3rd entry
For an entire 30 days I have not written. I didn't even know where to begin to place my thoughts in ink. So much has been going on since the word drastically changed March 15th. “Safer at Home.” Even now it is difficult to place what I feel about this pandemic in order. I feel like this was a test run. A test run for when the Great Tribulation [GT] will kick in.
This is what I see happening in front of my eyes. Jesus called these signs the “birth pains” of the birthing of the [GT]. In this version in v6 they have chosen to use “not alarmed”, in the [AMP] version they say “do not be frightened”. And yet I have looked and seen: fear, distrust, worry, dread of today and dread of the future, anger and disunity. I have seen how the media have each followed their own agendas and only said what profits them, even to the point of omitting truths and facts, and reporting on things that were only rumors as thought they were indeed facts.
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”. To me this has been happening, but never more than right now. The countries are all rising up and point fingers, the “blame game” though fruitless is a common theme. Everyone sits in a high castle of lofty opinions and from there throws targeted posts, words and accusations. When I think of a kingdom - I know that there is prophetic doctrine that will tell me my view is “wrong” but to me I see it as groups of people who are bonded by a single focus and belief. The kingdom of “democrats”, “republicans”, “socialists”, “#alllivesmatter”, “#blacklivesmatter”, “believers (with oh so many subgroups)”, “unbelievers”, “Police and Army Forces”, “Dr. and Nurses”, “the Famous”, “the poor working class”. Everyone is rising up against the other, some kingdoms align sometimes on one issue but then point fingers the next day. The tempers are high.
Then there seemed to have been more of this: “Famines and earthquakes in various places”. Famine, food discarded, destroyed, rotten, spoiled. While farmers are losing income, people are unable to afford food because they have lost their job, some people have been evicted now and fear has gripped the hearts of many, because basic needs suddenly have become unattainable for some. (While others have so much). The natural disasters have been raging. From fires, to flooding, to earthquakes to tornadoes, hurricanes even pestilences like locusts in Africa - so much has been happening on top of this occurring pandemic. And June 1st always marks the beginning of hurricane season and we will see what it will bring this year, just now there is a huge depression building around Guatemala and Belize.
Now the second paragraph I believe is mostly directed to the body of Christ. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and they will hate you for my name’s sake”. Instead of turning to Christ they will begin slowly to crank up the heat on the Church. Christ and faith have been categorized as “unessential” but the government has become “essential”. Place your trust in the government, don’t bite the hand that feeds you. The wind has changed for Christians even in America, it is a subtle change, but it is there. And from now on, it will not get better either, only harder.
This next part really hurts the most “Many will fall away, betray one another and hate one another”, the falling away of believers has begun - and I have seen it increase over the last two years. I was nearly one of them. I fell into the trap of the media. I got into circles of friends and began despising the word of God and holiness in favor of “political correctness”. I stopped reading the Word in favor of scrolling through Facebook. Suddenly I felt God was the unreasonable one, that I should be ashamed of following Him. It did not happen all at once either! It was like dozing off and fighting sleep and a few times I was rattled awake but stayed in a drowsy state. I had to get up and splash water on my face, shake my head to rid myself of the cobwebs and breathe fresh, unpolluted air. I moved across the states. I unplugged from the wordwideweb for a while. And I emerged myself back into the word. Churches, believers are turning against each other, telling on each other - not living by faith but ruled by fear of death and hunger. Even though the bible is so clear about those things in the life of a disciple.
“Lawlessness will increase and the love of many will grow cold”, rioting in the streets over a cause - rallying, looting, burning and fighting. What was wrong to do 3 weeks ago when people tried to protest for their rights to work, now is totally okay. It has been okay to burn businesses and steal other people’s property. From Covid-fear it went to rioting stories all over the news. A life has lost value. Humans feel like they value “justice and what is ethical” more than God himself who created all human life. And lawlessness against holiness as well. To be worldly is ever increasing, in the Churches across the states. Sanctification is very much frowned upon. Worship has become singing some song, not a life lived for Christ, poured out on the altar.
And yet - In all this there is hope. Because hopefully now the ones who will remain, will press into the Lord, read his Word - will believe it and act on it. To go out and touch lives. Gloves off - safety and timidity gone - hopefully there will be raw, real love. Not a fake love. A momentary love because Facebook injustice warriors demand it. Not because it is trendy or a bandwagon to be on, but because Christ demanded it.
People will hopefully see it - that Christ is absolutely Essential, faith is not an option! Jesus is Lord and God the Father has not abandoned His creation. New believers will join us, and the ones who endure to the end will have more faith than ever before. The gospel will be once more preached to all nations.
The wind is indeed changing and this wind has needed to blow! The “naysayers” need to vacate the buildings. Christ is not a “pick and choose” kind of Lord. It’s not a buffet. It’s an all inclusive meal. You eat it all or none of it. It’s not a part-time faith, it’s an all-in-or-all-out kind of club. If you are not for God - you are for his Adversary. If you are ashamed of the Laws of the Lord, then you are ashamed of Him. And he said “Whoever is ashamed of Me or My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed also.” Luke 9:26.
