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Fishing Trip Report

We got back from our vacation fishing trip last night. Being 1800 emails behind, I should let you know that if I don't get to answer your email, please don't take it personally. I am at the point where it is impossible to even look at every email, much less answer it. I do go through them to separate the orders. However, if you request something in the course of an email without letting me know on the byline that it contains an order, it may be missed.

Before I left, I wrote that this fishing trip was to "Dinartown" and involved fish and barley. In other words, it was a pattern from John 6, where Jesus fed the 5,000 by multiplying fish and barley after Philip stated in verse 7 that 200 dinars (dinarii) would not be enough to feed such a crowd. We actually drove north into Canada to Denare Beach about 600 miles north of Winnipeg to do our fishing. "Denare" was named many years ago by combining the first two letters of each word in Department of Natural Resources. Hence, De-Na-Re. To us, it was Dinar Beach.

We did not get much further revelation on this. Obviously, since there were daily limits, we were unable to multiply fish by rod and reel, though we did catch our fair share. Dave Barley got the most fish, of course. With a name like that, it was his destiny. But I got a 38-1/2 inch northern pike, which was the largest of the week. In netting that fish, it actually broke through the net, which made it more interesting. It reminded me of the 38-1/2 years that Israel spent in the wilderness after the 12 spies had given their report. Deut. 2:14 speaks of that time as 38 years, but it was actually 38-1/2 years, because the spies gave their report on the Day of Atonement (September), and Israel crossed the Jordan at Passover (April).

That generation of Israelites was also represented in the New Testament by the sick man in John 5:5. He had been sick for 38 years before being healed by Jesus. Prophetically speaking, he represented Israel as a whole, but there are other applications of the prophecy, due to repeating history.

First, there was Israel's 40 years in the wilderness in the Age of Passover, of which 38-1/2 years was an extension due to their lack of faith when the 12 spies gave their report.

Second, there was the 40 years from 30-33 until 70-73 A.D. ending with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 and the fall of Masada in 73 (both events occurring on Passovers).

Third, there is the 40 Sabbath years from 33 until 313, ending with the Edict of Milan. This put an end to the Roman persecution of the Church.

Fourth, there was the 40 Jubilees of the New Covenant Church in the wilderness from 33-1993 A.D.

In each "40," the number 38-1/2 is part of the overall picture, indicating the infirmity or sickness of the people, their lack of faith, and their inability to enter the Kingdom. The good news is that at the end of that 38-1/2 years, God brought them into the Promised Land.

So in catching a fish of this particular size, I was reminded that we are close to our entry into the full Promise in our own time. Further, the fact that the fish broke the net related the event to Luke 5:4, near the beginning of Christ's earthly ministry. He told Simon to cast the net in the deep water, and he caught so many fish that the nets broke. Jesus then turned him from a fisherman into a fisher of men.

It was only after Christ's resurrection that the same scene repeated, but this time without breaking the net (John 21:11).

Catching the large fish last week made me realize that we were at the end of the wilderness and ready to receive the promise. At the start of my ministry in 1991, it was revealed that this was a "new net of prayer," one that would be able to hold the 153 large fish without breaking. The interNET was launched in August of 1991 as well, and little did we know how large a role the internet would play in the dissemination of this Gospel of the Kingdom.

Knowing that we went fishing according to the pattern of John 6, it is plain that the 38-1/2 fish is to be seen as the END of the time period. It is a time of multiplication in terms of being fishers of men (i.e., Kingdom work). At the same time, however, it is a reminder and a warning to be prepared and strengthened by the Spirit, so that our "net" does not break.

While driving home, we stopped to eat at Simonson's restaurant. We took note that it indicated Son of Simon, and that it was Simon Peter who had cast out the net in Luke 5 and also in John 21. The name "Simon" is important, because it means HEARING. It is in hearing God's voice that we are led by the Spirit to do this "fishing" work to populate the Kingdom.

Another interesting event occurred on the return trip, which was like a repeat of what happened 10 years ago when we went fishing at Denare Beach. On our way home, early Sunday morning, September 2, 2001, my car's timing chain broke, and we had to leave it sitting dead by the side of the road. It happened near Grand Forks, ND on Interstate 29. This year, one of the fishing boat trailers blew a tire near Grand Forks.

Ten years ago we saw this as a "timing" issue. Thirty years ago there was revelation that "September 2 America begins to die." Since my car "died" on September 2, 2001, I saw it as an ominous sign of what would soon be coming to America. Of course, on the tenth day inclusive from that day was the Twin Towers demolition on 9-11.

So now in 2011 we again went fishing at Denare Beach and again had a problem on the highway near Grand Forks. Perhaps we are again at a "fork" in the road, ready for "departure" (#29). Will we see something manifest on 9-11 of this year? Maybe. Since "July is like September," our main watch dates this year are July 6, 15, and 22. So we can add Sept. 11 to the list of watch dates. I do suspect that we have again come to a pivotal time in history, and we ought to be watchful and ready.

We spent the night in Fargo, rather than drive straight through (as we did in 2001). The next day was Sunday, and when we stopped at a rest area, we decided that we needed to have lunch at the next exit. Ron immediately prayed that the Father would lead us to the exact restaurant that was in His perfect will. Well, the next exit happened to be Exit 153, and we dined well at Joseph's Restaurant. "Come and dine" (John 21:12).

That seemed to be the final sign of the fishing trip. Perhaps we could view this as the goal. It is to eat at the Christ's Table in His second work as Joseph.