The Time for Repentance By God's Church has Come -- A Prayer for the United States

This message has been brewing in my spirit for about a year or so.  It is being written for those in the United States church, but it is applicable to any true born-again believer in any nation in the world.  It is time to publish it.

Many in the church today have some understanding or spiritual awareness that things are not going well in the United States of America these days.  In fact, things are getting worse at a rather high rate of change.  I am speaking of increased opposition to all things Christian.  This increasing strong hatred of Christianity is approaching critical mass and now permeates our society and government.  Sadly, it is becoming difficult to speak the name of Jesus openly in public, whether at a high school commencement ceremony by a valedictorian student or by a chaplain in the U.S. armed forces.  Bibles are becoming forbidden.

We know who is behind these activities.  He is the same being who tempted Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden so long ago.  His tactics do not change.  His message does not change.  His hatred for all things associated with our God is greater than anyone can imagine. Jesus informed us years ago, as recorded in John 10: 10, that "the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."  That is his plan, and it has never changed and will never change.  Satan has been defeated, but he is not yet destroyed.  He will only flee from those who resist him.

We see the ungodly behavior in this nation on the rise.  A nation founded by God, under God, and blessed by God.  We now hear from our leaders in Washington DC that we were NOT founded on Christian principles.  We hear our leaders say that Islam has, and has had, as much influence in this nation as Christianity or any other religion.  That is a lie and an attempt to restate actual historic fact. 

We see gay pride parades on the increase.  We see hostility against anyone who speaks the name of Jesus in public or attempts to openly do anything in His name.  We see same sex marriage being approved by more and more states.  We see abortions being condoned, encouraged, and discounted on Sundays!

In many states, voters who call themselves Christian are voting in favor of these laws in the interest of being "fair to all people" and thereby being "politically correct."  God still considers same sex marriage an abomination.  God never changes.  To Him, this type of behavior will ALWAYS be an abomination.  These people will never enter the Kingdom of God.  Paul says the same thing in 1 Cor 6: 9.

Some years ago, I was taught by a great teacher of the bible that "God is not judging America."  His statement was based on his belief that God is not judging individuals these days, since all judgment and punishment for all sin had been placed upon Jesus (which it was).  This teacher also tells us (correctly) that God's grace is upon each of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord (master), Savior and Redeemer.

BUT, God is indeed judging NATIONS.  He has been doing this since nations have existed.  Israel was constantly being judged for straying from God, and indeed, the partial blindness over their nation (the Jewish nation worldwide) spoken of by Paul in Rom 11: 25 resulted from their turning from God and still remains today.  This is the reason most Jews cannot accept Jesus as the Messiah.  This blindness will be removed when Jesus returns, as the bible says.

King David wrote over 3,000 years ago that, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Emphasis added) (See, Ps 9: 17-18)  This was a message of warning to all nations for all times.  God does not change.

In Jer 18: 7-10, God speaks about any nation which sins against Him and the nation which does, or does not, repent of that sin.  Beginning in verse 7 God speaks, "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.  And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it." (Emphasis added)

If anyone reading this was unsure of God's heart toward a nation who turns from Him, your uncertainty should now be gone.  What God said regarding His judging the nations, as recorded by Old Testament prophets, is also for us today.  God punishes, yesterday and today, all such nations.  (See, also Ez 14: 12-20, regarding God's judgment on a land having persistent unfaithfulness toward Him.)  How much more do you think it breaks God's heart to see a nation such as ours turn from Him, a nation that was ONCE UPON A TIME faithful to Him?  A nation, similar to the nation of Israel, which He founded and blessed and has set apart to be a light to the rest of the world?  We indeed have brought light to the world through our sharing of the Gospel, but now we are bringing darkness and death to the world through our sharing of liberal, ungodly moral conduct and values.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, unless we the church humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and TURN from out wicked ways God has NO CHOICE but to judge our nation and to destroy it.  However, 2 Chron 7: 14 also gives us a way out.  It says that if God's people (the church, not the unbelieving ungodly secular individuals some of whom are leaders of this nation) humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, God will hear us from heaven, forgive our sins and HEAL OUR LAND!

Without the leadership of our nation participating in such repentance by acknowledging these wrong immoral activities, putting an end to them and requesting God's forgiveness, the church must "go it alone" and be strong in its repentance and request that our nation's leaders also acknowledge the need for a national repentance -- to save our nation.  But, those of God's true church, the Philadelphia church of Rev 3, are the only ones  promised an escape from coming judgment.  It is the Philadelphia church of God, true believers who have chosen the narrow and difficult way to live a holy life free from sin and who repent who will be saved.  An unrepentant nation is doomed.  A repentant church (a group of called-out ones of God) will be saved.

Our once-great nation blessed by God Almighty is being scrutinized by the Almighty and is ripe for destruction.  The stench of the immoral ungodly activities of those in our nation, and condoned by our nation's leadership, is clearly in His sight and is reaching, and one may argue has already reached, the breaking point.

Now, I can hear some of you thinking that I have gone too far -- that God will never judge our nation and that what I am saying is not only unpatriotic but blasphemous! Dear reader, I do not apologize for this message.  But, I do want to edify and instruct you and not just pound my proverbial fist and lament over what I see happening in our nation today.

