The Knowledge and Reality of Good and Evil

    I enjoyed some very interesting conversations this weekend with a couple of very close friends; one churched, and one unchurched. And I say "interesting" because they both began from a similar starting point, but ended at a very different conclusion, owing to their relationship with Jesus.
     I am finding that people are beginning to take notice of what is going on in the world, and I don't mean the day-to-day visible changes that we are all seeing around us due to Covid-19. However, the virus has caused some to look beyond the surface of events, organizations and people, and dare to peek behind the curtain.
     Such was the case with my unchurched friend. He has no relationship with Jesus, but categorizes himself as "a good person". I will agree that he does have a good heart, is kind, and I have rarely seen him angry or mean to anyone. And he only wants to see the good in others. Therefore, to entertain the thought that scientists would create a vaccine that might be harmful to children, or that modern "designer" pharmaceuticals are becoming increasingly toxic to the human body (just listen to the long list of side effects for some of the prescription drug ads on TV) is some kind of "conspiracy theory". And certainly, Bill Gates only seeks to do good with his charitable organizations; Warren Buffet is just a humble guy from Omaha who wants to help "the little guy" invest his hard-earned money; and there is no such thing as a global agenda or manufactured crises to submit mankind to the totalitarian rule of a Beast System. "Things just happen" and he has such a hard time seeing or believing that people could be that evil. And he definitely cannot conceive of hell.
     Then there is my churched friend who is very intelligent and not so naive. She knows her Bible well; knows that evil exists, and is beginning to come to the realization that her desire to see all evil eventually come to the knowledge of the Saving Power of Jesus Christ might not be possible. That comes from our discussions on the very real existence of a cabal of evil men who willingly serve Satan's agenda. Call them the New World Order, or whatever name suits your fancy, but she can no longer ignore that they exist. Still, it is so hard to think that men would willingly choose evil over good. All you have to do is think of Hitler to see that truth.
    She is not alone. For most Christians, it is difficult to venture outside the comfort zone of the Western Church to see just how evil that agenda of Satan's is, or to come to the realization that men would willingly cooperate with it. But for the sake of the next generation(s), it is important that people take the blinders off. We must begin studying and renewing our minds and preparing our hearts. Yes, we know that Jesus paid the price for all men, but eventually we should come to the gut and heart-wrenching questions my friend came to .... Is there hope for such evil men? Can they be Saved or is it too late? And I need you to understand that I am not talking about the Grace and Mercy that Jesus offers all men, even sinners. And I am a person who believes that He is a God of second chances, even when we are face-to-face with Him at the moment of death.
     But here is where I believe the Body of Christ needs to get to in their understanding: We who know who we are in Christ cannot imagine separating ourselves so far from the One who is Love. But for those who want to follow Satan's agenda (whether they be called New World Order or by any other name), their truth is as old as the Bible itself. They believe the same lie that Adam and Eve believed ... "you shall not die" and "you shall be as gods".
     Is there hope for them? I know that Jesus doesn't want to lose a single person to the Enemy, and if they would confess, repent, and ask God for forgiveness (and sincerely mean it), I believe they could be redeemed. But sadly, they refuse to acknowledge God, so He has given them over to a depraved mind. They will be judged according to their works, as we all will (Romans 1:28-2:11). And the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, that they have a seared conscience, which means they will not have the ability to feel remorse, so they will not be able to renew their mind. Just as when you sear your flesh, it is dead, with no feeling, and cannot be restored. They will go to hell.
     And that is another concept that may be too difficult for Christians to contemplate -- that our loving Father would deliberately consign men to hell. But Jesus, Himself, says there will be a final judgment, and He will say to those He has separated on His left, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Hell is a reality!
     So, I believe that such evil exists in men's hearts; men who are so sold out to Satan, with hearts and minds so depraved that they will be unable to even consider God. These are the men talked about in Revelation 16; the men upon whom the Bowls of God's Wrath will be poured upon; men who "refused to repent of their deeds and continued to blaspheme and curse God...". That is incredibly sad to me, especially when I consider the immensity of evil that must be in their hearts.
     Unlike my unchurched friend, I know there are men in this world who match that description. Would I hope that they would use their free will to choose God over evil? Of course! And believe me, it would be easier to refuse to acknowledge they exist, or to turn a blind eye, but I know that I need to be aware of them because I am an ambassador of the Kingdom of God, and they represent the kingdom of darkness. I need to know what, where, and how I am to battle in the Spirit.
      And, believe me, I can identify with my churched friend. For a long time, it was really unfamiliar and scary ground to contemplate the depth of evil on the earth. It was much more pleasant and agreeable to focus on Jesus and His nature of  Love, Mercy and Grace towards all men. But one day, the Father is going to give Jesus the go-ahead to render the Righteous Judgment of Heaven upon such evil. And once I faced the knowledge of that Day of Wrath, Evil no longer had the power to shut me down. I knew who I was, what my role was to be, and I felt I was qualified to get in the game. Actually, I needed to get in the game! And I was realistic about it .... could I, a single person, stop Satan and his New World Order or their agenda? Not in the physical. But I know I am powerful in my spirit, and He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.
     And this precious friend explained her own state of mind so well ... she sees the dots being connected; what was once fuzzy, is now "starkly clear"; and there's no more gray area. And I think the Body of Christ (at least in the Western Church) has been operating in that "gray area" for quite awhile. It's that place where we view the world with our rose-colored religious glasses on; the ones that project an optimistic outlook because we are Saved and going to Heaven. But there's a whole lot of Bible between the Resurrection and Revelation, and its clear that we will not escape persecution and tribulation. Don't you want to be prepared? The Prophet Hosea's that "My people perish for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6) has never been more appropriate.
     I think it goes without saying that unless my unchurched friend begins to seek a relationship with Jesus, he will continue to be fooled into seeing the world only as he wants to see it. Perhaps he can live out his life never having to face evil and never choosing to pursue Jesus, but he will end up standing in judgment before the Lord one day and when he looks upon the face of the One who has loved him "before the foundations of the world", I expect he will wish he had pursued Him earlier. I pray that he comes to that knowledge and decision soon.
     On the other hand, my faithful friend has come to the knowledge that we are in the midst of two kingdoms at war on the earth, and that she cannot rest in her contentedness or the gratification for her salvation. Knowledge is power and ignorance puts us in a position of weakness. Acknowledging the level of evil in the world does not mean we live in fear or doubt. It means the Lord can use us in greater measure as the times grow darker because we will be able to endure in faithfulness, having the knowledge of the Father's heart, and receiving the full counsel of God and His Word. We will be able to speak encouragement to others just coming out of the gray, fuzzy, disconnected parts of their faith. May we all walk bravely with the Lord as He continues to grow us up into His image, at one with Him and the Father, and seeing as They see.

Proverbs 24:5-6    A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,  for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
    

Lord, Let Them Remain Steadfast!

