now 15 years later, and the financial ground we stand on is even more unstable. This current crisis threatens to affect the entire world. The merchants of the earth are in fear of a total collapse. Is this leading to the End Times prophecy spoken of in Revelation 17-19, when the political and economic systems of the world fall into great upheaval, and the kings of the earth collaborate with a dominant leader and give him their power and authority to bring order out of the chaos? No one can accurately predict that at this moment. BUT, when the peoples of the world [and their leaders] become desperate, they will be willing to give away their freedoms to a "savior" figure. In the case of world leaders they will only be too willing to share their power with anyone who can promise a return to security and prosperity. And the Bible tells us that there will be a powerful and influential person only too willing to step into that role and exploit global depressions and the aftermath of economic destruction that are the natural consequences of the wars that will follow. We only have to look at Hitler to see what the Bible says this person will look like.

We may not be able to predict when that Biblical truth will play out, but our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, tells us to "keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming]." And just like the parable of the fig tree, we are to recognize the season of such troubles, and know that it is near [Matthew 24:32-34]. When we see those signs it will be most important that the currency we trade in is our faith. 

It is our faith that will give us hope, just as Jesus tells the Church at Sardis in Revelation 3:10: Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth. It will be our assignment as the Ekklesia and as ambassadors of Heaven, to encourage and reassure those [both Christians and non-believers] who will be shattered and crushed because they won't know their place in a world caught up in uproar and pandemonium. It will be our faith that will see us through and enable us to endure the dark days, knowing that our protection, security, and victory lies in the measure of faith we have been storing up for just such a time as this. We will remain faithful and strong, and we will pass the test! 

#economiccrisis #faithintimesoftrouble #trustingjesus 

Romans 8:18   For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!

 

What Is The Level of Your Faithfulness?

 

I have previously shared my testimony of walking in the wilderness and what it was like to have my faith tested. So, it was with much interest that I ran across an article from Open Doors USA about the testimony of a Christian pastor held in a Turkish prison and experiencing the silence of God. In case you are unfamiliar with this organization, Open Doors USA seeks to strengthen and encourage Christians throughout the world who find themselves in danger because of their faith in Jesus. Pastor Andrew Brunson had been a pastor of a small Christian Church in Turkey for 25 years when he found himself serving a sentence for espionage and terrorism, which would result in him spending two years in a Turkish prison cell -- 735 days to be exact.

 Pastor Brunson is candid in his admission that those two years were difficult because he did not feel the presence of God, and it resulted in a season of testing for his faith. In his interview, he reveals, "I was the only Christian in prison, and the only Christian I had any contact with throughout my two years was Norine [his wife]. So I was very alone, isolated in my faith. I prayed for peace so much. I did not feel much peace. Grace was taking me through, but finding strength, determination, peace and joy was actually much more difficult than I expected. So I didn’t feel people praying for me. I had grace, but it was an unfelt grace. My first year in prison, I broke repeatedly."

Many of us can identify with what it looks like and feels like when we've been broken before God. And many times, we, too, experience the silence and what we think is the absence of God. When asked what he learned through this season, Pastor Brunson responded, "There are actually a number of things that came out of my imprisonment in my own heart. Even though it was two years of the silence of God, I came out with a different intimacy, more confidence in my relationship with Him, which comes from having been tested and proving myself. It’s the difference between a soldier who has been trained and has skills, and one who has the same training and skills but has also been in battle."

That last thought, my friends, is at the heart of this post. As my husband and I enter into another year of our unique ministry of Inner Healing, I am increasingly aware of the difference in the faith of a Christian after they have received Inner Healing from Christ. Each one comes to our table, where they have an opportunity to meet with Christ; where He prepares a table [meal] for them in the presence of their enemies, just as David states in Psalm 23. And when they feast on His power to overcome the strategies of the Enemy in their lives; feast on His authority, love and righteousness, they leave a different kind of Christian -- one that truly knows what deep level faith is and how to walk in it. It's as if everything before was experienced through the doctrines and teachings of the Church, but when they experience what Jesus did while on assignment on earth -- hearing and seeing what the Father's will was for them -- those doctrines and teachings pale in comparison to a new level of real spiritual knowledge and awareness, gained through witnessing Jesus's presence [in the spirit] throughout their lives. No one can remain the same after that upgrade in your faith!

