Communities of Like-Minded Believers - Is It Possible?

Our younger son and family are in Australia – what a sad event for us! But they are safe and well-rested and looking for a house and vehicle and all the things that put together life in a new environment. We went right up to spend some time with our older son and family in Idaho – what soothing balm they were for us, excited, ‘I’m so glad you’re here, I love you so much” grandchildren to help ease the heartache of missing other loved ones.


I am including a portion of a “prophetic word” given by Sarah Menet, the woman who prophesied the 911 disaster, because I believe this word ties into the need for gathering together that some are beginning to feel compelled toward.  (We do not know this woman nor have we researched her previous prophetic messages - we are including this portion only for it's revelance to our subject.)

“As I looked upon this scene of chaos, smoke and destruction I noticed that there were small pockets of light scattered over the United States. There were, I would guess, about twenty or thirty of them that I saw. I noticed that most of the locations of light were in the western part of the United States, with only three or four of them being in the east. These places of light seemed to shine brightly through the darkness and were such a contrast to the rest of the scene that they caught my attention. I focused on them for a moment and asked, 'What are these things?'

“I was then able to see that these points of light were people who had gathered together and were kneeling in prayer. The light was actually coming from the people, and I understood that the light was showing forth their goodness and love. I further understood that they gathered together for safety and that, contrary to what I had witnessed everywhere, they cared more for each other than for themselves. Some of the groups were small with only a hundred people or so, but other groups consisted of what seemed to be thousands.

I realized that many, if not all, of these places of light, or cities of light as I began to think of them, had somehow been established just before the biological attack, and that they were very organized. It was as if they had known what was coming and had prepared for it. I did not see who or what had organized them, but I did see many people struggling to reach them with nothing but what they could carry.

The cities of light had food that others outside of those groups did not have, and within the cities of light food was readily shared with those who joined their groups. In these places there was peace and safety. The inhabitants were living in tents of all kinds, many of which were no more than blankets held up by poles. I noticed that the gangs made no threats on these groups and left them completely alone, choosing to pick on other targets and unprotected people, as many of the people in those cities had guns that they would use for self-defense. The gangs also preyed upon the people who were traveling, trying to reach the cities of light.

As I looked upon them, I realized that these cities of light were temporary and that in a short time the people living within them would go to another place. I do not know where they were to go but seemed to think that they gathered in the mountains, to higher places." (Sarah Menet)

We stumbled upon a piece of property last week when we were in Idaho visiting our kids that would make a great place for like-minded people to gather together and live in community. It’s in a short-sale situation right now and possibly could be picked up for less than the listed price. Seven families going together on this purchase would be an investment of $50,000 (on the high side) per family. Here’s the link for anyone that may be interested: http://www.flexmls.com/link.html?rnmpbq5pdwp,7,1

This link will no longer be available after 12/16/2010

DISCLAIMER: As we have said in previous postings YHVH is going to gather His kids from the four corners of the earth – He is going to do it, He just asks us to walk with Him, hearing His voice and obeying His instructions. Is preparation part of His instructions? We believe yes. Is gathering together part of His instructions? We believe yes. Is the entire world going to be judged? We believe yes. Is there any “safe” place? We believe the only safe place is dwelling in the shelter of the Most High, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty.  Is Israel still the center of YHVH'S activities and where His children will be gathered?  Yes, Israel is the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by YHVH - it is the place of the promised inheritance.

Several items have come to our attention lately, one being that Idaho is ranked in the top of the list for best all-round places to be for the now and up-coming cataclysmic events befalling the US and the world. Another is an article relating how to approach and look for potential community members – you solicit people for the assets they can bring to your situation, in other words you look for people that fill needs that you have, whether that need be a medical person or a plumber. Another is the prophecy that I posted a portion of at the beginning of this blog. (And not to mention our governments shenanigans.)

A new thought came to me the other day when a friend mentioned how people need to know how to do things that will make them more self-sufficient. What about using the cell-church concept? A community is begun that has people knowledgeable in carpentry skills (including plumbing, electrical etc), gardening skills and food preservation, animal husbandry (goats, sheep, chickens, etc), clothing manufacture, hunting, mechanical, and medical / dental. This is your core group. From this core group you grow until you have enough people/families with the needed skill sets to divide and create another community and so on and so forth. To keep the communities on the smaller side – say 30 to even a 100 would help the dynamics stay more intimate and manageable.

Now, let’s talk about the ‘M’ word, money. Let’s face it, right now almost everything that we do requires money, even to drive to fellowship gatherings requires money to put fuel in the vehicle to get there, so it is unrealistic to think that a community can be started or supported without money.

Say you want to be part of a community you have skills, but no money. A couple of options: you seek to join a community that is up and running and has developed a community income source where you can use your skill set in exchange for money or you can engage in conversation with a planning phase community that has interested parties who have money above and beyond the determined family share and will agree to act as a “bank” and meet your share until such a time as the community develops an income source where a share of your portion will go to paying back your “loan”. Don’t be afraid to think creatively and find other options for making community-life a reality for you. We need to realize that all these transactions need to be conducted in a professional, business manner based on Torah principles. Yashua said He did not entrust Himself to any man for He knew the heart of man, but He left us with the command, “the world will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another.” When we think that everyone will just do the right thing because after-all we are Torah pursuant – we are falling into the trap of entrusting ourselves to fallen man and not abiding in the arms of YHVH. When we entrust ourselves to others and they disappoint our expectations in some way as they inevitably will, we most often find ourselves in the place of bearing resentment, anger, hate, frustration etc., and it’s hard to be obedient to Yashua’s command in that condition – hence the need for clarity and specifics.

