What is Your Plan for End Times?

 If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail, according to current financial planning wisdom.  How much more true is this principle in light of coming events and eternity.

"What is the world coming to?" many are asking as age-old standards of decency, honesty, and common sense are violated.   

Jude tells us to contend for the faith because the world will be filled with ungodly people who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.  They are grumblers, fault finders who live after their own lusts, ones who speak arrogantly and flatter people to gain an advantage. Likewise, 2 Peter 3 states "that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?'" 

Proverbs tells us that the prudent see trouble coming and prepare for it.  Both Jude and Peter give advice for anyone who wants to know what to do.  Peter answers the question "what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?"  

However, Jude 1:20-21, giving specific details of how to not only endure but how to overcome this present evil generation, states, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."  

Let's consider each of these four directions.  1) Build yourselves up on your most holy faith.  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.  Faith builds faith, as we exercise the faith we have in little, God increases our faith to be greater.  Therefore, this instruction calls us to daily not only read and hear the Word, but also to step out and apply the Word to the challenges of our life.

2) Pray in the Holy Spirit.  When we yield our will to God, the Holy Spirit cries out "Abba Father" and with groanings beyond words expresses the will of God to the Father.  Use your prayer language and cry out to Him from the depth of your heart. God has given us gifts which are tools to be used not put away on the shelf. 

3) Keep yourself in the love of God.  What does God require but to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.  Walk in the humble fear of the Lord, which simply means love good and hate evil and pride.

4)  Finally, look for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life.  Our focus is not on the evil world that is passing, but as Romans reminds us, keep our focus on the fact that our Redeemer is coming with mercy for all those who call on His name.  In short, rejoice that God is not mocked, but continues to work all things for good, HIs mercy is greater than sin, and His authority reigns supreme so every evil will be justly dealt with and every one who turns to Him will live forever. 

Thank God we are not helpless, but in union with Him who has overcome, we overcome by simply walking in the ways He has provided.  Praise God forever, as God's children we will never be shaken.

  

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

In Psalm 83, God declared that His plan will overcome the evil forces that are trying to destroy godliness on the earth, "that they may know the You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth."

God is not mocked.  The world's way of openly defying God's laws and creation by homosexuality, transgender, promiscuity, and outright selfishness and rebellion often gives the impression that the whole purpose of life is simply to give in to all the desires of the flesh.  We, of course, know that just as Peter's attempt to stop Jesus from going to the cross, this is fueled by Satan.  We say just as Jesus said, "Get behind Me Satan, you are not on the side of God but of man." (Matthew 16:23) 

We live in an awesome time.  God is raising up prophetic voices who are calling for Christians to respond through repentance, prayer in faith, and taking authority to turn the tide and open the gates for the Holy Spirit to "renew the face of the earth." (Psalm 104:30)   Clearly, God has a plan that will overcome the best laid plans of the enemy, and He chooses to use you and I to carry it out.  We are familiar with the 2 Chronicles 7:14 call, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land."  God's plan is to rule through us, and use the authority He has given, what you bind on earth is bound in heaven.

Never has there been such an importance, such urgency, such a strong call as the voice of God that is speaking today.  Prophetic words from Dutch Sheets, Give Him 15 daily reports, Clay Nash, Intercessors for America, Christ for the Nations, Youth with a Mission, Fred Markert, and many others are the Paul Revere's of the day, shouting the message that God is awakening the church to unite in prayer, repentance, and standing in the authority of Jesus' name to take this land (and the world) back for Him.  Clearly the signs of the times are so blatant that we cannot ignore them; however, rather than get disgusted or frustrated, the Lord gives us direction and strength to stand in the gap and overcome through Him.