Pastor Brunson stated that his time in that prison was a test of his faith and he believes it is stronger today because his faith was tested and he learned what true perseverance was. Before prison, he knew his faith was strong, but until it was tested in the midst of God's silence, he had no proof of the strength of his faithfulness. He hadn't proven it to himself. For my husband and myself, we see that the Beloved's that come for ministry are also able to understand how they've been tested when we can show them the strategies of the devil to keep them from their purpose in this life. They can understand things about their relationship with God that they weren't able to recognize before. They can see that God hasn't abandoned them or forgotten about them; they can finally see that God didn't "allow" the bad things to happen, but that they have an enemy that comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and that when free will is exercised by themselves [or others against them], that IT IS NOT GOD'S WILL FOR THEM! 

Like Pastor Brunson, we can move into a more intimate, strengthened faith with God when we see the truth that God sent us to this earth with an assignment to advance His Kingdom on the planet, and it has been the devil's plan to keep us from that assignment by bringing sin into our lives. And that sin has kept us in bondage to the lies of the devil until the very moment when we have the opportunity to receive the truth from Jesus's own lips! We can cast away the shame, guilt, rejection, anger, unworthiness and whatever other demon spirit the devil has attached to us, and step into a new identity, washed in the blood of Jesus! 

As I've so often said, this life is a journey to become more like Jesus. Each of us has a purpose and an assignment, and we should expect the enemy of God to try to detour us from the path God has written in our Book of Life. After all, didn't Satan do the same thing to Jesus? Our journey is an opportunity to persevere and overcome the attacks from our adversary, and when the testing of our faith comes -- and it will come -- we can choose to rebuild and restore our faith to new levels; and we can form new perspectives about who we are from God's point of view... trading false images for truth.

So, because the Bible tells us that persecution will be on the rise in the End Times, we should take this time to not only get ourselves free from bondage and false identities, but prepare ourselves for the testing of our faith. It will be a time of proving to ourselves that our faith is authentic and that God will be faithful to us, even as we are faithful to Him. As Pastor Brunson reflected on his imprisonment, his words struck my heart: "... there’s already more of a cost to follow Jesus now than there was when I got out of college, and it’s about to very quickly accelerate... One of the things I think God was doing in me was having me go through this breaking and rebuilding so that I would learn and practice certain things that would strengthen me to be an encouragement and resource to others who are also going to face difficulty." May we all commit our hearts to do the same.

#Faith #EndTimesFaith #ChristianPersecution

Romans 8:35   Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

 

If The Lord Is Sifting You, Count It All Joy

 

I daresay the last two years have been challenging for all of us. We have battled pestilence, uncertainty about the future, and loss of freedoms. Many of us have experienced the deaths of loved ones, sacrificed our jobs, and experienced a level of change that has left us unbalanced and out of alignment with our Lord. And I'm afraid that the forecast for 2022 appears to be no less challenging. 

We can liken it to the "sifting" that the Bible tells us is God's prerogative. It is His right and privilege [as Sovereign Creator] to evaluate our faithfulness through tests and trials. But I believe it is all part of His plan to separate us from the things, ways, and idols of this world which threaten our purpose in being. There is potential [in our sifting] to produce opportunities to mature into becoming more Christlike. And our spirits should receive that with joy!

It is hard when we are in the midst of such life-altering chaos to see it from God's perspective. I understand that it might be difficult to see Him among all the political upheaval, economic fear, and societal divisiveness, because we tend to be focused on how it all affects us. But if we are to call ourselves "the Church" (and truly faithful followers of Christ), then our minds, souls, and spirits should be discerning just how all this offends our Father in Heaven! It is time we see the need to be judging ourselves! And if we are incapable of turning our hearts from idolatry and adultery with the world, then we should expect nothing less than a sifting to shake us up and separate us from that which seeks to make us comfortable in the world. 

What does God need to sift from your life? Is your identity tied up in your possessions, your titles, and how you are perceived by others? Does your security lie in your job, your money, or a guaranteed future? Do you think your affiliation with a denomination, or your religion will insulate you from any form of sifting or shaking from our righteous God? If it is difficult to think about any of this, or thoughts of any further turmoil in your life, then I want to ask you this question: Are you determined to serve the Lord -- no matter what happens -- or are you more preoccupied with preserving and protecting your own well-being? That's a tough question, and one that I have asked myself.

