Perspective

It has been an interesting season.

Boy, if those aren't loaded words. Terry Pratchett wrote a book called Interesting Times. I haven't read it yet, but if I understand correctly one of the greatest curses that you can invoke on a person on Discworld (the Yoknapatawpha County of Pratchett's imagination) was that they would live in interesting times - which are always a bit more interesting in retrospect than they are when being lived out. Ask Frodo if his times were interesting, and he would have most likely responded, "No, they were bloody awful." Yet for the Hobbit urchins gathered around him listening to the stories of his adventures they were fraught with intrigue and fascination.

I love the way John Eldredge put it,

Twenty clear days a year - that sounds about like my life. I think I see what's really going on about that often. The rest of the time, it feels like a fog, like the bathroom mirror after a hot shower. You know what I mean. What exactly are you perfectly clear on these days? How about your life? Why have things gone the way they have? Where was God in all that? And do you know what you ought to do next, with a deep, settled confidence that it will work out? Neither do I. Oh, I'd love to wake each morning knowing exactly who I am and where God is taking me. Zeroed in on all my relationships, undaunted in my calling. It's awesome when I do see. But for most of us, life seems more like driving along with a dirty windshield and then turning into the sun. I can sort of make out the shapes ahead, and I think the light is green.
- Waking The Dead p. 5

Yeah, that pretty well sums it up.

Lately I have asked the Lord - at the encouragement of my significant other - what the future might look like for me. Not some sort of crystal ball inquiry, but a real frank discussion with Him about direction and destiny. I was surprised to have some answers and to see some really disparate puzzle pieces put into context with each other. It was really nice to see how these vastly different interests could possibly work together. It was encouraging to see that even pieces that I received years ago were not "misses" but are still a part of the plan.

I won't say that I have the road map, but at least I have a good general lay of the land now. That is comforting. I hope I can remember that when journeying through Mirkwood. All journeys seem destined to pass through its depths, don't they?

I have friends plumbing some of the same depths that I have over the past 20 years. It is hard to see them struggling. I hurt for them, but I am also encouraged by their struggle, for it shows me that the Lord has taken notice of them, and He is in the process of disciplining them to make them more like Himself and to help them love Him better.

So often we look at discipline (at least in the United States) as something that is for those who have done something bad. Yet God's discipline is not like that. See, those whom He loves He disciplines. It is kind of hard to understand until you experience it. Often what God is after isn't some great sin pattern in our lives. The thing that often brings His discipline is wrong thinking and wrong heart attitudes that keep us from knowing Him and loving Him correctly. These are almost never our fault, but are the result of woundings that we receive throughout the course of our life.

It is nice to have a little perspective. It makes the discipline a lot more bearable.

So, to my friends who are hopelessly lost in Mirkwood's haunts (now or in the future) my prayer is that you will quickly discover that you are not alone, that God is right there with you, and that God is GOOD. You aren't as lost as you seem. God knows right where you are, and none of this surprises Him. He's got you right where you need to be. Rest in these truths.

Top Ten Things You Don't Want Jesus To Say To You

Here are 10 things you never want to hear Jesus say to you:

10.) Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

9.) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

8.) Get behind me, satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.

7.) Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and in Your Name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'

6.) You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

5.) You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. You who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.

4.) You wicked, lazy servant! Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

3.) Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

2.) I tell you the truth, I don't know you.

1.) Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.

These are some of the scariest verses in the Bible, and every one of these words was spoken by Jesus Himself. Do not deceive yourself by picking only the parts of the Bible that you like and that make you feel safe and happy. Partial truth isn't truth. It is the language of hell; for satan rarely ever tells a lie that doesn't contain some truth.

The Scriptures are truth, but they must be used correctly. The devil tried to convince Jesus to jump from the roof of the temple, using Psalm 91:11-12 to justify it, but because Jesus knew all of God's Word He was able to refute the devil's lie. Scripture interprets Scripture.

