Twenty Two

For those of you who prayed for us to have a safe journey back to the U.S. in early February, Thank you. Your prayers bore fruit in more ways than one. The three day drive took me from Merida, through Villahemosa, through Queretero and back to the U.S.. Day three of the drive was the final leg from Queretero back up to San Antonio, TX where I reunited with the family. It was on that day that something interesting happened.

About 5 hours into my drive on Sunday I looked down at my odometer and noticed that I had traveled 307 miles since I left the hotel in Queretero that morning. I also noticed that I still had a half of a tank of gas. That is not normal. A 2001 Ford F150 Supercab only gets, at best, 19 mpg on the highway (See Here). I have tracked my gas mileage in the past so I know these figures are accurate.

I had gassed up that morning in Queretero and reset my odometer for the day's driving so my fuel gauge should have shown me sitting on roughly a quarter of a tank after 300 miles. Plus, the truck was filled with miscellaneous items we were bringing back (clothes, a bunk bed frame, books, file boxes, toys, a dog)....just enough stuff to weigh the truck down a little bit. This added cargo combined with all of the mountain driving on the interior highway routes in Mexico should have had a negative impact on my fuel efficiency. Plus I was driving at speeds of 75 MPH or higher because I was taking one toll road after another with no posted speed limits. 75MPH was driving slow. All three factors combined should have have drastically lowered the fuel efficiency on the truck. But it didn't.

Shortly after noticing this I found a gas station and refilled my tank. I looked at how many gallons I had put in the truck, noted the odometers reading, called Christine and asked her to pull out a calculator. After plugging in the numbers I realized I was getting a whopping 22.5 mpg...with all of the added weight, with all of the high-speed driving, with all of the downshifting in the mountains I was still getting 22+ miles per gallon.

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We grew close to several families while in Mexico. One of those couples, Andres and Talia, became friends of ours last summer. Andres was one of Josephs teachers at Calvary Christian Academy and Talia was Christine's hairdresser. This couple had legally immigrated to the U.S. back in the late 80's and after over two decades, God led them back to their hometown of Merida. In November I asked Talia how long they lived in the U.S. and she told me 22 years.

On December 27th Christine and I were taking a walk at the park in our neighborhood in Merida and while doing so I smelled a scent on the breeze that really stood out to me. It was the exact smell of the laundry room at the dorms in Midwestern State University where I had first attended college 22 years earlier. I left home in January, 1990 and the one scent that stood out in the dorms the most was the scent of the laundry room. It was very noticeable as I had smelled that aroma for the first time 22 years earlier.

The day before we started making the trip back to the U.S. I helped deliver our washer and dryer to the house of the lady that had purchased them from us in Merida. When heading over to her place we found ourselves driving through the Colonia Nora Quintana. The main road that cuts through this Colonia (Subdivision) is Calle 22. Calle 22 cuts through the heart of other adjoining subdivisions in that area of the city. Nora is my grandmothers name. Quintana is of Spanish and Greek origin and means "country home." We are renting my grandmother Nora's home from her in a country town outside of Ft. Worth.

Coincidences? Not at all. Supernatural gas mileage. Moving back to the area where I grew up in our home state 22 years after I left the area and went on a long journey that has taken me/us through several cities (Wichita Falls, Dallas, McKinney, Midland, Albuquerque, San Antonio, Merida). Christine moving away from her family for the first time and heading to Taos, NM in 1990, 22 years ago. Calle 22 in the heart of Nora Quintana. The unique aroma that first entered my senses exactly 22 years earlier.

One of the meanings of the number 22 in scripture is "flesh-cutting." Two of the most wicked kings in all of the history of Judah and Israel were cut off and removed after reigning 22 years.

