POSSESS YOUR INHERITANCE

In the spring of 1972, the Lord spoke fresh hope to our "battle-weary" hearts when He said, "Joseph shall possess his inheritance." We didn’t know just what was meant by "inheritance." At the moment, we were desperately seeking the Lord for deliverance from a communal set-up in which we had been put for some specific testings. We had had more than we felt we could bear and were praying for release when we received this word of knowledge.

We felt impressed to search for some land of our own to which we could move our mobile home. A realtor drove us around, showing us large tracts of land, which we neither needed, nor had the money to buy. As an afterthought, he said, "I’ll take you to one more place that has just come to mind. It has been for sale for a number of years but no one has shown an interest in it."

"Why not?" I questioned.

He answered, "I guess it’s because there is nothing nearby — no hotel or anything."

"That wouldn’t bother us!" I declared. Then he told us it consisted of 37 acres, almost completely covered in poplar trees. There used to be a little hamlet there but all the businesses closed when the men went off to war. All that was left of it was a small gospel church.

When we saw the acreage, the trees held out the promise of spring beauty even in the midst of winter’s snow. My spirit soared within me, and I knew it was our promised inheritance. Bill felt no doubts and made an offer which was readily accepted.

In short order, we left the commune, sadder but much wiser! To our surprise, the Lord brought out Glenda Collin and her two children with us, so Bill had two mobile homes to move. My brother Bill came to help and ended up marrying our friend Glenda, so we got to be a real "Auntie and Uncle" to those dear children.

Soon we were rejoicing in our new-found freedom. Once more we were able to hear from the Lord for ourselves instead of having "the group" direct our lives. We experienced a sweeter, more loving relationship with the Lord than we had ever known before as we realized afresh that He was not the author of the discord and assumed authority that we had been under. His ways are life and peace!

To Get Or To Give?

While visiting a realtor in the city who was a special friend, we expected he would give us all the news about the salesmen with whom we had worked, but he didn’t. Bill had casually mentioned our acreage, and to our surprise and dismay, he spent the whole evening showing us how to subdivide our property. We were both a little upset about it. What was he trying to do, anyway? This was our inheritance that the Lord had given us; our precious possession. We were not about to share it with anybody! Well, maybe we could spare a few lots if we divided it up . . . but just for chosen people. We couldn’t have just anybody living there!

For a week we both battled this within. It seemed the Lord was looking for a relinquishment, which we were not prepared to give. Finally, He got through to each of us. He caused us to look at sharing our land, in a spiritual sense. Are we to hold our spiritual inheritance tightly to ourselves, or do we possess it that we might be a blessing to others by sharing with them what we have received? Did we want more of God for ourselves, that we might have, or that we might have so that we can give? We realized the Lord was saying, "Whosoever will may come," and that we were to share our inheritance with those who desire it, not looking upon their being worthy of it or not — for were we ever worthy?

It seemed the decision was unanimous. The Lord had won, and we would divide our inheritance as He led.

Our first application was returned to us by the Planning Commission as being unacceptable. Our plan lacked that professional touch. We felt discouraged until, some time later, the Spirit encouraged us to try again. Bill was working out of town when the Lord put it on my heart to find a draftsman to draw a new plan up for us. A realtor had recommended a certain man, so I looked him up in the yellow pages of the phone book, and (this sounds foolish!) I didn’t like his company name. It seemed distasteful to me, so I decided to call the next name on the list. (The Lord can guide in the strangest ways!) The draftsman I called said he only designed houses, but he added, "But I am interested in your project. Have Bill come and tell me about it." He sounded really nice.

It turned out that his son worked for the Red Deer Planning Commission, the ones who would accept or reject our plan. "There are very few subdivisions being approved," he said. "My son is bored with his job of retiring old railway lines and he may enjoy working on something like this. He knows exactly what the Planning Commission wants and he would give it to them!" This was the first in a series of events in which the Lord made a way for us when there seemed to be no way.

The Planning Commission approved the young man’s plan "in principle" which meant that we could now hire a surveyor to plan it in greater detail. The Commission said the plan was "very refreshing." The Lord knew the right man for the job!

Several snags came up in "the drawing-board stage." I was meeting with the head surveyor because Bill was at work. The Commission wanted us to put in an extra road (at great expense) that really would not serve anyone. We could see no way around their request, until I found myself asking a simple question, which solved the problem. With a few strokes of his pen, the surveyor enlarged a lot into an acreage, thus doing away with any need for the extra road. The Lord saved the day with His clarifying word.

When the Commission approved the change, the surveyor commended me on my "woman’s intuition." I told him, "I have something stronger than that. It is called prayer!"

His response was, "Keep it up. We need all the help we can get!" In other design changes the Lord helped us and each one was accepted. At this stage, we have five large lots and twenty-one small acreages.

Recently, I thought of how our land was fully paid for, yet we had to press in hard to possess it in this new way, in all of its individual parts. It is like our salvation. It is fully paid for; we hold the title deed, yet there is a daily possessing of that land in a personal way. Our spiritual possession must be possessed in all of its parts. We say we have salvation, but there are so many aspects of it that we must possess by faith: the gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, the overcoming of self and the carnal mind, and so on. We own it all. Christ paid for it, but we must also possess it by "working it out" in our daily lives and letting it be "written upon the fleshly tables of our hearts."

On the back part of our 37 acres is a steep ravine, an area of marshy ground, three flowing springs, and a small creek. To us it is beautiful, but to the government, it is rough land and they have the right to claim it if it is made part of the subdivision. We were advised to keep this six acres for ourselves. The Lord gave us the name "Silver Springs" for the subdivision, and reminded us that all the water sources were on our portion of the land. "Silver" stands for redemption, and "springs", the waters of life springing up freely from within. The half-mile of road we would have to build would be called Mount Zion Road and Grace Crescent.

One day Bill surprised me by saying, "It seems like we are building a little city!" In the Spirit, we saw that the Lord wanted to teach us of that city that He is building, even that holy city of Zion, which city are we who long for His Lordship in our lives. And this city, Zion, shall be wholly built of God, even as shall be all that is done in our building of the "Silver Springs Subdivision."

Sometimes the immensity of this undertaking with our limited resources overwhelmed us and we feared our faith and trust would not be sufficient to complete it. At one such time, the Lord calmed our quaking hearts, "For the Lord ruleth in the affairs of men. (Dan. 4:32).Yea, I must cleanse thee of every hope and desire of making your own way, for that which lieth before thee is of My plan and My purposes and I shall perform it. Ponder not this way or that, how thou shalt do it, but look only unto Me for My will and thou shalt see all things come together.

"I do this not for thee alone, but for all of Mine who are called, chosen, and faithful, that they might be encouraged in the days that ahead, to know of a truth, that that which I have purposed to build shall be built though all hell loose its terror upon it. Be thou steadfast and unmovable, not giving credence to those who say it is too much for thee when thou hast nothing, but know that thy sufficiency is of Me.

"For this cause I have brought thee to this place, that all might know that I am He who buildeth up Zion, and she shall be built! Share even now these things that have been quickened unto thee and it shall alert My people to have faith for that which I do in them."

Trust Is Rewarded

We never fully realize how the Lord delights in our every little expression of trust in Him. While singing and rejoicing in the Lord today, he reminded me that we had cashed in our insurance policies and teacher’s pensions, deciding to trust wholly in the Lord to care for us. Amid the uncertainties of the Babylonish system, who can lean upon "a bruised reed?" Surely our trust must be wholly in the Lord. (We are not advising anyone else to do this, for this was a personal conviction).

I wondered why He had brought this to my remembrance. I couldn’t even recall what we had used the money for. Bill reminded me that we had bought the acreage with the insurance money and the pension savings from our life’s work. Now the Lord is showing us that He is going to multiply it beyond anything that we could ever have hoped to "set aside" for ourselves.

Because Bill is only substitute teaching, it would seem presumptuous to call ourselves "developers" and to expect to hire surveyors, road builders, and so on. But it seems that the Lord is urging us to go ahead in faith, knowing that all the resources of heaven are at our disposal, as we trust Him to work on our behalf.

We invite the reader to share with us the trials and testings and the victories that are part of any undertaking of faith. If the Lord leads one to do something greater than can be done with natural resources, then we know it is a proving-ground wherein He wants to prove Himself strong unto us, even as our faith and trust increase toward Him. We do not feel that we have sufficient faith for this challenge, but we can praise Him for each step as it comes, and walk — one step at a time as He leads.

The Kingdom Cometh Not With Observation

One evening we were discussing the similarities of a subdivision coming to a quiet little district like Withrow, to the Kingdom of God coming to earth. Withrow is considered a wilderness place. When we first bought our land there, the agent told us to feel free to use the vacant lots in the hamlet if we wanted to. He said, "Nobody would ever want to buy them and move way out there."

The Kingdom of God is shaping up in the wilderness, for most of those who make up this mighty army are the nobodies of society. In fact, many have been ousted from the church system and have refused to join themselves to the Babylonish arrangement of this present evil age. They are misfits in the present society. In their wildernesses, they are being prepared to be the vanguard of the army of the Lord.

We did not return to our acreage to live after the Lord took Bill away to work. We lived in a small town some miles away from our development. After our request to divide our land into parcels for sale had passed, we met a former resident of Withrow. His comment to us was: "So you gave it up out there, eh?’

"No," Bill answered. "We have a subdivision shaping up there."

About the time that the world thinks that the faithful followers of Jesus have given up, when doctrines of devils abound, then will the Kingdom in the wilderness come forth, having grown mightily in Word and in deed. Glory to Jesus! Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Then will people begin to ask one another, "Where did these come from? Who are they, anyway?"

"Oh, I know that one — Mr. Independence. When I was a boy he was teaching in a Bible School in my hometown, but the elders kicked him out. He was a heretic."

"And I can’t understand what’s happened to Mr. Ne’er-do-Well. He always used to have his head in the clouds talking about some kingdom somewhere. He never did have any confidence in the way we were running things — always thought he knew a better way."

And so it shall be. His many brethren, who have been despised and rejected as He has been, will come forth in the wisdom of God to confound the foolishness of man’s ways. They have not been known nor understood during their time of preparation, and even now shall not be known, but all shall know that these have been with Jesus.

To Sum It Up

The man who had purchased this acreage years ago had died and the land had reverted to the original owner. The wife had been unable to keep up the payments on the land and on the power installation. While in prayer, these thoughts came to mind: "Your possession has lain desolate for many years. Those who tried to possess it could not pay the cost (neither of the land, nor of the power of God), but through death the land was left desolate."

Those who looked upon it after that found nothing in it to be desired, but we greatly rejoiced in it, and in the fact that there was no source of evil at hand (such as an hotel), but rather, Christian neighbors.

We couldn’t believe it! After we had possessed our portion of the land, it seemed everyone wanted it and there was a rush to buy the lots in front of us that had lain dormant these many years. What had appeared to be of little worth seemed now to be of great value in the eyes of the people. We marveled at it. That which had been possessed by faith shall indeed be shared by many and they shall rejoice in their possession, even as we did, in the possessing of it.

I see in the Spirit that we must possess our spiritual inheritance before others will desire it. They cannot hear our words now, but they shall desire the ways of the Lord when they see Him made manifest in us. Then shall they desire to possess this spiritual land! But some must enter aforetime!

The Road To Zion

One of the newcomers who bought several lots near the Gospel Church moved in a mobile home and then purchased the old church manse to use as a chicken house. He set it on his land with complete disregard for boundary lines. When our plan was drawn up, Bill found that this man’s chicken house would have to be moved. It was squatting right on Second Avenue, which we plan to open up and extend into Mount Zion Road.

Bill was hoping to meet some member of the Church Board who might break the news gently to this man. We met the chairman of the Board and told him about it. From his reply, it seemed the man already knew of our plans to open up Second Avenue, but he claimed that piece of land was his — that it had come with the lots he had bought. It seemed the chairman was inclined to believe that it was so

We didn’t know what to think about this development. No one wants a disagreement with his neighbors, but this was a bit much! The avenue was on the map and the road allowance had been set aside for it (as government property) even though it had never been opened up. Bill concluded he was just too pitiful a person to get upset over, so we must leave it for the Lord to work out in His own way. No room for righteous indignation! "It’s Your business, Lord. We trust You to look after all the details as they come up."

In our next prayer time, the first thing the Lord brought before us was this situation. He spoke to us that the old church system (as represented by the old manse or church-house) was standing in the way of reaching the Road to Zion. It is a "squatter" who has no legal right to the spiritual land it says it possesses, but in fact, does not. It has not paid the price to walk on the road to Zion — it is just squatting there, standing in the way of those who would enter in. It claims to have a right to this property, as if it had inherited it from the Fathers (as the churches walk in the traditions handed down to them. They claim to possess the land, but it has not been experientially possessed by the inworking of the Holy Spirit in their lives).

Even though it does not want to make way for those who want to go on to Zion, the Lord is moving them "off the highway", and making the way clear for those who would enter in. When the measuring-line of the Lord descends upon them, they shall know that what they claimed to have, they have not possessed.

CHAPTER 2 — THE ROAD TO ZION

As Bill was thanking the Lord for our daily bread one evening, the Spirit showed me a staircase with words of encouragement on each step. Our prayers had been directed much toward the programs of our rural subdivision and I felt these words had to do with that. As the Spirit witnessed to us that He is going to teach us of His spiritual Zion, we wish to consider this word in that light.

Here is what was written on each step: 

"I will remove every obstacle in your path." "But my God shall supply all your needs according to
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19.
 

Starting on the first step, the following was quickened to me: "One of the first things the Lord provides for His children, who are on their way to Zion, is a rest and an assurance in His divine provision. This is a basic tenet of faith, for if one cannot believe for these natural things, how can one believe for the spiritual? That which man counts as greater, God counts as lesser, for this is the least difficult part of His working on our behalf, for we are desperate to receive our natural provision.

"It is much more difficult to believe for spiritual progress and inner working and relationships in the Lord. These are the things that I would dwell upon — your receptivity in human relations, for it is in these areas that I shall teach thee much of My Zion which I am building."

The second step, about removing the obstacles in our path, reminds me of the church manse standing on the avenue leading into Mount Zion Road in our subdivision. If organized religion has been our stumbling -block, the Lord will remove it.

If you have set up some person as an idol in your heart and he stands in God’s stead in your life, He will remove that person. This "removing obstacles" process is often quite painful. It is earth shaking. As in the natural, great power is exerted to move obstacles off a roadway, so do we feel the effects of the power of God removing those things from our lives that have been stumbling-blocks to our spiritual progress along the Highway of Holiness.

The third step, found in Luke 3:5, was the cry of John the Baptist as he spoke of the ministry of Jesus. "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth." I have a precious memory of one fine young man to whom the Lord gave this scripture as a personal promise. It ministered life to him and he valued it as hidden treasure brought to light.

He was a gentle man who often felt fearful and inadequate within himself. He was a valley in his own sight. To him, those round about him were strong hills, and he could find no meeting-place with them. He felt, in this word, that the Lord had assured him that his valley would be "filled in" and he would feel equal (in Christ) to his brethren. If they were as hills, lofty in spirit, the Lord was going to bring them down to their proper level so that the hills and the valleys would find themselves in proper balance. One would not esteem himself greater than another, nor would one suffer from lack of esteem in his own eyes. Each would have learned that he who would be great shall be the servant of all.

Where then is there room for boasting, or for feelings of inadequacy? The hills of pride shall be brought low and the confidence of the Lord shall fill up the valleys until all the rough ways or places shall be made smooth. We praise the Lord also that the crooked shall be made straight. Any area of our lives that is crooked and out of the way shall be brought into line with the righteousness of Christ, for it is He who works His righteousness in us. Of ourselves we have no righteousness. When our sins and iniquities are dealt with, we will find that we walk a straight pathway to Zion, the Hill of God, and our feet no longer turn out of the way to lead us into pitfalls!

