The Upcoming Six-Day War

In 1967, there was a Six-Day War. “The war began on June 5, 1967, when Israel launched a preemptive assault against the Egyptian and Syrian air forces.” (Google)

“The Six-Day War ended with Israel capturing the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.” (Google)

I remember watching a documentary about the Six-Day War emphasizing what some Israeli soldiers had experienced during the fighting. They shared personal experiences that could only be attributed to the Providential intervention of God.

This intervention began in Eden, when God dealt with the consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience.

God dealt with Eve regarding her decision to ignore God’s Word and respond to the deceitful lie spoken to her by the serpent.

God dealt with Adam and his willful disobedience not to obey His instruction

God also dealt with Satan who had tempted Eve to question God’s Word not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

God said to the serpent (through whom Satan spoke), in Genesis 3:14-15 TLV, “Because you did this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and above every animal of the field. On your belly you will go, and dust will you eat all the days of your life. I will put animosity between you (Satan) and the woman–between your seed (the descendants of Adam) and her seed (the prophetic Incarnation of Jesus-Son of God/Son of Man). He (Jesus) will crush your head (at the Cross), and you will crush his heel(seek to afflict Him all through His life). (inserts mine)

Note: Compare these words to Paul’s words in Romans 16:17-20 TLV, “Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep your eye on those who are causing divisions and stumbling blocks, contrary to the teaching that you learned. Turn away from them. For such people do not serve our Lord the Messiah(Anointed One), but only their own belly. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. Your obedience has become known to all, so I rejoice over you–but I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. Now the God of shalom (peace) will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Yeshua (Jesus) be with you.” (inserts mine)

The Book of Daniel, in the Old Testament, records a Twenty-One day war that took place in the heavenlies. Daniel was being given visions and understanding by the Lord regarding what was going to happen prophetically to the nation of Israel and prophetic words regarding end time events when God would bring the created age to a close.

In Daniel, chapter 10:2-3(TLV), “In those days,I, Daniel was mourning for three whole weeks (21 days). I ate not rich food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I anoint myself with oil, until the end of the three-weeks(21 days).” (inserts mine)

Daniel had a vision during this time, (vs. 4-8) of a heavenly messenger.

In Daniel 10:9-14(TLV), it is recorded by Daniel, “Yet I heard the sound of his words. When I heard him speaking, I fell on my face in a deep sleep with my face to the ground. Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said to me, Daniel, highly valued man, carefully consider the words I am speaking to you. Stand up! For now I have been sent to you. When he spoke this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, ‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel!’ For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come because of your words. However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia resisted me for 21 days, but behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I had been detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future days. For the vision concerns days yet to come.” (emphasis mine)

What Daniel experienced is what Paul explained to believers in the church at Ephesus; and that explanation is still relevant to the church today.

Ephesians 6:10-12(TLV), Paul instructs the church, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you are able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (humanity), but against the rulers, against the powers, against the forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (insert,emphasis mine)

This is exactly what Daniel went through. I am not sure if he realized it at the time it was happening.

It was explained to Daniel.

The rulers,the powers, the forces of darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places are all embodied in the words ‘the prince of the kingdom of Persia resisted me for 21-days’. Spiritual warfare is real. Satan is “the prince of the power of the air”(Ephesians 2:2) [TLV says: “…the ruler of the domain of the air”]

What is it that we as a nation are warring against?

Most of us, in this nation, are battling politics.

We are sorting out the rhetoric, and ‘wrestling against flesh and blood'(humanity), possibly struggling with which candidate to vote for as President?; which candidates to choose to represent the state we live in for Congress?; and also which candidates to elect for our state government?

I would assume that many are wrestling also with the choices that need to be made concerning the state propositions, laws, and bills that are before us. Which ones do we affirm? Which ones do we deny ?

I am not saying that any of those choices are irrelevant.

They are all important.

BUT…Who or what is influencing your mindset?

What is the source of the intellect that is seeking to influence you, challenging you to vote their way?

There are three possibilities. The wisdom of heaven; human wisdom (which is self); the wisdom of hell.

What is it that many people do not understand?

What is it that many people do not want to embrace?

What has been a struggle in my own personal mindset is the realization that there is a spiritual enemy that is relentlessly opposing God, His creation, His plan and purpose for His creation, and seeks to destroy what God has desired from before the creation of the world.

The Word of God is not silent about this. (This is a study by itself. Many have written about Romans 12:1,2)

That enemy is Satan.

James 3:13-18 Amplified Version:

“Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds with gentleness and humility of true wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and [as a last result] be in defiance to the truth. This [superficial wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly [secular], natural [unspiritual], even demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder [unrest, rebellion] and every evil thing and morally degrading practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure [morally and spiritually undefiled], then peace-loving [courteous, considerate], gentle, reasonable [and willing to listen], full of compassion and good fruits. It is unwavering without [self-righteous] hypocrisy[and self-serving guile]. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness[spiritual maturity] is sown in peace by those who make peace[by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals].” (inserts Amp. Bible)

Question: What is the political atmosphere of our nation based upon the words that we hear daily spewed out from both sides of the political aisle?

Question: What do you discern about the source of the wisdom that is being given to you daily?

Question: Who are you listening too?

Question: Where do you go to find wisdom?

Let me give you three choices that are based upon James 3:13-18 : a) God’s Word; b) your own personal understanding and intellect; c) the deceitful influence of the enemy of God, Satan.

I say all of that to say this!

Satan’s opposition includes deconstructing God’s design for this nation and all the other nations of the world.

Satan opposes this nation.

Satan wants to dismantle this nation at its foundation.

Satan desires to influence this election at every level to cause chaos, confusion, and corruption in our midst.

Of this I am certain, in spite of Satan’s activity, God is in complete control.

God is Sovereign over all the nations.

God is Providential over His people.

Satan’s influence was defeated at the CROSS.

Jesus, disarmed “the principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.” (Colossians 2:15 TLV) (emphasis mine)

Then why is there still spiritual warfare?

Because even though what we have accepted as a free gift, our salvation, ‘positionally’ at the Cross (the work of the cross is finished); we are now being conformed ‘experientially’ (by the way of the cross) to the image of Christ.

This is what Christians must understand.

The process of being changed into the image of Christ includes suffering.

Our Father God allows the enemy, Satan, to be part of that process of spiritual growth.

Ask Job about this! (Job 1,2)

As this work continues in us, God, our Father, is fulfilling His will and purpose until the return of Christ, the End of the Age, the Millennium, and the final judgment.

This is what Daniel was being shown.

Since, we are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare, we must learn to stand because the days are evil.

What did the messenger instruct Daniel to do?

Answer: stand and don’t be afraid.

What about us?

Question: What did Paul instruct the believers to do? Answer: stand

I just thought of this!

The context is Israel leaving Egypt after the 10 plagues that were poured out upon Egypt.

That was God’s intervention to deliver His covenantal people from bondage.

Exodus 14:13-14 TLV, Moses is counteracting the words of the people that want to return to Egypt, and serve the Egyptians, rather than to die in the wilderness.

“But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid! Stand still and see the salvation of Adonai, which He will perform for you today. You have see the Egyptians today, but you will never see them again, ever! Adonai will fight for you, while you hold your peace.” (emphasis mine)

I wonder if God was saying: Stand still; see the salvation of God; meaning, watch what I am going to do for you, and against the enemy pursuing you; and stop grumbling!

I believe God understood their fear and He was going to quiet it, and bring them peace.

Therefore, I submit to you that we, as a nation, will be experiencing a Six-Day War in the heavenlies between October 31 and November 5.

During these six days, we need to stand, hold our position spiritually, not grumble, but we, like Moses, who stretched forth his rod of authority, need to pray with the authority God has given us in His Word; be not afraid; and see the intervention of God against the enemies of this nation,exposing Satan’s evil influence.

There will be intense spiritual warfare between Halloween and Election Day.

At this point many of you may be overly disturbed or even frightened by my words.

You may even think I am out of my mind.

That is ok; I understand.

But…

I want to remind you that we are in a spiritual battle for the soul of this nation.

I want to implore those who have been praying for this nation to continue to do so.

Use your rod of authority, speak to the issues before us, and watch God provide a way forward for His people on dry ground; and swallow up the enemy that seeks to overtake us.

I also want to encourage believers, who may have not been praying, to pray.

Please re-read Daniel 10.

Please re-read Ephesians 6:10-12.

Spiritual battle is not a video game.

It is not a board game.

It is not a hoax.

This is serious warfare.

At this point, many of you might decide to stop reading this post.

I understand that too.

I would encourage those who understand what I am saying to continue reading.

Selah.

If you have not read the posts, A Call to Heavenly Warfare and/or The Spiritual Battle is Ongoing, I encourage you to read them before you continue on with this post. (go to livingwordsofencouragement.com)

Continuing,

This past, October 12, 2014, there was in Washington DC, An Esther Call to the Mall.

It was estimated that 250,000 people came, and maybe as many as twice that (GiveHim15). It has also been noted that the web-site for this event “received 10M hits. Fifty nations also held companion events. It was truly unprecedented.”(GiveHim15).

Most of those who attended Washington DC were women.

They came to worship, pray, and call upon God for this nation.

This assembly was called on the Jewish Day of Atonement.

Why is that significant?

“The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27-28) also known as Yom Kippur was the most solemn holy day of all the Israelite feasts and festivals, occurring once a year on the tenth day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. On that day the high priest was to perform elaborate rituals to atone for the sins of the people….This was not a ceremony to be taken lightly and the people were to understand that atonement for sin was to be done God’s way.” (got questions.org)

Jesus, the Lamb of God, atoned for the sin of the world, God’s way, on the cross.

