Hello Friends,
I wanted to share this article that was recently published by Dr. Michael Brown (a Messianic Jewish Believer). He summarizes very succinctly here, the perspective I’ve been viewing this thing from since the beginning. I hope it will encourage you too:
https://askdrbrown.org/library/getting-god’s-perspective-current-crisis
First quarter world statistics. These numbers are a few days old, but you get the idea. All of them escalate at the same rate for whatever time period you look at. Let’s keep this thing in focus:
Just the facts…
In the weeks and months after 9/11, people flocked to churches in America. But the return was short-lived and people quickly fell back into their own ways, while the nation continued its downhill course. The warning judgment was virtually ignored. So what will the church in America do with this message now? What will YOU do with it? The fate of the nation hangs in the balance. Has the salt lost it’s saltiness, or is TRUE repentance still possible? May God have mercy on America, because if she doesn’t return now, there will not be another chance.
(8 minute video):
For those with “ears to hear,” this is a powerful word for the body of Christ in this hour! I’ve tried to communicate this for some time, albeit poorly. But she perfectly articulates the message God has had in my spirit. It’s 20 power packed minutes to encourage you during the shakings, that will only continue to increase. I’ve already watched it several times. May you be blessed!
I’ve been hearing unbelievably sad stories of the panic that has fallen in the US, and some of the ridiculous “preparations” people are making, in hopes that they can ride out whatever might come of all this. I want to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ that there is only one essential thing you should be storing up in abundance during this time.
I’ve preached this message for many years now, and it’s mostly fallen on deaf ears. It’s relevant now more than ever. In Matthew Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish virgins:
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
(Matthew 25:1-13)
The “shakings,” “birth pains,” “tribulation,” etc. – whatever you choose to label it, they are here. They’ve been here, but like some women in labor, many in the church have chosen to just endure each one, and then fall back asleep in between contractions. But finally something is happening that should awaken even the most anesthetized among us. So how are you doing in your faith? God is so merciful to allow these things to happen to show us where we have anchored our faith and hope, and realize that if it’s in ANYTHING outside of Him, we need to make an immediate course correction.
But the time is really short now. As the parable explains, there will come a time when it’s too late to get more oil. The bridegroom is coming, but isn’t here yet. We have to wait through darkness until he comes – do you have enough oil (faith) to sustain you?
There are some who have believed the false teaching of a “pre-tribulation rapture.” Although the Bible clearly admonishes us all throughout, they haven’t prepared themselves to suffer and endure the difficulties coming. They risk being swept away in the “great falling away.”
I continue to plead with God that this is still a merciful wake-up call. That those in the “Laodician Church” of the West still have sufficient time to get themselves firmly anchored in truth. But the time is unbelievably short now – do not delay a minute longer. Do not do what the apostles did in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus continued to admonish them to stay awake and pray. But they continued to fall back asleep. When the time came to stand in the darkness, their faith was too weak and they ran away and abandoned their Lord.
My blog stats show that few of my followers choose to read these types of posts. They aren’t “ear tickling” enough. “May he who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes…” (Revelation chs. 2 & 3)
“But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21)
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see….And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:1 & 6)
“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7-8)
Are you feeling bored, anxious or just need an escape from all the drama? Then here is the best thing you could possibly binge on – JESUS!
If you have yet to watch all 8 episodes of “The Chosen” series, you can now download the app on any of your devices and even pair it with one of those techie thingys that lets you watch it on your TV. But whatever you watch it on, watch it! Trust me on this, you won’t be able to stop yourself.
Because of the unprecedented time we are in, the creators of this series are now making it available worldwide for FREE! You heard me right – Jesus is literally going into every single country on the planet as I type (well, He’s already there, but you get my point). Can someone say “streams in the desert”? (View this 4 minute video for details:)
Click on the photo to download the app
As one famous line in the series says, “Get used to different.” We are all having to figure out how to do that now, and this is a great place to start. Be blessed!
Just FYI – in Ecuador, we’ve rapidly gone from imposing quarantine restrictions on incoming travelers from high risk COVID-19 countries effective this past Friday, to complete lock down in our homes announced last night. Long story short, God has providentially and abundantly supplied all that I need, without any advanced concern or planning on my part. I have been and remain in perfect peace.