"Jeroboam reigned for twenty-two years and then rested with his fathers." 1 Kings 14:20

"...Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him." 1 Kings 16:29,30

Jeroboam took over the ten northern tribes after the breakup of  Israel in the Post-Solomon era. His faithless heart led him to introduce golden-calf worship in Dan and Bethel. Ahab's greatest sin was introducing Baal worship in Israel after marrying Jezebel daughter of Ethbal king of the Sidonians. Both of these men were cut off in their wickedness after 22 year reigns.

The number 22 denotes the cutting off of wickedness and that which is of the flesh. The purpose of these last 22 years for Christine and I has been flesh-cutting. Deep flesh cutting. No, we are not yet made perfect. As the apostle Paul says...

"Not that I have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, bit I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.....All of us who are mature should take such a view on things." Philippians 3:12-15

But this has been a purposeful 22 years of discipline, of distress and development. In July 1996 I received a word that I had a tremendous amount of spiritual discipline ahead of me.  In October, 1996 I received a prophetic word that the Lord had me hanging on a cross, undergoing a process of cruxificion. I was told to stay on the cross until the Lord took me down. Less than a year later in May of 1997 I received another prophetic word while in Midland, TX that the Lord had me undergoing a process of deep humbling.

In ancient Israel servants were to be set free after six years of servitude. If the slave wanted to stay with his master at the time he was to be set "Free" he was to first be taken before the city judges to publicly confirm his desire. Then he was to go with his master to the doorway of his master's home where he would have an awl pushed through his earlobe into the door frame. See Exodus 21 and Deuteronomy 15.

In October the Lord spoke the word "Free" to me and my wife four times in less than 48 hours. I believe in effect that the Lord was telling me that I was allowed to go free if I so chose, that I was no longer bound to follow him but that I was Free to choose to follow or not follow him.

Coincidentally, in January, about two weeks before we moved back to the U.S., I was outside changing a light bulb next to an outdoor closet on our back porch. I thought I had turned off the light switch so I wouldn't be electrocuted. The glass portion of the bulb had broken out of it's metal threaded base and I had to get a pair of metal needle-nose pliers to pry the sleeve out of the socket where you screw in the light bulb. When I touched the pliers to the bulb area on the wall about a foot above my head I received an electric shock. When I drew back my hand I dropped the pliers as my arm was extended above my head.

He chooses us that we might choose Him.

On the way down the pliers landed with the handle pressed into my collarbone area and the needle nose end coincidentally extended into the back of my right earlobe, piercing part of the skin on my lower earlobe and drawing blood. This happened with me standing next to the doorway of the backporches outside closet.

That very same morning, before all of this happened, I had just been reading in Deuteronomy 15 about freed slaves choosing to go back and serve their masters for life, having their ears pierced to the door.

In Psalm 40:6, the Spirit of Christ speaking through David said:

"Sacrifice and offerings you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced;..."

Have you had your ear pierced yet? I know all of this seems intricate, but we serve an intricate God who counts the numbers of hairs on our heads. The Lord can and does speak intricately at times. He speaks in proverbs and riddles, in prophetic symbols and similitudes (Hosea 12:10).  This isn't just for the prophets but for a prophetic church as well.

Ask the Lord to bring you into this flow of prophetic symbolism in your life if he hasn't already. And if he has, ask for a double portion of what you already know and have learned and experienced.

Blessings
J.E.

America is Falling

I was going to take a nap on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. But now I am finding myself writing about Track and Field events and former Miss Universe contestants.....all in light of God's word of course. Read this all the way through. I think you will find it interesting.

Right before I was going to lay down I received an email from a good friend of mine inviting me to comment on a thread on his blog. I'll try and give you the cliff notes.

In the comments section at the end of his post he put forth a question. Without him taking a position, he wanted to hear both sides, both for and against, to the following:

"An argument exists that says the idea of God judging nations is an Old Testament concept... that all judgment for sin occured at the cross and so therefore no judgment of any kind is awaiting nations, as sinful as they are. Question: Does God judge nations today? If so, upon what basis in light of Christ’s work on the cross? 

