The Voice of One
The Voice of One Earl R Click Jr. © June 2003 all rights reserved CHAPTER 1 Having recently returned, Tuesday morning June 24th, 2003 to be precise, from ministering the Word of the Lord in Salt Lake City it seemed appropriate and good to share that which occurred with other members of the body of Christ. To begin, I went to a conference in Nashville, Tennessee organized by the P.D.I. team. That stands for Prophetic Destiny International, a Jim Goll, Mickey Robinson, and Bill Greenman production in association with the Blessed Holy Spirit. (That’s my personality manifesting in the description of the event not how they themselves stated it.) Anyhow it went very well, and I had the exciting opportunity to participate on a prophetic team, which is one of my FAVORITE Things to do. So Thursday and Friday mornings I was busy prophesying which may be understood to be loving on Gods people, delivering personal prophetic words is fun and most were enthusiastically received. Determining who enjoys it most, the giver or the receiver can be difficult to do!
The evening of Friday night I heard the Lord speaking softly to me 'pray for your car.' I did although not in a very fervent way and left the meeting a little early to go back to the I-24 Campground south of the Nashville area. I was staying there in a 4-man dome tent. Pulling up to my wonderful wooded campsite (Ha ha) the Lord impressed upon me to sleep in my car. Kind of different but I said ok. Looking at my tent longingly right in front of me I backed the car up onto more level ground and quickly dozed off. This tent I am currently using is my all-time favorite tent. I purchased it at Gander Mountain about 7 years ago. The salesman said it was one of the best they had ever carried earning a 5 star rating from some professional mountaineering magazine. Even though it was a lot more costly then I had planned on I bought the good one he recommended. It was taken to the Willow Slew State Park near Morocco, Indiana that very night and tried out. Took at least an hour to set up what the salesman had said would be a ‘ten minute’ exercise. Obviously the company he keeps is a bit more proficient at these kind of things then yours truly. Now all tuckered out an early quit seemed like the wise move especially since there’s just not much to do in a tent when the sun goes down, the skeeters come out in power, and there is no company about. Yep you guessed it, I fell quickly asleep. I was awakened before long by violent thunder and lightening. The wind began to howl, and then hail began to fall VERY hard. Sounded like..., well it sounded terrible as that hail began to pound my tent with shall we say a great vigor. I thought for sure it was going to shred the tent into a million pieces but it didn't. Then the wind picked up and a huge tree nearby fell over on another campsite. Glad I didn't pick that one! Someone said a smaller tornado actually went over the state park and struck somewhere up the road. All the other tents, except for one of them old canvas government surplus tents that was built to withstand nuclear winter in a hurricane, were completely uprooted and some were destroyed. Most all the other campers in tents were found sleeping in their autos at sunrise. A sorry looking bunch for sure. My tent," the little tent that can,” was complete and unharmed. Praise the Lord! Now I will continue with rest of the June 6th 2003 story. I fell asleep in my car at the I-24 campground and about an hour or so later I heard someone sloshing thru a lot of water. As I noticed that peculiar noise the friend who was causing it began to beat on my car window while hollering. “ You better wake up and move your car the creek is rising real fast.” I quickly awoke and looked out the window seeing a pond all about me, Yipes! I started up the car and began to back up the slippery and muddy slope. I barely made it! My friend who awoke me had awakened in her tent on the other side of the stream bed and found herself awash in nasty creek water. There was an extension cord she had plugged in for all the girl stuff, boombox, electric hairdryer, electric can-openers, electric skillet, electric toaster, electric coffeemaker, man she was a definite Twentieth Century Girl and it had electrified her tent. She said every time she tried to get the zipper up to escape she got a big jolt. For some odd reason that did not surprise me much. I bet she never forgets that night, probably could get this story in the Readers Digest with no sweat. Thank God for her persistence though, and the mercy of the Lord! My car would have been one flood wrecked auto if she had not sloshed on over and awakened me. Water seeping in the slightly ajar windows and wetting my feet may have been the moment it all came together out there for me. It would have been no problemo for this camper extraordinaire to sleep through a flood, don’t forget he got a few zzz’s in a tornado once. The water would have easily gone over the hood at the point where I was parked and this did not do much for my nerves. The campground obviously did not have groundfault circuit interrupters installed in this flood prone area. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb. We being a small band of hardy tenters, were the unknowing occupants of a position equivalent to that held by The Light Brigade’, those soldiers made famous by Tennyson in the battle of Balaclava October 25 1854. Brave men, who died a brave death following orders, remembered always as those who faced the Cossacks heavy cannon on horseback and foot and did not flinch. Valiant men they did not shun their duty! Of course we had no intention of dying for the sake of the I -24 campground’s glorious name. But perhaps like the famed men of old we deserved better from management. I was not at any time warned that this area was known to flood in the heavier rains and there was nary a sign anywhere that gave the slightest clue that this could occur. Nothing like a little heart felt care and concern for your campers to help make their trip most unforgettable!
I was pitched down on the lower ground, by a previously dry, even dusty, creekbed. At the floods peak the uphill land about 1 foot or so higher then mine had flood water rolling over the tops of picknick tables. The water raged around my tent for hours, it was quite amazing. About fifteen feet away from my tent were a set of three culverts that appeared to be recently installed in an effort to allow higher volumes of creek water to flow under the roadway. The water backed up here and resembled a boiling pan full of muddy water with debris and stuff from the tenters rolling to the surface then disappearing back into the seething turmoil of a bad creek a rising. Yuck! I saw that all the other tents had collapsed or some being dragged up the hill had achieved the much sought after classification as rescued. Rescue for my little guy was not an option though; we would have to wait for the water to subside. I may have been tempted to go get the brave little guy if I would have been a better Boy Scout and been properly prepared for ‘Volunteer State’ camping. You see in Tennessee in order to be properly equipped to camp you need a tank. A scuba tank that is, hey maybe even an Army tank at times! After all this was only my second camping event in exciting Tennessee. The database I’m working with right now for what you need out there to survive in American RV campgrounds is rather small, hope it stays that way too! Motel 6 here I come!
As dawns first light began to glimmer in the souls of the men and women who struggled against the storm it was plain to see that the ‘little tent that can’ had stood the test again and after having done all STAND. Hooray!!! Friday night I spent from midnight or so until 11 am the next day cleaning my faithful little tent and all our soggy stinky sleeping bags, clothing, blankets and so on. Now I can say that I have literally lived Matthew 7:25, “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” The Lord had spoken something to me while I was driving down here. He said, “You are living a parable.” I did not understand what He meant by that so although I still remember it well I must confess I did not meditate on it much at the time. Guess who is still learning? Why all of us of course! The winds violently blew in Indiana and the great rains fell and the flood came in Tennessee. I seen many tents collapse but the tabernacle whose tent pegs are hammered into the clefts in the rock will never falter. These were prophetic events, signposts if you will, that I had built my house well. One of my heart desire’s is that all of us would have this testimony reported of us, ‘They exalted the Word of God over the word and traditions of men.’ Traditions of men have little or no profit in Gods economy.
Grab your socks for a moment and listen to this; I believe the Lord rewards the stubborn. Is it not written that ‘He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ and ‘but let him ask in faith without wavering for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.’ But oh to the man who asks without doubting and then takes his stand against the spirit of this world that would come and try to rob him of the promises that come from the one whom a lie will never be heard. There is a time that it is necessary to be stubborn about clinging to His truth! A time when conventional wisdom will say you are out of balance. Saint refuse to yield to unbelief, do not comply with heart attitudes that negate the Word of God that the word of any man may be honored. Remember that the carnal among us at times will utilize the word balance as a substiute for saying compromise.Who wants to be known as a compromiser? But the desire to be known as ‘wise and balanced’ is the downfall of many a saint. They are good words in and of themselves but when combined with the heart held captive to an unrenewed mind become words that can undermine and destroy your faith. For this reason what I say to you I say to all men, watch! So to finish up this here report, I am going to Kansas City for the Friends of the Bridegroom Passionate Pursuit Conference then I am heading west. Think I will just mosey across Kansas and pray and prophesy my way into the Rockies then head north and go up to Billings, Mt. That's what the Lord has placed on my heart. Voila... a phone call just came. My Aunt Tee called and in the midst of the conversation said she and Uncle Chuck did a church plant in Billings once. I never knew that! They took 11 Church of Christ ministers up to Billings and Aunt Tee cooked and took care of the camp while the men went out and preached the word. She said they have done that several times. Amazing that it has never come up in conversation until now. My Aunt Tee and my mothers maiden name is Estill, which means ‘the Lord of the bush’ I wonder who that is referring to? Could it be Mr. Moses and his revelatory encounter with the Man of Fire! If I see me a burning bush, think I will just turn aside for a while and have me a looksee. Scripture to meditate upon: Philippians 1:6: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. CHAPTER 2 We will now continue with the account of my recent trip to Kansas City and sundry points beyond. It actually began the week prior as I went to Paris Tennessee and then the School of the Supernatural near Nashville being in that area there for almost a week. I left the beautiful environs of Tennessee on a wonderful Monday morn and arrived back home 9 hours later just in time to wash some clothes, set up the stinky tent for a much needed washing the next day, take a shower, and get to bed. Arising early Tuesday I worked hard all day doing the bills, changing the oil, mowing, stopping the mail and the newspaper, rinsing off the flood damaged camping stuff, and packing the car for another trip. Excited!
I needed to be in Kansas City by Noon Wednesday having had a word from the Lord that He wanted me to be there for the start of the conference. It was necessary to leave at nine thirty P.M. Tuesday night in order to make this happen. Jesus wept, we will drive. The wheels were spinning till maybe 1:30 AM and then Earl fell asleep somewhere out there in the vast American heartland. Only the Lord and His angels who watch over me know exactly where! I awakened and pressed on making my goal of arriving by noon in Kansas City, Missouri. Carpe diem, Latin for seize the day, and sleeping in front car seats seem to have an unseen bridge joining themselves one to another that I am just now physically getting a revelation about. The revelation being this, it is hard on your back! I must say that my favorite time in the conference was being in the House of Prayer. Engaging in communion/communication with the Holy Spirit is much more fun then sitting in most meetings. However there are some wise speakers out there with really good God-stuff to share. I think next time though I will just stay in the House of Prayer until the Lord leads me out (drives me may be better terminology, I really do enjoy it in them prayer meetings). The IHOP worship teams were their usual wonderful best and Mike Bickles word for the first session was a real blessing to me, five dollars and a copy of it was purchased for further listening. Unfortunately there was an inability to contact some friends I had hoped to stay with and I ended up sleeping in my car for a second night. When I awoke in a rest stop north of Kansas City Thursday morning my first reaction was something like ‘Mr. Jonah I knows how ya feel.’ To belabor the point, (don’t you love that phrase,) we will say that our car seat is far more comfortable then whale ribs and stomach lining for a place to stretch your weary bones out on. You may rest assured beyond any shadow of doubt that my car smells much better then Jonahs temporary abode did! To continue: No way am I going back to that conference and subject the Beloved’s olfactory glands to this particular body odor at the Top’O The Day as we Chicago-landers are known to utter in our peculiar Mid-western accent, one that is surely gut-wrenching to all of native Irish descent. Oh Lord let us reason together...I needs a bath and quickly.
