First published August 11th, 2007.
AS you try to respond to Jesus’ call to follow him in these chaotic times, to renounce your earthly attachments, to voluntarily dispossess yourself of unneeded things and material pursuits, to resist the temptations which are boldly advertised everywhere, expect to enter into a fierce battle. But do not let this discourage you!
Mark presenting his music to Pope Benedict XVI
JUST over a year ago, my wife and I suddenly felt called to move from our home to a different province in Canada. Within weeks, we found a small town where we felt drawn to a particular home. We sold our house and whatever possessions we didn’t need, loaded up our seven children, and were followed by a thunderstorm the entire six hour journey. When we arrived at our home, the storm stopped directly over our house, and remained there for three hours, putting on a spectacular lightning show. It seemed symbolic of the Great Storm gathering on the horizon of the world… a storm for which Heaven has been preparing us, and which now, has arrived.
ONE month ago, I published The Hour of Decision. In it, I stated that the coming elections in North America are pivotal based primarily upon one issue: abortion. As I write this, Psalm 95 comes to mind again:
Forty years I endured that generation. I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray and they do not know my ways." So I swore in my anger, "They shall not enter my rest."
It was forty years ago in 1968 that Pope Paul VI presented Humanae Vitae. In that encyclical letter, there is a prophetic warning which I believe is about to come to pass in its fullness. The Holy Father said:
THE COMING ERA OF PEACE — PART III
THE first Mass reading this past Sunday (October 5th, 2008) resounded in my heart like thunder. I heard the sigh of a God mourning over the state of His Betrothed:
What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? Now, I will let you know what I mean to do with my vineyard: take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled! (Isaiah 5:4-5)
But this too is an act of love. Read on to understand why the purification which has now arrived is not only necessary, but part of God’s divine plan…
First published April 24th, 2007. There are several items on my heart which the Lord has been speaking to me, and I realize that many of them are summarized in this previous writing. Society is reaching a boiling point, particularly with anti-Christian sentiment. For Christians, it means that we are entering the hour of glory, a moment of heroic witness to those who hate us by conquering them with love.
The following writing is a prologue to a very important subject I want to address shortly regarding the popular idea of a “black pope” (as in evil) assuming the papacy. But first…
Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you. (John 17:1)
I believe the Church is approaching the time when it will pass through the Garden of Gethsemane and enter fully into its passion. This, however, will not be the hour of her shame—rather, it will be the hour of her glory.
It was the Lord’s will that… we who have been redeemed by His precious blood should constantly be sanctified according to the pattern of His own passion. —St. Gaudentius of Brescia, Liturgy of the Hours, Vol II, P. 669
ALL OF MARK’S MUSIC IS AVAILABLE ON HIS WEBSITE:
www.markmallett.com
MARK’S WEBCAST:
www.embracinghope.tv
FROM a letter I recently received:
I have read your writings for 2 years and feel they are so on track. My wife receives locutions and so much of what she writes down is parallel to yours.
But I have to share with you that both my wife and I have been so disheartened over the past several months. We feel as if we are losing the battle and the war. Look around and see all of the evil. It is as if Satan is winning in all areas. We feel so ineffective and so full of despair. We feel like giving up, at a time when the Lord and Blessed Mother need us and our prayers the most!! We feel like we are becoming "a deserter", as it said in one of your writings. I have fasted every week for almost 9 years, but in the past 3 months I have only been able to do it twice.
You speak of hope and the victory that is coming in the battle Mark. Do you have any words of encouragement ? How long are we going to have to endure and suffer in this world we live in ?
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MANY of my writings have focused on the hope which is dawning in our world. But I am also compelled to address the darkness which proceeds the Dawn. It is so that when these things happen, you will not lose faith. It has never been my intention to frighten or depress my readers. But neither is it my intention to paint this present darkness in false shades of yellow. Christ is our victory! But He commanded us to be “wise as serpents” for the battle is not yet over. Watch and pray, He said.
You are the little flock given to my care, and I intend to stay awake on my watch, despite the cost…
Artist Unknown
First published May 16th, 2007. I have added some thoughts which came to me last week as the scientific community launched experiments with its underground “atom-smasher.” With economic foundations beginning to crumble (the current “rebound” in stocks are an illusion), this writing is more timely than ever.