Today, Christ Jesus is our High Priest, who ever lives in heaven, making intercession for us. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Thinking about the assembly using the name Esther:

Without going into the complete story that is told in the Book of Esther. The woman for whom the Book is titled, is a young Jewish girl, who is the niece of Mordecai. Because of a fallout between the king of Persia and his queen, Esther finds herself in a situation not of her choosing; just like Daniel, who was taken captive to Babylon, where God raised him up to serve the Babylonian king and the nation. Esther, too, is ‘taken against her will’ along with many other young girls. The purpose is to find a replacement for the deposed queen. Esther submits to her situation and is chosen by the king to be his new queen.

The entire Book of Esther is the Sovereign and Providential work of God against Satan who seeks to destroy God’s people–it is a story of spiritual warfare in the heavenlies that is lived out like a play that has been cast for a theater production.

This story is representative of the ongoing struggle that has been taking place since God’s pronouncement upon Satan in Genesis 3.

The individuals in this story are real people.

Assuming you know the details of the story, the king is manipulated(deceived), and he makes a decree to have all the Jewish people in his kingdom killed.

What the king does not know is that Esther is a Jewish woman.

Her uncle Mordecai, hears about the edict that has come from the king, and sends a message to Esther.

Esther does not pull rank on her uncle.

She submits to her uncle’s instructions.

Mordecai tells his niece, Esther, “Do not think in your soul that you will escape in the king’s household more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place-but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14 TLV)

What was Esther’s response to Mordecai ?

“Go! Gather all the Jews who are in Shusan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast in the same way. Afterwards, I will go into the king, even though it is not according to the law. So if I perish, I perish!” So Mordecai left and did all that Esther commanded him.” (Esther 4:15-17 TLV)

Esther entered into spiritual warfare. She and others fasted and prayed.

Remember Daniel had fasted and prayed.

In this instance, Esther fulfilled her three days, stepped out in faith, and…

Esther was granted entrance to the king, her husband.

God intervened.

The plot against the Jews was brought to light.

The villain was hanged.

The Jews were legally given their right to fight back against all those who sought to kill them.

The Jews prevailed.

What Satan had purposed for evil, God intervened and purposed for good.

Now, let us compare this to another gathering of women that will be held in Washington DC on November 2, 2024.

I mentioned this gathering in my post The Spiritual Battle is Ongoing.

What is the purpose of this gathering of women?

Quoting from their website, womensmarch.com, it is entitled WOMEN’S MARCH to the WHITE HOUSE, November 2,2024, DC and Nationwide,

OUR BODIES. OUR FUTURE.

I am not saying that these women cannot express themselves nor conduct their march.

I want you to discern their spirit.

Using their own words from their web-site. (emphasis mine)

“At this pivotal moment in our country, Women’s March is leading the charge to build a feminist, multi-racial democracy that serves us ALL.”

“What happens in 2024 and the four years to follow will set the foundation for the four to five decades.”

WE ARE MARCHING.

November 2, 2024

Personally, just reading these words makes me shudder.

I do not support this rhetoric.

What is their motive?

I do not want to be part of their ‘ALL’.

Please understand that I am not saying ‘ALL’ women in this nation support their position.

Question: What political party do they want to win?

Based upon their own words, I categorically choose not to support the party they are supporting.

Their rhetoric continues:

“LET’S GO!

“We will never stop fighting for what matters to women and our communities. We will galvanize women across the country and win again in 2024.”

They are motivated and sound relentless in the pursuit of their agenda.

What is their main initiative?

“ABORTION IS NOT A CRIME-We want healthcare, not punishment.”

I do not support abortion.

I do support rational healthcare.

Why do I bring this to our attention?

They do not express an Esther spirit.

What is an Esther spirit?

Esther did not seek to serve herself.

The Women’s March serves self.

This is understandable.

Why?

Because of Adam’s sin. Our human nature is self-serving. It does not seek the things of God. Our nation is at the junction of whether it will continue to push God aside and serve it’s fallen human nature or will it repent of it’s sin, cry out to God, and ask God to intervene in the future of this nation’s destiny.

This is the spiritual warfare that we are engaged in wrestling against.

It is a daily battle in each of our lives; and it has grown into monstrous proportions in our nation.

We are living on a dramatic stage . Like the story of Esther, we are real people.

And there is a spiritual battleground that is being waged in the heavenlies, orchestrated by the prince of the power of the air, Satan.

Then why the post title: The Upcoming Six-Day War ?

Because the spiritual warfare is going to increase exponentially by the enemy against our souls, against this nation, and against the issues being voted upon in the states, and especially at our national election for President and the members of Congress.

The days between October 31 and November 5, will be 6 days of elevated rhetoric, accusations, and vehement words spewed forth to influence the voting electorate’s decision regarding who and what to vote for.

These will not be words from above, but words from below as we read in James 3:13-18.

I am not calling out one party.

I believe it will come from both sides of the political spectrum.

These ‘words’ can be likened to the edict that went forth by the king of Persia to have all the Jews killed. I am NOT saying there will be killing. I am saying that these words are spoken to stir up irrational thinking against the presidential candidates, and to dissuade voters from voting using common sense and rational thinking, and where possible dissuade people from voting, or even keep people from changing their mind to vote.

Queen Esther, prayed and fasted, sought God for His favor, went before the king, and was granted an audience; this resulted in her people, the Jewish nation, being saved. (Read the Book of Esther)

Was there spiritual warfare going on in the heavenlies? Absolutely.

Some might be asking the question, How do you know that?

Answer: This same scenario is paramount throughout the entire narrative of the Bible. The Biblical lives of the people recorded in scripture reflect the spiritual tension in their lives and the gracious and loving kindness of God’s intervention in the lives of His covenanted people.

On November 2, 2024, there will be a gathering of women, marching and voicing their rhetoric.

Their words will be spoken to persuade people to stand with them and vote according to their agenda.

It will be interesting to hear the tenor of their words as they are expressed.

I do not personally believe that their spirit will be humble and submissive.

The proof will be heard on November 2.

Again, I ask you? What is the spirit of their agenda?

Reflecting back to October 8, 2022, for the mid-term election, this group had a Women’s March. Their motto was: “We Demand Our Rights”.

Observation: Esther didn’t demand her rights; These women are demanding their rights.

What spirit do you support?

Esther focused on God. The other group focuses on self.

Two spirits: Esther’s spirit is humble and submissive; the other spirit is prideful and self-centered.

That is the fundamental origin of spiritual warfare.

Lucifer, Satan, sought to be like God. He declared his self ‘I will” (Isaiah 14:13-14, (see also gotquestions.org ‘What are the “I will” Statements of Satan, God, and Jesus?)

Therefore, focusing on the Six-Days, between Halloween and the Election, consider the following:-(I encourage you to all visit gotquestions.org, and type in Halloween)

The unclean spirits that honor the dead on Halloween, October 31, 2024, focus their incantations, curses, and spells, and prayers against God, His plans, and His people.

I believe that they will also be focused on our national election. (See Intercessors For America, October 26,2024)

Do not be naive and believe that this does not occur, because it does.

The Satanists, those who give worth-ship to Satan, which includes witches and warlocks, will be intensely involved in speaking (praying) against the results of our national election.

There will be a battle in the heavenlies.

It is unseen,but it goes on.

Do not be deceived.

Remember this, Daniel, was involved, in spiritual warfare.

Again, I am not sure that he realized this, until he was informed by God’s messenger, who had been delayed 21 days, because of the warfare in the heavenlies.

So great was the opposition to Daniel’s prayers that Michael was sent to assist the messenger. Daniel’s prayers were hindered by the prince of Persia. This was all unseen.

Esther was involved in spiritual battle for her people in the empire of Persia.

She was the queen.

Like Daniel, she fasted and prayed to God. Her husband was the king of Persia.

There was spiritual opposition in the heavenlies.

God intervened.

As I wrote earlier in this post, we are fighting against the rulers, powers, worldly forces of darkness, and spiritual forces of evil that reside in heavenly places.

But, we, who believe in Christ, have been raised by God, and “He(God) has raised us up with Him(Christ) and seated us with Him(Christ) in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus).” (inserts mine) (Ephesians 2: 6 TLV)

In Christ we are in the presence of God in heaven, above the domain of Satan, who is the “ruler of the domain of the air”. (Ephesians 2:2 TLV)

In Christ, we are the Bride of Christ, one day to be married to Christ.

Question: Is the Church, who is betrothed to Christ, an Esther, who is to fast and pray, and seek her Husband, the King of the Kingdom, Christ Jesus, for His intervention in life of this nation?

Is all this talking about spiritual warfare wearying you?

Be renewed with: I John 4:1-6, verse 4, says, “You are from God, children, and you have overcome them(the false prophets) because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (TLV) [insert mine] {Please read the passage in entirety}

Be renewed with : I John 5:4-5 TLV, “And the victory that has overcome the world is this–our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, if not the one who believes that Yeshua is Ben-Elohim?”(Jesus is Son of God)

Be renewed with: Revelation 1:7-12 TLV (Please read this passage), Verse 11 says, “They overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb(Jesus) and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives even in the face of death.”

Now what?

I encourage you to read I Peter 5:1-11. (note especially verses 6-9)

Stand fast in: James 4:7-8 TLV, “Therefore submit to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (Please read James 4:1-12 for context)

I want to encourage you to continue to pray for our nation, the upcoming election, and for the Church to awaken to the spiritual battle that we are facing at this time.

The Six-Day War in 1967 saw God’s intervention.

The 21 day battle of Daniel that occurred in the heavens was won by God’s intervention sending Michael.

The saving of the Jewish nation in the day of Esther was won because of God’s intervention.

