Tuesday, July 31, 2012

WHY SO MANY MURDER-SUICIDES?

WHY SO MANY MURDER AND MURDER-SUICIDES IN THE UNITED STATES

In recent news of the last week, there has come 3 different reports across our nation of death.  Death of family related instances between parents and children. 
--Friday night, July 27, a man goes to his estranged wifes house; kills her, her boyfriend and his mother and takes his 4 year old daughter;
--Saturday night, July 28, a man shoots kills his 7 year old daugher; wounds his son and then takes his own life;
--MOnday morning, July 30,  a mother shoots her two children, ages 11 and 9 and then takes her own life; 
--August 5, a gunman enters a Sikh temple in Wisconsin and kills 6; is wounded by police and kills himself;  a continued progression in our nation of murder suicides;

Now it may be that there are other factors involved in this about their deaths and suicides.  But there is no mistake that there is an increase in such cases being reported across our nation.  Three in 4 days seems to me to be unparalled.  I have not heard any statistics on this, but it is has been prevalent in the United States since last fall, 2011.  It seems at least one a week has happened, but on many occasions it has been several. What's going on?  Weather records in all ways of temperatures, drought, floods, tornadoes and other disasters; increase in disease; recent shooting in Coloardo, leaving 12 dead and multiple more wounded are all signs pointing us to a cause/effect.  Of all these people reporting on the issues and conditions, I have not heard one ask the question, 'Why?'.  I have not heard the church address nor answer 'why'.   

Shortly after such tragedies, you have the political elements begin to pursue their agendas of gun control, issues of mental health, drugs, violence, money problems etc. But these are only symptoms of what is really happening.  It is the same as having a virus, and the symptoms are fever, running nose, aches and pains, upset stomach.  The virus is the culprit of the sickeness not tthe symptoms.  All these things reported by the media are the symptoms, the disease is SIN. 

With the lessening of the fear and knowledge of the Lord there has come an increase in sinful actions and ways.  There are many with their editorial comments, but none is needed when ones knows that all these things have always been because of sin. 

Let us seek to understand this according to the Scriptures:
--If sin has always been then why the increase now? 
This is the most pressing question right now.  WE have never, or are never, worried about sin it seems until it affects us.  For those in hell, they are much affected by their sin, but can do nothing about it.  Their eternity is set.  The person that drinks is never upset about their sin, until the doctor says, 'I'm sorry, but you have scleoris of the liver due to your consumption.' Or the person indulging in tobacco doesn't care, until they go to the doctor and he says, 'I'm sorry, its cancer.'  The price of sin is punishment and judgment.  Either it comes in this life time or the next, but make no  mistake about it, sin has a price.  The price told us in the Scripture is in Romans, 'The wages of sin is death'. 
such violent, tragic death as we have seen in recent headlines is directly related to the increase of sin in our nation.  Sin increases, Christinaity is decreasing;  violence rises, holiness lessenes - they are directly proportionate to each other. 

God is very merciful, longsuffering, and desiring to bestow favor and grace.  But as a nation, a people continue to provoke Him by their choice to choose sin over Him, then He responds.  We have had many warnings that have not brought us to a proper response to God.  The increase in such vile activity of murder-suicide is directly resulting from a people that have forgotten God and embraced sin and evil. 

The increase of such vile sin is due to directly to the increase over decades of building up.  Sin has continued to take soul after soul.  Numbers shift; percentages reflect the stark differnce of saved and lost; churched and unchurched; Christian and other in our population.  And as the years go by, and the split separates further, we see hell and evil has more numerical numbers increasing their influence, ways, and practices on the people.  And directly related to this is the generations.  Generations have continued to slide into hell, without any boundary of rescue or deliverance.  Hell is literally, 'opening its mouth without measure' due to the lack of holiness by God's people. 

Let me illustrate this:  I can remember in the 1970's churches were full and active.  Salvation and baptisms were constant.  Then in the 1980's I can remember things began to change.  Attendance decreased, baptisms were not as frequent, and sin began to show itself more common place.  And from that point to this point we have seen a steady, decrease in numbers in church, baptism in ratio to population increase and definitely more sin among the population. 

This is not about attacking sports, media, entertainment, money or the things of this world.  This is all about the root of the problem of sin in man.  And without the full knowledge that everything that happens is directly related to holiness or sin. 