   

     Over the last weeks and months that Covid-19 has engulfed the world, there has been an outcry among the peoples of the nations as they turn to God for comfort. Some of these people are practicing Believers who have never wavered from their faith; some are returning to a faith that they abandoned; and still others are new converts seeking a relationship they have rejected in the past. Whatever the reasons, I am hopeful that the intentions of these hearts are founded in a true desire and hunger for the Lord.
     I am hopeful when I see headlines on Christian websites that say, Popular Pastor Sees Thousands Come To Christ Amid Coronavirus Chaos, and another like this one, 'The BIG Reset': God Is Using The Current Crisis as a Catalyst for Global Great Awakening. And I want to believe quotes such as this: "We are coming together in a unity of heart and mind and people are praying and looking to God for answers. We are lovingly caught in the captivity of the Lord and the Enemy is losing big time!"
     It is a fact that since this virus made its appearance on the world stage we have witnessed our lives slowing down, embracing a simpler lifestyle that is absent of all the distractions of the world, and yes, it's been a fantastic opportunity to hear the voice of the Lord and to have the time to seek Him. Heaven knows that we probably would not have seen these changes in our personal lives without being forced into it by the pandemic. So, I am grateful for the news that people are turning to God, and I pray that the numbers increase exponentially as the Spirit of the Lord infuses hearts.
     But most of all, I pray that this "revival" is lasting. If you sense a certain amount of doubt in the tone of my words, I want to make it clear that I believe the transformation in people's lives is real. I believe that they are truly seeking a renewal of their relationship with God, whether they knew Him before or not. And the unity and prayers are genuine and authentic. And, God help me, I want to believe the hope being expressed that this is the worldwide revival we've been praying for; that it is a hope that will actually be realized.
     I want to believe it! But my spirit keeps cautioning me, "Don't sell the Enemy short" and "Haven't we seen this throughout history so many times before?" How many times did the Israelites turn to God in the midst of their crises, hear His voice and experience His deliverance, and then return to their rebellious ways? After being saved from the ten plagues and the Angel of Death in Egypt, and receiving the Ten Commandments, it only took months for the Israelites to turn back to worshiping the golden calf. Of course, they rationalized it to themselves as representing "your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 32:4).
     In addition, the Old Testament is full of the history of the kings of Judah and Israel and how they led their peoples through cycles of revival and rebellion. The New Testament Churches of Christianity all began in the spirit of undaunting faith and commitment to the Lord, but we see [just in the lifespan of the Apostle John] how they struggled to stay focused on "their first love". When John received "the revelation of Jesus Christ", the Lord referred to these churches as the Loveless Church (Ephesus), the Persecuted Church (Smyrna), the Compromising Church (Pergamus), the Corrupt Church (Thyratira), the Dead Church (Sardis), and the Lukewarm Church (Laodicea). Only the Church at Philadelphia was called Faithful. But none of these Churches exist today, and in most of these cities there are no churches or Christians at all.
     In our own lifetime, we saw the resurgence of faith in the Lord after September, 2001. But look how short a time that lasted and the overwhelming increase of "worldliness" and moral corruption that was eagerly received in the scant 19 years since. Again, I earnestly pray that the hope of revival we see today in the midst of this pandemic will be lasting and real! But as the hope for a return to normalcy and the opening of our economy looms before us, I have to wonder how quick will people return to their old ways? How long will this newfound spirit of revival last?
     Adding to my concerns, I am hearing increased talk that we could be coming close to Jesus's return. While I agree that Biblical signs like plagues and increasing earthquakes bring that scenario to mind, I sense that what we are feeling are "the birth pangs" Jesus mentions in Matthew 24:8. In other words, we know that this age in which Satan's kingdom of darkness rules will be replaced with a new age in which we will see the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God on earth. And Jesus tells us in just a few short verses later that the end of this age will occur when the Gospel of the Kingdom has been preached in all the world (Matthew 24:14). The Western Church has just begun to rediscover the truth of this Gospel, and we've a long way to go to see it spread to all the nations. And, as I don't need to remind you, "no man knows the hour or the day". However, we are to discern the season and I clearly discern the "birth pangs". So, I just want to end with a fervent prayer that this spirit of revival and renewal will grow, even as we contemplate a return to "life before Covid-19". Please pray with me:

Father God,

I know that revival and repentance are at the heart of the Lord for His people. And I rejoice in the voices raised to You in this hour of our national and global crisis. The peoples of the world are hungry and thirsty for Your Word and Your Spirit! I see them being revived by Your Living Water and the Bread of Life that is our Lord, Jesus Christ. I see the power of the Holy Spirit sweeping our land, igniting a fire in the faithful and I pray that You will fan this fire into a conflagration that destroys all the works and schemes of the Enemy! 

And, Father, I pray that you will break down any barriers that would impede or interfere with Your efforts to call Your chosen in this time. Let Your hand be upon each man, woman, and child of Your right hand; upon all people whom You have made strong for Your purpose of advancing Your Kingdom on the earth. Let us not turn back from You. Accelerate our ability to carry out our Kingdom assignments, and order our steps according to Your plan.  

Father, let it be said of this generation that we cleansed our hands of the sins, transgressions, and iniquities of our past; purified our hearts to be worthy of You; and that in Your Mercy, You awakened our spirits to walk in Holy Fear of Your Name. Let us be Your instrument by which all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. 

Father, I pray that we will not abandon our hearts for this revival! When we falter, renew our strength, so that we shall run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. It is my prayer that this refreshing spirit of revival will not wane, but grow ever stronger until the whole world calls upon  Your Holy and Mighty Name! This is my humble but solemn prayer. Amen! 

Psalm 86:9-10   All the nations You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.

 

My Refuge and My Fortress

     Today, I want to share a unique perspective on Psalm 91, and a testimony that will be sure to stir your spirit and heart. (Please read to the end for this inspiring word). I want to stress that this impactful psalm has been at the center of prayer lives for over 3200 years, and it is particularly relevant today.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

 

³ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
¹⁰ no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows My name.
¹⁵ When he calls to Me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him My salvation.”

