Civil Disobedience vs Obedience (part 2)

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father – Please guide us in these times. Help us know your will and obey it. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us today. In the name of Jesus – Amen

If and when is it appropriate for Christians to participate in civil disobedience?  As the world gets more difficult, at what point do we, and how do we, disobey? It is important to know how to continue to respond to the mask mandate – and also to learn how to respond to any future mandates.

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” Romans 13:1-2 ESV
We see here in verse one that God is in control of who is in control – and in verse two, disobeying them is to call down God’s judgment on yourself.  Paul understands human nature (moreover God who inspired Paul to write this) as it was not enough to lay out that the wrath was coming in only one verse. But He continues with:
“³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴ for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” Romans 13:3-5 ESV

Wasn’t my posts all last week about the fact that we needed to repent – didn’t this week begin with the Day of Atonement? Did I not warn you of the wrath to come if you did not repent?! Our merciful heavenly Father will through grace accept your repentance at any time if you missed the Day of Atonement. Moreover – He has called this a season of repentance!!! Possibly it is ours to repent of our attitudes towards masks, social distancing, distance learning, and not being able to assemble together the way we used to.

Oh, I have heard the one about those in authority being evil, ungodly, terrors. But they are there because God put them there – your boss and anyone in a position of authority over you. Yes, at first they showed your years of infection control knowledge that wearing masks for too many hours (and not changing them out) can actually harm our respiratory systems. And yes – they changed their minds and went against the science. So you think you can disobey the mandate because they are harmful?  I don’t know. It would seem based on this passage that no, we cannot.  But thank the Lord that NOTHING shall by any means harm us (Luke 10:19) as long as we are within our obedience to the word of God.

If we say we won’t wear our masks because nothing shall by any means harm us – are we honestly dividing the scriptures correctly? Because it certainly seems we have left out this chapter of Romans.  But this chapter of Romans is not lined up with my flesh – exactly – NONE of the book of Romans is lined up with our flesh!!! God is showing us throughout this book how we oppose His will.

Let’s look to see elsewhere in the Bible to see what other did when they had rulers make up crazy rules….

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, was not a Godly ruler. He actually besieged Jerusalem and took Daniel and others captive – this is the opening of the book of Daniel.  And then crazy rule after crazy rule was put on Daniel and the other – where did they draw the line?

First the king’s food and wine was considered defiling:
“⁸ But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. ⁹ And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,” Daniel 1:8-9 ESV
Can we respond to the mask mandate (or any future mandates) in this way? Absolutely!  Daniel talked with someone close to the person in command.  Who has God put in your life who is close to the person in charge? In my case, regarding the mask mandate, I know no one – therefore I am not called to respond like Daniel and I am subject to the mandate. But maybe you know someone? Maybe you are called for such a time as this?

In Daniel chapter 2, king Nebuchadnezzar says tell me my dream or die – well that mandate would have us all on our knees asking God to help! Of course we can respond to the mask mandate with a prayer for help – and chances are God will help, by teaching us to die to our desire to be mask free in order to adapt submission and reliance on God, for His glory. In the future, and will all laws, rules, and mandates we should take it to the Lord in prayer – and God shall help guide us.   

In chapter 3, this king made an image of himself and demanded everyone worship it. Here we see Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say: God can save us, but even if He doesn’t, we shall not bow. As we know the story well – the 3 were thrown into the fire and yet they lived. Our lesson here today is not to bow.  Putting on a mask does not affect our ability to worship, pray or otherwise serve God. But when they say “bow” – we should say: we will not serve your gods or worship anything but our God (Daniel 4: 16-18).  This is the line. This is when civil disobedience begins. We shall not break the 10 commandments – the greatest of them being love (Matthew 22:38). Yet I saw a man who says He is a Christian yelling at a kid whose job it was to tell you to leave the store if you had no mask on.  This man has already bowed – his response to the mask mandate was to show the opposite of love. I tell you, hell fire is worse than the 7 times hotter fiery furnace in Daniel! Our savior is able to go inside the furnace and save Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (and us), but He shall not show up in hell to save us – that is a salvation we must call out for before arriving in hell.

The book of Daniel continues with chapter after chapter of crazy rules and laws – one of which (the no praying law) landed Daniel in a den of hungry lions.  The Israelites drew the line at any law that made them break the commandments or stopped them from having a relationship with God. 

When we apply both Romans 13 and Daniel, we see clearly – we must be subject to the laws of the land where God has put us and where He has ordained the leadership – unless, the laws say not to read, pray, or worship.  (I might even add, share the gospel since that is the great commission, even though it is not covered in Daniel.) That is the line in the sand.

Unless maybe you can find other scripture that are taken in context that show me otherwise? There are 8 more verses in this passage – maybe there is something in there that might appease my fleshly desire to throw away my mask and cause some civil disobedience?