Engineering the Road

Our proposed subdivision has several steep hills that need to be brought down, and valleys that must be filled in order to construct Mount Zion Road. Because of the terrain, our surveyor felt a road-builder would have trouble constructing the road unless it was first professionally engineered. This would take all the guesswork out of it, for the stakes would be put in where the road should be, and they would even tell the road-builder how much dirt would have to be moved from the hills and how much added to fill the valleys.

Seeking the mind of the Lord on this additional expense, we were given Isa. 62:10, "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones, lift up a standard for the people."

In the spirit I "saw" a crew pushing down trees and moving earth around quite recklessly. This cleansing, as it were, of outward sins didn’t take much spirituality — even the carnal Christians could do that. But those who worked on the design and the proper form and shape of the highway (the engineers) had to have the wisdom of God, through the mind of Christ. They had to follow certain requirements set out by those in authority over road-building, and they had to work out the specifications to the letter, for the completed road would be inspected by those in authority.

How like our spiritual walk! There is no room on the Road to Zion for those who are a law unto themselves and who do that which is right in their own eyes. These shall find the way whose ears hear a word behind them saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." These shall be looking to the Lord, the Author and the Finisher of their faith. He shall bring to their attention all the necessary landmarks and directions along the way so that they will not stray from The Way that He has prepared. He it is who has gone before them to prepare this Highway of Holiness. And He has chosen out a remnant of firstfruits to go before and map out the road so that others may more easily follow The Way that He has made for them.

It is the Lord Himself who will inspect His handiwork, to judge every man to see if he has walked in the way prepared for him, or if he chose to make his own way. For truly He is forming Zion for Himself, and what He is doing in us can only be done by allowing Him to lead us in His way, for our way is a path of rebellion and failure, for it is of the earth, earthy.

Different ones have had visions of workcrews preparing a road for His children to walk on and the Spirit showed the advance crew whose function was to set up the road according to certain specifications. These are all set out in the Bible, but not everyone can read the blueprints, so these are chosen to build who "by reason of use have had their sense exercised to discern good and evil."

Mapped Out From Above

The government has a right to claim ten per cent of the land in a new subdivision for public reserve. If the area grows, they will need the land for a town office, or perhaps a park, as the need may be. With us, they have not only claimed their rightful portion, but they want to take from us any area that has a valley or a hill. We appealed to our surveyor to ask the Environment Officer to visit the property so that perhaps he might relent over the amount of land they would take from us. None of the land was so bad that it must be set aside and not be used at all!

The official agreed to come, but the results were the opposite of what we had hoped for. He found another small ravine that had not shown on the aerial contour map. He insisted that the surveyors go over the whole area taking ground elevations so that they would have more details of the levels of the land.

This was time-consuming and expensive, but we determined to see the Lord in all of this, so, we committed it to Him, for this was His idea, after all. Shortly after this, the Lord began to deal with us about the "guidebook" and the "directions" that were given us from above (the scriptures). These were like our contour map, which was made from aerial photographs of the land — showing creeks, ravines and low places.

The scriptures set out "the lay of the land" in our spiritual walk. In many types and shadows and in the earthly walk of Jesus and His disciples we discern "The Way", as it was called by the early church. The experiences of the saints, their victories, their failures, and trials of faith are portrayed throughout the Bible. We are given an "aerial photograph" — a picture from heaven, as it were, of the walk in the Spirit, even the Way to Zion, that Holy Hill where the Lord dwelleth.

But — these illustrations are general. Each age and each generation has its own peculiar problems to face and cannot find complete, detailed guidance from the "the aerial map." We need to follow the specific direction that the Holy Spirit gives for our individual lives. The time has come for us to go in and possess the land and we have to walk it — foot by foot — for ourselves. We cannot look to the faith of a Moses or an Elijah to bring us through. We have to walk and experience every high place, every low place, every unexpected pitfall or sudden rise, upon our journey. We cannot throw up our hands in despair when we encounter a valley we were not expecting. We must recognize that the Lord put it upon our pathway for a purpose, for He goes before us on the way. We cannot let it slow us down or turn us around because we didn’t expect to suffer, or to have our names cast out as evil, or to be defrauded, or to lose a loved one, or whatever the case may be.

The "ground levels" serve to equalize and balance our lives. No longer shall we be away "up" or away "down", depending upon our feelings or on whether we feel the blessing of the Lord. In prosperity or adversity, in dry places or copious showers, in thorns or green pastures, we shall ever trust Him who walks with us and has promised never to leave us nor to forsake us. Like Paul, we have learned to be abased or to abound; in every state in which we find ourselves, we are content, trusting Him to work out His eternal purpose in us.

Some have greatly stumbled because they have not understood that the "aerial map" of the scriptures indicates that "many are the tribulations of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all." When tribulation, in one form or another, comes to such as these, they are ready to lose faith in God, for they know not that tribulation worketh patience and that the Lord chastens us as part of our "child-training". He does it for our own good, yet we so often count it unto Him for evil, reckoning that He no longer loves us (whose Love faileth not!) or that He purposely ignores our anxious entreaties for deliverance "right now!"

The "ground survey" is a very individual thing and must be walked out by each person as the Spirit leads. Although another’s experience may encourage us, yet we have to walk our own pathway of faith in the Lord, for our "hills and vales" will not be the same as another’s. Yet, the overcoming is obtained in the same way — by counting Him faithful who hath promised, and by submitting to His will without rebelling or insisting upon having our own way. This portion is very clear in the "heavenly overview" given to us in the scriptures which are inspired from above. We must learn to apply these general precepts to our individual "ground levels" until our land is balanced and has come to a place of peace and rest in Jesus Christ.

Bind The Strong Man

When our subdivision plan was approved at the various levels of government, we found that the Dept. of Environment had put out a huge paw to devour much more land than the required ten per cent. The reason they gave was that they had to control the drainage patterns and must claim the high places and the low places. We knew that in ourselves we could not contend with high authorities such as these, so we took their decision to the Lord.

The Lord gave us Isa. 35:7, "And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes." This verse spoke to us of restoration but also that there was a dragon to resist. We continued to praise the Lord that "His counsels would stand" and that the original plan would prevail and they would not be able to take more than their just due.

For a month we were kept in the dark about the progress. We began to feel that we should seek the Lord earnestly as to who "the strongman" was in this situation, that we might bind him. We wanted to deal with the spiritual force behind the Environment Officer.

The Lord showed us a lion, the king of the beasts. ". . . your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" I Peter 5:8. He represented, in this situation, the spirit of carnal rulership, or authority, that was being exercised against us.

We asked the Lord for a scripture to use to war against him, one that could be used as an effective weapon. He gave us this portion of scripture: ". . . nor any ravenous beast shall go up. . ." Bill looked it up in the concordance and found it in Isa. 35:9. When he turned to it, he was amazed to see, "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there." Vs. 10: "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

We rejoiced exceedingly at this word which so confirmed what the Lord had given about the strong man. We used it in spiritual warfare and began to feel that the victory was ours.

Further encouragement was ministered to us when we saw that the following verses spoke of the highway of holiness, about which the Lord was speaking to us (in a figure) in regard to building Mount Zion Road. "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."

Bowels of Mercies

During the Easter holidays we had an early morning appointment with the head surveyor to discuss the progress of the subdivision. This meeting would reveal if the Lord had undertaken for us in the matter of the extra "land grab" by the "lion."

As I awoke that morning, wishing for a few more winks, this portion of scripture kept going over in my mind, very slowly and clearly so that I couldn’t possibly miss it: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God . . . bowels of mercies. " Col. 3:12. I liked being called "the elect of God", but the rest of the verse troubled me. Was the Lord trying to tell me that I had not been merciful to someone in some instance? I searched my heart and could not think of anything that could be called unmerciful.

When I shared it with Bill, he suggested that it could be something that I might have to face in the future, and that I should walk softly before the Lord in regard to my attitudes.

At the surveyors, we rejoiced to find that the Lion had been conquered, and the Lord had answered our prayers! A new plan had been drafted, granting only the required ten per cent to the government and the Environmental Officer had agreed to approve it! In the ground survey they had found that the land was not as steep or rugged as the contours taken by air had indicated. The Lord had turned evil into good, after all.

The new plan would give us more parcels of land, for the divisions were made smaller. The only real difference was that the entrance road was placed on the north side of the church rather than through Second Avenue as planned. The surveyor said, "We found that Second Avenue would go right through your neighbor’s kitchen that he has built on to his mobile home. Besides that, he would have to move two sheds (one being the old church manse), out of the way. Rather than cause him all the trouble and expense of moving, we decided to put the road in a different place."

Neither Bill nor I made any comment. We were overjoyed at the fact that the Lord had answered prayer about the "Lion."

Out on the street, Bill asked, "Now do you know why the Lord gave you that scripture about bowels of mercies?

I was surprised. "Why?" I asked.

"If we hadn’t been dealt with by the Lord before we came, we might have insisted on still opening up Second Avenue. After all, it was our right. It is a public roadway and we have a right to open it up and use it. That man is in the wrong to be squatting on it."

I was overwhelmed by the thought. Yes, it could have been a temptation to insist upon having our own way, to keep to the original plan because "we had a right to it." But the Lord says, when walking this way of Holiness, the road to Zion, to "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity (love) which is the bond of perfectness."

CHAPTER 3 — ONLY ONE WAY

The trials continue hot and heavy in our development. We just pray through to one victory when we are into another test just as severe. But in these days everyone is experiencing pressures until they wonder if they will able to keep their heads above water, for the strong current could pull them under.

But our God is able, and the day is upon us of which Daniel spoke, when the people who know their God should be strong, and do exploits. Surely each trial strengthens us along the way and our faith, having been tested, is able to believe the Lord for greater and greater things. Blessed be the Lord who works a work in us in our day "which ye will not believe, though it be told you." (Hab. 1:5).

You might wonder how the Lion from the Environment Dept. changed his mind about taking our high and low places. The Lord has many servants, and nature is one of them. Many times the weather is doing His bidding when we know it not. The day this officer came to inspect our land he seemed to be confused as to his location in the midst of all the trees. Bill showed him where he was on the map and shortly afterward it began to rain steadily. He must have abandoned his examination of the land and gone home, for he left us one parcel with a ravine on it that we fully expected he would claim. The Lord can use any of His agents to answer His children’s prayers!

The next "Lion" we met on the way was Alberta Transportation who is in charge of the roads. Its roar seemed not so fierce as the previous lion, but it just sat on our pathway and refused to move. It kept saying, "You must have an emergency exit road. In the event that one road is plugged, there would be another for fire trucks or police.

This did not witness to us, for this was not such a large development that it should need two outlets. Further, in our part of the country, it is only snow that plugs the roads, and both roads would be affected at the same time. The officials had outlined three alternate routes that we could use, all of which would cut up the most picturesque portions of the land, besides adding a large additional expense. Our subdivision approval was made subject to our putting in this extra road at a cost of about $10,000.00.

"Where can I go but to the Lord?" the old song says, and that is where we went to present our petition concerning this extra road. Apart from the cost, or the loss of the land, the idea of an extra road went right against us. After we had prayed for a while, we knew why. We found ourselves proclaiming in the Spirit that there was only one way to Zion, and that was the way that the Lord Jesus had made before us — man can provide no other, for He is the only One who has walked this way, and only He can show us how to walk it. The Lord led us to pray in this manner. After doing so, we felt encouraged to press for only one road even if we should have to change our plans once again.

Bill suggested to Lion No. Two that possibly we could use the existing twenty-foot lane for an emergency exit instead of making a new road. The Lion replied that this would be acceptable only if we made it a 66-foot roadway. The Lion remained adamant in the middle of the road. Besides this, he presented doubts about the drainage on the road we had chosen north of the church.

We could see no way out except to accede to his demands, but we were counting on the Lord to make a way where there seemed to be no way! There is only one way to Zion! At times like this, I dropped all my correspondence and most of the housework, and spent most of my time before the Lord. As a result of our non-stop praying, Bill felt led to call the Church Board who had sold the property to our neighbor who was squatting on Second Avenue so that we were unable to use it. Perhaps the Church would let us use a portion of their land for a road. Instead of that, they had good news for us. We found out that "Mr. Squatter" had told the surveyors that he would let us have 66-feet off the south portion of his two lots, since he was sitting on our roadway.

When Bill called him to see if this report were true, he finally admitted he was in the wrong and did not own the land he was living on! It was a fine level part that he was offering us, and we were delighted to have that area for a roadway. Also, we were glad we had not pressed him for it, but had extended "bowels of mercies" unto him. This way, he had no animosity in his heart toward us and the Lord was able to move on his heart to do the right thing by us. What a lesson to learn! The Lord is taking all the fight out of the "men of war" who are not allowed to enter the Promised Land!

Further, as it was the old manse that had held us up all this time, it points to the fact that the church system will have to confess that they have not possessed the promises of God, but have only said they had them. They have not entered the land, but have "sat on the promises" and have prevented others from going in and possessing the land.

A New Way

The next morning, Bill awoke with a strong, joyous feeling that he would open the road in a new place (the land that had been relinquished by "Mr. Squatter.") There would be a new road and no exit road — no other way! In this way, No. 2 Lion’s objections about drainage would be eliminated, and the central location of this road would eliminate any need for an exit road. He felt strongly that this was the way the Lord was leading. One new road, and no other!

Upon hearing this suggestion, our surveyors predicted nothing but dire consequences. The replot, or new survey of those lots would be expensive, and we would have to pay for it. To change a roadway could take six months or more, delaying our progress. They felt we should compromise and make an exit road as requested.

Bill came home somewhat shaken. "Are they right? Did I receive the mind of the Lord or not?"

The Lord, whose name is "Faithful and True", spoke this verse to his heart, "There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it" Job 28:7-8.

He began to deal with his heart that the way of the Spirit that He is leading us into is a Way which man has not trodden. It is as the Lord said to Joshua, "Ye have not passed this way before." The Lord adjured Joshua to take off his shoes, for the place whereon he stood was holy ground. Even so, at this time we are being led in a high and holy way, a way wherein man has not yet walked, for it has been prepared for those "upon whom the ends of the age have come."

The fowl — the earthborn, carnal ones do not know this way, neither hath the vulture’s eye seen it. (Vultures feed upon flesh and see not the ways of the spirit!) Only the Lord knows the way we take, for He has ordained it and He it is who shall bring us into it. Neither the lion nor his whelps have trodden this Way, for it has been kept for the "called, chosen and faithful" little remnant of God. The enemy of our souls has no power to prevail against us when we walk in this New Way, for he has no part or parcel in it. He has neither possession nor place in us when we walk in obedience upon the Highway of Holiness that leads us to Mount Zion.

We were greatly strengthened by this word and we felt the Lord would make a way for this new roadway to be approved. The surveyor wanted us to compromise at any cost and pointed out that we were actually creating a new subdivision in changing the roadway, and if this were refused, it could endanger the passage of our larger subdivision property.

It was plain to see there were two plans at work here — a Divine Plan, and man’s plan. We felt we had a revelation from God on the matter and found that man’s plan was just the opposite of that revelation. What should we do? We had no choice but to stake all that we had on that revelation, trusting Him to fulfil it, leaving all the consequences up to Him. Whether we would win or lose was in His Hands; we could do nothing else but stand for that new way of which He had spoken to us, and to resist any other way being forced upon us.

It brought forcefully to mind the many "ways" that have been presented to God's people as the way to enter in. Self-proclaimed Messiahs have arisen saying; "I have arrived. I will show you the way. Just follow me!" One, in particular, a former Mormon who has written many beautiful books, claims that she and her husband have been translated and come and go from the heavenlies in their new bodies. She encourages people to call upon her and she will come and help them and will show them the way to enter into a realm of translation also.