Therefore, my word today is "Let's do it."  Father, we unite our hearts and minds with the Lord Jesus and His victory over evil by dying on the cross, and humbly seek Your face.  We repent of living for ourselves and receive your grace of forgiveness for all our fleshly choices, and now join the army of believers who are taking the sword of the Spirit, declaring your Word of truth to tear down all the strongholds of wickedness.  We declare, Jesus is Lord, and every power of darkness must bow.  In the name of Jesus, (put in the area of evil that you are particularly mindful of), I break your power and tell you to "be gone."  

Fight the good fight of faith and we shall see the Lord reign in our land and on the earth.  Jesus overcame, and we join His victory and overcome the world by our faith. (1 John 5:4)

 

From Trouble to Greatness: Need to Partner with God

A ten-year old boy is terrified and deeply troubled when he overhears his mom and dad screaming crude expletives of hate toward each other.  A teenage girl doubts whether she is worth anything after being ridiculed for being fat, ugly, and dumb by her peers.  A business man, who crossed the line in drinking too much, blows an important account and loses his job.  A mother of three is served divorce papers, because her husband is involved with another woman, and now she faces having to provide for and raise the children by herself.  An old man, lonely and distraught in a nursing home feeling like his life was a total failure, is at the mercy of high school dropouts who work there because it was the only job available to them and who have no regard for the needs of the clientele.  What do these people and their situations have in common?

God has called them to "reign as kings in life" (Romans 5:17 AMP).  WHAT?

Yes it is true, everyone has life situations that seem overwhelming and defeating; the last thing we would call them is winning or reigning.   It is so easy to get depressed and feel sorry for ourselves, especially if we compare ourselves to others who seem to "have it made."  However, you are you and not someone else, so the question is "how are you going to face your problems?"

The good news is that God's plan for you hasn't changed, He has a way to rule as kings in your every situation by becoming a partner with God. There are three steps in our partnership with God.  First, God initiates what He wants by declaring it in His Word and having the Holy Spirit stir our hearts to believe it.  Second, we respond in obedience with prayer, fasting, or whatever He has called.  Third, God honors our response by releasing His power in that situation for which we have cried out. 

God will not do our part and we cannot do His part.  If we do not do our part, some of the help and blessing that God would have given us are withheld.  Our part includes making quality decisions to deny ourselves (say no to sin and pride); to feed our spirit on the Word, to ask for Divine help and intervention through prayer and fasting; and to embrace godly activities (service to others) and relationships.  There are many things that God will not give us individually until we pursue them in faith and obedience.

God's part includes releasing supernatural influences on our hearts (power, wisdom, desires); on our bodies (healing, strength); on our circumstances (provision, protection, direction); and on our relationships (favor).  God governs the universe in intimate partnership with His people through intercession. He has chosen to give His people a dynamic role in determining some of our quality of life, based on our response to the grace of God, particularly in prayer, fasting, obedience and meekness.  God opens doors of blessing and closes doors of oppression in response to prayer.  There are blessings that He has chosen to give, but only if His people rise up in the partnership of prayer to ask for them.  James said that we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2).  Jesus spoke of demons that would not stop tormenting people until driven out by prayer and fasting (Matt. 17:21).  Our prayers matter greatly, even when we do not feel their power.

God has given us the blueprint, His Word.  Prayer causes us to internalize God's Word as we speak His ideas back to Him.  Each time we say back to God what He has declared to us, it marks our spirit, illuminates our mind and tenderizes our heart.  Our character is transformed.  God's requirement that we pray reflects His desire for intimate partnership and connection with us.

In the world we have trouble (Scripture calls them tribulations.), but God says to be of good cheer, He has overcome the world.  He calls us to give all those cares to Him, declare His promises, and walk forward in simple obedience to God and the truth He has given.  Then, the eternal law of sowing and reaping allows Him to multiply our efforts with His response.  God is faithful and will never overlook our labor of love.  The very problems that the enemy meant to destroy us are the same stuff God uses to allow us to partner with Him and reign in life.  You can choose to partner with God and reign as kings.

