Category Archives: vietnam

February 16, 2009 · 7:12 pm

My Revelation From “Fox’s Book of Martyrs”

Jane at Across Walk wrote the following comment on the last Swimming Upstream:

I’ve been trudging through Fox’s Book of Martyrs. It’s been on the coffee table, the shelf in the bathroom and is currently traveling to and from the place of employment in the back seat. The constant echo as I read on and on is “put a face on it.” The ongoing, endless, bloody tortures, one right after another, risk redundancy and an ultimate emotional shutdown, chilling further reactionary heartbreak over each disembowelment, decapitation, sawing, boiling, broiling, and burning at the stake. The little voice repeats itself over and over in my mind — put a face on her. Put a face on him, someone you know, someone you love.

Jane’s mention of Fox’s Book of Martyrs reminded me of my personal struggle with it many years ago. As I read the book, I became squeamish about being burnt at the stake. It made me nauseous to think that this could happen to me.

It bothered me so much that I prayed to the Lord about it. “Lord, if Your desire for me is to be a martyr, I volunteer for it. Chop off my head. Shoot me. Poison me. Knife me. Drown me. Put me in boiling oil. Stone me. Drop me from the Empire State Building. But please Lord, don’t burn me at the stake. I’m not sure that I will be an effective martyr for You if that method is used on me.”

At the time of this prayer, I was working for a motel chain. Mostly I was a maintenance man, but a couple days a week, I delivered the “Meals on Wheels” for three senior citizen centers.

One day, I was removing a large pan of meat from an oven. As I turned to put it on the counter, the pan shifted in my hand and scalding water poured over my hand. One hundred and seventy-five degrees. Two cooks ran to help. One told me to put my hand under the water; and the other was poised to call an ambulance.

I did not move. I just stood there looking at my dripping wet hand. It was red. There was pain. But yet, the pain was only on the surface of the hand, not on the inner part of the hand. It was bearable. In fact, it did not bother me that much.

Eventually, the cook grabbed me and put my hand under the faucet. I did it more to calm her down than to relieve my pain. Within seconds, my hand was back to normal.

This experience quieted my fears about being burnt at the stake or any form of martydom. I believe there is a special grace placed on martyrs to endure the suffering and still be the effective witness that the Lord needs for the people watching on.

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February 16, 2009 · 7:14 am

Swimming Upstream: “Pray For President Obama, But Don’t Bow Your Knees To Him”

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Can you imagine what Timothy thought when he read the letter from the Apostle Paul containing the above verses? Maybe something like – Paul, you’ve lost it this time. Emperor Nero needs to be hung from a tree, shot at sunup, knifed in the back, pushed over a cliff and crucified. Prayers! Why waste them on this rogue?

But did you know that historians portray Nero as being extremely popular with the common classes of people? He supported the freedman class by vetoing laws enacted by the Senate. He cut taxes. He removed harsh tax collectors. He removed tariffs on imported food. His public relief effort after the fire consisted of heavy government spending on construction projects. He tried to reform the government. And oh yes, he was a great orator. People loved to hear him speak, especially when he promised them goodies.

Nero had a major downside; he persecuted Christians. Squads of soldiers were dispatched throughout the empire to inquire of people, “Do you swear allegiance to Emperor Nero as your lord?”

Sadly, Christians were backed into a corner with the question. They had one Lord, Jesus. When they answered negatively, they were whisked off to arenas where they were covered with skins of animals and offered as prey for hungry lions. Or they were crucified. Or they were mounted on poles, covered with wax and used as candles for lawn parties.

It was not a good time to be a Christian. And yet, Paul stated that believers needed to pray for Nero and that this was good and acceptable in the sight of God.

So fast forward to 2009, we need to do the same for President Obama. Pray for him in every possible way. For Michelle. For Malia and Sasha. For his mother-in-law. For his aunt. For all of his administration. Why? So that we Christians can lead quiet and tranquil lives in all godliness and dignity.

But if President Obama steps over the line and asks us compromise our Christian principles, don’t bow your knees to him. Grab an animal skin and head for the lions’ den.

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian jouneys.

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February 13, 2009 · 6:50 am

Swimming Upstream: “So Long American Economy, It’s Been Good to KnowYou”

Do you have the feeling that President Obama, the Senate and Congress have studied economics at the feet of Bernie Maddoff? As in, let’s borrow more money to dig our way out of debt. And then, when that doesn’t work, let’s borrow even more money. And then, more borrowing. And then. And then. Until finally:

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave. (Proverbs 22:7)

So what are you going to do about it? Pull a Howard Beale, run over to your window, fling it open and scream, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

Then what? Are you going to flop down on the sofa, pull a blanket over your head and hope all of this economic stuff will just somehow sort itself out and things will return to normal? You know, back when home investments were skyrocketing, stocks were soaring into the stratosphere, IRA’s had values and Social Security was something to look forward to.