--What exactly is happening?
God has already warned us of such things to come when there is prevalent sin in our midst.  IN Deuteronomy we are given a very vivid account of what God will do and allow to happen because a people forgets Him and chooses to disobey Him.  God's commands have already been given.  'Seek ME and live'; 'Obey Me and I will bless you';  and the opposite of these are declared as well: 'Don't seek Me and die'; 'Do not obey Me and I will curse you'.  These are all related to cause and effect. 

In Deuteronomy chapter 28, it is the chapter of blessing, v. 3 - 14; and curses, v. 15 - 68,  Within these verses of curses is very detailed and specific wording for us to read and grasp with what is happening. 
1. Sin is chosen by the people. 
2. God gives opportunity to repent and turn to Him. 
3.  If sin is continued and not forsaken, then judgments and punishments deepen.
4.  Another opportunity is given for reprieve.
5.  God removes all covering of protection, restraints.  Satan, hell and evil are literally turned lose to do as they desire. 

The increase in evil across the world is not just because population has increased.  Nor has it inreased becasue techonology has advanced.  Evil is not in population or technology; evil is in the heart of man.  Men are evil without God. We see a mirror verse in the Bible that reflects this: Genesis 6:5, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." 
Christ told us that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be when the Son of Man returns.  We are definitely living in the last days. 

Someone says, 'Oh, but people are mostly good.'  Wrong.  The Bible tells us, 'there is none good, no not one.'  I understand when people say this out in the world, for they are in blindness and ignorance about the things of God.  'Having eyes to see, they cannot see, having ears to hear, they cannot hear'.  But it is quite another thing for people that are in church to say such false truths.  They say these things because they are lost themselves and know not the truth; neither does the truth reside within them. Or they say these things because their pastors have not declared to them truth of the Bible.  The doctrine of the church has always been, 'orginal sin'.  Herein we study that which is 'why' we are sinners.

And because we enter into sin against God and His holy ways, God being just, must reward sinners for their chocies and actions.  The study of God's act of justice is found else where for study and contemplation.  But it is enough for us to capture the truth of this, 'what a man sows, is what he reaps.'  I do not plant green bean seed and expect tomatoes.  Neither do i sow holy seed and expect to reap sinful deeds.  But it is ration and practical to see that if we sow faithful, righteous and holy seeds in Him, we shall reap the same for Him.  And if we sow sin and self, then we will reap the same against Him.   God knows no sin in Himself and sin was rejected by Christ while He was here on this earth.  Being tempted to sin by flesh and SAtan, yet never allowing sin.  And as He overcame sin and flesh, so He instructs that we should abide in Him to do the same. 

YEt, with so many without Christ, are abiding in this world that is filled with sin.  They are consumed in thought, deeds, words and actions for sin.  And because they reject their only salvation from sin in Christ, they are given over to the depths of sins consequences - death.  God holds protection, deliverance, and redemption from sin.  But where a people reject God, then these are negated due to their disobedience, hardness of heart and unyieldeness to Him and His ways.  A prolonged period occurs which stretches God's lovingkindess, mercy, grace, and patience.  It is not that God loses patience with man, it is that God cannot sin against His holiness.  And as God is love, God is also just in all His ways.  Sin must be punished.  It is not God's desire to see His creation punished nor destroyed.

However, because of man's rejection of God's love through Christ and His atonement, God responds.  A continual call for repentance, salvation through a personal invitation is rejected by men.  "the gospel has appeared unto all men".  God sends judgment and punishment on men for these choices of rejection and rebellion.  And each time they reject His invitation, the severity of His judgment is increased 7 fold. IN Levitcus 26:18, "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins."  And through decades in our nation of not 'hearkening unto Him', we have seen an increase of punishment seven fold.

