Take It To Jesus!

 

I don't know if what I have to say today has any real significance according to the dictates of the Throne Room in Heaven. I am not a prophet; Jesus has not anointed me with that assignment. But, that doesn't mean that I cannot share the promptings that my spirit is receiving, and question [with discernment and grace] what others are hearing in their spirits. 

To begin, I know that I am not the only one recognizing the storm clouds on the horizon. It is apparent that the world is rapidly changing and chaos and disorder is on the brink of erupting in all areas of our lives. From the economy to the education of our children; from the instability and destruction at our borders, to the unreliability and quagmire in the halls of Congress, we are a nation in deep conflict. And we don't just feel the threat from domestic sources. We can sense the anticipation of our foreign enemies to take advantage of our internal turmoil. We are on the verge of lawlessness. Just as Jesus says, "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold". 

And that brings me to a subject that I've decided to rely on Jesus to show me His truth. I'm not one to receive or accept everything the modern day "prophets" share. Mind you, I do not dispute that Godly men and women are receiving some amazing downloads from the Holy Spirit, and many of their prophecies witness to my spirit in truth. I know that one of the more recent prophecies that the Church is giving credence to relates to the year 2025. Some are predicting that 2025 will start the final age of man, with a possible cataclysmic collision with an asteroid somewhere around 2029. Others are saying that 2025 will bring famine, civil war, and the threat of nuclear war; still others are predicting that 2025 will be the year of the Rapture. I cannot say, with any certainty, that any of these prophecies are correct. But I will share, in a moment, some interesting thoughts that are beginning to emerge in my spirit regarding this timeline.

We have seen such prophecies come and go in our lifetime. So I hold fast to the Biblical truth that no one knows the day or hour of Christ's return and the destruction of evil on the earth. However, we CAN be alert and watching for the signs and seasons. 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us we "are not living in the dark, allowing that day to creep up on you like a thief coming to steal".  But, He only comes as a thief in the night to those who are watching for Him! We Christians are to be on alert! And Luke shares Jesus's parable of the fig tree in chapter 21 ... as soon as the fig tree puts out its leaves, we know that summer is near. Jesus then reminds His listeners that "So you too, when you see these things happening, know [without any doubt] that the kingdom of God is near." 

We, who are discerning correctly, will know that the time is at hand and what to look for; so knowing the times and seasons is important. In fact, the truth is that the Anti-Christ doesn't want us to know the times and seasons as attested to in Daniel 7:25, "He will speak words against the Most High [God] and wear down the saints of the Most High, and he will intend to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, [two] times, and half a time [three and one-half years]".

We all recognize this familiar Scripture as describing the Tribulation, which according to the Bible, will be a seven-year period in which the hand of God is removed from a world that has rejected Him for so long -- which results in the Anti-Christ and his agenda of evil which will reign down on the just and the unjust. [NOTE: Remember, we still have hope ... "And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened".] Our God is a righteous Judge, and in the end, Evil will be defeated and His people will be victorious.

I also want to point out that the Bible references both the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation [which is the three-and-a-half period that Daniel 7:25 references. This is the last half of the seven year covenant [or treaty] that the Anti-Christ enters into with Israel, foretold in Daniel 9:27, "And he will enter into a binding and irrevocable covenant with the many for one week (seven years), but in the middle of the week he will stop the sacrifice and grain offering [for the remaining three and one-half years]. The first half of this covenant is what Jesus talks about in Matthew 24... the beginning of birth pangs. He warns us of false messiahs who misappropriate the strength of the Name that belongs to Him; misusing it and calling themselves the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. The one who will "rise to the top", so to speak, will be the Antichrist, who appears to be the champion and friend of Israel, only to turn against her in the middle of that seven years and begin to severely desolate her.

That's why Jesus gives us the signs of His Second Coming -- we are to be alert to the season of time which begins with wars and rumors of wars; nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom; famine, pestilence; and earthquakes. That is tribulation coming on the earth and the beginning of birth pangs for three-and-a-half years. But those pains will become more severe in the last three-and-a-half years, which will be characterized as the great tribulation. But all those signs point to His imminent return! All of this must happen immediately before His glorious return to defeat Evil on the earth and usher in God's Millennial Kingdom! Hallelujah!

And here is what I also want you to know .... in His amazing Grace and Wisdom, God has given us His Feasts as appointed times; to be on the lookout for these momentous seasons. And my spirit is on high alert about the approaching Feast of Trumpets in September. This Feast has great significance in God's plan for redeeming the world. God instructed the ancient Israelites to blow trumpets [shofars] on that day to call a holy assembly. It is a time to reflect both on the righteous judgment of God and a time to contemplate repentance for sins ten days later, on the Day of Atonement [pointing to the Bema seat judgment of Jesus to distribute crowns and award inheritance] . 

It is significant to note that the blowing of shofars was done for various reasons, among them to sound an alarm, to announce the reign of a new king, and also as a call to battle or war. This all comes into focus when we understand that early Jewish Christians [who regarded Jesus as the Messiah] recognized that Jesus was born on the Feast of Trumpets -- not December 25th, which was instituted as His birth date when the Roman empire took over the world in the 4th century. Constantine [who hated the Jews] initiated "Christ-Mass" in honor of his old pagan celebration of the sun god on that date, and in homage to the festival of Saturnalia. All true Biblical scholars know that Jesus was not born on December 25th.

In fact, modern scholars have been able to precisely pinpoint His birth as corresponding to Tishri 1, the first day of the Feast of Trumpets. For a very detailed picture of the astronomical signs in the heavens which point to this phenomenon, you can read this article. For the purposes of this blog post, I want to concentrate on the import of the Feast of Trumpets. If we can believe that Christ was born on this particular Feast day, then we can see that His birth on this day announced that a new king from the Kingdom of Heaven had arrived to battle the kingdom of darkness in the world. For over 2000 years, the ultimate battle between Good and Evil has been building to a future Feast of Trumpets when the shofars of Joel 2 will be blown in Zion, to sound an alarm for battle; that days of darkness and gloom are coming that will ultimately bring forth the return of Christ and the Day of the Lord, and when evil will be judged and destroyed. Could this September see the fulfillment of that prophesied Feast of Trumpets?