2 Chronicles 20:14-15 TLV, says, “Then in the midst of the congregation, the Rauch(Spirit of) Adonai came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah the Levite, the son Asaph, and he said, “Listen all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat. Thus Adonai says to you, ‘Do not be afraid because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (This is a great story to read in context, 2 Chronicles 20:1-30) (insert mine)

This battle was won because of God’s intervention, doing it His way.

Our battle for this nation will be won with God’s intervention, doing it His way.

What is His way? I suggest this verse.

“When My people, over whom My name is called, humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ” 2 Chronicles 8:14 TLV, (context 2 Chronicles 8: 11-22, Solomon’s prayer, and God’s answer at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem.)

Notice the progression of thought, prefaced with the word, ‘when My people’–

Let us humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our evil ways(repent).

That is what God says for us to do.

What does God say He will do in response when we do this?

God says that He will hear us, will forgive our sin , and will heal the nation.

In short, God will intervene.

Many in this nation have been doing this. Some for years; others just recently.

That is not judgmental.

That is what is taking place in the Ekklesia.

Now, let’s give our attention to voting.

We are responsible to vote.

We must VOTE. asking God for His wisdom using a Biblical world-view according to His Word to filter our thought process.

Turn off the political rhetoric.

Do not listen to the irrational words that are being spewed forth as wisdom so that you can make your decision.

Turn your ears to the Lord, read His Word, listen for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct your thoughts.

There may be dark clouds surrounding us. There may be a torrential downpour of the rain of words that brings an unsettling and unprecedented unrest to your soul. Remember you are a member of the Body of Christ; you are part of the Bride of Christ; you are a joint-heir in Christ; you are a son or daughter of God, our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is your great high priest, mediator, and advocate. “Therefore, since we have a great Kohen Gadol (High Priest) who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua Ben-Elohim (Jesus the Son of God), let us hold firmly to our confessed allegiance. For we do not have a kohen godal (high priest under the Law of God), who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One (Jesus) who has been tempted in all the same ways-yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near to the throne of grace with boldness so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in the time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16 TLV) [inserts mine]

May the Lord richly bless you and give you peace,

a brother in Christ, deo

The Spiritual Battle is Ongoing!

Several weeks ago, I shared a post entitled, Five Weeks And Counting.

It is now less than five weeks until our national election. Today is October 23, 2024. The election is November 5, 2025.

The, next two weeks, will be fraught with intense spiritual warfare.

Spiritual battle has been ongoing since the rebellion of Lucifer, i.e., Satan.

Satan opposes God and seeks to disrupt Him, and His creation constantly.

We, as believers, in Christ Jesus are victorious.

Colossians 2:6-15 (Tree of Life Version):

“Therefore as you received Messiah Yeshua as Lord, so continue to walk in Him–rooted and built up in Him and established in your faith just as you were taught, overflowing with thankfulness. See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world rather than Messiah.” (vs. 6-8)

Consider this: This is the spiritual warfare that we, as followers of Christ, face everyday in our lives. This battle has been intensified in our nation in the past decade. The ‘tradition of men and the basic principles of the world (of politics) rather than Messiah’ have been pressed upon us. (insert mine)

And, unfortunately, many in the church, have paid more attention to the words of the political world, than to the Word of God.

What is the result?

The voice of the church has become insignificant in our nation.

B.U.T. (Believer Understand This), the Lord is awakening His Church. He is unstopping the deaf ears, and enabling the blind to see. PTL.

Returning to Colossians 3:6-16.

“For all the fullness of the Deity lives bodily in Him, and in Him you have been filled to fullness. He is the head over every ruler and authority.” (vs. 9)

So, Church, who is in charge? As many others have said, Jesus is!

The person who is elected as our president is in authority over our nation; but his or her authority is subservient to the Lord’s authority.

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto Me.” (Matthew 28:18, TLV)

Roman 13:1-2 (TLV), “Let every person submit himself to the governing authorities (that is not based upon political registration). For there is no authority except from God. (that is clearly understood), and those that exist are put in place by God. (What is the implication then regarding our election?), So, whoever opposes, the authority has resisted God’s direction, and those who have resisted will bring judgment on themselves.” (inserts mine)

Am I saying, then, that we have no absolute say in the matter of our election of president? Absolutely not!

Our state governments have determined who is qualified to vote. So what does the U.S. Constitution say about voting. “…it merely states that anyone eligible to vote for the largest house of a state’s legislature is also eligible to vote for members of the House of Representatives from that state”. (Democracy Docket)

“However, that is not to say the Constitution says nothing about elections. Through the Elections Clause, it gives Congress and the federal government the power to determine the “Times, Places, and Manner” of Congressional elections. Congress has used this power throughout the nation’s history to, for example, establish a single national Election Day and mandate single-member congressional districts.” (Democracy Docket)

Throughout our history, adjustments, both positive and negative have been tried and implemented saying who is and who is not eligible to vote.

That wrangling of eligibility continues to this day and this election.

Returning to Colossians 3:6-15 (TLV),

“In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision done not by hand, in stripping away of the body of the flesh through the circumcision of Messiah. You were buried along with Him in immersion, through which you also were raised with Him by trusting in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him when He pardoned us all our transgressions. He wiped out the handwritten record of debts with the decrees against us, which was hostile to us. He took it away by nailing it to the cross. After disarming the principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.” (vs. 11-15 TLV)

What you just read is the G.O.S.P.E.L.

God’s Redemptive Activity Changes Everything.

This is our VICTORY in Christ.

Christ has defeated Satan, conquered death, hell, and the grave, and death has died.

Jesus has regained through the cross, the position that Adam forfeited to Satan through his disobedience to God. Jesus, has re-assumed that position of authority by His obedience to God. (Romans 5:1-21)

What we have gained by our position in Christ, we will still wrestle against in our experience, until Christ returns, the End is finished, and we are with God, and He is with us. (Revelation 21:1-7)

This is our Blessed Hope.

As I have said the battle is still being waged.

What has this to do with our election?

Satan opposes what God is doing.

Satan has been and is undermining this nation’s foundation.

This nation was established by God.

Believers in Christ entered into a covenant relationship with God regarding the building of this nation. This nation has been blessed by God to further His Kingdom and to bless other nations in the world.

That does not mean that we, as a nation, have done all things, without sin.

Such an opinion is far from the truth. “…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3″23b, TLV)

However, Proverbs 14:34, TLV, says, “Righteousness exalts a national, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Our founding fathers knew that for this nation to survive according to its founding Constitution and Declaration of Independence, it would only succeed if the people of this nation followed its Judeo-Christian roots of morality and ethics.

We as a nation have fallen.

Our roots of morality and ethics have waned.

I submit to you that this is the essence of our choice at the ballot box in less than two weeks.

I encourage you to look at the two platforms of the opposing political parties and ask yourself, which of the two platforms, not perfectly, but substantially expresses a Biblical world-view?

Let me be forthcoming! Does God’s Word approve abortion? Does God’s Word approve the destruction and mutilation of children? Does God’s Word remove a parent’s authority over their children? Does God’s Word clearly define the meaning of male and female, and leave no room for ambiguity? Does God’s Word have a standard for marriage?

These are moral and ethical issues of our day? One party’s platform ignores the Biblical standard, the other party’s platform seeks to support God’s Biblical standard.

The political party that wins this election will continue to propagate their worldly philosophy and dictate their agenda in this nation.

Do not be deceived by the political rhetoric that is being spewed out with an intensity of words, accusations, and doomsday lies.

Believers have been bombarded by a persistent negative verbiage that has immobilized their thinking to the point that it has discouraged them from voting.

Wake up Church!

First, it matters, that all Christian’s vote.

Second, it matters, that all Christians vote according to a Biblical world-view.

Third, it matters, that the Church voice itself assertively in its voting according to the Word of God, at the ballot box.

Fourth, it matters, that Christians pray for believers in Christ to vote.

Fifth, it matters, that believers remember Ephesians 6:12-14a, (TLV)

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (him or her), but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to resist when the times are evil, and after you have done everything (which I believe includes voting), to stand firm. Stand firm then!” (insert mine)

Christian, you need to pray, you need to vote with a Biblical world-view, you need to continue to pray, you need to stand firm, and when the results are in, your task is not done, because the days are evil, and Satan is relentless. His battle will continue against God and His people. The good news is that God is totally in control. All things are being accomplished according to His will and purpose from eternity past until this age of creation closes and we are with Him in His eternal state.

If you have read this post, and are not a believer, I encourage you to vote. Look at the issues. Reflect upon them as I have mentioned in light of Who God is. God is a Holy God. He abhors sin. He hates the murder and mutilation of children. He created a man and a woman. He established marriage. He established the family. He engaged Himself in the founding of this nation.

The wisdom of the world, the philosophy of mankind, and ingenuity of man, because of mankind’s sinfulness of heart lives its life apart from God.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.(that is what Satan is totally opposed too.) The one who believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not put his trust in the name of the one and only Ben-Elohim.(Son of God) [John 3:16-18, TLV] {insert mine}

“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!” (Act 4:12, TLV)

That name is Jesus!

Blessings, a brother in Christ, deo

there is no women’s march today in DC. The main event is Nov. 2. The October 8 date was for 2022(?), the date is my error, but their agenda is as stated. Forgive for my error. I encourage you to still pray for our nation. Blessings, deo

A Call to Heavenly Warfare

It is no secret that throughout the history of mankind, there has been an eternal battle in the heavenlies. This warfare began with Lucifer’s prideful rebellion against God. (Isaiah 14:12-14)

Today, we ascribe the name of Satan to Lucifer. They are one and the same being.

Satan seeks to oppose God constantly. Satan is relentless in his pursuit to destroy what God has purposed.

I bring this to your remembrance.

It is not my purpose to discuss the doctrine of evil.

For those who follow my posts, you are aware that Ephesians 6:12 has been emphasized for two reasons. This warfare is real; and the call to warring in prayer is an absolute necessity in the last days.

