“Be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold. Remain passionate and free from anxiety and the worries of this life. Then you will not be caught off guard by what happens. Don’t let me come and find you drunk or careless in living like everyone else. For that day will come as a shocking surprise to all, like a downpour that drenches everyone, catching many unaware and un-prepared. Keep a constant watch over your soul, and pray for courage and grace to prevail over these things that are destined to occur and that you will stand before the presence of the Son of Man with a clear conscience.”Luke 21:34-36
Serious words for a serious time. It seems like overnight we have gone from freedom to worship to, “authorities will arrest you if you meet to worship.” You may say, “That was California, they are always doing things like that.” While certainly true, these things from California are the blueprint for changes done across America.
Here’s another example. In Moscow Idaho, police officials arrested three men singing hymns outdoors. Evidently, they needed to wear a mask. Obviously, the city is attempting to live up to its name.
Have you heard about the mother watching her son’s seventh grade football game? This game was outdoors, and people were demonstrating social distancing. An asthmatic, and not wearing a mask, a lengthy back and forth with authorities ensued and the situation escalated to her tasing and arrest. The people around her seemed more concerned about the game, “Well, serves her right. I bet she wears a mask next time!” Instead of this attitude, what if everyone had temporarily taken off their mask? Granted the China virus is real, but due to fear, we have handed our freedom over to people who crave power and control!
Yet in multiple places, protesters invite themselves into your meal at outdoor restaurants, scream and yell at you, and then drink from your cup without repercussions. Besides being rude, it is unsanitary and bound to spread multiple germs.
“Love and value others the same way you love and value yourself. Love makes it impossible to harm another, so love fulfills all that the law requires.
To live like this is all the more urgent, for time is running out and you know it is a strategic hour in human history. It is time for us to wake up! For our full salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.Night’s darkness is dissolving away as a new day of destiny dawns. So we must once and for all strip away what is done in the shadows of darkness, removing it like filthy clothes. And once and for all we clothe ourselves with the radiance of light as our weapon. We must live honorably, surrounded by the light of this new day, not in the darkness of drunkenness, and debauchery, not in promiscuity and sensuality, not being argumentative or jealous of others.” Romans 13:9-13 TPT
As a country, America stands at the crossroad of good and evil. But America is only its people, each charged with that same decision. For many years we have been a people straddling the fence, claiming goodness, while shutting our eyes to the evils too horrible to see. Those deficiencies are not limited to America and have been the key ingredient for totalitarian regimes throughout history. “As long as it’s not me, everything will be fine. The problems are in the big cities and will never affect us here.
”The reality, WE ARE AMERICA! We must speak up when killing the very people who serve and protect us, our police, is applauded by the lost souls marching in the streets. The Bible says the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. We must recognize evil and be prepared to confront it. Furthermore, we have witnessed the murder of over 60 million babies, and we justify by saying every woman has a right to choose if her baby lives or dies. As a Christian, we know God’s Word is the truth, and when we reject it, we are choosing death for ourselves and our nation. We must repent and return to Him!
Our nation is in the midst of a historical shaking! God is calling our people to look to Him for forgiveness. We have rejected His Son and the Bible. We have drunk the Kool-Aid and become intoxicated with our own belief system and selfish desires. As a nation we have become self-absorbed, hateful, vengeful, repulsive, and remarkably comfortable, because we have taken God out of just about everything.
The line has been drawn in the sand. We must choose. We can’t have it both ways. We cannot wrap ourselves in a security blanket of church membership and attendance, while continuing to tolerate sin. God’s standards have not changed! Our hearts should be broken by our sin. Our hearts should be challenged to reach the lost, spiritually hungry, and forgotten people of America and the World.
Is your heart ready to return to Jesus? Do you sense the urgency? I keep hearing the Lord say, “Be prepared, be ready.” Have you allowed God to show you the character of your heart, the motives, intentions and desires? Do they line up with the Word of God? It is not about opinions. Our opinions are just that, and are filled with emotion, judgements, and how circumstances directly affect us.
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 24:37-39 NLT