"Passion Week"

"Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" (Matthew 21:15)

And Jesus, "is coming to you," again.  He will come to Jerusalem, "the city of the Great King."  It is not Washington, DC, nor Berlin, Germany, cities of the Gentiles.  "This is Jerusalem; I have set her at the center of the nations, with lands around her." (Ezekiel 5). 

There has been in Church History many attempts to distance "Gentile christianity" from the Jewish roots.  It has been and is a most self-serving and disobedient move.  Much of this attitude contributed immensely to the Holocaust of my lifetime.  It seemed to reach an early pinnacle in the Council of Nicea, 325.  The Roman Emperor, Constantine, said shortly after Nicea, "....in unanimously adopting this mode [of when to celebrate the Resurrection], we desire, dearest brethren, to separate ourselves from the destable company of the Jews." 

You and I are not of such.  We embrace our King Jesus, the remembrance of the Passover in Egypt, the Cross, the Resurrection.  We, "do this in remembrance of Me."

"Hail! Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord,
Whom One in Three we know;
By all Thy heavenly host adored,
By all Thy Church below.
2 One undivided Trinity
With triumph we proclaim;
The universe is full of Thee,
And speaks Thy glorious name.
3 Thee, Holy Father, we confess;
Thee, Holy Son, adore;
And Thee, the Holy Ghost, we bless,
And worship evermore.
4 Hail! Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,
Our heavenly song shall be
Supreme, Essential One, adored
In co-eternal Thee!"
(Charles Wesley, 1767)

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"A Flaming Sword"

"....He placed...a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life....And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Genesis 3:24 & Ephesians 6:17)

We circled the City of Berlin today on the Sbahn called "The Ring."  It goes around the most populace part of the city.  It takes one hour, and we were able to read from Leviticus 16-Numbers 4. 

Now let me explain what I have been seeing more and more on this mission.  Our text is too familiar to "spirit-filled" Christians.  It's quoted, preached, cliched.  It needs to become, however, powerful life reality to you and me, and it has to me.  Of course it always was and is, but going about Berlin this time with the Scriptures playing, I realized that I was "dragon slaying" (Revelation 12).  "....the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit."  Two weapons of the Holy Spirit here: the Word and prayer.

As the Words of God go into the airways of your house, your neighborhood, your place of work, congregation, government, in short, anywhere, "the sword of the Spirit," is at the same time attacking the, "principalities and powers," and releasing captives.  I really believe this------ or I would not be doing what I am doing.  Sometimes at night I let our computer play Scriptures in our house all through the night.  Could this practice be something similar to what Jesus tells us in the Genesis 3 text above?  The, "sword," described in Genesis protects; the, "sword," described in our Ephesians 6 text describes an attack mode.  Yes, you already know, "So shall my word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."  We are witnessing this here in Berlin, and you and I are witnessing it in our lives, i.e., if we open our eyes.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for the defensive and offensive, "sword of the Spirit."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

I Was My Eccentric Self Again Today

"So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs (c.a. 180 miles)."  Revelation 14:10. 20)

"Our universe is currently in a period of accelerated expansion...," i.e., planets and stars are rushing away from one another at incredible speeds, about the speed it would take to cross the USA in a minute.  What kind of Universe must this be?!?  Well, I read the above about the Universe after coming back from the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.  It just confirmed to me that no matter what man may do, Jesus is on an appointed timetable.

I stayed in the camp until I read (played) the whole Book of Revelation.  On my way up, I was also finishing Ezekiel.  The last 12 chapters were particularly moving as I considered my journey North of Berlin. 

Both Revelation and Ezekiel, as the whole of Scripture, impresses upon me that Jesus, "The Word of God,"  keeps talking of things that have occurred, are occurring, and will occur, e.g., "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.'" (From Isaiah).   This is a summation of "Divine" history; this is a summation of your life and my life, "there is none like [Jesus], declaring the end from the beginning,..things that are not yet done."  And never, ever forget, "My Counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure," saith our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rejoice in this day, my friend, because His, "counsel shall stand, and He, "will do all [His] pleasure," in our lives, not the enemy, not governments, no one.  The Great Bookends of History's got you very well covered.

Father, in Jesus' Name, Holy Spirit, continually remind me Who You Are, and who I am.  Amen.
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*    New, timely, prophetic articles at:   jhs58.blogspot.com

*    Photos on Facebook

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

My "Word" Today: Keep Going; He's Working

"For thus says the Lord God: 'When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited,..then I will bring you down with those who descend into the Pit....'" (Ezekiel 26:19-20a)

Berlin Brandenberg Gate, May, 1945


Reichstag, 1945

I was walking over the site of Hitler's Bunker and was listening to our text.  "God is not mocked," neither then, neither now, neither in Germany, neither in The United States of America or wherever you call home.  Jesus' Word is true, because Jesus, "The Word of God," is true/Truth, as in, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."  When are we really going to accept, believe and walk in all we profess?!?

No empire, kingdom, super power is eternal, regardless of what some Americans may think.  History in not on the side of America, that is, unless America is on Jesus' "side."  Come under the Reign/Rule of Jesus, and survival is ours, no matter what happens around us.  This is true of us as individuals, but there is some indication from Matthew 25 that it can also be true of nations.  What is it going to be in your nation?  I posted on Facebook a quote from Obama's Chief of Staff, attacking Israel in a way which no American Administration has ever done.  Judgement cannot be far off.  Again, "GOD IS NOT MOCKED."