    

     In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic many Christians are finding their strength and hope in the encouraging words of Psalm 91. The ancient Jewish midrash (commentary) states that it was composed by Moses on the day he completed the building of the Tabernacle in the desert. If you are knowledgeable in the Bible, then you know that the glory of the Lord filled the completed tabernacle as a cloud covered the congregation, the covenant people of God. And this covering accompanied the Israelites as a sign of protection as they wandered in the desert. The last verse in the Book of Exodus tells us "For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys." The cloud was the presence of YHWH, who made His home in the tabernacle, and the fire is the Holy Spirit.    
     As recipients of the New Covenant with God, we are the tabernacle where the Most High now dwells, and the fire is still in us, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. So, I want to pose the same question to you that I asked in a 2012 blog post: Do you have the courage to believe that God literally means Psalm 91 in His promises of protection? Please take that question seriously, because it is not asked lightly, and here's why...
     I want to boldly declare that not everyone will benefit from the promises.  Like all the promises in Psalm 91, they are available to all; but only those who believe what God says in His Holy Word and hold fast to the promises within, will receive the benefits. It is essential that we choose to believe and trust His Word! Only those who are in close communion with God -- Christ lives in them and they live in Christ -- come into the secret place of shelter with the Most High. It is a promise of refuge and safety that we can trust!
     And I am sure it is not lost on you that "pestilence and plague" are prominently mentioned in Psalm 91. In referencing the "deadly pestilence", the psalm renders the promise in verse 7 profoundly comforting: A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. Likewise, we find the promises in verses 9 and 10 particularly reassuring: Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. But do you see the stipulation? You must have made the Lord your dwelling place; your refuge. And verse 14 makes it clear that Because we hold fast to Him in love, He will deliver us; He will protect us, because we know His name. This is a deep and abiding relationship between us and our God, with conditions attached to His protection. But as the Lord has shown me over and over, if I am faithful to Him in all my ways, He will be faithful to me, and all His promises are mine.
     But I want to now share a comment I received from a 78-year-old in Sydney, Australia. This person recently stumbled upon that blog post I wrote on Psalm 91 way back in 2012. But their comments bring new life and relevancy to my words. Prepare to be inspired as I was...
    
     "Never was Psalm 91 more relevant to mankind than today. Your explanation of Psalm 91 is what the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me over the last few weeks, as the Corona Virus brings the whole World to its knees. Although at age 78 I am at higher risk, I have no fear, because I trust in God's promises in Psalm 91. 
     Until recently I have been teaching scripture to Primary School boys and girls (schools have been closed due to the Pandemic).  Last year the syllabus dealt with God's promises. I taught the kids, as the Bible teaches us, that when God makes a Promise, He Keeps it! I was so happy to observe how the children accepted this truth so eagerly. Whenever I would use the phrase God makes a Promise in class, the whole class would rise in unison, punch the air with their little fists and shout out loud, He always keeps it! I pray they will never forget this truth. It is clear to me (like you) that only those who truly believe in the promises of Psalm 91 will receive the protection from God which is promised in this Psalm.
     I am dismayed that many God fearing Christians (including the Pastor of the Church I attend in Sydney, Australia) when praying for God's help in this global crisis, are only asking God to help the scientists discover a vaccine or treatment for Covid-19, when the most obvious thing to ask is that God causes the virus to mutate into a harmless type. God could do this if it is His will. However, I think about another promise from God, that He will shake the Heavens and the Earth once more. This could be what we are experiencing now. After God cleansed the evil in mankind during the flood, He promised Noah He would not send another flood. However, God did not mention never sending a plague. 
     I have no spiritual confirmation through the Holy Spirit that this is what is happening now, but if this new plague is how God plans to cleanse mankind from people who hold evil in their hearts, the righteous may observe with our eyes the punishment of the wicked, [as is written in verse 8 of Psalm 91].... Can we believe that the righteous will not get infected, while the unrighteous perish? May God bless and protect [us all]."

     I closed out my 2012 commentary on Psalm 91 with the admonition that it speaks of spiritual warfare - the attacks of the Enemy: the snare of the fowler; the pestilence and destruction; and the evil. God is a moral ruler and a God of Justice, so sooner or later the ungodly will reap their due punishment. But He is also a God of mercy for those who find shelter under His wings, and He will deliver us and protect us; He will rescue and honor us. So let us join with those precious children in Australia and shout, with upraised fists, When God makes a promise, He always keeps it! And then let us walk in the weeks and months ahead in full obedience to that Truth! Amen!

Here's Your Chance To Do Spiritual Warfare!

     I received this prophetic word from Jerusalem yesterday that I feel is extremely important for the Body of Christ. And I want you to know that I am very careful to discern whether such prophecies are coming from the Holy Spirit's counsel or the counsel of men and false prophets. Therefore, I believe that this word is a powerful weapon to defeat the strategy of the Evil One and bring down the mountain of Covid-19 and all that the Enemy is bringing against the world. Mark and I were obedient in joining other Believers across the world and we felt the power of it go out like an arrow into the spiritual realms!
     This prophetic word is to happen during this Passover season, and even though the exact timing may have passed (it was to be enacted at the beginning of Passover on Wednesday night), we know YHWH can compress and alter time to fit His plan. Trust Him to join your shouts with others around the world! Be blessed as you rejoice in the victory of the Lord! Here is the prophetic email.... 
 

Shalom Beloved!

It is in deep fear of the Lord that I send you this message. Very early this morning the Lord awakened me in my bed and began to pour His Holy Spirit through me. I became consumed in the language of prayer, but it was not intercession or petition. Decrees of prophetic spiritual warfare poured through me and out of me like a mighty river. I was in a spiritual conversation with the Lord that was so far beyond me, and yet a very real experience that totally consumed my total being in a strength and peace founded upon deep certainty.  I arose from my bed in the midst of the flood, and alone in the house, I began to walk in the midst of a fire, which I can only call the zeal of the Lord. For over an hour and a half, there was a powerful, passionate, and constant flow of my prayer language that originated in the deepest depths of my spirit. Following this time of prophetic exchange, I had a time of worship and adoration and then quiet came. After a while, I was compelled to sit and write what I had been told through the Holy Spirit.  With the fear of the Lord, and in a heart of humility, I share it with you now. I don’t want you to think anything of me other than that I am a servant of the Lord. YHVH will speak to whoever is listening. He has found me available and willing. It is now my responsibility to share with you what I was given. As always, test this rhema word against the Scripture and ask the Lord to confirm it as His voice.  After you read the message, I will share with you the outworking of His requests, which He has provided. Here is the word from the Lord:

“Awaken you sons of Issachar, My righteous remnant! Know the season and arise to its calling. The enemy is not at hand, as if it is still coming to your gates.  The enemy is HERE. How will you respond?  The voice of the enemy has been loud and intimidating. It has mocked your authority in Me, and sought to silence you through fear from its evil decrees and prognostications. It has legislated evil and punished those who would not comply. But in this hour, this enemy has its head up in a level of arrogance that I will no longer tolerate.

Behold, My Enemy has said, ‘I shall be sovereign over all the earth, and no one can thwart me. In my hand is the power of life and death. I declare what is my truth and no one can refute it. My servants, who do my bidding, are untouchable by the righteous. Their places are secure in me and in my power, for I have accepted their sacrifices of allegiance. The blood that has been poured out to give dominion to my own cannot be challenged, for in this hour the world is mine. It has fallen into my hands by the choice of human will.’

But behold, I say to you, Beloved, this is not so! For My power and authority remain, and will not be thwarted nor supplanted by the boasting or claims of the Evil One. I have not surrendered My human creation nor the physical world. Only, My ire increases with every act and word of his arrogant decrees. In this hour I am calling forth My armies upon the earth and in the heavens. My righteous children are hearing My call and they are uniting even now.  A great sorting has come upon the earth, and it has begun within My own house. WHO will stand with MY WORD? Who will recognize the sound of My voice over the sound of the Enemy and of the flesh?  I have called forth My army to arise and to engage against this great wickedness that continually seeks to pervert My way, will, and word.  I will prove, WHO IS SOVEREIGN! I will demonstrate WHOSE WORD IS THE LAW! I will certify, who is My own … My elect … My righteous ones.