Ephesians 6:12, KJV, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood (humanity), but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (insert mine)

Ephesians 6:12, Tree of Life Version, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

I want to quote from Got Questions, ‘How is Satan god of this world? (2 Corinthians 4:4)

[As you read this post, we know that God is the only One True God. He is Sovereign over all. Satan has been totally disarmed because of the Cross.]

Then why does he (Satan) have influence? Because God in His Sovereign plan of salvation uses him for His own purposes. ( See Job 1,2) We cannot question God. (insert mine)

“The phrase god of this world, (or god of this age) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, and views of the majority of people. His influence encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. When people live as if there is no God, they by default follow the god of this world. The unholy thoughts, destructive ideas, and wild speculations, and false religions of this world have sprung from Satan’s lies and deceptions. (See Ephesians 2:2, John 12:31, I John 5:19) Satan may be the god of this world, but his domain is limited to unbelievers. Born again children of God are no longer under the rule of Satan. God the Father “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13)…As the god of this world, Satan exercises his power over the unbelieving world world to keep them from Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 4:4, Matthew 13:19, I Timothy 4:1)” (got questions.com)

With this in mind, the Ekklesia, is called upon to pray.

The days are dark. The storm clouds are immense. The atmosphere is electric with the energy of our upcoming presidential election; and the Church must intercede for this nation.

We are in spiritual warfare. Satan is opposing the work of God.

This nation is at a crossroads for its very existence.

We as a nation, have sinned against God. We have walked out from under the umbrella of His protection for His purpose for us as a nation.

Recently, I became aware of some upcoming events that will be occurring in our nation.

I am composing this post on October 7, 2024.

Tomorrow the following begins to take place.

The dates are October 8, October 12, and November 2, 2024.

On October 8, there is a Woman’s March in Washington DC. (Editorial note, this March was in 2022(?), my error. However, their goals are the same. Please for give me.)

Quoting from their web-site. “Join us on Saturday October 8th in Washington D.C. to help us send a message: WE DEMAND OUR RIGHTS….Since October 8th marks 31 days until Election Day, we’re more fired up than ever to elect more women and pro-choice candidates around the country–we’re ready for the Women’s Wave. (Reminder this was in 2022(?) )

However, this year, 2024–

On October 12, there is ‘An Esther call to the Mall’ in Washington D.C.

Quoting from their .org, “A Million Women is gathering for those hungry to see the Lord’s hand cover this nation at the Mall in Washington DC on October 12, the Day of Atonement, to fast and prayer in unity as a Last Stand moment in America.”

I see an obvious difference in these two agendas.

On October 8th 2022(?9 the women were ‘demanding their rights’; on October 12th, 2024, the women are humbling themselves before God.

The first agenda centers on ‘self’; the second agenda centers in God.

This is the essence of the spiritual warfare in our nation.

Will we follow the dictates of our fallen humanity and serve self?

Or will we cry out to God and ask for His grace and mercy and center this nation on Him?

There is also another Women’s March scheduled for November 2, 2024 Washington D.C. and throughout the nation.

The theme of this activity is “Our Bodies, Our Future”. Their stated goal is “to build a feminist, multi-racial democracy that serves us all.”

What are the underlying spirits of these two agendas?

The Women’s March that demanded their rights; and now advocating ‘our bodies, our future’.

Compare this to the Women’s gathering that is assembling themselves to fast and pray for our nation.

There is no demand for their rights; they are humbling themselves before God.

One group is pridefully demanding their rights; the other group is submitting themselves to God.

These two agendas are in direct conflict. This conflict is spiritual warfare.

What does the Word of God instruct us to do?

James 4:6-10, KJV, “But He giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil (Satan), and he will will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”(insert mine)

Psalms 138:6 KJV, “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; but the proud he knoweth afar off.”

I Peter 5:5-11 KJV, Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him ; for he cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil (Satan), as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strenghen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (insert mine)

Quoting “An Esther Call to the Mall” gathering, “As we read in Joel 2, when there is no hope for a nation in crisis, where there is no remedy in the natural, God still has a prescription. “Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the people…” Joel 2:15-16a KJV (I quoted the verse in full), let the Esthers, the children, and the Mordecais gather and call on the Lord on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur-the time for individuals to atone for their sins of the past year. This is done in order to start the new year fresh, unburdened by past actions. )”

Quoting Women’s March, “Women’s March is building a base of feminists to end sexism, sexist exploitation. By 2050, we will be a feminist led movement that ensures anyone and everyone has the freedom to lead empowered lives in safety and security in their bodies, in their communities and throughout the country.”

The Women’s March says, “We see an economic system that values the rights and contributions of all, and that supports safety and dignity for everyone. These feminist values prioritize stewardship, and the just distribution of collective resources.”

Between October 8th and November 5th, our nation is going to continue to face a relentless barrage of viral verbal rhetoric that is going to fill the airways.

I, personally, do not need to hear anymore words. My heart is settled. My conscience is clear. I have considered the two platforms using a Biblical world view. Both platforms have their issues. But I have resolved that one platform supports a Biblical world view more than the other. I am not voting for or against a person nor choosing a president based upon his or her personality.

Why? because “we are not wrestling against flesh and blood”. However, there are issues in both platforms that are easily identifiable as being for and/or against a Biblical world view. I have concluded that one platform outweighs the other as being more positive toward a Biblical world view.

I encourage you to fast and pray for our nation.

I encourage you to wrestle in prayer against the principalities, rulers, powers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places.

I encourage you to evaluate your voting choices based upon a Biblical world view.

(If you need some additional help understanding what I am saying, please read the post, Five Weeks and Counting, at livingwordsofencouragement.com)

Church, we need to pray. The enemy of our souls, and our nation, is relentless. He, Satan, is waging spiritual warfare against us. He is seeking relentlessly to influence our thinking to dismantle this nation.

Your resistance is important.

Your vote expresses your resistance against Satan, and the forces of “spiritual wickedness in high places”.

Thank you for fasting, praying, and voting.

Blessing, a brother in Christ, deo

tbc

A Time to Read it Again, It’s October 1, 2024

THE A.R.R.O.W. OF GOD

Five Weeks And Counting…

It is now less than Five Weeks And Counting-November 5 will be here soon!

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, as the ‘unprecedented unrest’ is mounting…as the light of political truth reveals the secrets that have been hiding in darkness…as the volume of accusatory rhetoric increases…as the level of irrational wrangling escalates…we as a nation, a Constitutional republic will be going to the polls on or by November 5, 2024. Today is October 17,2024 and Five Weeks And Counting started, October 1, 2024.

As a believer in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, what is my responsibility as a citizen of the United States? I have dual citizenship. I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and Christ is my Lord; and I am a citizen of the United States and Joe Biden is my President.

I am told, and have understood, that many believers are in a valley of decision regarding the upcoming election. They are torn, not wanting to vote in this election. It is documented that many believers in the past elections have not voted because they were dissatisfied with the choice that was put before them in our national election for President.

I understand that struggle.

I, too, wrestled with the choice before me. But I was able to come to a ‘somewhat’ peaceful conclusion in the past elections and vote.

How? I had to identify what is most important to me as a citizen of the United States of America.

I want to encourage you, as a Christian, to vote.

It is important. Really important!

If you are in a valley of indecision, I want to encourage you not turn a blind eye away from the election process; but that you “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full into His wonderful face, And the things earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.” (Words by Helen H. Lemmel, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)

Your initial response to this might be: are you telling me then to ‘turn a blind eye’; no, in fact, I am trusting the Holy Spirit, that as you turn your eyes upon Jesus, you will look at your nation and see the upcoming election through the eyes of your Savior and Lord.

I contend that as you turn to Jesus, you will receive His focus upon the events shaping our nation, and give you understanding as you walk through your ‘valley of indecision’.

I believe the outcome will be that you will not ‘shrink’ from your responsibility to vote as a citizen of the United States because you will see that to vote is being a responsible citizen of the Kingdom of God.

What is our responsibility in the hour in which we are living?

As the title to this post declares, Five Weeks And Counting will be our national elections both at the federal and state levels.

As a citizen of the United States of America, voting has evolved throughout the history of our nation. Originally the states were given the determination who was approved to vote. This led obviously to quite a bit of variation among the states. We as a nation are still wrestling with the question of who can legally vote. Unfortunately, this wrangling has caused numerous issues in our recent elections.

Is it important for you to vote?

Absolutely.

Your vote, expresses your support for the nation. The process of voting is to keep our Republic strong by electing officials who are best suited to keep our nation moving forward based upon the strengths of our founding documents.

V.O.T.E : Voting Offers a True Expression of what you personally believe.

Unfortunately, over the course of our national history, there have arisen factions that want to change our founding foundation. Since the 1900s the thought of change has grown in intensity; and in the past 60 years, the proponents of change have become more demonstrative, both verbally and behaviorally.

From my perspective the fruit of those seeds of influence are now being expressed as ‘unprecedented unrest’ in our nation.

Some will automatically call me conspiratorial. That is not my heart.

The fact is that such a label of advocating ‘conspiracy theories’ is one of the issues that is at the heart of our current election rhetoric. People who disagree with the truth, or who want to ignore the thinking of those who raise credible contradictions dismiss their opposition’s claims with ‘name calling’.

Such is a current bedrock in our nation’s political rhetoric.

The SOUL, the LIFEBLOOD, the FUTURE, and the STABILITY of our nation, may indeed, be changed based upon the outcome of the November 5, 2024 election.

If you listen carefully to both political sides, that is exactly, what they are advocating.

Both sides are claiming to be saving our nation, our democracy, our very existence as we know it.

In fact, it is no secret, but both sides are praying to God for victory and their opposition’s defeat.