I must plainly say that we are told to call upon the Lord only, not to the spirits of just men made perfect, even if that should be the case. He has sent His blessed Spirit to guide us into all truth and I do not believe He will send another in His place. Did He not tread the winepress alone and there was no man with Him? And did He not alone capture the keys of death and hell? Yea, and He walked this Holy Way before us and shall lead us by His Spirit and show us the way wherein we should go. The Lord Jesus Christ shall lead us, and not another. He is the Way! No other way shall be made! He is the only Way! And He alone knows that Way, for He alone walked it and made it open for us to enter in. Praise the Lord!

The outcome of the matter was that the new road was approved and passed in only three weeks’ time, in spite of all the dire predictions that had been given. The Lord was in it and confirmed His Word to us. We had been willing to surrender all to the revelation of His purposes, and He honored this.

No Other Way

One morning upon awakening, Bill heard the word: "entrepreneur" which means "an employer who organizes and assumes the risk of an enterprise." Several times the Lord had impressed us that we were no longer to lean upon the experts, particularly our head surveyor, as we had in the beginning. We were to find the mind of the Lord and take the initiative into our own hands.

Although there is always great opposition to one pressing into a new realm, yet the Lord gives faith to trust His Word at each step. Bill’s task was now to convince the surveyor to draw up a new plan using only the new road, which had been approved, and leave out the exit road that the Transportation Dept. had requested. Feeling the spiritual truth of only one way to Mount Zion, he could speak with conviction about the matter.

At first, the surveyor agreed "to sleep on it." He really felt we were taking an unnecessary risk. The plan could be rejected and progress could be delayed or halted altogether.

By the third call, he began to show some enthusiasm for the idea and agreed to draw up a new plan, leaving out the exit road. This was the third plan we had submitted, and each time there was a change in the position of the road. Each road spoke to us of a dispensation — first, the law, then the church age (which age could not lead us to Zion, for they were squatting on the road, and not entering in). Then came a new and living way — the new road we had created where there had never been a road. We caused the road where "Mr. Squatter" had built and settled to be no longer a roadway and we opened up a New Way!

This is actually what is happening in the Spirit! The present dispensation is being "closed off" and a ‘New Way" is being opened for those who have been prepared to walk in the Spirit and to put aside the carnal ways of man. We rejoice to see this day!

Bill made several visits to see Mr. A. of Transportation, to try to obtain his approval of the new plan, which eliminated the extra road. This "Lion" still did not roar. He just sat on the road and blocked our way. Each time Bill came, he said that he would recommend two outlets. He finally made one concession, "If the Planning Commission agrees to pass it as it is, I will not "push it" to oppose them." Then he admitted, "I wear quite a few ‘hats’. I am also on that Committee!"

So it was with much prayer that we waited to hear the results of that particular meeting. Had we taken too many risks, as everyone tried to tell us? Would the Lord honor what He had shown us about making a New Way to Mount Zion, saying that there could be only one way?

The Lord did prevail and the Planning Commission passed the plan just as we had presented it, with only the one road. No changes were required of us. There was great joy at our house!

Our joy was short-lived, for the "entrepreneur" found out within a few days that the Transportation Dept. had written a letter protesting the approval of the plan without the extra road. Ah! The Lion was roaring!

For the next three days we did little but encourage ourselves in the Lord. Deep within was a strange peace, although on the surface there was a certain fear as to what would happen now. It put us in a real place of proving God’s Word to us about the spiritual application of this new road. If it were truly according to what He was speaking to us, then He would have to overrule the "Lion" standing in our way.

The Lord impressed Bill with Daniel, chapter four, where King Nebuchadnezzar was turned to eating grass as the beasts until he learned that the Lord ruleth in the affairs of men. This verse really spoke to us: "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" Also, ". . . seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

Meanwhile, the surveyor was getting jittery because Bill said he would fight for his case. One is allowed to appeal this decision to a higher board. (Of course, he didn’t know that our appeal would be directed to the Highest Court, even the throne of Heaven, and our battle was not carnal, but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds!)

He tried to persuade Bill to compromise and put in the extra road. Also, the Committee who had passed the plan was a bit "shook up" because the Lion was roaring, and was wondering if they had been too lenient with us. Things looked bleak, but we looked only unto our Lord who ruleth in the affairs of men.

It came to our ears that Mr. A, our adamant Lion was on holidays in England, and it was the man who was second-in-command who was protesting on his behalf.

After several days of spiritual warfare, intercession and praise, Bill knew he was to write a letter to this man and state his case, telling him that Mr. A had repeatedly said he would recommend a second exit, but would not push it if the Commission felt it was not necessary. Bill delivered the letter personally on Wednesday. Thursday we awoke with strong intercession upon us, and Friday morning our reply was in the mail. With trembling hands we opened the envelope. Our thoughts raced madly, "Has the Lord moved on our behalf? Could He cause this official to change his mind? Did He really rule in the affairs of men?"

The letter was a copy of a letter that had been written to the Planning Commission from the Transportation Dept. It read:

"Please refer to the attached copy of a letter from Mr. Cook. In view of the past discussions with Mr. A, who is presently vacationing in England, we are prepared to accept the subdivision as approved by the subdivision committee.

"It will be in order to ignore our letter of July 18/77."

We could hardly believe our eyes! Oh, the goodness and mercy of our God who truly rules in the affairs of men! Those of you who know Bill personally can visualize how high he was leaping upon receiving this news! The Lion had been forced to move out of our way and let us go in and possess the land. What a victory!

When Bill phoned the surveyor and read him the letter, his response was, "I don’t believe it!" Department heads of government are not in the habit of "backing down" on any of their decisions. He commended Bill for deciding to "fight it" and Bill told him that much prayer had been made over it all. (The battle was the Lord’s and He fought for us).

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion" Psalm 2:6. The Lord is King of Zion! If you are on the Way to that realm of Zion, the Lord is not only Saviour, but He is your King!

A Word of Encouragement

The Lord spoke to us: "Yea, that which I am portraying through your natural lives and their outworkings in this to which I have brought you, shall indeed culminate in a fulfillment of My purposes for your lives. Even as an allegory are you resisting forces that would hinder you from making a new and living Way, but you shall not fear the face of clay nor what man can do unto you, for your Lord ruleth upon the Holy Hill of Zion and His word shall prevail.

"Be very steadfast in My purposes, not wavering at every attack, but ever seeking to know My will and to do it. In this lieth your victory — even in a single-mindedness to the will of your God and His good pleasure in each matter. You need not consider the words of man if you have heard the words of the King, for He is the highest authority and all others must do His bidding. This have not My people known of a surety, but you shall display it before them, to their joy. Praise Me for all that I allow, knowing that it is for a higher purpose than you can see in your limited view. Let Zion rejoice that she shall possess the land of her inheritance."

One day the Spirit spoke softly to my heart, "I have written upon your hearts, ‘The Lord ruleth in the affairs of men.’" I had to laugh, for I knew it was so, and I knew I hadn’t fully believed it before. One can say that the Lord is over all, but still limit Him to a certain sphere of operation, but when you see that He is over all of the governing powers of this world, it gives you great confidence in Him. I was thinking about the surveyor who had called a halt to all work on the land as soon as we started to get some resistance. He was ready to make another way. Fear causes many to take another way, but "perfect love casteth out all fear." Those who do not have sufficient love for the Lord cannot trust Him to lead them in a New Way. These are they who continue on in the old ruts of "churchianity" and know nothing of the ways of the Spirit who is leading into that Way that no fowl knoweth nor hath the vulture’s eye ever seen it.’

CHAPTER 4 — POSSESSING THE LAND

Bill lost no time in getting the road builder out constructing the road. Every day was precious and brought us closer to the time when we could register "Silver Springs Subdivision" and receive titles to the lots. After several weeks our head surveyor got in touch with us and was somewhat upset to hear that the road was already under construction. He was working on an expensive engineering design and felt we should wait for it before we had any work done. In other words, he had wanted us to await his directions before going ahead, even though he was having a month’s holiday and didn’t seem to be in any hurry to perform his part. When we sought the Lord, He spoke:

"They say unto you, ‘Tarry here until I have prepared the way for you’, but it shall not be so, for I have called My sons out of the ways of man and they shall be the ones who shall prepare the Way. Even though they be ignorant and unlearned men, as was said of Peter, they shall walk in the wisdom of their God and shall prevail.

"I have given a message to My sons that has given them strength to run and press in to possess Mount Zion, and no man shall say them ‘Nay’, or ask, ‘What are you doing?’ What you do has been ordained of the Lord and I shall prosper it. Know that I have given you great favor, My son, that few have known, so walk in confidence and the humility of your God, in that favor, knowing that you can require great things of Me and I shall perform them. For are you not fulfilling an expression of My will in your life? Are you not portraying spiritual verities? For this cause know that I shall guide you in each jot and tittle, that all shall be according to My wishes, that My actions on your behalf might speak unto My Own. What greater purpose could you have to build than to bless Me with your consecration and obedience to speak spiritual verities very clearly unto My people? That which man calls ‘the church’ speaketh naught but confusion, but My sons speak truth and reality. Fear not to speak in the way that I teach you."

As the actual work began, we began to anticipate the many expenditures that would be entailed, such as the surveyor’s fee, the road construction, and the power for each lot. We did not have the funds for these expenses at the time, but the Lord said: "Yea, My people have learned how to be abased, but how shall they abound? They have walked in the stringencies of this world’s system, rejoicing if their needs were met, but seldom knowing the liberty of abundance, except for a few whom have stepped into this realm.

"For I have this also to teach you, My Own, that I am able to meet all your needs most abundantly, and that I delight to do so, for I have proved you that you will not consume it upon the lusts of your flesh, but will bless others also and lift them up. Walk in that New Way that I do make before you where there is abundance for all in your God, and where there is no lack. Is this not a great thing that you must learn — to put off your fears of lack and of walking in those fears? Ask Me and I shall write that New Way in your hearts, even in these matters."

Later, He spoke further: "What I am bringing you into is a step above the faith realm that My people have walked in, in faith that I would fulfil the petitions that they have desired of Me. That which I have for my sons is to know the will of thy Lord and to do it, having the utmost confidence that He who revealeth His will shall also per- "To this place have you come and I have caused you to consider your old ways that you might leave them behind you and enter into a place of utmost confidence that when you are walking in My will, I will indeed perform it.

" In this matter you shall illustrate a great truth unto My Own to cause them to wonder and to seek Me for this that I have brought unto you that it might be possessed: even of speaking forth My purposes, knowing that they shall be done — looking not unto man, but unto Me, for their fulfillment."

Conflict In The Heavenlies

As Mount Zion Road was being opened up, all hell seemed to break loose against us in protest. One resident of the hamlet of Withrow accosted Bill defiantly and informed him he was fencing his property and warned him not to remove the fence. He planned to fence in the twenty-foot lane, which does not belong to him. Bill asked him to wait until the survey was completed so he would know where his lot line was. No way would he do that! He was building his fence and was daring us to knock it down! Then, to add insult to injury, he reviled Bill as a thief for taking down a wire fence on our property, which he claimed as his. The Lord gave Bill great grace to rise above these accusations and to feel sorry for the man, a confirmed alcoholic, bound in sin.

The same day, another neighbor, who makes pottery there, gave Bill a hard time also. He questioned him sternly if he had the proper development permit, and all such questions of legality, letting it be known that he intended to resist our development as hard as he could. We heard later that he had issued a protest to the higher powers against us, but the Lord prevailed and nothing came of it.

This man had no personal reason to fight against us, but he has wanted to have a possession in our land and the Lord has spoken to us that "in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts", so we don’t feel free to sell any land to this ‘hippy’ or his friends. The week before these attacks, Betty Rawson of OK had sent us some scriptures she had been given concerning our land. "A land flowing with milk and honey. He driveth out the "giants" that trouble you folks concerning the land; and they divided the land by lots (a way of choosing — upon whoever the lot fell — that one was chosen)."

These attacks against us caused me to think of the conflict Israel had in 2 Kings 18 & 19, where Rabshakeh, an officer of the Assyrians, was speaking vile things to the people on the wall to tear down their faith. The Lord used the Assyrians as His weapon to judge Israel, but Judah was at that time ruled by a godly king and was walking with God, so judgment was not her portion. Instead, the judgment came upon the King of Assyria for boasting in his own strength and lifting up his voice against the Holy One of Israel.

It seems we have conquered the religious spirit, or realm, to prepare a New Way. Now, we must deal with the wicked in the land — the Canaanites, "for the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ."

During prayer, the Lord gave us Prov. 21:18, "The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright."

"Yea, this one that maketh pots, that worketh with the clay upon the wheel, he it is that presumeth to fight against that work that I am making without hands. Fear not his revilings, nor his meddlings in high places, for I shall cause his confusion to return upon his own head and My judgments shall come upon him. He is even as those who are blind and cannot see and would fight against that which would set them free. Justify not yourselves before man, but know that I am set as your avenger and the justifier of those who walk in My ways, even that remnant who hear My Word and obey it. Know you not that any weapon that is formed against you shall prosper? For have I not commanded to bless, and shall I reverse it?

"Yea, My people have been taught that they shall escape all conflict with the Assyrian, and that I shall not cause that they will need to stand in faith against him, for I will come and take them out of the land. Indeed, it is not so, for the battle shall wax strong and My people must stand and do battle in the heavenlies and possess that land I have for them. A battle won is a victory gained and how sweet is the taste of victory, and how great becomes your Lord in your sight when you see that He fights for you.

"Truly the righteous shall see the reward of the wicked, and so shall those wondering ones who have been looking, on, see that one whom God hath justified. And all mouths shall be stopped before Me and no man shall dare ask you, ‘What are you doing?’ for My fear shall be upon him.’"

One morning, Bill received the word "Sanballat", and we found Nehemiah 2:9-10, and all of chapter 4 and 6 contained a conflict very similar to the one we were going through. What did Judah do when the enemy came in like a flood? They raised up a standard against him. With their weapons in one hand, they built with the other hand, and prevailed and refused to come down off the wall. We felt to do likewise, so we started a week of prayer with seven of us, each taking a day to pray for God’s intervention. He spoke to us: "The Prince of Persia has arisen to withstand thee" Dan.10: 13. Also, "And ye shall tread down the wicked: for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts" Mal. 4:3.

The Spirit encouraged us, "When I showed you Sanballat, did I not show you every man with his weapon in his hand upon the wall? Even so shall you build, with strong intercession and prayer before Me that the work be not hindered. Alert your brethren that they whet their swords and stand in battle array, for the Lord thy God in the midst of you is mighty to do battle. Know of a surety that your progress shall not be according to earthly limitations or gains but it shall be according to the victory attained in the Spirit over forces that would hinder you.

"Yea, by one breath of my mouth they would be defeated, but I would have you learn to be steadfast and unmovable in the will of the Lord, and to have no fear of the enemy. For this cause shall you battle until My Spirit rises up in you and your flesh quakes no longer and you shall go forth boldly in the authority of My Spirit within you. Hasten to take your position against the enemy and stand firm against him, knowing that I do give you the victory."

And so He did! All has been peaceful and quiet for some time now.

About this time, I had a little vision (by the seeing eye), that portrayed the carnal mind and the will of God. I saw two people playing chess and they were thinking very hard in their natural minds as to how to work their every move. The carnal mind was engaged.

Then, I saw a person who knew the will of God, and was aligned to that will, but it was not being done because there was resistance in the heavenlies. He had to come against those powers and dispel them so that God could send forth a great shaft of light upon him to enable His will to be carried out upon the earth.

Dividing the Land by Lot

The road builder and the surveyor had assured us that they would each take land as part payment for their services, which relieved the pressure of finances somewhat. Then we were told that the cost of putting in the electricity to each lot would be very high. To make matters worse, they required full payment in advance. This was an impossibility for us, for we did not have any money until we would sell the lots.

At the same time, an order for culverts for the half-mile of road that we were building came in. The bill was for $7000.00 and it was payable in thirty days. We had no idea where we were going to get the money to pay these obligations.

