A few nights ago I had a lot of trouble sleeping. When I would sleep, a troubling dream kept replaying over and over, exactly the same each time. I would then wake up, wide awake and restless. Finally, I decided to just get up and read. As I kept thinking about that dream, I seemed to find myself drawn to something that I had not read in a long time. Here is the part of that reading that stuck out to me the most:
"Do everything they say to you," the Lord replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them."
That is taken from the New Living Translation and is God instructing Samuel to listen to a group of complaining people. You should read the entire chapter of 1 Samuel 8. There are some pretty sobering things in there. What captured my thoughts as I sat in silence thinking about this passage was how God had rescued this people from a land of bondage and was willing to give them everything they would ever need. Even after years of complaining and disobedience they were still brought to the land "flowing with milk and honey." But then, even though they were given everything they needed for a good life, instead of following their saving God the people started doing what "was right in their own eyes." We see that being recorded over and over in the book of Judges. That seems to be the pattern of what happens when people become too intelligent for their own good. By going down this path, Israel was basically beginning to sign off on their own destruction.
I could only sit completely still as I thought about the parallel that God was showing me. What other nation compares to the above? Think about what the United States once had. Indeed it once was like a land "flowing with milk and honey." Read history books and you often will see the words "The American Dream." Everybody wanted it and for a long time it seemed that almost everything this nation did turned into prosperity. But then something happened. We the people decided we could start doing our own thing. We became smarter than God. God's ways started to be rejected over and over just like with Israel.
Time and time again Israel was told that all they had to do was return to God's ways. Father knew best. They didn't listen and if you don't know what followed, read about it. Read about the messes. Read about the downward spiral. Has it been any different with America? When are we going to finally realize that taking God out of the schools, our communities and even the traditional family just hasn't worked?
I think about the coming presidential election in the United States. I think about how many people I have heard say something like, "Really? Is this the best we have to chose from?" I am one of those people. The children of Israel got what they deserved for rejecting God. I have to wonder if this nation is now getting what it deserves for doing the same thing. I'm not talking about just this coming presidential election, but the entire downward spiral that this country has experienced.
"IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN MAN. IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN PRINCES." (Psalm 118: 8-9)
I don't believe my strongest gifting is in the prophetic, so I have always tried to be very careful about giving a prophetic word, but this is what I believe the Lord was showing me on that recent sleepless night. We have reached a point to where we are getting exactly what is deserved and no matter who wins this coming election things will not get better. In fact I believe that the Lord was showing me that before the next presidential term is up there will be severe catastrophic events. As these events unfold, thousands will suddenly realize that their only hope is to repent, humble themselves and return to the one and only true living God. Peace and salvation will be found through Jesus the Christ, the very One who many have been rejecting and cursing for their entire lives. This will be recognized as the great awakening that many saints have already been faithfully praying for. An awakening that will be so earth shaking that thousands will be added to a revitalized church much as like what happened after the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2: 40-47) Lukewarm Christians will have to decide that they must go one way or the other. God will no longer allow fence sitting. It will be easy to tell who is really for God and who is against Him. There will be a "valley of decision" so to speak.
Friend, I do not write this lightly. I have put much thought into this before blogging about it. As a man I realize that I can only "know in part and prophesy in part." (1 Corinthians 13:9) As long as I am mortal, I can't always see perfectly, but this impression is strongly upon me. I would always encourage you to pray into the things that I say. Let God show what you need to remember and what you need to forget.
So within this reading today lies a real warning, but yet a real hope. What can or should we do about it? First we must pursue Jesus with passion and become compelling to the confused and lost around us. Those who are already starting to give up. We must love them and give them hope. Jesus was a compelling person and this is what He did. We should desire to be just like Him. When we put our lives and faith in Jesus we are told that through Christ we will overcome any trouble that may occur. In that promise we can find peace and strength. We will be prepared come what may; a prepared people.
I have often wondered if bad things can be avoided. Even in the Bible when Ezekiel and Jeremiah prophesied of coming destruction, was there a way to avoid it? I have wondered if what the Lord was showing me the other night is set in stone or if there is something we can do to change it. Only God knows, but there is one very interesting passage in scripture that I have highlighted in my Bible. Jeremiah 18: 7-10:
"The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it............."
It would be so awesome if we could avoid the bad stuff and go straight to the thousands being brought into the kingdom of God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now for the ones reading this who have an office of political power, if you haven't been trusting in the Lord you are reading this for a reason. God has ordained this as your time. That strange feeling that is stirring inside of you isn't from anything you ate. The Lord has already began to convict you. If you want to be a history maker you must trust in God. Turn to Him and allow His ways to become your ways. Then you shall lead forward in truth.
To the ones reading this who will have the ability to tell President Obama and Mr. Romney about what you have just read, well you need to. And to President Obama and Mr. Romney I wish to remind you of how much God loves you. He wants to use you in greater ways than you could even dream. Give yourself completely to Him. Repent where needed. He has dreams and desires for this nation that you do not know of. He wants to reveal them to you. God loves you and if you would turn completely to Him and allow His ways to become your ways, He will rejoice over you, even singing over you and shower you with great favor and blessing. Don't take what you are reading lightly. God is carefully watching.