A great mountain stands before you, yet it is not just a mountain of pestilence formulated in the minds of hell’s servants. It is a well-organized system with many tendrils and arms. Its members are well-coordinated and covenanted through the spilled and ingested blood of the innocent. The torment and the terror, suffered by My littles ones, brought about by those in blood covenant with the Great Deceiver, is about to be exposed. The price of this horror shall be demanded from those, who have committed this great wickedness. Those, who have profited by the spilling of innocent blood will pay the price that I demand of them. Those, who have enabled the shedding of innocent blood, by turning away their eyes and hiding behind social permissions will soon see the horrors of their error. I have heard the supplications of the righteous, even as I have heard the cries of the terrorized, tortured, and slain. Their blood has been exposed to Me, and I will not ignore it. I have waited to bring forth the weight of My judgments; allowing time for the balance scale to come down heavier on the side of sufficient repentance. In these last weeks, I have seen the scale moving in a righteous direction, but not quite enough yet. Therefore, I have called forth the sounding of My voice across this nation, and across this world, to add the necessary weight to bring forth My hand of judgment against the organized powers of wickedness.  If My voice is heard and heeded, I shall arise and act for My name’s sake, and for the sake of the righteous.

This mountain that stands before you can crumble as surely as the walls of Jericho once fell with a blast and a unified shout of My children in obedience.  For the wicked to be turned toward righteousness there must be a great downfall of this mountain … even a great humiliation of the Evil One and of his wicked operatives. For the unconvinced and uncommitted to choose Me and My truth, there must be a bold demonstration of My power upon the earth.  If you call it forth now, I will bring it. If you send forth the sound of war into the spiritual realm, followed with a shout of victory arising from the authority of My realm, I will manifest My armies upon the earth.

Are you ready for the temporary upheaval that this will bring?  Will you recognize the sorting and hold your footing of faith, as My armies make war? Will you stand forth to speak without fear and without compromise? Will you declare My reality, My law, and My love of redemption to those, who will be terrified and adrift in the turmoil? What would it benefit, if I tilled a fresh field, and you were too busy or preoccupied to plant it? What would benefit, if I gave you good, pure, seed, and you mingled it with adulterated seed upon the field?  What would benefit, if I brought forth a ripe and abundant harvest, but you chose to let it wait until you felt it was convenient or proper for you to gather it in?  Before I bring this mountain down before you, you must answer those questions. If I do My part, and you neglect to do yours, your state will be worse than before I acted.

Humble your hearts before Me. Count the cost. Set your faces as flint in advance of the victory, and move according to My instructions. I want to extend mercy and relief. I want your enemies to be scattered and crushed. If we are in agreement, then arise and undertake for the sake of My Kingdom and for the sake of your world. Arise to the battle for the sake of the little ones, who cannot fight for themselves.  Glorify My name through your victory, but do not glorify your own name, lest you fall into the temptation of pride that will open yet another door to destruction. Allow Me to clear the air of the threats against you. My servants will make a way for you so that your prayers and decrees can break through the barriers … so that they will be able to strip away the satanic protection that has been laid over the ones, who plot and enact evil upon the earth. Shout with one voice!  Worship Me with one heart.  Serve Me with one purpose. A fire has been kindled and is ready to be sent down to the earth from My Holy furnace. Call it forth and stand in complete faith in the middle of the burn. You shall come forth without harm. You shall emerge without the scent of smoke upon you. When you look for those, who have brought evil upon you, they will not be found. Arise and shout out the call for spiritual war. Blow the shofars and call forth the battle. I will bring the victory. Now is the hour to act.”

The Strategy
Now, for sharing the strategy that was entrusted to my husband and I a few days ago. After some time in prayer, the Lord impressed upon us that we are in a time of spiritual war and that in a time of war the shofar must be sounded.  When seeking the timing of this blowing of the shofar, the Lord indicated that it must be just before and as Passover begins. As a Jewess, I have never heard of blowing a shofar on, or around, that holy day. Within hours, confirmation came that in a time of war a shofar can be blown during Passover. So, with Passover beginning on Wednesday evening this week, we were given the timing as being this Wednesday … just barely prior to the beginning of Passover. We were told to blow shofars at 12:00 noon, US eastern time … just as Passover is beginning in Jerusalem, Israel (Passover in Jerusalem begins at 12:03 PM US eastern time … 7:03 PM Jerusalem time).  The Lord then showed us that my husband should stand on the rooftop of the hospital where he works, and blow from that high place, while I and others, who also have shofars, gather in the hospital parking lot below. As my husband blows the sound from above, we all will blow from the ground.

I thought that this was the whole of the strategy, but it was not. After the blowing of the shofars, the Lord has asked us to raise a shout, like the children of Israel did at the walls of Jericho to bring them down. In doing so, we will be calling down this mountain of evil that has risen up against the authority of YHVH, and against His people. This morning after the downloading I received from the Holy Spirit, the strategy began to be seen in its fullness. Not only are we to do this, but people all across this country, and even across the world are to join in sounding the shofar wherever they are … at the time that matches 7:00 PM this Wednesday in Jerusalem.  For those, who do not have shofars, they can go to sites on the internet that have the blowing of the shofar recorded (I will give you one below). At that time … whether they are in the home, at work, or wherever … they can go to the site, hit play, and hold up the phone to send forth the sound. The Lord has said He will link every shofar blast in every location sounding it, and send His Passover fire to the spot where it is being blown or broadcast. From there, it will spread.  People can gather (if allowable … and if 6 feet of social distance is maintained) for this event outside hospitals in their area … in areas near seats of government, media, justice, commerce, faith, etc.  Wherever evil has held power and expressed authority, we can take a stand.  For those, who are unfamiliar with prophetic acts, this may sound like total nonsense. However, I can assure you, if this is done in obedience and in faith, the Lord will act. We cannot know fully what the fruit will be, how it will manifest, or exactly when we will see it upon the earth.  However, after receiving the Rhema word that the Lord gave me this morning, I am completely confident that this is not a random, inconsequential thing. There will be a change in the spiritual climate. He is asking us to participate in His Kingdom strategies. We are blessed!!

So, I ask you to take this to prayer. If you receive agreement in the Spirit, ask the Lord how He would have you participate. Let others of faith, know about this, and possibly join with you. If you cannot personally participate, at noon this Wednesday eastern time, pray in support of what the Lord is accomplishing. After three minutes, send forth a shout of glory, praise, and power to His name, and then leave the rest to Him.

For those of you, who do not have a shofar, feel free to go to this site and project it from your phone.

Shofar Blast HERE

Let’s get the word out quickly, mobilize, act, and look expectantly for His response. This is about doing the will of the Lord!