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

“⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
¹¹ Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:6-14 ESV

Civil Disobedience vs Obedience (part 1)

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father – Please guide us in these times. Help us know your will and obey it. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us today. In the name of Jesus – Amen

I was extremely blessed today. I happened upon a social media post from a brother in Christ which asked a significant question. Paraphrased, the question was: if and when it is appropriate for Christians to participate in civil disobedience. His question enveloped the mask debate as well as points on the civil war in the United State in 1961.  His question was moreover, as times grow harder and mandates are treated as laws, what will we do – what are we to do?

Amazing, Godly, conversation was had – love shown for all opinions – and my friend kept guiding the responses back to ‘where is it in the Bible?’ He made sure everything had a verse to back their opinions.

I learned I was using the wrong terminology for my stance on the mask mandate. I have said in the past, that I wore it out of obedience.  This is NOT the correct wording although my scriptural backing was sound.  From now on I shall say I wear my mask when required because I am subject to under my obedience to God. God gets so much more glory from this new statement. 

Let every person – everyone – except….. oh wait, there is no ‘except’ so this is every one.
Be subject – defined as (Merriam Webster) affected by or possibly affected by such as ‘subjected to the law’

I am not obeying a government blindly. In my obedience to Christ I am “subject to” as defined in Romans 13.  Today – I am focusing on the mask part of His question – its lessons may keep us through these times ahead.

Let’s read the whole passage:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,⁴ for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.⁷ Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.⁹ For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
¹¹ Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.¹² The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.¹³ Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13 ESV

It all boils down to being right with Christ – putting off the flesh and being obedient to God’s will.  God’s will may be different for each of us. Some may be called to not wear a mask and other to wear a mask – this is NOT for me to know.  What I am to know is: am I obeying what God tells me for me? 

As with any decision we make – let’s run it through the word of God, prayer and through examining our own hearts – are we choosing to obedience or disobedience to the government mandate out of fear, rebellion or pride? 

That is a loaded question.  Honestly, there are days, when I have to leave the house and I sit in my car checking my heart’s motivation and my mask – before I go into a situation where I may potentially NOT be social distancing. 

“⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.⁹ For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:8-10 ESV

Paul (the author of Romans) brings it all back to obedience and obedience always bring us back to faith, hope, and love.  As we have studied in this blog before: obedience is always the action of faith. And faith is the essence of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1).  Then LOVE – is what we are obedient to. 

Stores and businesses are asking on of their staff to be the mask police.  That poor staff person – every day – has to deal with someone who is too self-righteous to wear a mask – and usually it is not by a calling from God. Do you know how I know? God has NOT called anyone to not wear a mask and berate staff people who are just doing their job. God HAS called us all to be vessels by which His can extend His grace and mercy and save them.  God is NOT glorified through anger, hostility, and lack of love – actually God is love (1 John 4:8). This is why Paul goes from being subject to authority to obedience in love.

If God is telling you NOT to wear a mask, then He has shown you how to do it in love and bringing glory to Him.  I do not know how this plays out as I, personally, am told by God I must be subject to this mandate.
As for those who say they cannot perform their ministries with a mask – I cannot speak to it.  I have been called to witness and share the gospel and I can do so wearing a mask. My glasses get fogged, I inhale the mask, it moves and I must adjust it – but I can still speak. 
I have been called to pray – God hears my thoughts when I pray in my head. God hears my prayers when I pray out loud through a mask. The mask does not hinder my prayers.  And although my mask may muffle my voice – the Holy Spirit in me and the power of the name of Jesus is NOT hindered or muffled – my authority over evil is NOT muffled – my God is not restricted by my obedience to a mandate to wear a mask.  (and I can still pray that this mask mandate goes away!)
I can sing in my mask – I may not be able to open my mouth wide and belt out a song (but even without a mask, I cannot do that well – singing is not my gift). But I can take an attitude of worship and sing with the mask on. 
And I can still do my Bible studies and post them – which I do from a quiet place in my home so there is no mask required.

And in my daily relationship with Christ – I do not need to wear a mask and I pray He draws close to me as I draw close to Him – no social distancing from God and no mask.

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Jesus is Crying with Me

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are love. Without you there is no love. I praise and worship you. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us today. In the name of Jesus – Amen

As we read last week, the Day of the Lord is at hand. In my studies I wandered off into studies of God’s judgement and wrath because I honestly believe that a time of judgment is upon us, meaning upon our world.  I, for one, am under grace and He has provided a way for me (I hope you are as well).  The urgency I feel for lost souls and the prodigals is heart wrenching.  I literally sob to God. I am witnessing to people I see during the day – mostly to co-workers as the pandemic limits my physical reach.  I am praying that someone is doing the same for my lost love-ones. And of course praying that God does a work inside them, just like He did a work in me.

I ugly cry to God.  And as I opened my blurry eyes, while wiping my booger face, I knew Jesus was laying there on the floor with me – ugly crying with me.

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” John 11:33-36 ESV
This passage is about the death of Jesus’s friend Lazarus. The verse “Jesus wept” has come up in my world a few times in the last week. I think it is important to remember the humanity of Christ – moreover humans were created in the image of God and God is compassionate as well.