It is true that God hates the kind of abominable ungodly behavior being allowed and even encouraged in our nation.  I believe that we have three paths for the future of this nation:

Path 1 -- The church remains dead and asleep, or at best lukewarm.  Either condition is considered an abomination to God.  (See Rev 3, regarding the churches at Sardis and Laodicea.)  On this path, God will judge this nation and bring the sword upon believer and unbeliever alike.  (See, Ez 21: 4)

Path 2 -- The church wakes up and becomes emboldened to proclaim the truth.  This will not happen unless church leaders wake up and become bold shepherds under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  New leaders of the church will arise from nowhere to lead God's people into repentance.  Former church leaders will become emboldened by this and join in repentance, or will be swept aside.  On this path, without true change by our nation, God may still bring judgment on this nation and destroy it, but keep from destruction by the sword in the time of trouble those whose hearts have repented.  (See, Ps 27: 5; Luke 21: 36)

Path 3 -- The awakened and emboldened church causes a true national revival and call to true repentance.  Many ungodly leaders and ungodly individuals will fight this movement, but will be swept aside as the power of God flows through those leading and following the repentance movement.  New political leaders will arise who will follow Godly morals.  Ungodly behavior will be outlawed.  Signs and wonders will follow those who believe, causing unbelievers to become believers and thereby increasing the momentum and power of the cleansing repentance sweeping our nation.  On this path, God can and will bring new leaders to run this nation once He sees this kind of true, heartfelt repentance.  God rules in the kingdom of men and gives to whom He wills.  (See, Dan 4: 14)  He will hold off on His judgment and heal this nation.  (See, 2 Chron 7: 14)

My desire is that we as a nation proceed down Path 3.  Already, church leaders such as Billy Graham have felt this need of a national repentance as well.  He, at over 90 years of age, has called a national week of repentance, with a special day of prayer set for November 7, 2013 (Billy's birthday).  Other leaders have called for a day of prayer and repentance on September 11, 2013.  I hear of more and more of these types of "calls to repentance" declared almost weekly.  But, repentance must begin NOW by members of the church of Christ.  There must be follow-through of actual repentance, a turning away from participation or support of these immoral activities and not just a feel-good CALL to repentance.

These calls to repentance may have good intentions and may raise awareness among the church and the secular of our nation of the moral decay our nation is contaminated with, but THESE ACTIVITES ARE NOT ENOUGH!  We as individual Christians and members of the Body of Christ are not powerless.  We need to pray, to organize, to speak to our pastors, to our priests, and to our lay leaders.  Church leadership must shepherd their sheep to repentance.  Failure to do this will cause God to bring the sword against this nation.  Against believer and unbeliever alike.

Without true repentance, our nation is progressing down Path 1 by becoming step-by-step the Great Harlot of Rev 17 and 18 to be destroyed by a nation, or group of nations, that God chooses to be His sword.  Again, this will destroy both believer and unbeliever.

I pray that you seriously consider this message and act accordingly.  Your liberty and freedom to operate peaceably as a Christian in this nation is at risk.  Your life on this earth and the lives of your family members and friends are at risk.  WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

I felt the Holy Spirit convict me to do something after I asked myself in early 2012, "what could I, just one person, do?"  The Holy Spirit put to my mind the fact that Daniel, as recorded in Dan 9, spoke a prayer to God on behalf of his people of Judah who were then being held captive in Babylon.  I  felt inspired at that point to write a prayer based on the prayer Daniel spoke to God, while making some additions and changes which align with our New Covenant under the Lord Jesus Christ.  I felt inspired to take this very prayer to Washington, D.C. on October 8, 2012, where I read it aloud on the White House Elipse.  I don't know why God wanted me to do that, but I was obedient and did it.

If we as a nation are to truly repent to keep God's hand from delivering His wrath upon this nation, I believe we must all pray this prayer, or a similar prayer, from our hearts.  If we do, and we repent and turn from our wicked deeds, God will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.  I do not believe the nation will repent.  But, God does not expect the nation to repent.  Rather, He commands and expects His church to repent - those called by His name.

Here is the prayer:

Prayer for the United States (January 28, 2012)

-Read on the grounds of the White House Ellipse, Wash. D. C.,  October 8, 2012

O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him and who abide in Him, we as a nation, the people of the United States of America, have sinned and have committed iniquity against You.  We have turned from You and have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts, and by not heeding Your commands – that we love You with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and that we love each other as we love ourselves.

O Lord, all righteousness belongs to You, but to us as a nation, shame of face for turning from Your precepts and Your commands.  We have failed to obey Your voice.

You have endowed to this nation since its inception a multitude of blessings, which include:  prosperity, freedom to speak our mind, and freedom to practice our faith.  But, we have strayed from You and forgotten that You are the source of all these blessings.  We have ignored Your protective hand upon us and have become, in our own hearts, self-reliant and self-important.  We have elected leaders who, in their hearts, do not consider Your counsel or command, and have no recognition of Your divine provision of these blessings upon us.

Yes, the United States as a nation has transgressed against You and has departed so as to not obey Your voice.  Therefore, the hedge of protection You have provided for us is in danger of being removed.  You have sent us harbingers to warn us to turn back to You and to heed Your commands, in recognition of our iniquities as a nation.  We have departed from You and have forgotten Your truth – that You are God, and that You rule in the kingdom of men and give it to whom You will.

And now, O Lord God, who created our nation and has blessed us, we come to You this day and acknowledge that we as a nation have sinned against You by not obeying You, or considering You in our hearts.  We ask that You forgive our nation for its iniquities and help us to turn again toward You.  We ask that You raise up Godly men and women to rule our nation, who will not forget You and who will seek Your counsel in leading our nation to greatness once again.  We do not ask these things because of our own self-righteousness, but because of Your great love and mercy.