Do these verses sound like "gentle Jesus, meek and mild?" Of course not! We have tried to jam Jesus into a little box that treats Him like a glorified wimp. Nothing could be further from the truth as the aforementioned verses illustrate. Is Jesus loving? Sure He is! Nobody loves more passionately and deeply than He does, but Jesus is also a warrior who will destroy all the works of the devil. He is the King of all creation who will judge the nations with a rod of iron! I don't want to be working against Him when He comes back!

Our lives are so full of sin. Even if we get rid of all of the ones that are obvious, there are still plenty left to debase us. We must humble ourselves and submit to His rule in our lives. We have to stop arguing with Him about the things that He declares to be sin. He is King! He gets to make the rules! And whether we agree with those rules or not, they are still the laws by which we will be judged one day. Please submit to Jesus and His Word. I don't want you to face the terror of hearing Him speak any of this top ten list to you.

Total War

Part One In The Spiritual Warfare Series

I have been pondering the concept of total war lately. Americans are really not comfortable with the idea of total war. This fact is clearly seen in our impatience with the current war in Iraq and in our approach to the war against terrorism in general. The most recent example of total war in American history was World War II. Yet even that war did not carry the concept to its extreme limits. According to Wikipedia

Total war is a conflict of unlimited scope in which a belligerent engages in a mobilization of all available resources at their disposal, whether human, industrial, agricultural, military, natural, technological, or otherwise, in order to entirely destroy or render beyond use their rival's capacity to continue resistance. The practice of total war has been in use for centuries, but it was only in the middle to late 19th century that total war was identified by scholars as a separate class of warfare. In a total war, there is less (or no) differentiation between combatants and non-combatants (civilians) than in other conflicts, as nearly every person from a particular country (or opposing area), civilians and soldiers alike, can be considered to be part of this belligerent effort.

The "civilized" world in general doesn't seem to have much of a stomach for total war, and I am glad many industrialized nations have embraced the concept of more limited warfare. However, the concept of total war seems to be a good description of the spiritual war in which humanity finds itself.

Consider the reality that exists on Earth. Two kingdoms are engaged in battle for supremacy of the earth. There is no Geneva Convention governing the prosecution of this war. It is a bloody, no-holds-barred fight. Neither side fights fairly, and the weapons of each side are devastating.

The devil and his forces are doing everything that they can to steal, kill, and destroy. They are not above attacking infants in the womb. They put hideous diseases on people. They spawn physical wars. They keep people in bondage physically, mentally, emotionally, economically, and spiritually. They pervert justice and do everything that they can to destroy God's creation. Worst of all, the devil takes advantage of people's fallen, sinful nature to keep them bowing to him. Condemnation and intimidation are some of his most effective weapons. This kingdom uses deception and lies as propaganda to prevent its victims from finding God's light and to entice them to destroy themselves.

On the other hand the Kingdom of God uses weapons that the enemy cannot resist. Those in this Kingdom have access to the precious blood of Jesus that the enemy has no defense against. They can use the name of Jesus that causes every knee to bow in submission. They have the Word of God that is like a mighty two-edged sword. The praises of God in their mouths inflicts "vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them." They have the grace of God at their disposal to set them free from condemnation and from the fleshly sinful nature that their enemy had used to keep them in bondage. And they have Almighty God backing them up.

The greatest insult of all to the kingdom of the devil is that the Kingdom of God doesn't destroy anything except the works of the devil. The Kingdom of God is all about restoration. It takes its enemy's greatest warriors and converts them and uses them as weapons against the devil's kingdom. In fact, the word of a Christian's testimony has great power to overcome the devil. So even the things that the enemy intended to destroy are used to overcome his kingdom. And he can't even kill these liberated prisoners to stop their influence, because the blood of the saints of the Kingdom of God is the seed of the Church.