If so, then it will coincide with the modern day prophecies of 2025 as a most consequential year for mankind. If the world continues on its rapid decline, then this September could begin those birth pangs; those things that Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 "must take place"; when we will be "handed over to [endure] tribulation". If the Feast of Trumpets in September 2021 kicks off the Tribulation, then three-and-a-half years later [March 2025] would find us entering The Great Tribulation period. Am I uncategorically endorsing this prognostication? No. But I also am not dismissing it. I will continue to do what Jesus and the Bible tell me to do ... receive council and understanding from the Holy Spirit, stay alert to the signs I've been given, and pray for discernment to recognize the Abomination of Desolation when it appears. 

I know this is not a popular message or topic in this day of hopeful revival that will delay any semblance of tribulation. It is not a message that anyone who loves the Lord enjoys giving. But we all know we serve a God of both love and mercy, as well as justice and righteousness. I pray for individual as well as corporate revival. And I welcome the warning blasts of the shofar, as they call us to repentance and God's righteous judgment against evil, because they also announce the impending return of the Messiah to establish God's Kingdom on the earth and the return of man's dominion over His creation. The shofars are also a call to battle for those of us on the earth to fight for the Kingdom! The prophesied Day of the Lord IS coming! I don't know if it is this year, or 2025, or some year far in the future. But I am looking forward to the day that the return of my Lord, Savior, and King is announced by the sound of a trumpet. Until then, I/we have work to do to prepare as many people as we can to get ready to receive Him. And it will be worth whatever is coming with the approaching storm clouds. Stay alert, use your discernment, and be active in the Kingdom!

Matthew 24:34    I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place.

 

 

 

Message Received Loud and Clear!

I have come to rely on what might seem as "random" coincidences by others, but which my spirit knows are deliberate and intentional promptings from the Holy Spirit. I rely on them because I know they come from God's throne room. My attention is drawn to them because they contain information that I believe Jesus and the Father want me to share. And as I have often stated, I can identify with Jeremiah who tried hard to convince God that he was not a good mouthpiece for the Creator of the Universe. But Jeremiah could not get away from God, and neither can I. Mind you, I know I'm not the perfect mouthpiece, but when I've come to a personal conviction regarding a matter, and then months later I see it reiterated by someone else -- in the exact way it was revealed to my spirit -- then I know I have confirmation to share. Today is such a time.

I am a huge fan of history. I love studying all different time periods, and learning what led to the rise and fall of different kingdoms, empires, dynasties, cultures, and philosophies of the human race. So much has been romanticized or corrupted that it can be hard to know fact from fiction. But when it comes to studying what the world has experienced since I, my parents, and my grandparents were born, it is possible to learn much from eye witnesses and what bona fide historical documents can provide. I have spent years reading and accumulating research on what the world has experienced in the last century, so when three sources come before me in less than 12 hours, and all bear witness to issues that concern me, then I know it's time to address them.

The first issue God wants us to consider arises from the warning that a Holocaust victim gave this week. Vera Sharav shared her personal perspective regarding the similarities she sees between Hitler's agenda and the global pandemic. “My perspective is informed by my experience, by the historical record, and by the empirical evidence,” Sharav said. “We were required, as Germans know, to wear a yellow Star of David to identify us, to segregate Jews. Exclusionary laws barred the family from normal life, from attending ordinary activities. Our property was impounded. We were forbidden to participate in all educational, religious, and cultural gatherings. Travel was forbidden for Jews so there was no escape ... I know the consequences of being stigmatized and demonized as being a ‘spreader’ of disease.”

Vera went on to expound on the complicity between the "academic, professional medical establishment" and the government of Germany. She warned one of the most important lessons humanity can learn from the Holocaust is that when doctors and the government join forces medicine can then be perverted from a healing, humanitarian profession to an institution that can be used to control populations. At the time, it was used for purposes in Germany alone. Today, we have become a global community, and decisions affect the entire world. 

An interesting historical fact regarding this issue was brought to light; one that I was not aware of, but is worth mentioning ... Dr Benjamin Rush, a signer of our Declaration of Independence, forewarned over 200 years ago: "Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship to restrict the art of healing to one class of Men and deny equal privileges to others. The Constitution of the Republic should make a special privilege for medical freedoms as well as religious freedom." Sadly, both freedoms may be in jeopardy today.

The second issue that Holy Spirit pointed out was actually tied to the first, and described by noted theologian Charles Spurgeon: "Avowed atheists are not a tenth as dangerous as those preachers who scatter doubt and stab at the faith ... Germany was made unbelieving by her preachers, and England is following in her tracks". That's a reference to the Church hierarchy in Germany caving in to Hitler's demands to exclude German Jews from worshiping in their churches. You've read my posts on the heroic efforts of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor in the midst of Nazi Germany's persecution of German Jews. In the words of Eric Metaxas, author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, Bonhoeffer desired "to impart renewed relevance to the Church with a Biblical understanding of social justice... he fought the acquiescence of the evangelical state church to Hitler's demands." We should take special note of that word acquiescence ... it means "compliance, consent, agreement, acceptance, cooperation, and submission". We have seen far too much of that in the modern Church.

Now, we have so far been able to stave off a "state church". And it is expressly written in our Constitution that there is not to be one. But, as we all know, our Constitution is under grave attack, so it is imperative that whether "state" or not, our churches remain independent of political interference. I think we can all agree that our churches are only as strong as our national culture. And Satan is throwing everything he can at the culture to dismantle, corrupt, and destroy it. Many of our churches have compromised with the culture; human ideology is combined with unbiblical theology to convince denominational leaders they are still following God's commandments. And if that's not enough to water down the power of the church, then Satan institutes mockery against those who take a stand for God. Mockery quickly accelerates to judgment and then to punishment. We must pray for our pastors and church leaders! They are under tremendous pressure and need the wisdom and counsel of the Holy Spirit to lead their flocks through the waters of persecution that are rising higher.