In Him,
Tikkun


     For those of you who may be skeptical as to receiving this prophetic word, I know that God used prophets before the First Coming of Jesus, and He is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow, and I believe He is speaking through His chosen ones before the Second Coming of Christ. It is incumbent upon us to listen to the Holy Spirit to discern if the message is from Him. And while we may have missed the Wednesday timeline, I believe the Lord will honor our obedience if we respond within this Passover season. May you be blessed in your obedience as you join the children of God and the heavenly host in battling in the heavenlies. 

Acts 2:17    In the last days I will pour out My spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy... 

 

    

Opposing Forces

     We are now heading into our third month of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States, with a recorded number of 10,000 deaths as of yesterday. This national health emergency has changed our lives in ways that have effected us emotionally, financially, and spiritually. We find ourselves isolated from our families, our work, and our churches. And the Enemy is only too willing to take advantage of this crisis to separate us even more from our faith. And I've noticed that his two favorite tactics are Fear and Intimidation.
     He sends the spirit of fear to cause us to worry about whether we will be able to hang on to our job and pay the bills; whether we have accidentally come in contact with someone who will give us the virus; or whether we have entered into his Beast System and the Tribulation is not far behind. And if that's not enough, the devil is using this pandemic to intimidate the elderly with loneliness; the youth with hopelessness; and those in the prime of their lives with governmental tyranny. It's all part of his game plan.
     But we don't have to play by his rules! We are children of God and citizens of His Kingdom. Our Father rules with Love and Righteous Power, not fear and intimidation! It's who He is and who He's always been! I am reminded of that as I consider the history of Passover, which begins tomorrow night at sundown. If you will recall, God sent plagues against Egypt in attempts to pressure Pharaoh to release the Israelites from their captivity and bondage. All of Egypt suffered through ten plagues: water turning into blood; frogs; gnats; flies; pestilence among the livestock; painful boils; hail; locusts that covered the land; pitch black darkness for three days; and the final plague, the death of all the firstborn of Egypt. The difference is those plagues were miraculous and authorized by God. This Covid-19 plague was manufactured by man.
     There are other differences, too. We can actually compare that ancient plague [which instituted the celebration of Passover] with this modern plague. Although not welcomed by the Israelites, those miraculous plagues actually worked to free them from slavery. This plague feels like we're losing our freedoms and entering into bondage. God commanded the Israelites to remove all the leaven and non-holy food from their homes, and today we are hoarding food out of fear. The night of the first Passover, families huddled together in their homes, waiting for the Angel of Death to pass over their blood-stained doors. During this plague, we aren't allowed within six feet of each other, and are often separated from parents and children.
     Yet the Love of God and His Righteous Power can still be memorialized and glorified as we watch our lives change before us. Both the sacrifice of the Passover lamb and the joy of being set free from slavery were part of that first Passover. And we are certainly going to experience the sacrifice of the Lamb of God tomorrow evening, and there will be more sacrifice in the coming weeks and months -- the sacrifice of our pre-Covid freedoms, as we surrender to a "new normal". But I believe we can also experience the joy of the Passover celebration as we enter into a cleansing and renewal of our faith life and relationship with the Lord.
     We can write our own Liberation story -- liberation from the secular culture that divorced itself from God; liberation from the "busyness" of our lives that drowned out the Lord's voice; and liberation from all the worldly goods and comforts that drew our attention away from seeking God's will and purpose for our lives. What man created, through his evil partnership with the devil, God can use for His good. And this Passover season, we don't need to prepare in haste to leave our homes, because none of us will be going anywhere soon. As we consider Exodus 12:11 we can recognize that here, in the 21st Century, we have been blessed with time to fasten our belts [with God's truth], make sure we have our sandals [of peace] on, and have our staff [or shield] of faith firmly in hand.
     But because we have been transferred into the Kingdom of God, we also have the rest of the spiritual armor of God that those Israelites fleeing Egypt did not have: We have our helmets of salvation, our breastplates of righteousness, and our swords of the Spirit [which is the Word of God, Jesus]. So, we can bemoan our situation, and live in the fear and intimidation brought on by the Enemy -- or, we can dedicate each new day to what the Lord would have us accomplish for His Kingdom. Our commission has not changed. The Kingdom of God is still being advanced towards that glorious day when all the nations will have received the Good News that the Kingdom of God has come to the earth. Believe that God is at work during these changing times. His Love and His Righteous Power will reign!
     In the coming days we will celebrate Jesus's sacrifice and His resurrection. Let us proclaim that He sits on the throne of Heaven and He will overcome the evil of this World. Blessed be the Lord, our God, King of the Universe!

Romans 8:21    That the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

As Passover Approaches

    

     With Passover beginning this Wednesday, April 8th, at sundown, I wanted to address the importance and significance of this Holy Feast -- both in the wake of our current pandemic crisis and in the bigger vision of the Kingdom of God. I am in no way lessening the momentous urgency of COVID-19, but at the risk of sounding heartless, this too shall pass, while the Kingdom of God is eternal.
     As most of the Christian world will celebrate Easter next weekend, it is extremely exciting for me to see more and more Christians celebrating the Passover Feasts. That wasn't the case when my heart was first awakened to the seven appointed feasts of the Lord over seven years ago.  It was then that Mark and I decided to begin a deep study on how Scripture said they applied to us, as Christians. And now, seven years later, the Lord is pointing us to the Passover as citizens of the Kingdom of God.

     The 2020 Festival of Passover begins on the evening of Wednesday, April 8th and will conclude at evening on Thursday, April 16.  Within these Holy days, God ordained the Feast of Pesach, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Fruitfruits -- all in commemoration of what He did in delivering the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt AND as a foreshadowing of the work He would do through His Son, Jesus Christ, in delivering us out of a life of bondage to sin. Within these eight days of Passover, Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, and each Feast speaks of Him and His redemptive work on our behalf.

     And yes, God ordained these Feast Days, and they are His Holy Days, not just Jewish holidays, as the Church has mistakenly believed. In Leviticus 23, God proclaimed them as My Feasts and that they would be a perpetual statute among all your generations in all your dwelling places.  And because we are the spiritual descendants of Abraham, these Feasts not only have meaning to us, but I believe that we are to celebrate them, too.  After all, Abraham is the "father" of our faith, and as Galatians 3:29 says, If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

     As the body of Believers has grown in understanding the significance of Passover, it has been interesting to see the conflict within the Church. Should Christians celebrate Easter or Passover? Is it wrong for Christians to celebrate Passover? Is Easter really Biblical? These are all questions you must answer for yourselves. In doing so, I would recommend that you study what the Word has to say and also do some historical research. I think you will find that our religious celebrations have taken on new meaning down through the centuries.

     The eight days that make up the Festival of Passover are actually recorded in Exodus, Chapter 12. Here we find three separate Feasts, all under the umbrella of "the Feast of Passover". The first day of the Festival, and the first of the Feasts, is called Pesach, which means "spare" or "exempt" in Hebrew, and which our English Bibles translate as "pass over".  Therefore, it has become known as the Feast of Passover in our time.