The sooner that we embrace the reality that we are engaged in a total war the happier we will be. For when we finally recognize this truth we will be able to readjust our expectations in a way that will allow us to begin to walk in victory. So many Western Christians have been deluded into believing that spiritual warfare is a metaphor instead of truth. As a result we are perplexed when we see the suffering that exists in our world. We wonder why our lives are so destroyed and why sickness, bondage, poverty, conflict, and trouble are our constant companions. We wonder why our lives as Christians are such a poor representation of the examples that we see in the scriptures.

John Eldredge described it this way in his book Waking The Dead:

Until we come to terms with war as the context of our days we will not understand life. We will misinterpret 90 percent of what is happening around us and to us. It will be very hard to believe that God's intentions toward us are life abundant; it will be even harder not to feel that somehow we are just blowing it. Worse, we will begin to accept some really awful things about God. That four-year-old girl being molested by her daddy - that is "God's will"? That ugly divorce that tore your family apart - God wanted that to happen too? And that plane crash that took the lives of so many - that was desired by God?

Most people get stuck at some point because God appears to have abandoned them. He is not coming through. Speaking about her life with a mixture of disappointment and cynicism, a young woman recently said to me, "God is rather silent right now." Yes, it's been awful. I don't discount that for a moment. She is unloved; she is unemployed; she is under a lot. But her attitude strikes me as deeply naive, on the level of someone caught in a cross fire who asks, rather shocked and with a sense of betrayal, "God, why won't you make them stop firing at me?" I'm sorry, but that's not where we are right now. It's not where we are in the Story. That day is coming, later, when the lion shall lie down with the lamb and we'll beat swords into plowshares. For now, it's bloody battle.

- John Eldredge, © 2009 Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive, pp. 17-18 Thomas Nelson Publishers

Once we embrace the concept of total war we can begin to act like we are in a war. Instead of wandering around the battlefield naked and unarmed we can begin to gird ourselves for the battle that we are in - and like it or not we are all in a battle. There is no sideline. No quarter is given based on age, sex, race, religion, economic status, handicap, or anything else. We are all combatants on one side or the other. If you fight you will be attacked, and if you don't fight you will be attacked. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to be attacked one way or the other, I intend to bloody my adversary as much as I can.

It is important to remember the nature of a Christian's weapons. They are not physical weapons, but spiritual. And our enemies are not flesh, but spirit. That isn't to say that the spirits don't manifest themselves through people for they surely do, but our warfare is against the spirit and not against the individual. When a Christian wars, success will be far more likely when anger is not allowed to be expressed against the individual that the enemy is using for his purposes.

But why do we have to fight? If a person is born again he belongs to God, right? If God is all-powerful then why do we have to fight? Couldn't He just win for us? He could. But that has never been the way that God has operated in the Earth. Even from the beginning, He created mankind in His image and authorized him to rule the Earth. The New Testament does not change this arrangement. In the end God's saints rule with Jesus when He comes back to take physical dominion of the Earth. A good picture of God's attitude towards warfare can be found in the book of Judges:

These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (He did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.

God actually WANTED all of the Israelites to be trained in and experience warfare! We are no different. The scriptures make it clear that we are to personally engage in warfare through the power and strength of the Lord.

One of the most significant realizations that I have ever come to as a Christian is that the devil does not fight fairly and that I don't either. I am OK with that. The enemy will go after anything that he can to get to me. My family, friends, property, health, and anything else that he could use to harm me are all on his list of potential targets. Anything that I have not protected is likely to be attacked. However, on the other hand the Lord has given us tremendous promises in His Word that allow us to defend ourselves against the devil's schemes.

Peter tells us to "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." Another version tells us to "be sober, be vigilant." Soldiers in a battle zone learn to be vigilant or they end up dead. God has already given us the weapons to defeat the enemy. If we are alert and on guard against the devil's attacks we can thwart him when he tries to devour that which Jesus purchased for us at Calvary.

There is no doubt that the enemy will get in some cheap shots, but as we learn to fight we will make it harder and harder for him to breach our defenses. Even better we will learn to plunder his kingdom, taking back not only what he stole from us but setting other captives free! We will begin to cause more damage to the enemy than he does to us! When we are on the offensive the battle becomes fun.