As we see God’s wrath and judgements, as God puts more pressure of the prodigals to cause them to return, as we see the righteousness and unshakable holiness of God – let us not forget Jesus and God can cry.

The most amazing part of this passage, at least to me, is that Jesus already told His disciples they were going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus already knew the end of the story. He already knew the joy that was coming. Yet, in the moment, His heart was broken.

My son doesn’t believe in God. It breaks my heart. He doesn’t just reject God – He rejects and attacks me for my belief, which compounds my heartache.  I pray – cry out to God. And Jesus and God sit there with me crying.  First, He love my son more than I love my son. Second, He love me and hurts to see me sad. Third, He hurt – He too has been rejected.  And yet He knows the end of the story – He knows when my son will turn to Him, and He knows how and He knows why. The same with my sister and my friends and other family members. Yet, as I cry – God cries with me.  It’s a healing kind of comfort to know, the great and mighty God who is coordinating the end times and carefully dishing out His wrath in such a powerful way, preparing hearts to turn to Him through it – and the image of the Greek God Zeus with his lightning bolt comes to mind (ready to strike anyone who displeases him down). But my God is not Zeus – He is instead a tender and loving God who weeps and care for me as well as handling my prayers.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 ESV
Our tendency to view God as aloof is so strange, especial since we read the scriptures about how he handles our every need, while managing all of creation. Yet – we pray as if we are sending a letter and hoping it gets there, and maybe He’ll read it, and maybe we will receive an answer if He isn’t too busy. So when I read that God heals the brokenhearted – I sit here with my broken heart in my hand and hold it up in the air as if lifting it to an invisible god and he sends down some sort of lightning bolt of healing and fixes it, right? NO!  Have we missed it all along?  He come down here – comes to the floor where I lay and weep – bends down low to get to me.  There is no other way to bind a wound than to be in direct contact and right there in person. One cannot telemed in a wound dressing.  It must be in person. Yes, God comes near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18) and dresses their wounds – and even better, He heals them while we are in His loving arms.

Have you ever wailed out to God and needed to be quieted?
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
Again, we see – God comes to us. He saves us, heals us, cries with us and quiets us – because joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).  When my son was little and was hurt, I would hold him and rock him and sing a quiet song. As he felt better I would change the song to something more upbeat and joyful that he could sing along with. It would slowly lift his spirits back up and reassure him. And in this verse in Zephaniah – we see God doing that same thing!!! Singing over us, singing to us – lifting our spirits with tender beautiful music!

“The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 ESV
The Lord comes to us – He comes to saves us, to heals us, to cries with us, to quiets us, to sing over us, to comfort us – and usually we do not see it – sometimes we miss how close He actually is. Sometime in our minds we keep Him far away – and God can us it, He can appear far away.  But I would rather He was next to me touching me without me seeing – than Him appearing to me at a distance. But I included this verse because I wanted to be sure to share with you – He comes every time. Unlike my ex and other people in my life – He has an everlasting love and is faithful! You cry out and he is there! He hears you and He knows you. We just need to be real with Him.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Psalm 103:8 ESV

When you hurt, and share with your friends, do they cry with you? (I know I usually try to ease a friend’s crying and cheer them up – I don’t usually cry with them.) When you say you want revenge, do they help you plan it and get you more angry and upset? Do they comfort with a broader understanding of what is best for the world?
I tell you affirmatively Jesus cries with us – He says to release the anger; revenge is the Lord’s. We just need to love and heal. He is a righteous God and a loving God – He will deal with whomever in the way that will bring Glory to Him.  He comforts me – but has everyone in the equations eternal welfare in mind as well.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
New every morning – so we can do it again and again.  How great is our God – Greatly to be praised!

“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26 ESV

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Day of Atonement

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV

I do not usually post on a Sunday, but this is no ordinary Sunday. I am posting in acknowledgement of the beginning of the Day of Atonement. I am also posting because I had a dream I wanted to share.
Please pray with me today, making this your personal prayer as well as a prayer on behalf of all believers as both gentile and Jew spent this weekend and tomorrow in an attitude of humility and repentance.

Dear Heavenly Father –

Have mercy on me [and your people including the Body of Christ], O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. [Yes Lord – all is done in your sight and you shall reveal it publicly if we do not humble ourselves and repent.]

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. [Cover us with the blood of Christ, and of the new covenant of grace, please Lord. So that we may be made white as snow.] Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
(Psalm 51:1-17 ESV) In the name of Jesus we pray – Amen

Thank you for praying with me. And now let me share the dream I had Friday night:

I saw every one of us (the professing church) silently entering a church building with a placard hung from each of our necks.  I looked down and on mine was a list of my sins. At the top were the ones I should have repented of but haven’t (instead I made excuses for them or made up a story in which they were not really sins).  Next, were the ones I struggle to overcome. Then, at the bottom were the sins I failed to recognize in my self. These sins are all the unrepented sins which are not yet covered by the blood of Christ.

Then I looked around as did many others and noticed that everyone wore a placard with their sins. You could tell that some of us were ashamed, some were comparing others to themselves, and others were actually proud of their lists. I was ashamed.