     It is the foundation of all three Feasts, and commemorates the Lord's direction to the Israelites to sacrifice an unblemished and spotless lamb, applying it's blood to the side doorposts and top lentil of each home. [It is important to note, that this application made the motion of the Cross]. The Lord promised that the Angel of Death would pass over homes where the blood of the lamb had been applied.  The lambs were the substitutes for the people, sparing them [and saving them] from death and judgment by the Lord. Each house marked by the blood of the lamb would be a haven of salvation, a place safe from the judgment that was about to come upon Egypt. Those Egyptian homes, where there was no application of the blood, would suffer the judgment of the Angel of Death at Midnight. NOTE: The Lord has recently shown me that those homes marked by the blood were more than just safe havens of salvation, but were under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of God. The Egyptians' homes, which remained unmarked by the blood of a sacrificial lamb, belonged to the kingdom of the world in which Satan was god.

     We know the rest of this story... the Israelites were spared, while the first born in every Egyptian home died that night, causing Pharaoh to issue a decree that the Israelites be released and allowed to leave.  For the Jewish people, the focus of the Passover observance is remembering YHWH's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. "Remember" -- that is the key word for this celebration.

     For us Christians, who are Abraham's seed of the New Covenant, the Feast of Passover is a call to remember the Redemption we have received through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.  He is our Passover who takes away the sin of the world.  We are redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Just as the first Passover proved to be the Power of God to release the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, Jesus is the Power of God to release us from our bondage to the pleasures of the flesh in this world, and the penalty of our sins. We can now step into His Repentance, His love, Life, Freedom, Liberty, AND into the Kingdom of God as Kingdom citizens. Jesus IS the manifestation of the Passover Lamb, and He was crucified on the Feast of Passover.

     The second feast of the Passover Festival is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts seven days.  Historically, it is a call to remember the quick exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites were instructed to make bread without leaven (yeast) because they didn't have time to wait for it to rise. In addition, yeast, or leaven, in the Bible always referred to any corrupting influence in the nation of Israel.  In this instance, God was telling them to leave behind the unholy influences of Egypt -- the worship of false Egyptian gods, and the rituals and traditions that had corrupted Israel's relationship with their God during their 430 years of captivity. They were to spend that week in worship and reflection for what God had done for them, and for their relationship with Him that they were privileged to experience. They were to remove any leaven [or sin] that was corrupting their present  relationship; it was to be a time of absolute separation from leaven in any form.

     I can't help but see the correlation to our present situation. In the midst of this global virus, we can spend the week in intentional worship and reflection for what God has done for us, and what He wants to accomplish in the midst of this crisis. And it isn't hard to see that we are being forced into "absolute separation" during this time -- it's a perfect time to reflect on how things need to change in our world and how we can advance the Kingdom.

     For today's Christian, this time is a Call to Purity, to an "Unleavened" life.  Jesus knew no sin, nor was any deceit found in Him.  He was unblemished and spotless.  He was made sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him.  For us, it is a time to call to mind what God has done in each of our lives. We should each have a personal testimony of God's salvation and our relationship to Him.  As we reflect on how He has delivered us from sin, we can ask His help in removing any leaven from our life that is separating us from Him.  Ask Him to show us how He wants us to change the way we've been living [when we come out of this isolation]. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a time of renewal and revival in our daily lives, and I think we can all recognize just how much our lives have changed from pre-virus to now -- and how they needed to change.  It is taking a global event to get us to take our eyes off the world and turn to our Father in Heaven.

     And I will tell you that, for me, it is becoming a time for opportunities to see God's Kingdom come into its full influence on the earth. He has delivered me from wrong religious thinking and into a new mindset of my purpose as an ambassador of my King and His Kingdom. It is not a denial of Jesus's work on the Cross, but a greater realization of His whole purpose -- reconnecting us back to our original relationship with God! And now the pace of life has screeched to a halt so others have no excuse not to hear the Good News of the Kingdom! Let me be the one to introduce them to it!

     The third feast of this Holy Festival is the Feast of Firstfruits.  This feast occurs during the week of Unleavened Bread on the Sabbath after Passover.  In the Old Covenant, it acknowledged the Lord as the giver of the harvest, and commemorated Adam's son, Abel, bringing the first of his flock as an offering to the Lord. This Feast speaks volumes of Christ as the first of God's Harvest of souls and is a shadow of what Christ has done and the promises He has yet to do. 

     The Feast of Firstfruits points to Christ and His redemptive work. First of all, Jesus's resurrection occurred on the very day of the celebration of the Feast of Firstfruits.  And it should not be lost on us Christians that this year, in 2020, this Feast day coincides with the Western Church's celebration of Easter. [NOTE: for more on what the Lord has shown me about Easter, read this post.] But for the sake of this article, it is important to know that Jesus is the offering presented to the Heavenly Father as the first fruit of the harvest.  But just as important, He is the guarantee that more resurrections will follow.  In His first fruits offering, we see the blessing and the setting apart [or sanctifying] of the entire harvest to the Father, and a preview of what the resurrection will be like for every Believer.  Because He overcame death and lives today, every born-again follower of Christ is connected to Him and His power.

     Furthermore, that connection is real! God sent His Son to establish a Kingdom [and a family of sons] to rule His Kingdom for Him! Jesus didn't die and return to Heaven so that we would wait to join Him there. He came to restore to us our leadership authority that God gave us in Genesis 1 [dominion over the earth]. There is a fullness and expectancy of the Kingdom of God coming to earth that accompanies the celebration of the Festival of Passover.  It is Biblical and it is holy.  It is a remembrance of things God has already accomplished for us and a hope of what we can accomplish for the Kingdom. 

     Ultimately, this season of Passover is a celebration and a remembrance; an acknowledgment of God's desire to restore us to our original design and the earth to His original purpose. Yes, Jesus came as a sacrificial lamb, but He is our King, who came to establish His Father's rulership and authority over the earth He created. In the Passover celebration God shows us His plan for the redemption of mankind. But we can't stop there. We weren't redeemed to continue to let the kingdom of Satan influence the earth. Fifty days after the feasts of Passover, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us to help us walk out our authority as ambassadors of the Kingdom. Jesus's assignment is now our assignment!

     So this Passover season, be thankful for your victory in Yeshua -- for the cancellation of your sins, and for your hope of resurrection. Then seek the Kingdom and a renewal of your mind as to your position as an Ambassador for the King of the Universe! Reconnect to that original relationship and authority and power you were made for. Yes, we have a rich heritage in the Feasts of the Lord, but our portion of the Lord goes back further than the Exodus story. It goes all the way back to Genesis 1 when God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over all the earth. Will we take advantage of this holy season to emerge from the Coronavirus epidemic with a new Kingdom mindset of how we want our families, our communities, our nation, and the world to look? Or will go back to "business as usual" and return to our old ways. I pray that each of you will renew your mind and heart to receive God's desire for your life and His will for the earth. And in the spirit of praise and worship of my King and His Kingdom, I say "Pesach Same'ach (Happy Passover)!