I hope that you see that there is no avoiding combat in this war. Our actions either contribute to the victory of the enemy's kingdom or the Kingdom of God. As you begin to engage in the battle do not be dismayed if the enemy intensifies the battle around you. Remember that intimidation is one of his tactics. If you will continue to resist him he will flee. And you don't have to fight by yourself either! We can team up against the devil, and that teamwork multiplies our effectiveness.

Soon I hope to address some of the practical ways that I have learned to engage the enemy and to discuss the weapons that I have learned to use in that fight, but these topics are outside the scope of today's post. I hope that these thoughts have spurred you to recognize the nature of the battle in which we all find ourselves and have encouraged you to take up your armor and weapons to defend yourself against the enemy's attack. May God grant you much grace and reveal Himself to you through His Word.

Go To Spiritual Warfare Series Part 2: Choosing Your Ground

A Presidential Quote

"Through Jesus Christ the world will yet be a better and a fairer place. This faith sustains us today as it has sustained mankind for centuries past. This is why the Christmas story, with the bright stars shining and the angels singing, moves us to wonder and stirs our hearts to praise. Now, my fellow countrymen, I wish for all of you a Christmas filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and many years of future happiness with the peace of God reigning upon this earth."

—Harry S. Truman, December 24, 1952

And if every person who calls himself a Christian would do as Jesus did, the world would be so improved that we would no longer recognize it. God help us to do so.

Discernment Of And Obedience To God's Will

For the new administration to desire to know and do God’s will in all things

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
—Ephesians 5:17

Awesome God, You see all and You know all! You rule over history and time, yet You are neither bound nor governed by them. I praise You because You are sovereign and You know both the beginning and the end, for Your will shall be accomplished.

The discernment of Your will, Lord, is a challenging thing for the layman as well as the leader. As we seek You in prayer and through Your Word, You make Your will manifest for each and every situation. Do this, O God, for our nation’s new leaders, from President-Elect Barack Obama downward. Give this administration an unquenchable need to discern and carry out what You desire for our nation. We pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

This is the latest in the series of prayers led by the Presidential Prayer Team for the new President and for our nation. If you are interested in receiving the email with each day's prayer assignment you can click here and sign up.

God Enhanced Abilities

For God’s grace to fully rest on the President- and Vice President-Elect enabling them to act beyond their innate abilities

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
—2 Corinthians 9:8

Mighty Lord, You know all things, and nothing is hidden from You—even the deepest intentions of hearts. Your knowledge and authority rule over all the affairs of humankind, and Your ways govern over all our ways.

God, thank You for being a God who can provide more than we are able; give more than we ever need. There is no limit to Your provision or to Your ability, so let Your grace blanket our President- and Vice President-Elect and let them seek You, and You alone, for the ability to govern. Generously give them more than they expect, and allow them to abound with Your wisdom and direction so they make wise choices as they serve. We praise You for doing this, O Lord, in the name of Christ Jesus, amen.

Here is one that I didn't get a while back. I missed yesterday's too and it wasn't in the archives yet. I'll post it as soon as I can.

Godly Counsel

For the President- and Vice President-Elect to be surrounded by wise and godly spiritual advisors who will pray with them as they seek God’s will

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
—Psalm 1:1-2

Mighty God, Your will is sovereign and perfect, and You do as You see fit in the affairs of humankind and in all Your creation. Your way is not thwarted; Your purpose is not deterred. We thank You for this assurance as we pray, now, for the President- and Vice President-Elect this day.

Lord, bring godly and wise men and women into the halls of political power in this land, and place them in positions of spiritual influence on those who lead our nation. Give them wisdom and boldness to pray for and with the President- and Vice President-Elect, leading them into Your presence, guiding them toward Your will for whatever situation or circumstance they’re facing. We praise You, Heavenly Father, for hearing our intercessions, by the power (and) in the name of Christ we pray, amen.