Or maybe you think that God will raise up a Sarah Palin or someone like her who will come riding in on a white horse at the last possible moment to turn everything around? A modern Joan of Arc. You can almost hear the praise celebrations even now, right?

Well, like any good airline captain, I have some advice for you. “This is your captain speaking. All four engines have just flamed out. It looks like we’re going to have to make an unscheduled landing. I’m going to try and glide this jet to the nearest airport, but oh boy, that’s a long shot! So if I was you, I’d bend over and grab my ankles. Then while in that position, kiss everything goodbye.”

Here’s a bit of good news: God has a plan that will work. Seek Him, now!

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February 10, 2009 · 2:59 pm

Raising People From The Dead – Are You Silly?

For those Red Letter Christians who really, really want to obey what Jesus said:

And as you go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of God is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10: 7-8)

Now, if you think that raising the dead is no longer happening, then you need to check out Dave Hogan of Freedom Ministries. His ministry has over 400 people raised from the dead.

And for the rest of us, what’s our problem? Huh?

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February 10, 2009 · 9:41 am

Are Pulpits At Fault For America’s Present Dilemma?

We are sick, and the pulpits are largely at fault. It is certainly not because we lack great pulpiteers, personalities and promoters. What, then, is the root problem? Or, like the old commercial of a national fast food franchise, “Where’s the beef?”
Pastors must get back to putting the call to make disciples and teach the people “all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20) ahead of church as usual. Preach the unvarnished Word of God rather than telling stories salted with a few Scriptures. Will it empty some pews? Undoubtedly. Will it make you more popular and a pop icon? Most likely not. Will it restore the power of God to the church and bring healing to our land? It always has.
We are at a point where thousands of pastors across America must take the challenge, honestly assess whether we are accepting the full mandate in every area shown above and providing the “offensive” leadership that the church so desperately needs. The cost of not doing so can already be measured in broken lives and a weak nation. (Dave Welch)

Are pulpits at fault for America’s present dilemma? Yes.

Do I agree with the analysis by Dave Welch? No, absolutely not.

What’s my suggestion? Burn the pulpits. Sell the churches. Give the money to charity. Start a reformation. Begin anew.

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February 9, 2009 · 10:05 am

Swimming Upstream “Persecution Brings Power”

Do you want a powerful Church? Most believers would answer, “Amen, brother. Bring on the power.”

Are you willing to pray for the power to fall upon the Church? Once again, most believers would nod their heads and answer, “Amen. Amen. Let’s do it.”

Now, what if I tell you that in order to have a powerful Church, we’ll need heavy persecution; then how many of you are willing to pray for heavy persecution to fall upon the Church? This is probably where most believers head for the doors. Some might even throw a few choice words over their backs as they leave, such as, “Don’t you know that Jesus is the Prince of Peace?”

Well, I have good news for everyone. We don’t have to pray for heavy persecution to fall upon the Church. Why? It’s already here.

“Where? And how?” you ask with a raised, skeptical eyebrow.

President Barack Obama and the Democrat-controlled Senate and Congress are right now in the process of heaping persecution on the Church. It’ll be camouflaged as types of religious fairness doctrines or hate-speech crimes, all to protect innocents from us mean Christians. But understand this, there will be penalties for disobeying these laws and mandates.

So, if you are still wondering why President Obama won the election, think of it like this. Jesus is building His Church. A little of this. A little of that. And whole lot of power to hold it together in unity.

The Church patronized is the Church paralyzed, therefore, the Church in peril. The Church persecuted is the Church prayerful, and therefore powerful. (G. Campbell Morgan)

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February 6, 2009 · 9:24 am

Swimming Upstream: “Bye Bye Mysteries”

In frustration, I blurted, “Lord, walking with You is so complicated.”

“No, it’s not,” the Holy Spirit spoke to me heart, “it’s very simple. Just ask, believe, and repent and change when I show you. That’s all you’re required to do. ”

Pretty hard to argue with the Lord’s reasoning, right?

Just recently, I confessed that I read mysteries. And if I had to guess how many sleuth novels I’ve read over the last 4 to 5 years, I’d say somewhere between 300 and 350. As you can see, I really enjoyed reading them

Well, no more mysteries for me. Why?

The other day, I picked up the novel I was reading and I felt something. There was no voice. No thought process. I just knew that the grace which I had for reading mystery novels had lifted off me and gone bye bye. To continue reading more mystery novels would be an act of disobedience on my part.

I told Honey the news. “So, won’t you miss reading them, huh?” she asked.

“No. Absolutely not,” I said without blinking an eye.

So, how could I walk away from something I enjoyed so much, without looking back or at least finishing the novel that I was in the middle of?

I fear the Lord. Period.

And my fear of the Lord came through some awful experiences that I never, ever, never, ever want to go through again. I would rather die first!

