Dear Lynn,

I much appreciate your proposed letter. I also think that it should include Tony Lima’s name. He was our FM director for South America and rapidly mobilizing missionaries for the Omega Zones. He already had 150 signed up to help with this. His death is a major blow that will require many decisions and miracles for our continued initiative in this area.

On the morning that Tony died I was reading in Ezekiel. In Chapter 21, verses 9 to 17 grabbed me. You can see there that there was a sword, polished, sharpened and ready to make a dreadful slaughter. In the light of the recent events of armed robbery and grave danger in our home I was immediately aware that this sword was aimed at all of the princes of Israel (v. 12) and that it would like to slay the great men and go into their private chambers (v. 14).

That morning I was curiously disturbed and moved by the passage and prayed for our leaders, while also thanking God for sparing our lives.

That night Tony died.

In my mourning I was drawn back to this passage to get more light. This is for testing (v. 13) and for the melting of hearts (v. 15). The sword despises the scepter of God’s son, a characteristic of the devil (v. 10).

In the passage this sword has power because of the sin of Israel. In my own wrestling with God I felt that our situation is somewhat different from Israel at that time. I think that we’re somewhere between this situation in Ezekiel and the situation of Job. Job wasn’t practicing any sin, but came to a time of testing designed for his further transformation and as preparation for his riches and responsibilities to be doubled. It was carried out by the devil, but at God’s instigation.

I believe that there are serious sins hidden in our midst around the world. Hearts should melt and repentance should come in this time of testing.

However, in the understanding that I’m trying to glean from our testing I believe that this is not only a warning or discipline for sin. It is also something very positive. I believe that God is using the devil to prepare us for a doubling, at least, of our resources and responsibilities around the world.

I believe that Lynn’s letter captures these two factors of judgment and transformation.

I’m not in any way fatalistic, and believe that Tom Bloomer’s word on binding the strong man is very important. It’s interesting to me that Tony was the leader and visionary of the big outreach in Fortaleza where we had the binding prayer years ago.

May we know how to respond to God at this time.

In Him,

Jim