I realize that the nature of these writings this past week are difficult. But the truth sets us free. Always, always bring yourself back to the present moment and be anxious about nothing. Simply, stay awake… watch and pray!
The Tower of Babel
THE past couple weeks, those words have been on my heart.
WHEN I wrote Part I of this series two weeks ago, the image of Queen Esther came to mind, standing in the gap for her people. I felt there was something more significant about this. And I believe this email I received explains why:
The recent fire near the broken statue of Our Lady of Medjugorje
THE emails continue to roll in on the seeming phenomenon of hands breaking off of Marian statues, sometimes without any apparent reason. Here’s one more sampling of letters:
I HAVE received a landslide of replies to my last two meditations on the unborn. There is a strong sense from nearly all those who have written that these images are necessary in the battle to end infanticide within the womb.
Here are a few samples of the many moving and emotional letters I received which are a testimony to the power of telling—and showing the truth…
Scene from The Passion of the Christ
EVERY day as I comb the news headlines, I am faced with the violence and evil of this world. I find it exhausting, but also recognize it as my duty as a "watchman" to try and sift through this stuff to find the "word" hidden in the world’s events. But the other day, the face of evil really got to me when I entered the video store for the first time in months to rent a movie for my daughter’s birthday. As I scanned the shelves for a family movie, I was faced with image after image of dismembered bodies, half-naked women, demonic faces, and other violent images. I was looking into the mirror of a culture obsessed with sex and violence.
And yet, no one seems to openly object to this gruesome display which is scanned each day by young and old alike, and yet, when a picture of the reality of abortion is shown, some people are deeply offended. People pay to see violent movies, even rousing dramas such as Braveheart, Schindler’s List, or Saving Private Ryan where the reality of evil is graphically portrayed; or they play video games depicting unbelievable brutality and gruesome violence, and yet, somehow this is acceptable—but a photo giving voice to the voiceless is not.
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Artist Unknown
MORE letters continue to come in from reader’s whose Marian statues have a broken left hand. Some can explain why their statue broke, while others cannot. But perhaps that is not the point. I think what is significant is that it is always a hand.
I received several letters in response to my last meditation. As usual, God speaks through the Body. Here is what some readers have to say:
Blow the trumpet through the land, summon the recruits!… Bear the standard to Zion, seek refuge without delay!… I cannot keep silent, for I have heard the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. (Jeremiah 4:5-6, 19)
THIS spring, my heart began to anticipate an event which would occur this July or August of 2008. This anticipation was accompanied by a word: “War.”
First published January 18th, 2008…
IT is important to understand that the words I speak here are merely echoes of one of the central warnings Heaven has been sounding through the Holy Fathers this past century: the light of truth is being extinguished in the world. That Truth is Jesus Christ, the light of the world. And humanity cannot survive without Him.
First published January 15th, 2008…
WHILE this generation is being spiritually deceived, so too has it been materially and physically duped.
Hansel & Gretel by Kay Nielsen
First published January 15th, 2008. Very important to read again…
WE are being duped.
Many Christians believe that Satan has triumphed as society continues in a free-fall toward materialism, lust, and lawlessness. But if we think this is Satan’s ultimate goal, we have been deceived.
YES, this is the time to truly wait and pray in The Bastion. The waiting is the hardest part, especially when it seems as though we are on the cusp of enormous change… But timing is everything. The temptations to rush God, to question His delay, to doubt His presence—will only intensify as we reach deeper into the days of change.
The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pt 3:9)
Be prepared to put your life on the line in order to enlighten the world with the truth of Christ; to respond with love to hatred and disregard for life; to proclaim the hope of the risen Christ in every corner of the earth. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Message to the Young People of the World, World Youth Day, 2008
First published September 25th, 2007:
BASTION: part of a fortification built into a rock or castle which allows defensive fire in several directions.
IT BEGINS
These words came to a dear friend of ours during prayer, through a soft voice which spoke to her:
Tell Mark it is time to write about the bastion.