If you pray for us, you will be glad to know that I met with a missionary here in Berlin who has been here for 10 years.  He said that for years it was like "plowing concrete."  In the last couple of years, however, he has noticed a "breakthrough," much improvement.  I am not taking all the credit for this, but we have been coming back here to Berlin for a month's mission since 2011; just sayin'.  Forget false humility.  You need to forget it also, and as never before believe that your presence, your prayers, your witness, you as salt and light are impacting everything around whether you "see" it or not.  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works (not just here your "words") and glorify your Father in heaven."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that I am a citizen of Your Unshakable Kingdom/Empire. Amen.
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Thank you for any prayers for Renee.  We understand that everything went well.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Psalm 119 Day

(Please note the brief video download)
"Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law."  Psalm 119:61, NIV)

What would have happened in Germany if the Church of Jesus would have walked out our text?  Rather, the majority forgot the Law of Jesus when bound, "with ropes."  They folded in the face of terror, yes, unspeakable terror, threats, torture and death.  I don't know what I would have done; therefore, I am not of those who point fingers, and, as I saw at the Dachau Camp, people wrote such things as, "Have you no shame?"  That is arrogance, presumption, and a self righteousness of which I want no part.  But I will not, however, excuse what happened in Germany from post WW I to 1945.  The German "Church" was busy being "church."  It was not busy being a prophetic voice, "The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, 'Prepare...the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" (Is. 40:3) 

This is and has been the case in the American "Church" for way too long.  A Christian Statesman said recently that over half of professing "born again Christians" in America never vote.  We have what we have in America because of the failure of that part of the populace which calls itself "Christian."  Nothing seems to change.  Yet this "business as usual" can change, but it will take an obedient Church, not a worshiping, praying, preaching Church.  If the 50% of "worshiping," "praying," preaching Evangelicals/Pentecostals who refuse to be rather than just say, will be the, "doers of the Word," America and any nation can change.

What is in your heart today?  Do you read the Scriptures with the intent of "discovering" obedience opportunities, or just feel-good opportunities?  Yet just as in doing good to others gives us a better "feeling" than living a life of consumption, so the effect of obedience is greater that the effect of "feeling" religion.  We are moving at an ever increasing speed toward the Biblical literal, "Armageddon."  Only the obedient to Jesus will survive.  No, we will not "save" everyone.  But if we do the will of Jesus, we will see many more come to Christ than we would otherwise.

Father, in Jesus' Name, as I look at the world, I thank You for Your "Sorrowful Passion," Your Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Soon Return.  Help us all to be prepared.  Amen.  

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Why Do I Send This "Stuff?" (Also, Very Important Prophecy Below)

"The works of the Lord are great, studied (literally, 'sought out') by all who have pleasure in them." (Psalm 111:2, From today's reading)

A German economist once said, "The Germans are hard workers, but easily led" (sounds like a lot of Americans too).  At first glance, this may sound strange to people who think they understand the German psyche, but not to me.  I could probably do a seminar on this stuff, but would probably be the only one who would show up.  Sarah asked me today, "How many people do you think are really interested in all this? (This was in response to the very prophetic article which I have listed below).  It is a fair question which I have asked myself.  I do this for those who are interested, especially our supporters, so they know what they are "paying for."  Okay, enough already.

At any rate, I recently ordered a couple of books on the German People Group, history, recent history, etc.  Why do I tell you this?  "The works of the Lord [Jesus] are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them," and what is going on in Europe, the Middle East, Russia, China, the USA, et. al., is, "The works of the Lord [Jesus]."  Germany is a central player in this.  Now I know your "world" may seem "small" to you and that you may be struggling just to "keep your head above water."  But you are a part of these, "works of the Lord," and they indeed, "are great."  And allow me to say that His miraculous power is manifest in more than our individual answers to prayer, our being consumed in our local churches and "works," etc.  I have not a greater personal "faith builder" than seeing the Hand of King Jesus at work, moving, directing, yea, controlling Global History.  Most of that Bible you have marked is full of such.

"....studied/sought out by all who have pleasure in them."  I have pleasure in them, and this is a reason I am studying and seeking out, "the works of the Lord [Jesus]," in my "assigned field."  While Jerusalem and Washington, DC, need little in this regard to most people, Germany is quite another matter.  I just pray, yes, really pray that I can be of assistance with you in studying, seeking out the Will of the Blessed Trinity, His Purpose, His fulfilling of the "Ancient Writings."  We are living in glorious times.  Sarah and I have agreed that we have never had such opposition in our German Missions.  As the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece in Daniels writings, so the Prince of Germany is hard at work.  Something is up. 

As the song says, "Lift your vision higher."  You just may see something you have never seen of, "The works of the Lord are great...", and when you study them and seek them out, you just may find your head is well above that water; therefore, "Rise up, O men of God!  Have done with lesser things.  Give heart and mind and soul and strength to server the King of kings"---the "Eternal One," Jesus, the Christ.

Father, in Jesus' Name, Your, "works...are great."  Help me to study and seek them out.  Amen.
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Must read prophetic article at:    jhs58.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2