Lastly, the third issue that Holy Spirit is bringing front and center has a lot in common with the other two. We are all aware of the headlines and viral videos of parents who are daring to speak up against the divisive curriculum in our educational system. But all this is just the consequence of taking Jesus and prayer out of public schools in 1962. It is Satan's goal, through Godless regimes, to defeat freedom-loving peoples whose faith in God sustains the prosperity of the nation. That's the history of Marxist and Communist nations who have done it during the last century. And they did it in these 11 easy steps: 1) Separate people from Jesus Christ. Eliminate Him from the schools, the government and the public square. 2) Make sexual indulgence and lust permissible and acceptable. The porn industry and sex trafficking are proof that it works. 3) Shift economies from self-producing to service industries and AI/Tech. These create entitlement mindsets. 4) With Jesus out of the way, it's easier to centralize political and financial power in the few. Jesus promotes freedom, and the Godless regimes can't have that. 5) Isolate the people by creating work camps and instituting fear. The population is easier to control. 6) Limit food supply. When the food is controlled, the people can be easily controlled. 7) Convince the people to believe in "the experts". After all, this is a "professional" giving you wise counsel that you can see and hear. Your "God" is invisible. Why believe Him? 8) Destroy the family structure through divorce; indoctrination of other lifestyles in the schools; convince women they don't need men; teach children to reject traditional values.  9) oppose and cancel differing viewpoints and attack the character of opponents. 10) Don't ever validate the truth -- especially about Jesus Christ. Demonize His truth; mock it; distort it; corrupt it. If the truth is allowed to exist, it encourages hope.  And finally, 11) Totally REJECT Jesus Christ. He is the ONLY way to the One True God, and He must be completely eliminated from any society or culture in order for Satan's agents to succeed.

All three of these issues are being brought forward in an atmosphere that encourages enslavement and discourages the message of hope in Christ. Satan's kingdom of darkness desperately wants to expand over the entire globe and he has willing accomplices. We should take heed of Holocaust survivor Vera Sharav's words ... "I never thought that I would be alive to be again afraid of the same elements [in the world]". Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer faced them, and his martyrdom at the hands of the Nazis stands as a testament to the will of one man to represent God in the face of evil. As Christianity Today described him, "Bonhoeffer was strong, if sometimes alone .... He was a clear-headed, deeply convicted Christian who submitted to no one and nothing except God and His Word." And as to why author Eric Metaxas found Pastor Bonhoeffer worthy of mention, it is for this reason, "Bonhoeffer gives witness to one man's extraordinary faith; a man determined to do the will of God radically, courageously, and joyfully -- even to the point of death. It is a story of a life framed by a passion for truth and a commitment to justice on behalf of those who face implacable evil".

Oh, how I pray the world is not on the precipice of even greater evil than it has ever seen. But, we know that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lives, and He will soon bring His justice with Him. I pray that we can all stand with the commitment and courage of those who have gone before us and that we, too, are willing to stand alone, if necessary, to represent our God. Because we know that this world belongs to Him, and it is His Kingdom, His power, and His glory that will reign forevermore! Help me to stand, Lord!

Romans 11:36    For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

 

Why Paul's Letter to the Colossians Is Also Meant For Us

 

One of my favorite times during my day is when I join my husband in our time in the Word. We each curl up with our Bibles, independently engaging with Scripture for deeper revelation of the God we serve. Please don't think we see ourselves as doctrinal experts or somehow singled out by the God of the Universe to be the recipients of knowledge otherwise undisclosed. On the contrary; we simply delight in those light-bulb moments when we discover something new in a verse or passage that we've read multiple times before, and we come to the realization that God just shined His light on a new precept that aids in the growth and maturity of our faith. What follows is the excitement of sharing that with each other, and with those who "have ears to hear". 

So, I'm afraid you're in for another "spotlight moment" as I share where the Lord led me today. As sometimes happens, I began in the Book of John [which is where I've been focusing my study the last few weeks], but ended up in the short book of Colossians. To be honest, I don't know how or why God led me there, or how the two are connected. But once in Paul's letter to the church at Colossae, I was struck that he emphasized that his letter should be read to the church at Laodicea also. He mentions it several times. Of course, I instantly recognized that Laodicea is pictured as the "church of the End Times", or the state of the church right before Jesus returns -- and I probably don't need to remind you, that He is not particularly pleased with it. So, I wanted to see what Paul had to say in the four-chapter epistle to the Colossians, which he wanted the Laodicean church to be especially aware of. 

Would I recognize the warnings to Colossae and Laodicea as relevant to the Body of Christ today? I warn you ... today's post is heavy with Scripture, but I think it is worth our time to consider that what Paul meant to be read to the physical church of Laodicea in the First Century is also meant for the spiritual Laodicean church in the Twenty-First Century. May we take note of our true spiritual condition!

• Colossians 1:9-14. Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. ¹⁰ We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹ by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; ¹² and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. ¹³ He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. ¹⁴ He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.

This is what is pleasing to the Lord: to be filled with the knowledge of God's will and possessing His wisdom and understanding so that we bear fruit in the works we do for Him. It pleases Him when we increase in the knowledge of God; when we walk in His power and authority; when we are patient and endure with joy; when we thank our Father for moving us into the Kingdom of Light; and we thank Jesus for redeeming us and forgiving us! According to Revelation 3:14-22, the Laodicean church didn't even come close to what Paul described as pleasing to the Lord. In fact, Jesus says He knows their works and they make Him sick; He wants to spew them out of His mouth [vomit]! 

So, I ask you, as we examine where the church has gone in our lifetime, do you think Jesus is happy with the fruit we've borne for His Kingdom? Have we represented Him well? Does abortion, gay marriage, transgenderism, and child trafficking speak of Him [or our effectiveness in influencing the world]? Is all of that what the Light of the world looks like? Paul intended for his words to call the church of his day to account for their faith and their actions. (And yes, faith should include action)! We must take a good hard look at ourselves in our day!

• Colossians 1:15-16. He Son is the image of the invisible God, the one who is first over all creation, ¹⁶ Because all things were created by him: both in the heavens and on the earth, the things that are visible and the things that are invisible. Whether they are thrones or powers, or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him.

I believe this passage has great power in what it reveals, but I also believe it has been lost on this generation. It represents the wisdom and spiritual understanding that Paul says pleases the Lord, and which the First Century believers were willing to pursue. It reveals a bigger picture of the spiritual realms and Christ's position in regards to them [which I do not think the 21st Century Church grasps or understands; the same fault is found in the Church at Laodicea]. The central point of this passage is that Christ is over all things ... whether in Third Heaven (thrones), Second Heaven (powers; also called dominions], or First Heaven (rulers and authorities). These are all orders of angels in the Celestial spheres, and they can be Godly angels or fallen angels, loyal to Satan. The modern Church's refusal to acknowledge that that these are spiritual beings [in either obedience or opposition to Christ] leaves the Body of Christ ignorant of their own power and defenseless against the power of the dark side. Failure to understand this precept, denies the Pre-eminence of Christ over them all!