You see, God has divinely ordained plans for our lives, and they involve His Kingdom purposes. We are not here, in this time and this place, for our own benefit! We are here to see His will done as Satan brings everything to bear on his plan to maintain his kingdom of darkness and overcome us. Even as so many of us face the loss of our jobs, homes, and yes, even our lives, we must remain steadfast in our purpose -- to glorify the Most High God, the King of Kings, and the Holy Spirit! If we truly desire to mature into Christ's image, then we must be willing to sacrifice [as He was willing to do] all the comforts and certainties of this world to serve God. And that means everything -- even up to and including our lives! 

I believe that the difficult times we have already suffered -- and those to come -- are a sifting of our motives and allegiance. God wants to sift out all that robs us of faithfully and intentionally serving Him, as we pursue our assignments for His Kingdom. And Satan wants to sift that same loyalty and covenant relationship, purging us of our fidelity and devotion to the One whose Grace and Love sustain us. But we must not let the devil steal our witness of being Overcomers! 

We don't know what this next year, or the next decade, will bring. I believe there is a powerful remnant of the faithful that are storming the Heavens with their prayers and their spiritual strategies to defeat the Enemy's encroachment on the freedoms Christ died to give us. I believe we will see glorious victories. And I believe those victories may well be accompanied by pain and sorrow, just as Christ experienced in His spiritual battles. Just as Jesus experienced, I believe God's called-out ones will become more deliberate targets of the Enemy and his cohorts. There is a flood of deception and lies swirling around us in the world, and we must establish our footing on the solid ground of God's Word and His faithfulness to His promises. Even though we may get tossed around by the winds and currents of deceit, we must stay focused on God's Truth, and the power of Jesus's intercession for us. We can trust Him to fight for us! 

So, let us not be frightened by the efforts of the Enemy to attack our health, steal our carnal security, or destroy our relationship with our Father. Instead, let us see these trials as means to develop and strengthen our spiritual muscles -- producing stamina, endurance, perseverance, and a means to expunge us of our spiritual shortcomings. Through this process, the Bible says we will be made "perfect". And, let us see these trials as a way to walk in true freedom -- letting go of the ties that bind us to this world, and seeking [with like-minded family and friends] only to serve the Lord and trusting Him to accomplish His purpose in our lives! We can count it joy because, through the process, we will be able to walk in true holiness. And that is worth more than any reputation, job, house, dollar amount, or worldly enticement! That is true freedom and my spirit shouts for joy!

James 1:2-4      My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance. And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.

Persecution and The Tribulation: How Close Are We?

"The world is deathly ill. It is dying. The Great Physician has already signed the death certificate. Yet there is still a great work for Christians to do. They are to be streams of living water, channels of mercy to those who are still in the world. It is possible for them to do this because they are Overcomers."

Those words were written in a letter in 1974, by Corrie Ten Boom, a survivor of the Nazi Death Camps. Unfortunately, I don't think Christians in the West listened to her ... especially here, in the United States. We have lived too comfortably, and we have identified for so long as a prosperous nation, that it is difficult to admit that this world is actually dying. That outlook might be about to change, so maybe we should examine her letter a little more closely. There is hope as she points out that we Christians are ambassadors for Christ to this dying world. And there is no compromise in her theology; she takes the Bible at face value, so she is cognizant of what the Lord said the world would look like before He returns.

She is really quite honest when she admits, "Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this world and see all of the tribulation and persecution promised by the Bible coming true. Now I can tell you, though, if you, too, are afraid, that I have just read the last pages. I can now come to you, shouting “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” for I have found where it is written that Jesus said, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will be His God, and he shall be My son.” This is the future and hope of this world. Not that the world will survive – but that we shall be Overcomers in the midst of a dying world".

I will tell you that this is a message that the Western Church is reluctant to hear, let alone accept. But it is a message that I share -- both the good, bad, and ugly about what the Bible prophecies for this time. And I will also tell you that far too many of my contemporary Christian brothers and sisters do not want to receive that message. But as a Watchman on the wall, it is my obligation to speak the truth -- all of it -- both the coming persecution and final victory in overcoming.  