After carefully reviewing my financial situation a decision was made to stay in a campground. One was found that was approximately 33 miles back east from the conference center. This will have to be home for a few short days. I diligently checked the lay of the land for possible flash flood routes before setting up my tent again. Slow but learning thats me the not so Great American Camper dude.Very nice shower at this campground, it quickly made all things palatable once again. By the time I left the Kansas City area I had slept at my Dads four nights. Nice big cushy bed, private bath, and fully air-conditioned. Yeah for Dads! I slept in the car three nights. It came with a reclining seat that was very firm, also fully equipped with multiple pedals entangling your feet at the strangest hours. Then we slept in a tent five nights. My faithful air mattress was always semi-flat by 3 am, and with no extra charge you WILL enjoy the refined and now famous (to me anyhow) smell of “ Eau’De Nashville Muddy Waters”. Let us not ever forget, and every traveler be warned, that the larger skeeters do not knock in Misery, er I meant to say Missouri. They are very impolite. Definitely plenty of heathen skeeters in what I will henceforth remember as the ‘Show Me No More’ state. My original plan was after the Kansas City Passionate Pursuit Conference I would drive off into the Great State of Kansas and pray and prophecy my way across the land. Eventual destination was the Billings Montana area where my best friend Scott and his wife Traci live. We will just get “in the wind,” to reclaim a Christian principle that the bikers have monopolized, and see where the Lord would lead. Perhaps you recall the scripture penned by the disciple whom Jesus loved, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Pondering and trying to discern which way to go revelation came and the Lord illumined Salt Lake City. As I peered intently at the map and was listening to the Lord I clearly heard Him speak. He said this, “Go and warn them of their peril, tell them I said not one stone shall be left standing upon another.” Then I perceived in my spirit the 6 spire building that sits in the midst of their Temple square, I seen in the Spirit that I would be giving the word to 2 young ladies. They were Mormon missionaries. I knew that there would be others He would bring before me. So I said, Ok Lord, I’ll go there, I will take your word to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. I can truthfully say that I never wavered once I heard from the Lord. It was more then plain to me He had spoken and I was to go. So I did.
I have had Mormon missionaries come by my house before. I actually pray for them to come by. They have not been here for awhile though, perhaps they have placed me on their blacklist. I truly hope they come back. It was the summer before last when a couple of young Mormon missionaries came knocking and I very fervently went after them with the word of God. When they tried to get away I would insist that they stay a little longer and answer more of my queries. After doing this several times they finally managed to beat a retreat to the bottom of the stairs, however I came down the steps and zealously urged them to come out of that unholy union. The Lord was filling my mouth with lots of good stuff, but after another 10 minutes or so they managed to get half way down the driveway. Lo and behold I got them to stop and listen some more. As they finally headed towards the street zeal overcame me and from my heart erupted a desperate cry urging them with all my being to escape. I had stepped into a place that Spurgeon had discovered and after I had given them all I had theologically I put myself into the cannon and shot myself out at them. I made it personal and told them that I loved them, that they were precious to me, and that I wanted them to be in heaven. I wanted them for Jesus so bad the thought of them perishing was more then I could bear. I often drive thru Hebron, Indiana and most every time I proceed north of town my heart aches with desire for the Mormons as I pass their gathering place. I would sometimes find myself frantically searching for something in me from God that I could use or do to set them free. Should I go in there and confront them, should I go looking for them as they witnessed and try to teach them, should I stand in front of the place with a sign that warns them? Anything, what should I do God? I must do something! I must have them, they must know your Son, they want you God, and they need you Father. Oh help us Jesus. Anyways, that's my heart for the Mormons and the Jehovah witnesses and all them other mixed up people. As I left the Kansas City area and headed for Colorado Springs I was worshipping Jesus and enjoying the road. World Prayer Center here I come! Hallelu Jah! Happiness is a good prayer meeting, how incomprehensible to me that so many in the church have no revelation that there really is JOY in the House of Prayer! That fact just blows my mind. It was real nice to be out of the tent and heading west. Traveling along I-70 at Exit 300 I noticed a brown, historical marker sign that said, “Hist.Church Site.” I felt a tug on my heart to see what this may be. Like that burning bush that Moses turned aside to see I felt we must investigate this site to see what we would see! You know what? I was fired up about getting to see what was probably an old log pioneer church. I love that stuff. Turning off at the next exit I headed back down a highway access road. The church was near the expressway and proved to be a little 2-room log cabin. I was so excited to see that it was the actual building where the first congregation of the Kansas branch of the Lutherans Missouri-Synod was organized in. Missionary C.F.Lange held the first Kansas Lutheran worship service here. I took pictures, thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. People driving by probably thought that there boy is peculiar. Maybe they still say ‘touched’ don’t really know. Try to picture this, Its just me and the Lord, we have the tripod set up and I’m out there posing in the pictures and just a grinnin all over the place. If ya’ll know what I mean. Anyhows.When I had finished with all that the Lord spoke to me. He said. “I brought you here to pray.” Duh! I can be so slow at times. All of a sudden my heart was flooded with the understanding that I was standing at a capped spiritual well and the Lord was honoring me by allowing my prayers to ascend from there. I seen a breaker anointing being released that would cause a stirring in the hearts of many to see the glory days of old return to the Lutheran church’s once again. When men of fire would preach the gospel with full conviction. What a privelage to pray from the very same building that our fathers in the faith had kneeled in. Men of prayer with a pioneering spirit, bold men who had cried out to God for the souls of their generation. Even typing this right now I feel like weeping at the goodness of our Lord. He is so good to me. So I had me a time there in prayer and then moved on down the highway. Let me tell you something right here, the power of God, His very dunamis was resting mightily upon me. To the extent that the cars interior was alive and full of Holy Ghost pulsating, life giving energy. I was full of joy, very excited and very, very sober.
Back to being a kid, guess what I seen next? Abilene, Kansas a name that evokes pictures of cattle drives, dusty cowpokes, thirsty horses, and lets not forget the western movies with pictures of signs reading ‘Baths 50 cents‘! Excitedly it includes the boyhood home and birthplace of President and General Dwight David Eisenhower! What's so special to yours truly about this man is that we share the same birthday, and he was actually President in the year I was born in. Yes it is truly just the ‘Freshest of Rumors’ but I will share it boldly none the less. In October of 1956 a little boy destined to be named Earl R.Click Jr. broke water in Gary, Indiana and loudly cried out as the doctor’s hand began that dreaded swing, ‘I like Ike‘. Folks let it be reported here first: this premature political affiliation stayed the blow, and saved the day for me! You can be sure that the shock of a wee little guy screaming ‘I Like Ike’ sent shockwaves throughout the local ‘Democratic Machine.’ Moving right along, I stopped in at the Eisenhower’s family residence and home of a President’s library and had fun looking at the beautiful grounds. Managed to buy a couple of ‘I Like Ike’ buttons and a wonderful replica of a SHAEF badge that was worn during WW2 by the famed General and his staff. It has a vertical flaming sword with a rainbow over it and a blue sky above that. Very symbolic and poignant. Revival prayer went forth in Abilene and I know that the Lord will not disappoint. I continued on with my journey stopping off at the old U.S.Army Calvary Post Fort Hays, Kansas for a respite from the driving. Fort Hays was interesting to me in a personal way. The reason being that there were 2 original buildings left standing and one of them was the Chaplains Quarters. I have been a jail chaplain for 7 years maybe a little more. I think the anointing still rests on that Chaplains house and has acted as a preservative. He’s gone on to be with the Lord, but the house still stands. Well that's a personal opinion as to why it’s still hanging in there. As I wondered what service was like for military chaplain’s back then I heard the Lord softly say,“It was hard.” You see generally speaking men did not live as long as we do and the women and children had a rough road to hoe. Jesus saw it all, every fear, every struggle, every disappointment, every pain and every lonely death. I think that sometimes it must be real hard to be God. He surely has a place in his heart that nobody will ever see, a place to hide all the agony of watching his creation suffer so. He himself pressed thru it all for you and I. What an ‘Amazing Grace’ he has rendered unto us. I think them pioneers, because of the trials and pain of day to day living had a greater revelation of the suffering that Christ went thru on that cross. That may be why they loved singing so many of them wonderful songs about the Name, the Cross and the Blood. Revelation will do that! For the most part we have it pretty soft here in America. Scary to think that many in the persecuted church in distant lands have an understanding of the value of suffering in the midst of persecution that compels them to pray that this blessing in disguise will come to the church in America. What are we missing? I have to wonder sometimes about that, do you? Scripture to meditate upon: 2 Timothy 2:3-4: Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. CHAPTER 3 When I left Northern Indiana for Kansas City and points west I had a limited amount of funds. To stretch the dollars so to speak I made use of a supply of tuna fish that I had purchased about 4 years ago. Now don’t fret tuna will keep for at least 5 years on the shelf? Honest beloved, I am not testing your ability to discern here. This is an excellent food item to have around in case of national emergencies. That is if you like tuna. How blessed I am that tuna has always been the favorite sandwich of Earl. So I took 40 cans along to enjoy and enjoy it I did until about nine cans and maybe six days into the supply. We had never gone on a ‘Tuna Run’ quite like this before. “What exactly occurred?” might be the legitimate question your heart is desiring to vocalize? Did he just suffer his first major tuna burnout! Surely by now all of you blessed with ‘Inquiring Minds’ have need to know. Well truth betold I noticed this tuna smell beginning to manifest around me a bit more then I cared for. To be as subtle as possible I am reminded of some dear friends, who went on a garlic kick for awhile, a long while as I subsequently found out!. Every time I stood around them the smell of garlic filled my nostrils, extra heavy emphasis on ‘filled my nostrils.’ Now this is very good information for any single person who wants to keep the wanton and promiscuous at bay. You will not have to flee sexual immorality; it will flee from you. Guaranteed! Beloved listen, the ranks of garlic and green onions have now been joined by tuna as an effective means in assisting your striving to reach a ripe old age single with virginity intact. Trust me on this one, I am 46 never been married and love tuna, green onions and the occasional bit of garlic. Ok all you Single Ministry Pastors refire and run with that one.