• Colossians 1:26, 2:2-3. In these selected verses, Paul refers to "the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed to his saints", and again, "that [your] hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge".  

Here is what Paul meant for the churches at Colossae and Laodicea to understand: there is no longer any mystery or impediment to understanding God. He has revealed Himself through Christ (whom many in the First Century Church encountered in the flesh, and those in this century meet through Christ in us). Christ has opened the door for us, and because we know Him, we can have full understanding and knowledge of God, because He is God!  The treasures that the knowledge of Him give us are no longer hidden, but available to those who are willing to seek Him and receive His revelations. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of men [kings] to search it out [Proverbs 25:2]. 

And if we don't make the effort to gain a full understanding of God, then it should not surprise us that God says, My people perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). God continues His thoughts in Hosea: Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Let's be clear in our understanding -- when people reject HIS knowledge in favor of their man-made knowledge and religion, then God sees us as unfit to carry His message forward as His priest [which is the state of the End-Times Laodicean Church]. That church has forgotten "the law", which means the precepts and teachings of Christ. They are in danger of being forgotten by God.
 

Can you see that the End-Times Church of Laodicea was no longer walking in those "riches of full understanding and knowledge"? They were focused on the riches brought to them by their identity as a world banking center, producer of luxurious woolen garments, and their prosperous drug industry connected to the medical school there. Sound familiar?  They were focused on money, prosperity, and drugs, and apparently had lost the power and passion of their first love. Jesus accused them of thinking, "‘I’m rich, and I’ve grown wealthy, and I don’t need a thing.'  Could His indictment, "You don’t realize that you are miserable, pathetic, poor, blind, and naked" be applied to the Church today? 

• And finally, Colossians 2:8-15, 20-23. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰ and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[b] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.... If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ²¹ “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

I think Paul makes it quite clear that our faith is more than a philosophy. It is a life! It is not based on having knowledge of abstract principles [such as "God is love"], but it is a personal knowledge coming from real, physical experiences of the love of God through an intimate [and active] relationship with Jesus. That "experiential knowledge" of God's precepts surpasses "the elemental spirits of the world", which are meant only for this sphere. They are meant only for elementary education (as children on milk) and intended to prepare us for higher learning. Yet how many Christians today have stopped growing, satisfied in the elemental [or basic] understandings of their faith?

Notice that in verse 20, Paul reminds the churches of Colossae and Laodicea that in Christ, they have died to these "elemental spirits of the world". He means the worldly knowledge is to be replaced with spiritual knowledge gained through a life spent experiencing Jesus and God -- not "according to human precepts and teachings"; nor through "self-made religion and ascesticism"(a doctrine that adheres to strict regulation as the means to achieving a higher spiritual state). If we are honest with ourselves, we must acknowledge that the modern church is steeped in man-made religion and traditions, developed to control the flesh (including our minds and our actions/works for the Kingdom) and to appear spiritual. But the only way to greater spiritual knowledge is to commit to growing in wisdom through experiencing God and Christ in the spirit -- not in a "head knowledge" that limits the power and jurisdiction of God to transform mankind.

There is a remnant in the Body of Christ today who understands what Jesus meant when He said, "Those who believe in Me will do the works that I do; and even greater works than these will he do"... (John 14:12). We know what it means to walk in the power of Christ in us, and through the Holy Spirit, to defeat demons, heal the sick, call on the heavenly host to battle on our behalf. We know what is is to go before the throne of God and meet with His magnificent Presence. We know the very real power of prayer and fasting to take the fight to the Enemy at a higher level. We know all this because we have experienced it! We do not allow the restrictions of religious regulations or traditions [established in the preceding centuries] to stop us from fulfilling John 14:12. 

We know that the Bible reveals the falling away and the apostasy that precedes the moment God's cup of wrath is full to the brim. We recognize the signs. And we rejoice in our assignments to continually represent Him and His Kingdom; serving Him and our fellow man, so that no man can say we did not share the Good News of our glorious riches and heavenly inheritance coming from our relationship with Christ. We testify to the modern Church that we will be conquerors! It is time for all who profess faith in our Lord to leave the traditions and teachings of man behind, and walk in both true experiential knowledge of Christ and spiritual wisdom. We heed the instructions of Jesus to the Church of Laodicea and we look forward to ruling and reigning with Him in the Millennial Kingdom! Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 3:21-22    The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

 

 

Lift Up The Forerunners!

These last days and weeks my spirit has been hyper-focused on the forerunners of our faith. Of course, we are all familiar with the forerunners in the Bible ... John the Baptist, who cleared the way for the Lord to bring the Gospel of the Kingdom and Salvation to all mankind. He was a "voice calling in the wilderness" (Isaiah 40:3). Jesus is proclaimed "as our forerunner, [who] has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:20). 

In fact, this is the only verse in the Bible that actually uses the word forerunner. As explained in the Passion Translation, forerunner means "trailblazer." Jesus has blazed a trail for us to enter into the sacred chamber and seize the hope that has been fulfilled in His eyes already; to have a company of king-priests who will dwell with Him in the Holiest of Holies and minister from there out to the nations of the earth. The clear implication of verse 20 is that He takes us in to share His throne and His ministry as the royal Priest. 

But did you know that God has anointed forerunners in every generation to lead the way to the knowledge of Him and His redemptive work through His Son, Jesus Christ? You see, forerunner signifies one who comes to a place in advance of the rest who are to follow; one who acts as a scout or guide to prepare the way for the King. As you can imagine, it looks different in every generation, depending on the state of the world and God's timeline for the nations and the world. Moses, Jeremiah, and Paul are just a few examples of the forerunners who God anointed to prepare the way for the work He would do in freeing the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage; to prepare for their captivity in Babylon; and to prepare for the growth of the Church Age. 

Therefore, we can and should acknowledge the forerunners of our generation. They are those who receive and accept the anointing God has put on their lives in the measure of rule and authority He has given them to prepare the way for whatever it is He wants to do in that generation. And I will tell you, I discern that it is particularly difficult for the forerunners in this generation of our nation. Our nation is 245 years, and history has shown us that empires rarely last beyond 250 years. As pointed out in an article on medium.com, "God is a God of order. He has ordained systems, patterns, cycles, and processes in His Creation. Sir John Bagot Glubb, an Army General and historian, studied 11 empires from the Assyrians in 859 B.C. until the demise of the British empire in 1950. He found a remarkably similar pattern in their length of existence. Each spanned a period of about ten generations, and each went through these seven stages in their empires: the age of pioneers, the age of conquest, the age of commerce, the age of affluence, the age of intellect, the age of decadence, and finally, the age of decline and collapse". 