"My Secret Place", by Yvonne Ward
DEAR brothers and sisters,
Warm greetings in the love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For almost three years now, I have been writing on a regular basis the words which I feel the Lord has placed in my heart for you. The journey has been a remarkable one, and has affected me deeply.
THERE is more coming on the Seven Year Trial series which I am continuing to write and pray about. In the meantime, more signs of the times…
A child in His mother’s arms… (artist unknown)
YES, we must find joy in the midst of this present darkness. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, ever-present to the Church. Yet, it is natural to be afraid of losing one’s security, or fearful of persecution or martyrdom. Jesus felt this human quality so intensely that He sweat drops of blood. But then, God sent Him an angel to strengthen Him, and Jesus’ fear was replaced by a quiet, docile peace.
Herein lies the root of the tree which bears the fruit of joy: total abandonment to God.
He who ‘fears’ the Lord is ‘not afraid.’ —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Vatican City, June 22, 2008; Zenit.org
“The Two Hearts” by Tommy Christopher Canning
PART III examines the beginning of the Seven Year Trial following the Illumination.
Apocalypse, by Michael D. O’Brien
When the seven days were over,
the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
(Genesis 7:10)
I want to speak from the heart for a moment to frame the rest of this series.
The past three years have been a remarkable journey for me, one I never intended to embark upon. I do not claim to be prophet… just a simple missionary who feels a call to shed a little more light upon the days we live in and the days which are coming. Needless to say, this has been an overwhelming task, and one which is done with much fear and trembling. At least that much I share with the prophets! But it is also done with the tremendous prayer support so many of you have graciously offered on my behalf. I feel it. I need it. And I am so grateful.
The test of democracy is freedom of criticism. —David Ben Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister
CANADA’S national anthem rings out:
…the true north strong and free…
To which I add:
…so long as you agree.
Agree with the state, that is. Agree with the new high priests of this once great nation, the judges and their deacons, the Human Rights Tribunals. This writing is a wake-up call not just for Canadians, but for all Christians in the West to recognize what has arrived at the doorstep of the "first world" nations.
2006 Lebanese victims of war
First published May 30th, 2007. As I continue to pray about what the Lord is showing me in the Seven Year Trial, I feel the nudge to reprint this message.
There are two very prominent things occurring in the world the past few weeks. One, are the continuing headlines of brutal violence towards children and babies. Second is the growing imposition of new forms of marriage upon the unwanting masses. The latter point has to do with two words the Lord gave me while I was writing The Coming Counterfeit: “Population Control.” Since then, there have been numerous headlines describing the world food shortage as an over-population problem. This is not true, of course. It is a matter of poor management and distribution of our resources due in large part to greed and neglect, including the use of corn to make fuel. I also wonder about the manipulation of weather through new technologies… The Vatican has been fighting these over-population gurus who for many years now have been trying to impose abortion, birth-control, and sterilization upon poor nations. If it were not for the Vatican’s voice in the United Nations, these proponents of the culture of death would be much further ahead than they are.
The writing below puts all the pieces together…
Apparition Hill at Dawn, Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina
WHILE only the Public Revelation of Jesus Christ requires the assent of faith, the Church teaches that it would be imprudent to ignore the prophetic voice of God or “despise prophecy,” as St. Paul says. After all, authentic “words” from the Lord, are, from the Lord:
One can therefore simply ask why God provides them continuously [in the first place if] they hardly need to be heeded by the Church. —Hans Urs von Balthasar, Mistica oggettiva, n. 35
Even controversial theologian, Karl Rahner, also asked…
…whether anything God reveals can be unimportant. —Karl Rahner, Visions and Prophecies, p. 25
The Vatican has insisted upon remaining open to the alleged apparition thus far as it continues to discern the authenticity of the phenomena there. (If that’s good enough for Rome, it’s good enough for me.)
As a former television reporter, the facts surrounding Medjugorje do concern me. I know they concern many people. I have taken the same position on Medjugorje as Blessed John Paul II (as witnessed to by Bishops who have discussed the apparitions with him). That position is to celebrate the wonderful fruits flowing from this place, namely conversion and an intense sacramental life. This is not an ooey-gooey-warm-fuzzy opinion, but a hard fact based on the testimonies of thousands of Catholic clergy and countless laymen.