Each of us were being ushered in, and had to walk right past the pastor’s children, then the pastor’s wife, and then the Pastor. I thought, Oh Lord, the children should not read some of these!  So while in the large foyer, I started on focus on myself (and God) and I acknowledge each sin and beg God for forgiveness. As I looked at my sign and prayed – each sin started to fade away leaving an empty white space on the placard. 

A woman came to me with her hands over her placard and asked me how I was getting the sins to go away?!?! She had been frantically rubbing at the sign and she could not get them to wipe off.  Others came closer to hear as I told her I asked for forgiveness and set in my heart that I would not continue with that sin – and God cleaned it. 

A man said, I tried that and it did not work. Another chimed in and said it’s because of unforgiveness, we must forgive others to have God forgive us. And we fell to the floor, on our knees, and prayed for each other and ourselves and asked to be forgiven.

My usher then told me to look up. I saw we were a small group praying for forgiveness.  I saw many standing and making a spectacle of themselves – praying for show and for acknowledgement and for others to regard them well. This spectacle was more dramatic than I have ever seen as they waved their hands and stood proud and danced around. Their prayers were composed of scriptures out of context and scriptures which were mis-quoted to suit their showy intent.  They prayed for those of us on the floor (repenting). They prayed for everyone else, but not themselves.  And I watched them flip their placards over, so the sins were hidden facing their chests and the side exposed outwardly was white and blank.  They marched in first – past the children, greeting the Pastor’s wife, greeting the Pastor.

Mingled in with these clean appearing placards were those who were proud of their sins. They had fewer than others. Or they worked hard at accomplishing their sin. Most of them had the sense to turn away from the children, so the kids did not read them. The Pastor and His wife smiled politely and greeted them as they went in.

Then finally the group of us on the floor were the only ones left to go in. Our placards had many white spots, some faded sins, and some sins still showed. Our eye were red from tears and our clothing wrinkled from being on the floor.  The pastor came to us and said. You cannot enter there – it is not the sanctuary. That is a room of judgment. For all of you this is the sanctuary. You have done well by humbling yourselves.
Instead, you all, are to go out and find other people in the world with placards that are long and messy like yours and teach them how to repent as you have done. And he gave us each a bag of food and said, come back when you run out of food and I will give you more.

With that I realized that wasn’t the Pastor – It was the son of God! (which explains why I could not actually see him in my dream while everything else was very clear.) And that wasn’t his family – as they spread their wings, floated up ward and cried out “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty!”

That was the dream.

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Sound the Alarm (Part 6)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” Joel 2:1 NIV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us. In the name of Jesus – Amen

This week we looked at world events and the fact that right now is literally the days between The Feast of Trumpets (the 18^th – 20^th) and the Day of Atonement (on the 28^th) and taking this time frame and events and keeping them in the forefront of our minds as we had read through Joel chapter 2.  The parallel is quite literal between today’s world news and this passage, let me encourage you to go back and read the past few days posts if you haven’t.  We should sound an alarm to heed to the warning and instructions of this prophet!!!

Today has been declared a national day of prayer and repentance in the United States of America with many church leaders in Washington DC leading a rally –  to repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand! I am hoping to make it to one of the many churches I know of who are also holding prayer services – declaring a day of prayer, fasting and repentance.  I will also be participating in the Day of Atonement (sunset on Sunday to sunset on Monday) as the Lord himself has declared it a day of prayer, fasting and repentance – because as we read in Joel: the Day of the Lord is at Hand!

This “Day of the Lord” – Usually when you see it in the Bible, it is when God says enough and begins to pour out His wrath.

“¹¹ The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?” Joel 2:11 NIV

My God reigns and with His righteous reign he must be just. However..
“He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” Joel 2:13 NIV
…but he is also righteous and just. He has and will lay out His wrath when needed. How many time in the Old Testament have we seen the wrath of God? It is fearful.

“Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger.” Isaiah 13:13 ESV (not just anger but fierce anger!)

“Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.” 2 Kings 17:18 ESV (wait, NONE was left?!?! God wiped out His own people except Judah?!?!)

In the New Testament we are under a covenant of Grace – “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” Romans 6:1-2a NIV
And why not – because God is still a just God who is so longsuffering that when he finally releases judgment it is a mighty act of wrath! We are under grace but not without judgement!

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” Romans 1:18 ESV

Yes – our tender and loving New Testament God is the same as the Old Testament God – He is the same: yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). And if you do not repent or continue in sin (disobedience)….

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36 ESV

Obedience is a beautiful act of faith – but is that where our world is at? Are we all dutifully obeying the Lord?