The following day we had a call on an acreage — someone wanted to know if they could buy one. The Spirit gave us this verse, "Before they call, I will answer . . ." The next day, Bill heard this song in his spirit, all day long, "... for the Lord commandeth a blessing, even life forevermore." He asked a certain price for the acreage (almost more than we had dared to hope for) and they consented to it without any question.

The Lord reminded me that our land was fully possessed by us (paid for) before we started to develop it and enter in to possess it in a new way. Then I heard, "It has been said, ‘Through much tribulation shall ye enter the kingdom of God.’" We were so amazed that the Lord sent us a buyer when we hadn’t even asked Him to do so.

This man purchased one of the larger parcels and we were overjoyed because it would help us so much with our payments. Our joy turned to dismay a month later when we received a letter from his lawyer saying he wanted to get out of the deal. The money was not the problem. He had misunderstood certain building restrictions that were on the lots. We had explained them to him, but he still thought they meant something else and became very belligerent about the whole thing. He never came to talk to us about his concerns, but went angrily about, speaking against our subdivision, saying how there were so many restrictions that it was impossible to get in there!

We hurried to the Lord to talk to Him about this latest development. He spoke to us: "Recognize no second causes. Have you not been praying for peace in the land? Even this is part of My answer to that prayer, for I know the hearts of men and those that have a peaceable nature and are easily entreated shall possess this land, for there shall be no Canaanite in the house of the Lord.

"Even as I have wrought mightily thus far, so shall I continue to do. By this that has happened in your midst be it known unto you that not those who are able in the natural to possess the things of Mine, shall possess them, but it shall be to babes, even those of a simple spirit who shall possess them — not according to their own abilities but according to My enablements. This one could pay the price but was unwilling to do so. His lot came before Me and was refused. Go and learn the ways of your Lord, that I will have mercy and not sacrifice. This one has not mercy in his heart so he could not possess that which he desired, for I have refused him. His wealth was not sufficient for these things. Shall I not teach you many wondrous lessons along the way, the greatest of these being that I can never fail you and all that I allow to come into your life is indeed for good and not for evil.

"Rest in Me and know that all is well. Know assuredly that a place in Me cannot be obtained by man’s efforts or through his abundance in the natural. This law is irrevocable. I deal not in the coinage or the values of this world's system."

At a later time, we were given these scriptures: Gal. 3:3, "Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" In the spirit, I saw a dog at the gate of Withrow and in behind it a little way, was a dove.

The Spirit spoke, "You cannot have a dog at the entrance of your gates. Nothing that bites or devours shall possess My kingdom and enter into Mount Zion, the place of My Spirit. Know the spirits that come unto you, even those that are sent of Me for your proving and for your testing. Then shall you rejoice when you have learned to discern the hearts of men. It is given unto you to choose those that shall possess this land, even as I shall direct you and you shall know them as Samuel knew David, by the eyes of the Spirit within you, for I have promised to guide you by Mine eye."

Leaving the Best of the Old Ways

You have probably guessed by now that Bill is always happiest when he is on a farm. Just to be around animals and to have room to walk around means a lot to him. It has been four years since we have lived in the country and we have endured a lack of privacy living in a mobile home court. As soon as I start to pray, Bill runs and closes all the windows in case the neighbors should hear me praying in tongues. His dream has been that some day when our development is sold, we’ll be able to buy a farm.

I said all that to say this: Out of the clear blue, a casual acquaintance called and asked us if we’d like to move to the country. He farms in this area and lives in the city of Red Deer. His parents had been living on the farm and feeding the cattle but were unwell and had to go to a care home. This man offered to make a spot for us to park our mobile home and put in all the utilities we needed. We could have free rent if Bill would be willing to feed the cattle. Bill had a hard time not to say a big loud "Yes!" right off, but he restrained himself until we could pray about it.

In the weeks that followed, Bill kept feeling that he was to buy us a brand new mobile home — an Olympic make, which is the top of the line in Canada. I almost laughed when he told me because I have been so satisfied with my little home. Although it is older, it has many features that I like. I’ve always said, "It’s just right for me. I don’t need anything better than this." It is an Esta Villa, which was the finest model some years ago, but they are not making them any more. True, it’s a bit crowded when we have company and they have to sleep in the living room, but we manage. "Why is there all this talk about a new mobile home? Lord, I’m completely satisfied with what I have!"

Now, Bill knew I’d feel this way and he could not understand why he felt so strongly about it. Usually, if a wife is satisfied with what she has, her husband is glad to leave things as they are. I hadn’t asked for anything better, and I didn’t want anything better! Yet, here was my husband feeling strongly that he is to buy me a new 1978 mobile home! We agreed that it might make sense a year from now, when we have sold some lots and are not up to our ears in debts. We just could not afford to buy anything now!

Bill said he felt we could use a few lots as backing for a down payment for a new mobile home. Further, he felt that if we moved this older home out of the mobile home court, it would depreciate several thousand dollars in value when we would try to sell it.

Almost afraid of what the Lord would say, we asked Him to deal with us about this if it were of Him. I was a little shaken when He spoke to me of our present home; "This has been the best of the old ways. You would be satisfied therein." I pondered this, for it was true that this make of mobile home is obsolete, and is not being made any longer. But why was the Lord saying this to me?

The Spirit began to deal with me about the name "Olympic" which is the kind Bill wanted to buy. Olympic speaks of "torch bearers", and the Lord spoke to me that we were torchbearers. In ancient Greece, the Olympic Games were held once every four years and a runner would run with a torch to the next place where the games were to be held. I wept as the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me about Paul lighting the torch in his day with the message of entering into the fullness of the Spirit, and handing it to others who ran with it in their day, and throughout each generation until now. The torchbearers have run with the message in every clime and place.

I think of Madame Guyon in France, Sadhu Sunadar Singh in India, and many more who proclaimed the message by their poured-out lives. The message has been carried from one generation to another until now, when it is time to come into that fullness that was spoken of.

The Lord spoke further: "There are those who must possess the fullness of My Spirit before this age can pass away in reality. Be not afraid, but be as those who set out to conquer and possess a new land — not fearing to part with the old when its use has been served, and not counting the cost too great when your Lord has paid it for you.

"Set your hearts on the new land wherein there is liberty, for so I have purposed it for you as part of those strange workings that I perform in your lives. Look not backward, but only forward, for My Hand of blessing is heavily upon you and you cannot fail when you put your trust in Me."

Bill began to feel we should order the new Olympic even before we sold our present mobile home, so we went, with some feelings of unworthiness, because we had no money to pick out a new home. We felt like so many who are called by the Lord to press in to receive the fullness of His Spirit and to put aside the in-part, imperfect realm that we have walked in. We felt our lack, our inability, our inadequacies, and wondered how we could ever hope to possess such a realm. We have nothing to give, yet the Lord beckons us to come up higher.

All we have is His Word to us and that deep revelation of His purposes, and a hungering for them to be fulfilled in our lives. Do you know what, dear ones? That is enough! You don’t need any more than that, for the Lord will supply all the rest! All the enabling is His part! All He asks of us is to be willing to receive that which He has for us (which involves putting off the old).

A few days later, we were told that our lot rental was going up to $85.00 a month, so our payments on a new home with free parking on the farm will be less than what we would pay to live in the old one. The Lord does all things well!

The new mobile homes were just being made and we would have to order ours from headquarters. I liked that idea! We have never experienced His fullness before — it is just being "made" for the first time, and it is coming from His "headquarters." We were allowed to choose the color scheme, the type of walls and furniture we wanted.

The fashionable colors this fall are dark brown and rust, called earth colors. They don’t appeal to us. We love the harvest colors of green and gold, so we substituted these colors for the earth tones. The Spirit confirmed our choice with these words: "You shall indeed choose the colors of the harvest, even of the New Day, for the day of man, of the brown earth, earthy, draws to a close, for the "Water-Pourer" draws nigh to pour pure water upon His people and from thence to all nations. Be of good cheer, for I shall not fail you. As I have done it unto your brethren through you, shall I not even do it unto you?"

Needless to say, these dealings were not without some travail of soul. Our minds would say, "What will Mother think if we buy a new mobile home? What will our banker say? When we will need to borrow thousands of dollars for our land development, it is no time to be spending money on ourselves. It should be a time of austerity, of saving every penny we can!"

The Lord broke in upon my fears with this word: "You fear to enter in because of your inadequacy, your inability to possess that which is promised of the Lord. Reluctance to put aside that which is known, to encompass something that is unknown and for which you cannot pay the price.

"Herein is man’s extremity. Will he remain in that which he has proven as best and fear to appropriate My best when it comes unto him? For no man shall have the sufficiency in himself to merit that which I do in this day, for it is with an extra measure of grace and anointing that I bestow upon Mine Own to bring them into that place in Me I have purposed for them and always they shall know that I have done it and they have not deserved it. Any who feel they are worthy to receive My fullness are indeed puffed up in their own pride, for no man is worthy.

"Even so, am I not making a way for thee when there seemeth to be no way, that thou might indeed put off the old and possess the new. And I shall hasten the time, for it shall be as when I come down unto My people that the old shall pass away and they shall possess the New Day in their hearts. It shall be a great shaking for them even as it is for you at this time.

"Commit yourselves always into My loving care, acknowledging that My ways are higher than your ways and that I will lead you aright."

The Lord comforted our hearts and the dealer made the down-payment on the new Olympic mobile home for us, even as the Lord has done, giving us the earnest of the Spirit, which is the down payment on our full inheritance. What can we do but marvel at His ways and seek to enter in to what He has for us, in spite of our feelings of not being worthy or feeling able to possess it at this time.

The Crown of His Lordship

Next, came the trial of getting rid of the old in order to possess the new. Having some real estate experience, we felt we could easily sell our own mobile home. We advertised all over and had no results — not even a nibble. Our neighbor solemnly advised us that it wouldn’t sell at this time of year. They had tried to sell last year and couldn’t do so. Over a month passed before anyone came to look at it and they never came back.

Finally, it was two weeks before our new home would arrive. Our burden was, "Lord, how can we ever get rid of our old ways, those things we had thought were best, but were not Your best for us, Lord? It seems almost impossible!"

That day, the mail brought an advertising letter from a local realtor from CROWN REALTY. Bill felt something in the Spirit, when he picked it up, but I didn’t even look at it. We were quite capable of selling our own home if the Lord would just send a buyer.

As we were praying that evening, I saw in the spirit, a beautiful gold crown. I looked up the realtor’s letter and it had a simple gold crown on it. "Lord, what are You saying?" My thoughts were quickened to understand that, "The only way we can put aside this in-part realm which has seemed to satisfy all our needs (yet it has been greatly lacking), is to put on the mind of Christ. As He gives us a vision of His fullness, we shall strive to put off the limitations of our old ways, which we had thought were the best.

"It is the Crown of His Lordship upon our minds that shall accomplish this. Will you not relinquish your old ways to the crown, even as in type and symbol, that it shall cause the best of the old ways to pass from thee? For by My Spirit you have possessed the new and can find no further place for the old in your life. Do you understand what I say? It is by revelation — My Mind, that you shall have power to put off your own ways. You shall not be able to do it in your own strength, even as you have not been able to put off this old dwelling."

This spoke to our hearts, so we called the realtor and listed our mobile home with him. That was late Saturday night and on Monday night the salesman brought over a couple who bought it and we were left marveling at the ways of the Lord! Shall Righteousness Triumph?

At the subdivision, it seemed like all the forces of darkness were arrayed against us. Everywhere we turned, we were told, "No, you cannot develop the land yet. It is too soon." And the man who had backed off on his agreement to buy a parcel of our land was complaining to the local residents that there were too many impossible restrictions to observe if they wanted to have a piece of our land.

The widow, who rented our land when Bill went away to the oil field some while back, also wanted to own a parcel of land in our subdivision. She is on welfare, so her brother-in-law made a deal with us whereby he would pay a small amount down for her and she would pay small monthly payments from her welfare until eventually she would own the land.

When we applied to the municipality for permission to put the services into this lot, they refused us because the titles to the parcels were not yet registered. In addition, the banker said he could not let us have a loan for any construction until all the titles had been registered and returned to him.

This would mean that all progress would cease! We began to cry unto the Lord to help us to prevail over our enemies who seemed to swallow us up! If it had not been for the constant comfort of the Holy Spirit, we could never have come through this past year. We would likely have given the whole project over to someone who had the money to develop it and take much less for it. But, we knew the Lord had much to teach us so we would grow and be able to encourage His people, so we have stayed with it.

This word blessed us: "That which you are experiencing in the natural at this time is indeed what My people shall be under before I come to bring full release from their oppression. I shall call them continually to go in and possess the land of My Spirit, even that Mount Zion, the place where I dwell in My fullness, and the adversary, through the forces of Babylon, shall resist them steadfastly. They shall set up other gods to worship, even the god of forces, the god of this world that would claim complete authority over all souls.

"But you know Me as the Father of spirits and you know that all souls are Mine. The battle shall wax strong for the possession of the land, for the enemy standeth before the woman to devour the man-child before he shall come forth and I have commanded that he shall come forth. Fear not this battle but know that I have given thee the victory over the god of forces and you shall possess the land. Know that it shall be possessed by My authority, in which you walk and you shall not fear to go forth in the liberty that I do give thee. My favor indeed abides upon you. Fear not what man may say unto you, for I watch over My Word to perform it."

A few days later, the Spirit spoke again to us, "Shall righteousness triumph? Shall truth prevail? Even this is the cry of My Own ones in the earth, and even of many whom know Me not but as a god afar off. As this old day comes to its close and waneth, so shall it seem to all appearances that iniquity shall conquer the right, and the Truth shall have no recourse (appeal for assistance). Even as you feel so helpless, so unable to help yourselves, unable to make progress, so it has seemed as if the wicked have prevailed over you. This is the scene of devastation all around you, for Truth and Righteousness have fallen in the streets and the widow and the fatherless are oppressed and no one hears their cause.

"It is at such a time, in the darkest hour, that I will cause the rays of the New Day to dawn and the light of that Day shall begin to dispel the darkness and evil of the night. While it is yet dark, what can My people do but continue to trust Me, knowing that I have not left them alone or comfortless and that what I have spoken I shall perform, even to bringing unto them the riches of My glory, even as, in similitude, I shall bring unto thee the riches of your inheritance that I have caused you to possess.

"Yea, the darkness does now encompass you, but you shall praise Me until the Light comes unto you in your situation. Is this not the place where My Own find themselves at this time, even in the midst of evil forces from which there is no evident way of escape? Shall I not encourage them through you and that which you have endured in the trial of your night before the dawning, for be assured, the dawn shall come and you shall rejoice at the favor that you shall find once again in your God. You suffer not alone, nor in vain, but for My purposes, which are exceedingly glorious. Settle it in your hearts that you shall be willing to suffer all things but you will not give up this blessing that I have promised you." Wondering who would purchase the land since the local people have heard such bad reports, I heard the Spirit say: "And I shall bring My sons from afar" Isa. 60:4,9. A friend had, "Before you enter the promised land you shall behold all the crossings of the flesh and spirit, yea, of that warfare you have beheld even now aforetime of your entering in."

Is It Time To Possess Zion?

A personal friend in real estate is going to handle the sale of the lots when they are put on the market. We would like to give him a listing so he could at least advertise them this fall as being available for next spring. His boss has developed several subdivisions and maintains, "There are always two years from the thought to the deed." It took him that long and he can’t see anyone doing it sooner. He is going very cautiously and even made a special trip to the city to seek out different ones to determine if we can sell the land at this time. Surprisingly, the Lord spoke to us about this.