ON THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART
[China] is on the road to fascism, or maybe is heading towards a dictatorial regime with strong nationalist tendencies. —Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong, Catholic News Agency, May 28, 2008
AN American Veteran said to a friend, “China will invade America, and they will do it without firing a single bullet.”
That may or may not be true. But as we look at our store shelves, there is something strange in that nearly everything we buy, even some food and pharmaceuticals, is being “Made in China” (one could say that North Americans have already given away “industrial sovereignty.”) These goods are becoming increasingly cheaper to buy, fueling more consumerism.
ONCE again, I hear a warning in my heart regarding China and the West. I have felt compelled to watch this nation carefully for two years now. We have seen it plagued with one natural disaster after another and one man-made disaster after the next (while its army continues to build.) The result has been the displacement of tens of millions of people—and that was before this month’s earthquake.
Now, dozens of China’s dams are on the verge of bursting. The warning I hear is this:
Your land will be given to another’s if there is not repentance for the sin of abortion.
An American mystic, who was dead for many hours and then called to life again by our Mother into a powerful ministry, recounted to me personally a vision in which he saw “boatloads of Asian people” coming to American shores.
Our Lady of All Nations, in an alleged apparition to Ida Peerdeman said,
“I will set my foot down in the midst of the world and show you: that is America, ” and then, [Our Lady] immediately points to another part, saying, “Manchuria—there will be tremendous insurrections.” I see Chinese marching, and a line which they are crossing. —Twenty Fifth Apparition, 10th December, 1950; The Messages of The Lady of All Nations, pg. 35. (Devotion to Our Lady of All Nations has been ecclesiastically approved.)
I repeat again the warning which I brought to Canada’s capital two years ago. If we continue to ignore the daily murder of our unborn in Canadian hospitals and abortuaries, and destroy the sanctity of marriage, the freedom we enjoy will abruptly come to an end. (As I write this, Pro-Life billboards are being ruled objectionable by Advertising Standards Canada, and the Canadian Federation of Students voted to support a ban of Pro-Life groups on university campuses.) How can we expect God’s protection when we ignore His laws and especially ignore this time of grace to repent? How can we claim innocence when 3D ultrasounds show us distinctly the person in the womb? When science finds that at 11 weeks or earlier, unborn babies feel the pain of an abortion? When we are fighting to save premature babies on one wing of the hospital, and killing the same-aged child on another? It is brutal! It is hypocritical! It is unbelievable! And its consequences may soon be irreversible.
TRUMPETS of Warning-Part V laid the groundwork for what I believe is now rapidly approaching this generation. The picture is becoming clearer, the signs speaking louder, the winds of change blowing harder. And so, our Holy Father looks tenderly at us once again and says, “Hope” …for the coming darkness will not triumph. This series of writings address the “seven year trial” which may be approaching.
These meditations are the fruit of prayer in my own attempt to better understand the Church’s teaching that the Body of Christ will follow its Head through its own passion or “final trial,” as the Catechism puts it. Since the book of Revelation deals in part with this final trial, I have explored here a possible interpretation of St. John’s Apocalypse along the pattern of Christ’s Passion. The reader should keep in mind that these are my own personal reflections and not a definitive interpretation of Revelation, which is a book with several meanings and dimensions, not the least, an eschatological one. Many a good soul has fallen on the sharp cliffs of the Apocalypse. Nonetheless, I have felt the Lord compelling me to walk them in faith through this series. I encourage the reader to exercise their own discernment, enlightened and guided, of course, by the Magisterium.
The Perseus Comet, “17p/holmes”
Two days ago, the words “THE STORM HAS ARRIVED” came to mind. Since publishing the writing below on November 5th, 2007, a world food shortage crisis has developed; the world economy has become extremely fragile; the alarm has been raised over new incurable “superbugs“; major storms are pummeling the world; powerful earthquakes are appearing or re-appearing suddenly in odd places with growing frequency; and Russia and China continue to make headlines as they flex their military muscle, raising more concerns over “wars and rumors of wars.” Perhaps we don’t feel these events quite as intensely yet in North America because of our “wealth and comfort buffer,” but God is speaking to the whole world, not just the West. We are beginning to experience, as a global community, common signs.