O Lord, hear us.  O Lord, forgive us.  O Lord, act and do not delay for Your own sake on behalf of this nation which You created to obey your voice, and to be blessed and be great, and to be a friend of Israel.  We, your people whom You have called, ask these things of You, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

2013 - True Believer

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The Heavens are Signaling a Major Economic Collapse in 2015 (OR 2016?) -- Make Ready (Updates)

In an earlier blog concerning a coming tetrad of blood moons (please visit my December 15, 2012 blog: Significant Mid-East Event Likely in 2014 -- The Moon is Giving a Sign), I discuss how a very rare approaching tetrad of blood moons in 2014-15 may signal the beginning of Daniel's 70th week and/or a war in the Middle East involving the nation of Israel in 2014-15.

In this present blog, I describe additional celestial events which are to occur during 2013-2015 which likely signal significant economic events coming soon to the world stage. 

A first recently discovered comet is making its way toward the inner solar system.  This comet, known as comet ISON, may by Thanksgiving holiday (late November) of 2013 be so bright as to be visible in the sky during both day and night.  If it shines as predicted, it will be one of the brightest objects in the night sky -- at times brighter than the full moon.  Potentially, it could be the brightest comet since the Great Comet of 1680.

UPDATE II:  After rounding the sun in its orbit on November 28, 2013, the corona from the comet appears to have greatly diminished.  Thus, it will probably not be the show of the century that was first predicted.

In the secular world, comets have historically been perceived as harbingers of doom.  The larger the comet, the larger the doom.  In God's word, the word "hosts" in verse 12 of Isaiah 45:11-12 has been interpreted to include comets, and is one of God's ways of announcing Himself to man.  Comet ISON is supposed to be quite large and spectacular.  Is God announcing a coming judgment?

A second recently discovered comet (C/2013 A1 Siding Spring) is heading toward a possible collision with the planet Mars on or about October 19, 2014.  Whether or not a collision will occur cannot be determined until late summer 2013.  If there is a collision, it will likely leave a crater several hundred miles wide on the surface of Mars.  Telescopes from earth, and the space telescope orbiting earth, will no doubt be able to see a visible explosion from the impact.  Earth is safe whether the comet hits Mars or not, but wonders in the heavens would be on display.

UPDATE I:  Scientists have determined that comet Siding Spring will most likely not hit Mars on or about October 19, 2014 and will most likely miss Mars, but only by about 84,000 miles.  This is merely 1/3 the average distance between the earth and the moon.  Close, but not a hit.  Does this signify that it is not yet time for God's judgment (not a direct hit by the comet), but time for His judgment is very close (comet to pass relatively close to Mars)? Time will tell.

UPDATE IV:  The comet passed within 87,000 miles of the planet Mars early today, October 19, 2014.  Scientists describe this close encounter between a comet and a planet as "an extremely rare event."  I believe it signifies God's close approaching judgment on the world system.

The planet Mars is called Ma'adim in Hebrew, which means "turning red" and is associated with judgment.  A comet is also typically associated with judgment.  So, for the comet to strike Mars, it may be interpreted as God's coming judgment of "turning red" things on earth.  In the words of Rev. 14: 19-20:  "So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs."  This indeed is the coming judgment of God against those gathered against Jerusalem at the Battle of Armageddon.  Perhaps the Almighty is signaling this event, and associated judgment, is not far off.

Prior to this last-day judgement, however, the Book of Revelation discusses other coming events, initiated by God, which will cause blood (a "turning red") to manifest in nature (e.g., the sea turned to blood in the 2nd Trumpet judgment of Rev. 8: 8; the sea and waters turned to blood in 2nd and 3rd Bowl/Vial judgments of Rev. 16: 3-7) 

Additionally, during the years 2014-15 there will be four blood moons and two solar eclipses, depicted above.  All of these events will occur on Biblical (Israel) holy days.  My prior blog discusses the four blood moons.  The dates and corresponding holy days for the two solar eclipses are as follows:

• Total solar eclipse - March 20, 2015 - Adar 29 - Abib/Nissan 1 (1st month of the Biblical New Year, begins on 1st of Abib/Nissan) 
• Partial solar eclipse - September 13, 2015 - Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah, on Tishri 1 which begins 7th Biblical month of Tishri), the Day of Atonement/Coverings (Yom HaKippurrim, on Tishri 10), and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot, on Tishri 15-22) 

According to Jewish rabbis, a blood moon (lunar eclipse) represents a coming judgment by God against the people of Israel, while a solar eclipse represents God's coming judgment against the Gentile nations.  For these four blood moons and two solar eclipses, each coming on a Biblical feast day, or notable day on the Biblical calendar, to occur in a two year period (2014-15) is quite extraordinary.

In the Book of Genesis, Moses wrote that God gave us the sun, the moon and the stars for "signs" and "seasons", as well as for light.  The Hebrew word (אוֹת - oht) translated as "sign" can also mean "signal."  The Hebrew word (מוֹעָדִים - moed) translated as "season" or "feast" literally means "appointed time."  (See, Gen 1: 14)  So, as depicted in the image above, God seems to be sending us a blinking beacon of "signals" that an "appointed time" is upon us.  A unique time in history.

It appears as though these rare celestial events put in motion by God place a "bull's eye" on 2015, signalling a warning of severe judgment against the nations of the world -- possibly, the beginning of Daniel's 70th week.  At a minimum, it may very well be a year of major economic catastrophy.  Coupled with the two solar eclipses in 2015 is the fact that 2015 is a Biblical shmita year (a sabbath 7th year described in Leviticus Chapt 25), as was 2008 (U. S. economy and stock market melt-down in September 2008), and as was 2001 (September 11th event and a September 2001 U.S. stock market single-day crash).

If this shemitah pattern repeats in 2015, then look for the U.S. stock market, and perhaps many world markets, to decline significantly beginning on or about September 14, 2015 and continuing into October 2015.  September 14, 2015 is the Feast of Trumpets (Tishri 1 on the Biblical calendar).  On this same Biblical date of Tishri 1, the severe stock market declines of September 2001 and September 2008 occurred.