After leaving Fort Hays there was not much else happening in Kansas except I was enjoying the ride. I had hoped that I would get to see the mountains this day but Colorado was entered right about sundown if I recall correctly. The strangest thing happened when I crossed the Colorado state line. It stunk! Bad and I do mean bad. I kept looking around trying to figure out where the stench in my nostrils was coming from but there was nothing around that I could pin it onto. What is this? I had a suspicion that this was something supernatural but had not smelled in the spirit but once or twice before. I had this uncomfortable knowing that He was teaching me something but decided to wait on the Lord on this one. So we prayed, may I politely ask here do you do that? It works.Well when I got back home He led me to a sermon at FOTB by Paul Cain were Paul spoke about how he used to smell certain sins and or demons. This was a serious sin problem I was smelling and it is running rampant in Colorado is what feels right to me. I got off I-70 in Limon Colorado to head over to Colorado Springs where the World Prayer Center is located. The eyelids were getting very close together and a wrestling match was underway in regard to their attempts to make physical contact with one another. At 65 MPH this would virtually guarantee a bad hair day. Finally in a backroads hamlet on Route 24, Falcon or Peyton not sure which it was, the body insisted we needed sleep so sometime prior to midnight the car was pulled over to snooze a bit. I was awakened several hours later with a very vivid dream fresh in my mind. As I lay there pondering the meaning of it I heard the Lord say something on the order of “Wake up there's a plot to kill you.” This kind of caught me off guard to say the least so I rolled over on my side to think it over. As soon as I closed my eyes I had a vision of someone walking up to my car door and firing a handgun thru the window into my back, killing me and robbing my car. Then the Lord firmly said “you must leave now, someone is planning to kill you here.” Well I jumped up, started that car and left ASAP. No hesitation, absolutely none. Did not need a second witness nor require three prophecies. Houston I think we have a problem, Lets Roll, Hi Ho Silver, Up, Up and Away and a Genuine Adios Amigos all collided simultaneously in my thought life as we Boogied on Down the Highway. I continued the short trip into Colorado Springs uneventfully, (relatively speaking) and as we arrived in town the Lord speaks up and says,' go to Wal-Mart and sleep.’ I eventually found the local Wal-Mart and guess what? There was like some kind of ‘Poor Folk’s’ campground there. People had their campers set up with the awnings out, lawn chairs scattered around, and they even had some Weber grills set up! It was a most welcome sight, everyone had already sacked out and I felt like they had left the lights on just for me. Thank-you very much Wal-Mart. Yes Sir looked as good as home to this Hoosier. I snuggled my car up next to the RV’ers and went to sleep safe in the arms of the Almighty God. Sleeping in a car must surely be an oxymoron, or some such English Major’s gizmo word. About two hours later ‘Daylight come and I sleepa no more.’ Wasn't that a Top 40’s Hit in the Sixties or Seventies? Does anybody remember? Generally speaking out there in ‘The Auto Zone,’ that dreaded place where the hardened road warriors fall out, the sun rises, the heat rises and we rises. Further attempts at sleep being totally futile in my early morning car interior, one that had firm evidence that the thermostat was set on set ‘Bake’ enabled me to get rolling down the highway at an early hour. In the mountains you quickly discover that temperatures are fond of dramatic mood swings, like sunrise 42 degrees and noontime 98 degrees. Is it true that middle-aged marriage can be like that. What exactly is middle-aged marriage anyhow, is it when you reach middle-age or your marriage does? When does middle-age begin? Why are we talking about middle-age? I had no idea where the World Prayer Center was but I sensed the Lord leading me north out of the south side of Colorado Springs. After a time of driving wisdom struck and the unction arose to stop for gas, coffee and get directions. Hallelu Jah, by the grace of God I had managed to get within a short distance of the Prayer Center. Not bad after such a poor nights sleep, still being able to discern which way to go when the wind began to blow was encouraging for me. The wind being in this case a person, namely Mr. Holy Ghost. My dear friend. The sun was still working its way over the mountain tops as I pulled in towards the parking lot of the Prayer Center and Ted Haggards church and what a parking lot it is. This place is huge. I got out and oh did that feel good, ‘out of the car and on to the feet, what a wonderful and delicious God-given treat.’ (Shakey-spears me thinks may have liked that ditty.) To stand is the treat I am referring to here. After maybe 10 hours in the car since I last got out for a good stretch standing was not only biblical but also very, very beneficial. I walked around the building praying and worshipping the Lord for a time then I noticed people going inside so I worked up my courage and tried the door. Earl was looking kind of rough, a bona-fide Toyota Cowboy, and although I did not think they had taken one look at me and barred the doors we were mentally prepared for it. I went in and found the chapel empty, least I thought so. Later on I discovered there was a man kicking back in a Lay-Z-Boy gazing out over the valley by these huge windows. What an awesome view he had, made me a little jealous. This was the most beautiful prayer chapel I had ever seen. Oh Lord, I would like just a little one in the backyard, suitable for fifty people or so. Please. There was a woman who came in at 7 AM to lead what they refer to as Healing Worship named Eava. She played the piano and prophesied in a most wonderful way, I was so blessed. As she worshipped and prayed I began to discern an Ezekiel type anointing present in the house. I seen the sword of the Lord in my hand and perceived a demon in front of me. Moving in the Spirit I thrust the sword forward and skewered the devil, At that very instant Eava said ‘I bind you, you spirit of divination.’ I was aware that it was stuck on the end of the sword and right at the moment I lifted it up and flicked the devil off the epee’s point to the right, I heard her say, ‘and I cast you out in Jesus name.’ She was dialed in let me tell you. Unity in the Spirit is such an awesome thing. Working in unison with Holy Spirit something powerful had happened to the glory of God. That time of worship and prayer lasted an hour then a man came in and they had Piano Worship for an hour. I sat there and enjoyed the peace, during which I heard the Lord say very slow and clear. “Look at a quarter and learn these four words. In God we trust.” Funny how we can take such a simple truth and allow it to mentally become such a harrowing place of decision. Men get stress marks on their foreheads from this one sometimes! Leaving the Prayer Center and heading out the door a sincere desire arose for the bookstore to be open, a memento of my time there would have been oh so nice, alas however they are closed on Mondays. Deliverance for a book junkie was reluctantly obtained, temporarily. Oh by the way, I love BOOKS. Especially bible translations that I do not have as yet, always keeping the eye peeled for those. So off to the parking lot and out with the maps. Driving solo had given me a new appreciation for navigators. Good ones that is, God help the one who says in my car, “I think you needed to turn back there.” This new found love and appreciation for navigators was brought on by precious memories of having the cruise control set on 75 MPH, a sudden realization that the next exit may be the one I need, steering with the knee, getting the map up on the steering wheel, watching the semi’s fly past, receiving their freely given clouds of filthy rainwater violently thrown upon my bug spattered windshield, enjoying the resultant smear produced when windshield wiperblades that should have been replaced strike the combined mess of road tar, bug juice, and dirty water all the while experiencing extreme eyeball stress that comes from trying to focus on the minute fonts that accompany all Rand-McNally Road maps purchased at Wal-Mart. This will never be forgotten. NEVER! I TELL YOU IT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, NOT EVER! Oops better calm down some, only the mirror right now knows for sure but I thinks maybe this reliving of the joyful moment has caused some stress marks to pop out. Talk about excitement we got it! By the way I personally do not struggle with run on sentences, I know that they really bug some people so if thats you my advice is get over it before proceeding. Paul the apostle seemed to have enjoyed the longer sentence life a bit also, check out Ephesians chapter one for some Biblical encouragement. Thank you for caring. Next on the agenda would be motor up to Denver and head west over and thru the Rockies. It was a beautiful thing as the saying goes. My destination lay ahead still, so I pressed on over the top and headed down towards Utah. Let me share this with you beloved; Earl was being very careful of the words he used after the Lord had spoken to him yesterday concerning the mountains. For several years the scripture about if you have faith and speak mountains would be cast into the sea has become very real to me. I will not even go into that revelatory season right now. Let this be said I am convinced that it is not only a spiritual truth but also a literal thing the Lord was teaching about. I can hear your heart right now, ‘Now Earl don’t you think you are getting a little dramatic here?’ Let me ask you my friend; do you think Moses would have struggled with that one? Casting a mountain into the sea. I think not, and I suspect if the truth be known, neither do you. Joshua chapter 10 where the Lord listened to the voice of a man and caused the sun to stop for almost a whole day is much more impressive then casting twenty mountains into the sea. Think about the physics involved in that one, actually causing multiple celestial bodies to stop and start again without having all of humanity squashed by unimaginable gravitational forces. Now that impresses me! Speak a word and galaxies are flung into existence literally created in a moments time out of only the Lord knows what, that really impresses me. Which leads me to this; as I was driving along the previous day the Holy Spirit reminded me of Mark 11:21-24 and then told me that the anointing for that was resting upon me and to be extremely careful of what I said. There was mega-dunamis in the air folks. Dunamis is a Greek word that is often translated power, miracle and mighty work among others. Inherent in the word is the thought of ability to do, be possible, or be of power. Every Christian has the availability to see dunamis released, however there are different levels or degrees of authority. The Lord does not usually place an anointing for mighty works of power upon those who tongues are out of control. If you want to walk in the end-time power anointings that the Lord is releasing learn obedience and guard your mouth. Then ask, and keep on asking. It was a very sobering thing to consider and almost as soon as the Lord told me this temptation came along wanting me to test it out. I wonder who that was, hope it wasn't my flesh. I said no way, I will only speak when and what I hear Daddy telling me to. Either the tempter did not stick around long or the Lord in His mercy renewed my mind on the spot. Your theology can wrestle with whichever fits your particular paradigm; grace here gives you the option. Needless to say the carnage involved in flying mountains would be tremendous. I felt like that bit of an aside needed to be put in right about there but moving along we need to get on to Salt Lake City. CHAPTER 4 The auto liked the downward journey better then the upward. Rising above 8000 feet the motor noticeably labored suffering from oxygen deficiency. I finally entered Utah later in the afternoon and stopped at the Visitors Welcome Center. I was not sure reaching it would occur that day because of the plethora of Scenic Viewing Points and its location of about 55 miles from the Colorado border. I stopped for all scenic lookouts but one, and I rue that momentary lapse of sanity. The desert country is just breath taking. Pictures, pictures, the joy of taking pictures. So we ‘moseyed on inside’ the Welcome Center (Remember I am in the WEST now: walking is for you city folk!) and obtained a bunch of Utah tourism stuff and an Official State Map. We sidle back outside into the glaring western asphalt melting, heat shimmering sun and the Lord, He who created this glorious white, bright, and red-hot sun, told me to go up on a nearby hilltop and do my devotionals. Sounds good to me. It was maybe 99 degrees so I took some water, a hat, a happy face, and my devotional prayer sheets and walked, moseyed, tottered take your pick, up to the viewing site where a covered concrete pick nick table was located. Soon I was praying at full throttle knowing that Salt Lake City lay ahead and I was officially entering a state basically under the control of a false religious system namely: Mormonism. Whilst up on the ‘mountain top’ the Spirit of Prophecy moved upon me and I began to cry out under the unction of the Holy Ghost, ‘Lord loose judgment upon this state in Jesus Holy Name.’ Now that startled me to say the least, trust me when I say I am not personally angry with the State of Utah. Never have been, not once. My motive for going out into our western lands to pray and prophecy was absolutely love based and I have had my fair share of suffering on this trip. The Lord loves Utah and they must do as all men are commanded to do which is repent and place their faith in our Lord Jesus, The Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus also loved the Pharisees in His time of visitation, and I am sure many eventually repented of their hardness of heart. Let us not forget however that the Roman General Titus Caesar still destroyed Jerusalem and the Herodian Temple. If you have never read Josephus’s account of the siege of Jerusalem and the ensuing slaughter of its inhabitants perhaps now might a good season for learning. Learning what one might be heard to say? Learning that the Lord is still Judge of the Universe and even in the New Testamental period of grace that we now live in grace has its limits. I continued on prophesying speaking as many scriptures releasing good things as I could remember. However I am convinced that the Lord is about to release judgments upon this land to the end that more will be partakers of His mercy. This is one way that mercy triumphs over judgment, and we will see the triumph of mercy in that great throng as we gather together and lift up holy hands. Let me interject a revelation I had while out in the desert after this time of prayer. I began to ponder the fact that the Mormons had been run out of the American heartland. Looking westward and overcoming terrible trials they had wandered into these vast outlands having to cross a great mountain range on foot finally ending up next to a ‘salt lake.’ All that suffering and a salt lake. Brethren, there is another salt lake that comes to mind, one that is known as the Dead Sea. Symbolically located at the lowest point on earth, down, down, down you go from the city set on a hill Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. Being a man fascinated by types and symbols I find it very difficult to ignore the parallels here. Could it be that the Mormons were actually led to this one body of water that is so large and yet so salty in the hope that they might perceive a deeper spiritual truth. Does not the Lord teach us spiritual truths with natural things. Was Yahweh the one who led them here. Was He looking to a day yet to come when they would be brought out of bondage, out of this place of dead works and spiritual darkness we know as Mormonism. Brought out of darkness and into the marvelous light of His love, love that surpasses knowledge. I think so beloved, I think so. Perhaps we should take a brief moment here to look at a scripture. Ezekiel 47: 9-12; “It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10.“And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. 11.“But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12.“By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” I cry out Lord that as you have spoken of fishermen who would stand along the Dead Sea from Engedi to Eneglaim so to shall there be fishermen who will cast their nets in Utah. From Logan in the north to St. George in the south, from Wendover in the west all the way to Green River and Moab in the East Your Word shall go forth to heal them and deliver them from destruction. I prophesy in the Name of Jesus that out of this vast land known as Utah shall come forth a mighty army of Spirit empowered men and women who will shake nations with the full gospel truth. Their lives shall be laid down as the leaves of a tree are let go of that a new season of life might come. There lives laid down, even their very deaths shall produce life in abundance in many nations and they shall see the victory of Calvary with such grace and clarity that every vestige of the false religious system THAT HAD THEM IN CHAINS WILL BE UTTERLY CAST OFF. I PROCLAIM FREEDOM FOR THESE CAPTIVES AND LIFE FROM THE DEAD. They shall go forth in the power of the Spirit of the Living God and I prophesy that He shall release unto them great revelation in the realm of healings and miracles. They shall see with their own eyes the mighty works of our Mighty God and give HIM glory in the nations as free men with freewills to choose. It is written that His army shall be a volunteer army in the last days and not a army of conscripts and slaves.The Spirit of Adoption shall fall upon them and they will live, in Yeshuas Name Amen. After an hour or so it was time to descend the little mountain and meet a guy with double trouble, that being two flats. Over 60 miles I think in either direction for some help, that can be a major bummer. I could see the sticker shock on his face as he bartered over the cell phone with the highway repairman. From the sound of his voice it may have been a highway robber he was dealing with. Just kidding, gotta keep my sense of humour. Being well provided for by the Lord we blessed him with an ice-cold soda and shared some about what was going on. He had heard me praying and became curious, which was the Lords intent. When he asked me what I was doing up there I heard the door creak open. I shared with him about how the Lord answers prayer. I got a sense he was a backslider, and seen that the Lord was drawing him back to the throne of grace. Is’nt God good! Anyways, sowed some more love seeds and headed west once again. Most everywhere I went there was someone to talk to and let the light shine forth. Biggest problem for most of us is just slowing down some, amazing how we tend to operate in such a rush and not even realize it. So back on the road and on to Green River, Utah, which is where I finally slept in a real bed for the first time in seven nights, Motel 6 was cheap and wonderful. Air-conditioned, clean sheets and a working ice machine. That was enough for me. Love to all and, Goodnight. Chapter 5 With my second story Motel 6 window looking eastward Tuesday June 17th, 2003 began with the mornings first light bringing the promise of a great start in Green River, Utah. Desert sunshine seems more intense then our sunshine in Indiana, of course that is a subjective subject. Today we enter Salt Lake City limits. God willing would not want to get presumptuous here. It was a special morning for me as I awoke in a bed that was very nice; even now the memory of it releases a warm fuzzy in my soul, thank you Jesus. We also have the added bonus of just having received a very vivid and interesting dream from the Lord. I believe this dream has some powerful prophetic revelation in it and I am including an account and my hopefully brief interpretation of it here. It is a dream that deals with the coming revival in the Nazarene denomination and one of the resulting difficulties they will be facing! Don’t you just love them Nazerites, I am so thankful for the people in the body that take holiness seriously. The Lord is worthy of our best efforts in that arena.
In the dream I was standing near a red brick two story Nazarene church. I felt a huge movement in the ground and seen the Pastor at the front of the church with church deacons along the sides and back. They were shoving the entire church building from front to back a little and then very minutely slewing the building as if it was the rotating superstructure of some strange brick crane. The corners of the building no longer lined up with the foundation, it was skewed seems to be the best word I can come up with to describe its position. The building shaking was what I had felt. As I observed them corporate preparation was made to make another slight adjustment. They all gathered to one side to give another push and when they did it stood for a moment and then the upper room walls tumbled inward. The roof fell in and the rest of the structure collapsed into the basement. It was a horrid mess. The Pastors wife and some of the congregation were inside and they were crushed in the ensuing calamity. I saw the Pastor struck in the head by a flying beam and he collapsed on the ground. I was astonished at the fact that while watching something so obviously stupid it had never occurred to me to warn them. It was almost like I was in a momentary stupor and only came to my senses when the tragedy had already become past tense. I ran to the unconscious Pastor to help him and was shocked to see a thick pool of already coagulated blood lying in a puddle around his nostrils. It looked like he had been there for hours! As I went to assist the others who were injured he arose on his feet as if from the dead and ran over to the rubble where his beloved wife was buried. Her hand was protruding from underneath the bricks and beams that had once been part of the church and I watched as he reached out and took tender hold of his wife's unmoving hand. Then I awoke. WOW! This is part what I think it means. The ground moving represented hunger in the hearts of the denominational membership. The Pastors and deacons moving the house around on its foundation carries the implication of men trying to manipulate Gods Word either to suit a pre-existing model or to accommodate their level of understanding. Gods house can only stand on Gods Word and what I had seen was the fruit of their, (take your pick of one or more,) mis-understanding, mis-application, or mis-management of scripture. The collapse is a sure sign that doctrinal error has had its way. Their all gathering to one side is symbolism indicating that they are out of balance and represents a ministerial resistance to change; the change in this case being brought about by a groundswell move of the Spirit of God in the Nazarenes ranks that are open to another Pentecost. The buildings collapse beginning with the upper rooms I believe is revelation that they are in danger of becoming a house divided over the issue of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. That's why the buildings upper room walls fell first. It is their weak point and where they resist change. The danger I see here is the fact that God is willing to let the whole show collapse in order to have His way in His own house. The Pastor is married to the church but many are also married to the business of the church. He is serving two masters. He and the elder/deacons knew his wife and others were in the church while they were outside shoving the entire building around on its foundation. Yet he did not warn them at anytime. The death of his wife and the others disturbs me, frankly I have not come to grips with the implications of that. The blood thickening so quickly points to stagnation in the leadership, it had to have been in the process of coagulating even before the beam struck! This stagnation is always initiated by prayerlessness, bears the fruit of spiritual lethargy, and when allowed to run its full course results in a slumbering spirit on the edge of death. The church of Sardis comes to mind especially part of the first verse in Revelation chapter three. The Lord reminds them that He is the one who has the seven Spirits, without which they can do nothing. Then He calls their bluff and tells them something like, ‘You got a whole crowd into singing ‘Staying Alive, Staying Alive,’ and some in Philadelphia think you’re the happening church. Even Thyatira's’ beginning to follow your compromising ways but I am here to rip the shades off everyone's eyes and let them all see that you’re dead and starting to stink!' I believe the Lord in His mercy will bring those in the Nazarene’s leadership who are camped out in this theologically dead place they have taken their ‘Custer's Last Stand’ at to an acceptance of Holy Spirits fullness. But what will be the price paid due to their continued corporate resistance to the person of Holy Spirit! General Douglas MacArthur knew a thing or two about changing with the times and was also a man who experienced the pain associated with an inability to change with the times when relieved while commanding our forces in Korea. The ‘changing times’ in his case being Truman's policy on how to wage war in Korea. The Presidents policy was fight in such a way as to prevent the Korean War from spreading into a worldwide event possibly involving a Russian/Chinese communist coalition. General MacArthur's desire was to fight whoever and however was necessary in order to bring about total victory, swiftly and surely with minimal loss of life. The President being Commander in Chief won that battle hands down. The Generals career of duty, honor, country was over. This man had fought leading the way for so long in our battle against Tojo’s regime during World War Two. He went into that very nation we had defeated as a virtual king having great authority and promptly began to rebuild much of its infrastructures anew. Now however he was relieved of his command. He was an old wineskin being retired, moved aside to make way for the new. So with a sense of humility and gratitude towards a man who served his country faithfully for over fifty years we will paraphrase the words from an old barracks song that he took solace from in the twilight of his life. Gently we speak concerning our own brothers in the faith who are struggling with or are unable to make this particular paradigm shift; ‘Old wine skins never die they just fade away.’ Truthfully I must hope this ‘old wineskin’ position fades fast and all this will never occur. That the brethren who have served faithfully will be able to recognize Gods doing a new thing and roll with it. Without men of valor taking a stand in love for truth I fear the Lord has shown that we will be witnesses to a terrible rending and split in this denominational group. Obviously we need to take this seriously and pray. That's what the ‘momentary stupor’ reference was about. May the people who understand these spiritual times of transition fully awaken to prayer and cry out that this tragedy be averted. Let us pay attention to the times we are living in and share with others our care and concern on this matter. The brethren in the Nazarenes are not alone here for many in mainline denominations hunger for more of Gods Spirit. They to are suffering because of ancestral teachings and traditions being honored more then Gods present-day truth. They are not forgotten in the eyes of the King of Glory, He shall come in! Jesus although long-suffering and very patient does not approve of self-serving religious policy. That's a real no-brainer there. Mark 10:14-15, “Permit the children to come to me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all” was the indignant reply He handed to His disciples. Make no mistake about it, if this is your heart attitude and you find yourself making decisions in favor of denomination or ancestral tradition that are contrary to revealed truth brother or sister I fear for you. You are now exposed as a man pleaser and not a true lover of God. Or perhaps I need to express this safely in another way, not having the desire to cause you to stumble any more then you have but only wanting to see your complete restoration to the truth come about quickly. How can you view yourself as a worshipper in Spirit and in Truth when you are in opposition to His Spirits leading? Is God double-minded? Did He rebuke the sin of the Pharisees and yet is unmoved by yours. They honored God with their lips then, but He boldly said that their hearts were far from Him in vain did they offer up worship. Why was their worship vain? They honored and taught the traditions of their fathers more then they honored the Lord who stood in there very midst giving them sound doctrine. Sound doctrine needs to be endured, endured speaks of something difficult in the way. Sound doctrine will challenge your flesh, will you crucify it or will you yield to it? Sin is still sin and needs to be repented of and discarded from our outward and from our inward man. May I take the liberty here to remind you that He still stands in our very midst, ‘for where two or more are gathered together their I am,’ saith the Lord. We would be remiss to not acknowledge here that which all to many are quick to dismiss by their deeds, not necessarily by their words. Listen beloved to a simple truth. Holy Spirit is God. Being God it is not possible that He should change. I can speak from personal experience here and sadly must report that time after time I have seen the Holy Spirit begin to move in one direction, only to be quickly cut off as we press, blindly now, onward with our established order of service. We are corporately very courageous here. That's the religious courage that seeks the approval of men. This type of courage hinders the growth of true faith. Oh how we all stand or have stood guilty and in need of repentance on that one issue. The person who has not sinned in this area is a very humble person indeed! Can you imagine not allowing the Lord who’s church we are, He having purchased us with His very own blood, not allowing Him to have the freedom He needs that His glorious kingdom might be expressed more fully? Like we got it oh so good that we can do without all the trouble that will come when God begins to move in the house.
Oh church these are perilous times both in the church and out. Do you not tremble at the thought of being passed by, of missing the plan of God in perhaps the most critical season in mans history. To be part of the generation alive when the greatest outpouring of Gods Spirit would occur is an awesome responsibility. The generation that I am firmly convinced will see perhaps 75% of all humanity living swept into the Kingdom of God. Did not Jesus say; “I tell you, on that night there will be two men on one bed; one will be taken, and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken, and the other will be left.” What did He mean here, could this actually mean one will be taken and one will left? What else could it mean? Let us examine this from a different viewpoint. We will be forceful and state it thusly; there are only two ‘types of men’ on the planet, those who are dead in the first Adam and those who are alive in the Second Adam. One group alive and the other dead in sins and trespasses. There are only two women on the planet; one a false bride married to a false saviour and one the glorious bride of our soon coming King. I take this as a literal and a spiritual theme believing it is in reference to the actual rapture. Let us not overlook the fact that it does not include the number who would be martyred in the madness of the anti-christs end-times reign of terror. Those martyrs in the grave could not rightly be said to be grinding as the two women are described. How many will be martyred? How many tens of millions will be slain by a world gone insane before the Lord cuts it short and returns to rescue His very elect? Since the day when Jesus was lifted up and received by a cloud while the apostles looked on all heaven has looked to this day. To the time of the end when the Lord Himself arises from His throne and cries out for His white horse to return in Holy Array for His bride. To see the fulfillment of Daniel 9:24c, ‘...to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.’ Do you think we can survive the things that are coming upon the earth while walking in powerlessness and rebellion? Will the apathetic among us be able to stand against the most cunning and terrible man who ever walked the face of the earth? Will your loved ones be able to finish their race in the dread filled day? I believe that it is necessary for us to prepare for such things in a very simple way, brothers and sisters let us begin to pray and obey now. Let us speak of Him now while there's time and the threat is only rejection not decapitation. Lets train our spirits now to respond correctly under pressure. When the beloved of the early church were thrown into the arena to be sport for lions they did not have time to learn how to keep the faith in this most difficult of trials. In part I believe there is a valid relationship between their keeping of the faith and proper hearts preparation beforehand. To die for Christ, to make the good confession of faith before their own roaring Pilate required a predetermination that death in Christ was preferable to life apart from His majesty. Correct relationship with the head requires obedience on the part of the body. Beloved do not just read that statement and keep on trucking, that is the very symptom we are bringing to light here. I must say it again; correct relationship with the head requires obedience on the part of the body. Anything contrary to this is in one word rebellion. Being sensitive to the fact that rebellion has a mental image of ‘out and out lawlessness’ as in a street gang or something similar can help us. It enables us to better understand that we as the redeemed do not quickly visualize ourselves as being appropriately placed into that particular paradigm picture. Least ways not easily, ‘Who me a rebel, I will have you know that I attend church three times a week. Why brother I sing in the choir, third generation of my family as a matter of fact, and I’ll have you know that my husband is a Bible teacher. Us rebels, surely you jest! Why I could bring you before the board for saying that!” Want to know why we see virtually no healings or mighty works of power in our assemblies. Looks no further then this; God gives grace to the humble, but He is resisting us in our pride.
CHAPTER 6 Well it is time, chronologically speaking, to move forward in our not so brief account of this journey. I managed to get the auto packed, ice chest topped off and car rolling down the highway by 10:30 am or so. It was good to just sleep in some and then take a leisurely shower. Sometimes laziness is a good thing, and today was the day for me! After a nice drive and 2 wrong turns I arrived in Salt Lake City and went past the northern end of the city to another Motel 6 in Woods Cross. They’re cheap. Directly across from my priced right motel was a ‘lovely propane refinery.’ Accuse me of excess hyperbole if you like, it will not be contested. I like that word hyperbole, when I was a kid there was no dictionary around so I was self taught learning the hard way how to pronounce words such as these. In my patois of Mid-Western English blended with a touch of East Kentucky southern hospitality twang it would have sounded something akin to ‘Hyper-Bowlee,’ which I would have associated with some old folks idea of a ‘Speed Bowling League’ down at Rays Lanes in the old hometown of East Gary, Indiana. Seriously, refineries have some unforgettable smells in them and are seldom termed attractive and then only by the mentally impaired. I was working in a propane field one time in Whiting, Indiana when they suffered a horrendous explosion that literally caused the 20-ton machine I was seated in to move as if rammed by a semi-truck. I was about a half mile away from the event that took the lives of three men if I recall correctly. A fireball shot up into the sky maybe a 1000 feet. Memory of that terrible day brought about a brief point in time where I was seriously considering moving to another motel. Fear did not win that battle however and I stayed there 2 nights. As a matter of fact I slept very well, to Gods glory. After a partial unpacking I went to the heart of the city to reconnoiter the battleground. It seemed wise to obtain a sense of the cities heartbeat before the morrows activities. I parked my car curb-side and went moseying about. Met a couple of interesting people, one was a homeless man who had emphysema, I prayed for his healing and shared the love of God with him. Then I met a man from Malaysia who was an ex-Mormon. He said he got out of Mormonism when he began to investigate things he had heard about that were going on in the secret chambers of the upper echelons. That's my phrase there, secret chambers, in writing it I am reminded of Ezekiel chapter 8. That description of the apostasy of the elders of the house of Israel sends shivers down my spine. Among the secret things this man claimed to have discovered information about was ritual human sacrifice. I must confess I have never heard anything like that before spoken about the Mormons. I lovingly talked with him a short while as we walked together then moved on eventually making my way to the Mormon Temple Square. I spent some time in that immediate area praying in tongues whilst circumnavigating the entire city block it occupied before retiring for the evening to rest. I was still weary physically from all the things that had gone on the last two weeks. Do not say that Earl was on vacation, adventuring yes, vacation most definitely not. Finally we get to the big day, D-Day June 18, 2003. ‘D’ standing for delivery, for I had come here to deliver a prophetic declaration in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of the Living God. A declaration that the Lord had told me would release a breaker anointing that will result in the deliverance of the Mormons. To review briefly, the Lord had told me what to say and showed me who to say it to back in Kansas City now I would go forth trusting Him to ensure that I would deliver it to the right two missionaries. Let me share with you something the Lord has taught me about the anointing of the apostle. In John chapter 4:4 we read “And he must needs go through Samaria.