So what he puts out there for discussion is whether or not God judges nations today. The following was my response on his blog.

Posted by Jay on September 4, 2011 at 2:30 pm

"The argument is an extension of Calvinism and the TULIP doctrine. They are superimposing it over the political and social issues of our day. It is another way of saying, “Peace and Safety.” (1 Thess 5:3)

Is the Grace of God a license for immorality (Jude 4)? Do nation-states reap and sow just as individuals do (Galatians 6:7,8)? Do nations experience judgement?

Isaiah 24 speaks of an “everlasting covenant” that has been broken by the nation states of the earth, specifically verse 5 and 6. It also clarifies the consequence for breaking this law of conscience, even amongst nations that did not know the spiritual rock Jehovah Jireh.

Revelation 6 speaks of the Lamb who is worthy to open the seals, releasing 4 horsemen upon the earth to conquer, to make men slay each other with the sword, to disrupt fair trade and plunge men into poverty and hunger, to release plagues on the earth, to release the wild beasts of the earth, and to harvest on behalf of Death and Hades.

Has God judged nations since the our Lord’s cruxificion and resurrection? Paul said, “In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.” 1 Thess 2:16

Even back to the time of Cain and Abel, man has experienced consequences for shedding innocent blood. God judged the world in Noah’s time because of this. After he got off the ark the Lord told him not to shed blood (Genesis 9:5,6) and that if he did there would be consequences. This was a component of the law of conscience which has always trumped old covenant law (See David eating the consecrated bread in 1 Samuel).

Japan’s judgment for what they did to China during WWII. Germany’s judgment for what they did to Europe. The judgment of the Armenians for not listening to God during World War I (and they were Christians). France’s judgment from 1915 to 1945 for what they did to the Huguenot Christians several centuries before. God’s judgment on Jerusalem and Judah in 70 A.D. God’s judgement on the Roman Empire for what they did to the Mediterranean rim. God’s judgment on Britain’s economy for what they did to North Africa (slavery), the southern U.S. (slavery), India and China (the opium trade) during the 1800′s.

Does he judge nation states? Can the United States murder 53 million children through abortion, 8 times more than the Nazi’s did in all of Europe, and think the party will continue? Really? Jesus threw over a few tables for some money changers. How much more should we be turning over these false arguments over 53 million children."

First I want to say that I love my friend who author's the blog I am qouting. I love his heart, his ministry and his writing. I love his whole family. He is married to a godly woman. They bear good fruit in Christ. They have great kids. They are trustworthy people. In no way is my comment a correction of him or anything he is doing in the Lord. I am not directing my response at him. I have even now put a link on my blog to his blog, The Sage of Texas. And I am extremely selective when I do that. I am encouraging others to read his blog and receive from him. Just want to make sure I am being clear.

But my response was to a question he posed from a neutral position and it was directed specifically at the other side of the argument which I believe is rooted in falsehood, specifically in Calvinism and to some degree in Dominion Theology/Kingdom Now Doctrine. Truthfully, if you have been following the posts on this blog for any length of time and you have been taking it in then you know my position on this in the Lord.

Read Here, Here, and Here  if you need a refresher. If not, keep reading.

Brethren, America is falling and has been progressively for many years now. Let me explain why I am bringing this up again like I have in the past months.

Coincidentally, this morning, I saw on the news that a new world record had been set by the Jamaican Men's 4 x 100 Sprint Relay Team at the world championships in South Korea just this morning. The men's 4 x 100 sprint relays are, in my mind, the most exciting 38 to 40 seconds in all of sports. Now 37 seconds. It's all about raw straightline power, speed and intensity.

But in this particular race we have what I believe is a prophetic symbol of sorts. You see, at about the 30 second mark something terrible happens to the runner on the third leg of U.S. men's team. He falls and the American team doesn't finish. Watch the film up until about the 1:00 minute mark. Then skip all of Usain Bolt's hot-dogging and fast forward it to the 3:20 mark of the video. They show the American falling in slow motion.





