Paul & Gloria Johansson

Life is full of challenges and our response to the challenge determines whether we go backward, go forward or just plain stand still. The disciples in Luke 5:4-6 had been doing what they did every night – fishing! They were professionals. When they failed to catch fish, Jesus came on the scene! The words of Jesus went contrary to their experience, wisdom and knowledge they had gained over their lifetime.

Their response was, “We have toiled all night and caught nothing.” Sometimes, we need to take inventory. If we continue to do what we have been doing and it doesn’t produce, is this the time God is asking us to throw the net on the other side of the boat? In order to do this, we have to be willing to put His command above our experience. Only common sense would say that seven feet from one side of the boat to the other wouldn’t make any difference. That is because we are looking at the distance and not considering the Word that has been given. Sometimes our education, degree, knowledge and even wisdom, defines for us what is possible and impossible.

It was so with Peter when he requested that Jesus “bid me come.” Again, for all the disciples, their wisdom, their knowledge, clearly told them it is impossible to walk on water. It was not the water that Peter responded to, it was the Word. Again and again, we need to hear what is HIS ANSWER as we approach difficult situations.

To say “NEVERTHELESS” is to say, I recognize the impossibilities. I recognize that what You are asking me to do is out of the ordinary. But inspite of that ‘NEVERTHELESS” I will obey your Word and take action. May you be filled with sufficient faith to take the next step and see what God can do.

Where does the time go?  I returned back to look at my website and saw that truly I have been delinquent.  It has been months since I updated the site.  The vision and calling to touch the world has not abated.  In April 2014, I felt the Holy Spirit indicate to put my book, Free by Divine Decree, into Arabic.  When I looked into this matter, Arabic Christians told me no other book would be more important because Free by Divine Decree truly opens the door to freedom.

On March the 13th, I will fly to Egypt for a week at a Christian Leader’s Conference (in Egypt anyone who is not Islam is Christian) so the Conference includes Catholics, Coptics, and Protestants.  This is an exciting opportunity to give this new Arabic edition to these leader’s freely.  We have printed 10,000 and many will be sold and the money from the sale will print others.

The trip to China will be from March 29 – April 10.  This will be my 5th trip to China.  We rejoice in the opportunity to fellowship with these leaders.

Another victory has come about by the kindness of Mas Vida, the Church pastored by Andreas Spyker in Mexico, is now available in Spanish and we are getting more copies.  They are distributing it in Latin America but Elliott Tepper is printing it in Spain for distribution there.

Although we have not been in contact, we haven’t been sitting still but rejoicing that the “Word has free course…”  Keep me in your prayers.

It was Jeremiah that made it very clear that “the summer is past and the harvest is ended and we are not saved.”  As the summer of 2013 begins to move into the fall and we soon anticipate leaves falling, we take inventory of our summer.  In Jeremiah’s words he included himself with the people.  He spoke subjectively not objectively.  He put himself on a level playing field.

In watching the events of the last few months, it might be easy for some to throw up their hands.  We can be critical and find ourselves living depressed without a future.  God has not called us to put our heads in the sand, but to put our eyes on the Lord.  America is in a major transition.  We were promised “change” and that promise is being realized in ways that will affect all of us.

We have a personal choice to make, become judgmental and separate ourselves from our countrymen or with Jeremiah acknowledge “the summer is past” and “WE ARE NOT SAVED.”  More than ever we need personal and national awakening.  Until we admit our bankruptcy, both Spiritual and moral, we will not be able to open up to the rain that “waters the just and the unjust.”  He is still King!

Towards the end of April, my son Mark and I had the opportunity to return to Kenya to speak to the key leadership in the organization (Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa) which we were involved in founding in 1962.

The joy was to see those who had received the Word of the Lord grow strong and lead the work of God.  While there they took care of our expenses and opened up doors for ministry in both Nairobi and Mombasa.  Mark had opportunity to speak in churches that he had visited at other times.

I had the pleasure of speaking at Elim’s Graduation.  This is the first year since Elim has added the word “College” to its official name, that we were able to present the Graduates with a two-year Associate Degree from the State of New York.  I started working on this project in 2004 and it was pursued by President Jeff Clark and finally approved under the leadership of President Michael Cavanaugh.  The process took eight years.  To God be the Glory!

More plans are in the works to visit Spain and China.