Wisdom from Presidents on President's Day

 

Godly Quotes by the Founding Fathers and Past Presidents

God and faith in Jesus Christ has long played a prominent role in the lives of not only American citizens, but American presidents. Many of our nation’s leaders derived their beliefs from Christianity and maintained strong beliefs in God, as evidenced by quotations from their speeches, letters and memoirs.

1. “Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.” —George Washington

2. “We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right
which heaven itself ordained.” – George Washington

3. “The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man, will endeavor so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.” – George Washington

4. “Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou hast this day prescribed in Thy Holy Word…direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. Bless, O Lord, all the people of this land.” – George Washington

5. “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.” – John Adams

6. “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion…Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” – John Adams

7. “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!” – John Adams

8. “I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” – Thomas Jefferson

9. “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.” – Thomas Jefferson

10. “Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” – Thomas Jefferson

11. “I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, better husbands… the Bible makes the best people in the world.” – Thomas Jefferson

12. “Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe. And to the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land.” – James Monroe

13. “While we assert for ourselves a freedom to embrace, to profess, and to observe, the Religion which we believe to be of divine origin, we cannot deny an equal freedom to them whose minds have not yielded to the evidence which has convinced us.” – James Monroe

14. “It is no slight testimonial, both to the merit and worth of Christianity, that in all ages since its promulgation the great mass of those who have risen to eminence by their profound wisdom and integrity have recognized and reverenced Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of the living God.” – John Quincy Adams

15. “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” – John Quincy Adams

16. “My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” – John Quincy Adams

17. “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.” – Abraham Lincoln

18. “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” – Abraham Lincoln

19. “The only assurance of our nation’s safety is to lay our foundation in morality and religion.” – Abraham Lincoln

20. “All must admit that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, in the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best type of citizenship.” – Grover Cleveland

21. “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” – Theodore Roosevelt

22. “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” – Calvin Coolidge

23. “The study of the Bible is a post-graduate course in the richest library of human experience.” – Hebert Hoover

24. “The fundamental basis of this nation’s law was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teaching we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have the proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in the right for anybody except the state.” – Harry Truman

25. “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” – John F. Kennedy

26. “Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.” – Ronald Reagan

27. “Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face” – Ronald Reagan

28. “Without God, there is no virtue, because there’s no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we’re mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.” – Ronald Reagan

29. “Faith gives the assurance that our lives and our history have a moral design.” – George W Bush

30. “Each day millions of our citizens approach our Maker on bended knee, seeking His grace and giving thanks for the many blessings He bestows upon us.” – George W Bush

 

What an awesome heritage!  Anyone looking at the foundation of this country can clearly see an indisputable godly heritage of presidents who knew Jesus Christ, openly professed Christian belief and principles, and understood that we are accountable to God and will continue to proper only by following His principles.  Therefore we thank God for His hand on this country through the years  and we are reminded to pray for our leaders today. We are so blessed as individuals and as a country.  God bless America.  

Awesome God!

We serve an awesome God.  He intensely loves each one of us.  He was pleased to see His Son bruised or crucified just so we could be with Him forever.  He is 100% faithful to His promises.  He knows our every thought and desire.  Yet at the same time, He continues to rule the universe.  In the book of Revelation, God clearly shows His master plan to deal with every evil in the world and to establish His glorious kingdom on the earth. 

In other words, He will always be the infinite God who created all things "by Him, through Him, and for Him." and who will triumph over all.  Actually He has already conquered all evil through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.  It is only a matter of time and of inevitable steps to see all things put under His feet and as many as possible come to know Him.

Be not deceived.  God is not mocked.  What a man sows is what he will reap.  Secular man may say what comes around goes around.  Either way, the point is that God controls the outcome of our choices and actions.  God invites us to accept His direction or instructions so He can bless and fill our lives with the fullness He intended. When we choose to reject His way and go against His Word, the consequences always lead to death.  Man in our fallen state likes to pretend he is "God" and thinks he can do whatever he wants without consequences.  Big mistake. 