I believe we are fast approaching that last stage. Just in my lifetime, I have seen the 1960s begin an age of decadence that has gone from "free love" to 2021 and transgenderism and human/monkey chimera embryos. If you doubt we're there, here are the characteristics that Sir Glubb said marked the second-to-last age: defensiveness, pessimism, materialism, frivolity, an influx of foreigners, the Welfare State, and a weakening of religion. The forerunners of this generation are seeing what the rest of the nation and the Church isn't. They are awake and shouting from the rooftops that we are in serious jeopardy of no longer being "one nation under God". But is anyone listening?

Like Moses, Jeremiah, and Paul before them, this generation's forerunners are often scoffed at, maligned, persecuted, and discredited. And like these earlier forerunners, this generation will look different from each other. God will anoint some to be on the front lines of the spiritual battle [with the Enemy] to determine tactics and strategies. Others will be called to be watchmen on the wall, positioned in the towers to watch for what's coming and to warn the people. Still others will be anointed as prayer warriors and intercessors -- all of them to bring about God's plan and purposes for the nations, including ours. 

The forerunners of this generation are in full cooperation with the Father. They know and see the signs of the coming collapse because they see the decline so clearly. And they are all under spiritual attack as the Enemy prepares to bring his final blows. The attacks are coming against their businesses, their families, their health, their marriages, their reputations, and their ministries. I have such great regard for them as I see them come together to support and reinforce each other, intercede for each other, and appeal for Heaven's justice for each other. I will be honest ... it also pains me to see these men and women, who are putting everything on the line for the Lord and His Kingdom receiving no encouragement from the Body of Christ. Instead of appreciating the anointing that these forerunners walk in, the Body distances themselves from them because they don't "fit the norm", they preach a different message than the lukewarm Church, or they just plain make the Body of Christ uncomfortable. 

Maybe you are sensing that our nation and the world are different. You are no longer able to recognize your community, state or country as it was when you were growing up. And hopefully, your spirits are discerning that all of what you're seeing is not what God intended for His relationship with mankind. If so, then I urge you to lift up the forerunners in this generation! The Kingdom of Heaven, as spoken of in Matthew 11:12, is "suffering violence, and the violent take it by force". That difficult verse has been so misinterpreted, but it actually means that as the Kingdom of Heaven bursts forth into this world [violently because the Enemy is defending his kingdom], people who are passionate in seeing it defeat the kingdom of darkness will step into their anointing and have an effect on bringing it into existence. That is the purpose of the forerunner, and I am so thankful to be witness to mighty forerunners in this generation! They stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder, to prepare the way for the return of our King as He prepares to ride to bring Heaven's Justice to this declining and collapsing world. Will you join me in lifting up the 21st century forerunners? May they mount up on wings of eagles to bring the word of God's redemptive purpose for the world, and may they run and not grow weary, and may they walk and not grow faint! Father, strengthen them for the work they are to do for You, and reward them when they come into Your Heavenly Kingdom. Amen!

 Luke 1:76     And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways 

End Times Revival: Does The Bible Prophecy It?

 

I must admit I have wrestled with this question for quite awhile. And what I am going to present to you is my evolving position on this subject. This is where I am today. I am well aware of the modern-day "prophets" who preach that an awakening in the spirits of men will lead to a worldwide revival before the awesome Day of the Lord. I never want to discourage anyone or be perceived as against a revival, but I honestly do not see a Biblical interpretation of an End Times Revival.

And please hear me .... that is not to say that revival isn't real or does not happen. I do not have any authority to declare that. Throughout history, Revivals have occurred in times of need -- the Protestant Reformation in the 17th Century; the 18th Century Revivals led by John Wesley and George Whitefield; the three Great Awakenings in America (18th-19th Centuries); and the Asuza Street Revival and the Toronto Blessing in the 20th Century, to name a few. And I know the heart of "the Church" is to see Revival. But it doesn't take a very discerning spirit to recognize that there has been no revival in the Church that has defeated the wickedness in the world. In fact, the Church that resides in the building has been more about maintaining their position of compromise and accommodation in order to try and remain relevant to modern society [and to keep their status within man's law]. But this position has only seen wickedness and lawlessness rise while abdicating any power and authority they might once have held to change the world. That has left the Body of Christ sitting on the fence in a Laodicean, lukewarm posture.

That being said, I do see revival in the midst of small groups who recognize that the Holy Spirit has left the Church building, and who are willing to be true Disciples of the Lord and take His Gospel of the Kingdom outside the building, wherever they are led. This Body is the Ekklesia, the representatives of God's government on earth; those willing to go on the offensive and take God's Truth of who we were created to be, in spite of opposition, whether from unbelievers or believers. And when discerning that Truth [in all things, including today's prophecies of a worldwide revival], I go to the Bible to see what Jesus prophesied.

Nowhere do I see Jesus telling us to look for such a revival before the end of the Church Age. In Matthew 24, His Disciples ask Him for signs that will signify the end of this Age and His Coming. He warns not to be lead astray by those saying they are coming in His Name. That includes false prophets and teachers, which are not necessarily men who are seeking to deceive others, but may be deceived themselves into thinking they are hearing from God. Jesus goes on to say that we will hear of wars and rumors of wars; nations and kingdoms rising up against each other; famines and earthquakes. Then comes tribulation and martyrdom; being hated by all those who hate Him. Then a great falling away will occur, meaning there will be those who stumble in their faith and will betray their fellow believers in order to save themselves from persecution. The lawlessness will cause hearts to grow cold, and love will escape them. Jesus says the one who endures [and perseveres in their faith to survive the persecution] will be saved [delivered; rescued]. 

