2/ Omaha, Nebraska… A supporter and intercessor emailed me about a dream she had: Kathy and I were on our way to Omaha when we stopped by her house in Colorado. I had been praying for the Lord to give me a sign of where I should preach. This surely had to be it! I made a few phone calls to pastors in the Omaha area. One pastor scheduled me for a Friday, Saturday, Sunday series in August. I was so excited! I felt this must be the beginning of the Lord releasing me again to a busy schedule of miracle and salvation crusades. It was a church in a denomination that I had very rarely ministered in, so I felt this was an open door that my intercessors and I had been praying for. I was full of joy, hope, and expectation! My airfare, motel, rental car, gas, food, and parking for my car at the airport were going to cost well in excess of a thousand dollars (as many crusades do!). A week or so before the crusade, I contacted the pastor to make sure all was still in order for me to come. He, without any word of explanation as to why, cancelled the meeting! I hung up the phone, so discouraged. I had put so much stock into this series of meetings, expecting many breakthroughs. Now, it was but a dead end. What could I do? All I could do was practice what I preach and keep praising the Lord and trusting this was all “working together for good.” A few days later, my friend, confidant, and faithful supporter, Pastor Corey Lovers (Acton, California, River of Life Foursquare Church), called and said that he and his wife wanted to ask me to speak at their church the very Sunday I was scheduled to be in Omaha! Instead of a very costly, involving trip, I simply drove an hour or so to his church. We had a good meeting, and I came home with a very generous love offering. A dream about me going to Omaha seemed like a sure sign, but it proved not to be. A “sign” that I should take a creatinine supplement also proved not to be. In retrospect, I should have paid closer attention to Paul’s word,“in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Cor. 13:1). I still believe strongly in signs, as they are given so often in the Word. But, I now believe that the Lord was protecting me from an even more costly future mistake by teaching me the hard way NOT to make big decisions with only one sign! Please keep this in mind with your decisions, especially since 2 Thess. 2:9 warns that in the last days there will be satanic“signs of lying wonders.” Don’t let the devil hone his skills on you as he tried to do with me! God is training us to be led by the Spirit, with or without signs!

A More Sure Word of Prophecy  by Dea Warford
In our May newsletter, I shared about the inspiration I received from observing Venus, the morning star, in my early morning devotions. The past few months, I believe the Lord has shown me other exciting things we can learn from that planet and Peter’s teaching about it in 2 Peter 1:19-21 KJV…

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy”

Peter had just witnessed Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus when He was transformed on the mountain. He, James, and John also heard a voice from heaven saying,“This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” A vision of Jesus transformed? Two dead prophets? The voice of God speaking from heaven? Weighty indeed! Yet Peter said that “we have…a more sure word of prophecy.”

The Word of God is a more sure (dependable, reliable) source of prophetic revelation than even a vision, dream, appearance of angels, visitors from heaven, a voice from heaven, or even any other SIGN (like creatinine or Omaha signs!).“Prophecy” means it happened or will happen if it is recorded in the Bible. All teachings, prophecies, or dreams and visions related by Christians, even those interviewed on “Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural,” must always be judged by what the Word says!

“Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place”

Look at the picture again on the 1^st page. The moon is shown in its crescent stage. When I see the moon, I’m reminded that in Psalm 89:36, it is called “the faithful witness in the sky.” Then I’ll often sing the song, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Since its creation, the moon has faithfully orbited the earth, shining in all its glory through darkness, bearing witness to the truth that God never changes. He is always faithful!

In my photograph, the planet Venus appears at the lower right of the moon as the brightest “star” in the sky. It’s just a dark, cold, lifeless planet. But when the sun shines on it, it becomes gloriously bright. I’ll meditate on how Jesus said, “without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Oh, how I have tried “doing it” on my own. God has had to humble me. I now know that I will only reflect the Isaiah 55:5 glory He has promised me (through many signs) as I let Him shine on me and reflect His glory that others might see His power, NOT mine!