In our world man has become so arrogant that he exalts homosexuality, acts like killing babies in the womb is an acceptable practice, and continues to act like Christianity and God's Word is a detriment to the progress of mankind.  However, as the Word states "God is not mocked" and there will be a day of reckoning.  God resists the proud. 

On a global scale, when countries bless Israel, they are blessed.  When they curse or try to destroy Israel, they are cursed and will reap the consequences. Yet for the past few years the US had led a campaign to force Israel to be divided into a Palestinian state and a Jewish state.  A recent prophecy (given by several people in various parts of the world) speaks a warning to the United States: If we divide Israel, God will divide the United States.  The specifics are quite awesome with a large meteor hitting near Puerto Rico and both the tsunami and the earthquake literally dividing the United States from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, as well as major destruction on the east and west coast.  In another prophecy given this October by a recognized prophet )hordes of terrorists crossed the southern border and caused great difficulty and destruction.  In disgust over the federal government leaving the border so open and not doing anything, the people of America lost heart and became divided.

These prophecies may be a warning and a call for God's people to pray.  If the United States continues to pursue this dangerous stance of dividing Israel there will be significant consequences.  It is always foolish to pick on God's chosen people.  Ask Hitler.  Likewise, our government policy concerning our border has subjected our people to great risk.  No wonder 1 Timothy 2:1 calls Christians to "first of all" pray for their leaders.  Yet God in His awesome love offers hope for things to change if "my people humble themselves and pray" so He can "heal our land."

So whether as a nation or on a personal level, God's principles stand. Our choices of obedience always produce reward and blessing.  God is an awesome God, far beyond man's ideas.  And in spite of His greatness, He is also so personal in His love for each person that He is constantly looking for opportunities and reasons to bless.  Because of the joy set before Him, Jesus willingly endured the cross.  In the same spirit. He sets great joy and reward before us to encourage our obedience and yielding to Him.  God looks forward to when He can say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
 

Choosing Weakness?

Power!  We live in the NFL football age when everyone gets excited about a powerful fullback who can crush through the hefty defensive line.  We admire power and speed.  Nobody wants to be the 97-pound weakling.

In almost total contrast, Jesus in the sermon on the mount lays out the foundation for the kingdom of God.  Significantly all the keys to life He gives suggest laying your life down and trusting God to supernaturally reward and empower you.  However, rather than laying down your life in death, you are called to live with a surrender style by doing such things as pray, fast, give, serve, and yes, even bless and love your enemies.

Notice that each of these practices allow you to lay down your life by giving of your time, effort, feelings, thoughts, and strong sentiments.  Each of these demand you choose the position of weakness.  In prayer, you pour out your heart and cry out to God, choosing the attitude of weakness that God has to do it, you can't.  In fasting, you deliberately let your body energy get weak and trust God to enable you through increasing your spiritual relationship and depending on His strength.  In giving, you deliberately decrease your financial resources trusting that God sees and will reward you.  In serving, you give or lose your own time and effort to help someone else, while your own desired use of the time is denied.  And finally, in loving your enemies, you have to override your thoughts and sentiments toward the one who wronged you and deliberately bless the other person in obedience to the Lord's instruction.  You make youurself weak.  God becomes your strength.

A person would be a fool to deliberately become weak and get run over by the other guy, unless God said to do it and He backed up His Word with action.

Jesus started His public ministry by laying out these simple attitudes and practices to point out that the kingdom of God is the exact opposite of fallen human nature's desires.  The weakness principle can also be summarized by Jesus' words, "he who loses his life for my sake shall find it." The question is "Do you believe that enough to actually do the very things He stated as a step of faith that you know He will do His part?"

Choosing weakness isn't weak.  It is the wisdom and power of God put into action.  Praise God forever for giving us the way to life and the power to live supernaturally on this earth!