Corrie shares some of the persecution she and her sister Betsy suffered in the midst of the evil in that concentration camp, and that she even struggled to understand God's purpose in all the death she witnessed, including the death of her beloved sister. But, as the Word says, "What the devil meant for evil, God will use for [His] good". And I would like to say that He uses it for His Glory, as well. Corrie saw that herself. She stated that because of Betsey's death, she has been given the assignment [and gift] of  traveling all over the world and telling people about Jesus.

In regards to the persecution she personally endured, in 1974, Corrie declared, "There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days." I am now declaring, that in 2021, there are some among us teaching we will be able to escape the persecution in our time, and receive a reprieve from the tribulation! They tell us that we are on the brink of a "worldwide revival". But Scripture not only tells us we are not going to escape persecution, but I am unable to find anywhere that Jesus foretells such a revival. And I do not believe that we are to cherry-pick the Psalms that speak of our victory in Christ, yet overlook those verses that cry out for deliverance from the persecution of the Enemy.

I absolutely believe that the Bible speaks of personal revival in the End Times, as each human being must make a decision for Christ in the face of persecution and tyranny by the Enemy. Jesus warns of false prophets who are like wolves in sheep's clothing; of diseased trees bearing bad fruit; of wars, nation against nation, famines, and earthquakes -- all of which are the beginning of birth pangs, indicating the end of the Age. Furthermore, He says we will be delivered up to tribulation and put to death. Many will fall away from the faith and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved! Nowhere do I see Jesus saying that there will be a worldwide revival ushering in the fulfillment [completion] of the Kingdom on earth.

The Kingdom is here NOW! And Jesus tells us that the Good News about this fulfillment of the Kingdom [in His Second Coming] will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then "the end will come". I believe the end He is talking about is the end of the reign of the kingdom of darkness on the earth. Yes, the whole world will hear of what Jesus has done for us, but I do not think "proclaiming" the Gospel is the same as a worldwide revival of people coming to Christ. There is definitely a hope fo that result, and if by "revival", they mean the Body of Christ rises up to do what it is supposed to have been doing all along ... healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and preaching the gospel, then I can hope for that, too.

But we cannot ignore the warnings about persecution, because it is here! The Christian Post website reported that China's persecution of Christians intensified in 2020, and the Communist Government is working to more fully control "religion". The website revealed "that schools in China have been teaching children that Christianity is an “evil cult,” while children are being taught to oppose religion, encouraged to question the beliefs of family members and report those closest to them to authorities." As our culture becomes increasingly "woke", and as we see "critical race theory" further dividing the American people, how long before religious and political persecution takes root in America? We are already seeing a "One World/Universal" religion spreading its false teachings throughout the world and within our denominations. Those who choose to proclaim Jehovah Adonai as the One True God will undoubtedly come under fire.

As Believers in this 21st Century, we must set our minds on the truth of Scripture and be prepared to endure during persecution. Will we see a remnant thrive and revive during these anti-Christ times? Of course! The Father's purpose for End-Times believers will never be thwarted! But if we truly believe that every word of Scripture is true, we know that we will be rewarded with Eternal Life with our Savior. What a victory! But before that victory, there is a reality that we cannot ignore. The Book of Revelation holds nothing back. The sixth chapter reveals the storm that is coming before Christ returns: Satan will empower a conqueror to wage war and take peace from the earth "so that men would slaughter one another; and a great sword [of war and violent death] was given to him". The 13th chapter says, "It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and  authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him". The 17th chapter tells us, "And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus". 

I believe these are the souls under the altar in Heaven crying out for Justice; those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained [out of loyalty to Christ]. There will be martyrs for Christ, just as there were in the first century after Christ's crucifixion. In 1974, Corrie Ten Boom wrote, "In America, the churches sing, “Let the congregation escape tribulation,” but in China and Africa the tribulation has already arrived.  This last year alone more than two hundred thousand Christians were martyred in Africa.  Now things like that never get into the newspapers because they cause bad political relations.  But I know. I have been there.  We need to think about that when we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our steak dinners.  Many, many members of the Body of Christ are being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue right on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation". Can you honestly say that Satan has backed off his plans to defeat Christianity in the last 47 years? 