"Yea, this one goeth about to try to establish the rightness of your endeavours, even searching out if it is the right time for you to take possession and to be established in that place. He knows not that your instructions have come from a source higher than the bureaucracies of men, the authorities of this world, for I have ordained that you shall freely cause the land to be possessed before man would allow it. Is it not so in the Spirit — that there are those who are possessing their inheritance in Zion before the religious leaders of this world have knowledge of it? Shall they not take counsel with one another to determine if it is lawful for these to walk in My ways? So shall you see it come to pass, for they know not that the command has gone forth to prepare the Way.

"This one cannot believe that I have done what I have done on your behalf, but he shall see and know that what is done has not been done in such a manner heretofore, and he shall be dismayed. Be not disturbed by his ways, for they are old ways which have no room for the new. The new shall come forth in spite of the resistance of the old which shall wax feeble and vanish away."

Refusing to Enter In

While we were in the midst of this battle of resisting forces trying to hinder us, the widow lady we were trying to help, phoned the manager of the minicipality to entreat him to let her lot be developed this fall. She was ready to go ahead on her own if he refused! He convinced her that there was no lot to be possessed! Although her lot was tagged with surveyor’s ribbons and her parking place all marked out, she believed that there was no lot there and decided she might as well stay where was and not move. Certainly, the land would not be registered for another week or so, but on paper, and as far as being surveyed and passed, it was all done.

Her brother-in-law, a lawyer, said everything was legal and in order. With just a little faith she could have possessed the land, but she gave up even though it was an outright gift from her family and we stood to gain nothing by it. We all had just wanted to bless her and provide a place for her.

We felt a lot of rejection over this. When you try to help someone and they seem to throw your gift back in your face, it is hard to take. How many times have we all experienced this? In the midst, the Lord reminded us of how He was rejected and despised by men when He came to bring life and light to them. It seems to me that this would be one of the hardest trials of the sons-in-preparation: to suffer rejection, as did their Lord, for righteousness’ sake. But through it all we learned the power of that Love that gives, asking nothing again.

Once again the Lord comforted us: "You shall weep over those who say there is no promised land to be possessed and refuse to enter in to it. While you are pressing in to possess the fullness, others do say there is no land to be possessed.

"If you will humble yourselves to be taught of Me in all these things, you shall indeed break forth mightily on every hand with the blessings of your God. Cease to think in the natural sense of that which you do, but hold before Me all that transpires and know that I will teach you of My ways, and will have My way for My glory to be manifest in thy midst. Dare to believe Me in the face of every adversity and affliction that man can bring unto thee!"

A friend had a further word: "Those that enter the kingdom of heaven, which is nigh at hand, shall have offered their all. There shall be no place for those who aren’t willing to sacrifice their all, that they might possess My land. Comprehend ye not this law? Yea, My Ones, all who come nigh your door shall not enter the kingdom, for lack of faith is their standard. Only those who possess with great faith, the unseen promises of God, shall enter. Abraham saw a land afar off. Yea, this day did he see, for righteousness and truth shall reign supreme.

"Fret not at the lack of faith of this one, for boldly have I planned for her, and she has not known it. Go out into the highways and byways, for those that reject that which I have prepared for them, know not their loss. For a blessing had I planned for this little one, but she heeded man’s word, knowing not that it was I who would have blessed her. Fret not, for she shall reap her own reward in due time. Meanwhile, you have offered to her out of the abundance of your heart and not your pocket, and this has been seen by Me and shall be truly rewarded. Repentance of all these things in her life is what I desire and it is through repentance that appreciation cometh.

"There are those of My children who know not of My good works planned for them and so they reject them as too lofty and high for their attainment. Hinder not My work in you, but by faith possess the land of miracles, for when My work is done, you shall truly say, ‘It is a miracle.’ If My way were easy, many would enter who would devour My people, just as a lion in his lair will devour those that pass close by.

"But My supernatural kingdom shall be such that only purity and truth and loveliness of spirit shall abide within. This is not comparable with anything yet on earth, and only as your eyes glimpse the eternal truth of these physical matters, can you in a measure understand the standards I have set up that none unworthy and untrustworthy shall enter in. Be it far from Me to condemn My children, but righteousness must first there abide, that all men shall see and know that I am God."

Trial of Rejection

In October, we had six weeks of lovely weather, so after the road builder had finished his harvesting (for he was also a farmer), he returned to work on our road. At this time of year there is always a race against the cold weather and snow that could come any day.

Finally, the two-thirds of a mile of road was inspected and pronounced favorable and permission was granted to put the gravel down on it. It was imperative for it to be done immediately, for if any snow came, they would refuse to let us gravel the road and it would have to wait until spring. It must be laid on a dry surface. A contractor agreed to start first thing on Monday morning, and we were elated at the thought of having the road completed within a few days. Everything was going smoothly and we prayed that the weather would stay clear.

Suddenly, a cloud entered our horizon. The gravel contractor phoned and said he wanted to back out of the job. I quizzed him a bit and realized it was because he felt unsure about being paid. I didn’t tell him we had enough to pay him. I thought I’d leave that to Bill.

Bill realized he hadn’t talked about payment to him because he had the money to pay this relatively small bill. But now he felt this man didn’t like him and didn’t want to work for him, so he wasn’t inclined to phone him and reassure him about the money.

What a miserable weekend we put in! Here we were, so close to being finished, and something like this had to happen! Why, Lord? Bill tried every other way he knew of and could find no one else to do the job. He began to see that he had no choice but to humble himself and go to see this man personally with a cheque in his hand and assure him of the rest upon completion of the job.

The Lord honored this humbling and all was healed. The man did a fine job and he and Bill had a good relationship once they got to know each other. And, best of all, the snow held off! The Transportation Dept. commended the road as the best privately built road in that district. We said, "Thank You, Lord. Your way is indeed the best!"

During our trial, I received this word: "You have not put yourself in this position. I have done it and I shall deliver thee. Look not at your low estate at this time and your seeming inability to possess the land, but know that He that promised is faithful. Learn this, that what I instigate, what you carry out at My behest, I shall provide for. Shall I do any less than the noblest of men? Cast aside your doubts and fears and know that I am intimately involved in all that you do, for it is ordered of Me, and you can in no wise fail. Should I make of you an example to be stumbled at? Nay, I say unto you that you shall be an example to be wondered at, and My children shall be greatly encouraged in their own entering-in when they find that in themselves they are not sufficient for the task set before them. Be of good courage, strengthen your hearts and confirm your purpose that you will possess all that I have committed into your hand at this time. Hearken not to those who count the giants before you, but be as those who trust in the strength of your Lord and in the power of His promise to be always with you.

"Lay aside every weight and run the race with joy, knowing that I have given you the land, even My kingdom, for a possession, and nothing shall fail of all My good promises unto you."

What Price Power?

From time-to-time, a reader will remark, "I’m hoping that some day I’ll have the faith that you and Bill have and will be able to hear from the Lord like you do." I give a wry smile inwardly and think, "If you only knew!"

We want you all to know that the trials and testings we are having are just as difficult to us as yours are to you. Did you think we had developed great faith? I wish it were so! Let me say that our faith (that faith that He gives) has been sufficient for the trials thus far, but at no point have we ever felt we had sufficient faith. Many times we have cried out, "Lord, help mine unbelief," when the mountains appeared impassable before us. Always we have been kept in a place of leaning upon the Lord, depending upon His faithfulness and His loving watchcare over us.

And as far as being led of His Spirit and hearing His voice, there are still times that we misunderstand and wish we could hear more perfectly. But we do appreciate the fact that as the trials intensify, the Spirit quickens what He is doing in our lives —which helps us to hang on though the furnace is heated seven times hotter.

No doubt you have been through many trials and did not understand what it was all about until you were on the other side of it. As you go on with the Lord, He will begin to show you the purpose for the trial while you are yet in it, and this strengthens you to press in and overcome. I remember the time I was feeling sorry for myself in a certain trial, and the Lord lovingly rebuked me, telling me that when I knew what purpose the trial was serving in my life, I should take it in good part. My reaction would be understandable if I didn’t know what it was all about.

To illustrate this, I’ll tell you about Bill’s job. A certain large school calls us to substitute teach at least three times a week. I had to refuse a call there one day as we were called elsewhere. For the next two and a half weeks we had not one call. I didn’t mind for myself, because I had local calls, but Bill was having hardly any calls to teach, and in cold weather this was most unusual.

I began to worry and wonder if we had offended in some way. At school, Bill always tells a Bible story whenever he can and sings Christian choruses, so he said if that were the problem, he didn’t intend to stop. If the Lord had something else for him, that was fine. All this when we were buying a new mobile home and financing a big development! Even our personal jobs were shaky!

Bill was surprisingly calm about the whole thing. He always feels each call that comes is sent of the Lord and the situation He brings him into is the one He is using for his perfecting. I began to realize the problem was with me. When I saw this, the Spirit spoke in my thoughts that I was to recognize Him as the first cause of all that comes into our lives. Now I am fully persuaded that when I learn this lesson, Bill will not lack for work. In my mind I acknowledge the truth of this, but it has to be so written upon my heart that I can rest in it and cease from striving when the mountains loom before me.

I have shared these things so you could understand how we felt when we received the bill for putting power into our development. We had been warned that it could go as high as $20,000.00. I didn’t really believe it could. It couldn’t possibly be that much! But — hold on to your hats! — it was the grand sum of $32,391.00 and they wanted it all paid cash on the nail before they would step on to our property to do any work. This was not your ordinary mountain — this was Mount Everest!

We visited the office of the power company to see if we could possibly have the power done in two phases and pay for just half of it right now. They said they could, but were reluctant to do so and warned us that the price could go yet higher by doing it that way. We felt no peace until we agreed to try to raise the money to do it all at once. The Spirit witnessed to us that we had to be willing to pay the full price to receive the power of God. We couldn’t do this in a "half measure."

The power company told us that they would have to rebuild three miles of power line to provide enough power for 32 lots. At present, the service could stand only three additional hookups. Bill was chagrined at why we would have to put in that much new line for others to take advantage of in the future. I found myself answering, "We have to be willing to pay the full price for the power that all may partake of it." The Spirit witnessed to us about the high cost of the power of God that He has promised unto the chosen and faithful. We are not to count the cost too high and should rejoice that we can be of that firstfruits company that are called upon to pay this price, to make it easier for others to enter in later on

I thought of an article I had written years ago on, "Buy of Me Gold, Tried in the Fire" and I realized I had then only a small inkling of the price of coming into His divine nature through the precious processings of our God.

When we shared these dealings with friends, one was given Rev. 3:18. He said, "I think this verse sums up the whole matter." It was the same verse I had been feeling in my spirit: "I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

The bank would not increase our loan to cover the full price of the power. We were left $12,000.00 short. This amount would be refunded to us in stages as the lots were sold and serviced with power. Our portion was $20,000.00 and the company’s portion was $12,000.00, but we had to pay it all at the first. My Dad and my sister and Bill’s Mother offered to lend us the balance we needed (without our asking them).

In the loan application for the bank we had to declare all that we had and Bill said, "We must first give our few little drops to show we are poured out to Him. We’re pouring out the last of ourselves to show Him we mean to go all the way and pay the full price. All the people will have to do is to hook on to the line and they will have power! No further price will be required. It will have all been paid! We want to impress upon you that we have never been full of faith and feeling "able to go up and take the country." We wish we could say we had been, but it has been a hard trial every step of the way, and now we have to wait until the titles come back in the spring before we can sell any property to pay our debts.

I do know that in every step along the way to possessing that spiritual land, we shall feel unequal to the task, but He shall perform His good pleasure in spite of our struggles to believe — if we are willing to go His way! It has become so real to me that if we did feel "sufficient for these things" we would never come to the place where we would gladly lay our crowns at His feet, acknowledging that without Him we could not have overcome! Knowing that we were never worthy, or trusting, or any of the things we so wanted to be, but by His Love, He still drew us on and brought us through. So, to whatever heights we attain in the Spirit we shall always testify that it has been all of Him and nothing of ourselves! " Oh, Jesus, Joy of man’s desiring! Thou art all in all to us. Thou hast made us what You purposed. Nought of self could enter in. Only Thou couldst pay the price — the gold, thy nature molded within!"

CHAPTER 5 -    Many Shall Be Purified, and Made White, and Tried

It seems we are still in the fiery furnace but we are always conscious of the presence of "The Fourth Man" being with us! Our prayer is that our experiences will help to keep you looking to Jesus as your source of help and life. He has not promised us a path without thorns but He has promised to walk with us and to never forsake us.

The local bank approved our loan to borrow a large sum of money to meet the power bill, but they had to obtain approval from Head Office. They had never loaned money on a country residential subdivision before, so they took their time investigating the whole situation thoroughly. On the same day, we had a letter from the banker and one from Bill’s Mother.

The banker wrote as if there wasn’t much hope for us to get the loan, and Mother had changed her mind about helping us. She suggested we let someone else develop our land, for it was too big a project for us. We should leave it to the experts. This could have been a real blow after all we had been through, but the Lord comforted us. He is ever faithful!

"Beseech no man for favor, for your favor comes from Me. Rejoice in Me and be steadfast in all that I bid you to do and no man shall be able to gainsay you. Fear not the faces of the "woman realm" for it shall not be able to hinder you, but must needs assist you even when they do not understand or approve, for I have bid them to bless you and not to hinder, and so it shall be as you stand firm in Me and in that which I do in your life.

"You have ventured out into deep waters and the woman calleth unto you, ‘My son, come back lest you perish!’ And you answer, as did Esther who stood for the deliverance of her people, ‘If I perish, I perish, but I must face the King and entreat His favor.’ And surely I shall be entreated of by you and I shall not let you sink, but you shall learn to stand as a rock that cannot be moved, for you are trusting in Me and not in your own strength. And you are recognizing Me as the first cause in all that comes unto thee, and so I am. And so thy dealings are with Me and not another, and I have purposed that you shall possess that new realm in all its fullness. Be careful that you do not turn aside unto anything less than all that I have for you at this time, for this is My set time to favor Zion and I shall favor her." (Psalm 102:13).

I was uplifted enough by this word to write the Banker and encourage him that all would be well. When Mother Cook heard that our loan was approved at the local level, she came out to visit and brought the portion she had promised — all in cash. Thank you, Jesus!

The road was finally finished and approved at the end of October and we were so happy thinking we would be able to have our new plan put on the "linen" and sent to the Land Titles Office for registration. Land is not registered on ordinary paper, which can deteriorate through the years, but is put on a sheet of very fine linen, which is retained as the original copy.

I never thought much of that until I began writing that "fine linen is the righteousness of saints" Rev. 19:7-8. What a precious parallel! This is what our aim has been all the time — to come to the place of fulfillment where we could have the culmination of our efforts placed on the fine linen and sent away for a permanent record. Is not this also our aim in the Spirit — to come to the place of being clothed upon with "fine linen" which is His righteousness, that we do always those things which please Him? Surely this is our aim, for He has put this desire within us.

The coveted linen seemed so very near until the banker refused to surrender our original title to us. We had to have this old one to send in to be exchanged for the new one. He maintained that he had to keep it as security until the loan was approved.

Days went by. Weeks turned into months and no answer came from the Land Titles Office. No title was surrendered. We had been told that this office was very slow and our titles could take two to six months to come back to us. That could delay our sale of lots in the spring season. And we couldn’t pay any of our bills or loans until we could sell some lots.

Finally, in the New Year, I began to pray for the Banker. I had felt that he was the one who was holding us up by refusing to surrender the old title. I realized I was somewhat resentful toward him. This, I knew, was not the right attitude to have if you wanted to have your prayers answered, so I began to pray for him and to recognize that the Lord had sent him to help us rather than to hinder, as it appeared at the time.

A few days later I felt to phone him. Bill usually did this, but was glad that I wanted to talk to the Banker. To my great surprise, he said, "You don’t know how I’ve been hoping and praying that this loan will come through!" This was what the Lord wanted me to hear. I had thought he was working against us, but the Lord showed me that it was not so. Within a week, our loan was granted by the Head Office! Now I knew how Job must have felt when his captivity was turned after he prayed for his friends (who hadn’t been very friendly!) I had to say, "Thanks for the lesson, Lord. I really needed it."