I have shared and discussed these levels of judgments. 
1. First level of judgment is against the land;
2. Second level is against the government;
3. Third level is against His people, the church;
4. Fourth, is judgments against life, through pestilence, animals, and other tragedies which limits life;
5. Fifth level of judgment is catacylmisic events of mass amounts of loss of life suddenly or broadly;  (9/11, hurricane Katrina) all within the last decade;

Such events as these shootings and murder-suicides are the fourth level of judgment.  It is as if God begins to remove His protective, restraing hand against evil.  Think upon this for a moment.  Where God is, there is complete peace, joy, love, order and harmony.  And the opposite of this is as true: where God is not found, then therre is unrest, sorrow, hate, chaos and disunity.  And the overall emphasis where God is, is goodness and wholeness in Him; and where God is not, then there is pure evil and brokeness of life.  The magnitutde of this should be alarming for us as we see this escalation without God where we are going.  WE cannot afford to abide like this much longer. 

What is the answer to this great sorrow and atrocity? 
The answer is nothing else but God.  Politicains think it is gun control; others blame hollywood and games, and movies.  But the root of it all is found in the heart of man.  And there is no movement, religion or man that can fix the heart.  Only God, Who is the creator of the heart and sustainer of the heart is able to fix it.  Then why does the church and Christians seem to be looking to everything but Him?  It seems that God even keeps His Own people in the darkn about seeing, restraining their eyes and minds from seeing and knowing what is going on and what to do.  Yet the certainty of only seeking God is the answer for such a time as this.

II Chronicles 7:14, is much recited these days and emphasized.  "If My people which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from theri wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
I have no doubt whatsoever, God will keep His part in this promise.  I do have a problem with the first 4 actions to be done by His church, My people.  WE are to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.  And I don't see any of those 4 things happening right now.  Yes, there is an increase in prayer; and there is a 'waking up' attitude about the church of how bad things are getting.   But prayer is still one of the most neglecting things of the church today.  I have never heard in any prayer meeting that I have been, that the sin of prayerlessness has been confessed or stated.  Pride still rules and reigns among the church today, it is masked by humanism.  The labor of the church today is to be busy, doing religious work, but not doing it the way God said.  So they justify themselves that they are 'building the kingdom' all the while doing it in their own strength.  Phrases that reveal this truth, 'Let us start chruches'; 'Let us preach'; 'Let us do this. . .or that".  It is all 'us', 'we ', and 'me'.  'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.'  Pride is still at the heart of our service and duty to the Lord.  Until humbleness breaks us, we continue in sin of breaking the first of these 4 edicts.  The third edict is, 'seeking His face';  does Christians really do this or know how to do this?  We can't do it any other way, but is it being done.  It grieves me sore, to know that most pastors have no quiet time before the Lord all week.   Now they have time for sports, entertainment, family, church duties, but not the Lord.  'Ye ought not to have left the weightier matters undone.'  WE are to love God first and everything else second.   That means time, thought, words and actions should be all about seeking His face and waiting before Him.  Nothing can happen anyway except we first wait before Him and be endued with power from Him.  Yet, the church labors to do without Him.  They have not sought His face.  Lastly, 'turn from their wicked ways'.  The practice of religion and orthodoxy has lasted a long time among the church today.  Justifying ourselves that we are 'doing church' has missed the mark of having a relationship with Him.  WE seek the things about God, but never seek Him and His ways.  Thus, we continue in our wicked ways of flesh, world, and self.  No repentance is found in 'saving of souls' today called evangelism.  The work of repentance as we see is the last mark found here.

Now until these 4 things change in our attitude and practice, God is not required to hear us, heal us or forgive us.  Thus, we continue in a perpetual state of rapid judgment, condemnation, and absence of God's power to deliver, forgive and cleanse.  Oh, how we need His Divine Presence to accomplish all this.  But how few are seeking it His way.  Deed honest, we ought to add into the hymn books, the song that Elvis Presley loved to sing, made famous by Frank Sinatra, 'I Did it My way'.  Becasue we keep doing it our way, instead of God's way. 

There is a remnant that God holds and keeps before Him.  They are obedient children, that do 'always behold His face' on behalf of others.  Thank God for each one of these that are stretched out for Him and His will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven.  Yet, there must be an increase of serious desire toward Him to accomplish in their evil, dark world, His Divine will among the sons of men. 


. . . To be continued;
Began:
July 31, 2012
August 1, 2012
August 2, 2012
August 3, 2012
August 8, 2012

Saturday, July 21, 2012

TESTED AND TRIED

In the life of many saints there are the lessons of our spiritual warfare that it would do well for us to learn.  Jonathan Goforth's book, 'By My Spirit' is the wonderful testimony of real revival in China.  God used him in a mighty way there to begin and continue the fires for God's glory which are still evident almost 100 years later.  Jonathan Goforth's wife, Rosalind Goforth also wrote a book, 'How I know. . . .God Answers Prayer' and tells her account of her spiritaul struggle and mighty hand of God that led her.