“ Jesus who only did what He seen the Father doing, who only said what He heard the Father saying is sent to Samaria by the Father. He was at this moment in time demonstrating the anointing of a ‘sent one.’ Jesus the Apostle is sent to minister to a woman who in turn will go back and minister to those of her own village. They meet at Jacobs well, a well named not after Israel but after Jacob ‘the supplanter.’ Do you think the Lord was rying to warn the Hebrew people by a ‘shadow and type’ that they were about to miss God and throw away an opportune time, even the day of their visitation? After ministering to this woman at the well with some very specific words of knowledge she departs and Jesus calmly waits for the fruit of His ministry to manifest. Her anointed message to the local townsfolk was “come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” They heard and Jesus ended up having 2 additional days of revival meetings in Samaria with the result that ‘many more believed because of His own word.’ Obedience to the heavenly vision has more potential then any of us could ever realize! When I awoke in Woods Cross the Lord was very near me and whispered words reminding me,“ I prophesied the destruction of the temple in my day.’ This released such a sweet peace into my heart as I prepared myself thru prayer for the day ahead. I know that this word will be literally fulfilled and the thought of all those buildings coming down and the resultant calamity was not a desired item for meditation. Perhaps it will not happen in that manner but that was my concern. Revival will cause them to see their folly and hopefully they themselves will be the tools used to demolish these structures built for the glory of a different Jesus. I can assure you here that the Lord has no intention of ‘saving’ these buildings as some that are ignorant would say.’ Who needs them? You see I love the Mormons but have no use for the spirit that has taken them captive and held them for so long! How many Mormons have died and gone to the torments of hell, millions of them perhaps. It must stop! Faith shoes on we went to the Temple Square fairly early, parking nearby, then exiting the auto going forth in the Spirit. Prayer walking for a while then wandering inside the block wide area known as Temple Square I felt drawn to a specific monument. It was located near their six-spire church and one of several visitor centers. As I stood alongside a man and his wife reading the statements concerning Joseph Smith and the account of his receiving an extra-biblical revelation I felt the unction to speak to him arise in me. So I pointed to the section containing the sentence of how he received another gospel from a angel named and said,' Right there is were he went wrong.’ The man replied,' You know I think your right.’ We then began a conversation whereby I learned that he and his wife she being the local church organist were on vacation. They attended a Baptist church maybe 30 miles east of New Port Richey, Florida. I began to affirm him in the truth of Gods word as concern for his spiritual well being arose from the non-committal ‘I think your right’ response. I prefer a much more positive vocalization of faith in such circumstances knowing that to exhibit any wishy-washiness around these well trained Mormons invited a concentrated demonic attack upon the very foundation you stand upon. These people are well trained, well meaning, and are ruled by a different spirit. They have been indoctrinated solidly into a doctrine of demons and know how to take advantage of any weakness found in a Christian’s armor. You cannot give place when they are around, you must speak from a position of full conviction in what you believe or you may find yourself getting run over! As we talked two Mormon missionary girls came up and asked us if we would like to go on a tour of Temple Square. A conversation ensued and I began to ask them some very pointed questions. Things like, since your teachings are completely different from that which is historically known as Christianity how is it that you constantly, and consistently refer to yourselves as Christians? I informed them that Mormons are not by any traditional definition of the word Christians. They have appropriated the Name of Jesus and are using it in a deceptive way. They did not like that statement, but it is the truth and God in His Word has commanded us to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered for all. My opinion on this is do not attempt to lukewarmly contend for the faith, for you will fail. Faith worketh thru love; love in truth however will carry the added zest of a heart aflame for Jesus. For Christ's sake and for the sake of these deceived contend earnestly. Let me share a strategy with you here. Mormons are taught that when people teach something and they present it in a way that may be termed confrontational that it cannot be from God. They have a scripture that they taken, twisted it and then apply an out of balance weight to it here. However by speaking the truth with love and showing them the scripture Jude 3 and explaining that the Lord has commanded us to earnestly wage war against spirits that bring another gospel we can circumvent this demonic ploy. Remind them of the facts that Jesus was seized with Holy Violence in the temple as He observed the moneychangers practice their trade and threw them out. That David spoke concerning this. ‘ For zeal for Your house has consumed me.’ That the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force.’ Let them know that their teaching is filled with many such obvious errors. Ask them if they believe the Bible is Gods inspired Word to us (2Tim 3:16), get them standing on a confession of faith in the integrity of Gods Word. Then I always tell them that Paul expressly warned that there would be angels who would bring other doctrines contrary to what Paul had preached. That in the last days this would even increase. Jesus said let no man deceive you for ‘many will come in my name,’ He was speaking of those who would come claiming to represent the Christ, or claiming to be the Christ and yet would prove to be deceivers. Joseph Smith is a prime modern day example of this as he claimed to represent Christ while bringing another gospel. Paul spoke clearly concerning those that did this in Galatians 1:8, ...‘let them be accursed.’ He also warned us in 2 Corinthians 11:4 that men would come and preach a different Jesus, that the danger of spiritual dullness would be receiving a different spirit, resulting in a different gospel. A gospel that does not save, that does not sanctify, that does not heal nor deliver, a gospel that does not bring any fellowship with the Father of lights! They would respond with the traditional Mormon responses to such valid queries. Offering up their perversions of scriptures such as John 10:16 where they like to claim that Mormons are the other sheep spoken of. We find Jesus speaking, “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” I informed them, lovingly with zeal that they must take scripture in context and the context here was this; that the Lord was speaking specifically to the Pharisee's, as seen in the final verses of chapter 9. Jesus was giving them an opportunity to partake of the revelation that He was preparing to release salvation unto all gentiles. The ‘other sheep’ here being all mankind that were not Jewish by birth or proselytized into the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is one New Covenant, signed, sealed, and delivered on a hill known as Golgotha outside the walls of Jerusalem. It is signed with precious blood, holy blood, the blood of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world was laid. The blood of Yeshua, whom we know as Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One who came from the Father. Well the Baptists friends were becoming uncomfortable with my fervency and then the brother from Florida spoke and uttered these unbelievable words. To paraphrase: meaning to give my best remembrance of his exact words, I heard thusly, ‘Out east where we come from we do not see such beautiful buildings and such a wonderful church, it reminds me of the Jerusalem Temple in Jesus' day.” He actually said it! Beloved are you with me on this one; this is the very thing that the disciples said as Jesus was walking out of Herod’s temple. Let me insert one account of that moment here for you. Mark 13:1,“As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” . The very next verse containing the Lords response was the one that the He had sent me to announce. I am so stirred up now even typing it that I can hardly contain myself. As soon as he said that I looked them all right in the eye with my heart filled with love and said, “It was for this very reason that I have traveled all the way from Kansas City and even from Northwest Indiana. For the Word of the Lord came to me and He said this, “Go to Salt Lake City and warn them of their peril, tell them I said not one of these stones shall be left standing upon another.” So as Christ has commanded me I now tell you in the Name of Jesus that not one stone shall be left standing upon another, all shall be thrown down.” Let me tell you friend’s right about now Earl was pumped! I said a few other things but these Rhema words were the ones He specifically told me to release. Let us not ignore the fact that He had revealed unto me by a prophetic word flowing out of the mouth of my Baptist brother that these were the precise two women that He had revealed to me several days before. They were shaken by what I had just said the anointing had come upon them, I being anointed with dunamis from on High to speak these very words, at this exact moment in history to effect the release of these people. Christ has come to set the captives free. Did you ever sing that song about the History makers and cry out I want that God. I want to be a history maker! Do you think he heard you? You don’t know this, but in my jail ministry I am constant and confident in telling the brethren behind bars that God wants to use them to be history makers. I’ll play that song then exhort them with whole heartedness that The Almighty Creator of the Heavens and the Earth wants to use them to do the very things that will radically impact history for His Glory. That their past has no bearing on their future if they will reach out to Him in fervent desire. I pray daily for them that God would use them to be those who live there lives in such a way that the eternal destiny of millions would be radically impacted for His glory. And I know that I am going to get just what I asked for, glory to God. Actually beloved that is a prayer strategy that needs to be spoken by all of us on a regular basis over all that we know. Let me tell you another prophetic prayer the Lord has been having me pray for quite some time. I love this one, Father I desire the release of revelation helping us to perceive with understanding demonic schemes, (methodia as James Goll likes to say) and strategies. We ask for the release of mega-grace to take effective action resulting in the dismantling and destruction of these demonic fortresses. No evil shall befall us; neither shall any plague come near our dwellings. In Jesus Name Amen. I also love praying the psalms and the Lord has directed me to include this particular passage here. Psalm 149:6; Let the high praises of God be in our mouths and let your Word be sharp as a two edged sword on our mouths. Wow, check out the next verse, “To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishment to the peoples.” Now if that don’t put the awe of God in you sleepyheads wake up. Can’t you tell that He is coming? Joel spoke thusly, Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near. ‘ James stated this; He is standing right at the door. Well I have lots more to share and a most amazing part is yet to come, so until next time beloved. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, hold fast an unwavering confession of faith and love one another with fervent love, for love covers a multitude of sins. We love you all and look to the day when we are joined together around His throne and around that banqueting table. Maranatha, Lord come.
Here is an excerpt from General Douglas MacArthur’s address to a Joint Session of Congress April 19, 1951. “But once war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end. War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision.
In war there is no substitute for victory.”