Update VI:  The US stock market fell sharply during the last week of August 2015 and then recovered only to decline again in late September of 2015.  However, no great crash occurred in 2015.  But, 2016 is acknowledged by many to be a year of Jubilee, according to God's calendar, which could make 2016 (and not 2015) God's shemitah year of debt cleansing.  If this is true, then the US stock market, and world stock markets, should decline severely in the shemitah Jubilee year of 2016 with a final wipe out coming in late September and early October 2016, which would be the shemitah and the end of the Jubilee year.  Time will tell.

I believe that by all these celestial signals, including the coming tetrad of blood moons, God is giving us a "two minute warning" regarding the beginning of Daniel's 70th week, which cannot be far off.  The revealing of the anti-Christ is just over the horizon, with Jesus' return and the rapture of the church occurring only 3 1/2 years afterwards.  Yes, the church will go through tribulation to be refined and purified. (See my earlier blog which discusses, based solely on scripture, that there will be no pre-tribulation rapture of the church.)

Luke 21:25 states:

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring ...

In Joel 2: 30-31, it is written:

And I will show wonders in the heavens ... The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

Mark 13: 35-37 records Jesus discussing with His disciples "end time" events, wherein He tells them, "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming - in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning - lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you (his disciples) I say to all (includes us today) - Watch!"  (Emphasis added)

UPDATE III:  In my blog from August 2013 regarding that it is time for repentance by the house of God, I discuss how God is now judging America, and will judge EVERY NATION that turns from God (implying that such a nation, as was ancient Israel, was once a God-fearing nation). (Jer 18:7-11) God does not change.

UPDATE V:  In my more recent blog from October 2014, I was once again led by the Holy Spirit of God to plead with those with ears to hear that God is INDEED beginning to judge America and that time is getting short.  But, judgement will begin first in the church, the house of God, as it says in 1 Peter 4:17.  The biggest problems in the church today are sin and deception.  Those who say they have no sin are liars and only deceive themselves (1 John 1:8).  John is speaking to Christians -- not to heathens.  Repentance is necessary for forgiveness and cleansing by Jesus, who does so freely to those who ask. (1 John 1:9)  

Deception is being brought by God Himself upon casual Christians -- to those who do not know the truth (2 Thes 2:11-12; i.e., never read their Bible) and therefore have no love for the truth or a strong desire to seek the truth for themselves. They are being taught on "Christian" TV, and in their churches by weak pastors, that once saved a Christian has no need to repent or seek forgiveness from God for any sin.  Ask yourself -- why did John plead so fervently with fellow CHRISTIANS to repent when he wrote his letter to them (see 1John 1:8) if it were unnecessary for them to repent and seek forgiveness?  Why does Peter write, to CHRISTIANS, that we are to be holy as God is holy and to pursue holiness in our daily life? (1 Peter 1:14-24)  God does not waste words.

The "time of trouble" spoken of throughout the Old Testament is indeed just around the corner.  It is time to repent and to prepare your heart to seek the Lord to escape things to come and to be hidden in the time of trouble.  (Psalm 27: 5; Zeph 2: 3; Rev 3:10)
2013 - True Believer

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Check the Condition of Your Heart -- Which Type of Soil are You?

Several years ago I attended a Bible College in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Classes were held from 8 am to noon so I had plenty of free time every afternoon to take a walk, go to the gym, or read the Bible.  During some of these afternoons I would take a nap, and while napping I would sometimes receive some amazing revelation about God's word which I had been reading, studying in class, and/or meditating upon prior to my nap. When I awoke from my nap after receiving a revelation, I would record it in a notebook.

I now share with you one of these revealed messages, which message I believe is appropriate for any Christian today as we enter these last days of ever-increasing darkness before Christ appears and renews all.  I believe that this message is instructional and helpful to give feedback to each believer regarding his/her present condition of holiness.

Many of us are familiar with the verses of Rom 12: 1-2, where the apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome, pleads with those in Rome, and by extension to us today, to present ourselves as a living sacrifice which is HOLY and acceptable to God, and that to do so is one's reasonable service to God (i.e., what is EXPECTED of us, and not something exceptional).  Verse 2 says that we are to be TRANSFORMED by RENEWING OUR MIND to be able to discern the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

So, then what is the will of God?  I had been giving that much thought.  I was looking for understanding and for practical, useful instructions on how to renew my mind.  For several days prior to my nap I had been thinking about these two verses in Romans and how they could be accomplished in a simple way that I could understand and implement.

Psalm 89: 14 describes how God's throne (i.e., His authority) is founded on righteousness (doing what is right) and justice (being perfectly fair without discrimination or favoritism), and that mercy and truth flow outward from Him.  Zephaniah 2: 3 states, "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice.  Seek righteousness."  Proverbs 3: 3 states, "Let not mercy and truth forsake you.  So, it must be God's will for us to also live this way.

We should always do what is right and what is fair.  We should always show mercy and speak the truth in love.  In 1 Pet 1: 14-16, we are reminded that God is holy and that we are required to be holy, as obedient children.  To be holy we need to change (i.e., be transformed) from being unholy.  Sounds logical, right?  But, how?

A theological description for the transformation process might be written by a seminary professor or a bible college lecturer, as something like this:

          When a logos word of God is heard or read from the Bible, and is stored in
          the mind, and is meditated on and prayed on for understanding, it will give
          birth to a rhema word which will cause the heart to be incrementally transformed
          toward a better condition which is closer to the heart (mind) of Christ.

OK.  So what exactly does that mean?  How do I do it?  How do I know whether or not I am on track?