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 ESV

Back in Joel 2 – where he described the wrath of God and we could see the exact same thing in our world today – God sent the army of fire. Verse 11 says God is the leader.  When we read it through I said – look, God is still in control. But I should have said more clearly – He is in control, because it is His wrath! Yes, I said it. Because the Bible said it. Let’s not squish God into a sweet box of nice-y-nice. He is well balanced. He is saying enough is enough! He is saying:
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12 NIV

Repent, fast and pray so that…

“Then the Lord was jealous for his land and took pity on his people.” Joel 2:18 NIV
Forgive me for skimming through the end here, but I want to get to the point. Which is that the world is poised on the edge of a great revival and awakening. Many people shall be saved and come to the Lord. We are about to see the signs and wonders the Lord has promised His followers. We are about to see the acts of the early church of the Book of Acts.
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29 NIV

The Lord is great and greatly to be praised!

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” Joel 2:32 NIV

Everyone – Jew and gentile. Everyone. You and me. Saved from the wrath here on earth and from the eternal hell fires. Everyone who turns to Him in this season. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Sound the Alarm (Part 5)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” Joel 2:1 NIV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us. In the name of Jesus – Amen

This week we are continuing to look at world events and the fact that right now is literally the days between The Feast of Trumpets (the 18^th – 20^th) and the Day of Atonement (on the 28^th) and taking this time frame and events and keeping them in the forefront of our minds as we read through Joel chapter 2.  The parallel is quite literal between today’s world news and this passage, let me encourage you to go back and read the past few days posts if you haven’t.  We should sound an alarm to heed to the warning and instructions of this prophet!!!

Back in March, it was announced that September 26^th – tomorrow – would be a national day of prayer and repentance in the United States of America.  Many church leaders will be in Washington DC leading a rally which is supposed to be aired on a website – they are calling this event “The Return”.  I honestly have not researched it enough to promote it. You can go to their website and research it yourself. But I am telling you about it, because I am not the only one carrying on about how it is time – right now – to repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand!
I also know of 4 churches holding out door worship and prayer services – declaring a day of prayer and fasting on September 26^th (again, tomorrow).  I am not the only on being lead to Joel 2 – I am not the only one being told to sound this alarm! Panic people who aren’t right with God!!!  If you are right with God, you understand that this is not just a personal repentance but lord forgive us all for not acting as one body of Christ, for not moving as one army of God, for not being connected and enveloped in God’s community where we should be so that our gifts are flowing like blood through the veins of the body.

And at the same time the Messianic Jews are saying: repent – the Day of Atonement is here (Sunset on Sunday to sunset on Monday) and the Orthodox Jews are saying: repent – the Day of Atonement is here! And ALL of God’s people are saying Repent, the Day of the Lord is at Hand!

Maybe, just maybe, it might be time to repent???

“¹² “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12 NIV
Even now, today – or tomorrow with so many other churches and Christian Leaders – or even beginning at sunset on Sunday. 

Why are we doing this? Well the judgment of the Lord is already upon us and…

“¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.” Joel 2:13-14 NIV
…and God is gracious (oh how I love the grace of our Lord!) and compassionate (His mercies endure forever- Psalm 136) – when we turn away from evil, God has compassion on us.  God is still slow to anger, He may have started to let loose the army of fire and signs of the times, but He is still slow to anger and is waiting for us to turn to Him so He can stop it.  He is abounding in love for us. Oh that we would just fall in love with Him the same. He longs to bless us.

Joel goes on here and says to make sacrifices, we are no longer under the Law, but under Grace – however we still have a lot we can sacrifice in an act of faith.  We prayerfully recommit everything we have, everything we love, everything everything everything over to God and trust Him with it. He will give us back what we should have and bless us abundantly with things we did not know we should have but wrong things were in the way.
And most important of a sacrifice:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 NIV
Offer up all of yourself.

“¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
¹⁶ Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:15-17 NIV

Our church leaders in the United States have called a solemn assembly and our Jewish leaders have done the same. This weekend the wave that so many have prophesied is coming.  It can’t not come. It must come as a response to our obedience. A refreshing, awakening, life giving, wave of the Holy Spirit, and power. Here it comes because God will not make His inheritance on object scorn nor His reputation one of a dead useless God.  People shall NOT ask me where is my God!

Once they meet me, they will know where my God is – He is ALIVE and Powerful. He is the One True God! And He goes before me, behind me, all around me, and within me – and through me! For His glory So all can come to know the saving knowledge of MY GOD!!!

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Sound the Alarm (Part 4)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” Joel 2:1 NIV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us. In the name of Jesus – Amen

This week we are continuing to look at world events and the fact that right now is literally the days between The Feast of Trumpets (the 18^th – 20^th) and the Day of Atonement (on the 28^th) and taking this time frame and events and keeping them in the forefront of our minds as we read through Joel chapter 2.  The parallel is quite literal between today’s world news and this passage, let me encourage you to go back and read the past few days posts if you haven’t.  We should sound an alarm to heed to the warning and instructions of this prophet!!!

