"I wish to keep on giving you messages, as it has never been in history, from the beginning of the world"                                                                                                  -  Medjugorje April 4, 1985

"The only attitude of the Christian toward the future is hope of salvation. Those who think only of wars, evils, punishment do not do well."                                             -  Medjugorje  1982 

Please disregard last evening's fasting reminder. It was another mistake on my part sending a copy of a past reminder rather than this current reminder. Thank you - God bless...

Last Sunday we had the chance to catch up with a member of Watermark Church in Dallas. His church has uplifted our team over the years when we have passed through Dallas on weekends.

As we spoke, our brother commented on the "awesome honor" Gabriel bestowed on Mary in Luke 1:28, saying that she was “full of grace”. The Greek word used in that verse means "always has been and always will be full of grace … lacking nothing." As many believers know, Mary was the only person in scripture greeted by heaven with this type of superlative salutation. It is one scriptural verse that supports the argument that Mary was conceived without sin.

Our brother from Watermark transitioned the conversation to the Ark of the Covenant and made several points we had never considered.

First, when Israel went into battle, they led with the Ark of the Covenant to bring God’s favor. Our brother then referred to Mary as the literal New Testament Ark of the Covenant having carried the Christ in her womb.  The Old Testament Ark carried three objects – the word of God in the ten commandments, the rod of Aaron symbolizing priesthood, and manna which was the bread from Heaven.

Mary, the New Testament Ark, carried Jesus who was The Eternal Word, Our High Priest, and Bread from Heaven.

Atop the ark was the lid called the Mercy Seat that was covered in gold with angels present. It is interesting to note that while Mary usually appears in Medjugorje clothed in a very simple dress, on feast days such as Christmas, the New Testament ark of the covenant appears wearing a dress made of gold, radiating what witnesses conclude is the face of God from being in constant adoration of the Lord in Heaven. She is accompanied by angels appearing as portrayed on the ark who join her in adoring the Lord.

The Old Testament precedent of God’s people leading with the Ark into battle begs reflection on the numerous claims throughout the world that Heaven has sent the New Testament Ark to guide us in battle under the name of her Son  Jesus. Across these sites where conversions have flowed unlike anywhere else on the earth, the use of the scriptural meditation on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, prayed to God the Father using the rosary has been described as a weapon in the spiritual battle. At least one exorcist claimed that evil admitted the rosary is a weapon of such power, evil is "bludgeoned" when the rosary is prayed.

Also bridging the Old and New Testament arks, our brother brought up the story of David from 2 Samuel. Recall David is the only person scripture says has a heart like the Lord’s, and he was full of joy with his dancing honoring the Ark of the Covenant. In contrast Mical, daughter of Saul mocked David’s joy in the Ark’s presence – and God closed Mical’s womb forever.

Fast forward to the very first public appearance of the New Testament Ark of the covenant, Mary. It takes place immediately after Mary begins carrying Jesus in her womb. As Mary, the New Ark enters the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Elizabeth makes the first public proclamation of the gospel announcing the savior lives in Mary’s womb. Then like David danced before the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament, John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth’s womb with joy, dancing before the New Ark. It is a striking resolution to Mical’s prideful refusal to celebrate the ark that brought Mical such trouble.

A final insight that we had never considered has to do with Watermark’s teaching on fasting last weekend from Matthew 6. Allow us to share some background on Matthew 6 that some believers may not know. In Medjugorje, Mary said that the most important Bible passage for the world in this era is in Matthew 6, beginning with verse 24. And as it again relates to our Lord of the most exhilarating precision, know that the first time Mary revealed heaven in Medjugorje, it was June 24^th, or 6-24. Matthew 6:24 tells us that we cannot serve God if money is our master.

Regarding fasting in Matthew 6, Watermark brought a hidden gem from verse 18 to the surface:

That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.

On the surface the passage suggests only that the Father will give in secret, but Watermark’s insight was that a deeper meaning includes the Father will reveal secrets of the universe that have been kept hidden to those who fast.