Two accounts that I wish to share and document for us to understand the attacks of our enemy, Satan and the need for us to prevail with God. 

1.  Upon arriving in Chin in the early 1900's, the Goforth's were in a strange land and among many trails and afflicitons.  Satan uses the things of our life to afflict, discourage and remove us from the work of God.  An older missionary that had been there for decades shared his testimony at one paticular meeting.  He had fought the battle of dysentery.  Through infection which has and could lead to death without proper treatment.  He had this and struggled off and on with it.  Finally the doctors told him that if he desired to return to health, he would have to return to Europe and recover from this disease.  But God had called him to China.  If he left, the work would languish and deteoriate.  He could not go back on his calling to China.   In his conversation with God, he affirmed what he knew:  God had called to China; this disease was hindering him;  and God was able to heal him.  So he resolved, 'God, either I will be healed by you and continue the work.  Or I will die here in China.  But I will not leave the work; I am in Your hand for Your appointed will.'  From that moment the disease lost its hold on him and he recovered.

Mrs. Goforth had not been afflicted with dysentery.  She was struggling.  Each year it grew worse, but as she remember the testimony she knew she must yield.  The doctors told her the same news, in order to be healed she would need to return to England.  She was called to China, not England, she grappled.  She resigned to leave herself in the LOrd's hand, but she would not go back on her surrender to the Lord's calling to serve in China.  Since that resolve to trust the Lord, she had very little trouble from that dreaded disease. 

Once you resolved to trust the Lord, stay true to Him lest SAtan gain the advantage over you and your testimony. 

Mrs. Goforth was attacked by this resolve again.  It is one thing when we are attacked and afllicted, but quite another when our loved ones are assualted.  WE trust God for ourselves, but do we trust God for them? 

Mrs. Goforth's 18 month old child came down with dysentery.  A child, or a older person struggling with this disease is sure to succomb in death.  The doctors came and told them the news again, return to England and the child could be saved.  But the Goforth's both knew the certainty of God's calling for them and their family.  Mr. Goforth was resigned to the will of the Lord, 'in life or in death, Thy will be done for this child.'  A very hard prayer, but very obedient heart.  Mrs. Goforth was not as obedient to the Lord's will.  She rebelled against this and fought God for her child's life. 

Finally as the child grew worse and the doctors said the child would not live through the night, Mr. Goforth told her that she must surrender the child to the will of God.   And as she labored in her heart, she finally yielded after a long and bitter struggle.  Then as Mr. Goforth began to commit the child in death to the Lord and prayed something happened.  She ran to get a candle to see what was going on in the dark.  The child's laboring for breath had stopped and eased.  The fever producing sweat was now abated.  Mrs. Goforth surrender her will and the child to the Lord was the battle.  God gave the victory and the child was made whole.

do you see?  Satan sent the disease to cause them first, to leave their calling and return to their homeland.  Thus, affecting the work in China in both missioanries testimonies.  The second was the will that had not been surrendered.  A child's life was at stake in the present, but her obedience and testimony was the larger thing at stake.  If Mrs. Goforth had not surrendered, I dare say that the child would have died, and she would have been left in bitterness against the Lord.  But do you see God waits for us to trust and believe in Him.  Do you see who the true enemy was pressing these sicknesses?  It was the devil afflicting, causing disease to impend the work and labor for the Lord. 
And is not our life made up of the same scenarios often.  WE are let to choose.  And so often SAtan wins and the work and testimony of Christ is lost upon an unfaithful servant who yields to the flesh instead of the Spirit of God. 