I believe that answers to these questions were given to me by God during a nap I took one afternoon in November 2009. The basic points to the message are numbered as Steps 1 and 2, below.  I have added scripture cites to support the message I received from God during my nap.  I did not receive the scripture cites shown herein during my nap, but I looked them up later.  Not surprisingly, the basic points of the message I received were found in God's word after I did a little searching.

Step 1.  Renew your mind - change the way you think

To accomplish this, we must line up our thinking with the word of God.  Very simple idea, but very difficult to do if we do not know the word of God.  Our mind must be "reprogrammed" with God's word.  So, the first thing we need to do is to become familiar with God's word by reading it, listening to it, and meditating on it.  In Rom 10:17 it is written that, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  You cannot meditate on that of which you are ignorant.

Meditation on the word we read and/or hear must be done for its meaning to become clear, or at least more understandable and useful for our goal of renewing our mind.  The Holy Spirit helps us with this task.

King David, over 3,000 years ago, wrote the words found in Psalm 1: 1-2, which describe how one who meditates on God's word will be blessed.  I believe that at least part of the blessing such a person receives is the understanding of what God wants of us, which is revealed through His word.  So then, understanding of His word is necessary to help us renew our mind.

As a preliminary matter, we must bring into captivity every thought in obedience to Christ (2 Cor 10: 5) and stop thinking thoughts which run contrary to Christ (Christ, who is the Word of God).  But, as I said, we must know God's word before we can bring thoughts into captivity and determine whether our thoughts line up with God's word.

According to Phil 4: 8, our thoughts (meditations) should be focused on things which are:  noble, just, pure, lovely, involving good news, virtuous, and praiseworthy.  Any thought which does not fall into one of these categories is to not remain fixed in our thoughts.

OK.  How?  I've got problems with my job, my family, my wife, my husband, my kids, my mortgage.  How do I ignore these problems and think only on those lovely things described in Phil 4?

Answer --  Praise!

What?  Are you kidding?  I've got real-time life issues.  I don't have time to praise God, and how can I praise Him while things are going so wrong?

Answer -- Praise!

Re-read Phil 4:4.  It says, "rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. Again I will say, REJOICE!" Paul wrote that instruction.  If you don't think that he had many real-life issues then look at the short list of what he went through, which is recorded in 2 Cor 11: 25-28.

Paul was beaten with rods (sharp blows with a metal or wooden pole in the back and behind the legs); he was stoned to the point of death, he was shipwrecked three times and on one of those occasions spent a day and a half floating and drifting in the sea; he had long journeys by foot covering long distances; he was in danger during his journeys of drowning, of being robbed, of being persecuted by Greeks, Jews and Gentiles;  he was in danger in the cities to which he traveled and in the countryside he traversed to get to the cities;  he was often bone-tired and weary;  and he was often without much sleep, hungry, thirsty and without warm or comfortable clothing.  These things are but a short compilation of his problems.

Yet, in spite of all these things he endured.  Many of us do not come close to having to endure any one of these things, yet Paul, who endured all these things tells us to rejoice ALWAYS.  Paul lived the life of which he preached.  He lived and breathed the word of God.

It is recorded in the Book of Acts at 16: 24-26 how Paul, and Silas his traveling companion, were put in stocks and chains in a dark prison in Philippi after being unjustly beaten by a local magistrate.  At midnight, they were not complaining, but were singing hymns and rejoicing to God.  An earthquake followed which caused their chains to be broken.  I believe that the earthquake was God's reward to them for their praise in the face of their adversity.  I believe that He will also get us through our real-life issues and give us a means of escape from them, if we remember Him and go into praise mode in the midst of the adversity.  Praise Him for who He is and for what He has given us -- not the problems.


Step 2.  Transform your heart - be aware of the condition of your heart

The message I received during my nap included the thought that the condition of your heart can be represented by the 4 types of soil described by Jesus in the parable of the sower and the seed.  Slightly different versions of this parable are recorded in Mat 13: 3-9, 18-23; Mark 4: 3-8, 14-20; and Luke 8: 5-8, 11-15.  Each version gives additional information on the meaning of the parable which is not found in the other versions.  Taken together, they give the complete description of the 4 soil types, which is a real-time snapshot of the condition of one's heart.

Your heart can be thought of as your "thought/belief system."  This is evidenced in Prov 23: 7, where it says, "as he thinks in his heart, so is he."  Also, Mat 12: 34 states that, "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."

Most of us are familiar with the parable of the sower told by Jesus to the crowd gathered to Him on a large level area on a mountainside near the Sea of Galilee.  The parable was given as a part of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" when He gave to those listening the "beatitudes" concerning required behavior, such as "love you enemy", etc.  The parable of the sower can be summarized using the three versions found in the Gospels, as follows:

 A sower went out to sow seed and some fell on the wayside and the birds came to devour it.  Some fell on stony ground and immediately it sprouted, but because there was not much depth of soil it had no root and it withered away in the sun's heat.  Other seed fell among thorns which grew up and choked the seed and it yielded no crop.  Lastly, some seed fell upon good ground which yielded a crop, some of which had a 30-fold increase, some a 60-fold and some a 100-fold.

Jesus later told his disciples privately that the seed sown was the word of God, that the soil is the heart, that the first type of soil - the wayside (a hard packed path upon which travelers walked) represents those who do not understand the word and do not keep it in their heart.  They allow the devil come and take it from their heart immediately after they hear the word.  This represents those who are unsaved. (See Luke 8: 12)

The second type of soil - the stony ground represents those who hear the word of God but then fail to have faith in it or rely on it when difficult circumstances or temptations arise.  In the modern vernacular, these are "powerless Christians" who are believers who perhaps received the word with joy but who spend not much time in church, or in reading the Bible, or in Bible study, or in any other activity which would increase their understanding of the word and thereby their faith.  They do not have personal "depth of soil" which would give them "root in themselves."  Therefore, their understanding of the word of God, and thus their faith in the word of God, is quite limited.