This is such a dramatic insight supporting what Mary has said in Medjugorje where Mary said essentially:

when you fast, you will see things differently

The nuance around Our Lady’s teaching was heaven will pull back a little more of the curtain separating us from eternity when we make the effort to fast, opening our eyes to truths we did not understand before.

One can observe that when Heaven teaches class in Medjugorje, it does not cite the scripture reference that aligns with the teaching as a professor may do who is spoon feeding his class. Mary’s method in Medjugorje seems to be essentially:

Here is the truth, given to you with my motherly love so that you can know what is best for you. If you make the effort to reflect on it, the Spirit will lead you to the scriptures that support what I am telling you.  

... It is more like the Socratic method turbocharged with nuclear power from the Spirit.  Fabulous insights from Texas aren’t they?

We considered the timing of this was again more than coincident as yesterday, the most widely studied Old Testament passage in the world was the exact story from 2 Samuel 6:

And it was told King David, "The LORD has blessed the household of O'bed-e'dom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So, David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of O'bed-e'dom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13and when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the horn. 17And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts, 19and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

Henry Davenport Northrop’s depiction below is not of a Catholic ritual but is a rendering of a Jewish priest. He is offering incense before the Ark of the Covenant which is depicted almost like a Eucharistic host that is glowing with grace. The Jewish statues of the angels adoring the Ark were commissioned by the Lord Himself who told Moses how He wanted the ark to appear down to the smallest details.

The above is striking as it reveals the true Jewish origins of what critics deride as Catholic rituals.  The role of the priest, the use of incense, the statues depicting Heavenly beings, the tabernacle as a replication of the ark and the adoration of the Lord in the bread – are all details taken from God’s explicit requests as to how He most desires to be loved in Jewish scripture.

Thank you for fasting with us today as first century Christians wrote all believers are obligated to do each Wednesday and Friday.

Why We Fast – Our Core Fasting Intentions

1) We add the new fasting intention of taking back the church from evil. We submit the three-step process to achieve this victory is 1-Repent, 2-Prayer & Fasting and, 3-Imitate our Savior by throwing the evil leadership from the church. We will seek to emulate the Savior in our effort to End The USCCB, an organization that has been devastating to the church.  (“You shall know the spirit by the fruits” - Matt. 7:16)

2) For the Holy Spirit to reign down upon America, renewing our land as the Christian, capitalist meritocracy we were founded to be.

3) For the protection of our police, firefighters, military and their families from harm and that the Lord bless their courageous generosity on our behalf.

4) For the protection of the families who fast with us, and for God’s blessings of abundance upon them and that true to His word, we will be able to witness that He prospered us in famine.

Would you like to learn more about fasting?

We maintain a repository of ideas and information we have learned over the last decade while fasting weekly for America. From scientific studies on the benefits of fasting, to the differences between intermittent dieting vs intermittent fasting, to scriptural references regarding the power of fasting to the history of first century Christians who stated believers are obligated to fast weekly, we hope you will find numerous insights with our free resource located here.

Together let us also implore Heaven while fasting for intentions you have highlighted:

4) For all patriots who put themselves on the front lines in combatting evil and for all of the warriors who are stepping up around the nation to fight for the gospel – May The Father cover them in the blood of our savior,  protect them and their families from evil and bring victory to their endeavors.

5) For priests, ministers and all who aspire to lead others to the Lord, that the Holy Spirit will reign down upon them as at Pentecost filling them to overflowing. 

6) For the Americans jailed after January 6th who were admitted to the Capitol building by the police, and who were not found to have destroyed any property at the capitol yet who have been held captive ever since on our own soil - That God's Spirit will move quickly to bring justice back to this land and free them.


Who We Are
St. Joseph Partners is a for-profit business that has funded Fast for America for over ten years. To the extent you support our work to renew America and if you understand why gold and silver protect believers' wealth in this world, please consider us or recommend us when you or someone you know buys or sells gold and silver. From our website www.StJosephPartners.com you can buy and sell dozens of types of precious metals. We close on Sundays to honor the Sabbath. Click here for a link where you can view a brief video about our firm and a brief video about why all investors and families should have some gold and silver in their portfolios.