Amos 9: 13
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes . . ."
"The time will come," says the Lord, "when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested . . ."
This comes at the end of Amos' dire prophesies. He describes all the horrors that God will inflict on those who have turned from Him. But He never leaves them there. God always gives the "last page" of the story, to give hope to the readers that all will not be lost.
At the end of our story, the story of Humanity, our prosperity will be so abundant that we won't be able to keep up with it. Food will grow faster than we can harvest it, which demonstrates how everything we do will prosper, in His eternal Kingdom.
The way I see it, circumstances will get worse before they get better. But they will get better, better than we can even imagine. Our God is just, and will administer justice to this World System, this Earth we have defiled, and this whole Universe that has been inflicted with the results of our sin, the Curse of Death (Entropy).
Then there will be the New Heaven (Universe) and the New Earth, and the Curse of Death will no longer exist. Things will no longer "wind down" or wear out. What is, will be. What we do, will last. Nothing will ever again hinder any process from achieving its intended purpose. It will be eternal Paradise. And we will be the administrators, under our Father, running His family business, His Kingdom. How glorious it will be!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
The Godly And Wicked Rulers
Psalm 125: 3
The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.
Our land elects our leaders. So when our people were godly, we elected godly rulers. But in the process of time, we have slid down slippery slopes, like the frog in the pot over a simmering heat, we hardly notice how far we have fallen morally.
Ungodly people will support wicked rulers, but godly people will support righteous rulers. This is the principle set forth here. And we have seen it work out in politics in our Nations.
Revelation 2: 10
Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
We see today that evil people are imprisoning and torturing God's faithful ones in some areas of the World today. This persecution is growing and spreading into more areas of Nations.
As Christians, we all need to face the fact that we could suffer persecution for our faith, as non-Christian religions spread all over the World. So we need to be prepared for this eventuality, by growing strong in our faith in the knowledge of our Lord and His ways. We are to be praying for our brothers and sisters who are now facing these trials, as in prison with them.
But God has told us that this will not last long--ten days is a short time. Even then, many of us will be martyred and/or lose our families and other loved ones in this process.
Even in America, the "land of the free," if we return this Nation to God's righteousness, our enemy the devil, in great wrath, will have His minions destroy what they can, to remove God's ways from us, and that's when persecution will come here, too.
We are not to be afraid of it, but continue to stand on the Promises, for they are trustworthy, and run from the temptation to do evil to "get along." God has proven Himself to be faithful and will never subject His children to His wrath, because He already satisfied that on His Son in our place. We only need to face the wrath of Man, from our enemy, and He Who is in us is greater than he who is in the World (I John 4:4).
God has graciously told us what is ahead, so we can be prepared to face it. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed," if we are wise to prepare ourselves.
My desire is that we all will apply ourselves to seeking God's face to know Him better, love Him more, and understand His ways more extensively every day. He has given us His Word, so we can know everything we need to know and apply to our thinking and our talking and our doing every moment every day. Then we will face the enemy in strength and confidence in our Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.
Our land elects our leaders. So when our people were godly, we elected godly rulers. But in the process of time, we have slid down slippery slopes, like the frog in the pot over a simmering heat, we hardly notice how far we have fallen morally.
Ungodly people will support wicked rulers, but godly people will support righteous rulers. This is the principle set forth here. And we have seen it work out in politics in our Nations.
Revelation 2: 10
Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
We see today that evil people are imprisoning and torturing God's faithful ones in some areas of the World today. This persecution is growing and spreading into more areas of Nations.
As Christians, we all need to face the fact that we could suffer persecution for our faith, as non-Christian religions spread all over the World. So we need to be prepared for this eventuality, by growing strong in our faith in the knowledge of our Lord and His ways. We are to be praying for our brothers and sisters who are now facing these trials, as in prison with them.
But God has told us that this will not last long--ten days is a short time. Even then, many of us will be martyred and/or lose our families and other loved ones in this process.
Even in America, the "land of the free," if we return this Nation to God's righteousness, our enemy the devil, in great wrath, will have His minions destroy what they can, to remove God's ways from us, and that's when persecution will come here, too.
We are not to be afraid of it, but continue to stand on the Promises, for they are trustworthy, and run from the temptation to do evil to "get along." God has proven Himself to be faithful and will never subject His children to His wrath, because He already satisfied that on His Son in our place. We only need to face the wrath of Man, from our enemy, and He Who is in us is greater than he who is in the World (I John 4:4).