This is the latest in the series of prayers led by the Presidential Prayer Team for the new President and for our nation. If you are interested in receiving the email with each day's prayer assignment you can click here and sign up.

Sovereignty

For God Himself to be at work choosing those who will serve in the new administration

"Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my family, and from my father's sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
—1 Chronicles 28:4

O Holy Lord God, You are Lord of all time and history, and You reign over it in perfect authority and sovereignty. We trust in Your wisdom and Your ways. You call out those You desire to serve You, and You remove those who are not part of Your plans. I praise You for this, and I trust You in it.

As our newly-elected President makes plans for his administration, I ask that You identify for him those leaders who You want to serve our country in the coming months and years. I ask for godly, wise persons who will have integrity in all things. I ask for those who will submit their wills to Yours in faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.

This is the latest in the series of prayers led by the Presidential Prayer Team for the new President and for our nation. If you are interested in receiving the email with each day's prayer assignment you can click here and sign up.

Powerful Song

Submission To Authority

For Appropriate Submission to Authority

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
—Romans 13:1

Loving Lord God, in Your grace and goodness, You have given us the gift of free will and have mingled it with Your sovereign will and authority. We thank You today for this powerful gift. We open our hearts to trust completely in You—to look to You in every part of our national life, accepting Your will as wise and good.

As we pray for our newly elected President, we ask for grace to see Your hand at work. May we willingly acknowledge that You are the one who establishes all authority, and that those who are lifted up to serve do so at Your good pleasure. We ask You to unite us in that understanding, Lord, that our nation may move forward in Your will. In Your holy name, amen.

This is the latest in the series of prayers led by the Presidential Prayer Team for the new President and for our nation. If you are interested in receiving the email with each day's prayer assignment you can click here and sign up.

Scripture For Today

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

General Quarters

In the aftermath of the Obama victory, many Christians are wondering, "What now?"

I believe (as I posted the day before the election) that the key issue at stake here is the heart of our nation. I believe that the choice that was made was a true reflection of the attitudes of the people of our country. That is the thing that concerns me most.

If you read the post that I referred to a moment ago, you will recall that I believe that the Lord showed me that shakings are coming to our country very soon. As I prayed about the election and this prophecy yesterday, I believe that the Lord gave me additional instructions for His people that I will share with you later in this post.

It is a weighty thing to bring a message from God. I do it with a great deal of seriousness and caution. Indeed, I have been rebuked by the Lord even today for not having a heart and mind aligned with the message that I have to bring. I hope that my error has been corrected.

To set the stage for these instructions I would like to explain some things about the nature of what the Lord has shown me. First of all, I want to make it clear that the Lord is saddened by the fact that judgment is coming. He does not delight in it. Secondly, I want to say that the discipline of the Lord is not mean-spirited. It is just. It is severe, but it is for the good of His children.

Let's consider the state that our nation is in. We are a nation that murders millions of its unborn children every year. We have shed much innocent blood. We are a nation that has perverted justice. Our rulers accept bribes and determine public policy on the basis of who will give them the largest campaign contributions. Our nation is perverse in almost every way imaginable. It is impossible to escape sexual images in our culture. We are bombarded by them constantly. Our nation is consumed by greed. Our corporations do not care who is hurt by their actions or decisions as long as they are making a profit. Our companies exploit workers the world over to satiate their (and our) lust for more. We hold to a form of religion but deny its power. We have perverted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and substituted a doctrine of good works or amorphous 'spirituality' in its place. We have abandoned the Scriptures and we have been systematically evicting God from public life. Our nation is full of lies. Our media cannot be trusted to tell the truth. To make a long story short, as a nation we have broken every one of God's commands, and sadly the Church is as culpable as the rest of society.

God spoke to Jeremiah saying, "Shall I not punish them for these things? And shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?" (Jeremiah 5:9) Fearsome words. When I read the prophets I fear for my people because I believe that God is just. If He punished Israel He must certainly punish us.