“until the day dawn”

You can’t hurry the dawn. Whether patiently or impatiently, you can only wait in anticipation. Your destiny will not happen until God’s own timing.“He has made everything beautiful in its (other translations say “His”) time.” Any signs or promises you are standing on cannot be rushed, but they can be slowed down! Wait on Him humbly, repentantly, and faithfully. My time is coming. Your time is also! “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.” (Mal. 4:2). For years, I claimed that promise, putting the emphasis on“with healing in his wings.” But one day I realized that my emphasis was on the wrong thing. The most important thing is not that healing power is coming to the church. We first must let righteousness rise in our hearts. His power is rising, not in our hands, but in our hearts! That is a work God has been focusing on in my walk with Him. Is He doing that in you also? He is, according to Romans 8:29! And if we allow Him to conform us to the image of Christ, one day soon…

“and the day star (will) arise in your hearts”

The “day star” is “the morning star” (other translations use that terminology). Satan was called “the morning star” (Isa. 14:12 NEB). But he lost that high, bright position and will one day be cast down to the Earth (Rev. 12:9). Yet, to the “overcomer” Jesus will give “the morning star” (Rev. 2:28). Satan’s lost glory can be ours for the short season of the final harvest. Then, Jesus alone will carry the title “morning star” (Rev. 22:16) throughout eternity!

“knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”

This is considered one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to interpret. Nevertheless, as one who was saved by a preacher sharing the Word of God with me; as one who has had many prophetic words spoken over me; as one who has received “signs;” and who has used the gift of prophecy in his own ministry many times, this is my judgment of what the Lord is saying to us all…   We must approach the Word, the gifts of the Spirit, signs, and any and all prophetic manifestations humbly dependent upon the Holy Spirit’s assistance!

 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man”

Sincerity, zeal, and “stepping out in faith” can never take the place of Spirit-inspired words. Many “full gospel” churches have neglected the gift of prophecy because the “will of man” was so obviously involved in public and private “words.” (Unlike the Old Testament prophets, who were imprisoned, or martyred because they dared to suppress their human will (and natural desire for self-preservation!) and prophesy hard words, even when they knew they would not be well-received!). These were the…

“but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Further proof of the absolute necessity in the last day move of God that those who would be used of Him are “holy” and the “sun of righteousness” has risen on them BEFORE the healing power manifests!

Don’t let your emotions or zeal “move” you to speak, witness, preach, or prophesy. Be “moved by the Holy Ghost.” I like how the NET translation phrases this:

“men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke”

Learn to let the Holy Spirit “carry you along” to places and people to whom you will speak like a prophet! Notice also in the picture from my window that there are bright street signs obstructing the view. Life’s circumstances here below will be used by Satan to try to drown out the joy and power that God plans to bring on you and me! Look up! Look above! His signs require more faith and patience than waiting at a red light. But they are carrying us along to our destiny.

One more thing: the lower right corner of the picture shows a building.  It is a “Pain Management Center.” Is it a coincidence that the Lord gave us a town home where we see a parade of people in pain, with walkers or in wheelchairs, seeking relief? No, it’s a sign, like the moon and Venus, of the ministry to which God has called Kathy, me, and Nathan.

Nathan’s Report from Tokyo…

Thank you for your prayers and support! Since returning from the States last month, I have seen an increased level of favor, connections, and breakthroughs with not only new individuals but also with those whom I am already discipling! Recently, a young man who has been attending church accepted Jesus! I was able to talk with him and encourage him, and I will continue to meet with him to help him grow in his journey with Christ.  He is so hungry and knows God healed him from a serious disease, so he knew afterward that he must give his life to Christ! 

Additionally, a woman who has been coming to our church frequently is hungry and asking more questions.  Her friends and family make fun of her for spending time with us, whom they deem strange or untrustworthy, but she continues to come.  Even her husband admits that the change he sees in her is undeniable, so he will drive her to our Bible study even though he isn’t a Christian yet! She is so very close to accepting Jesus and desirous of the truth! Pray for her! Her name is Eileen.

My disciples Sho and Hiro are growing in God, with Hiro feeling the call to greater ministry and service in the church, but until he can step more fully into ministry as a pastor or leader. I have been teaching him scriptural truths and encouraging him in evangelism and prayer.      Sho, who has felt lost in his identity, struggles with understanding the grace and love of God as a Father.  Recently God gave me an incredible opportunity to share the Gospel of Grace in a way in which he understood, using (of all things), “Purified water” as an analogy! Jesus is the Living Water! 

Evangelism and Discipleship have felt faster, easier, and more powerful in the past few weeks, and I know a big part of that is your prayers helping me sow into this harvest field. Truly, the season of harvest is slowly rising in “The Land of the Rising Sun.” We need more Japanese who understand and rise to the level of their call to be evangelists, pastors, and leaders in Japan!  Soon, I leave for the city of Osaka for a gathering of Youth with a Mission missionaries from all over Japan.

Watch Nathan give his 8 minute testimony given in Bellflower, CA by going to the following link:
https://youtu.be/RjCVVur5mhI

Below…Nathan on the beach in Tokyo with Mt. Fuji in the distant sunset!