The bank had decided to put a mortgage on the whole subdivision to protect their interests. That was fine with us, but it had to be sent to the Land Titles Office first, before the linen could go in! Another wait of two weeks!

After two weeks, instead of our title being returned, we were sent a question from the computer asking, "Is this the same man as John Cooke who owes a bad debt of $600 which must be paid before he can register any land?" Of course it wasn’t, so Bill had to return a signed affidavit saying that it was not he.

"Lord, how many more delays?" This one was so unexpected and so foolish that we finally had to come to the place of surrendering the whole thing afresh to the Lord. If the linen were ever to go in, the Lord would have to make a way. We prayed, "Lord, You know when we need to have the titles back. No matter what happens, You can have them back on time. It doesn’t have to take as long as they say. We put the whole thing in Your Hands. We can not hurry it up one bit." (It’s like wanting to be clothed upon with His righteousness — we think we will never make it, and why doesn’t He hurry up?)

Finally, around the first of February, we signed the coveted linen and had it sent away. Several weeks later, an official told us that the Land Titles Office finally had their computers functioning efficiently and the titles were coming through much faster now. We are praising the Lord that He is doing all things well.

A Word at Christmas

At Christmas, we visited our parents and when we returned we sought the Lord in the precious quietness of our own home. He spoke to us Isa. 11:5, "And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins."

In the spirit I "saw" a man with a girdle about his loins and the thought came to me that this is the procreative part. The Lord was saying that we were born through (by, or into) His righteousness. That is that of which our new birth consists — being born of the righteousness of Christ, as in contrast to our natural birth whereby we are born in the sin of Adam and shapen in iniquity.

In the second part of the verse, I thought of the reins as the will, and surely He is faithful to perform all His will and to do the thing that He has purposed for us, and we know that His will is altogether just, right and true because it comes forth from His righteousness.

Isa. 5:26-30 speaks of His ensign which He is raising up to the nations. He says "neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed" —their righteousness which is of Him, shall not fail! His remnant is this ensign. It is mentioned again in Isa. 11:12. On the way home, we visited some East Indian people who had embraced Christianity, but only with their intellect. We found them in a state of great despair over their daughter who was having health problems. As we arrived, they were taking her to the hospital to have her put under sedation. The girl, a young mother, had a bad heart, and the fear of dying kept her in constant torment.

Years ago, we had dealt with the parents about salvation but they felt they knew the Lord. Their mental acceptance of Him gave them no strength to stand in times of crisis and they acted as if they were, in fact, dying. We prayed for them and the gloom lifted somewhat.

These parents spent their lives working hard to give their children a University education. One girl already had two degrees. They felt this was the greatest gift they could give them. When we arrived home, we stayed up and prayed for them and the Lord spoke to our hearts about them.

People, who live only for their children (their own flesh) and give their lives for them and have no place for God, have placed their children as their gods and are bowing down to them. They did not recognize that their life issued forth from the living God and He it is who is able to sustain it. At every crisis, the parents literally poured out their lives for their children but could not bring them any deliverance. Instead, they lost some of their own life in the process.

The Lord showed me how He had dealt with me by removing my baby, Faith Melodie, and how, through my surrender of her (my flesh) to His care, I was brought closer to Him in greater commitment. In addition, He has added to me some precious spiritual sons and daughters who are very precious to me.

Another day, in prayer, these choruses were quickened to me: "The manger of Bethlehem cradles a king" and also "The king is coming." Then the Spirit spoke to my heart:

"I would that My Own would come to a place of delighting to please Me, of delighting to do My will, seeing it not only as an avenue of obedience as a servant, but to obey as a son in order to please his father, out of love for Him. This joy in walking in My ways is that which I would bring My sons into, even those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.

"If they would count Me as always Faithful and True they could never doubt My loving plans for them and could rejoice even when the outcome is obscured from their view. This, Mine Own must learn before they can come into rest — even to own Me as King, even Blessed Potentate who ruleth over all, in righteousness."

The only scripture that uses the word "potentate" is I Tim. 6:14,15, "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords."

I Make All Things New

In November, our calls to substitute teach started to fall off. This continued into December so we realized that the Lord must have something else in mind for us. We could have phoned around to get more calls but that is not the way the Lord works. If something is cut off, it is the Lord Who has done it.

The Lord began to deal with us that we were soon to enter into the fullness (as typified by our new home). We would no longer be reflecting someone else. As substitute teachers, we take on the identity of the teacher we are replacing. The other teachers always ask, "And who are you today?" We are to carry out the instructions given us and never have the freedom to really give out what we have within us. We must reflect someone else, and carry out their ideas.

I thought of Rev. 12:1, "And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars."

The moon, or church realm has been but a dim reflection of Christ, and this moon shall be under the feet of the woman who is clothed with the sun —not a reflection, but the reality of the indwelling presence of Christ. I felt the Lord was telling me that His people, upon entering the fullness, would give out of what they had received of Him; they would not walk in the image of another, or follow in another’s ways. I don’t know if I am saying this too clearly, but it is very real to me.

Just before the New Year, I removed my name from the substitute teachers’ list and made an application for another job. To my surprise, I was hired for a three-month job at the Alberta School Hospital, which is a large mental home. I would be working in the Social Services Dept. going through their files, reading, sorting, and filing all the correspondence and literature pertaining to social work.

After my interview, I was walking down the street when my eyes were arrested by a sign over the door of one of the buildings. The sign itself was quite insignificant, but I was so struck by it that I stood still. I had such a drawing to go inside, but I did not know why. The sign read: "Reaves Business College."

I didn’t go in, but phoned them and asked them to send me a brochure about their courses. I found that their next class would start February the first. I read the brochure with interest, then put it away, wondering what it was all about in the Lord. While praying about my new job at the mental home, the Spirit witnessed to me that He was giving me pre-training there and that He would have me working in an office for a month and then I’d go to business college. I had such peace about it that I was ready to enroll at any time, to take a secretarial course.

Man’s Wisdom is Foolishness

The first few days at work were a battle. I was fighting a headache, and one eye pained badly, and I just didn’t feel good all around. I had to really resist these symptoms and refuse them in the spirit, and when I did they left and I felt fine.

The Lord showed me what had happened. "Yea, I have allowed to come upon you a heaviness of mind and vision that you might realize the burden of the carnal mind operating in this place. You see how man’s wisdom has been exalted and My sacrifice abased, and you have been grieved and oppressed by it.

"Yea, this has been an essential part of your training, My daughter, for have I not said that I shall teach you of every aspect of Babylon, that you might teach those that are caught in it, and further, those that shall be crushed by its fall. Shall you not begin to realize that greater wisdom that is in Mine Own by My presence in them? Because it has come unto you, flowing freely without effort or great price, you have not fully realized its great power and potential for deliverance. Further, I have kept you hidden that this wisdom should not yet be made manifest to the ungodly.

"Great shall be your rejoicing in Me as you realize the emptiness of all man’s efforts to heal his unwholeness. For only in Me can there be complete and lasting wholeness and peace and joy. You have seen the panaceas they have given to the flesh in place of My peace, in place of dealing with their sins. Both patient and he that seeks to bring a cure are dead in their trespasses and sins and can in no way receive or transmit life.

"I have given you favor, My little one, for I would have you learn this lesson well: ‘The wisdom of man is foolishness to God.’ And when man’s ways utterly fail, as they shall, you shall rejoice in the knowledge that My wisdom has triumphed and is available unto all who would seek Me for it.

"Record these things that are quickened to you and I shall use it in your life as a witness to many."

All day long, at work, I read articles on the numerous mental illnesses, learned treatises by eminent people who propounded many theories on how to help the mentally ill. Each one discounted the previous man’s work by claiming that now he had the answer that would unlock the secrets of treatment for the illnesses of man’s mind. One day the Director of Social Services said to me, "There have been so many theories put forth as to what causes depression, but we still have no answer." That was the same conclusion to which I had already come.

Each day my head would be full of words like "psychopath, schizophrenic, and paranoia." It was hard to shake these words out of my mind so that I could think of spiritual things. I even "caught" a cold that was going around there. Bill and I can usually work in the midst of illness of all kinds and never catch anything. We seem to succumb only when we are upset or out of harmony with the Lord.

I couldn’t feel that was the case this time, so I asked the Lord why I got that sickness and He told me: "The bastion of your mind has been attacked." (My mind had been filled with such carnal thoughts that there was no room to think about the Lord and so I was susceptible to the same attacks on my body as others in the natural realm). My mind was so occupied with the things of man all day long that I allowed myself to slip into the realm of those around me where I couldreceive the things that were bothering them! All I could see was that man was using drugs to keep under control those things that he could not cure. He had no answers!

Answered Prayer

Our new home was delivered to the farm around the first of December. It was cold and we needed to locate a large propane tank. We found that they were almost impossible to obtain, except at very high prices. We prayed and looked for three weeks, not wanting to pay $500.00 for one. I kept saying that the Lord had one for us; we just didn’t know where it was. And He had! One gas company phoned and said they had one for us just three miles from where our home was situated. They would rent it to us for $45.00 a year! The farmer picked it up for us in his truck, and we were set. We didn't need it any sooner than when it came. When we thanked the Lord, He gave us Romans 10:2 " . . . for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him."

"By My Spirit", Saith the Lord

I had a very vivid dream from the Lord in which I was showing someone my hands. My left hand was cut off at the wrist. There was no blood or wound showing — there was simply no hand there. Then I saw two of my hands in the garbage bag. A short time elapsed and I was showing someone the beautiful new hand the Lord had given me. It was as soft as baby’s skin and I was comparing it to my right hand which had scars and bruises on it. This was to convince her that truly the Lord had given me a new hand!

When I told this dream to a friend, he heard this verse while I was telling him my dream. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." I felt the Lord was saying that He had cut off any avenue I had of helping myself. I had been wondering how we’d meet our payments when I’d no longer be working, but would instead have to pay college tuition and buy textbooks. My sister sent my first month’s tuition and the Lord showed me by this dream what He was doing in my life.

He spoke this word to me: "This is the place Mine Own have come to, of knowing that I am He who provided even more than they could ask or think. You have indeed asked from a limited realm, but I have brought you unto a place where your mind cannot even comprehend the things that I shall do for you, for you have not walked this way before. You have been content with food and raiment, but the time has come when I have commanded you to go up and take a city, even that Holy City of Zion. I have brought you to an utter end of your resources, even showing you in a very real way that My judgment was upon your own works, that what shall be done shall be by My Spirit alone, for I delight in you and through you I shall speak unto My people of that which I shall do when they have come to the end of their own ways.

"I have filled their lives with impossibilities in the natural, but have I not said that that which is impossible with man is possible with God? Fear not, neither be of doubtful mind as to how these things shall be, but know that you are moving in obedience to My Spirit and this possesses its own reward. Lean heavily upon Me, for I am your God who never slumbers or sleeps and who holds all things in the palm of His Hand. You know that I am He who exalts one and puts down another. Even so, the set time to favor Zion has come and I shall exalt her and she shall know that I alone have done it, and it hath not been according to the works of her hands. Be courageous and praise Me in the fires."

When we moved into our new mobile home, we had one tribulation after another — frozen water lines, frozen sewer, faulty thermostat, and other frustrations. I was trying to get settled before going to college and the going was rough. I found myself wondering "If You're teaching us of the fullness of the Spirit through this home, Lord, how come we’re having all these troubles instead of peace and joy? " To my surprise, He addressed our dilemma:

"Great shall be the conflict of the flesh when I say unto thee, ‘Enter into My fullness.’ Then shall the battle of Armageddon wax hot within thy vessels, for the carnal mind must be subdued and put under My feet. The elder (the flesh) must serve the younger, even My Spirit that I have put within thee.

"Grieve yourself no longer over the warfare that has waged in your members, but know that it has been necessary for your entering in. You have come to a place of despair with your flesh and its ways, thinking you can never conquer it and enter into My rest, even that spiritual place I have promised.

"Why do you think, at any time, that there is any strength in you to overcome your own flesh and its sinful ways? Nay, it is not in you to direct your paths aright nor to walk pleasing to your God. Only as you trust in that new man within thee, even that which is born and begotten of Me, shall you be the victor. For I am your Overcomer and you can do all things in the strength that I do give thee!

"You have seen myriads of kingdoms come and go that were founded on the strength of a man, but that kingdom which I bring unto you, of which you are a part, is founded upon the strength and power of the Living God and for this cause it shall not be moved, but shall be established forever. (Heb. 12:28, " . . . a kingdom that cannot be moved.")

"Marvel not at the tremendous shakings that have been brought to bear upon your lives, but know that I am tearing down strongholds, even strong foundations in your beings, from whence your motivations have sprung. Yea, these must be wrenched until they reach your level of consciousness where you can, by your own will (in My power), cast them from you and extricate yourself from their power. Then shall you move and respond from Me, from the new man within you, and your land shall know peace in all its borders."

The Day of Small Things

I had not yet fully surrendered my fears and financial burdens to the Lord and I was so tired. Then I got a bad headache so I stayed home and spent time with the Lord. I knew I couldn’t carry this load and the Lord didn’t want me to. But it isn’t easy to let Him "cut your hands off" and give you new ones — to learn to trust Him fully in all of your ways!

I was thinking it was bad enough for us to be in debt, but it was too bad to involve our parents and to use their money. The Spirit interrupted my musings with "despise not the day of small things" and spoke: "Feel not beholden to these My little ones, but know that it has been in My plan that they support you in your entering-in and possessing the land. Even though they cannot themselves see that goodly land, yet they have remained faithful to the standards of the fathers. They gave you a platform or a base to build upon and for this I do honor them and have bestowed upon them My mercy and grace.

"Of the fullness they have not heard, for they have walked in the day of the small things. Even you have walked in this day and it sufficed you for a time. But now I say unto you to arise into the realm of My fullness where I dwell, in which there is neither lack, nor any task too great. This call has been so strong as to almost tear flesh and spirit asunder in its workings, but so it must needs be if you are to put aside your old ways and the complacency you have in walking in them.

"Fear not to declare Me as "the All-Sufficient One", for so you shall find Me to be as you surrender all your cares unto Me. For am I not teaching you of spiritual verities and is there any price too great to pay for such truths?

"If a carnal man devises a new way to perform an arduous task is he not rewarded in the riches of this world? Consider then, can I not provide My people with My riches when they learn truth that will set themselves and many others free? Is any price too great for Me to give, that My Own might learn of My ways?

"Settle it in your own hearts that that which has been wrought in your lives has been of Me. I have done it. You have not carried it out after your own will and desire, but after Mine, and I did order your way. Do you think that I would expect you to bear the consequences of My direction? Nay, it is not so. For what word goes forth from My mouth, I do perform, and stand behind it until it be fulfilled in its appointed time.

"In this you have erred, in tossing about in your mind as to how you shall carry out the fulfillment of that which I began! What has begun in the Spirit shall be fulfilled by Me and you shall not take it upon yourself to do it, for you cannot.

"Did I not provide you with your new dwelling without any effort on your part? Count all other problems as done in this same manner and fret no longer over these things. Seek only to be found of Me and to know My ways daily and to delight yourself always in Me. That is thy portion. The other is Mine. Let Me carry it, for My burden is light and My yoke is easy."

A short while later He comforted us with, "My treasures are not in silver and gold. My treasures are in thee. Silver and gold are but a type of spiritual blessing of My redemption and My divine nature. For this cause you cannot provide this for yourself, for it must come from Me, for every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father in whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. If you could have done it in your own strength, how would it speak? It was needful that I bring you this way, that all that I do in you shall speak to My little flock and they shall be encouraged to enter in and to possess My fullness.