God has graciously told us what is ahead, so we can be prepared to face it. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed," if we are wise to prepare ourselves.
My desire is that we all will apply ourselves to seeking God's face to know Him better, love Him more, and understand His ways more extensively every day. He has given us His Word, so we can know everything we need to know and apply to our thinking and our talking and our doing every moment every day. Then we will face the enemy in strength and confidence in our Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
True Halls Of Justice
Amos 5: 11-15
So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time. Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will be your Helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will have mercy on the remnant of His people.
O my Father, I thank You for Your great faithfulness to Your Word and Your ways. You never change. You reward obedience and right living and You punish evil. Help us, Lord, in our Nations; forgive us, have mercy on us and send us righteous judges and governors and other high officials, to make our courts true halls of justice, and to rule and lead us in Your righteousness according to Your very practical ways.
Teach our leaders how Your ways really do work, and how the misguided policies that failed in the past will still fail today. Surround those in power and position with Your godly children who will teach and advise them of Your good ways.
O Father, I know we deserve Your wrath, please forgive us and return us to Your righteousness before the end. That the World may know that You are Lord God Almighty.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time. Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will be your Helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will have mercy on the remnant of His people.
O my Father, I thank You for Your great faithfulness to Your Word and Your ways. You never change. You reward obedience and right living and You punish evil. Help us, Lord, in our Nations; forgive us, have mercy on us and send us righteous judges and governors and other high officials, to make our courts true halls of justice, and to rule and lead us in Your righteousness according to Your very practical ways.
Teach our leaders how Your ways really do work, and how the misguided policies that failed in the past will still fail today. Surround those in power and position with Your godly children who will teach and advise them of Your good ways.
O Father, I know we deserve Your wrath, please forgive us and return us to Your righteousness before the end. That the World may know that You are Lord God Almighty.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, July 3, 2017
Law And Joy
Psalm 128: 1
How joyful are those who fear the Lord, all who follow His ways!
Proverbs 29: 18
When people do not accept Divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the Law is joyful.
When people are lawless, chaos abounds. God gave us His Laws so that we will have order in our lives and our relationships.
O my Father, Your goodness to us is unsearchable. Your ways are beyond fully knowing. Your ways are so far above our ways, we would never be able to discern them had You not revealed them to us. We don't even want to know You until You grant us that desire.
O Father, forgive our rebellion and defiance! Remove our stony hearts and give us a heart of flesh; vulnerable and teachable and moldable by You. Teach us Your ways and strengthen us to walk in them. Open our ears to hear Your still, small voice behind us, saying, "This is the path, walk ye in it." Strengthen our resolve to do and act on what You have taught us, instead of following our own ideas; to accomplish Your purposes in our daily, moment-to-moment lives.
Please help us to obey You, to do Your will Your way. Then You will reward us for our obedience and we will experience Your joy.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
How joyful are those who fear the Lord, all who follow His ways!
Proverbs 29: 18
When people do not accept Divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the Law is joyful.
When people are lawless, chaos abounds. God gave us His Laws so that we will have order in our lives and our relationships.
O my Father, Your goodness to us is unsearchable. Your ways are beyond fully knowing. Your ways are so far above our ways, we would never be able to discern them had You not revealed them to us. We don't even want to know You until You grant us that desire.
O Father, forgive our rebellion and defiance! Remove our stony hearts and give us a heart of flesh; vulnerable and teachable and moldable by You. Teach us Your ways and strengthen us to walk in them. Open our ears to hear Your still, small voice behind us, saying, "This is the path, walk ye in it." Strengthen our resolve to do and act on what You have taught us, instead of following our own ideas; to accomplish Your purposes in our daily, moment-to-moment lives.
Please help us to obey You, to do Your will Your way. Then You will reward us for our obedience and we will experience Your joy.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Little Time
Revelation 12: 12
But terror will come on the Earth and the Sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.
O my Father, I thank You and praise You for Your great power and might, and for Your wondrous Plan that You have purposed for this World and the whole Universe. I thank You and praise You for Your mighty warrior Angels to whom You have given power and strength to defeat the enemy and his host of demons.
I pray that You would continue to be faithful to Your promises, as I know You are and will do, to protect and strengthen Your children to withstand the onslaught of our enemy as he is cast to the Earth. His fury is great, so our passion for You must be greater. Continue to wake up Your church, O Lord; draw us to Yourself for Your strength, because we are weak; protect our reputations, as they reflect Your character; and bring us through this "little time" victoriously, through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But terror will come on the Earth and the Sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.