I know that many don't want to contemplate persecution or tribulation; it is much more pleasant to think on the mercy, grace, and victory of Christ. And I recognize that Satan uses fear to keep us from thinking we are strong enough to be a martyr for Christ. But we need to understand that if that time comes, we will receive the strength we need to glorify the Lord in that moment of our refusal to deny Him. We will be able, like Stephen, to testify of His presence in our lives and of His power in the world. We will confidently cry out, “Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!” 

So, how close are we to this controversial Biblical prophecy? No one knows for sure. But the signs are all there. The birth pangs are getting sharper and lasting longer. The Enemy is longer working in secret, but operating right out in the open for discerning minds and hearts to see. He thinks he has control of the whole earth, and is putting his plan into effect. A global pandemic, famine, earthquakes, and rumors of war are all in view. And I wholeheartedly desire revival in the lives of every Christian on earth, with millions more joining our family of God. But I believe it is a personal revival; perhaps one person at a time. And I welcome that! So let us encourage each other and help each other get ready. We have a purpose to fulfill! And let us approach each day knowing that no matter what happens to us, we will not endure this day alone. Our Lord will always be with us, in and out of persecution; in and out of tribulation; until one day we stand before Him and receive the Crown of Life. Praise Him, for He is worthy to be praised!

2 Timothy 3:12   Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their faith].

A Testimony For Our Times

I write this blog post with a keen sense that I have come full circle since I began writing in December of 2011. The very first post I published expressed the reasons why I felt called to begin this journey ... "I am writing for all people, who like me, do not want to sit on the sidelines while our country and this world go down the tubes. I am writing for everyone whose instincts tell them something is wrong, terribly wrong, and are ready to throw off the shackles of fear and claim their personal power; to overcome the paralysis of panic and dread, and take command of their lives and their circumstances. And the foundation of that power is the saving grace of Jesus Christ in my life".

At the time, [and it seemed like overnight], all sense of security in my country, my government, and my future went up in smoke. This country was headed down the wrong track, and the conductor was taking us there as fast as he could! In 2008, my husband and I received heavenly promptings to re-evaluate everything in our lives ... to prepare for economic hard times and radical changes in our society. And it scared the living daylights out of me! But instead of giving in to the suffocating fear, I made a choice to face it. I would not give up that easily in all I believed in!

So, three years later, I decided to begin a dialogue with the people of this country, and in 2011 began writing this blog. We are now at the end of 2020, and these last nine years have seen many people arriving at the stage I was at all those years ago. And I will admit that we were not able to turn that train around. In fact, we are further down the tracks and ready to head into a long, dark tunnel. But, as I've done since the beginning, my goal is to give you hope and encouragement in the face of whatever evil we may face. 

We are not the first in history to engage in spiritual warfare with what seems like an invincible Enemy. I am the daughter of a WWII veteran, and not many years before I was born, a force of Evil, such as our modern world had not seen, was defeated with the help of Almighty God's support. That same anti-Christ spirit that existed in Adolph Hitler is still intent on capturing the world and forcing it into horrendous and despicable bondage. You may be experiencing the fear that comes with sudden realization that my words are not written out of ignorance or rashness. Perhaps you are just now receiving your own heavenly promptings, or having been enlightened for a few years now, are becoming weary of the fight and are struggling to endure. 

We all need encouragement and support! And if you are having difficulty hearing the voice of the Lord directly, I would like to offer the following testimony by Corrie ten Boom. You will hear the voice of the Lord through her humble words! And if you are unfamiliar with who she is, I exhort you to become familiar with her story. Hers is the remarkable legacy of surviving the Nazi death camps under the most dehumanizing circumstances, while offering the mercy and grace of Jesus in the midst of what was hell on earth. She would not describe herself as a hero of the faith, yet that is what she was; a woman who persevered against the deepest darkness, demonstrating her hard-learned trust and dependence on the Lord. Let her testimony, given at the First International Congress on World Evangelism in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1974, give you hope and strengthen your faith. Here is her testimony, in her own words...

In the Bible we read in Colossians 1:11, ‘As you live this new life with Jesus Christ, we pray that you will be strengthened from God’s boundless resources, so that you will find yourselves able to pass through any experience and endure it with courage.’ God’s boundless resources are what we find when we obey the commandment, ‘Be filled with the Spirit.’ This is not a suggestion; the Bible has no suggestions, only commandments, and this is the most happy commandment of the whole Bible. When the Lord told us to witness and make disciples over the whole world, He promised, ‘You will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you.’