Brothers and sisters, punishment is coming. I believe that it is coming soon. There is a very small window of time before it begins. I do not know the extent of it, but I know that it will be severe. Let me share with you the words that I believe that I received from the Lord.

There will be a grace period before the shaking begins. During this time President Obama will show his true colors. I will use this to give My people who have been deceived the chance to repent of their mistake and to turn to Me. This is their window of opportunity to shield themselves from the wrath that will be unleashed.

The things that are coming against America will be staggering. It will cause even those who love Me and know me to be dismayed. My people MUST learn to press into Me. They must begin to start devoting time to knowing Me NOW. This is the real deal. It is no drill. The only way that My people will not become overcome by fear and despair is by pressing in deeply into Me. Many will be scorched, but I will protect those that are Mine.

Pray fervently that I will place My people in strategic and influential positions around the President. I will reveal them at the right time. I will give them apt words to speak at just the right moments. Pray for them because these will be the most trying days that your nation has ever seen.

Tell My people to pray that President Obama will repent. Tell them to ask for a complete change of heart. Tell them to pray for those in the Congress who will stand against the measures that he and the others will try to implement. Pray for their courage and pray that they will trust me - even in the face of threats against their lives and the lives of their family members. Pray for strength for them to stand.

Weep for those who will be lost. They have chosen their doom, but how tragic it will be.

Guard your hearts. Cling tight to the truth that I am good. Never lose sight of this. The enemy will do his best to convince you otherwise.

During this time I will reveal the true hearts of those in leadership and those of the people. The fire will show what is there. I will expose things that have been hidden in secret. Carefully hidden plots will be revealed to broad daylight for all to see. I will expose this country's corruption and idolatry and the truth of it all will sicken the people. Then I will be able to bring healing.

When I have removed the stumbling blocks - when I have taken away those who refuse to come to Me and are determined to take others to hell with them - then I will bring an awakening to this land. It will be glorious beyond anything that you could ever imagine. It will not be localized like many of the outpourings in your land have been. It will be a great wind that will sweep through the entire nation simultaneously. It will not be driven by personalities or men - it will be completely orchestrated by My Spirit. Entire regions will be completely converted.

Once again, I pray that I am wrong about this - well, the judgment part. But I feel it to be true as certainly as anything that I have ever heard before. Please take advantage of this opportunity to seek the Lord. Dig into the Word of God and pray that He will drive its truth deep into your spirit. Pay close attention to God's nature as you read. See what He is like and cling to that. In the midst of judgment the enemy will lie to you and twist the truth about who God really is.

I have seen in my own life that the Lord's discipline is sometimes quite severe. It often lasts much longer than we would desire, but it is always for OUR best good. God does what must be done to heal us - and sometimes that requires breaking us first; much like a physician sometimes has to re-break a bone that is not set correctly. The process is painful but is GOOD.

I know that this is a fearful word. I know that it is not pleasant. We were not promised pleasant. We were promised that God would look after us and that He would cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) He has seen fit to allow us to be alive at such a time as this. Be brave and seek your strength in Him. He will not let you down.

PRAISE GOD!!!

California's voters have passed the constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage!!!!

I am also very grateful that the Republicans managed to hold on to enough seats to retain the ability to filibuster. I hope they know how to....

UPDATE: 11/6/08
Arizona and Florida also passed amendments to their state constitutions that define marriage as being the union of a man and a woman. A law was also passed in Arkansas that prevents unwed couples from adopting. Good news in the midst of a pretty bad news sort of day.

Sonnet XIII

On The American Election 2008 - A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, Your wisdom far exceeds my own,
And I draw comfort from this very thing.
For by Your great omnipotence You've shown
That You determine president and king.
Yes, You know all men's hearts - this fact is true -
And render unto them a payment just,
Rewarding men and nations what is due.
Lord, in Your goodness I have learned to trust.
Your discipline is sorrowful for sure -
Your wrath and blows seem ever so severe -
But chastisement is sent to make us pure,
And by its cleansing helps us to draw near.
My God, this nation's nothing without Thee.
Please cleanse our hearts and truly make us free.