To me that is parallel to two competing athletic teams that have Christian players on both teams praying and asking God for victory.

What does one conclude when the winner and the loser become a reality, the contest is over, and victor is known?

How do you ‘feel’ when your favorite athletic team loses?

Are you ‘bummed out’?

*A personal testimony*

If you are a believer in Christ, confused, turned off to politics, bogged down in a valley of indecision, who has made the decision not to vote, I want you to know that I am not out to manipulate, pressure, or coerce you; however, I am asking you to seriously reconsider your decision.

Why?

We are not wrestling against flesh and blood (people/and their personalities); but we are wrestling against principalities, powers, and rulers of spiritual darkness. (Ephesians 6:12) (insert mine)

Consider this, your non-vote is a vote supporting those in our nation that want to dismantle our founding principles that will cause our Constitutional Republic to become weak and/or completely destroyed.

Yes, I am aware that those are strong words; but think seriously about the ramifications of our nation being changed negatively from within!

What is the S.O.U.L. of our nation? It is Saving Our Unalienable Liberties (or Lifestyle). It is about our life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I suggest that if you clearly understand this; you will vote.

A couple of weeks ago, I came a point, where I realized that I did not need to hear any more words; I did not need to read any more headlines and their subsequent content. I have been purposely avoiding the news shows and the cable pundits because their analysis and rhetoric is verbal venom poisoning the minds of the voting electorate. I was certain I was not going to hear anything new. (As I update this post-I confess that there have been articles that have caught my attention. The latest is one about the number of Christian that are projected not to vote. It could be as high as 42 million. I believe that is wrong.)

[I am convinced that the Lord is uncovering the deeds and words of darkness bringing to light the lies and deceptions that have been perpetrated by both sides of the political isle. (If you would like to read more about this, go to livingwordsofencouragement.com and see the post, The A.R.R.O.W. of God.)]

I came to the point where I understood that my mind was mentally settled and that I could rest in my decision to vote.

Let me tell you why I needed to vote.

It is my responsibility as a citizen of the United States of America.

I need to live at peace with the Lord.

I need to live at peace with myself.

I need to have a clear conscience.

I need to be able to pray for the next President, just as I now pray for President Biden. The Word of God tells us to pray for those in authority over us “so that people can live peaceful and quiet lives.” (I Timothy 2:1-2)

I desire to be in that group of ‘people’. The scripture does not say that I have to agree with their decisions. Most of President Biden’s decisions I do not personally agree with; but that is not an excuse for me to avoid praying for him, and others in authority over me with a clear conscience.

Therefore, as I mentioned above, I do not need to be persuaded how to vote listening to the rhetoric of the political parties, and their pundits pontificating every day.

I am at rest in the Lord.

What has brought me to that rest?

That rest has been created by the Word of God.

I have chosen the Biblical worldview to come to my decision.

The Biblical worldview is Absolute Truth.

Both parties platforms are the expressions of man’s wisdom for the hour in which we live and are written explaining what they believe and they want to be accomplished to this nation forward.

They believe their platform will bring about the course correction needed for this nation.

What do you believe is necessary for a course correction for our nation?

If your course correction rests completely upon a candidate and his or her personality and/or characteristics, then I must say to you that you have fallen short of what is best for our nation?

Both platforms are NOT without serious shortfalls from the Absolute of God’s Word; but using the Word of God to evaluate both parties platforms, I have concluded that one of the two parties platforms provides for a resting place for my own personal peace and a clear conscience as a believer in Jesus Christ.

I am NOT saying that the party platform I have chosen perfectly aligns with the Word of God.

I have chosen the platform that I believe is more aligned with the Word of God than the other platform.

As I said previously, my decision brings rest and peace to me personally.

Why is that important?

It allows me to pray for this nation’s next President with a clear conscience, and not riddled by guilt, or regret.

It gives me a spiritual position of being able to quench the ‘fiery darts’ of the enemy that wants to assail me with accusations of fault.

In Christ, I can confidently submit myself before God, resist the devil, and he will flee. (James 4:7)

Therefore, I encourage you to prayerfully consider your personal position as a voter in this nation’s upcoming election.

What are your beliefs?

Do they align with the Word of God?

Are you at peace and rest as you approach the time to cast your vote?

There are major issues on state ballots that need voting upon by a responsible informed electorate.

Jesus said, that the enemy comes only to kill, steal, and destroy; but that He has come that we may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

God has blessed this nation abundantly. Yes, we have misused those blessings; but we, too, have been able to bless many other nations and individuals.

Let us make sure we do not lose our founding principles because we choose not to vote or vote ignorantly listening only to the wisdom of man and not be guided by the wisdom of God’s Word.

It’s time to pray, be informed by Godly Absolutes, and vote intelligently and conscientiously.

Blessings, a brother in Christ, deo

Note: I want to give credit to my brother, David, who sent me a text that had the words, five weeks and counting, that I used for the title for this post.

Chaos+Confusion+Corruption =

On August 14, 2024, a post was composed with this word equation as its title.

Today is September 16, 2024. I would like to share some additional thoughts regarding the post.

It’s no ‘new’ news to those that follow my posts that I have been sharing about the ‘unprecedented unrest’ coming to this nation.

We have seen and heard of events that have escalated the ‘unrest’ in this nation.

As the day of our Presidential election gets closer, things will continue heating up. The political climate will become hotter and hotter each day.

What is contributing to these elevated temperatures throughout the nation?

The clash of words. We are in an incendiary moment. There is a ‘war of words’ that are igniting worry. They are proceeding from both political parties and even from Christian ministries that mean well. Their words can cause anxiety too.

The ‘war of words’ reminds of the story of Chicken Little who is constantly crying out, “the sky is falling, the sky is falling”. I am using these words because we are being told by both political parties that the end of our nation is eminent if the ‘other side’ wins.

The political rhetoric is to emphasize traumatic worry within the minds of the voters.

Let me share my thinking in a more forceful way.

The ‘words of this world’ that generate worry are like ‘water boarding’ a prisoner attempting to break their resolve and vote like they are told.

The words of our political process are like a ‘constant dripping’ of a faucet that needs to be turned off.

The ‘many words’ of the political process are like a heavy weight upon the mind that is pressing down the very souls of the voters.

Strong words, yes; but I believe that they are true.

What is the SOUL of our nation: Saving Our Unalienable Liberties.

Both sides are saying they are the answer to saving the SOUL of our nation.

The problem is that the wisdom of the world does not have the answers.

The wisdom that we need is the ‘Wisdom of the Word’.

The ‘Wisdom of the Word’ does not bring worry. Let me state that again. The ‘Wisdom of the Word’ does not bring worry.

The Wisdom of the Word brings light that exposes the darkness; life that conquers death; peace of mind that overcomes anxiety, worry, fret, uncertainty.

I want to share with you a personal testimony.

Several days ago, I came to the place where I was mentally tired of all the words that were being shared, regurgitated, re-analyzed, dug-up, etc. This realization became apparent to me in spite of the fact that I have been personally avoiding not being caught up in the political rhetoric; yet trying to be somewhat savey of what is going on.

I found myself at a place where I didn’t need to hear any more words. I was at peace in my mind. I had a clear conscience about how I was going to vote.

Now it was time to thank the Lord for His Sovereignty regarding the election in our nation. I was resting in the ‘Wisdom of the Word’.

Regarding the election, it will be God’s will. There is no room for another conclusion.

My choice of vote is not based upon a person or his/her personality.

My choice is based upon honoring my Lord according to His Word.

Jesus Christ is our Wisdom. He is the Wisdom of the Word. He is the Word.

I Corinthians 1: 27-31 NKJV says, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound (put to shame) the things that are mighty; and the base (insignificant) things of the world, and the things that are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things that are not, to bring to nought (nothing) the things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God, is(became for us) wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (inserts from the marginal notes of the Study Bible)

Thank you Father, I am resting in my Lord, and giving Him the glory.

Therefore, for me, personally, Chaos+Confusion+Corruption is negated by resting in Christ, Who is my Wisdom in the midst of the verbal political conflict perpetrated by the ‘words of the world’ that are foolishness in God’s sight.

These words are connected to the previous post of August 14, 2024.

If you would like to read the original post for the first time, or for a second time I encourage you to do so.

I especially pray that the Lord will fulfill for you Philippians 4:5-7.

I encourage you to read it, reflect upon it, and pray it, believing that the Lord will give His peace of mind in these stressful times.

Blessings, a brother in Christ, deo

Chaos+Confusion+Corruption =

A Word Of Encouragement:Putting Things Into Perspective!

As a United Evangelical Licensed minister, I receive a monthly letter of communication from the National Office. This letter is sent by Robert B. Fort, the Chairman of United Evangelical Churches.

I have received permission from Robert Fort to publish his letter of June 10, 2024, which is sent to the UEC Family.

The following is the text of that letter.

Dear U.E.C. Family:

What an awesome day to be serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Exciting things are happening in the Kingdom and I trust you are experiencing the intimate presence and abundant power of God in your daily life and ministry.

We are living in prophetic times. The challenges are everywhere…but so are the opportunities. The needs are many…but our storehouse is inexhaustible. The world is in consternation…but we know the answer.

I am amazed by the number of Christians who are beside themselves with worry or fear because of the things happening in our world (and in the U.S.A. in particular) in the political, economic and social arenas. Brothers and Sisters, we have a Kingdom for such a time as this!

This is the time to remind ourselves and those to whom we minister, to hold the things of this earth very loosely. Jesus said not to lay up treasures for ourselves on earth, Where moth and rust corrupt, and Where thieves break through and steal (Matthew 6:19). Paul says: If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on the things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3).