When I was a little girl, I remember that I talked with my father and I said, ‘Daddy, I will never be strong enough to be a real witness and a martyr for Jesus.’ And father said, ‘When you go to travel, when do I give you the train ticket, or the money for it—three weeks before?’ I said, ‘No, daddy, the day that I go to travel.’ And father said, ‘That is what God does. You don’t need to have the power to suffer for Jesus at this moment, but the moment that you will have the great honor to be a martyr for Jesus, the Lord will give you everything.’ And I’ve experienced that we have not a ‘spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind’, and the Holy Spirit is there always to do the job, to make us ready.

When I was in prison where my sister and 95,000 other women died, I experienced what Paul wrote to the Philippians when he also was in a terrible prison. The Holy Spirit had pointed Paul to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit also did the same for me. And I can say with Paul what he wrote in the text, ‘I count everything as lost compared with the priceless privilege’ (I read it from the Amplified New Testament), ‘the overwhelming preciousness, the unsurpassable worth, and the supreme advantage of knowing Jesus Christ, my Lord, and of progressively, more intimately, getting acquainted with Him.’ That happened when I was in that terrible prison. That can happen with you also, when you let the Holy Spirit turn your eyes more and more to the Lord Jesus even when we are perhaps entering a time of very great darkness and suffering over the world.

One of the most cruel things I have suffered was when in the concentration camp, we had to stand naked. They stripped us of all our clothing and I said to Betsie, my sister, ‘I cannot bear this. This is so terrible.’ But it was suddenly as if I saw Jesus at the cross. It was the Holy Spirit who turned my eyes to Jesus, and the Bible tells that He hung there naked, they stripped Him of all his garments and He hung there for me. By my suffering I could understand a fraction of the suffering of Jesus and it made me so happy, so thankful, that I could bear my suffering. The Holy Spirit will turn your eyes to Jesus, whatever happens, and then we are ready, we are even willing, and we are able to suffer.

The world is very sick, very ill. Who is it that overcomes the world? He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. I am sure that all of us believe that Jesus is the Son of God. That means that you and I, that we all have to overcome the world—and that is hope for the world. The best is yet to be. Jesus is coming and He has said, ‘I will make everything new’, and that this world, yes, this sick, ill world will be covered with the knowledge of God like the waters cover the bottom of the sea. What a joy to know from the Word of God that God has no problems, only plans. There’s never panic in heaven, and we have to be right with God and we know it. That is because of the finished work of Jesus at the cross. And we have to be right with men also because of Jesus’ presence. The love of God, He will bring into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us (Rom 5:5).

Once, when traveling the world, I came to Germany and sometimes I find people who have been cruel to me in the concentration camp. Once I saw a lady in the meeting and suddenly I thought, ‘That woman was the nurse who was so cruel to my dying sister,’ and there came hatred and bitterness in my heart; but when I felt that there was hatred and bitterness in my heart, I knew I had not forgiven her. And I know, and you know, that Jesus has said (you can read it in Matthew 5), ‘If you do not forgive those who have sinned against you, my heavenly Father will not forgive you your sins.’ But I said, ‘Oh Lord, I cannot, I am not able.’ And suddenly I saw it. I cashed the check of Romans 5:5. I said, ‘Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you have brought into my heart God’s love through the Holy Spirit who is given to me, and thank you, Father, that your love in me is stronger than my bitterness and hatred.’ I could go to that nurse and I could shake hands with her, and I had the joy to be used by the Lord to bring her to this decision for the Lord Jesus. What a joy.

This is only part of the remarkable testimony of Corrie ten Boom, an ordinary woman who lived in an extraordinary time. At the start of WWII, Corrie was single, in her 40s and living in her parent's home. Her father, Casper, a watchmaker in the small town of Haarlem in Holland, was a devout Christian who made a decision that his family would become involved with the Dutch Resistance and help smuggle Jews out of  Holland, putting his family in grave danger. After a neighbor betrayed them and the family was arrested, Casper died ten days later in prison. Corrie and her older sister Betsie, would eventually arrive in Ravensbruck, the notorious women's labor camp in Germany. 

