Well I certainly did not intend on blogging today ... I really need to clean my house, but there is nothing like a good run to clear the mind. As He so often does, God began speaking to my heart about the election results last night and continued to reveal things to me as I ran this morning. I feel compelled to share these things with all of you out there who, like me were probably VERY disappointed last night. Before I continue, let me just say these statements are not meant to politically divide but to spiritually unite.
The first stirring I received is that Jesus is coming soon. This was not a mental thought but a spiritual discerning. Here are a few points to back that up: First, almost all of Biblical prophecy has been fulfilled, and with the re-election of President Obama more will be. In the last days ALL nations will turn their back on Israel. (Ezek. 38:16) If Obama's second term is anything like his first, it is quite clear that this will indeed happen. Second, the Bible says in the last days good will be seen as evil and evil as good. As I watch so many of my fellow Christian Americans worry more about taxation and entitlement programs than abortion and homosexual marriage, it is clear to me that they too have been blinded as to the difference between good and evil. Third, the Bible clearly speaks of an overflow of natural disasters that will strike the earth. (Mark 13) I have never in my nearly 40 years of living seen such a magnitude of amount and intensity of these devastating storms ... Al Gore is right about that. However he is wrong about their source. It is not GLOBAL WARMING. It is GLOBAL WARNING! Many other signs of the end are given ... wars and rumors of wars, famine, calamities, etc. (Mark 13) Certainly no man knows the time of Christ's return, but as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 24:37 "As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." Others did not perceive the time, but Noah did. He had been building an ark for YEARS! In Noah's day just like today, sin abounded. But Romans 5:20 says "where sin abounds, grace (God's unmerited favor) has surpassed and superabounds!"
So if indeed we are living at the end of ages then what is this all about, and what is God doing? First of all you must realize that in the New Testament the word of God addresses 3 different groups ... the Jews, the Church, and the Nations. So ask yourself, what one are you a part of? American Christians and Christians around the world must begin to see through the eyes of God about this. It isn't about America, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, or any other country. It's about the CHURCH! God is readying His Church for Jesus' return. This is a time of preparation that will lead to separation. In the book of Matthew, God speaks of separating the wheat from the tares and the sheep from the goats (chapters 13 & 25). Notice they are all together at first. The tares think they are wheat and the goats think they are sheep, but they are not. Again Matthew chapter 7 is very eye opening in that Jesus tells some to depart from Him that thought they knew Him but really didn't.
The Old Testament is a forerunner of the New Testament. Think of how often God spoke to Israel trying to get them to change their ways and yet they wouldn't. They were stiff necked, rebellious, and hard hearted toward Him. So (after giving numerous warnings through Himself and prophets) what did He allow to happen? He allowed them to be scattered and for sufferings to come in their life, but He did promise that He would gather them back home again. This began in the 1940's at the end of WWII with the recreation of the state of Israel. (Prophecied in the end of the book of Ezekiel). Think of it this way. As a parent you keep trying to tell your child to stop a certain behavior knowing that it will lead to destruction, but they don't listen. At some point you realize they will have to fall on their face before they will get it. As much as this pains you it is the only way to get them to open their eyes to the truth. This is the very process that we are in right now. It may be painful, but it will bring about good. Just as God promised to bring a refined Israel home, He promises to bring the refined Church home.
So clearly we are in a time of judgement and will continue to be. This is preparation time. Time to allow God to refine us, and it is through that process He is revealing Himself to His beloved Church. Look at the letters to the Churches in the book of Revelation. Chapters 2&3 are not just meant for those specific churches but for the Church today. To Ephesus He warns that they have abandoned their first love. To Smyrna he warns of suffering but promises deliverance. To Pergamum He warns of Idolatry of false Gods. To Thyatira He warns of false prophets and sexual sin. To Sardis He warns to stir themselves up and become alive. To Philadelphia He encourages to stay faithful and patiently and expectantly endure. To Laodicea He warns of being lukewarm. What is my point? My point is we need to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us about where we are falling short so we can repent. "Those whom I dearly and tenderly love, I tell their faults and convince, reprove, and chasten (I discipline and instruct them). So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and REPENT (change your mind and attitude)." Rev. 3:19
In the end the Bible warns that things will get worse FOR THE NATIONS, but remember we are the CHURCH, the Body of whom Jesus is the Head. Has not Jesus cleansed us and atoned for all of our sins? Are we not the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? Jesus has already paid the price for the judgement that is coming upon the earth (nations) for those who believe on Him. Romans 1:17 says "The JUST shall live by faith." Who are "the just"? Those who have been justified, who are made righteous and in right standing with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ! That's us!!! We have been declared NOT GUILTY! Church, we need a real revelation of who we are in Christ and what has already been done for us so that we can operate in the faith of that knowledge. We need a real revelation of God's love ... the love that held Jesus to that cross and paid a price we could NEVER pay. We need to be so deeply rooted and grounded in it that NOTHING can shake us. Remember "Perfect love casteth out all fear" (1 John 4:18), and "Faith works by love." (Gal. 5:6) LOVE IS SO VERY IMPORTANT!
Many of my fellow American Christians are very angry about the outcome of this election. Don't be. Government is not your source! God is! God is still on the throne, and He will never relinquish control. We are to pray for our leaders knowing that the heart of the king (president) is in God's hand (1 Tim. 2:1/ Prov 21:1). Take a look at 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land." Who is God addressing here? His people, the church - us. What is He telling us to do? Humble ourselves, pray, seek, crave, require Him as a vital necessity, and turn or repent from our wicked ways. What has He promised to do? Let our candidate win the White House so that he can fix everything? NO! God Himself will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land. God has called and expects His people to do this. He knows the rest of the world doesn't get it. They are blinded to the truth! (John 14:17) If we were ever called to be the salt, light, and hope of the earth it is NOW!
God has arranged this specific time in history to offer a crash course for His Church, a wake-up call that America has been needing. This course is going to teach us how to operate just like Jesus did, doing only what His Father did and saying only what His Father said. (John 5:19) We are about to see what Ephesians 1 calls the "fullness of the body of Christ." We are about to experience the "greater works that we will do" that Jesus foretold (John 14:12). Because of this the world is going to flock to the church like never before, and a great end time harvest of souls will be the result! If you already have revelation on principles like faith and love, continue to walk in them being an example to other Christians. Come alongside your brother and sister in Christ and help them walk it out. Edify and build one another up! If you don't yet clearly get these principles seek the Lord as well as other Christians, a church home, and teaching ministries that will help you. Jesus is coming back for "a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle." (Eph. 5:27) He is patiently waiting for us to be ready, but even He doesn't know the hour in which God has predestined for His return (Mark 13:32). Look inward and check your spirit. I think you will sense the time is near. The Bridegroom is at the door expectantly anticipating to carry His Bride across the threshold to eternal glory in Heaven. The question is, is the Bride expectantly anticipating her Bridegroom? We have alot to do. Let's get ready! (Rev. 19:7)
