Joseph Herrin (05-07-2010)

One of the most blessed aspects of a surrendered life is experiencing the many evidences of the Father’s presence, guidance, and provision in daily events. Many Christians rarely experience the evidence of the Father’s leading, for they live lives of great independence. Most Christians make their life decisions from the counsel of their own soul. They may be choosing the course they think to be good, but few understand that the soul of man offers up counsel on the good and evil path that is independent, and often contrary, to the Father’s own counsel. This subject is addressed in the book Sabbath.

http://www.heart4god.ws/id214.htm
I share many of my own experiences of being led of the Spirit to encourage the saints to look to the Father to guide them in the events of their lives. In this post I will share one such event that occurred today.

Today is my 49th birthday. I was born May 7, 1961. I have share with some that although I am officially 49 years of age, this date actually marks the beginning of my 50th year of life. For the next 365 days I will be experiencing my Jubilee and Pentecost year. I have a great anticipation for what the year will bring. Looking back over the last year, I surely had no idea I would pass through all the myriad of events that were my portion.

In preparing to go out on the road for an extended time of meetings with Yahweh’s remnant I have had several things in mind that I felt the Spirit was leading me to do in preparation. I shared some of those things in the previous post. One further thing I desired was to get a cargo trailer to pull behind my van.

When I have traveled I have carried my computer, printer, projector, screen, and a variety of assorted gear in my van. This makes it difficult to move about, and I have found that I must unload things to be able to get around inside the camper/van. I have been praying that the Father would also provide the means for me to print out many of my teachings in bulk so that I could distribute them freely as I travel to meetings. To carry this material with me it seemed needful to have a trailer.

Because I am dependent upon the Father for all my provision, I have learned to seek His mind regarding expenditures. I don’t want to get out of His will and put myself in a bind due to some independence in my spending. You may well imagine that when one becomes dependent upon the Father for all things that life becomes very exciting. For the natural man it can also be very frightening.

I have shared in the autobiographical book Evidence of Things Unseen many of the struggles I have had in trusting the Father for provision for myself and my family.

http://www.heart4god.ws/id426.htm

When Yahweh called me out from my job as a computer professional to minister full-time, part of me was elated while part of me was exceedingly anxious. The Father does not want us to walk in fear, but neither does He desire that His sons walk carelessly. There is a need to be sensitive to the mind of the Father in all that we do.

Spending money on a major item like a cargo trailer is something in which I earnestly desired a witness from the Father. I knew that other needs would arise in traveling, and I did not want to foolishly squander the Father’s provision on something that was not of His leading.

Some Christians believe it is unnecessary to be accountable to the Father for all their expenditures. There is a great independence fostered among mainline denominations who teach tithing. By resolving the concept of a Christian’s money management down to a law such as tithing, great evil actually ensues. A great many Christians believe that if they give God 10% of their money that the remaining 90% is theirs to spend as their own soul directs. Such a concept is the antithesis of Christian discipleship.

Luke 16:10-12
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

In these words Christ is telling those who would be His disciples that money (mammon) is the least of the things the Father entrusts into our hands as stewards. Many have been confused at the parable that precedes it, but the moral of Christ’s parable is found in the words cited above. We are given worldly things, including money as stewards. We are to be faithful in what we do with what we have been given. To use the resources Yahweh has given us in a self-directed manner for our own selfish purposes, is similar to the unfaithful steward who was squandering his master’s goods, as if they were his own possession.

Yahweh convicted me of this some years back, for I had been very much like the unfaithful steward. The Father made it known to me that if I desired to receive “true riches” that I would have to prove myself faithful with the least valuable things entrusted to me. Money is in God’s sight the least of what He would give to His people. The anointing of His Spirit, spiritual gifts, revelation and understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom, intimate entrance into His presence, are all much more valuable.

Not wanting to forfeit the true riches, I submitted to the Father’s re-ordering of the area of my financial spending. I have grown much richer in spiritual things because of it.