Through what can only be described as a miracle, Corrie smuggled a Bible into the camp. While all the other women were strip searched, Corrie walked into Ravensbruck without being touched by a guard. She and Betsie would share the comfort of Scripture in a widening circle of women who found their way to their bunk in the midst of the horrors of the camp. Corrie would say, "The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God". God had given these two sisters a mission, a purpose and a ministry in one of the darkest places on earth. 

All through their time in the Concentration Camp, Betsie shines to Corrie like a lighthouse of Jesus's love. Corrie has rage against her oppressors; Betsie is compelled by love and forgiveness. Through the love of Jesus, the bunker in which they stayed was transformed from a selfish place where women would fight each other for scraps of food to a place where prisoners developed an overwhelming love for one another. But the deprivation in Ravensbruck became too much for Betsie. As her body became weaker, and just before she died at the age of 59, Betsie said, “We must tell the people what we have learned here. We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He [God] is not deeper still. They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here.”

And that is the lesson we must take from their testimony. We don't know what our future holds, and I pray it never becomes as dark as what Corrie endured. But it's becoming clear to me that the same winds of evil are on the horizon, and we must be as determined to represent God as did the brave and faithful ten Boom sisters. We must let the Gospel messages of Salvation and the Kingdom define our lives. We must let the love, mercy and power of our Lord Jesus increase in us during the rising tide of spiritual warfare we are experiencing. We must identify with the Lord no matter how heavy our Cross becomes; being His instrument in the battle against Evil and proclaiming that He can overcome all. Corrie ten Boom is evidence of that truth ... Because of a clerical error, the Nazis released Corrie ten Boom from Ravensbruck 12 days later. Exactly a week after that, everyone her age was sent to the gas chambers and murdered. 

God had a purpose for Corrie's life! And He does for each one of us, too! Betsie ten Boom's purpose was to offer hope and compassion to the women in that Ravensbruck bunker, and to uplift the spirit of her sister, so that Corrie would survive, and go on to tell their story and her journey toward forgiveness. It's a story that defines her legacy, and mirrors the reason that I began writing this blog in the first place, and why I will continue to write it until the Lord tells me to stop --- no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in; no matter how chaotic and evil the world becomes; we have a Victor in Christ. He and the Holy Spirit will show us the way if we stay focused on them, and lean on them. We have no promise that it will be easy or comfortable; only that we will be strengthened to endure and persevere for the sake of the Gospel. There is a Kingdom that has arrived and that Kingdom will soon have dominion over all the earth. We are designed and planned to be a part of that! Be convicted, be bold, and be all in for the Glory of the Lord!

John 3:19-21    And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

 

 

The Fruit Of God's Training

I love the quiet times of reflection with my husband. We often look back over our unscripted lives together and see all the paths God led us down -- even when we were unaware He was lighting the way. Because I can tell you that left to ourselves, we would not have ended up where we are. And so I am thankful that we both were willing to let our spirits be shepherded. There were critical points along the way at which a crucial decision had to be made that would have far-reaching consequences. I am grateful that we didn't stumble in making those decisions. 

And here is something that I believe with all my heart: God's purpose for each of us here on earth is written next to our names in the Book of Life. But that doesn't mean we always adhere to God's will for us, and both Mark and I can be stubborn and rebellious. So, I'm here to testify of the goodness of God in our lives; to use both His rod and His staff to guide us.

There have been many pivotal crossroads in our history, but I think the one that has yielded the most benefit to us [and fruit for God], was when we took the leap of faith to trust that we could make a living by means of Mark's God-given artistic talent. It has been just over 25 years since we made that momentous decision to trust in the Lord to provide for us in everything we needed in this world. We decided that we were tired of the rat race and the focus our lives had on our jobs and how society defined success. But this blog post isn't about just financial provision. I want to be clear -- we are not rich, never have been, and there are still month's when we are on our knees reminding God that He said if we were faithful to Him, He would be faithful to us. It's been about believing in that promise.

And I know there are not many of our friends or family who understand how rich that has made us. We don't take lavish vacations; have never been to Europe [which astounds some of our contemporaries]; we work through the holidays; don't dine at fancy restaurants, and don't indulge in lavish gifts at Christmas, birthdays, or anniversaries. But, as so many Americans are awakening to the possibility that our future [and prosperity] as a nation is in jeopardy, we are blessed with a sense of calm because God has trained us up for "a time such as this".