This is a time to remind ourselves, and those to whom we minister, that the things taking place in our world must happen. The stage is being set for the rise of the Antichrist and as John the Beloved stated in I John 2:18: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

This is a time to remind ourselves, and those to whom we minister, that God’s power is released in even greater measure when reprobate hearts/minds flourish. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20); and, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world

Holding fast the faithful word,

UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCHES

Robert B. Fort

Chairman

_______________________________________________

I trust that Brother Fort’s words ministered to your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

May the Lord richly bless you, and give you peace,

a brother in Christ, deo

Chaos+Confusion+Corruption =

Today is August 14,2024.

“This the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it.!” (Psalm 118:24, Tree of Life Version [TLV])

Looking out over the landscape of our nation and the nations of the world, it may be hard for some of us to ‘rejoice and be glad’ today.

The emphasis of this verse is not to focus on the events, turmoil, or even the unrest that envelopes us, but to focus on our God who has given us this day.

Every day that our Father God provides for us is a day of opportunity to rejoice and be glad in Him.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of staying focused upon our Heavenly Father at this time in our nation.

If we do not stay focused upon the Lord, we might find ourselves completing the about equation as follows: chaos +confusion + corruption = consternation*

* consternation means, feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.

It is so easy to give our attention to the daily headlines regarding the world.

It is so easy to listen to the blaring rhetoric of many voices shouting at us to pay attention to them.

In short, there is much present ‘today’ that diverts us from focusing upon our Father who loves us, cares for us, provides for us, and is Sovereign over all the affairs of the nations of this world, and is Providential over all the affairs of His children.

I encourage you to read your favorite Psalm and rejoice in the Lord on ‘this day’ that He has made.

Selah.

The title of this post speaks to the ‘unprecedented unrest’ that permeates our nation and the other nations of the world.

As you saw, when you read the title, there was no answer to the written equation.

In mathematics, a mathematical statement without an answer is an incomplete statement.

Is the answer to this statement unknown?

Is this mathematical statement unsolvable?

Are we allowed to put whatever answer we think is right to complete this statement?

Question: How would God answer this statement?

What might be His answer to this incomplete statement?

Let me put this thought to you this way.

When God sees chaos, confusion, and corruption on the earth, what might be His response?

Genesis 6 provides for us such an opportunity to read what God saw and how He responded.

Genesis 6:1-7, NKJV.

“And it came to pass, when the men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men that they were beautiful ; and they took them wives of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, “My spirit shall not strive with man forever, for that he is indeed flesh: yet his days shall be hundred and twenty years.”

Simply put, God did not approve of what was going on as He watched His original creation of humanity live out their lives.

Their lifestyle was the result of Adam’s sin. (Genesis 3)

(Continuing in Genesis 6)

“There were giants( Nephlim, fallen or mighty ones) in the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

Question: What did God see ?

(Continuing in Genesis 6) “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (intent or thought) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (all the day).” (boldness mine, inserts from the margin of my Bible)

Question: What was God’s reaction ?

(Continuing in Genesis 6) “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in his heart.” (boldness mine)

This is not a confession of God that He made a mistake. God knew before creation, in eternity past, what would be the sequence of events that would happen with mankind; and what would need to take place to reconcile humanity to Himself. (see Ephesians 1)

There is a redemptive story throughout scripture. It is the Gospel message. What we allowed to see is that humanity’s sin grieved God’s heart.

God is very grieved over the consequences of sin throughout His creation.

God is very grieved over chaos, confusion, and corruption as it existed then, and over its existence today. Man’s unrepentant heart grieves God.

Question: What did God do?

(Continuing Genesis 6) “So the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, creeping thing, and birds of the air; for I am sorry that I have made them.” (boldness mine)

How can God who is grieved by the wrong doing of His creation of mankind say that He will destroy everything because He is sorrowful that He created them? (emphasis mine)

God is Holy.

He is without sin.

God is ‘sorrowful’ over sin; but He is a God of Justice. (emphasis mine)

Question: What had God instructed Adam about the care of the garden that He created?

Question: What had God commanded Adam that he should eat from?

Question: What did God say would be the result if Adam did not do as he was commanded?

Genesis 2:15-18, NKJV

“Then the Lord took the man(Adam), and put him in the garden of Eden to tend(cultivate) it and to keep it. And the Lord commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat, for in the day eat of it, you shall surely die.”(inserts mine)

Therefore, we assume everyone died because God said that He would destroy mankind from the face of the earth.

NO!

Everyone could not have died because today is August 14, 2024; and “This is the day that the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24, NKJV)

What happened?

(Continuing in Genesis 6:8)

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (emphasis mine)

God is a God of Justice; but He is also a God of Grace.

This is the message of Calvary. The Cross is a horrific picture of Christ’s suffering and death.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says of Jesus, God’s Son: “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus).” (inserts mine)

The Cross is the intersection of God’s Justice and God’s Love that erupts in abundant Grace with the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Romans 5:20b, NKJV, “…But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

Consider this acronym: GRACE-God’s Redemptive Activity Changes Everything

How?

At the Cross!

“For God so loved* the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16, NKJV)

(*loved, agapao; Strong’s #25: Unconditional love, love by choice and by an act of the will. The word denotes unconquerable benevolence and undefeatable goodwill. Agapao will never seek anything but the highest good for fellow humankind. Agapao and agape(the noun) are the words for God’s unconditional love.) Word Wealth, NKJV Spirit Filled Life Bible, pg. 1447.

Today, we live in a world that resembles what God looked down upon when we read Genesis 6.

A world that is filled with chaos, confusion, and corruption.

To complete the equation in title sentence using Genesis 6, we would conclude that CHAOS + CONFUSION + CORRUPTION = FLOOD

Jesus makes the following statement in Matthew 24: 36-39 NKJV, responding to His disciples question about when the end would come?

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Jesus refers to the condition of the world prior to His return as comparable to the days of Noah.

Yes, the world will be a place of darkness, permeated with chaos, confusion, and corruption- that exhibits all the fruit of mankind’s heart that is continually ‘intent’ with thoughts that ‘are evil’ at all times.

Genesis 6:11-13, NKJV, says, “The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth and indeed it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold I will destroy them with the earth.”

B.U.T. – Believers Understand This –

Noah had found grace in the sight of the Lord.

Why?

Genesis 6:9, NKJV, “Noah was a just man, perfect (blameless or having integrity) in his generations. Noah walked with God.” (insert-marginal notes)

Question? What did God provide for Noah?

Genesis 6:14, God says to Noah, “Make yourself an ark…”

Noah obeys God, builds an ark; Noah and his households is saved; God floods the earth bringing judgment upon humanity for their sins.

Jesus Christ is our ARK. In Christ, we, too are safe from God’s judgment and wrath against sin. Why? Because at the Cross, Jesus became sin for the sin of the world; God’s wrath was justifiably satisfied by Jesus’ atoning death.

Romans 10:9-13 NKJV, says, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is not distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

As you may have read in previous posts, there are ominous clouds of darkness foreboding over our nation and the nations of the world.

There is every reason to point out the chaos, confusion, and corruption throughout the earth.

However,the good news is that not every heart is constantly thinking evil.

There are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the nations of the world who are in the ARK.

What ARK?

Jesus Christ is our ARK.

Christ Jesus is our Lord.

He is our King governing A Righteous Kingdom.

As we rest in the refuge of the ARK of His presence, we can daily sing, rejoice, and be glad in this day which the Lord has made.

The storm of God’s Flood brought about a catastrohpic change to the whole earth.

God is not going to flood the earth again as He did in the days of Noah. He made a covenant with Noah and sealed that covenant with a sign, a rainbow. (Genesis 9:1-17)

There will not be a flood but there is a great shaking that is coming to the nations of the earth.

The effects of that shaking are being seen, heard, and felt now throughout the world.

God is moving mightily.

There are revivals; many coming to Christ; many following the Lord in water baptism; and there are signs and wonders.

I read an article yesterday, (August 13, 2023,) on the CBN news app about the number of Muslims in Iran that are turning to the Lord. The estimate is one million people have accepted Christ, and that 50000-75000 Mosques have closed.

Rejoice Church.

We hear about the rumor of war between Iran and Israel: but have you heard about God’s work of saving souls?

I want to close with this picture.

Genesis 1:1-3 TLV, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was chaos and waste, and darkness was on the surface of the deep and the Ruach Elohim (Holy Spirit) was hovering upon the surface of the water. Then God said, “Let there be light!” and there was light.”

John 1:1-5, TLV, “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made through Him, and apart from Him nothing was made that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overpowered it.”

The Holy Spirit is God’s ‘seismic power shift’. The Holy Spirit is the One Who brooded over the darkness in the beginning (Genesis 1:1-2).

As recorded in these verses, the heavens and earth were “chaos and waste”.

I have a question. Father, do You see chaos and waste and darkness in America?

I can visualize America in chaos and waste, with great darkness on the surface of our nation, like it was on the surface of the deep.

Just as the Holy Spirit was ‘brooding’/’hovering’ over the surface of the water, the Holy Spirit is ‘hovering’ over our nation, meaning it is ‘waiting in patient expectation’.

I want to encourage you to focus upon the Holy Spirit’s Presence ‘hovering’ over our chaos, confusion, and corruption engulfed by darkness.

The Hebrew word for hovering, is ‘meranefet’.

This word is also found in Deuteronomy 32:11.

There it reveals the idea of protection.

This same word is found in Jeremiah 23:9.

There it depicts ‘fluttering’/’shaking’.

So we have three powerful meanings: 1. waiting in patient expectation 2. protection 3. flutter or shake.

Question: What is the Holy Spirit ‘waiting in patient expectation’ for?

Answer: In Genesis 1:3, God says, “Let there be light, and there was light”.

Light dispels darkness (John 1:1-5)

Picture a helicopter ‘hovering’ over an area ready to respond when needed.