PSALM 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
To all my believing family in the U.S. who are trying to navigate their way through all the fear-driven insanity, I offer two things to encourage you:
Isaiah 26:
3 You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
I’ll keep this short and sweet. As of date, the coronavirus has now infected 133,100 people of the world’s estimated 7,800,000,000 total population – yes that’s 7.8 BILLION! The normal seasonal flu has between 3 to 5 MILLION cases deemed “severe” worldwide. Yet the whole world is in complete panic and people are calling this a “pandemic.” I call it a big smokescreen! “Close borders,” “eliminate paper money,” blah, blah, blah. Are you really going to swallow what the media is spoon feeding you, or go on a media fast and put things into real perspective? “The only thing to fear is fear itself.“ Be reasonable people – spread facts, not fear.
“And that’s all I’m gonna say about that!” 😉
Well Friends, sorry it has taken me so long to wrap up my recap of adventures with Debbie. But this is the last installment in the series…
DAY 13: This day we made a 7:00 a.m. taxi departure from my house, to begin our all day journey to Cuenca. Those who follow my blog know that this is my favorite get-away place and somewhere I always want to take my guests if they give me enough time. Our two-leg bus journey was perfectly timed and uneventful. We arrived at my favorite hostel late afternoon, got ourselves settled in and headed for dinner. The city of Cuenca is a gastronomic delight and my list of restaurants to visit is always longer than I have time for. But we started out the sampling at one of my favorites, that offers Thai bowls and other delights. Debbie ordered one and I got a chicken pesto sandwich and we shared with each other. Their food is always plentiful and truly a work of art!
DAY 14: After a scrumptious and filling breakfast at one of my favorite spots, we hopped on the 9:30 city bus tour. It lasts a few hours and gives a great overview of the old and new areas of the city, including a picturesque overlook. Debbie caught some great photos:
After the tour, we matched up for lunch with my friend Claire, who lives there in Cuenca. Then we wandered around looking for another place to have dessert and ended up here:
After our decadent indulgence, Claire headed back home and Debbie and I stayed in the same area. This is the main spot for buying Ecuadorian handicrafts, specifically from the Otavalo area. Debbie bought some alpaca blankets, as well as a woven bag to carry home all her extras (she had brought a separate suitcase full of things I’d ordered from the states, but she’d already filled it up and needed more room 😂). After the shopping excursion, we walked to one end of the historic area and sat in the beautiful park there (one of my favorites). Then we headed for dinner at a Colombian restaurant, where we each had one of their meals that included a hearty cazuela, grilled chicken and arepa – for $4.50!
DAY 15: Our second day, we had another delicious breakfast at a different place, then headed back to the main park to take the guided walking tour. The biggest highlight of this for me was that I was reunited with my sweet pet sitters, Rick & Sue, that stayed with Charcoal when I visited the states for a month two years ago! I had told them how much I loved Cuenca and really encouraged them to go, however they had limited time between my and their next house sit and really wanted to see the Galápagos Islands, so they opted to go there instead. When they saw the chance to do a January one month sit in Cuenca, they asked me to write them a reference, which I happily did, and they got the sit! So they matched up with Debbie and me for the walking tour, and then we all had lunch at a Mexican food place afterwards. The weather was so stunning on our visit, with no rain whatsoever. It was even warm enough that we never really needed our jackets, even at night!
After lunch, we parted ways with my friends and did some more wandering on our own. We walked to the park on the opposite end of town, where we went into a little cafe/hostel and shared a scrumptious dessert with coffee. Then we wandered a little more down by the river and ended up at a little tea shop, where we each had an herbal tea and people watched out the window. By then, we were way too full for dinner, so we headed back to our hostel and called it a night.
DAY 16: This day was another first adventure for me to do something I’d always wanted to, but never had a chance. Since Debbie was going to be here so many days, I sent her the excursion information ahead of time to see if she’d be interested in doing it. She was, so I added a third day to our Cuenca itinerary so we could do the all day tour. We were picked up at 7:30 a.m. for a 3 hour van ride to the town of Alausi. I could hardly believe how absolutely stunning the drive was! I’ve been in many beautiful spots in Ecuador, but this took the cake! I lost track of how many times I said, “Wow!” as we wound through the mountains and past the villages. Photos truly cannot do it justice, but Debbie did get some good ones:
Our first destination was the town of Alausi to ride the famous “Devil’s Nose Train.” There is quite a history behind President Eloy Alfaro and his construction of the first railroad in Ecuador at the beginning of the nineteenth century. This railroad connected Quito in the Andes mountains to Guayaquil on the coast. The biggest challenge of this route was the navigation of Condor Mountain, now known as the Devil’s Nose. Still considered one of the most amazing feats of railroad engineering history, the mountain was navigated by a series of long, curving switchbacks carved directly into the face of the rock. The train gradually ascends or descends the Devil’s Nose by slowly moving backwards and forwards along the steep switchbacks. The 45 minute ride was stunning and once at the depot in Simbabe, we were treated to some indigenous dances from local villagers, as well as a small museum exhibition of their history, and some offerings of foods.