Although I sensed the Spirit leading me to get a trailer, I wanted to be sure that this was from Him. I asked Him to give me some assurance of His will in the matter. I had a peace in my heart, so I proceeded to pursue this purchase, asking the Father to give me some token of His leading along the way. I was prepared to alter course, or abandon this course altogether, if He revealed His will to be something different.

I found some trailers for sale online at a local manufacturer here in Georgia. It struck me that the city bore the same name as my next meetings. The manufacturer was in Fayetteville, Ga, and my next meeting is in Fayetteville, TN. I thought this was interesting, but not conclusive evidence of the Father’s will. I then noted that the brand name of the trailers was related to a song that the Father has been speaking to Randy Simmons through. Randy will be traveling with me, and will also be making use of the trailer. This too was interesting, but not conclusive.

This morning was the first opportunity I had to go look at trailers, and the thought came to mind that it was my birthday and the Father was going to give me a gift today, this gift being a trailer. Still, I wanted positive assurance.

I got in my van and drove to the end of the driveway. I stopped and plugged in the address of the trailer manufacturer. When the GPS plotted the course, the time estimated to drive there grabbed my attention.

The estimated time was 1:53 hrs. Those who have been reading these blogs for some time understand the significance of the number 153. It represents the sons of God given to Christ, of which He desires to not lose any. This is related to the miracle of the 153 large fish pulled up in the disciples’ nets which did not break.

This was encouraging, but I told the Father that I would be looking to Him to make this matter very clear as I drove. I determined to be alert to His speaking.

As I had a lengthy drive, I spent much of the time in prayer. At one point I got behind a car whose license plate provided another affirmation. I sensed the Spirit witnessing to me through it, and I immediately felt a release and knew the Father had chosen for me to purchase a trailer and that I was being guided to the right place. I began praising the Father, and I had just uttered out loud a word of thanksgiving for God being my provider when I looked to my left and saw the following sign.

Jehovah – Jireh means “Jehovah – My Provider.” Some may remember the song made popular by Kenneth Copeland some years back by the same name. It has since been sung by many different musicians. The lyrics are as follows:

Jehovah JirehMy provider
His grace is sufficient
For me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh
My provider
His grace is sufficient for me

My God shall supply all my needs
According to his riches in glory
He will give His angels
Charge over me
Jehovah Jireh cares
For me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me

When I saw this sign, having just praised Yahweh for being my provider, I was filled with joy. What an amazing coincidence. What are the chances?

I was just a short distance from the trailer manufacturer at this time, and I found a very good deal on a nice trailer, and purchased it. On my way back I stopped by the Jehovah-Jireh sign and took another photo.

That is the new trailer the Father provided with the Jehovah-Jireh sign seen above it.

The trailer is manufactured by Carry-On Trailers.

I mentioned that the name reminded me of a song the Father has used to speak to Randy through in a profound manner. The song is an old Rock classic by the group Kansas. Following are the song lyrics.

Wayward Son – by Kansas

Carry on my wayward son,
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high
Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I’m dreamin’, I can hear them say:

Carry on my wayward son,
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don’t know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I’m like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say:

Carry on my wayward son,
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more NO!

Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Now your life’s no longer empty
Surely heaven waits for you

Carry on my wayward son,
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry
Don’t you cry no more

This song contains a profound message for many of Yahweh’s sons who are wrestling with thoughts and emotions that wage war against the counsel of the Spirit. Taking up the cross, following the Spirit wherever He leads, often does not make sense to the natural man. Great warfare rages inside many a soul like the raging of a stormy sea.

Our Father’s counsel to Randy has been to Carry On. The Spirit of Christ has assured him that even if there is no understanding now, and a great battle rages inside, if he stays to the course there will be peace when he is done.

This message is true for every son of God who hears the call to take up the cross and follow Christ. We often feel like fainting along the way. We are often tempted to turn back. The Spirit is there urging us forward. We are encouraged to stay the course, assured that there will be peace and reward at the end of the journey.

It has been a remarkable journey for me these past eleven years. I am now blessed to be able to encourage others of Yahweh’s sons and daughters to embrace this narrow way that leads to life. Our Father speaks in extraordinary ways to those who are looking to Him to guide them along life’s journey. I wanted to share this day’s experience with you.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws

Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063