Many churches gather together to pray for Kenosha.
A building in ruins after a night of riots in Kenosha.
Where to begin? This summer was certainly not how I envisioned it. With COVID hitting and all that I originally had on my summer agenda cancelled, I didn’t think I would have much to write about in this update, other than to tell people that the actual COVID virus hit our home and our extended family hard. However, there is so much to write I can barely get my head around it. COVID hitting our home seems like it was a lifetime ago lost somewhere in the fog of so much that has happened since. Like I said, I barely know where to begin. We could start with the senseless killing of George Floyd, and the rioting that ensued plunging our country down a dark road where it seemed like there was no return. But what made this really hit home for me is the shooting of Jacob Blake and the rioting, burning, and other senseless shootings in Kenosha. It is difficult to watch your own city burn...to watch it be torn apart. It’s different, your understanding changes when it’s your own backyard. Kenosha is in turmoil, at times it looks like evil wins the day. But to really give better understanding to this story, I need to take you farther back. Back to November 10, 2019, that’s really where I feel like this story begins. On November 10th (my son David’s birthday) the Lord gave me a Word:
Oh, My people be prepared. The wrath of God is coming. I feel God is saying there is a shift in the heavens. A new season is upon us. (It’s like I felt this block slide into perfect place), that scales have become so unbalanced. Sin has piled up so much that the wrath of God is being unleashed on our nation. For those of us who have been set free, be prepared for the work is just beginning. The season of rescue has begun. God wants to heal you so you can help to heal others. Be prepared to pour yourself out.
Firefighters putting out fires after a night of rioting in Kenosha.
At the time I did not feel the full gravity of these words, not until COVID was in full swing and we were locked down in our homes. I was praying and felt the Lord say, “Go back and look at the Word I gave you.” When the Word first came in November, I was focused on the second half and praying for people to be set free so they could minister to others. The first half of the word just seemed to melt away from my mind and be lost until God had me recall it, and I began to feel the weight of the words.
Then on May 20th the Lord gave me a second Word:
Sound the alarm, Man the walls the enemy is at the gate! The fog is lifting. The siege ramps are rolling into place. The battle is just beginning. There is nothing you can do to stop it. It will come like a flood and overcome everything. It is a sea of destruction covering all. Some say, “See the enemy has gone and all is good! Let us eat drink and be merry for a new day has dawned.” Can’t they see the enemies camped just over the hill waiting to attack.
You repulsed an attack that was only designed to test your strength and resolve and to show your weakness. And yet You say, “We have won the war!” You are dancing in the street and you do not see the lion waiting to pounce.
I will destroy what you have built says the Lord. You are a prideful and foolish people. I will tear down your idols and destroy your shrines. Repent and return to me says the Lord and I will hold My hand from destroying you. Tear down your idols, heed my commands and I will bless you says the Lord.
Shortly after that on May 25th, George Floyd was killed and it seemed that hell was beginning to be unleashed in our country. Rioting erupted all across the country and we began to spin out of control.
Pray For Kenosha
Church leaders from all over Kenosha gather in unity to pray for the city.
Then on Sunday, Aug 23rd, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha Police officer and things started spiraling out of control again. As my city burned, God began speaking to me again. On Wednesday the 26th, we met as Allies, (senior pastors of Kenosha) to pray together for the first time not involving zoom since we had mandatory lock down from COVID in March. As we were praying, I began to have the feeling that God was saying I needed to bring the church together in unity now, and that if this didn’t happen, all of the ministry of the last 12 years would be wasted and all that I have done a failure, that things were on the precipice and the window of opportunity was very small. I shared this with the 13 pastors there and it was decided that we would meet as the Church the following day to pray for our city as “The Church”. We met at 5:00 pm at the lakefront about a mile from where most of the civil unrest was taking place, and cried out to the Lord for our city. The newspaper said there were 1000 people there, my estimates were 500. It was a great start but there is still a long way to go.
At the event, I was sharing another Word that the Lord gave me to a fellow pastor about the Church and he replied that he felt very strongly that that was from the Lord and it needs to go out. So we put it together in video form and sent it out through facebook, here it is so you can hear it and weigh it against God's Word for yourself.
Even though terrible things are happening, we know that God is in control and that He will win this battle. The scriptures tell us in Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. So please no matter where you land in the argument, don’t hate the other side. God created them in His image and loves them dearly just like He loves you. Pray for them, love them and pray against the spiritual forces of Hate and Fear which seem to be driving this chaos across our country. Right now I suggest that you just stay away from facebook and not fuel the fire, but just spend your time praying for our country instead. Then we will begin to see positive change in this country.
Feeding Africa
Things are continuing to Progress with the “Feeding Africa” program that God has so strategically placed in our laps. We continue to bring hope to Kenya as we provide water and food for two meals a day to 1000 people. As of September 12th, we have been able to help with approximately 232,960 meals. The needs for Feeding Africa continue as the families we support continue to struggle with the effects of COVID on their community and on their families. We are asking people to consider sponsoring an individual or a family, approximately $7 per person or around $50 per family provides food and water needs for an entire month! If you are not familiar with our Feeding Africa Program click here to check out our other posts and videos on our Kingdom Partners Global web page.
Grandson Paul Lando Johnson
Family Update
On the family front, we are all well after having had COVID 19. It was a very long 3 weeks and we are thankful that we have come out on the other side. Tammy was hit very hard, and thankfully she didn’t get the respiratory symptoms. Our home was declared a natural disaster, and we are slowly getting it back to normal. The great part was that friends and neighbors made sure that we had plenty of food to eat. There was even someone we did not know who left groceries on our porch. Thank You, Jesus, that the only residual effects seem to be with our daughter Kellie, who still does not have her sense of smell back. (With two kids in diapers, that may be a blessing!) Otherwise, we all seem to be doing well. Kellie and her husband David welcomed their second child, Paul, into the world on September 2nd. We are thrilled, and Tammy can’t get enough baby snuggles.
Tammy will be homeschooling all three of the kids this year as the online schooling which happened when lockdown occurred was not optimal for our family and presented many challenges for our kids. Please keep her in your prayers as she deals with a myriad of challenges with these three with their learning disabilities.
A quick office-keeping item for everyone to be aware of, the office address for Kingdom Partners has changed. Our new address is 6009 Pershing Blvd. Kenosha, WI 53142. If you have donations sent automatically, please let your bank know of this change.
We cannot say Thank You enough for all of you who have prayed for us and our ministry and those of you who have given generously and sacrificially to our general fund as well as to our FEEDING AFRICA program! It is because of YOU that we can do these ministries! May God richly bless YOU for richly blessing us and others!