November 5, 2008

Sonnet XII

My God – A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, My God, who loves as well as You?
Your patience is more broad than all You’ve made,
And though all men are false your word proves true.
Your promises, vast as the stars arrayed,
Speak goodness, love, and mercy without end.
Your power stuns my intellect and yet,
The helpless and downtrodden You defend.
Your heart’s inclined to forgive and forget
The sins confessed by children penitent.
But anger flares towards those who mock Your path
And scorn Your truth with actions insolent.
They, sowing foolish seed, invite Your wrath.
Lord, let Your kindness cause them to repent.
Please draw them to the Holy Lamb You sent.

October 27, 2008

Another installment in the poetry series!

Undone

I am utterly undone by this song this morning.

Some Thoughts On The Election

I have talked to many people who are extremely dissatisfied with their choices for the election in just a few weeks. I can understand their frustration. What concerns me most is the confusion that seems to be attending this frustration. As I have been pondering the election this morning, and particularly as I have been thinking about the confusion of the people I have talked to, I thought it would be worthwhile to write about it here this morning.

The political spin doctors have done a very good job of obfuscating the real issues that are at stake. Instead of really getting down to the key points they have tried to draw people's attention to the inexperience of either candidate. The reality is that the core issues at stake haven't changed.

As a Christian I have one issue that is to me a make or break issue for any candidate. Any candidate that supports abortion is an automatic no in my book as long as I have a pro-life choice. Thankfully, this year I don't have to choose between two pro-murder candidates. This year the delineation between the two presidential tickets is clear on this issue. Senator Obama has consistently and publicly declared his support for the murder of the unborn, and has gone even further by supporting infanticide for babies that somehow survive an abortion. He supports partial birth abortions. In fact, there is nothing about abortion that he opposes at all. His running mate, Joe Biden is also in favor of abortion.

On the other hand Senator McCain and Governor Palin are both staunchly opposed to abortion. Senator McCain has a long voting record that gives testimony to his opposition. Governor Palin has demonstrated by her own choices her support for life. I am not as impressed with the stance Senator McCain has taken on cloning, but the difference between him and Senator Obama is stark.

To me this makes the decision simple.

This is, of course, not the only reason that I support the McCain/Palin ticket. I am sure that McCain will be more fiscally conservative than Obama. I am certain that he will not be as likely to raise taxes as Obama will. I believe that McCain understands what really needs to happen in Washington - regardless of whether or not he can make it happen or not. I believe that Senator McCain really does have the country's best interest at heart. (I cannot help but question the sincerity of someone who has spent the majority his short time in the Senate doing little but campaigning for the presidency. It offended me when John Edwards tried it, and I am similarly offended by Barack Obama.) I am certain that John McCain is more fit than Obama to be Commander-In-Chief. And I believe that he understands the dangers that our country faces in this world far better than Obama does. I do not believe that Senator McCain would compromise our sovereignty to make himself look better.

If Governor Palin is inexperienced, Senator Obama is even less so. If you don't agree with all of Senator McCain's past actions, statements, or positions, how many of Senator Obama's do you agree with?

Don't buy the lie that it is better to not vote or to vote for a third party candidate to show your displeasure with the choices. A non-vote or a third party vote is the same as a vote for Obama.

I believe that God is sovereign, and because of this I believe that the choices that we have were sovereignly chosen by Him. I think that the disparity between the candidates is offering America a clear choice - a choice that will determine the future of our country. God is holding up a measuring line. Will we choose someone who values life and holds to the values that have influenced our country since its founding? Will we choose someone who has demonstrated his courage and character through many trials? Or will we choose someone who is confused about what the Bible really says? Someone who is confused about when life begins? Someone who has more experience campaigning than he does governing?

To me the choice is clear. Even though there are things about Senator McCain that I am not wholeheartedly in agreement with, the alternative is absolutely unacceptable. I pray that an unquestionable majority agree with me.