The American runner loses balance and just falls between strides. You know, this has happened recently to both of the U.S. contestants at the Miss Universe Pageants in 2007 and 2008.



Miss USA @ Miss Universe 2007



Miss USA @ Miss Universe 2008

Bless their hearts. I felt bad for the U.S. runners and for these 2 ladies. Yet these symbols are out there on the international stage for all to see. And they are not happening by accident. Joseph Herrin does a good post on the symbolism of some of these events as well. You can Click Here to read the whole thing later. But I want to pull something from it and quote it here. This is what he interpreted about Miss U.S.A falling 2 years in a row. I think it is very forthtelling.

"In 2007 Rachel Smith fell down while walking on stage at the Miss Universe pageant, and this year, 2008, Crystle Stewart did the same thing. No other contestant experienced the same. Consider for a moment how appropriately this contest was chosen. All the nations of the world are gathered for this event. Each country is symbolized by one woman. And for the past two years, the woman symbolizing the USA has fallen down as she stood before all the world, in a moment when she hoped to impress all those who looked upon her."

"Rachel was the name of the favorite wife of Jacob. She died giving birth to her son Benjamin. God will bring forth a purified remnant from the midst of the church in America, even though it should require the death of the nation as we know it."

"In an article I read today on the event, it was said that falling down was “the death knell” for any participant as far as their chances of winning the competition. The judges looked for how much poise and grace the contestants manifested on stage, and falling down was sure to end any chance of them winning. Is it not strange that this last event took place in Viet Nam, the infamous war that America failed to win?"

"That this event has occurred two years in a row, being repeated at the same stage of the event, the evening gown portion, reveals some profound truths. The word “evening” speaks of the last hours of the day before night falls, and all is plunged into darkness. That this same event occurred two years in a row bears the same meaning that Joseph declared to Pharaoh when God repeated his dreams to him twice."

"Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about." Genesis 41:32

God has determined this matter. This is to say that His mind is made up and now there is no turning back what He has determined. There is only a sure expectation that these things will come, therefore the wise should do whatever the Spirit tells them to do that they might be made ready. It will quickly come to pass. This judgment is no longer years away. It will commence presently.....As I mentioned, the signs of distress are everywhere apparent."

Joseph Herrin is right. The matter has been firmly decided by God. Both ladies names are in fact significant. Rachel for the reason he stated above:

"Rachel was the name of the favorite wife of Jacob. She died giving birth to her son Benjamin. God will bring forth a purified remnant from the midst of the church in America, even though it should require the death of the nation as we know it."

Rachel was first to fall in 2007. Then in 2008 it was Crystle that fell. The name Crystle is derived from the proper name Crystal and can be defined as: to take on a solid shape or form when atoms or molecules begin to arrange in definite and repeated patterns. (See Websters Dictionary).

When the Lord begins to speak on things repeatedly it means it's important. Real important. Four times in John 14 &15 Jesus said that if we loved him, we would obey him. Romans 1:28 says that men get into trouble with God when they don't retain his word. The word for retain (NIV) in the Greek is Echo. The word of God echoes. 2 Corinthians 13 says that things become established through the repeated witnessing of 2 or 3 members of the body.

My point is that as events occur repetitiously they, in many cases, become a sign of what God is saying. He is in effect trying to Crystalize his word. He is causing it to take a solid shape and form. In this case it is the fact that America, as symbolized by the American runner and the two beauty contestants, is falling. America is falling.

America will fall. The signs are everywhere if you know what to look for. I think in the next post I should talk about the four-fold judgment of Ezekiel 14. The dominoes are falling and the first one has almost completely hit the ground. Ezekiel 14 is happening in America right now.

Stay Alert.
JEB
http://www.miraclesinmerida.blogspot.com/.