And finally to all: Choose you this day who you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Amen
"Do everything they say to you," the Lord replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them."
That is taken from the New Living Translation and is God instructing Samuel to listen to a group of complaining people. You should read the entire chapter of 1 Samuel 8. There are some pretty sobering things in there. What captured my thoughts as I sat in silence thinking about this passage was how God had rescued this people from a land of bondage and was willing to give them everything they would ever need. Even after years of complaining and disobedience they were still brought to the land "flowing with milk and honey." But then, even though they were given everything they needed for a good life, instead of following their saving God the people started doing what "was right in their own eyes." We see that being recorded over and over in the book of Judges. That seems to be the pattern of what happens when people become too intelligent for their own good. By going down this path, Israel was basically beginning to sign off on their own destruction.
I could only sit completely still as I thought about the parallel that God was showing me. What other nation compares to the above? Think about what the United States once had. Indeed it once was like a land "flowing with milk and honey." Read history books and you often will see the words "The American Dream." Everybody wanted it and for a long time it seemed that almost everything this nation did turned into prosperity. But then something happened. We the people decided we could start doing our own thing. We became smarter than God. God's ways started to be rejected over and over just like with Israel.
Time and time again Israel was told that all they had to do was return to God's ways. Father knew best. They didn't listen and if you don't know what followed, read about it. Read about the messes. Read about the downward spiral. Has it been any different with America? When are we going to finally realize that taking God out of the schools, our communities and even the traditional family just hasn't worked?
I think about the coming presidential election in the United States. I think about how many people I have heard say something like, "Really? Is this the best we have to chose from?" I am one of those people. The children of Israel got what they deserved for rejecting God. I have to wonder if this nation is now getting what it deserves for doing the same thing. I'm not talking about just this coming presidential election, but the entire downward spiral that this country has experienced.
"IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN MAN. IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN PRINCES." (Psalm 118: 8-9)
I don't believe my strongest gifting is in the prophetic, so I have always tried to be very careful about giving a prophetic word, but this is what I believe the Lord was showing me on that recent sleepless night. We have reached a point to where we are getting exactly what is deserved and no matter who wins this coming election things will not get better. In fact I believe that the Lord was showing me that before the next presidential term is up there will be severe catastrophic events. As these events unfold, thousands will suddenly realize that their only hope is to repent, humble themselves and return to the one and only true living God. Peace and salvation will be found through Jesus the Christ, the very One who many have been rejecting and cursing for their entire lives. This will be recognized as the great awakening that many saints have already been faithfully praying for. An awakening that will be so earth shaking that thousands will be added to a revitalized church much as like what happened after the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2: 40-47) Lukewarm Christians will have to decide that they must go one way or the other. God will no longer allow fence sitting. It will be easy to tell who is really for God and who is against Him. There will be a "valley of decision" so to speak.
Friend, I do not write this lightly. I have put much thought into this before blogging about it. As a man I realize that I can only "know in part and prophesy in part." (1 Corinthians 13:9) As long as I am mortal, I can't always see perfectly, but this impression is strongly upon me. I would always encourage you to pray into the things that I say. Let God show what you need to remember and what you need to forget.
So within this reading today lies a real warning, but yet a real hope. What can or should we do about it? First we must pursue Jesus with passion and become compelling to the confused and lost around us. Those who are already starting to give up. We must love them and give them hope. Jesus was a compelling person and this is what He did. We should desire to be just like Him. When we put our lives and faith in Jesus we are told that through Christ we will overcome any trouble that may occur. In that promise we can find peace and strength. We will be prepared come what may; a prepared people.
I have often wondered if bad things can be avoided. Even in the Bible when Ezekiel and Jeremiah prophesied of coming destruction, was there a way to avoid it? I have wondered if what the Lord was showing me the other night is set in stone or if there is something we can do to change it. Only God knows, but there is one very interesting passage in scripture that I have highlighted in my Bible. Jeremiah 18: 7-10:
"The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it............."
It would be so awesome if we could avoid the bad stuff and go straight to the thousands being brought into the kingdom of God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now for the ones reading this who have an office of political power, if you haven't been trusting in the Lord you are reading this for a reason. God has ordained this as your time. That strange feeling that is stirring inside of you isn't from anything you ate. The Lord has already began to convict you. If you want to be a history maker you must trust in God. Turn to Him and allow His ways to become your ways. Then you shall lead forward in truth.
To the ones reading this who will have the ability to tell President Obama and Mr. Romney about what you have just read, well you need to. And to President Obama and Mr. Romney I wish to remind you of how much God loves you. He wants to use you in greater ways than you could even dream. Give yourself completely to Him. Repent where needed. He has dreams and desires for this nation that you do not know of. He wants to reveal them to you. God loves you and if you would turn completely to Him and allow His ways to become your ways, He will rejoice over you, even singing over you and shower you with great favor and blessing. Don't take what you are reading lightly. God is carefully watching.
And finally to all: Choose you this day who you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Amen