"Will you be willing to be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord while I teach you of My ways? Will you let me write upon the fleshly tables of your hearts in the sight of all men? Even so, shall you have your reward, My little ones."

Another time, the Lord showed me a great gray wall with people standing outside of it and He spoke to me that they were looking to receive a crumb from Him. He wished them to enter into His banqueting house to feast on the good things he had prepared for them. He had bid them to enter but they had not done so. He spoke, "This is the time of which I said, ‘ Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him and he with Me.’ " (Rev. 3:20).

IN THE FURNACE

He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat
As He watched by the precious ore,
And closer He bent with a searching gaze
As He heated it more and more.
He knew He had ore that would stand the test,
And He wanted the finest gold
To mold as a crown for the king to wear
Set with gems of a price untold.
So He laid our gold in the burning fire
Tho we fain would have said Him "nay"
And He watched the dross we had not seen
As it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright
But our eyes were so dim with tears;
We saw the fire — not the Master’s Hand
And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with richer glow
As it mirrored a Form above
That bent o’er the fire, tho’ unseen by us,
With a look of infinite love.
Can we think it pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment’s pain?
Ah, no; but He saw through the present grief
The bliss of eternal gain.
So He waited there with a watchful eye,
With a love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat
Than was needed to make it pure.

 

CHAPTER 6 — THIS AGE IS PASSING AWAY

Of the many lessons that the Spirit of the Lord is teaching His Own, some come fairly easily, and others are much harder. It seems, though, that no revelation or teaching becomes a part of you as long as it is still "in thy mouth sweet as honey," and you savor only the knowledge of it. No, it is only when it is deeply inworked within you in the hidden recesses of your heart that it becomes a part of your spiritual man. In the process of "digesting" it shall "make thy belly bitter" when you eat it. For the past months we have tasted both the bitter and the sweet. We would share with you some of this.

In the midst of all the exciting developments in regard to getting a new mobile home and selling the old one, I heard the Spirit speak this small, almost insignificant word about our older home: "This has been the best of the old ways. You would be satisfied within." I had no idea how that brief word signified a real travail of soul that we would endure in the months ahead.

When we listed our home with "Crown Realty", we received a full-price offer in just a few days, subject to the purchaser being able to raise the money. This family really liked our mobile home and wanted very much to buy it. We were jubilant to think that the Lord was so soon removing the "old" from us!

Our joy was short-lived, however, for within two weeks the realtor reported that our prospective buyer did not have a large enough down payment and could not get a loan.

This was disappointing, but we felt the Lord would soon bring along someone else who could buy it. The weeks went by and I got tired of keeping my home always ready for viewing at a moment’s notice. If you have ever done this, you know what a strain it is. Everyone who came liked it, but no one else made an offer, and then it was time to renew the listing.

The realtor was doing his best to sell it for us, but it was now February, one of our coldest months when people don’t think about moving unless they really have to. Showings slowed right down, and things looked rather bleak. By this time we were ready to move out and possess our new home and this old one with its payments clung to us like barnacles to a ship

To move into our new mobile home, all we had to pay was nine dollars in cash, for the dealer had agreed to wait for payment until we sold some of our acreages.

At last, the realtor phoned to say that he was bringing us another offer from the people who had made us the first offer. They still wanted to buy our mobile home.

Our hopes fell when we saw that their offer had dropped by $2000 and, in addition, they had only $500 to put down and wanted to pay the balance by monthly payments. This meant that the realtor would receive the $500 and the monthly payment would go to the bank to pay on the loan we had on it. We would not have one cent for ourselves!

We were not too happy at this turn of events, but since it was the only offer we had had in three months, we felt to take it. The offer was made "Subject to approval by the manager of the trailer court." This particular manager does not allow anyone to move into his court unless he has checked them out and approved them as tenants. We felt this was a mere formality and should present no problem as long as we gave the manager the "honor" he felt was due him.

The realtor took the couple to see the manager who said they would have to fill out an application form. He said he was out of them at the time, but the printer was doing some more up for him. The thought was left, "Call me later and I will fix you up."

"Later" ran into two weeks, three weeks, a month. Each time either the realtor or the couple would call him, he would sound very angry, and he didn’t have any application forms.

Finally, the realtor suggested that we see the manager, or call the printers to see if they were printing any such forms. He felt he was just antagonizing the man by calling and he was afraid he would retaliate by refusing to accept his buyer.

This was upsetting, for we had begun to suspect there was more to this than met the eye. The manager’s son had recently started up a business of selling mobile homes, right in the trailer court. Naturally, if his Dad wouldn’t let anyone else move in, they would have to move their home elsewhere and he would have an empty lot so that his son could sell a new mobile home. It didn’t look very good to us.

We didn’t hasten to contact the manager although we were upset at the turn of events. As we brought this matter before the Lord, knowing that He is sufficient for all of these things, we began to feel better about it all. The Lord reminded us that He was in charge of all our ways, and "Who can resist His will?" That manager had no power over us at all except that which Lord allowed him (hardening his heart, as He did to Pharoah) to hold up this sale because He had a better one for us. Whatever the reason, our answer could be summed up in two familiar words, "Hands off!"

The second listing expired and the salesman removed his sign without saying anything to us, and we never heard if the application forms ever came.

The Coming of Spring

With the warm March breezes came the hope that perhaps now we might find some interest in our older mobile home. We put an advertisement in the paper: "Will sacrifice — $8000." And by this time, we meant the word "sacrifice", for it was becoming harder each month to keep up payments and utilities on two homes, especially when I was no longer working, but was attending business college.

Our ad brought gratifying results and after a number of showings we had a good offer from someone who had a sufficient down payment. At the same time, our phone started to "jump off the hook" with calls from rural areas, not even in our district. They would ask, "Are you the people who have the mobile home for sale for $800?" Our first reaction was: "That would be some sacrifice!"

It seemed another paper had put in our ad free of charge, but had dropped one zero in the process. I was a bit annoyed, but Bill was happy and felt that the Lord was in it. I couldn’t see how at the time, but time proved that He was!"

All of the out-of-town callers were interested in moving the mobile home out of the trailer court to a farm if it proved suitable. One couple drove forty miles to see it and they also made an offer on it, which would be effective if the first person didn’t get his loan.

The night Bill was showing the home to this couple, I was praying for him at home, and the Spirit spoke an unusual scripture to me from Daniel 2:35: " . . . and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them." I had the sense in the Spirit that this older home which spoke of "the best of the old ways", signified the church age in which we have walked with all its imperfections and weaknesses. It was going to be removed from its place and taken away and we would not behold it any more.

In the natural, it would be most unusual for anyone to move it out of the trailer court, for it was more valuable there.

When Bill arrived home with a second offer, he was struck by the word I had received. Within a day or two, the first party bowed out of his offer and a week later, the second person told us they were looking for a "double-wide" mobile home, so they were both out of the running and we were back to "square one."

The only comforting thing about the whole situation was that people kept calling on the $800 ad. We had asked the paper to change it, but they did not do so for quite some time. (The Lord must have a sense of humour!) We no longer received any local calls, for all the callers were people who would move the home if they bought it, which went along with the scripture the Lord had given. In mid-April He gave us this first word of encouragement:

"Yea, long is the time and weary is the way wherein My people have walked in a way that has seemed good in their eyes. They have talked of a better day, but always of one of their own making, not knowing or acknowledging that that which was highly esteemed in their eyes was destined to pass from them, for it had been built by their own wisdom and did not recognize Me. For as My Day cometh nigh upon the earth, those things wherein man has trusted shall be swept away as the chaff of the summer threshing floor and there shall be found no place for them.

"Have you not found it so with your former dwelling place? Were you not satisfied therein and did you not deem it sufficient for all your needs? You considered not its many lacks, for you were satisfied until I called you to come up higher, even to possess that realm of the Overcomer, even of one that has "caught" the message of My chosen ones from generation to generation. These I have called to enter into My perfection, where there is no lack.

"Has not that old dwelling-place become a great burden unto you until you are not able to bear it? The new and the old cannot abide together; it is too much for you. Surely I have allowed it for My purposes, for I am teaching you of My ways.

"Fear not to trust Me, My little ones, for I do that which will speak unto My people and you shall be glad that you did trust. Faint not nor be weary in your minds, for your deliverance is at the door and you shall rejoice at the ways of the Lord your God."

The Old Passes Away

We agreed that it was indeed far easier to enter into the new (which was greatly desirable) than to put off the old. We were very conscious of the realm of our old ways as being very difficult to shake off and to rise out of. They had seemed "the best" for so long that it was hard to let them pass away to lay hold upon the ways of the Spirit which were far greater than we had ever known. Such a struggle we had within as we found it so difficult to cause our "old ways" to pass from us.

In the natural, we were brought right to the end of our finances. We felt absolutely drained. The Lord, through His faithful ones, had been "making up the slack" all these six months that we were making double payments and we appreciated His (and your) faithfulness so very much.

Looking ahead to May, it seemed a choice might have to be made between making the house payment or paying my tuition at college, for we could only manage one of these unless the Lord sent in a very substantial offering. But it seemed the Lord wanted to bring us to this exact place — to the end of our own resources and to know that, in that place, we would continue to look to Him, and not to man.

At this point, He brought another buyer who wanted to move the older mobile home. We gave him three weeks to obtain financing and from that time on, the phone was silent. Could this possibly be the one, at last? Will we actually get rid of this home that has become such a weight upon our necks, or will this deal fall through like all the others?

The Lord, Who always knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts, answered my thoughts with a question; "Do you think that My people shall ever be ashamed?" I began to weep as He spoke to my heart these precious words of comfort which are to all who love Him: "Do you think that My people shall ever be ashamed? Do you think that I shall ever forsake them or be unheeding to their cries? Do you think that I could be insensitive to the least cry of one of these, My brethren?

"Nay, I say unto you, it can not be so, for that which is born of Me is part of Me, and I cannot cease to love and cherish that which is of Me, for it is holy and pure. Even so, this trial has been long and without respite, until you have truly come to the end of your resources. But you have said in your heart, ‘I shall look unto the Lord from whence cometh My help, for my help cometh from the Lord,’ and have resisted steadfastly in your minds, the thought of turning to the arm of flesh for your deliverance.

"So shall it be with those who have purposed in their hearts to possess the Kingdom and to know Me as I am. Though they feel My Hand of chastening heavy upon them, yet will they not move out from under that which I have brought for their perfecting, nor look to deliver themselves from My left Hand, and from trusting in My deliverance. "Even for these trusting ones shall this Day pass away and shall be as though it has never been, for they shall walk no more in its limitations and its bondage's. And they shall have proven Me and shall know Me indeed as the Holy One of Israel, mighty in the midst of them.

"Be content, even rejoice once again, that I do speak to Mine Own through your sore travail. It has been good for you to suffer travail that you might desire more fully, My perfect ways."

In less than a week after this word, our buyers called Bill and presented him with a cheque for the full amount of their offer. We were able to pay off our loan on the older home and have some left over. It is with joy that we anticipate its move from the trailer court where we shall "see it no more" and remember no longer the anguish we had in putting it off. For surely, like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor that the wind carried away, so shall it be.

This scripture refers to the kingdoms of man that have been throughout the ages until now and how that "a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces." Surely those ages and kingdoms that have come and gone are all to pass away from us as we possess the realm of the kingdom of God’s dear Son wherein dwelleth righteousness. This "stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth," and in that day, "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ."

Oh, that we might walk no longer in the limitations of this dying age, but that we might continue to press into that Kingdom which shall not pass away but which endureth forever. Lord, help us — we have not passed this way before!

The Battle of the Titles

This month of June brought a very intense kind of travail for the subdivision development. We had expected by now to have the land registered at the Land Titles Office and have our titles back so that we could begin selling the land. Yet, there has been one hold-up after another until we wonder if any of the experts we hired know what

they are doing.

We had formed a small company consisting of ourselves, my brother Bill and his wife Glenda, and a friend, Sharon Taggart. The name is B.C. Salem Management Ltd. The name "Salem" refers to "Melchizedek, king of Salem". Salem means "peace", even that "Prince of peace", Jesus, of whom it was said, " . . . the chastisement of our peace was upon him . . . "

To do things in the required manner, we had to sell our land to the Company for a certain sum. We decided to transfer all 32 lots to B.C. Salem Mgmt. and they would return to us 7 lots instead of money. (None of the shareholders has any money!) Our lawyer agreed that this was the best way to do it, and had the transfers ready months ago. The "linen", for registration purposes, was made up in the name of B.C. Salem Management.

To our consternation, our lawyer just recently decided that was not the best way to do it. He felt it should be the other way around — we should register the subdivision in our own names and transfer 25 lots to the Company, keeping back 7 for ourselves.

Since he was our professional advisor, we felt we had to listen to him, even though he was creating a further delay. The lawyer made out all the new transfers and we delivered them to the surveyor. I began to feel uneasy and Bill felt we should not change anything. The surveyor agreed that the transfers should stay the way they were first made up.

What an ordeal! Here we have two highly paid professionals, each saying something different. How could we know the right way to go? We had no experience in these matters. We felt confused and frustrated!

We began to feel that the "price" we had to pay for this development was just too high. We wondered if we would not be happier if we did not have to press in to possess it. At this point, we certainly felt we could be quite content with such things as we had.

Finally, we took it all to the One Who is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. He gave us of His wisdom and settled the matter! "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. . . For your promised inheritance, of which I have taught you of My spiritual Zion, even in a figure, shall it not all be established in the name of the Prince of Peace, even the Prince of Salem, that heavenly Melchisedek? Even so, man would desire to keep back a portion in his own name and not surrender all to Me as his Prince, but it shall not be so. Even as all that you have is surrendered unto Me, can I then return unto each man according to the portion granted unto him. And so it shall be with you.

"You shall relinquish all in My Name, submitting it all into My care and trusting Me to return unto thee that which is needful. Only that which you have given to Me am I able to cleanse, purify, and return unto you in a changed state, full of beauty and honor. That which you withhold, even of any area unsurrendered in which you have chosen to be your own master, this am I unable to bless and to return to you. Yea, you yet possess it, but in a form that shall eventually be destroyed, for it has not been perfected by My cleansing Power. For this cause you shall not hearken unto men’s plans for you, for I have caused you to have no peace in them.

"I say unto you, and unto all o f My little flock, ‘Surrender unto Me every area of your lives, even all that you have and are, and I shall return unto you a goodly portion of My substance in due time. Be at peace, for I am thy King of Salem."

Who Owns the Title Deed?

The Lord gave Bill several potent "words" when he was praying about this matter. One was "Kirjath-jearim" which is the place where the Ark of God abode for a time after the trouble and strife with the Philistines. The Ark came to "rest" there.

The next word was "Kohathite." These were the priests who had charge of the most holy portions of the vessels of the tabernacle.

The following day the Lord asked me while I was eating breakfast, "Who owns the title deed? ’’ This was such a strange question that He had my attention immediately and then the Spirit continued, "The Melchisedek Priesthood owns the title deed to the spiritual Promised Land, for they are they who have been ordained and anointed of God to minister the Holy Things to the people until all shall know Me.

"Marvel not that the fires are heated seven times hotter, my little ones, nor that there is great confusion round about you concerning the title of your land. For is it not that I would speak unto you a great truth even when you are able to bear it?

"You shall set your heart to learn My lessons and My truths along the way, and determine to leave the outcome with Me. Have I not assured you by My Word and by deed that you shall be "sought out, a city not forsaken." Leave the outcome to Me and do go forth to possess that which is yours, for I have shown you that no flesh shall enter in, for the carnal mind is enmity against God. It cannot know the things of God.

"One by one, I shall cause you to untangle the web of confusion that man has created, and you shall see that all will be well. Fear not, only trust Me. I shall not fail My Own who trust Me to bring them to their spiritual Promised Land."