Written on or about July 25, 2003, 1:39 PM CHAPTER 7 After I had witnessed to the truth and delivered the prophetic declaration to the Mormon missionaries I went for a prayer-walk speaking in tongues and eventually ended up back at the car for some tuna fish sandwiches and a soda. Then it was back to the Temple Square area where I met three young men witnessing and passing out tracks that exposed the differences between Christianity and this counterfeit we know as Mormonism. I took one of the 4-page booklets they had made to pass out and and talked to the leader for awhile.The informative booklets can be downloaded free and then copied for your own ministry efforts at www.exmormon.net. As we talked I became stirred to instruct him in the matter of sowing your seeds in faith. The young brother had made several comments along the lines that they were passing out these tracks but most of the people that got them were Mormons and just going to go to hell anyways. He was being faithful to Jesus’s command; ‘Go ye into all the world’ but needed encouragement that he himself would see a harvest. I taught him that we sow our seeds in faith, our seed being the Incorruptible Word of God confident in our knowing that He has spoken and promised that the Word will not return unto God void but must accomplish that which He has sent it forth to do. God’s word is absolutely anointed to heal and to deliver people from their destruction. Get radical faith here, why bother with some lukewarm substitute for the real thing. Believe that when you speak the words of life an anointing gets on the hearer and fruit is the only possible result! Accept No Substituions. Its just as easy to believe as it is to not believe so my advice is choose well what abides in your heart! Then prepare your mind to battle for what you have chosen. Choosing is the easy part; it’s the standing against the onslaught of the demonic lies that separates the faithful from the timid. I also shared with him the scripture in John chapter 15:16 were the Lord said, ‘You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.’ Unfortunately I myself missed the Lord talking to these men as He directed me to pray for the healing of a man passing by that I had seen earlier. He was handicapped with a severe limp. Holy Spirit gave a word of knowledge and I was to slow in the exercising of my faith. We found out in conversation that he was an ex-Mormon but having seen their hypocrisy up close had left the organization and now was a Jehovah’s Witness. I was busy trying to hear from the Lord how He wanted to do this miracle stuff instead of just diving in and trusting Him to pull me out of the fire if I goofed. The young guy began to minister to him talking about being a born again Christian and I got impatient standing by waiting to minister and turned around to look at the scenery or some equally foolish thing. When I turned back the lame man had gone and was nowhere in sight. It would be an embarrassment to say how many times something like that has happened to me, I keep trying however and I am getting better at it. In honesty I have heard more then a few sermons on Peter and his ‘boo-boo’s’ and some of them were pretty hard on the apostle as he was nurtured by the Lord. I see myself as needing even more grace then Peter did because I have messed up a lot more and have not even tried to walk on water yet. How about you, are you still trying? Don’t give up my friend you shall reap a harvest if you faint not. Paul himself, as accomplished as he was in the walk of faith, and all that he gone through said in 2 Corinthians 12:12 that even for him perseverance was required in the working of signs and wonders. To many of us are quitting before the fun begins. The Lord once told me that boldness is a necessary ingredient if you want to see faith manifested in the way that we all desire. Perhaps it would be correct to say that boldness is the initiating spark that lights the mountain of faiths fire! We must corporately join our hearts together as one, count the cost and follow Jesus in this matter of persevering, fervent prayer! Elijah was a man much like us and he prayed fervently and effectively thus obtaining the desired results. If you want to see rain come and go, mountains moved, tornados stopped dead in their tracks, governments changed, and nations saved in a day Elijah has shown us the way. Elijah was but a shadow and type of Christ to come however and we know that Jesus is The Way and His prayer life is the prayer life to look to for a perfect example! Have you looked at the Lords prayer life lately? Have you asked the Holy Spirit where He would like to work improvement at? I noticed that the apostolic prayer meeting held when Peter and John returned from visiting the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:23 contained a fervent cry for boldness. These men set the world on fire for Christ with the Holy boldness they asked for on that day. Saints let us yearn for this above all things temporal, covet the divine grace to be courageous in these the last days. Now we are the anointed ones the Kings of the earth are taking their stand against, we the little Christs the rulers of the earth gather against. We have a destiny and are called to be the Lords Ambassadors to the sinful and perverse around us! Do we have all the boldness that we need or should we seek the Lord for more? Is the average Wal-Mart shopper safe in their sin when you go there or does a release of Holy Ghost conviction come upon all? Is the love of Christ strong enough to overrule your flesh and compel you to reach out to the Jehovah Witness when they come a knocking? Do you carry the presence of God or is it the stench of the world on your clothes when you head out into your bright new day? Come on now; let’s be honest with ourselves. Are we falling short of the benchmark and in need of a mid-course correction or can others see Christ in us the hope of glory? The aroma of Christ is what the Lord has called us to be carriers of; manifesting the sweetness of the knowledge of Him everywhere we go. Let me encourage you, if you have fallen short here beloved there is grace available for you now. Today is the day of salvation for your timid soul. Be sincere and ask Him for it, a changed heart in you now could be someones ticket out of hell tomorrow.
I took the small booklet the young man from ex-mormon.net had given me and went into the Temple Square area to read it while I rested my feet sitting on a ledge. A well-dressed Mormon minister came over and asked if I was reading some anti-Mormon literature. I looked at him and looked at it and said, ‘It’s a booklet that shows some of the errors in Mormon doctrine by comparing them with the truth of the Bible and what evangelical Christianity teaches.’ He did not like that response at all and threatened me with expulsion from the Temple Square if I did not cease speaking such things. I asked him why would he want to throw me out for speaking the truth. He said if I wanted to walk around and look at the exhibits that was ok, but if I preached I would be thrown out. He also said that he already had one complaint concerning me and I better watch it. Guess Earl had made the Official Mormon blackball list again. I told him very patiently that I always share Jesus whenever the Holy Spirit tells me to and no man will ever tell me otherwise. Beloved I might get ornery and not obey the Lord at times because my obedience is being perfected but no man is going to tell me not to preach or share the truth. He got real steamed up and continued to try and intimidate me threatening to call security. I was very calm, full of Gods Spirit and in no way concerned about his threats. This was really bothering him, seeing his words had no fear effect on me at all. He was looking for fear in me too, I think he was used to running roughshod over anyone he perceived as a potential threat. I told him several times ‘If it gives you peace in your heart to have me thrown out then friend have at it.’ He finally left rather agitated and I went back to reading the tract. I stayed there sitting on the ledge, as I wanted him to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was in no way intimidated by his abuse of authority. The Word says in Psalm 27:1; The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? I can attest to the fact that if you continue to speak scriptures such as these in your personal devotionals there will come a point were all you can do is come into agreement with Gods word! It does not matter if every single person I know gets in my face and gives me a bad report out of my spirit man comes a rumbling forth the Word of Life that my Daddy has planted in me by the power of the Holy Spirit. It will challenge and overcome everything that is trying to exalt itself above the knowledge of God in my life and it will succeed. Dear children if you will receive the engrafted word of the Living God and act on it let me tell you that no weapon formed against you will prosper. It Is impossible. I am not talking about just a mental acquiescence that it is truth, I am talking about having that word rumbling around in the very deepest part of your being. We are joined as One Spirit with the Lord and that joining, that unseen umbilical cord of faith is the avenue whereby His power flows to us as His Word is released.
While perusing the 4-page tract I noticed it said that one Mormon doctrine is Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers. So I went over and politely asked a couple other missionaries about this. That's what I was there for after all to be a witness to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I wanted to know what scripture in the bible they had perverted to come up with such an ignorant idea. To say that the Son of God is a brother with the devil really ticked me off. Amazing that people really believe that! Some of these heresies are just so far beyond stupid it sickens me. The devil has a certain amount of power to deceive and delude the unsuspecting but sometimes I think its more because people are asleep at the wheel and not paying attention. I mentioned to them that among other things the Bible says that Lucifer was a created being and that Jesus is God. Well that conversation did not last long. They quickly called for the ‘religious police/Mormon security’ take your pick that quickly rushed over to try and muzzle me. I saw that they were very surprised by the Mormon missionary’s unwillingness to speak to me after so short of a time conversing. I asked Richard one of the security guards, ‘Are they not here to answer questions about what you Mormons believe? He said ‘why yes.’ So I talked to him for a while and then he wanted to know why I was there, what my name was, where I was from, and when I was leaving. I told him everything he wanted to know except it was none of his business when I decided to go or stay. He seemed shocked that I so willingly shared such personal information however I didn't want him to think he or 10,000 henchmen to boot scared me. I serve the Living God and even if war arises against me in spite of this I will be confident! We talked awhile about Mormon doctrine and in the process of the conversation he asked why had I come to Salt Lake City. I proceeded to tell him that the Lord had spoken to me in Kansas City to go to the Temple Square in Salt Lake City and warn the Mormons of their peril. That they were preaching a false Jesus doing the very thing that Paul had warned about in the book of Galatians and to tell them,' The Lord says unto you and all who are here that not one of these stones you see shall be left standing upon another.’ He was really touched by the care he heard in my voice and we continued to talk as I continued on planting seeds then he nicely suggested I leave. So I left and went walking around the outside of the Temple square. As I did the anointing fell on me and I began to speak in a very authoratative and powerful tongue that startled those within hearing distance. The unction lifted after a couple of minutes and I asked the Lord ‘What was that all about?’ Holy Spirit spoke and said, ’I want them to know that an heir of salvation is passing by.” Beloved you may need to put that in your theological bag and let it stew awhile. Then we met another group of witnesses who had come out from the Pittsburgh area. A Calvary Chapel Pastor led a mixed group of young and old at the entrances to the Temple square. A strategic location for ministering to the unsuspecting and deceived.. Hoo-ray for the faithful who are laying their lives down to testify to the truth, I love you sweetest of saints! He was a real neat guy who seemed to struggled with the bluntness of my mission and tried to knock me off my rock of faith saying things like; ‘I would not see any fruit from what I had done.’ He went after it hard trying to get me into fear, doubt and unbelief telling me that I had done it all wrong and was even making it worse for people like him. I told him that he may be a hand, an elbow or whatever but I am a mouth and God did not call me to walk in your shoes He gave me my own and said ‘Follow me!’ The anointing of an apostle is obviously different then the anointing of a Pastor or Teacher. The church must have all 5 ministry gifts working together in order for the kingdom of God to be fully demonstrated as Christ intended. We also need to be careful that we do not try to mold the other ministry gifts in the body into our own image or understanding of what is correct. My wine will not fit in your wineskin, it needs the one Jesus has prepared it for and no other! Anyone who struggles with that has a spirit of control or unbelief that needs to be dealt with. I also told him I was teachable and wanted to learn from him what he knew about witnessing to the Mormons, I could see that he was a very confident man in his approach even as I was in mine. Earl is firmly persuaded and will not be quickly shaken all glory to God who has by His grace made me steadfast, immovable, and by faith always abounding in the work of the Lord. Friends we must beware of the most sincere brothers and sisters in the Lord at times. Jesus showed the way here when he rebuked Peter in Matthew chapter 16 with those well known words, “Get thee behind me Satan.” I did not yield for one nano-second to his lack of understanding and unwillingness to believe that what the Lord had sent me to do and say would come to pass. I believe he finally got convicted by the Holy Spirit when he seen my faith was genuine and realized that I was walking with Jesus in this matter and he wasn't. This Pastor is a friend of Jesus make no mistake about that; in the heavenlies he is one known as the Lords beloved a man with a heart like John. He saw my sincere love for the Mormons and the heartfelt desire I have for them to know the truth and be free. We spent several hours together and he showed me how he ministers to the Mormons and I really learned a lot from him. He was a better man then me and I consider it an honor to have met him. I came in faith and obedience however and the Lord has NEVER let me down in these things. I also found out that this was a big week in Utah for Christians to go there and minister, the Mormons have what they call ‘The Festival of Miracles’ in a town called Manti south of Salt Lake city. All of the Christians I met had come at this particular season in order to take advantage of this large conflux of Mormons. They said it was one of the best times to witness to Mormons. I do not think for one moment that me being there during this week of festivities was a mere coincidence. Do you? Are you spiritually alert, do you know the times and seasons in the spirit or have you grown dull? Perhaps this may be a time to set the mirror of Gods Word before your face take a good gander and see what you look like! It was getting hot out being maybe Two PM. and this fellow was tired and sweaty so off to the Motel 6 to shower and rest till morning. The martyrs around Temple Square had a couple of hours driving ahead of them to get to Manti and I needed to leave by 5 am. for Billings tomorrow so our time together this year was about over. I wish I could spend more time with all of them they were a great bunch of believers and I miss them even now. They will be numbered among those who endure to the end and hear the cherished words, “Well done, good and faithful servants.”
