"Redeem The Time For The Days Are Evil"

Oh, how I wish that my spirit would wake me up in the middle of the night bringing tidings of joy and good news for mankind! Instead, I am once again being awakened with a deep sense of urgency to warn my fellow Believers that how we spend our time from this moment forward is more important than ever. 

I don't have to tell you that we are in a battle for our nation and our very lives. Because the building blocks of our national DNA are freedom and liberty, we instinctively know we are losing the foundation that is necessary for our continued development, purpose, and growth. And if you've paid any amount of attention during the last three or four years, then you know that our God-created DNA is under attack, too.

Just reading the headlines today is enough to send some into a downward spiral of fear and despair ... increased military action is threatened in the Middle East as the leaders of Israel, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey are beating the drums of war; Venezuela is descending into utter chaos after "sham" election; Russia is training its troops for nuclear war; UK warns of elevated risk of new pandemic of "bird flu"; the German economy is on the verge of collapse, bringing into view David Wilkerson's prophecy that Germany would be first, followed by Japan, and then the U.S.; the Western food supply is diminishing... 

I don't write this out of ignorance that the Battle is the Lord's, and the ultimate victory is ours. And I definitely am not fear-mongering to deliberately arouse alarm among my fellow countrymen and brethren in Christ. Rather, I am writing to encourage everyone to harken upon the words of the Apostle Paul when he tells us in Ephesians 5:14-16, to "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you and give you light". He goes on to tell us to "redeem the time, because the days are evil". 

So, I am talking to those Christians who have convinced themselves that they don't need to worry or do anything during these dark days because Jesus has promised He will not abandon us, and we just need to trust in Him to take care of everything. But He never said we would be free of the consequences of Satan's dark kingdom on earth. In fact, He warned us of the evil things to come! And for those nonbelievers who are still mired in their normalcy bias and think nothing can ever defeat us because "we're America and we'll always be on top" -- look around you! I'm talking to you, too! 

The Bible tells us that Satan is "the god of this world" and he has been very successful in deceiving the masses and recruiting humanity to rebel against all righteousness. There is a global war in the spiritual realms as Satan and his demons bring increasing rage against those who belong to Christ. They know their time is running short because God is exposing their lies and schemes; Our Almighty God is ripping off the blindfolds and dirty veils of those who have been unable [or unwilling] to see His Truth, and He is revealing the works of those who are in league with Satan and his anti-Christ agenda. But the Light of Christ is shining brightly on their wicked deeds! Are you beginning to see the strategies of the Evil One to form an alliance with unholy men and claim masses of people as his victims, bringing them into utter destruction and eternal torment? Are you ready to redeem the time remaining to us?     

If so, what does it mean for us to "redeem the time"? There's lots for us to consider, and Paul gives wise counsel in that Ephesians 5 passage. For too long, we just groped our way through the mess Satan was creating, compromising our moral standards, and thinking our religious prayers were going to save us. But now that Jesus has shined His Light on the wickedness and perversion, we should see plainly our way forward. So let's redeem the time we've lost -- let's make the most of it and be constantly aware that the clock is ticking! Yes, I believe Jesus is close to returning, but because we don't know the day or the hour, we need to figure out what He wants us to be doing until He makes His appearance .. and then do it!

Speaking for myself, I don't want to waste my time on the useless, shallow things of this world... the barren pursuits that don't produce any fruit for His Kingdom. Maybe it's because I am advancing in years and know my time is short, so I want to be intentional with my time, carefully watching my thoughts, my words, and my deeds to make sure I am not only preparing the way for Him, but can stand before Him with as little regret as possible. I want to be in constant touch with the Holy Spirit, conscious of His every word of knowledge that can give me the wisdom, understanding, and discernment as to how I can rise up in my own righteous Might and help others to do the same. 

I want to commit every day to looking for the opportunities the Lord gives me to glorify Him. I want to sing His praises, worship Him by studying His Word, and share all the goodness and mercy He has bestowed on me through my salvation. I want to educate people by spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom; that He came the first time to restore dominion of the earth back to us so that we might walk in power and authority from our Father in Heaven to reclaim His Creation from the Usurper and Thief. And I want to become better at loving my neighbor, praying for my enemies, and taking care of the poor. I want to spend my time healing people [physically, emotionally, and spiritually] -- seeing people set free from disease, demons, and their own sins.

And I am suiting up in my Spiritual Armor, tearing down the strongholds and demonic structures in the spiritual realms that have enslaved so much of humanity. Redeeming our time here on earth means we regain possession of all that Jesus has given us -- dominion, salvation, power, authority, righteousness, peace, prosperity, wisdom, love for others, eternity with Him, and Heavenly treasure. In the end, our days "pass away like smoke", and "like a passing shadow". We are here for what seems like a breath, and then we are gone. It is urgently important that we make the most of every opportunity we have in our remaining time. Our Heavenly Father is shouting from Heaven with a wake-up call for those who can hear in the Spirit. Do you hear it? The hour is late for both our nation and the world... For those who are called by His Name, it is time to be wise and understand the will of the Father and His Son. 