Jesus doesn't sugarcoat it. It's going to be difficult to live on this earth as we get closer to His Return. Nowhere do I see Him say that we can expect a Revival to ease our suffering and usher Him in. In fact, rebellion comes first, which results in the falling away and hearts growing cold. Again, I pray for revival and rejuvenation and renewed strength among those who are willing to contend in fervent prayer [as the Ekklesia] in order to hold up the appearance of the Man of Lawlessness, who will set things in motion for Jesus's eventual Return. I recognize the purpose of the cycle of Revival throughout the history of the world because it snatches victory out of the hands of the Enemy every time someone repents and receives Christ as their Savior. Revivals please the Lord because the Father doesn't want to lose even one of His creation. Revivals are real and we can most definitely pray for them to happen because that is how the Gospel of Salvation has advanced across the globe. And now I see the revival in the Ekklesia advancing the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is what Jesus came preaching, and what I think is spurring the Enemy to advance his kingdom of wickedness and lawlessness.  

Even as the Church grows "cold", there will always be pockets of Believers who remain "hot" to share the Gospel of the Kingdom; leading people to repentance, then salvation, and on towards entering the Kingdom of God on earth. And I believe the number of people who exemplify that kind of "revival" will be relatively small in number. You see, those I hear prophesying today of a great worldwide revival resulting in millions of people becoming part of "the Church" doesn't seem to correspond to Scripture. If that were so, wouldn't the Bible reveal an expanding and extension of the Church Age instead of it growing cold? I don't see the Word telling us that the Church will be purified in the Last Days. Instead it will "fall away".

I hear modern-day prophets using Scripture such as Psalm 22:27-28 to justify that this worldwide Revival is going to happen: All the ends of the earth shall remember and return to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations. But when read in context, I believe this is referring to the Millennial Kingdom, the 1000-year reign of Christ after His return. And I also witness many today who like to take such snippets of Scripture as Joel 2:23 to point to a Revival in our time: Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. I, too hope for vindication as we pray that Father God will forgive our complacency, our contentment, and our self-satisfaction in our selfish deeds. 

I know the American Church sincerely desires a Great Revival because we can no longer ignore the immoral state of our nation. We are awakened to how we have failed as the Church in living up to the covenant made with God when those first faithful servants stepped foot on this ground. We've always been a prosperous and blessed nation, and we see that identity in jeopardy. We're more divided than ever along racial lines; the Freedoms enshrined in our Constitution seem to be slipping away; and more people are leaving the Church building because they are not being fed in the Word. They intuitively know that there is more to walking in the footsteps of the Lord than church attendance, and their spirits are hungry for a true encounter with Jesus to discover their purpose on this earth. 

These are the people seeking personal revival and they will be the ones who advance the Kingdom of God -- right up until the moment of the corporate revival of the Jews. This is the promise of Revival in the Bible! This was made so clear to me some years ago when a dear friend opened up the Lord's revelation through Romans 11. For the first time, I saw that the Remnant of Israel [those who choose to call on the Name of the Lord], will receive their salvation and reclaim their original status as the nation who will lead the world to the knowledge of God. And the fullness of saved Israel will bring about the Glory of God on the earth, as Jesus returns and defeats Evil. Then all those who are saved will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. 

So, we can take heart that revival is real! It will happen as it has always happened -- in small pockets and in cycles. And we should pray for those revivals, because as Gentiles grafted into the cultivated olive tree that is God's Chosen People, it is our faithfulness to expand the Gospel of Christ [in both Salvation and Kingdom messages] that will provoke Israel to jealousy in the coming End Times, and they will want the security we have in Christ. While revival might not look like what we hear being prophesied throughout the modern Church, it will look like whatever God intends to use to redeem the world. Pray about what your part in that revival looks like, and how you can become part of God's Promise to Israel and the world!

Jeremiah 30:17     For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’

 

Are We At An Isaiah 3 Moment In Time?

          

     Before we can have a conversation on the prophecy of Isaiah 3, we must take a look at it. In it's historical context this chapter of Isaiah describes how the corrupt leadership in Judah brought about the collapse of the social conditions of the nation and Jerusalem. It contains Isaiah's prophecies that "For the sin of the people, God will take away the wise men, and give them foolish princes". But it is also an excellent profile of a society under judgment. Since our God is Immutable [He never changes], we can expect that His standards of Righteousness and Justice are constant, steadfast, firm and unwavering, right? So, let's read Isaiah's prophecy and see what we can discern ...

For behold, the Lord God of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply, all support of bread, and all support of water;
² the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder,
³ the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms.
⁴ And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them.
⁵ And the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and every one his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the despised to the honorable.

⁶ For a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: “You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule”;
⁷ in that day he will speak out, saying: “I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people.”
⁸ For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.

⁹ For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.
¹⁰ Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
¹¹ Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
¹² My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.

¹³ The Lord has taken his place to contend; he stands to judge peoples.
¹⁴ The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: “It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord God of hosts.

¹⁶ The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet,
¹⁷ therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

¹⁸ In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; ¹⁹ the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; ²⁰ the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; ²¹ the signet rings and nose rings; ²² the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; ²³ the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

²⁴  Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.
²⁵ Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in battle.
²⁶ And her gates shall lament and mourn;  empty, she shall sit on the ground.

     Can you recognize the judgment that has come upon the nation of Judah and her capital city, Jerusalem, for the mistreatment of its citizens? Isaiah warns that there will be a shortage of food, water, and competent government leaders, as well as military commanders, judges, church leaders, advisors, and even those involved in the art of deception. They will be deprived of godly, capable leaders in all these areas. In their place will rise up immature, child-like leaders to rule over them.

     To make matters worse, oppression and conflict arise between the people; the youth disrespect their elders, and men of good reputation are treated with contempt and disdain. Does any of this sound familiar? Not only are we seeing shortages in our food supply, but we suffer from a vast poverty of righteous men to lead this nation. That includes those who practice the art of deception, as in the Media. Not to mention the incredible insolence and rebellion of the younger generation on the streets of our nation, and the deplorable treatment of the Attorney General of this nation by members of Congress.

     Isaiah's pronouncement of God's judgment is against a sinful and rebellious Judah. And remember, that God never changes. Because of our rebellion against YHWH's righteousness [through our practices of abortion, sex trafficking, pornography industry, and general immorality and debauchery], might we not expect God to bring judgment upon our nation by imposing ungodly, incompetent leaders, resulting in a breakdown of order in our society? We are certainly seeing it in cities like Portland, Seattle, and Minneapolis! Oppression among the people is evident everywhere!

     As verse 6 shows us, the people become so desperate for a return to normalcy, that they will accept even the smallest image of competency as qualifications of a leader. But things have deteriorated so badly, that no man wants the job. The words and deeds of people declare their rebellion against God, and sin is openly displayed; there is no shame or recognition of their offense against YHWH. But we cannot blame God for the mess we're in; we've brought it upon ourselves. God just left this nation to the desires of its heart.