The third type of soil includes thorns which choke the seed, preventing it from bearing fruit.  This represents those who are perhaps "spirit-filled believers", but who allow the cares, concerns and pressures of the world, and the pursuit of riches/material things, to prevent any fruit from fully developing and maturing in them.  I believe that this is the most common type of condition of soil found in the true body of Christ today.  We need to put aside worldly pursuits to be able to transform our heart (belief system) to the condition represented by the fourth type of soil.  As stated in Col 3: 2, "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

The fourth type of soil represents those who hear the word of God, accept it, understand it, and bear fruit.  It is "those who hear the Word and and keep it (hold fast to it) in an honest and good heart" (Luke 8:15)  They will bear fruit with patience (in time).   Some a 30-fold increase, some a 60-fold and some a 100-fold.  As James 1: 22 tells us, "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

A perfect model of holy living, representing the fourth type of soil, is described by Paul very succinctly in Titus 1: 11-14 and 3: 2.  Paul lays out in his letter to his student Titus, who is going to head up a church of believers, how those believers in Jesus Christ whom Titus is to shepherd should conduct themselves.  He reminds Titus that the grace of God has appeared (through Jesus) to the world, and that through this grace all people have access to God's salvation.  He says that because of this grace, we are:

• being trained to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions (selfish desires and covetness)
• to live self-controlled, upright (doing what is right), and Godly lives
• to wait patiently (while living Godly lives) for the return of Jesus in His glory
• to be zealous for good works (to evidence that we are true believers)
• to speak evil of no person
• to show perfect courtesy toward all people

Each of these items requires effort under any circumstance to act in a Godly manner.  It also requires much practice.  The Christian life is not easy.  That is why Jesus said that not many would be able to endure to the end to be saved.  But when we stumble and ask for His forgiveness, with repentance in our heart, He will cleanse us of our unrighteousness (doing the wrong thing, i.e., sin).

In summary -- how you think and what you believe reveals the condition of your heart (the type of soil) at any given time.  How you think and what you believe cause you to act a certain way and to do and/or say certain things.

Thoughts control action.  That is why Step #1 above is a necessary fist step in the process to change the condition of the heart (the soil-type) and to bring it into alignment with the heart of God.  To do so, we must know the word of God, which is God's heart.  Every thought we have, in regard to an action we intend, should line up with God's word.  We must seek its meaning if we do not understand.  Then, we must do God's word.  If you do these things you will change (transform) your heart in time, and with patience.

The condition of your heart (how you think and what you believe) determines whether you are saved, and if you are saved, whether you will produce any fruit of the Spirit in your life.  The 12 fruits of the Spirit are given in Gal 5: 22-23.  That list includes:  love, joy, peace, patience, etc.

We must remember to praise God for who He is and not be consumed by our worldly troubles.  Do so and watch the results.

For me personally, I try to give praise and remind myself to "weed my garden" often to keep the weeds and thorns from choking out fruit from being produced in my life.  I also need to confess what I do wrong and ask for forgiveness.  It humbles you, but it's necessary.  Nobody said it was easy.

The "time of trouble" spoken of throughout the Old Testament is indeed just around the corner. It is time to repent and to prepare your heart to seek the Lord to escape things to come and to be hidden in the time of trouble. (Psalm 27: 5; Zeph 2: 3; Rev 3:10)

2012  - True Believer

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Significant Mid-East Event Likely in 2014 -- The Moon is Giving a Sign

While watching Christian TV the other night, I switched channels and caught part of a teaching on blood moons.  The TV preacher said that there have been only three times during the past 500 years where a group of four blood moons had occurred on Biblical (Jewish) feast days.  I did some research of my own and discovered that NASA calls a collection of four blood moons which occur during a two-year period a tetrad of blood moons.

A blood moon is commonly known as a lunar eclipse.  This occurs when the earth moves along a path in space between the sun and the moon.  The moon passes through the shadow created by the earth blocking the light from the sun, and the moon appears to get darker and darker until it glows an eery red color similar to the color of blood.

So, why is it always a tetrad of blood moons which corresponds with Biblical feast days?  Four blood moons comprise a tetrad.  God's name has four letters.  In Hebrew it is represented as:

These are the four Hebrew letters which spell God's name.  They are read right-to-left, and are phonetically pronounced:  Yode, Hey, Vav, Hey.  Could these tetrads be God's way of signing His name?  Similar to saying, "Hey, it's Me."  Just a thought.

So then, the most recent three tetrads of blood moons which fell on Biblical feasts occurred in the period from:

• 1493-94 (shortly after Jews persecuted and evicted from Spain in 1492 and Columbus (a Jew) sailed to New World to find them a new home.  Columbus returned to America in 1493 with 1,500 men and 17 ships);
• 1949-50 (after state of Israel for repatriating Jews was created in May 1948 in one day); and
• 1967-68 (Jews capture Jerusalem in June 1967, the City of God, in a supernatural victory during the "Six Day War").

According to NASA, the next tetrad of four blood moons will occur between April 2014 and September 2015.

I found some internet articles which discuss the coming tetrad of blood moons.  Those articles mostly described the coming tetrad to be possible evidence of the timing of the return of Jesus.  But, I have found that the Bible does not predict a "pre-trib" rapture of the church.  (Please visit my blog: April 2012, which gives the scriptural basis for this assertion.)  Also, since Daniel's last week of 7 years has not yet begun, which is commonly called the "7-year tribulation", since no peace treaty with Israel has yet been affirmed as required by Dan 9: 27, then Jesus' return must be more than 7 years in the future, and thus occurring some time after the years 2014-15.