Perhaps the greatest sign is that which is rising in the hearts of many I speak to. The sense of “imminence” of “something” has perhaps never been greater. These events will continue, and increase in intensity. As a hurricane is weak in the beginning, but becomes strong enough that one has to take “safe measures”, so too are we at a point where I believe we are being told to take “safe measures.” When a woman begins to experience intense labor pains, she goes to the hospital. The safe measures I am concerned with are those of the soul. Are you prepared? Are you in a state of grace? Are you listening carefully through prayer to the still small voice in your heart directing you for these times?
I also recommend a re-reading of The Prodigal Hour. Again, it was written prior to my knowledge of a food crisis. And I wrote this prologue, prior to today’s earthquake in China. We pray for them, and for the victims of the many natural and man-made disasters around the globe.
A writing comes to mind as I speak of these things, and as many of you speak of these things as well. Do you feel like a fool for Christ? Blessed are you! Re-read: Ark of fools.
The times have arrived. The winds of change are strong, and beginning to blow with hurricane force. Fix your eyes on Christ, for the Eye of the Storm is coming…
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. (Luke 21:10-11)
THE“word” that we have arrived at the threshold of The Day of the Lord came to me the evening after I wrote One Word. That night, October 23rd, 2007, a comet suddenly “exploded” in the constellation of Perseus (it is now visible to the naked eye). Immediately my heart leapt when I read this in the news; I felt strongly that this was significant and a sign.
TWO things happened after Pentecost as the Apostles began to proclaim the Gospel in the name of Jesus Christ. Souls began to convert to Christianity by the thousands. The second is that the name of Jesus sparked a renewed persecution, this time of His mystical body.
AFTER the first Pentecost, the Apostles were infused with a deeper understanding of who they were in Christ. From that moment on, they began to live, move, and have their being “in the name of Jesus.” Continue reading
Mary, prototype of the Church:
The Assumption of the Virgin, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1670’s
First published August 3rd, 2007.
IF the Body of Christ is to follow its Head through a Transfiguration, Passion, Death and Resurrection, then it will also share in His Ascension.
DEAR friends… just a quick note from a rest stop as we enter South Dakota. Tonight and tomorrow, my wife and I will be presenting our final Encounters With Jesus here in the United States. Please see our schedule here.
I have much to write you, but have struggled to find time for ministry, prayer, writing and driving the bus! (However, when I repost an older writing, it is because I feel it is the "word" we need to hear again.)
Please keep my family and I in your prayers for our safety and spiritual protection. Regarding our bus, we hear a vibration coming from the drive-train, so it sounds like we need to head to the repair shop once again. Perhaps I will finally have a moment to write! By the way, we are so grateful to those who on their own initiative have sent us donations to help cover the costly repairs we have faced. As we depend entirely upon you and our CD sales to not only continue our ministry but buy diapers, we want to deeply thank you!
Remember, you are loved! Christ is our hope and our life and is as near to you as your breath. We are not orphaned. We are not abandoned. Be not afraid!
Read: Be Not Afraid of the Future
You are loved!
For those inquiring about donations, see this page or click on "DONATIONS" in the menu bar to the right on the web page.
Coptic icon of Pentecost
First published June 6th, 2007, the content of this writing comes back to me with a new sense of immediacy. Are we drawing nearer to this moment than we realize? (I have updated this writing, inserting recent comments from Pope Benedict.)
WHILE the meditations of late are somber and call us to deeper repentance and trust in God, they are not a message of doom. They are the herald of the end of a season, the “fall” of mankind, so to speak, when the purifying winds of Heaven will blow away the dead leaves of sin and rebellion. They speak of a winter in which those things of the flesh which are not of God will be brought to death, and those things which are rooted in Him will bloom in a glorious “new springtime” of joy and life!