     We are a nation that revels in its prosperity. But the leaders have become rich on the impoverishment of its citizens. The middle class is disappearing and the rich get richer. The Lord asks, "What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the face of the poor?" A nation such as this will find themselves subject to the judgment of the Lord God. And I find it interesting that the prophet Isaiah spends a good portion of his prophecy warning against the gluttony and haughtiness of the women of Judah. I can certainly attest to the change in attitude and of women in my lifetime. I lived through the "Women's Liberation" era that fostered the intellectual concepts that women were equal to men; that they had a right to do with their bodies as they wished; to seek after power and influence; and that in the end, they didn't really need men to be whole or successful or fulfilled as women. Somewhere I have read that when the women of a culture become degenerate and ungodly, then the hope for the next generation is gone. But when the women of a culture turn to the Lord and His ways, then there is hope for the future.

     Please, do not misunderstand me -- I do not subscribe to women being mindless subjects of men. But our God has designed us all, both men and women alike, with a purpose for His Kingdom, and we are the most fruitful for the Kingdom when we honor and respect each other, seeking to raise Godly children together, and to glorify the Lord in humility and service. Outward appearances; lust for power and luxury; and rebellion instead of obedience, never result in a thriving culture.

     So, while I hope and pray that God will grant us mercy, I recognize that, by His Holy standards, this nation deserves any judgment He might decide to inflict upon us. I hope that a great revival might sweep this land, but I'm afraid I'm not as clear on that probability as many of today's modern prophets. I certainly do not see that prophecy in the Bible. There are plenty of prophecies of revival and reformation from the Old Testament prophets, but my discernment reveals them as pertaining to Israel and/or Jerusalem. That being said, I DO take great comfort and hope in Isaiah 3:10, Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.

     We know, that as the truly righteous, we do not share the same fate as the wicked and rebellious. I believe God's promises to protect and bless those who obey His commandments. If we truly "Seek the Kingdom first [make it our priority] and righteousness, all our needs will be met". That includes safety in times of peril; nourishment in times of impoverishment; health in times of illness; and faith in times of doubt and unbelief. We will receive the rewards of our work on behalf of the Kingdom; if not in the present, then certainly in eternity.

     In summation, we must not ignore the righteous standards God has established since the beginning of time. And we must understand that He is a Righteous and Just God, and judgment is coming on those nations that do not turn away from rebellion against Him and His holy principles. I know that Isaiah 3 is aimed at Judah and Jerusalem, but we are foolish if we are unable to look in the mirror and see the unsettling likeness.  God will not cut us any slack! Lord God, deliver us from our rebellious nature and flagrantly and obstinately refusing to change our course of action. Have mercy on us!

Matthew 5:44-45    But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

    

 

The Lord Is My Banner

    

     I'm in a contemplative mood today. And as insignificant as it may seem, I have been struggling over whether to change the name of this blog. Salvation and Survival certainly had a specific meaning when I wrote my first post on December 5, 2011. I began writing to encourage women who were fearful; to inspire them to walk in their identity in Christ; to strengthen their faith in times of dread and panic. At that time, I was focused on the confusion and calamity I saw occurring in my beloved home country, the United States, and around the world.

     We were still striving to recover from the fallout of the financial crash in 2008, along with civil unrest caused by the Occupy Wall Street movement. Our economic fortunes took another turn for the worse as the U.S. credit rating was downgraded for the first time, and unemployment soared. The world experienced the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Arab Spring, and increased terror attacks, including the killing of 77 at a youth leadership camp in Oslo, Norway.

      I knew from my conversations with friends and family that women were feeling that their security was in jeopardy. I wanted to share ways in which they could begin preparing for "hard times", while ultimately pointing them to Jesus. I wanted to show them that their security was in Jesus and their salvation was a stalwart  anchor in the midst of the coming storm. I wanted them to know that both Salvation and Survival were possible as we watched our world careening out of our control.

     There have been times throughout the last nine years that I wasn't sure I had anything more to say, and I would ask the Lord if it was time to quit writing this blog. But you know what? This blog has never been about me expressing what I had to say; it's always been about what God wanted to say through me. And He has a lot to say that He wants imparted to those with "ears to hear". So, I keep writing. After all, it was in 2008 that a man I met [only once] made a profound impact on my life. He told me that he had a word from the Lord for me ... Be the pen, not the blank piece of paper. And I know part of my assignment in this world is to write for my Lord.

     But wanting to do it to the best of my abilities, I now find myself questioning if the title of this blog reflects the growth of my assignment. I know it sounds like a mundane consideration, but I never want to misrepresent the Lord. I have completed my task of alerting people to think about food storage, and sustainable living, and self-protection --which fulfilled the Survival purpose of this blog. And the Lord showed me that while my Salvation message should always be a priority, He wanted me to expand it to point to the Gospel of the Kingdom, which was Jesus's priority (Luke 4:43 and Matthew 24:14). Shouldn't my blog title reflect this enlargement of my assignment?

     After doing some initial research and discovering that changing the url of this site could mean that all the previous posts could be lost and anyone looking for me under the original name might not be re-directed or able to locate the new site, I felt I would just have to live with what I felt was an obscure and ambiguous title. That is, until I expressed my concern to my insightful husband.

     Mark said, first of all, it wasn't worth losing all that I've written over the last nine years, but more importantly, he felt Salvation and Survival was still applicable to the new territory we are plowing. In fact, what we face in the world today makes 2011 look like a walk in the park! A weaponized virus is affecting the entire world and has transformed this nation into something I hardly recognize. Fear is more rampant than I've seen it since 2001. The Enemy has blinded people with deception and lies, and just as Jesus said, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). Notice that He said most, not many!

     And I'd like to address another point ... there are days when I'm writing what the Holy Spirit has put on my heart, that my soul worries my message is too often negative. By that I mean that like many of my fellow Christians, I am not expecting a worldwide revival. Instead, I see the remnant stepping into position to be able to speak into Believers who will lose heart (and even their faith!) when the AntiChrist unleashes his plans upon the unsuspecting. I try to infuse my posts with the encouragement to persevere and endure as we abide in Christ. That is what He is telling me, and it is what the Word says will happen! I identify with a good friend of mine, whose spirit hears clearly and undeniably from the Lord, that we know how the prophet Jeremiah felt. I don't want to be delivering gloom and doom, but I also cannot dismiss or misrepresent the Lord's exhortation. I write, not in defeatism, but to embolden you to walk in the power and love of Christ!