For 25 years, we have not had "company benefits".  There has been no company-provided health insurance or 401k to ease us into retirement. In fact, we have laughingly stated that we've been retired for 25 years! The fact that the safety nets which the world offers have not been part of our experience, has given us the opportunity to learn to rely solely on God. I can't tell you how many times that we stared hardship and lack square in the face, and had no where to turn but God. And He never let us down! We've learned to live on a fraction of what most households do. And as we've gotten older, we've observed that people who climb the corporate ladder, or pursue high-paying careers, have not enjoyed the free, easy, and contented life we have. Don't get me wrong, we work more hours in the day than we ever did in our "before" life. But it is so much more satisfying at the end of the day than the stress of those jobs and careers. 

Maybe you identify with us, and remember those years that you felt a prompting to store a little extra food, or you spent the time to learn how to defend yourself in the case of a national crisis. Maybe you, too, were looked upon as "conspiracy nuts" or suffered those smirks and rolled eyes. You were told that your concerns were unnecessary because "nothing can happen; we're the United States of America and the greatest country on earth". Or, maybe like us, your Christian friends kept trying to convince you that the faithful didn't have to worry -- Jesus has already won the victory, and where was our trust in Him that He would never leave us nor abandon us. But let me ask you this ... are those same friends (both believers and non-believers) now coming to you and asking, "How do I ____?", or "Where can I get ____?" or "Do you think Jesus is coming back soon?"

It's not that we were prophets or anyone special. It was just part of the journey that God was taking us on. In fact, my logical-thinking husband recently told me that he has realized that God has been training us up for this very time. Our Father knows the beginning from the end, and knew that we would one day face the very real possibility of a collapsing economy, with a shrinking dollar, food shortages, loss of jobs, a pandemic, etc. etc. He knew the people who would be trainable and willing to consider preparing by learning to plant a garden, store a little extra food, learn how to can, and learn how to live without. 

For those who struggled with accepting or pursuing those considerations, life went on as usual. But you can see what our American lifestyle has done to the souls of so many. Broken marriages, children who feel ignored, and health issues abound in our populace. People have been so busy living "the American dream", that they are frightened at the prospect that that dream may disappear. I'm not trying to be a doomsday prophet, but I don't believe anyone has an excuse for not seeing the warnings that we have discerned along our journey.

And now it is time for us to lift our fellow Americans up and encourage them, because what we see happening applies to all of us, both believer and non-believer alike. The Christian community is looking for God to rescue them because He's already won the victory, right? And those who don't know Jesus are going to come to the realization that what they've achieved in their comfortable lives is not giving them the security they thought it would provide. Both groups are going to need encouragement to rely on Him; only Him. They are going to need to hear from those of us who have experience and a history of being trained up by God for this very time in our history. 

We must be honest about the earthly difficulties we face, and share our wealth of practical knowledge and skills. But most importantly, we must approach them as servants of the Kingdom of God. We must share the fruit of God's training in our lives; how we've learned to endure, persevere, and trust in Jesus; and how our relationship with Jesus has taken on a depth that we never would have encountered if we had not decided to be "trainable" and open to submitting our will to His. There is so much fruit to be had! And it's found in a freedom from societal norms, a deeper understanding of our purpose on earth, a supernatural connection to the Holy Spirit and being aligned with our own spirit [which is seated in Heaven with Jesus] -- it has all led to an indescribable partnership with our Creator and a life that is full beyond anything the world would measure it by.

So, if our journey mirrors yours, then join us in being prepared to share it with all those who will need to know they can make it through whatever is coming our way. And if you are among my fellow human beings who are just not willing to stare reality in the face, let me give you hope ... you have been created to thrive in this season of your life. You are made in the image of God, and if you don't know Him, then I urge you to ask Him to come into your life. He's waiting to respond to your request. Your life will never be the same again, and I promise you that He is exactly what you are going to need as we face an uncertain future. Let my story become yours. I have overcome the fear and the worries that the world tried to convince me were mine, and I walk in the strength and power and security of belonging to the Lord -- no matter what comes! And it is my hopeful prayer that each of you can know the magnitude of His presence in your life. Let His fruit abound in you! Bless you and God bless America!

Isaiah 40:31    But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.