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)

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February 5, 2009 · 10:45 am

The Writing of “New Wind Blowing (Part 3)

new-wind2

Click on following for earlier article: Part 1 and Part 2 .

Admittedly, I struggle with writing prophetic articles; I really do. Maybe other writers can breeze right along with what they feel the Lord wants them to say, but I can not. Every word and every sentence is an agonizing experience for me.

As one prophetic teacher stated, “All prophetic revelations have three possible sources: God, Satan or our own creative flesh. And often, prophetic revelations are a mixture of all three.”

Sadly, I struggle with all three sources when I write.

In my first draft of New Wind Blowing which appeared in late October, 2008, on www.larrywho.com. The core revelation of the e-Booklet concerning abortion, the Vietnam War and Governor Sarah Palin remained the same as in the updated version which now appears on the site. But the main difference was that I included a prophetic word stating that John McCain would win the presidency.

When Senator Obama won the election, I rewrote New Wind Blowing. This became draft #2 which omitted the McCain stuff and dealt with abortion, the Vietnam War and Governor Palin.

Draft #2 became obsolete in January, 2009, when the Lord had me study Deuteronomy 28 again. This time, I discovered that illegal aliens, terrorists and our nation’s financial problems are also judgments from God because of our Vietnam War sins. (See New Wind Blowing, Chapter 2.)

Thus, the New Wind Blowing which now appears on www.larrywho.com is in fact Draft #3, not the original version.

So, why even mention all of this, right?

I truly believe that New Wind Blowing has needed revelations for the Body of Christ. And if I am correct, the Lord will open doors for these revelations, despite all of my mistakes. My faith is in His ability to lead me and not in my puny ability to follow Him.

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:21)

The Writing of “New Wind Blowing” (Part 2)

new-wind1

Click on following for earlier article: Part 1.

Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican Party’s Vice Presidential candidate, gave her speech at the Republican National Convention on September 3, 2008. Just days after her speech, I had the revelation that a new prophetic wind was blowing out of heaven and across America with new anointing, authority and revelations for the Body of Christ.

I felt that the new wind was triggered by Palin’s arrival on the national scene. It’s not that she is the Grand Poobah of this new spiritual movement, but instead, she is a spiritual sign for all to see. (See New Wind Blowing, chapter 3, page 20).

With the new wind, I received the revelation that abortion is a judgment from God caused by our treacherous handling of the Vietnam War, especially our broken promises and lies to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. (See New Wind Blowing, chapter 4, page 22.)

Maybe, your first thought is, no way! God would not allow 50,000,000 babies to die just because we messed up in Vietnam.You’re nuts!

But remember this: our nation’s sin causes judgment to come upon our nation. It’s our sin that does it. Not God. He is not responsible. We are. We have to take the responsibility for our sins, and then repent of them.

But it shall come about, if you will not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. (Deuteronomy 28:15)

The writer of Deuteronomy used the word curses to describe what would happen if a nation disobeyed God. We would now use the word judgments instead of that word.

Look at verse 18 of Chapter 28:

Cursed shall be the offspring of your body…

The offspring (children, babies, pregnancies) are cursed if we sin against God. Therefore, abortion is a curse, or a judgment of God against a national sin. (See New Wind Blowing, chapter 2.)

I realize that this is the exactly opposite of what you have been taught. You’ve always heard that judgment would fall on America because of our willful sin of abortion; and I’m saying that judgment is already here in the form of abortion. And we need to repent of a different national sin to rid us of abortion.

If I’m correct, then we have been heading in the wrong direction for years. Read the booklet. Download it. It’s free. (New Wind Blowing.)

Tomorrow, I will list my mistakes in the writing of the booklet.

(Continued in Part 3.)

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February 4, 2009 · 9:27 am

Swimming Upstream: “The Question: How?” “The Answer: Men.”

“Would you pray for my husband? He doesn’t like coming to church with me.”

In my twenty-three years of being a Christian, I’ve heard the above statement made by wives (or girlfriends) hundreds of times. Why? Most men don’t like going to churches. They find it boring.

In fact, a recent study revealed that only one in three men attend church on any given Sunday in our nation. And of those men that do attend, a majority do so only to placate a wife or family.

Pretty sad, right?

Actually, not really.

What?

I believe the Lord has called Christian men to leave the traditional church system and start something new. Home churches. Churches in businesses. Churches in Starbucks. Churches outside the four walls of the traditional church. Churches where men can be apostolic pioneers rather than gelded pew sitters.

And what most critics have labeled as apathy by men is not really true at all. But instead, it is a divine dissatisfaction sowed into the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit.

This dissatisfaction will be used by the Lord to bring about reformation in just a matter of years, rather than over a long period of decades and decades.

So, Lord, bring forth dissatisfied men who are hungry for You and Your kingdom. Amen.
Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian jouneys.

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