It just seems like it is “gathering together” time. What would keep you from gathering together? My personal opinion is, it’s the Home Depot store motto; Do It Yourself. We all have our ideas, we want it to happen according to our ideas. The trouble with that is everyone has their ideas and I’m sure my ideas are better than your ideas and so we stay single and isolated or we end up fighting when we try it. A single stick is easily broken, scripture says, but a bundle of sticks is not easily broken. Which one are you?

We have come to the firm conclusion over the course of many experiments that a multiple owner, community trust of property ownership is best. It keeps people engaged in finding solutions to difficulties – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. Like marriage, you made a commitment not easily walked away from.

Multiple communities forming are the multiple points of light described in the above “prophecy.” Are we willing to give up our agendas for HIS plan. Choices are being stripped from us daily; make your choice while there is still time to act. We encourage you to become community minded today!

I haven’t talked about the prayer and worship aspect of forming and being a part of a community, they are paramount and will also be discussed in another posting.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

S & S

The Last Wave

November 11, 2010

Oswald Chamber’s devotional My Utmost for His Highest has been a source of counsel, wisdom, and insight for us over the years. It is uncanny how often it seems that just what we needed for the situation of the present moment is found on the page of that day’s reading. It was once again true of November 11: “If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential order of God for you is a hard time of difficulty, go through with it, but never choose the scene of your own martyrdom. …If you are not living in touch with Him, it is easy to pass a crude verdict on God. You must go through the crucible before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because in the crucible you learn to know God better. God is working for His highest ends until His purpose and man’s purpose become one.”

11p.m. Wednesday evening our younger son and his wife and two young children boarded an airplane for Australia, not just to visit, but to take up residence. This was a bitter cup for us to drink. Last year when I was so sick in Israel, my heavenly Abba came to me in a moment of sweetness and whispered, “Your life is a parable, do you understand that?” There were some things I immediately understood of my life by looking through that lens, but mostly the understanding that has come is to drink what’s in the cup in communion with Him, and generally drinking the cup is difficult. They announced to us months ago that they were planning on relocating to Australia, we knew this time was coming, but how can you think about something like that? Then the shipping company showed up Monday morning and by Tuesday evening the container was packed and on its way to the port and the ship that would carry their household goods so far away. Our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter was dancing through the house squealing with glee over the prospects of “camping” again, as pillows were arranged on the floor for her makeshift bed and mommy and daddy moved their air mattress into her room. She patted the pillows and said, “here grandma, you sleep here by me.” And I, knowing that this was the last night I would read her a story and say prayers with her and tuck her in bed and lay my head next to hers, my sadness I swallowed in the presence of her innocent joy. Her 6 month old little brother wakes from his nap and I go to take him from his bed and when he sees me his eyes light up like diamonds and that big, toothless grin splits his face, how can I bear not to see that look of recognition again? Oh, this cup is bitter!

Every mother who raises a son dreams of the girl her son will marry. My son’s wife has become like my own daughter, as we pack the bags that will go on the plane with them how can I bear this separation? We walk through the airport together, our arms around each other, tears streaming down our faces, you’re the daughter-in-law every mother dreams about, I say to her as I kiss her cheek.

Our son, so tall and strong and handsome is wiping his eyes as his dad blesses him. They’ve spent countless hours together, working, talking, sharing dreams, how can I bear not to see them together, to watch our son cuddle his son to sleep or toss his daughter over his shoulder and hear her squeals of pure enjoyment as she calls out, “gain daddy, gain.”

We’ve let each other go as they have a plane to catch, we’ve waited and embraced each other as long as we possibly dare, the last whiff of baby’s breath has been caught and the last press of small hands has been grasped and then they are no longer in our reach, the security people have them. “What’s the matta,” the little girl asks, concern in her voice as she sees her mother’s tear-stained face. “Mommy’s sad,” her mother answers, but the little girl is too excited about the plane ride to spend more than a few seconds on everyone’s sad, tear-stained faces. “Come here,” daddy calls as he lifts the carry-on bags onto the conveyor belt and then strips himself of belt and coins and watch and every other item that may set off the screening device. Shoes come off, the computer is out of the bag, baby is in mommy’s arms, and the little girl runs ahead, it’s such a grand adventure. We blow kisses and wave hands at each other until we can’t see them anymore and still Steve and I stand just behind the security fence waiting, hoping for just one more glimpse and yes, there it is the last wave. Our son, on the other side, through the crowd sees us and we see him and he lifts his hand high in the air – a final salute, we lift ours back to him, a moment, our eyes lock, we see his face is set, then he turns and he is gone. In that moment I think, is this anything like what YHVH feels as he watches us walk through the gate of time wondering will they come back, will they remember me, when will I see them again? Does His heart break, is this a bitter cup for Him to drink?

“Your life is a parable.” The cup is bitter, but He is drinking it with us and that is how we get through the difficult times. And the end of the story is… the prodigal comes home. We are all prodigals, we have all left home. And The Father is waiting and watching for the return of His beloved children. He never stops waiting, He never stops watching. He has the ring and the new clothes and a party is ready – waiting, just for you.

Because of Him,

Shirley & Steve