FEAST OF ST. MARK
STARTING this evening with a concert, I am presenting several ministry events in and around the St. Louis, Missouri area this weekend. We continue to see powerful experiences occurring before the Blessed Sacrament at the Encounters With Jesus. You can check upcoming events on our schedule here. We will be in South Dakota next week as we begin our swing back to Canada.
BREAKDOWN BONANZA
Once again, we are experiencing several serious breakdowns on this tour—sometimes literally having to patch the motorhome so we can get to our next destination (our "tour bus" is getting tired). We are nearly up to $6000 in repairs to this point. By God’s grace, we are breaking down during days off so that the repairs can get done. Getting to our next destination is our concern… God will have to take care of the costs.
Yesterday, I was going to press on with a mechanical issue with the brakes and a wheel, but felt agitated about it, and decided to stop for a repair. As it turns out, the oil filter was loose—and losing oil fast! Had we kept going, the mechanic informed me, we could have lost the filter and all of our oil, destroying the engine. We are surrendering more and more to God, trusting that even if we completely breakdown, it is also His will. Remember, St. Paul was shipwrecked!
We are still in good spirits, despite the tense week it has been. Lea is feeling tired and nauseous with our eighth pregnancy, but is her usual sweet self. The kids were thrilled to get a chance to swim at the pool in the hotel last night as our bus sat in the shop.
THE WINDS OF CHANGE
We have noticed, just like the last tour, that strong winds have followed us the entire 6000 mile journey thus far. On our days off, the winds die down… but start right up again as we head to our next destination. We like to think it is a sign of Our Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit accompanying us, filling the sails of all our hearts. Once again, the words "winds of change" come to mind….
We are excited to get to St. Louis so that Jesus can continue to heal and renew His little flock. Pray for us, as you remain in our prayers. Time to hit the road!
Elijah and Elisha by Michael D. O’Brien
As the prophet Elijah is taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot, he bestows his cloak on the prophet Elisha, his young disciple. Elisha in his boldness has asked for a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit. (2 Kings 2:9-11). In our times, every disciple of Jesus is called to bear prophetic witness against the culture of death, be it a small piece of the cloak or a large one. —Artist Commentary
WE are on the verge, I believe, of a tremendous hour of evangelization.
Christ Grieving by Michael D. O’Brien
Christ embraces the whole world, yet hearts have grown cold, faith is eroded, violence increases. The cosmos reels, the earth is in darkness. The farmlands, the wilderness, and the cities of man no longer reverence the Blood of the Lamb. Jesus grieves over the world. How will mankind awake? What will it take to shatter our indifference? —Artist’s Commentary
HE is burning with love for you like a groom separated from his bride, longing to embrace her. He is like a mother bear, fiercely protective, running toward her cubs. He is like a king, mounting his steed and rushing his armies into the countryside to protect even the lowliest of his subjects.
Jesus is a jealous God!
MEDJUGORJE is that little town in Bosnia-Herzogovina where the Blessed Mother has allegedly been appearing for over 25 years. The sheer volume of miracles, conversions, vocations, and other supernatural fruits of this site demand a serious examination of what is occurring there—so much so, that according to new confirmed reports, the Vatican, not the new commission, will direct the final judgment on the alleged phenomena (see Medjugorje: “Just the facts, ma’am”).
This is unprecedented. The significance of the apparitions has reached to the highest levels. And significant they are, given that Mary has allegedly said these will be her “last apparitions on earth.“
Forgiven by Thomas Blackshear II
AT a recent event, a young married Pentecostal couple approached me and said, “Because of your writings, we are becoming Catholic.” I was filled with joy as we embraced one another, delighted that this brother and sister in Christ were going to experience His power and life in new and profound ways—particularly through the Sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist.
And so, here are two “no-brainer” reasons why Protestants should become Catholics.Continue reading
IT is clear that many are having powerful experiences during the Encounter With Jesus events we are giving on our tour through the United States.
Here is one such testimony from someone who was “drawn” to an Ohio event this week…Continue reading
EASTER
IN the year of the Great Jubilee, 2000, the Lord impressed a Scripture upon me that penetrated my soul so deeply, I was left on my knees weeping. That Scripture, I believe, is for our time.