Don’t fall away. Endure. Stand firm. The reward is GREAT! This life is dust and ashes compared to the Glory that is to come! Be encouraged, take heart and look to the AUTHOR. Don’t look to those that cannot turn a hair on your head grey or brown! “Don’t be afraid of what they can do to your body, but fear the one - who after your body is destroyed has the power to then also destroy your soul in hell.” Matthew 10:28
For an entire 30 days I have not written. I didn't even know where to begin to place my thoughts in ink. So much has been going on since the word drastically changed March 15th. “Safer at Home.” Even now it is difficult to place what I feel about this pandemic in order. I feel like this was a test run. A test run for when the Great Tribulation [GT] will kick in.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away[a] and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24 [ESV]
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away[a] and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24 [ESV]
This is what I see happening in front of my eyes. Jesus called these signs the “birth pains” of the birthing of the [GT]. In this version in v6 they have chosen to use “not alarmed”, in the [AMP] version they say “do not be frightened”. And yet I have looked and seen: fear, distrust, worry, dread of today and dread of the future, anger and disunity. I have seen how the media have each followed their own agendas and only said what profits them, even to the point of omitting truths and facts, and reporting on things that were only rumors as thought they were indeed facts.
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”. To me this has been happening, but never more than right now. The countries are all rising up and point fingers, the “blame game” though fruitless is a common theme. Everyone sits in a high castle of lofty opinions and from there throws targeted posts, words and accusations. When I think of a kingdom - I know that there is prophetic doctrine that will tell me my view is “wrong” but to me I see it as groups of people who are bonded by a single focus and belief. The kingdom of “democrats”, “republicans”, “socialists”, “#alllivesmatter”, “#blacklivesmatter”, “believers (with oh so many subgroups)”, “unbelievers”, “Police and Army Forces”, “Dr. and Nurses”, “the Famous”, “the poor working class”. Everyone is rising up against the other, some kingdoms align sometimes on one issue but then point fingers the next day. The tempers are high.
Then there seemed to have been more of this: “Famines and earthquakes in various places”. Famine, food discarded, destroyed, rotten, spoiled. While farmers are losing income, people are unable to afford food because they have lost their job, some people have been evicted now and fear has gripped the hearts of many, because basic needs suddenly have become unattainable for some. (While others have so much). The natural disasters have been raging. From fires, to flooding, to earthquakes to tornadoes, hurricanes even pestilences like locusts in Africa - so much has been happening on top of this occurring pandemic. And June 1st always marks the beginning of hurricane season and we will see what it will bring this year, just now there is a huge depression building around Guatemala and Belize.
Now the second paragraph I believe is mostly directed to the body of Christ. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and they will hate you for my name’s sake”. Instead of turning to Christ they will begin slowly to crank up the heat on the Church. Christ and faith have been categorized as “unessential” but the government has become “essential”. Place your trust in the government, don’t bite the hand that feeds you. The wind has changed for Christians even in America, it is a subtle change, but it is there. And from now on, it will not get better either, only harder.
This next part really hurts the most “Many will fall away, betray one another and hate one another”, the falling away of believers has begun - and I have seen it increase over the last two years. I was nearly one of them. I fell into the trap of the media. I got into circles of friends and began despising the word of God and holiness in favor of “political correctness”. I stopped reading the Word in favor of scrolling through Facebook. Suddenly I felt God was the unreasonable one, that I should be ashamed of following Him. It did not happen all at once either! It was like dozing off and fighting sleep and a few times I was rattled awake but stayed in a drowsy state. I had to get up and splash water on my face, shake my head to rid myself of the cobwebs and breathe fresh, unpolluted air. I moved across the states. I unplugged from the wordwideweb for a while. And I emerged myself back into the word. Churches, believers are turning against each other, telling on each other - not living by faith but ruled by fear of death and hunger. Even though the bible is so clear about those things in the life of a disciple.
“Lawlessness will increase and the love of many will grow cold”, rioting in the streets over a cause - rallying, looting, burning and fighting. What was wrong to do 3 weeks ago when people tried to protest for their rights to work, now is totally okay. It has been okay to burn businesses and steal other people’s property. From Covid-fear it went to rioting stories all over the news. A life has lost value. Humans feel like they value “justice and what is ethical” more than God himself who created all human life. And lawlessness against holiness as well. To be worldly is ever increasing, in the Churches across the states. Sanctification is very much frowned upon. Worship has become singing some song, not a life lived for Christ, poured out on the altar.
And yet - In all this there is hope. Because hopefully now the ones who will remain, will press into the Lord, read his Word - will believe it and act on it. To go out and touch lives. Gloves off - safety and timidity gone - hopefully there will be raw, real love. Not a fake love. A momentary love because Facebook injustice warriors demand it. Not because it is trendy or a bandwagon to be on, but because Christ demanded it.
People will hopefully see it - that Christ is absolutely Essential, faith is not an option! Jesus is Lord and God the Father has not abandoned His creation. New believers will join us, and the ones who endure to the end will have more faith than ever before. The gospel will be once more preached to all nations.
The wind is indeed changing and this wind has needed to blow! The “naysayers” need to vacate the buildings. Christ is not a “pick and choose” kind of Lord. It’s not a buffet. It’s an all inclusive meal. You eat it all or none of it. It’s not a part-time faith, it’s an all-in-or-all-out kind of club. If you are not for God - you are for his Adversary. If you are ashamed of the Laws of the Lord, then you are ashamed of Him. And he said “Whoever is ashamed of Me or My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed also.” Luke 9:26.
Don’t fall away. Endure. Stand firm. The reward is GREAT! This life is dust and ashes compared to the Glory that is to come! Be encouraged, take heart and look to the AUTHOR. Don’t look to those that cannot turn a hair on your head grey or brown! “Don’t be afraid of what they can do to your body, but fear the one - who after your body is destroyed has the power to then also destroy your soul in hell.” Matthew 10:28