What is it waiting for? orders to respond

The Holy Spirit is ‘positioned’ at this time ‘hovering’ over our nation and people.

The Holy Spirit is positioned patiently to move in power at the Word of the Lord, releasing the Holy Spirit’s activity to bring 1. order out of chaos, 2. fruitfulness out of waste 3. light that dispels the darkness.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit’s activity negates the equation at the beginning of this post. Chaos + Confusion + Corruption (does not equal) Consternation

The next three months are going to be chaotic, wasteful, and very dark.

The Holy Spirit, is ‘brooding’/’hovering’ over our nation, waiting patiently, ready to perform God’s Word on behalf of this America.

God’s Word was, “Let there be light, and there was light”.

God’s Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit distinguished the light from the darkness.

“…God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. ” (I John 1:5b).

The Presence of God dispels the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome God’s Light.

Light negates darkness!

God’s Light is being manifested today, around the world, in the strongholds of darkness that engulf many nations.

God is going to manifest His Light here in our nation, dispelling the darkness, and pouring out His Spirit bringing many individuals to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness*, but have the light of life.” (NKJV)

*Word Wealth: darkness, scotia, Strong’s #4653: Darkness, gloom, evil, sin, obscurity, night, ignorance, moral depravity. The NT especially uses the word in a metaphorical sense of ignorance of divine truth, man’s sinful nature, total absence of light, and a lack of spiritual perception….Scotia as spiritual darkness basically describes everything earthly or demonic that is at enmity with God. (NKJV, Spirit Filled LIfe Bible, pg. 1467)

I know these are strong words, but this is the darkness that we as a nation have succumbed too.

This is the darkness that our God, the Father; His Son Jesus Christ; and the Holy Spirit are going to dispel and set us free from as a nation.

Please read John 8:31-36.

As a believer in Christ, I beseech you to earnestly pray for this nation.

The enemy has come to kill, steal, and destroy; but Christ has come to bring us life, and that life more abundantly in Him. (my paraphrase of John 10:10)

We are battling the forces of darkness for the soul of this nation.

These are not flippant words. (Ephesians 6;12)

This spiritual warfare is for the core of our very existence.

Do not be deceived by clever rhetoric, political drama, presidential personalities, deceitful slogans, or outrageous claims.

Keep your focus on Christ, He is the Light of the world.

Therefore, “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.” (Isaiah 60: 1-2, NKJV)

a brother in Christ, deo

60 Years Ago, Ronald Reagan Said…

Before you read my post, I would like to direct your attention to a speech delivered at the 1964 Republican Convention that took place 60 years ago.

Please go to reaganlibrary.gov and read Reagan’s speech, A Time for Choosing Speech, October 27, 1964.

[Go to Menu, Archives, Speeches-Major Speeches, 1964-1989. Enter Search Terms- A Time for Choosing Speech, then scroll down and read the speech.]

Why do I ask you to do this?

Because, 60 years later, ask yourself, what has our nation become since he shared this speech?

UPON WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSED?

As I survey the political climate and breathe the atmosphere of our nation’s beating heart, I visualize clouds of darkness and despair.

Those are not very encouraging words when addressing an audience of readers.

But, if you are aware of the tension that is gripping our nation, then you know that these words are true.

Many see darkness and gloom, others see light and hope.

It is a matter of perspective.

What is your perspective?

What do you see?

Jesus said, in Matthew 6: 22-23, NKJV, “The lamp of the body is the eye, If, therefore, your eye is good (clear or healthy), your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad (evil or unhealthy), your whole body will be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (inserts, marginal notes) (emphasis mine)

Is the ‘eye’ of our nation, ‘good’ or ‘evil’ ?

Subsequent to these words Jesus said the following:

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24 NKJV)

Q: What master are we serving as a nation?

Upon what is it focused?

Upon what am I focused?

Upon what are you focused?

The notes in my NKJV Spirit Filled Study Bible, make the following observations regarding Matthew 6:22-24.

“The person with the good (“healthy”) eye is one whose intent is to serve God and not mammon (the money-god, used here to indicate the whole system of materialism). The person with the bad eye is selfish, covetous, and miserly. The one’s life is full of light, meaning, and purpose; the other’s life is plunged into darkness, deprived of meaning.” (pg. 1300)

Is it ok to substitute the word ‘nation’ for the word ‘person’ in Jesus’ teaching?

I suggest that it is.

I suggest that our pursuit of ‘mammon’ (the ‘money-god’) is an idol that we, individually, and as a nation have treasured and that that pursuit has taken our focus (eye) off the One True God, and plummeted us into the darkness that we are groping with as a nation. (inserts, emphasis mine)

As we have walked about in our blindness, other philosophies, espousing their opposing ‘isms’, have ‘seen’ our condition and taken advantage of us the past 60 years.

I recommend that you read Deuteronomy 8:1-20.

Notice the progression of Israel taking their ‘eyes’ off the source of their wealth, their God; and transferring its source to their own prideful accomplishments that lifts up their hearts forgetting God.

What does God say will happen to them?

Deuteronomy 8:30-31, NKJV, “Then it shall be if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other God’s, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.” (emphasis mine)

What is the progression? forget, follow, serve, worship

What does this progression lead to? idol worship

The Apostle John, in I John 5:21 (NKJV) concludes his letter saying, “Little children (believers), keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (insert, emphasis mine)

Our nation is beset with idolatry.

Does this mean that we, as a nation, have not been generous to other nations throughout our history?

Absolutely not !

We have been very generous throughout the life of this nation.

But, in spite of our generosity, we find ourselves using our resources in ways not for the sole of bringing help and assistance to others; but, for the purpose of selfish gain and supporting causes that are not in the best interest for us as a nation.

Our resources are being used to build up and support causes that are destructive to our founding principles, our Constitutional Republic, destroying the foundation of our government, enhancing the personal priorities of individuals, and enabling a political agenda that undermines us as a nation.

In short, the people of this nation, have been blinded by the darkness of the ‘god of mammon’; and we have fallen asleep as the darkness of evil influenced our lifestyle.

We have pridefully turned away from following the Lord and pursued our own personal idols both as individuals and as a nation.

We need to be awakened.

Please read I Timothy 6:6-21.

I want to draw your attention especially to I Timothy 6:10, NKJV.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

I believe these words tell us exactly where we are as a nation.

This is a root cause for the darkness in our nation

The pursuit of the ‘god of mammon’ is not just a non-christian pursuit.

Believers in Christ can also forget, follow, serve, and worship the ‘god of mammon’.

This is the teaching of Deuteronomy 8.

This pursuit of following the ‘god of mammon’ has affected the church.

Let me remind you again of the words, I quoted earlier found in Matthew 6:24, that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5-7)

In context, the Lord is teaching His listeners about the lifestyle for those who choose to follow Him; and explaining to them what to expect as His disciple.

He is very poignant when He says, “you cannot serve God and mammon”.

So , is it correct to assume that ‘all’ of our issues are the result focusing on money and ignoring God?

Some agree with that conclusion and some do not agree with that conclusion; but when you have carefully read Deuteronomy 8, I believe, that you will be hard pressed not to see the parallel between what is said about the nation of Israel and the history of the United States in its relationship to the ‘god of mammon’.

The truth is ‘any idol‘ ‘will change your ‘clear’ eye to an ‘evil’ eye.

What are the first and second commandments ? See Exodus 20: 1-6

Are these commandments relative today in the life of a follower of Christ?

Absolutely.

They are the moral and ethical standards for the followers of Christ to understand and apply to their life ‘in Christ’.

Those standards were taught in principle by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, and outlined throughout the teaching of the New Testament.

Remember, I am NOT saying that America is the nation of Israel.

I am pointing out what I understand to be a parallelism between the nation of Israel and our nation.

As of February 2024, our national debt was $34.4 trillion.

What is the outcome of such indebtedness?

Time will tell.

So ponder this: a) is the lifestyle of the local church governed by its relationship to mammon? b) is the lifestyle of a nation governed by its relationship to mammon?

Re-read what Jesus said in Matthew 6:22-24.

Remember Jesus is outlining His Kingdom beatitudes for His followers to ‘see’ as they follow Him.

Again, you “cannot serve God and mammon”.

Application.

For some time now, I have been sharing about the ‘unprecedented unrest’ that is coming to this nation and to the nations of the world.

These two words, the Lord spoke to me, pointing out the state of affairs coming to our nation and to the nations of the world.

It is obvious that what was brought to my attention is true, has begun, and is escalating.

Like you, I have read and heard people in the media use both of these words.

They speak of things that are ‘unprecedented’ and also of the ‘unrest’ that is happening in our nation.

We, as a nation, are experiencing the fruit of the ‘evil’ seeds that have been sown in the lifestyle of the ‘soils’ of our nation and our individual lives.

We are harvesting the crops of our failures.

We are harvesting the crops of the evil seeds that have been implanted in the ‘soil’ of America throughout its history ,especially since 1900, and more extensively since the 1960’s.

(Please read, if you have not, Ronald Reagan’s speech from the 1964 Republican Convention.)

I do not need to rehearse for you the daily headlines; nor do I need to list the stories of ‘unrest’ that are daily posted on the media apps that we see and read.

What is tragic is the constant watering and fertilizing of those seeds that are producing the crops of ‘unrest’!

This watering and fertilizing takes place daily throughout the media, especially the cable news networks.

I am not picking sides.

I am commenting on the ‘watering and fertilizing with words’ that takes place 24/7.

The cable news networks functions like a farmer taking care of his crops.

What needs to happen is a change of ‘seeds’ that are being planted in the soil of America. We need good seeds to be planted. Those seeds need a healthy ‘watering with words’ that will cause those ‘good’ seeds to grow in our nation.

Unfortunately, we as a nation, have set aside God’s Word, which is the ‘good’ seed that needs to be sown in the soil of our hearts, individually and as a nation.