Before we continue – let’s talk about our personal lives. We have focused on world news, and failed to even look within the walls of our own homes or within our own hearts and minds this week.  What is happening at home?  I may not even know you personally – but logic would reason that I can tell you exactly what is happening. 
When we began our relationship with God through Christ Jesus we were enrolled in the army of God. It’s just part of the deal and not a selection we can opt out of.  Since we are in a war, and we are being called to wake up and see the call to repentance for the Body of Christ first and then to the unbeliever (and the day that the Lord himself has declared to be a Day of Atonement is fast approaching), it would stand to reason that the enemy would be using our weaknesses in our mind, all forms of temptations, hindrances and distractions to keep us from the mission – repentance.
You may have been reading and thinking: I wish this was an encouraging message about dealing with hardships, dealing with adversity, and a good empowering message about overcoming!
Well, the enemy may have kept you distracted enough to miss that it is an encouraging message about dealing with hardships, dealing with adversity, and a good empowering message about overcoming!

It is time to stop being so nearsighted.  Give these things to God and fall back into rank and file. We are on a mission. We = the Body of Christ and the army of God.

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand –
²     a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
³ Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste – nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
⁷ They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
⁸ They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
⁹ They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.”
“¹¹ The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?” Joel 2:1-11 NIV

Where did we leave off? Oh yes – God was about to give us our assignment. We are special ops and about to be handed the most important mission in the history of the world. That is not an exaggeration. These truly are unprecedented times, but not for all the reasons the media says it is – but because the Day of the Lord is at hand (verse 1).

“¹² “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12 NIV
Return (repent) to God. All your heart (yes, give up and give to God anything and everything else so your whole heart can be God’s).  Fasting, weeping & mourning – well, there is the mission. Fast and pray. Humble yourself and fast and pray – the day of repentance (The Day of Atonement – sunset on the 27^th to sunset on the 28^th). 

“¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments.” Joel 2:13aThis is not a call for us to put on a show – it is a call for an inward humbling before God. If you want more information on fasting and prayer, please scroll back in my posts – I have done a few studies on it. But in short, here is what Jesus says about it:
¹⁶“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6: 16-18 NIV
And let me add, without reference to all the fasting verses, that it is ok to let your spouse know, and your children (great lesson for them to see), and those close to you – so they do not offer food or even join you in the fast. Do NOT tell them in the spirit of “Look at me being so holy” but do tell them from a position of humility, because you will need help to get through it.  It is even ok to declare a fast within your household or your church, just make sure everyone understand and chooses the type of fast that is right for them (partial fast or complete fast and the time period in which to fast).
You will need help to get through the fast – I reiterate this because this isn’t just any fast. We have been called into this special op mission – this is a war and the fast is an attack.  Do you remember in the book of Daniel, he fasted for 21 days? His fast assisted with winning the spiritual battles that was happening! 

Today is not the day of “just being still” and “the battle is the Lords” – it is our time to fight like the Day of the Lord is at hand.  Souls (including our own) are at risk. If it wasn’t so, God would say, only certain people should be doing this – but God is calling the entire Body of Christ, God is calling His people, God is calling those who are in the process right now of making the decision to have a relationship with Him!
We are to repent, fast, and pray.   

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

“¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
¹⁶ Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:13-17 NIV

Sound the Alarm (Part 3)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” Joel 2:1 NIV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us. In the name of Jesus – Amen

This week we are looking at world events and the fact that right now is literally the days between The Feast of Trumpets (the 18^th – 20^th) and the Day of Atonement (on the 28^th) and taking this time frame and events and keeping them in the forefront of our minds as we read through Joel chapter 2.  During this chapter Joel calls for a solemn assembly of repentance because of certain events and sins. We are approaching the day of solemn assembly of repentance and the same certain events and sins are causing the day of the Lord to be at hand.  The parallel is quite literal between today’s world news and this passage.  We should sound an alarm to heed to the warning and instructions of this prophet!!!

Where did we leave off?

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand –
²     a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
³ Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste – nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
⁷ They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
⁸ They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
⁹ They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” Joel 2:1-10 NIV

Ah yes – earthquakes. We did cover earthquakes.
So, the heavens tremble – I am a bit of a science nerd and sci-fi fan. I enjoy all things techie and all things outer space, and the interesting activity in our heaven (the sky above the sky that we can see) is amazing.  Maybe it is just that we have improved our technology enough that now we can see and understand what is out there. Or maybe as the Bible says, this is actually ‘more’ activity and a sign for us. Many times I find our own knowledge and understanding get in the way of the simplicity and gracefulness of the word of God.
I have a friend who knows a good deal of bible verses, enough to proclaim Jesus is Lord. That knowledge has made him safe and comfortable, believing he has secured his salvation. That knowledge has also stood in the way of him studying the word of God and going deeper – learning he has to be a doer of the word – to do the will of God and repent from sins. Let us use this as a cautionary tale, being warned so that we do not assume our knowledge is greater than the word of God. So if the word of God says the heavens tremble – they tremble. The activity we see is not the usual activity, as we assume – it is new and different and God has helped us create the technology to see it.