Chapter 8 I awoke the next day before sunrise and began to pack. I think it was about five in the morning when I checked out and went for some coffee and gas before heading out on I-15 northward for Billings, Montana some 550 exciting miles away. The country is very interesting out there, mountains, large rolling hills, roads with curves on them (that’s a N.W. Indiana observation; most all of of our roads are straight around here) then there are the historical markers and sites not yet seen. I was enjoying the morning immensely listening to a cd called Revival in Belfast if I recall correctly and had that great gadget known as cruise-control locked in at a steady seventy-eight on the speedo dial. The speed limit was 75 MPH so I guess my fudge factor was 3 MPH. Confession is good for the soul here is mine; I was speeding. Lo and behold about a quarter after six or so my friend Scott who I am going to visit in Billings calls on the cell phone. We are seemingly in the middle of nowhere miles away from civilization in whatever form it may take out there in northern Utah. I can truthfully say that I had never passed this way before. The phone ringing was akin to a minor miracle as far as I was concerned; I had experienced much difficulty trying to make cell phone connections in Salt Lake City. Verizon kept capturing my signal, maybe I will say pirating my signal; they favor that term now in this Twenty First Century Media World, then asking for a credit card number to finish completing the call. I bet they get all kinds of takers on that one, ‘Yes Ma’am could you please hold on just a moment while I pull my American Ex-ExPress card out of this big fat wallet I‘m sitting on.’ Right! The conversation with Scott on my part was pretty excited, I really missed Scott he‘s my best friend, and I had been running pretty hard for several weeks so I was ready for some talking! Scott’s real patient when I get all worked up and start going a mile a minute, always about God though what else is there. Eventually he was able to share with me that an International Healing Rooms Conference was going to be in Billings that very weekend. Can you believe that, I was heading off to another conference! It’s a Three-Peat and here I come. As Scott and I talked the Lord quickened the Exit # 379 sign as we rolled past. I can still see it in my heart that's how much He illuminated that highway sign at the time. It was Holy Spirit lit up and glowing. Before I could even disengage from the conversation long enough to consider how to process that and then ask what is the obvious question,' What are you trying to show me Lord?’ another thing happened to grab my attention. I clearly saw one of them small rectangular green Highway mile marker signs with the number 34. ‘Whoa, what's going on here I just passed Exit 379 on I-15 where did this mile marker 34 come from? Maybe the highway guys have gone over to I-84 signs for some reason now?’ I got off the phone with Scott and thought I must have missed my turn off or something while I was cruising along at 78 MPH talking to my friend and loving on Jesus. Figured I would drive on some more just in case the thing turned around for me, maybe a highway worker goofed or my eyes blinked funny. Next thing I know we come up to Exit 26 and I say to myself “If the next exit is not three digits I am pulling over and finding out where we are.” Well here comes Exit 24 so I pulled the Toto-mobile over and pull the map-a-rooni out for a looksee. ‘Oh no! I have driven like 20 miles out of my way down another expressway and did not even know it’ Earl was westbound with the hammer down on I-84. This fellow was very disappointed in himself for not seeing that he had gotten onto another four-lane freeway. How could I have done that? Now what, keep going or turn around? Turning the car around was nearly a 50 miles shorter drive so that's what I did. Get on the highway and head back east 16 miles for I-15 again. Don’t you just hate that stuff when it happens to you? I put the cruise control back on 78 RPM’s (just kidding it was MPH) and kicked back for the ride determined not to be hard on myself for such an early morning gaffe. As I neared a not so small town named Tremonton the speed limit dropped down to 45 MPH and there were these bright orange four legged barricades all over the place. Like hundreds maybe thousands of them were directing the eastbound traffic into one lane. It was traffic insanity. The passing lane was all dug up and being re-paved, There was also what looked to be about a one-foot drop off just waiting to surprise your tires if you daydreamed for a brief moment and ran off the road. I looked across the road briefly and seen the westbound lanes were being worked over also. The expressway went down to 1 lane on both sides of the highway and it was real confusing trying to figure out where the cars got on and off at the ramps near the overpass. Folks let me interject this little bit of information right about here. I never drove thru this town before, and I sure did not make it pass all this road construction with the cruise control set on 78 MPH and not see it. Impossible! I may have been talking on the phone to Scott but I am not blind, nor ignorant of the need to pay attention to where you are going when cruising at 78 MPH. All of a sudden I realized that I had just got caught up by the Spirit of God and been translated right over Tremonton for some reason. Talking on the phone, cruise set dead on at 78 MPH, stereo playing these are the Days of Elijah or something and I never even felt a thing! How did He do that? The wheels did not even squeal when we touched back down or whatever, Wow that's cool! Everything God does is for a purpose and I figured there must have been some danger up ahead and the Lord beamed me right on over it all. I called Scotty back (I never call Scott that but this is too good of a place to not take some literary license and call him Scotty boy, er Kirk out.) anyways I called Scotty back immediately and excitedly shared with him what had happened while we talked on the phone. I remember telling him there must have been some kind of danger ahead and that the Mile Marker 34 meant something it was a Holy Spirit sign pointing to an answer, I thought it must be Psalm 34. Let me tell you I was wired right about now, running some high voltage adrenalin and could not converse on the phone very long. Earl needed to pray and right now if you know what I mean! By the way if you don’t know what I mean call 219-987-6240 leave a brief message and I’ll pray Ephesians 5:14 over you. In looking back at something I heard the Lord say but felt like I must have missed Him I realized that He forewarned me that this would occur. Somewhere between Kansas City and Salt Lake City the Lord had softly spoken and said your going to have an Elijah type experience. When I heard it I assumed He was going to have a flaming chariot in a whirlwind pick me up after I prophesied at the Temple Square. I like dramatic stuff like that, how about you? Does it get your flame burning higher and brighter when God shows up in power? When that didn’t occur I kind of just wrote it off and figured I missed Him somewhere. Oh, but Holy Ghost had a little surprise for Earl and just didn’t give him all the details about the when and why!
Well I am driving down the road and trying to assimilate all this and the Lord speaks to me saying; “Psalm 34 verse 7.” I got all excited and started repeating, ‘I knew it, I knew it, I knew it was Psalm 34. Ha-ha, I just knew that mile marker was you God !”Let me tell you I went on with that for a while. So we’re drive along about five more minutes and the Lord says;" Psalm 34 verse 7.” Here goes the Earl again, “Thank you Lord I knew it was Psalm 34 I knew it, I just knew that pointed to Psalm 34, Praise the Lord I knew it was Psalm 34, God I know you did that for a reason you’re always teaching us.” I was real excited about that Psalm 34 verse 7 and about ten minutes later I think, “Duh, lets see what that Psalm 34 verse 7 says.” Don’t you know that the Lord is ever so patient! Talk about slow, I am never going to make a joke about the first apostles and how long it took for them to figure some things out. All them places in the scripture were we read ‘and then they believed’ comments used to drive me nuts, like what are they doing going home and taking unbelief cookies to bed with them. Deviled egg overdose or something I don’t know. From now on this dude is giving the twelve man start-up crew mercy and lots of it you can be sure. I would hope after all this that you and even your generations are perhaps wondering what Psalm 34:7 actually says. Let me help you out, Ps.34: 7: ‘The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.’ Just exactly what was in my heart as to the ‘why’ of this event. Danger lurked up ahead in some form and the Lord had once again rescued me from the paw of the lion! Thank you Jesus. The Lord spoke to me the other day, it being August 1,2003, I was driving to work and contemplating David and his epic battle with Goliath of Gath. I had heard an awesome sermon on this piece of scripture the other day, one filled with meat and revelation that really inspired me. Michael Pitts said that when David slung that little stone against the Goliath the hand of God came upon it and propelled it deep into the giant’s forehead. Jesus told me I was His little rock that He hurled at the giant of Mormonism. I about fell out in the Spirit when He said that as I was going over the I-65 Bridge at Route 30. Saints never under estimate the power of your witness; David witnessed to the Lord as he fought Goliath in the valley situated between the camp of the Philistines and the camp of the Israelites. In the very place that Goliath hurled his challenge at the people of the Living God, God sent his servant David to meet and slay him. At Scott's we had a wonderful time at the conference and managed to find time to drive over into Wyoming from Red Rock Montana. If you have never been that way before and have opportunity do not miss it. What a beautiful drive, known to some as the most beautiful road in America and I have no real reason to argue that statement believing it to be bona-fide. I departed for home on Sunday afternoon and managed to get all the way into Rapid City South Dakota before retiring at yes the comfortable and inexpensive Wal- Mart parking lot. Breakfast donuts available 24 hours a day! I awoke; well I was awakened by the Lord at 3:30 am and went for gas, coffee and donuts before heading out to take some pictures for the family at Crazy Horse Monument and then Mount Rushmore. I did all that and still made it back into town by 7:30 am I think. I do recall that when I bought gas again, topping off before heading out into the wild blue yonder of South Dakota that my mileage had progressed exactly 100 miles. Peculiar event for sure, and thus we left Rapid City for Wall Drug and the Corn Palace city limits out that away somewhere. Wall Drug is a fun place, the Corn Palace is a must not see in this travelers book of less then memorable places. It sure feels good to get out,wander around look at stuff and move the lower extremities after all them miles of sitting behind the wheel. I was very tired as I approached the Minnesota State line and the Lord said several times that I needed to pull over and rest my body. So I caught the Welcome to Minnesota rest stop got an official state map ( I love collecting them things; been doing it ever since I was a kid) and pushed on to the next rest stop for a nap. I arrived there and tried to go for a walk. Impossible to mosey around there for even a moment; all visitors quickly became acutely aware that we were in a Mosquito Petting Zoo. One where all the skeeters having gone insane from lack of affection had begun to morph into flying piranha. Hungry piranha! I fled the shady side of this Rest Area from Heck for the sunny part of the parking lot but it was so hot in the sun I could not sleep at all. I lay there for about ten minute trying to obey the Lord and finally told Him," Lord I can’t sleep in this heat, I tried but I think it’s time to move on.” I sat up in my car and as I started the car the Holy Spirit did something and I instantly felt as if I had slept 8 hours. Let me tell you that was awesome and much needed, I was really exhausted and had very little energy left for moving on. I pondered that for a while, it was a real miracle and came to the conclusion that I had obeyed the Lord and when I had done everything I could do in the natural He came thru with supernatural. So I headed down the road and bought some twinkies for the final leg. I managed to make it all the way thru Des Moines and a ways east before pulling over for a short nap sometime after midnight. There was a historical marker there about the Mormons and how they had moved from the end of the railroad lines here and began to walk west. They put all their belongings upon little carts made for men to pull and began the long trek to Utah. Those people suffered something awful as they headed out with families and friends into what they perceived as a bright new day. It was the day of deception for them however as they pretty much left the truth behind. To Be Continued...