The exact dates predicted by NASA for the approaching 2014-2015 tetrad of blood moons are:

•      April 15, 2014
•      October 8, 2014
•      April 4, 2015
•      September 28, 2015

I compared these dates from the NASA website with a website which lists a calendar of Biblical feasts.  To my amazement, the dates of the coming tetrad of lunar eclipses (blood moons) forecast for 2014-15 COINCIDE with certain Biblical feasts, as follows: 

•      April 15, 2014 - 1st day of Passover

•      October 8, 2014 - Feast of Tabernacles

•      April 4, 2015 - 1st day of Passover

•      September 28, 2015 - Feast of Tabernacles

Check out these sites for yourself:

     http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/lunar.html

     http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0002072.html

The next tetrad of blood moons which coincides with Biblical feasts will not occur for hundreds of years.  So, I believe that something very significant which involves Israel is going to occur on the world stage just prior to, or between, April 2014 - September 2015.
 

UPDATE VI: As of today (October 1, 2015) no war has yet broken out in the Middle East which involves Israel; however, Russian troops and advisers are now in Syria.  Chinese ships, and perhaps troops, are on the way.  Iran is sending troops.  Russia is bombing ISIS.  The United States and Israel are both a bit nervous over this development.  The war drums are pounding, but it is too early to tell what the US (and Israel) is going to do.

One common feature involved with each of the three prior tetrads described above is LAND ACQUISITION by Israel (the Jewish people).  The discovery of America initiated the founding of America as a nation which has served as a safe-haven for Jews over the past several hundred years.  Jews have been able to escape persecution by living in America.  The 1948 creation of the state of Israel gave them a homeland, once again.  The 1967 war gave them Jerusalem, which had been lost to them for almost 2,000 years.  So, land acquisition is key.

Perhaps the Psalm 83 war will occur (prophetic psalm describing how Israel will defeat the nations/groups of peoples immediately surrounding Israel, based on their historic biblical tribe names, now known as Hamas and the Palestinians in Gaza, and Hezbollah in S. Lebanon, etc.) and Israel may expand its borders to occupy these troubled areas.  In Zeph 2: 8-9, the prophet describes how after the people of Israel are gathered together, which occurred in 1948 and continues today, God hears the reproach (blame, revilings) of Moab (today's Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank) and the insults/taunts of the people of Ammon toward His people Israel and the borders of Israel.  Is this kind of noise not in today's news?  The prophet also describes how the "residue/remnant" of Israel shall plunder them and how the "remnant/remainder" of Israel shall possess them.

UPDATE II:  I recently found a few verses in Jer 49 (vv. 1-2) that give additional support for Israel to soon occupy more land.  These verses call for a "judgment against Ammon" and for Israel to take possession of the land which God gave them -- the land of the Ammonites (modern Jordon).  (Jer 49: 1-2) This action may or may not be part of the coming conflict, but will certainly be a future event prophetically predicted by Jeremiah, a 6th century B.C. prophet of God.

UPDATE III:  Also in Jer 49 (vv. 34-38) it describes an event where Elam (a western province of modern Iran) will be attacked and its "bow" broken -- the "foremost of their might."  Could this be a preemptive attack by Israel, alone or with help, against the nuclear research and storage facilities located in western Iran?  This action also may or may not be part of the coming conflict.

UPDATE IV:  There are additional verses in Jer 49 (vv. 23-27) that discuss the total destruction of the city of Damascus, Syria such that it ceases from being a city and is made a "ruinous heap."  Likewise, most of Is 17 prophesies this destruction of Damascus which is to occur in one night.  Since the Jeremiah prophecy was written in the 7th century B.C. and the Isaiah prophecy was written in the 8th century B.C., Damascus has never ceased from being a city.  Nothing short of a nuclear attack could conceivably accomplish such a thing.  For various reasons, including the reference in Jer 49: 23 of there being "trouble on the sea", which I understood to mean a foreign power (not Israel) having ships at sea which could launch nuclear missiles for such an attack, I did not initially mention these verses in this blog.  Israel would most likely use land-based or air-based platforms to launch such an attack against Damascus, and would not use ships at sea.  For this reason, I did not believe the prophesied destruction of Damascus would occur during the imminent mid-east conflict being announced by the coming blood moon tetrad.  It is speculation, but Israel may have submarines equipped with nuclear missiles.  Also, nations friendly to Israel could have ships or submarines at sea equipped with nuclear missiles.  But, Syria would have to be aware of such a threat and be frightened of the threat at sea, according to Jer 49: 23-24.  With conditions in Syria rapidly deteriorating, and angst between the United States, Israel, Syria, Iran and Russia escalating, I feel impressed to include these verses in Jer 49 and Is 17 as a possible event connected with the coming mid-east conflict.

Perhaps the coming action by Israel against the peoples surrounding Israel will initiate events which cause the affirmation of the peace agreement which commences Daniels 70th week.  Who knows?  Best to keep your eyes on the headlines.

UPDATE IA:  Here are recent HEADLINES involving Israel and Syria.

I believe there will be some sort of major conflict which is going to ultimately effect Israel in a major positive way.  God will protect Israel from being destroyed.

Luke 21:25 states:

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring ...