Speaking of seeing – today is a sunny day for me. The sun and the moon and the stars are all within my ability to see. Does this mean this passage of Joel is no longer relevant to our day and age? He he he – I am bating you – remember I am a little bit of a science nerd. The air quality index today (in NY) is over >100 US AQI, which means unhealthy for sensitive groups.  I look at the forecast for air quality and it is getting worse. Why? Well even though the international wild fires are not close to me in my mind – they are close enough that the smoke is literally polluting the air quality everywhere. Polluting and darkening the sky, sun, moon, and stars. (Usually I research a lot of Bible cross references while studying. Today I am researching air quality in random cities in each of the nations where I know you, my readers, live. And without exception all of us are experiencing a decline in air quality according to the data available to me.)  The sky is darkening according to science as well as the bible.

So there we have it – Joel said these things are coming if we do not repent. And we all slumbered. We were complacent. We did not do as Joel told us, that the Lord said, to do in the verses after. Each and every thing he warned us of – has begun and in a literal way, none the less.  So literal, we cannot say, well I am going to interpret it differently and therefore miss the sound of the alarm. 

Who of you is doubting? You cannot see the parallel? You say, well, it isn’t that bad because my local news isn’t covering the world news and I am convinced that it’s just a small little natural disaster isolated to this one incident.  – YOU, who are thinking these parallels are not so, you are a false prophet! You tell your friends and acquaintances you are a Christian yet you live in sin and lies – you are full of opinions which you worship over God. You have mislead people who desperately need a mighty and living God and caused them to believe in your weak hypocritical religion and failed in relationship with the All-Mighty through Christ. Your compromise and failures, if not repented of quickly, shall cost others their lives – and their blood and state of their souls shall be on your hands. God will hold you accountable.

“¹¹ The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?” Joel 2:11 NIV
The Mighty God, The One True Living God, The Holy One of Israel – He is still in control. His judgment must come. Repentance brings us under grace and not subject to the wrath. Repentance can turn His wrath away completely.  Will enough people repent to defer the pending doom?

Seriously – why are we not standing on the street corner yelling “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” It is time to get right with God. There is no more time to procrastinate.

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

¹² “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
¹⁶ Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:12-17 NIV

Sound the Alarm (Part 2)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” Joel 2:1 NIV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. Please open our eyes and ears and understanding to know what you are saying to us. In the name of Jesus – Amen

Obviously I am not longer able to keep my studies down to just one post.  But isn’t it good to dig in and study to word of God?!  Yesterday, I declared that it is time to set off the alarms! It is time to repent as a people of God, and as the body of Christ. The work assigned to the body of believers all over the globe is to wake up the people and bring them to salvation, but the work begins in each of us individually as well as in the body of Christ as a whole. 

The Feast of Trumpets was the 18^th – 20^th and we are heading towards the Day of Atonement on the 28^th.  According to what the Bible says about these holidays – this is obviously the time.  Literally, as part of being a doer of the word – it is time for the Body of Christ, globally, wake up and to repent.

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand –
² a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.” Joel 2:1-2 NIV

This mighty army not coming – the first troops are already here as we will see as we look at the next verses that further describe this army. First, let us understand that we were warned. This is a mighty army – are we ready for battle? Or are we surprised by this attack. Here it is! It is upon us!

“³ Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste – nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.” Joel 2:3-5 NIV

Here is the description of one of the troops – fire. Australia was devastated as we all began the year watching the fire spread like a cavalry a crossed their land. California, Oregon, Washington and Montana are on fire. Canada is on fire. Greece is on fire. Brazil is on fire. Portugal is on fire. Algeria is on fire. Greenland is on fire. Russia is on fire. And?  I am sure I am leaving some fires out. The world is literally on fire. Someone tell me that these verses are not applicable to the time we live in! Please. Because as we read on, these are not the time we would want to live in – No! We want to live in times of peace and prosperity but we turn on the morning news to despair and destruction. The fire fighters saturate an area to stop and contain it and a wind hops it over that area and onward the might army of fire marches, just as the verse says – and all over the world.

“⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.” Joel 2:6 NIV
Here we see – this was not a prophecy for Israel alone. This army of fire would make nations (plural) anguish.  Based on these verses, I believe these fires will become worse.  And the news media doesn’t cover it enough – they do not want to cause alarm. But now is the time for alarm! Later in this passage Joel says at these signs we MUST repent! Some of us are doing it alone – we must as a body, as the Body of Christ, together, repent!

“⁷ They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. ⁸ They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. ⁹ They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.” Joel 2: 7-9 NIV

I have been watching these fires here in the United States. I have friends in some of the areas that are burning.  We watched and prayed as the fire came up to the street one over from their house and the wind blew it around their street and God spared them.  But this verse literally describes exactly how fire acts (unless God himself blows it around a neighborhood, to save His children).  Watch the video images – it marched mercilessly.
Originally, back sometime in the 1980s, I read Joel and studied it – my study Bible said he was referring to another plague of locust or maybe an actual army. So much speculation and interpretation.  But maybe the word of God says exactly what it means? Maybe a vast mighty army of fire – all over the world, hitting many nations, as the Day of the Lord came upon is was exactly that, fire?! Maybe we don’t need to interpret.

