Friday, August 23, 2019

Patience

We have no idea when the Lord will make His unexpected appearance so we must be patient.  While we wait for Him to arrive, this world is moving from low to lower low but at the same time if our eyes are open we can see the Lord at work.  How is the Lord at work?  He is at work thwarting the enemy at every turn to allow His own timing to prevail.  Here are some examples of what the Lord has done in recent memory to guide world events according to His own timeline versus the enemy's timeline:

2016:  Brexit vote, and election of Donald Trump-These two events put a dagger into the heart of the globalist establishment and they hate Trump, the British people and the "deplorables" in the United States for it.  Since these globalists cannot see beyond the end of their nose they do not perceive that it was the Lord God, not humans who stuck the dagger in.  This anti-globalist dagger continues to turn today with populist revolution spreading across the western world.

?-today:  A subtle shift has been taking place over the course of years.  This shift is a shift of power away from the west toward the east.  We see this steady erosion of power and its transfer in the decline of the entire western world and the rise of Russia and China.  There is a direct correlation here between the removal of our God from every public space (starting in the schools and the courts in the 60's up through today), which itself was preceded by the removal of our God from the people's hearts and minds.  We see clearly that America and the west have lost the moral high ground.  Hypocrisy rules the west instead of the rule of law.  Our friend Donald Trump told us he came in to "drain the swamp" then he proceeded to fill his entire cabinet with the swamp.  Not one deep state criminal actor has gone to jail, only Trump's own people have gone to jail.  Instead of Christian revival in America and the west we have seen at best spiritual stagnation.

To be fair, there is and always has been a praying remnant in America and the west in general.  This praying remnant combined with the Lord's own will has kept the demise of America at bay so far.  So far, the Lord has used America as a hammer to protect Israel but there is coming a day when Israel will stand alone (seemingly) against the world.  Not the IDF, nor America will be able to save her from the forces arrayed against her.  Then and only then will they cry out to their God, our God for help and He will deliver.

It is fascinating to watch our God work.  Our God is not mocked:

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

As America plunges deeper into apostasy as evidenced by the lack of light in the churches which in turn results in darkness covering the land, we see LGBTQabcdefg reading to our elementary school children in public libraries across the country while these same children are indoctrinated in "sexual eduation" ie indoctrination into perverse sexuality in the classrooms.  And this is a backdrop to the almost constant drip of school or church shootings that takes place with increasing frequency.  How often were schools and churches shot up when we had prayer in schools?  It didn't happen...ever.

Meanwhile, our friends in Russia are building their military and economy at a fraction of the cost the United States is incurring for weaponry that is decisively better.  You name it, aircraft, artillery systems, air defense systems, cruise missiles, Russia has it all better and cheaper.  How could this happen?  Russia's special forces march through downtown Moscow with Bibles in their hands while America has outlawed Christianity in the public sphere.  Only sexual perversion and degradation is now allowed in public America.  God is not mocked.  A nation reaps what it sows.  So what we see is America descending in power and prestige, while Russia is now seen as a fair arbiter of international law and general good will to the rest of the world.  That is not my opinion, that is how the rest of the world sees it.  The evidence/proof of this is how the rest of the world conducts its business.  Every day the United States alienates or loses an ally, while Russia gains one.  The balance of power is shifting.

So what do we do with such knowledge?  We patiently watch and wait.  We do those things that the Spirit of the Lord tells us to do.  We act and influence this world as salt and light as the Spirit of the Lord positions us and others to do His work and His will in this world.  While the so called spiritual leaders of Churchianity tell you to get out and vote in order to "do something," the Spirit says pray and fast.  I guarantee you the prayers this nobody offers while down on bended knee influence and impact this world a million billion times more than any vote anyone casts for some human.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Yes, our God is answering prayers and performing miracles as much today as He ever has.  He has not become deaf, dumb and blind.  Our God is at work in this world and He is coming back soon.  Time is passing by quickly.  Every day that passes is one day closer to the day of unexpected return when what the Lord promised will come to pass.  He told us very clearly that He is coming back on an unexpected day at an unexpected time.  There are things in the Bible that are not clear, this issue is not one of them.  He was very clear about this and He paid careful attention to emphasize it to us.

Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

You have no idea when the Lord is coming back for us and neither do I.  The fools who tell us "don't bother" to watch will reap a fools reward (see Matt 25 for details).  The Lord our God will do exactly precisely what He said He would do.  He will show up on an unexpected day at an unexpected hour and the question will be are we ready?  Were we watching on that day?  Did we believe Him when He told us what He would do?  The answers to these questions will be what matters on that day.  What we believe (or not) matters.  Our faith (or lack thereof) matters.  Our God made many promises to us but not everyone inherits the promises.  Who inherits the promises?

Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

We inherit based on faith and patience.  Those without faith do not inherit nor do those who are not patient.  Those who think they can deny the clear instructions and commands of the Lord and still escape all that is about to happen may have a rude awakening.  What has the Spirit taught us?

Matt 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

As you believed...….so let it be done for you......Yes, there will be believers in the tribulation.  Have you ever stopped to consider who these people are?  How about they are the same exact people who scream at you with veins popping out of their necks, faces red that there will be no escape from all that is about to happen?  Perhaps the same people who refuse to watch for the unexpected return of the Lord because their man made doctrine tells them not to?  Perhaps they are the same people that not only refuse to do what the Lord clearly told them to do but also lead others astray to disobey the clear commands we read in the Bible?  Yes, there are some things in the Bible that are open to debate.  This is not one of them.  No, I do not know exactly when the Lord is going to make His unexpected return but I am absolutely certain that I should be watching for it and praying for it every single day.

Luke 21:34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Watch and pray always.  Always is not an ambiguous word.  We need to do what we were told to do.  Be faithful, be patient and watch the Lord do exactly what He said He would do.  Glory to God.

grace and peace