We have the spiritual weapons to win because we have the Strength of the Lord on our side. Let us each redeem our remaining time here on earth by doing the Father's will -- here, as it is in Heaven. Let us do all that is Good, all that is Right, and all that is True! Unmask Evil and its fraudulent disguises, exposing its ugliness to the Light of Christ! Understand what pleases Christ and then just go do it! These are desperate times for the world. Don't waste another minute of it!

1 John 2:17      The world is passing away, and it, its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever. 

These Are The Times That Try Our Souls

 

As I have mentioned before, when I began writing this blog in December of 2011, it was in response to a prompting by the Holy Spirit that I speak to people in this country who might be facing fear, worries, and anxiety as they saw the heart of America changing in bewildering ways. Maybe they couldn't quite put their finger on it, but it certainly felt as though our foundation was shifting; as if the winds of change were beginning to blow and they were anything but calming and soothing.

I felt those attacks on my soul, too, and instead of dissipating in the years since, they have only increased and become more obvious. At the time, I instinctively knew that God wanted to use me to write to others who might be fearing that the nature  of our country was changing into something we didn't recognize. That's been over ten years ago, and I have witnessed the cycles of fear that the citizens of our nation have endured -- both the faithful and the secular. I've seen everything from panic, to retreating into a normalcy bias, to turning a blind eye, and now we're circling back to another level of anxiety and fear. But the purpose for this blog, as it has been from the beginning, is to be a source of hope for the fearful, while being honest and transparent about where we are in God's plan.

And by "fearful", I want to explore that term in all it's significance.  First, I want to speak to those who "fear" our God in the sense of experiencing awe for His Sovereignty, and His Power, and His love for us.  I want to be available as a source of encouragement, and to show less experienced Believers who we are to be in the world.  I want to show them that we can be glad -- that we can rejoice -- even in the midst of our burdens and concerns over world events. And I don't want to sound trite about those concerns; we are certainly at a point in our history that bears serious  consideration and apprehension.

And for those who "fear" the Lord out of lack of knowledge of Him, I desperately want to introduce their Savior to them!  I want them to see me bold and confident; to witness my peace and contentment; and to notice that I am able to take control and responsibility --- all because God's Word has given me hope.  I want to make it perfectly clear to them that His Gospel Messages of Salvation and His Kingdom on earth are the reasons that I do not fear, as they do.  And because of my testimony to this group of "fearful" people, I will take great delight in seeing them "rejoice", as they come to know the Lord.

But there's a third group that also will need encouragement in these trying times. This group understands the duality of our Mighty God -- the complex reality of both His glorious love for us and His intense hatred of sin and evil, resulting in His righteous wrath. To properly "fear the Lord", we must hold both these sides of His nature in proper tension. It is essential that we understand that He is entitled to both because He is perfectly holy. 

I will be honest ... I don't yet have a sense of whether we, as a nation, are destined for reprieve or justifiable punishment for our rebellion and disobedience. Like many of you, I have been praying, [for the sake of the righteous remnant who discern the spiritual state of our national soul and have been interceding for repentance], that our Father in Heaven will hear our cries and bring restoration, even as He disciplines the wicked. 

But even in the midst of my uncertainty about our immediate future, I am hopeful and rejoice in the knowledge that God is ever present in times of both prosperity and trouble. It is who He is -- from the ancient past to our present, and from this moment in time to eternity -- He has never changed. He has always been with those He calls His own; even when it was necessary to chastise them. It is always His plan to restore us if we are willing to humble ourselves and seek Him. I have hope because I know who He is, and I know in the deepest part of my soul and spirit, who we are. 

We have been through a rough season; and it may get even more turbulent. We may experience a period that will shake us to our core, but we have the hope of knowing our Savior will not abandon us. Even in the darkest hours of past generations, His Light could not be extinguished in those whose hope resided in Him. I want to be an expression of that hope for all who may be tempted to despair. I want others to know that my hope is a product of recognizing that Jesus is my strength to endure; He is my Power Source to destroy anything that the Enemy brings against me. 

He will see us through all our troubles, temptations, and trials! He will never disappoint us if we lean on Him! Yes, these are certainly times that try men's souls.... but we are not bound by this realm. Our hope does not lie in resolving our temporal problems, but in the expectant hope that the King of the Universe fights for us in order to deliver us to an eternal home with Him. Rejoice, if you know Him! And share His Mercy, Grace and Truth with someone who doesn't. We are God's representatives in this time period on the earth, and let us invite all who "fear" Him, in all their ways, to come sit at the foot of His throne and worship Him!

Isaiah 41:10   ‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’