If we have chosen to forget, follow, serve and worship the One True God, then we are reaping what we have sown.

I want to use the words of a parable that Jesus shared to show you a principle for living as a nation.

In context, Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 13:24-28 NKJV, Jesus told this parable.

This parable follows the parable of the sower.

The parable is entitled, The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. (New Spirit Filled Life Study Bible)

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. “But when the grain sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir did you not so good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ‘Let them both grow until the harvest, and at that time I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ‘ “

Using the commentary in my Study Bible about this parable, it says:

“The central message of this parable is that the consummated Kingdom of God will be different from the present kingdom (reign) in that the consummated kingdom will be in a perfected environment of only the sons of the kingdom. Currently, sons of the kingdom and sons of the Evil One live together in human society,”

In light of this parable, it is clear that the ‘unprecedented unrest’ that we, as believers and a nation, are experiencing today in ‘human society’ should not be a surprise.

A former Pastor of mine, Dr. Robert Evans said, “The world is going to do what the world is going to do.”

The scripture tells us plainly that we will ‘reap what we sow’. (Galatians 5-6)

What is the Spirit of God saying to the Church, the Ekklesia, at this time?

This parable gives us an example of what has taken place in our nation’s history.

I am NOT saying that America is the Kingdom of God.

We as a nation were founded and established with the ‘good’ seed of Judeo-Christian principles. Since our founding, enemies of this nation have sown ‘evil’ seeds to undermine this nation; to destroy its Christian heritage;and to undo its Constitutional foundation.

Our nation blossomed in its founding; it grew ‘good’ crops that were healthy because of the ‘good’ seeds that were sown.

Unfortunately,seeds of ‘evil’ influence have also been sown in the soil of America and produced crops that appeared to be ‘good’ crops, but are ‘look alikes’.*

*[Note: Look up the difference between darnel and wheat]

These ‘look alikes’ sound correct, look correct, and behaved like ‘good’ crops; but down deep in their hearts their moral and ethical fruits are not like the crops of the original Judeo-Christian seeds sown.

Why?

Their hearts are ‘evil’.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes this statement in Matthew 7:15-20 about false prophets.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.”

My emphasis is focusing on the fruits of the seeds that have been sown.

The witnesses of the ‘look alikes’ to this nation and to other nations are deceptive.

They are a false testimony. They are liars and deceivers.

Who is the father of lies, and a deceiver?

Satan

Like the ‘man who sowed good seed’ in his field, while he and his workers slept, believing everything was ‘good’; his enemies came in during the night (darkness) and sowed their own ‘evil’ seeds of influence among the ‘good’ seeds.

Using this parable as an analogy, what is the result?

We as a nation, have ‘slept’ in our goodness and prosperity.

Our ‘pride of greatness’, as we have called it, has ‘blinded’ us from what has quietly been sown in our midst.

Those ‘evil’ seeds have grown into healthy crops and overtaken us to the point where our ‘good’ seeds have been choked out and our ‘good’ crops can hardly grow and have any ‘good’ positive influence in our nation.

Like the servants of the farmer who awoke and saw what had happened, we as a nation are awakening up to what has happened in our nation.

The ‘evil’ seeds of influence have overtaken much of our society and are flourishing abundantly and manifesting their fruits of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Our society is being subjected to the philosophical crops of the evil- isms that have matured.

This ‘unrest’ is the result of the ‘evil’ seeds sown by our enemy in the soil of our nation just like into the soil of the farmer in Jesus’ parable.

The ‘evil’ seeds have produced the fruits of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, one of the first questions, I would ask myself is whether or not I see this ‘unprecedented unrest’ or am I walking in blindness?

This ‘unrest’ is not new.

This ‘unrest’ is the fruit of Satan that he orchestrated in the Garden of Eden.

He deceived Eve; then Adam followed in willful disobedience to God’s instruction to him. (Romans 5)

This is the result of the original sin.

The source is not Adam. Adam is ‘flesh and blood’, a human being “created in the image and likeness of God”.

Satan is the source; but Adam’s response is the source of the ‘evil seed’.

We, the descendants of Adam, are responsible for our lifestyles , actions, behaviors, conducts, and words?

Selah.

Thank you Father, for the Incarnation of Christ, Who came in the likeness of sinful flesh, and knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God.

B.U.T. (Believers Understand This), “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (humanity) but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV) (emphasis mine, insert mine)

Bluntly stated, the source of the ‘evil’ seed is the devil and his demons who deceive mankind to sow ‘evil’ seed because the heart of mankind is ‘evil’ because of Adam’s disobedience.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV, “For though we walk in the flesh (a human body), we do not war according to the flesh (using human strength, weaponry). For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (of the flesh-marginal note) but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (whose strongholds? Satan’s), casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (like the evil philosophical influences), bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (inserts mine)

We are witnessing and wrestling against the fruits of what is exalting itself against the knowledge of God as we watch and listen to the daily activities of the ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Paul exhorts us to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. But note, he says that we must bring our thought process into obedience before we are can do battle with the ‘thoughts of the enemy’.

Did he really say that? Yes, go back and read it carefully.

The commentary in my Study Bible makes this true. It says, “Paul is ready to punish the rebels who continue to refuse to repent. First he must be assured of the obedience of the congregation as a whole.”

Paul is correcting the Church at Corinth, not unbelievers.

Is God saying the same thing to His Church today?

Yes!

The Church must repent, confess its sins, take its focus off the world, the nation and its politics, put God at its center, and then God will deal with the issues that our nation is wrestling with.

[Note: What does 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 instruct God’s people to do?]

(Verse 13 sounds like ‘unrest’; verse 14 is God’s instruction for the solution to that ‘unrest’.)

(vs 13) “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people.” (NKJV)

(vs 14) “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (NKJV)]

In context, Paul is encouraging the Church in Corinth to withstand the ‘evil’ influences they were facing by setting aside the false doctrines and the ‘evil’ influences, through obedience to Christ.

As a believer, are you ‘so’ focused on the politics of our day that you have been overtly influenced by the evil rhetoric that is rampant in our nation?

Is ‘politics’ an idol in your life? Are you consumed by it? Is it the ‘focus’ of your life?

I believe that before ‘Making America Great Again’, we first come to grips with this: We need to ‘Magnify Almighty God Again’; then the Lord will rid us of the sources of ‘evil’ that ravish this nation and restore to this nation the ‘good’ influence comes from being rightly related to Him, as we, as a nation experienced in our beginning..

There are many in this nation that are in agreement with this outcome.

I encourage you to turn away from the ‘political rhetoric’ that comes from both sides of the aisle.

I am not telling you to bury you head in the sand and ignore our election process.

I am beseeching you not to be governed by the political rhetoric.

If you understand what I just said, then know that the political rhetoric and the ‘unrest’ will get worse as we approach our national election on November 5th.

Don’t let the election rhetoric govern your mind. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Let the peace of God govern your mind. (Isaiah 26:2-8, Philippians 4:4-7)

“Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].” (Colossians 3:25 Amplified Bible)

Rest in the Lord….Jesus is our REST.

Remember, Christ is our ARK. He is our place of refuge during the tumultuous storm of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

He is always our Refuge.

We have no need to fear.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (safe-thinking, make right decisions, qualities of self-control and self-discipline) ( notes from Study Bible)2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Will those who have done unjustly be judged?

Yes

Is that our responsibility?

No

Why?

Romans 12:17-19 NKJV, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”

How do we live between now and November 5th?

1. We rest and wait on the Lord.

2.We watch, be alert, be ready, and we pray. (Matthew 24-25)

3. We take refuge in Christ.

I encourage you to read Psalms 34,35,36,37.

David understood ‘unrest’ and he understood that God was His refuge.

In my Study Bible, Isaiah 9 is entitled, “The Government of the Promised Son“.

Isaiah 9:2, the prophet writes, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” (emphasis mine)

We as a nation are living a land of great darkness; but the Light of Christ is coming to dispel the darkness that has overtaken this nation.

“This is the message which we have heard from Him, and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1:5-7 NKJV)

The Apostle John wrote in I John 2:17-19 NKJV, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Little children (believers), it is the last hour, and you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come , by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” (inserts mine)

The ‘unprecedented unrest’ will reveal who are the wheat and who are the darnel.

Let us return to the Lord, focus on Him, seek His face, walk in His Light, and dispel the darkness that surrounds us in this darkened world.

This is the call to the Ekklesia, NOW, in our nation’s history.

The Ekklesia is to fast and pray for our nation.

This election is not about political parties; it is not about presidential personalities; it’s about the ‘soul’ of our nation.

We, the people, are the ‘souls’ of this nation.

If our heart is right before God, then our eye will be clear to see what needs to be done when it’s time to vote.

If our heart is not right before God, then our eye will be evil and we will not know what is right when it comes time to vote.

Good or Evil, Light or Darkness, those are the options.

The future of our nation is dependent upon our hearts response to God so that we walk in the Light.

If we continue to ignore God (i.e. forget,follow, serve, worship other gods), then we will walk in darkness, as a blind man, and not know the way in which we should go.

Listen to the words of Joshua 24:19-25 NKJV.

“But Joshua said to the people, You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive you transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign God’s, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No but, we will serve the LORD!” So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses!” “Now therefore”, he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, The LORD our God we will serve and His voice we will obey!” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.”

I encourage you to simply embrace these thoughts about the passage.

Jesus is our Joshua.

Jesus has made a covenant for us with God, His Father.

As believers in Christ, our sins and transgressions have been forgiven.

Let us faithfully declare that we will follow our Lord Jesus Christ, serve Him, obey His voice, and ‘put away’ any thing that takes our focus off of Him.

Be blessed in the Lord, a brother in Christ, deo