Exodus 12:13     The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

    

More Thoughts....

     

     Way back in 2012, I wrote an article entitled Our Nation's Achilles Heel, and at the time I was focused on how I viewed this world and what I could see going on "behind the curtain", so to speak. At the time, I was concerned about a particular mindset of Americans called "normalcy bias", and I identified it as this: a tendency (or preference) to view the world around us in its usual, customary state. And like I said, in 2012 I was focused on the geo-political state of the world, so someone's normalcy bias might manifest in a mindset that said, "America will always be a Super Power.  No one or nothing is going to take us down"; "I still have a job. Everything's going to be alright"; "I don't need to prepare. If I just believe in God, He will take care of me." "Nothing's really changed in my life; I still do all the things I've always done. What's the big deal?"
     But the condition of our lives today proves that we were walking on shifting sand. Our lives have changed dramatically in the past few weeks. The severity of the threat of COVID-19 is still largely unknown, and people are dealing with the fear of instability and an uncertain future. I can't imagine how those without faith in Jesus are traversing this "new normal". And, in reality, I'm not too sure that many Christians aren't struggling, too.
     However, I see this season in our lives as a blessing and a huge opportunity to "reset" our paradigm of faith. Our mega churches with their "business as usual" agendas are closed to the public. Our normal ways of worshiping and sharing the Gospel have changed. Could we soon see the growth of small Home Churches, and the birth of new ministries that are unhindered by the conventions and norms of 21st Century Christianity?
    To the world, our circumstances might look bleak and depressing, but if we take a closer look in a spiritual sense, we should be able to identify the Lord at work. Perhaps this is a time when He will use the unorthodox and out of the ordinary to reach the world... and will we have hearts softened to receive them?
     After all, He tells us in His Word that "the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all the nations and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). We know that Western Christianity has not accomplished that goal and perhaps it's time we gave up our normalcy bias and considered new ways to share the Good News of the Kingdom.
     There are bold, new voices speaking to the Body of Christ; voices that call for us to step outside the box and walk in the Lord's ways. Just as He walked an innovative path in a world dying for evidence that YHWH could still intervene in their circumstances, I believe that Jesus is raising up a generation of fresh and radical visionaries that will unleash a new Kingdom strategy to defeat the Anti-Christ and his agenda. They will walk in unprecedented power and spiritual insight regarding new understandings of our purpose as Christians and Kingdom representatives. We will no longer be stymied by worn out religious traditions that do not attract the world to our message.
     I believe we will see people exhibiting the signs and wonders of our Father in Heaven as He prepares the world stage for the Kingdom message to spread across the globe. Before he died, Pastor Myles Munroe referred to Matthew 24:14 and asked the question, "Have our churches actually postponed the return of the Lord because we haven't been preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom?" Might this pandemic and the changes it is bringing to how we "do Church" be a way that allows God to hit the pause button so we could realign our purpose with His? I'd like to think so.
     And that's why I'm excited about this time we find ourselves experiencing. I have great hope that we will see changes for the better. To those who view our circumstances from a secular viewpoint, it might be a scary time. But I know there is always God's perspective, and within that realm there is hope and opportunity to see what He wants to accomplish and then to look through a Kingdom lens to find the ways to join with Him, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to see His will done on the earth.
     So, please join me in praying that new voices will proclaim the Kingdom agenda for our lives and that the Body of Christ will have ears to hear. And let us live each day as if tomorrow we will see Him descending from Heaven with a cry of command!

John 14:1   Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.

Thoughts To Consider....

     There are a couple of thoughts that have been rattling around in my head for the last week or so, and I'd like to share the first of them today... If we have the ability to be honest with ourselves, how many times have we complained that the distractions of the world keep us from deepening our relationship with God? I know that I have written many times that I see how our jobs, our activities, our social life, the internet, etc. are all ways that rob us of our time to spend with the Father. In fact, I would be willing to say that all these can potentially be used by the Enemy to steal the growth and maturity of our faith life.
     So, what's our excuse now? Many of us across the globe are quarantined or sheltering in place. We have lots of time to spend in worship, or prayer, or reading the Word. It should now be obvious to us if we really have a heart to know our Lord.
     And how often have we quoted Psalm 46:10 ... "Be still and know that I am God?" Well, we're being forced to be still. Are we making the effort to know God? Are we being wise with this newfound time we have? Or are we wasting this opportunity to listen for the voice of God? I see this season in our history as such a great opportunity for the Body of Christ to transform itself; to abandon the ways of the world and enter into the destinies written for us on our scrolls in Heaven -- to truly seek the Mind of Christ.
     It will take wisdom to let go of what the world tells us is important. And that might mean the loss of jobs, aspects of our health and wealth, and yes, even letting go of the internet which has become even more of a robber of our time since the spread of COVID-19. Yes, it will take wisdom -- but not the wisdom the world offers. Rather, God's Wisdom; the Spirit of Wisdom which imparts God's thoughts and His Word in our hearts. If we have ears to hear, we can discern now, more than ever, that it is the time to take advantage of God's Word and His Wisdom. 
     Take a moment and read Proverbs 1:20-33, and see if you don't recognize the current state of our nation and the world:

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?

23 Will you turn away at my reproof?

Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

     There is so much in this proverb that I see mirrored in our world ... the Spirit of God's Wisdom has tried crying out to us in the marketplace, but we've been too focused on our jobs and accumulating wealth. She cries out in the streets, but we are too interested in being offended and condemning others. The city gates are our seats of government, and we know she hasn't been heard there!
      And God asks how long will we be content with an absence of Godly wisdom and delight in mocking Him and glorifying our own simple wisdom? And He clearly warns ... because He has called to us and no one listened; and we ignored His counsel and did not heed His offer when He stretched out His hand, He will laugh at our calamity -- even when it escalates to a whirlwind and distress and anguish come upon us. Many are feeling that today!
      It's not as if there have not been prior warnings and danger signs. So much of our moral fabric and connection to God has disintegrated in my lifetime alone. And I believe it is because we dis-invited Him from our schools, our halls of justice, our centers of government, our marriages, and our public square. What did we expect? That we could hate His knowledge, reject the fear of the Lord, and refuse His counsel, and there would be no aftereffects?
      He tells us in this powerful proverb that we will "eat the fruit of our way and have our fill of our own devices". Our rebellion and rejection, coupled with our complacency has the potential to destroy us. BUT, remember ... Jesus has redeemed us ... IF we will turn from our ways and listen to God's Spirit of Wisdom.
      There is still time for the people on the earth to repent for the iniquity that we have plowed, which reaped so much injustice. We have stuffed ourselves on the fruit of our lies because we trusted in our own ways. Those are not my words, friends, but were spoken by the prophet Hosea 2700 years ago. Yet, they are just as true today.
      So, please, I pray that mankind will heed the Spirit of Wisdom who is speaking to us today, telling us that we are now in the midst of a season where it is actually possible to hear the voice of God calling to us. Our marketplaces and businesses have been shuttered and our noisy streets are quieted. The gates of our government are in perpetual turmoil, but we can become unified and rise above their scoffing and scorn. We can respond to the sound of our Father in Heaven, calling us to choose His ways. We can come out of our complacency and smug self-pride and believe in the promise that we can once again dwell securely, without fear of further disaster.
      Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away. We've all got a lot of time on our hands right now. It seems that things are breaking down all around us. But you were born for this time. What will you choose to build up, keep, cast away? This is a time for great reflection on the rest of your life.