Upon arising the following morning, we knew exactly what we should do to untangle the web of confusion that had encompassed us. We told the lawyer, politely but firmly, that we had decided not to change our original plan. The subdivision was to be registered in the Company name of B.C. SALEM and the seven lots would be transferred to us later on. He opened his mouth to protest, and then closed it again. From that time on, we told the professionals what we wanted them to do. We didn’t ask their advice, and soon things were moving more smoothly again.

The Lord made it very clear that we shall not be able to rely upon our own wisdom to possess that spiritual Land of Promise. No pastor, prophet, or priest shall be able to show us the way, but the Lord only. . . for it is He who has gone this way before and even now leads His little flock into the kingdom.

What a letdown we received when we tried to lean on the understanding of men, on the arm of flesh. It brought nothing but confusion. But with the mind of Christ, even our King of Salem, there is peace. And it shall be that we must submit all of our way to Him and He shall return to every man his portion. Seek not to keep back what you feel is yours, for it is all His and it needs His sanctifying touch. What a precious lesson to learn!

Searching for Titles

Remember the neighbor we told you about who was "squatting" on what was supposed to be our road? He had the old church manse on his property, and the Lord spoke to us about the old "church realm" that was "parked" on the road to Mount Zion, neither entering in, nor permitting others to enter in.

When our "linen" with the subdivision plan on it was finally sent to the Land Titles Office by the Head Surveyor, an unusual thing happened. The small subdivision which gave "the squatter" a proper title, and gave us a new road, was sent to the Land Titles Office while our large subdivision plan was returned to us because some obscure little survey pin was not shown on the plan.

This caused us considerable dismay, for it was imperative that they be registered at the same time or Zion Road would not be registered. The surveyors tried for several weeks to get this office to return this little plan to us. In the meantime, we have been searching for titles from the two parties concerned with this land. They seem difficult to locate, and the Lord has given us the job of finding them. We are not to leave it to "the professionals" this time!

We don’t really know what all this means, but it has been a month of travail over titles. Does that speak to you? Shall not the spiritual seed possess the land and have the title thereof? Has it not been given to them of their Father?

"Lift your eyes unto the hills from whence cometh your help, for your help cometh from the Lord. Yea, I would have you to know Me as One Who is high and lifted up, even to see Me as did My prophet Isaiah who saw My glory and My holiness, and beheld My power. For surely when you have beheld Me as the Author and the Finisher of all things in your lives, then you shall have faith to believe that I shall perform all My good purposes in you and in all the earth. "Surely, I have promised unto you blessing and honor, and the oil of gladness for the spirit of heaviness, and what you have not sought after you shall find. For you have not chosen the gold and silver of this world, else you would have it, but you have chosen to know Me; so as I did with Solomon, I shall add unto you My excellent blessings. Through you I shall speak comfort and assurance unto My Own and they shall see that the end of the Lord is good, and that a man possesses Me through obedience to Me and not through his own wisdom or fleshly attainments.

"These things shall I speak plainly, that the poor of My flock may know that I shall indeed bring them into a delightsome land and will make them to be greatly desired, even sought out, because of the Spirit that is within them. Even as I spoke unto thee, ‘Thou shalt be called, Sought out, a city not forsaken’, so it shall be that My children who walk in My ways shall rise to their place in My Kingdom and through them shall all things be put under My feet. Rejoice, for great victory is yours and you can have whatsoever you say."

CHAPTER 8      LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, O YE GATES!

We had a letter from Rosemary Garzon. She told us of a dream she had, " In it several women who put out a publication were gathered together. I only recalled Norene Nicholls and you. You told me that you were being taught on "variances" and that it was connected with learning patience."

"Variance" means "changing and unreliable" which fit exactly all that was happening in our lives. It seemed there was nothing left in this world's system in which we could put our trust.

The "variances" came piling one upon another. Just when we felt we would have our precious "linens" ready to send away again for registration, some other small snag would come up. It seemed any little thing would hold the work up for weeks.

It took us two weeks to locate the land title of our "squatter" neighbor. Then we had to get a title from the other side of the road. He is a personal friend who gave his permission for us to use 15 feet of his ditch to allow the road to flair out at the intersection. But — since last fall he had sold his lots to a lady in Edmonton. Upon contacting her, we found her somewhat reluctant to send us her title to have a new one made.

As if this wasn’t enough, the surveyor informed us that there were two liens on the "squatter’s" property, which would have to be removed or transferred. One would require the signature and seal of the Natural Gas Co-Op in Edmonton, and the other would require a meeting of the local municipal board to deal with it. (All this could take weeks!)

As the surveyor talked, I felt a strong determination rising up in me that we would take things into our own hands and we would get these linens in to the Land Titles Office in Edmonton!

That evening as we prayed, I felt this song from Psalm 24, "bursting" through my being:

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye

everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty,

the Lord mighty in battle."

I opened my mouth and sang it loudly, and Bill looked at me with amazement. "Why," he said, "I was getting that same song and was just about to start singing it!" The rest of the evening, this song of praise and victory poured forth from our lips.

As I pondered the words, it became real to me that we, His people, are being prepared to be those gates through whom many shall enter in to the realm of the Spirit — to the heavenly Jerusalem. A door is the entrance to any thing. Our Saviour says, "I am the door — the entrance into the kingdom."

Of the word "gates" the concordance says: "The gates were the important part of an ancient city. They gave the only means of passing through the wall and were usually closed at night and were strengthened by bars of brass or iron. Much of the legal business of the city was done there. It is sometimes used to mean power or dominion. God promised Abraham that his posterity should possess the gates of their enemies, their towns, and their fortresses."

We felt the Lord was telling us personally to lift up our heads and to know that the King of Glory would move in our situation.

Early the next morning we were at the surveyor’s office announcing our intention of taking in both linens to the Land Titles Office in Edmonton. Our surveyor looked a bit reluctant, but he didn’t refuse to relinquish them to us, along with all the legal documents. We gathered that this procedure was a little unorthodox and was definitely not the way it was usually done — we were not going through all the proper channels.

We arose at five the next morning. Bill milked the goat and we were on our way to the big city. At eight o’clock we were at the door of one of the government buildings. Our aim was to obtain two signatures and to transfer two liens so that we could submit both linens for registration that day.

Our first call drew a "blank". They insisted they could do nothing without authorization from our local district. We found the lien was some zoning by-law put on the property in 1949 and it still applied.

Our second call was for a signature from the "gas man." The official tried very hard to resist us, refusing to sign because the owner’s signature was at the bottom of the linen and not at the top, where he thought it should be. The Lord moved upon a lady working nearby and she came over and spoke soothingly to him that it was all in order — that this was how they were signing them now. With that, he signed, and half-apologized for his officiousness. Thank you, Lord!

We labored all day, going from one office to another and back again. In each place we encountered opposition, but the Lord overruled in each instance. The agent at Land Titles said that new legislation made the zoning lien unnecessary so we did not need that signature that had been refused us! That was a big mountain removed.

All that remained was to get the signature of the lady who had bought our friend’s property. We found the reason for her reluctance to let us have her title was that her lawyer had advised her that she should ask us for $1000 for taking that 15 feet off her land. I was praying while Bill showed her where the former owner’s signature had been blotted out, to be replaced by hers. His name could still be clearly seen, so she had to recognize that this had been agreed upon before she had bought the land. She could still have held out and made things difficult for us, but the Lord moved upon her heart and she signed the new plan and gave us her title to go along with it. This was a great victory!

One-half hour before closing time we were at the Land Titles Office with both subdivision linens — complete with all signatures, all liens transferred, and all that was required was completed. We could but marvel at how the Lord had overruled everything that had come against us. Wouldn’t the surveyor be pleased to hear of our success!

Needless to say, we were all in "but our shoelaces" as the saying goes. It was a sweltering hot day and we had labored indeed "through the heat of the day." Some time later, the Lord spoke to us: "My people are weary and fain would lie down. Yea, they have pressed the battle to the gates but have not yet tasted of the victory of a battle won, nor heard the cry of a conqueror in their midst.

"Even as you, they have battled steadfastly, resisting forces that I have sent to try their strength and to bring them closer to Me. But in the striving they have known no rest, no peace of soul, and their spirit thirsteth for Me, as in a dry and thirsty land where no water is.

"So shall it be in the day of My appearing. My Own shall be very weary and shall wonder indeed if their King will come and deliver them, or shall they fall with the victory so near at hand?

"Yea, I have been very nigh unto My people to strengthen them and to uplift them, even many times when they have not known it. I have comforted them along the way. I say to My faithful ones, ‘Having done all — stand!’ For lo, I come quickly. He that is in the midst of thee is mighty. I shall not suffer thy foot to be moved, for My people shall not be ashamed, for I am their King.

"The way has been weary and long, but My presence rising from within you in its fullness shall be of such great worth that you shall count as the small dust of the balances, those strong trials and testings that you have endured.

"In them all, you have not been ashamed of Me and I have not been ashamed to call you My brethren, for so you are when you do My will. Yea, you are of they who know your God and have proven Him in the fires. Is He not a consuming fire? Has He not delighted to consume all that was not of Him in your life? Yea, and He rejoices over that which remains of Himself, as pure gold tried in the fire.

"Bless your God, My people, for I have mighty hid treasures for those who long for My appearing. Wait, I say, upon the Lord."

CHAPTER 9 — VICTORY AT LAST!

Our titles were returned to us around the end of July, much to our great joy. Now we could put the land up for sale, for we had large development expenses that must be paid for by fall. (In all, the expenses amounted to $100,000, so you can see that this was no small thing that the Lord had asked us to do). It was already quite late in the season for selling land for people to build on, but we were trusting that the Lord would overrule on our behalf.

We gave some listings to a cousin in Calgary who said he’d share them with their Red Deer Branch. The Lord used one young realtor in Red Deer to bring us seven cash sales within just a few days. It happened so quickly that we could hardly believe it! It reminded us of the Lord working in the night for our deliverance as He did for the children of Israel by the Red Sea. There hadn’t even been time to put an ad in the paper!

The salesman contacted just one builder, and he and his father-in- law bought the lots to build on immediately. The best thing that can happen in a new development is to have someone start building right away. That gives others confidence to move there.

The sales from these seven parcels of land gave us enough to pay off everything except our bank loan for the power, but we had enough to make the payments six months in advance. We would like to have sold more than seven, but the Lord seemed to indicate that we had possessed a certain amount of our inheritance and now it was time to come up higher before any more parcels would be sold. This is the way it has been too, as no more land has sold this year and the spirit has been exhorting us to press in more fervently to possess our spiritual inheritance.

A confirmation of this came through Betty Rawson of Oklahoma. She said, "The Lord quickens me to say to you to ‘press into the Tree of Life that is in the midst of the Paradise of God’ even as the woman with the issue of blood pressed forward through the press to Jesus who was and is the Tree of Life, and partook of Him. You will partake of the fruit and be benefited."

The Lord truly did prove Himself that He would not let us be ashamed, for we were able to pay off our major debts before the agreed date, and we rejoice in His faithfulness.

Our biggest fear of owing money would be to have people constantly asking for it when we didn’t have it. But we were spared that humiliation, for the surveyor had agreed to give us one year interest-free, to pay our bill. And the road builder finished the road in the fall and didn’t even send us a bill until we requested one in the spring. His reason was: "I did not want to worry you before you had a chance to sell some lots." Wasn’t that just like the Lord! The sale of the seven lots was sufficient to pay the surveyor, the road builder, six months ahead on the bank loan, and the down payment on our new mobile home, which we had enjoyed for a year with no down payment! Wow! If anyone tries to tell us we have to give up too much to serve the Lord, we would laugh in his face, for it is just the opposite — to say nothing of the thrill and joy we get from walking with Him and experiencing life in the spirit. Nothing on earth can compare with it!

We have proven since that first sale that every sale that is made is ordered of the Lord and has no bearing on the season, interest rates, or any natural thing. It has everything to do with the state of heart and our yieldedness to His dealings. At one time we had done a lot of advertising (in vain) and were really in need of a sale, but it was already December and no one is buying land in that cold month. We were being dealt with mightily by the Spirit concerning the things of the inner man, and about ten minutes after we yielded that which the Holy Spirit was after, the phone rang and someone wanted a lot. They paid cash on the spot.

We have learned to acknowledge that He is in charge of our affairs and He doeth what seemeth good in His sight. He is always right and on time, even if we sometimes fear He will not be.

CHAPTER 10 — SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

We sold three lots in our subdivision to a company who wanted to move in some older homes. Our Restrictive Covenant says that only new homes are allowed, but we told them that if they were willing to put in full basements and new siding on the outside so that they looked good, they might get the approval of the municipality to move them on to the land. A nicely finished older home could be preferable to a mobile home. They applied for approval on that basis, and received it.

One older home was moved in and sat on a portion of the road waiting for spring development to begin. When it began, the builder cleared out many more trees than were necessary, and leveled a spot for the house. Instead of putting in a full foundation, he set up a shallow footing only a few inches deep that a cat could knock over. The footing was to be poured on the soft topsoil, which would shift and cause the house to eventually lean over or fall down. No attempt was made to dig deeply to reach hard clay, which would provide a firm foundation for the building. No full basement seemed to be forthcoming as had been promised.

The local residents were appalled at the shoddy workmanship and started to protest loudly, resulting in the municipality refusing the developer permission to develop the lots. They then had plans drawn up by an architect to show how nice the houses would look when they were finished. The people were having none of it. They felt that if they didn’t make the foundation right, they wouldn’t do anything else right!

We found ourselves in the middle of the "fire". We felt obligated to the developers, and sympathetic toward the landowners. Finally, we spent time with the Lord to find out what was the right thing to do in this matter.

After some time in prayer, I heard these words in my spirit, "The Philistines are coming! The Philistines are coming!" We knew the Philistines were the enemies of Israel, as Delilah had cried out these words to Samson in the time of the Judges. The next word I heard was, "I forbade the madness of the prophet." This is found in 2 Peter 2:16, "Cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Boser, who loved the wages of unrighteousness: But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbade the madness of the prophet."

The plot thickened! What, exactly, was the Lord trying to tell us? The angel of the Lord, through the voice of the ass, had indeed withstood Balaam as he was on his way to curse the people of God. As we waited before the Lord, He clarified the message He desired to give us. Keep in mind that the Lord has always spoken to us of this land as "possessing our inheritance", and has taught us many spiritual lessons through it.

The Lord reminded us of the old church house that had been sitting right in the middle of the area that was designated to be the road into the land development. When the Lord made a way for us to use this land, a big machine had come and pushed the house (now used as a chicken house!) right off the road. He had spoken to us of Babylon being removed from standing in the way to our entering in to the ‘Promised Land’ or the ‘Kingdom of God’.

The Lord began to deal with us about the charismatic groups having all the outward evidence of the Spirit and claiming to be led of the Spirit and possessing their inheritance as true sons, yet it is like the old house given a new outer facing. The foundation is the same, even old Babylon. They have not been renewed from within, but are trying to build on the old structure, which can have no place in the kingdom of God. The Spirit gave us a further word of prophecy:

"There are those who are not willing to pay the price to enter into their spiritual inheritance. They are not willing to pay the full price of death to the self nature, by casting aside all the surface earth and digging deeply until they have reached a sure foundation, even the stability of the leading and guiding of My Spirit in their lives.

"They would build their shallow foundations upon the shifting sands of this world’s system so that their house could not stand secure. Yet, they would boast that they have possessed My Promised Land because they have the foretaste of My Spirit with its gifts and graces. You shall understand and discern all such, for it shall only be those who are willing to pay the price to dig deeply who shall possess the land. For My good promises shall not be established upon that which is earthly, even man’s ways and man’s wisdom and righteousness, but it shall be established by My Spirit alone unto those who are willing to surrender all to Me in the death of the old nature.

"Have nothing to do with these Philistines who have set themselves to take a spoil, but stand for what I have shown thee as that which is established in righteousness and truth. Make no way for the adversary but stand firmly against his uncircumcised ways."

 

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