Another example of the Bible proving to be literal:
“While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3 NIV
The global media is marketing (not reporting news) of these peaceful protests in the United States and around the world (mostly protests for black rights but there are many protests happening). At the same time – these protests are turning into riots (yes there is a difference and not all of the participants are the same people). Micro-details set aside and looking at the big picture – there is a “peaceful protest” and sudden destruction happening at the same moment. Scripture is being fulfilled without symbolic interpretation.  It is exactly as the scriptures say.

Lord help us sound the alarm – help us wake up – today is the day! Today is the day!

“¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” Joel 2:10 NIV

The earth shakes.  We have heard that before, and not just on the world news. 
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” Matthew 24:7 NIV
Oh yes, Jesus, himself, told us of this day. There are so many nations engaged in a ‘conflict’ right now I cannot even begin to list them all. I live in the United States of America – My son was born during a military conflict and has not seen a moment, not even one minute of peace. During his 23 years of life, my nation has been continually engaged in some military conflict. And in my lifetime??? Has there been a moment without conflict? Jesus says this is the first thing.
The next things is kingdom against kingdom.  I am part of the Kingdom of God.  Some people are part of the Black Lives Matter kingdom (FYI, I strongly believe the lives of my black brothers and sisters in Christ matter and the lost souls of the others also matter so much Christ died for them too – but there is a spiritual kingdom forming within that movement. Just go to their website and read how anti-bible the core principles of what they stand for are.  The kingdom it is building is an anti-Christ kingdom, do not bow.)    There is also the LGBTQIA kingdom that is forming. There is a Liberal kingdom. There is a kingdom of immorality, polyamory, pedophilia, and lusts of the flesh and it has already infiltrated the LGBTQIA kingdom and the Black Lives Matter kingdom. There is a Conservative kingdom. Some of these kingdoms are joining forces – some are fighting each other – all are standing against the Kingdom of God. (So make sure you are inside to fortress of the right Kingdom.)
Next Jesus says famines. Food production plants, farms and trucking (transportation) have all taken a mighty blow during this covid-19 pandemic response. Did you know our storage is almost used up? Have you noticed food prices going up? Have you noticed we are in an unusual, unprecedented, man-made famine?  And as the world burns, this will only get more noticeable. 
And finally in the verse we see earthquakes. We see them on the world news along with tsunamis. Little ones and big ones. All over. Is it shaking the wat from the tares? Are we awake yet? 

Can someone give me an amen?! Cause it is time! Who is awake? Tell someone today – time is running out! The day of the Lord is at hand!

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

“¹¹ The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
¹² “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
¹⁶ Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:11-17 NIV

Sound the Alarm (Part 1)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” Joel 2:1 NIV

Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other.  I acknowledge your Lordship over my life. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. In the name of Jesus – Amen

I guess, after the new year’s Feast of Trumpets, I am still thinking about trumpets and one week away is the Day of Atonement (and this year, it is more important than ever before – my spirit sees it).  I also see the signs of the time, which have been amply described in the Old Testament and briefly described by Jesus in the New Testament. And when you put it all together in my mind – I can’t help but spend a lot of time in the very short – but ever so important book of Joel.

Recently the president of the United States came under fire for “playing down the potential crisis of the pandemic in order to avoid mass panic [which could lead to unpredictable behavior instead of people following leadership in an orderly way]”.  Yet in New York State, the governor did the same thing, telling people it was safe to ride the packed subways and go to the Chinese new year celebrations and then New York became the hardest hit State (with the highest death tolls). The New York governor and his political party are the ones accusing the president. And I do not care what you might have heard otherwise – I live in New York and I work in health care and I have experienced it. This is also fresh on my mind and I try to reason and understand – Avoiding mass panic is usually a good thing.  If a building catches fire and the people do not know and are evacuated orderly – there is a low statistical chance of injury and death. This is why hospitals, nursing homes and other health care agencies all practice fire drills.  To avoid panic.  
It is true – I was once inside a nursing home that was on fire.  Staff thought we were doing an evacuation drill and did not realize until they saw it in the paper the next day that they were actually inside a burning building.  Everything was calm and orderly. Zero injuries & zero deaths.  This is what happens when you avoid mass panic. 

And after saying all that – I now say it is time to panic! (But please stay orderly – we serve a God of order.)  However, we are rapidly running out of time! Blow the trumpets in Zion – In the Holy Mountain! Sound an Alarm! Time is running out and we see prophesies being fulfilled. There are even passages in the Bible we did not associated to being prophetic of these times – yet, word for word we see them happening. Wake up! Sound the alarm – Panic!

Why are people still asleep?
Why are we overwhelmed and concerned with the cares of the world? With our daily lives? With being upset that you are having the same fight with your spouse every night about what to have for dinner? Who really cares what’s for dinner?? Just shove food in your mouth and go proclaim to the world that the Day of the Lord is close at hand!
We need to panic! In the sense that we need to be proclaiming the gospel. The time is short – the time for repentance is now! Right now!

Read the full passage:

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand –
²     a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
³ Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste – nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
⁷ They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
⁸ They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
⁹ They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
¹¹ The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
¹² “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
¹⁶ Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:1-17 NIV

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!