Hosea 10:12    Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.   

The Oppportunity We Have To Disciple The Next Generation

    

     I will admit that this is going to be a rather broad topic, as so many thoughts are running through my mind. I want to begin by defining what "Discipling" means to me. Whether the term is applied secularly or theologically, I interpret it to mean equipping and training; preparing minds and hearts for a specific purpose; and even going so far as teaching/instructing in specific skills.
     It goes without saying that my mind gravitates to our Lord's command to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Discipleship is obviously a priority for Jesus. And it is a theme that I continue to stress to everyone who comes to us for Inner Healing. Yes, Freedom in Christ is the goal for each person who needs to be healed from the wounds in their life, but without taking the time to disciple them in how to keep that freedom, we would be doing them a disservice. The problem is, in those first moments of glorious freedom, they often don't listen or remember those instructions as the days progress. So, we make ourselves available for continued discipling as the Beloved matures in their freedom.
     But, the need for discipling runs beyond our ministry. In fact, I am often disheartened at the lack of it that I see in our churches and our families. And there is a cost to the failure to disciple. I want to share a post that is making the rounds on Facebook. Maybe you've seen it. And whether it is a true account or not, I think it highlights the toll we've paid in our generations for not properly discipling... 

     The post reads like this: "I talked with an 80+ year-old man today and asked if there was anything I could get him while this Corona virus scare was gripping America. He simply smiled, looked away and said: 'Let me tell you what I need! I need to believe that it is safe to hand this country that my generation fought for over to this current generation! I need to know that this generation will quit being a bunch of sissies... that they respect what they've been given... that they've earned what others sacrificed for.' "
     He continued, "You know, I was a little boy during WWII. Those were scary days. We didn't know if we were going to be speaking English, German, or Japanese at the end of the war. There was no certainty, no guarantees. And no home went without sacrifice or loss. Every house, up and down every street, had someone in harm's way. Sometimes it was the whole damn family -- fathers, sons, uncles -- they all went to war. Having someone you love sent off to war wasn't less frightening than it is today. It was scary as hell! If anything, it was more frightening. We didn't have battle front news. We didn't have email or cell phones. You sent them away and you hoped and prayed. You may not hear from them for months, if ever. Sometimes a mother was getting her son's letters the same day that Dad was comforting her over that child's death. 
     And we sacrificed. You couldn't buy things. Everything was rationed. You were only allowed so much milk per month; only so much bread; so much toilet paper. EVERYTHING was restricted for the war effort. And what you weren't using, what you didn't need, things you threw away, they were saved and sorted for the war effort. My generation was the original recycling movement in America.
     And we had viruses back then, too... serious viruses. Things like polio, measles, and such. It was nothing to walk to school and pass a house or two that was quarantined. We didn't shut down our schools. We didn't shut down our cities. We carried on, without masks, without hand sanitizer. And do you know what? We persevered. We overcame. We didn't attack our President, we came together. Thick or thin, we were in it to win. And we would lose more boys in an hour than we lose in entire wars today. 
     Today's kids don't know sacrifice. They think a sacrifice is not having coverage on their phone while they freely drive across the country. Today's kids are selfish and spoiled. In my generation, we looked out for our elders. We helped out with single moms who's husbands were either at war or dead from war. Today's kids rush to the store, buying everything they can ... no concern for anyone but themselves. It's shameful the way Americans behave these days. None of them deserve the sacrifices their granddads made.
     So, no I don't need anything. I appreciate your offer, but I know I've been through worse things than this virus. But maybe I should be asking you, what can I do to help you? Do you have enough pop to get through this, enough steak? Will you be able to survive with 113 channels on your TV?"
      I was humbled by an 80+ year-old man today. I will never understand the sacrifices, or do enough to earn them. But maybe we should work harder to learn from men like him, and to respect what they have to teach us.

     Kind of struck a nerve, didn't it? And it begs the question ... have we properly equipped and trained and instructed this next generation to walk not only in humility and self-sacrifice, but to observe all the ways that Jesus commands? Have our churches done their job to "equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love?" 
     Or, like the generation the old man talked about, are our churches focused on self-aggrandizement -- increasing their numbers, their wealth, and their status? Have we really prepared the next generation of Christians for what it means to be overcomers? Have we taught them that Jesus says we will have tribulation in the world? Have we equipped them to move from milk to meat? Will they be able to stand, and then be able to do everything possible, so that they can remain standing? 
     Lest you think we are the only generations to have dropped the ball in discipling the next one, the Bible is full of examples of generations who did not learn from the previous; either because they rejected the ways of their forefathers, or were not properly trained up. A new generation of Egyptians forgot that the God of Israel had saved them from starvation through the foresight of Joseph, and they enslaved the Israelites living among them. And Judges 2:10-15 records, "another generation arose who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord ... and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them." Even the great warrior Joshua did not prepare the next generation to properly lead Israel after his death. Israel's leaders compromised with their enemies, and evil influences crept in, leading to worship of false gods.
     We have such a huge opportunity to disciple this next generation! Let's not get so preoccupied with our fears and our struggles during this Corona virus outbreak that we fail to equip and train the younger generation to see what God has called them to do; that they have a higher purpose than the latest version of iPhone, and how many followers they have on the internet. Let us instruct them that they have a destiny written on a scroll in Heaven and encourage them to go after that destiny. We need to equip and train them to grow in their spiritual gifts, and we need to invest more of ourselves in their lives.
     I do not think it is a coincidence that the generations are having to rely on each other more during this time of "social distancing". Families may find themselves coming together to survive physically, economically, and most importantly, spiritually. Do not let these opportunities go to waste! Church doors are closed, so fathers can step into their proper role and lead their families closer to God. It's a time to step away from our selfish desires and see to the needs of others, especially our elders. There is much to learn from them about our family histories. And lastly, let us take the opportunity to return to a recognition that we need God. This Corona virus threatens our basic needs. We know we can't survive without water to drink or food to eat. But we need not worry about our sustenance because our Father in Heaven generously offers the Bread of Life and Living Water. He will meet all our needs if we just realize we need Him and not the temptations of the world. Step into His Kingdom way of living; take the time to teach and equip and train the next generation during this time of slow-down. It is a responsibility that in due season, will bear great fruit.

Psalm 145:3-4    Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.