The "time of trouble" spoken of throughout the Old Testament is indeed just around the corner.  It is time to repent and to prepare your heart to seek the Lord to escape things to come and to be hidden in the time of trouble.  (Psalm 27: 5; Zeph 2: 3; Rev 3:10)

UPDATE IB:  For more celestial harbingers of God's coming judgment, please visit my March 2013 blog entitled, "The Heavens are Signaling an Economic Collapse in 2015 -- Make Ready"

UPDATE V:  In my blog from August 2013 regarding that it is time for repentance by God's church, I discuss how God is now judging America, and will judge EVERY NATION that turns from God.  If a nation turns from God, it implies that such a nation, as was ancient Israel, was previously a God-fearing nation which has abandoned God as evidenced by its immoral activities.

For an interesting and informative May 2012 video featuring Pastor Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries which explains in more detail the coming blood moons and other celestial signs for 2014-15 which evidence the soon coming of Jesus, please visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71CGGfBj5I0

2012 - True Believer
 
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Repentance is Necessary to be Saved -- Jesus said so

Over the past year or so, on TV and the internet, I have heard and read many "Christian" teachings stating that you do not need to repent to be saved, but simply must believe in Jesus to be saved.  Many cite Rom 10: 9-10 (if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God the father raised Him from the dead, you will be saved), or John 3: 16 (for God so loved the world... ).  You may have heard similar lessons preached.  However, it is always appropriate to compare scripture to scripture and not take a verse here or there out of context with which to create a "doctrine".

Some of these teachings give the example of the "good thief" on the cross next to Jesus, who the Bible, they say, does not record as having repented, yet Jesus told him that he would be with Him that day in paradise after the thief acknowledged Jesus and told Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom.  Thus, they say, aha - repentance is not required for salvation.

This verbal exchange is recorded in Luke 23: 42-43, where the "good thief" says to Jesus, after first mocking Him, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  Jesus then says to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

I have never felt comfortable with that teaching on salvation without repentance.  Throughout the Old Testament in the Bible, there is much about repentance, or turning, from evil.  God frequently told the nation of Israel, through the prophets, to repent from their evil idolatry, and other abominations, or risk His wrath.

The New Testament gives the example of John the Baptist preaching the baptism of repentance to turn the hearts of the Jews to prepare them for Jesus.  Luke 23: 40-41 does indeed describe that the "good thief" repented in his heart.  After mocking Jesus, he said to the other thief on the cross, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”  I believe that was repentance.

The other day I was listening to the Gospel of Luke on my iBible.  When it came to Luke 11: 9, I heard the words "seek and you will find."  I stopped the playback at this point and thought about those words.  I decided to believe those words on the spot.  I knew right then in my heart that God WILL teach me His word and give me understanding regarding the end times, which I have been desiring and praying for, but I think He showed me something else that day in just a few chapters in Luke.

In Luke 11: 29 Jesus said, and I'm paraphrasing, that you Jews seek a sign but no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah.  Remember that Jonah preached repentance to the dreadful ancient Assyrians in their capital city of Nineveh.  By the way, every time I've ever read this scripture in Luke 11: 29 about the sign of Jonah, or heard it preached, it was said that this means (which it also does, I believe) that Jesus (as Jonah was in the fish) would be in the earth for 3 days and nights after He was crucified and died.  But this scripture where Jesus is speaking about the prophet Jonah also gives a message of repentance (which lesson I have never heard preached with regard to this verse in Luke 11).

Just after that, in Luke 11: 31 Jesus continues by saying that the Queen of the South will rise with this generation (those unbelieving Jews to which Jesus was speaking) at the Judgment to accuse this generation, because she came to seek the WISDOM of Solomon, and that a greater than Solomon (Jesus) was here.  In this context, Jesus is saying that it is WISDOM to repent.  I have never understood the use of this verse regarding the Queen of the South, but with God's revelation to me, this verse is simply reinforcing Jesus' statement that repentance is needed and therefore it is WISDOM (for eternal life) to repent.

Also, right after that, in Luke 11: 32, Jesus says that those of Nineveh who repented from Jonah's preaching (of the need to repent from their evil) will rise at the Judgment to accuse this generation (those unbelieving Jews to which Jesus was speaking), since those of Nineveh had repented of their deeds.

So, it's clear from these three almost consecutive verses in Luke 11 that Jesus is saying something quite simple, yet something which is necessary for salvation:  that one must repent and obey God to be saved, and to do so is wisdom.

This lines up perfectly with what Jesus says earlier in Luke 8: 21.  He said, "who are my mother and my brothers but those that hear the word of God and do it."  This requires turning from anything that does not line up with God's word.  It is also consistent with James 1: 22 which says to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

This also lines up with what Paul tells us in 2 Cor 7: 10, that "godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted.  But the sorrow of the world produces death." (Emphasis added)  Sorrow of the world means simply that one is sorry only after they have been caught, which produces not much true repentance.

In Luke 13 Jesus discusses how men from Galilee had been killed by Herod, and that their blood had been was mingled by Herod with the Jewish sacrifice so that it became an abomination.  Also in Luke 13 Jesus discusses how men of Jerusalem had been killed by the falling of the tower of Siloam.  Jesus makes the point that all of these men who were killed were sinners, but were no worse sinners than others in Israel at the time.  Jesus then stated that one MUST repent or die like those men, i.e. in their sins with no hope of salvation.

After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus spoke to His disciples and told them, as it recorded in Luke 24: 47, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to ALL NATIONS.

So, from only these few select verses found in the Gospel of Luke, it is quite readily apparent that for the purpose of salvation, repentance is required.  This is a very awesome and compact message from our awesome God.

REPENT TO BE SAVED.  His mercy is given simply by asking.  God loves mercy and will grant it freely to a repentant sinner.

The "time of trouble" spoken of throughout the Old Testament is indeed just around the corner.  It is time to repent and to prepare your heart to seek the Lord to escape things to come and to be hidden in the time of trouble.  (Psalm 27: 5; Zeph 2: 3; Rev 3:10)


2012 - True Believer

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