Once back in Alausi, we ate a pre-arranged lunch at a local restaurant as part of our tour. There was only one other nice couple on the tour with us, and we had a wonderfully informative bilingual guide for the whole day.
After lunch, we headed back towards Cuenca, stopping halfway to see the Incapirca ruins. These are the oldest Inca ruins in Ecuador and are known as “little Machu Picchu.” However, in some ways they are even more significant than the more famous ruins. Mainly because this is the only site where the Incas actually built on top of and in conjunction with another tribe. Other places the Incas went, they completely conquered the people and destroyed the existing structures. But here the Incas encountered the indigenous Andean people named Cañari and had difficulties in conquering them. The leader of the Incas eventually married a Cañari princess and the two tribes decided to live together peacefully. Therefore, the ruins are actually a mixture of both Inca and Cañari architecture. Our guide actually grew up in this area, so having him take us through the site was an extra treat.
We made it back to Cuenca around 7:30 p.m. – a long, but fulfilling excursion. We grabed a light dinner at a French Bistro style restaurant (think La Madeline), walked the short distance back to our hostel and hit the hay.
DAY 17: Today we woke up very early and got ourselves to the bus terminal to return to Guayaquil in time for another excursion first. Debbie is a member of the Young Living essential oils family and she learned that they had a farm and distillery outside of Guayaquil that could be toured. So we reserved the 1:00 p.m. time slot, and I scheduled a local taxi friend to pick us up at the bus terminal, drive us to the location, wait for us to take the tour, and then return us to our hotel. As it turned out, we got a private tour of the farm and spa facilities and were quite impressed with the whole process. The farm was HUGE and I believe they said they grow 10 different plants for making the oils, the most prolific being Yland Ylang.
Once back in Guayaquil, we checked into our hotel. Debbie’s flight was scheduled to leave around 1:30 a.m., and she graciously offered to use her points to book us into the Hilton – arguably the nicest hotel in Guayaquil! It wasn’t until we pulled up to the entrance that it confirmed to me it was also the hotel that Robert was staying in when I met him in Guayaquil for that “special lunch.” ☺️
We dropped our bags and headed out for Debbie to do some last minute shopping! 😂 Yes, she finally decided she wanted to buy a hammock after we left the coast. So I took her to the artesian market there, that is arguably the largest one in Ecuador outside of Otavalo. She bought two hammocks and got a really amazing price.
Afterwards we went for dinner. But this was not just any dinner. While driving back from the farm, I noticed a restaurant along the way and was shocked! I asked my cab driver how long they had been in Guayaquil – several years apparently, but not anywhere that I had seen. They actually have several locations and he told us of one in a mall not far from our hotel. So this Texas girl was in hog heaven because she got to have dinner at….
I proudly told the staff that I was from Dallas and that I even had a date in high school at the original Chili’s. They were in awe and we were treated like royalty the rest of the night.
Debbie’s flight was the return of the one that she flew in on, which was 2 hours late getting in when she arrived. So true to form for AA, she started checking and getting notices that her flight was delayed. Eventually we realized we were looking at a 3 hour departure delay. This gave us a great chance to make use of the spa facilities and pool at the hotel! We first used the indoor steam and dry sauna, then went to the beautiful outdoor swimming pool area, where we had the whole pool to ourselves!
Originally Debbie hadn’t really planned to use the hotel room herself, but with all the extra time delay, we were able to grab a few hours of sleep before getting the free shuttle to the airport. And it was in the drugstore there that Debbie was able to buy her last souvenir – a package of Ecuadorian chocolate to take home. ☺️
I was back at the hotel by 4:00 a.m. At Debbie’s suggestion, I took advantage of her elite status and asked for a late checkout. I enjoyed sleeping in, having my in room coffee, a wonderful shower and leisurely morning, before I headed to the bus terminal and back home to Puerto Cayo.
So that wraps up my latest guest adventures. Who’s going to come visit me next and try to top this one? 😉
The JOURNEY 