Our Lord has me pretty quiet these days in what i believe to be my calling toward the particular church/pastor He's assigned me to for the past 20 years, but from time to time He'll still lay something on my heart to post here on SI ... So here goes ...
Night before last as i was praying and just talking out loud to our Lord, a very bone chilling, icy March wind was whistling outside my window ... And as i was just praising and thanking our Lord for His gift of the heat in my humble apartment, Holy Spirit dropped into my spirit that an analogous "icy wind of poverty" is blowing in the air toward America ... And that tho in the past 20 years (or so) He has raised up some to warning us regarding the ugly "poverty" that's soon to manifest itself in our midst - few have heeded - and most, including His own, will be taken completely by surprise ...
Over the past 10 years (or so) He's really been impressing on me the economic horrors that are coming to America, and as a watchman on the wall i've been sounding the alarm to all in my path - saved and unsaved alike ... But it's the reaction of we saved folk that has most distressed me ... First off the greater majority of saved folk i've spoken to don't even feel like we need to be concerned about the precarious position our extravagant, over extended, debt laden life style has placed us in as individuals, families, communities, a nation, and most importantly as His Church ... Most feel like that if (in fact) anything drastic is about to happen, it's surely about to happen to the un-saved only and that as saved folk somehow - tho we're just as leveraged out as the world - we're ALL gonna somehow be miraculously spared from any and ALL economic hardships that America, and the globe is about to encounter ...To me most of we American saints are the epitome of Rev:[17] "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" ... It's brought great sadness to my heart that many an un-repentant saint is about to be introduced to the harsh fact of our spiritual nakedness expressly by experiencing "the icy wind of poverty" ...
Sad to say, but true, nothing seems to focus our attention on God like need - especially financial need ... Just as nothing seems to force "community" like disaster - disaster that for we (all to individualistic) American saints will force mutual need into mutual sharing like that of the Acts chapter 2 Church ... "[44] And all that believed were together, and had all things common; [45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. [46] And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, [47] Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." ... Hard to fathom huh? ... God spare our lives, just keep on living and see ... Art Katz speaks of this in his sermon;
[u][b]Future Trends for the Body of Christ[/b][/u] http://64.34.176.235/sermons/SID5037.mp3
As i've once said before, what Holy Spirit has shown me in regards America is it's not because of the actions of the heathen's in America that we've come to the societal degredation we've come to, but because of the enactions of the "salt and light", His Church, His Bride, we His folk, who're the real cause of what has occured, and what's about to befall ...Yep the un-saved, the heathen, are about to be tried in the fire of our refinement, for He's gonna have His Bride without spot or wrinkle before it's all over with, because even tho He's allowed us to become "unsavory", His promise is that He'll not leave us that way for long ... And so one day, "out of" what most of us unlistening, un-heeding, un-repentant, far to pre-occupied with the things of the world saints call "the clear blue" His Rev. 3:[19] correction will fall on us, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
Our Lord has instructed me concerning this "correction" via many different venues over the years and one of the things that has always stuck out to me is how so many folk attribute the unfolding of world events to anyone, or anything else but God Himself ... Our Lord has me now listening to a very well meaning saint who has a radio program that exposes technically all of the why's our economy has come to the brink of this disaster, but he has the taint of "conspiracy" blinding him as to who really brings princes and nations to nothing ... For me Isa. 40: 15-24 and 41:4 puts into proper perspective all the transpires in this world regarding principalities, governments, and powers, and this is the scriptural message of urgency i feel led of our Lord to post ...
[u][b]TO ALL NATIONS: IT'S TIME TO REPENT - GET RIGHT WITH GOD - AND SEEK THE GUIDANCE OF HOLY SPIRIT ...[/b][/u]
Isa.40 [15] Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, HE taketh up the isles as a very little thing. [17] All nations before HIM are as nothing; and they are counted to HIM less than nothing, and vanity. [21] Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? [22] It is HE that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: [23] That bringeth the princes to nothing; HE maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. [24] Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and HE shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
Isa.41 [4] Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am HE.
[u][b]TO ALL SAINTS: IT'S TIME TO REPENT - GET RIGHT WITH GOD - AND SEEK THE GUIDANCE OF HOLY SPIRIT ...[/b][/u]
1Cor.10 [14] Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
1Tim.6 [6] But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. [9] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. [11] But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1Cor.6 [18] Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.
2Tim.2 [22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Jas.4 [4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. [5] Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? [6] But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. [9] Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. [10] Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. [11] Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. [12] There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? [13] Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: [14] Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. [15] For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. [16] But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. [17] Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Heb.12 [1] Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, [2] Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. [4] Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. [11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. [12] Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; [13] And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. [14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Rev.2 [5] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
[16] Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
[21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. [22] Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Rev.3 [3] Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
2Cor.4 [8] We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; [9] Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1John.2 [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Fellow saints i've come to the conclusion that no matter what goes down ... No matter what God has in store for us (for truly He is the only one who knows) ... What we should all want to be, and need to be, is clear before Him in as much purity as we can possibly muster ... Not by our might, nor by our power, but by His Spirit is the only way this is possible ... There are sure to be many of us who will experience our "repentance from dead works" reactively to His harsh grace, but how much more pleasing to Him, and consoling to ourselves, that we repent pro-actively back to our first love, and works ...
John.4:[35] Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
[u][b]TO AMERICA THE GREAT: IT'S TIME TO REPENT - GET RIGHT WITH GOD - AND SEEK THE GUIDANCE OF HOLY SPIRIT ...[/b][/u]
Jas.5 [1] Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. [2] Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. [3] Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. [4] Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. [5] Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. [6] Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. [7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. [8] Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
[u][b]God has great patience ...[/b][/u]
2Pet.3:[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
[u][b]But even His great patience has an end ...[/b][/u]
Gen.6 [3] And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man ...
[u][b]Therefore:[/b][/u]
Isa.55 [6] Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: [7] Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Finally saints, it dawned on me the other day a miracle in which our Lord has changed me in what i believe to be His calling of me ... When i first started out in 1985 i used to pull my hair out shouting, "Will ya'll please listen to me" ... Now i literally don't have any hair, and my shout has become, "Will ya'll please listen to the Word of the Lord" ...
Hallaleujah to He who began His good work in us all, and is determined by His Spirit to finish us into the very likness of His beloved Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ...
[b]BLESSED BE THE NAME OF OUR LORD! ... REPENT! ... FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND ... Amen[/b]
|