     So, Mark has helped to show me that the banner for this blog is still appropriately called Salvation and Survival -- Salvation is the entry point into the Kingdom according to John 3:5, and we will need to rely on our Kingdom citizenship; our power; and our authority for Survival during this time and the coming persecution. In fact, entering into the Kingdom of God is the only way we will survive.

     God never changes and neither has His purpose for this blog. We are in a battle, Christians! And the Lord is our banner! In ancient times, a banner was not a flag, as we consider it today, but was often a pole with a bright, shining ornament or standard on it that the warriors could focus on. We are to be valiant warriors and put on the full armor of God and serve on the battlefront! The Enemy is bringing the battle to us, whether we want it or not! But under the Lord's banner, our victory is assured. And I must tell you, that apart from it, defeat will be a certainty.

     This may be a new position for some of you, if not most of you. But, you need to understand that we are all in a new position. We are not going back to our comfortable, safe lives. Is it scary to find yourself being moved into a new position? You bet it is!  But you have two choices. You can either retreat into the false cocoon of your safe system (whether it be your national identity, your church, your family, or the recesses of your mind) and fail to get on the battlefield; OR you can accept your place in God's army, under the protection of His banner, and get in the fight to defeat Satan's kingdom of darkness and re-establish God's Kingdom on earth. Do not be afraid! Focus on His banner and we will be victorious!

Psalm 20:5-6     We will sing joyously over your victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.  Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

      

    

God Will Bring Order Out Of Chaos

          Our God is a god of order. He brings His discipline and authoritative direction in the midst of confusion and upheaval. The perfect picture of this is Genesis 1:1-2, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Let's dissect these familiar verses, and see if we can get a picture that mirrors what we see coming upon this modern version of the earth.

     "Without form" is the Hebrew word tohu, and "void" is the Hebrew word bohu, giving us a picture of an earth that was a desolate wasteland; an empty ruin. "Darkness was over the land and the face of the deep" .... "darkness" is the Hebrew word chosek, defined as misery, destruction, death, sorrow, wickedness; and "deep" is the Hebrew word t'hom, meaning an abyss (as a surging mass of water").

     "And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters". Here, the word "hovering" indicates movement, as in a shaking, or a tempest [violent storm]. So, we have a picture of an earth that is existing in chaos and turmoil. The environment is one of destruction, death, and wickedness, which results in misery and sorrow. And the culmination of all this disorder is that the Spirit of God begins to shake one of the foundations of the earth: the waters.

     Obviously this is not the same earth about which the Bible says "and God saw that it was good" in verse 10. But I'm not hear to debate the question of whether something happened to a prior earth in Genesis 1:1-2, or that God re-created a new earth beginning in Genesis 1:9 that He was then able to declare "good" in verse 10. My point in dissecting the first two verses in the Bible is to show that God is able to identify when His creation is a wasteland shrouded in chaos and confusion; misery and destruction. And He is not above violently shaking it to bring it back into an orderly state that pleases Him.

     In fact, the Bible is full of references by both Old and New prophets and writers who describe just such discipline from God ... and they aren't referring to what happened in the past in Genesis 1:1-2. They are talking about a future event. The prophet Haggai says, "For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land (2:6)". Isaiah prophesies, "Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of His fierce anger (13:13)". Jesus, Himself, tells us in Luke 21:25-26, "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,  people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Even the Apostle Peter declares, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up."

     So, we must not be like those people "in the days of Noah" who were unaware until the Flood came and swept them all away. God has promised that He will never destroy the world with a flood again, but He is not blind to what is happening upon the earth in these days. There is much deception and lies as men are being used by agents of Satan to cause disorder, chaos, and destruction. There is much misery and sorrow among the fellowship of men, and lawlessness is abiding in hearts that are devoid of the love of Christ.

     The very fact that there are numerous reports of Satanic marches in the major cities of our nation today, on this day of the summer solstice, is evidence that our Enemy is emboldened to openly display his opposition and antagonism towards our God Most High. Our Enemy believes he is closer than ever to gaining complete dominion over the earth and destroying the followers of Christ. We can see wave after wave of evil, fostered by multiple factions within the kingdom of darkness. It has the appearance of that violent storm or tempest which moved over the earth in Genesis 1:2.

     But we must not yield to his wickedness and scare tactics. Our Lord has already defeated him and we must rise up in an even greater tsunami of praise, worship, and spiritual warfare that will crush the devil's waves of evil. Pray fervently that the curtain will be pulled back on every contingent of Satan's conglomerate of evil-doers. Call down warrior angels to expose the duplicity of politicians [both Democrat and Republican; black and white] who are financially/politically benefiting from the very world systems they claim to be against. Ask our Lord to confuse the Enemy's schemes and cause confusion in his camps, just as He did in Joshua 10.

     The demonic realm rejoices over displays such as a Luciferian March for a One World Government, and the rituals and curses that accompany it. But Satan and his hordes also celebrate the chaos and destruction they have been able to convince the men and women of earth to commit on behalf of what they see as a "righteous cause". Pray that the veil that separates dark and Light will be torn by our Lord Jesus, as He reveals what's really been going on behind the scenes. Pray that the Church will rise up to be the voice and representative of Heaven, declaring that this dark kingdom of the world is coming to an end, and the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior is going to reign for ever and ever. Pray that everything that is counterfeit is exposed for the lie that it is, and that the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirits of Wisdom and Knowledge and Understanding; of Counsel and Might, and the Fear of the Lord will sweep this land, making way for the "true" One World Government ... the Government of God's Kingdom on earth.

     So, it's time we discern that God will bring order out of this chaos. He's done it before and His Word says He will do it again. Please pray that mankind rejects the lies and temptations of the Evil One before we've gone too far. The Man of Lawlessness is ready to take the stage, but God, in His Sovereignty, will determine His appearance. Father, we pray for Your protection from the shaking that we deserve! Destroy the plans of everyone whose heart is aligned with the Enemy, and may Your Holy Spirit guide us towards restoration and reconciliation. You are our Hope and Strength and Refuge!

Jeremiah 10:10     But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.