O my Father, I thank You and praise You for Your great power and might, and for Your wondrous Plan that You have purposed for this World and the whole Universe. I thank You and praise You for Your mighty warrior Angels to whom You have given power and strength to defeat the enemy and his host of demons.
I pray that You would continue to be faithful to Your promises, as I know You are and will do, to protect and strengthen Your children to withstand the onslaught of our enemy as he is cast to the Earth. His fury is great, so our passion for You must be greater. Continue to wake up Your church, O Lord; draw us to Yourself for Your strength, because we are weak; protect our reputations, as they reflect Your character; and bring us through this "little time" victoriously, through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Search Me O God
Psalm 139: 23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
O my dear Father, my Abba Dad, please search my heart and my attitudes and point out to me those things there that offend You because they are not surrendered to Your will and Your ways. Show them to me so I can confess and forsake them, and You will forgive, cleanse and heal me.
Give me Your wisdom, discernment and strength to turn from my idols--anything that acts as a wall between me and You--and turn to You, to seek Your face. I want to know You better and love You more every day. I want Your light to shine upon me, in me, and through me to others, that they will be drawn toward You by my life.
Hide me in the cleft of the Rock and cover me with Your hand, so that others seeing me will not see my flesh, but the beauty of Your Spirit, and be attracted to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
O my dear Father, my Abba Dad, please search my heart and my attitudes and point out to me those things there that offend You because they are not surrendered to Your will and Your ways. Show them to me so I can confess and forsake them, and You will forgive, cleanse and heal me.
Give me Your wisdom, discernment and strength to turn from my idols--anything that acts as a wall between me and You--and turn to You, to seek Your face. I want to know You better and love You more every day. I want Your light to shine upon me, in me, and through me to others, that they will be drawn toward You by my life.
Hide me in the cleft of the Rock and cover me with Your hand, so that others seeing me will not see my flesh, but the beauty of Your Spirit, and be attracted to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 30, 2017
Perhaps Even Yet
Zephaniah 2: 1-3
Gather together--yes, gather together, you shameless Nation. Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible Day of the Lord's Anger begins. Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow His commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you--protect you from His anger on that Day of Destruction.
Jesus is coming soon! We've heard this phrase so often that it seems trite. But its Truth is becoming more and more present in the World today.
God is giving our Nations time and space to realize their errors and turn around. He does not want to have to pour out His wrath on people, that's why He put it on Jesus on the Cross. But He will not violate our Free Will--those who refuse His offer will experience His wrath. He is just, and justice must be done.
God is also merciful in not wanting to give us the punishment we deserve, and gracious in granting us all the good that we don't deserve in Jesus.
O my Father, I pray for my Nation. I pray that You would wake up Your church here, set us on fire with Your Holy Spirit. Reveal the hidden things and make them known; reveal who are Yours and who are not; and reveal to us the secret sins hidden in our own hearts. We hereby confess those sins as You reveal them to us, and forsake those personal gods that have separated us from You and cause us to run from You.
Please turn us around as a Nation to remember the first things; to return to You, O Lord God, and Your ways that initially made us great. Let us be that City on a Hill that displays to the World Your goodness and Your greatness.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Gather together--yes, gather together, you shameless Nation. Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible Day of the Lord's Anger begins. Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow His commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you--protect you from His anger on that Day of Destruction.
Jesus is coming soon! We've heard this phrase so often that it seems trite. But its Truth is becoming more and more present in the World today.
God is giving our Nations time and space to realize their errors and turn around. He does not want to have to pour out His wrath on people, that's why He put it on Jesus on the Cross. But He will not violate our Free Will--those who refuse His offer will experience His wrath. He is just, and justice must be done.
God is also merciful in not wanting to give us the punishment we deserve, and gracious in granting us all the good that we don't deserve in Jesus.
O my Father, I pray for my Nation. I pray that You would wake up Your church here, set us on fire with Your Holy Spirit. Reveal the hidden things and make them known; reveal who are Yours and who are not; and reveal to us the secret sins hidden in our own hearts. We hereby confess those sins as You reveal them to us, and forsake those personal gods that have separated us from You and cause us to run from You.
Please turn us around as a Nation to remember the first things; to return to You, O Lord God, and Your ways that initially made us great. Let us be that City on a Hill that displays to the World Your goodness and Your greatness.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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