2.  The second story is just as revealing to obedience to the Lord.  The Goforth's, with their children was heading down the river for vacation.  On their way down the river, a rain had settled in.  The air and wind was cold.  The oldest son, disobeying his mother to have proper clothing on, was immediately affecting by the wet, cold and wind.  By nightfall he was fevered and sick.  As they arrived at their destination the doctors over a day or two told them the child had pneumonia.  The childs temperature spiked to 106 degrees.  The doctors lost all hope and prepared them for the worst.  That night as the child struggled and writhed in pain, misery and sickness.  The mother sat beside her child consoling, wiping his brow and praying.  She looked at the child and said, 'You disobeyed me, and have thus brought this illness upon yourself. I forgive you; ask Jesus to forgive you, and give yourself to Him.'  "The child looked at me for a moment steadily then closed his eyes.  I saw his lips move for a moment; then quietly he sank into a sound sleep. When he awoke, about dusk, I took his temperature, and found it 101.  Byt the time the doctor returned, it was normal and did not rise again."

Do you see?  Satan worked through disobedience and sickness.  But the confession, mercy of God was sought and He gave it upon a rependent child.  Sorrow that would have added afflicttion and sorrow to the hearts of the parents in their work for God.  There is so much to glean from these truths before us.  OUr affliction, sicknesses, sorrows are upon us for defintie reasons.  We need to sin if sin, rebellion, unsurrendered things are allowing and promoting these things in our life.  WE cannot go forward without dealing with this.  Absolute surrender is required!

May these truths rest on our hearts, minds and eyes to see how our enemy, SAtan, would keep us from obeying and doing the will of the Lord in great and small things.  And may we do what is requried of us for His glory.  May the Lord take these testimonies and speak to the reader as it has taught and spoke to me. 

until,
dan

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

THE PROGRESSION OF JUDGMENT

THE PROGRESSION OF JUDGMENT AGAINST A PEOPLE, A NATION, THE CHURCH, FAMILY OR INDIVIDUALS

Leviticus 26: 17, "I will set My face against you. . .'
Leviticus 26:18, ". . .then I will punish you seven times more for your sins"
Leviticus 26:21, ". . .I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins"
Leviticus 26:24, "The will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins"
Leviticus 26:25, "And I will bring a sword. . .I will send the pestilence. . ."
Leviticus 26:28, ". . .I will chastise you seven times for your sins"

God had declared His ways through Moses to the people.  If they obeyed, all would be well.  If they did not obey, there was a price to pay.  And if they continued to rebel and disobey then the punishment and judgment would increase.  We see the severity of the punishment in numerical fashion, 7X more.

This passage of Scripture is horrible in reading of what will happen, has happened and is happening because of the disobedience of God's Own people.  Note that right off the bat, this is not the heathen, or the ignorant, this is the people of God being instructed in this way. 

Let us see the development of God's wrath, anger and judgment upon a people, nation, His church, families and individuals. 
1.  Understand why it happens - Sin;
2.  When God responds it is to draw their attention back to Him with obedience.
3.  Levels of Judgment - against the land; Through nature, weather, seasons, etc.
4. Levels of Judgment - against governements, kings, leaders, etc.
5. Levels of Judgment - against His Own people, the church, examples of Israel;
6.  Levels of Judgment - against people through animals, pestilence, dearth;
Note that this level  does not carry with it, huge loss of life. 
7.  Levels of Judgment - catacylmisic events, war, major catastrophes;
Note that this level produces the greatest casualty of death.

1. UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAPPENS - SIN

We see the rule given by God to His people - 'Obey and live'.  And so we can assume by certainty and other words from God, that if you disobey then you will die.  WE see it illustrated in the GArden of Eden right at the beginning.  'Of all the trees of the garden, thou mayest eat.  But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die'.  They ate from that tree and brought sin into the world, and perfection and bliss left.  Upon every soul that is born from ADam that nature of sin is found within them.  The capacity to sin is upon every one of them. 

The very nature of God is holy, meaning without sin.  The very nature of disobedience and rebellion is sin against God and His holy nature.  He cannot excuse sin, tolerate sin, nor allow sin.  Thus, 'the wages of sin is death'.  And God responds to the sin of His creation.  Sin provokes God to action; it is His reaction against the sin.  And so any time that we sin has happened, been chosen, and done, then we can begin to look for the response of God.  Sin is never left to go unanswered by God.  Somewhere, sometime in this life or eternity, sin will be answered for. 

And so we see, the first level of judgment is the actual first sin in known rebellion against God and His ways. 

Let us study some of the instances of what we see as the sin, and the response of God.  These will definitely be used further along to demonstrate themore specific judgment of God. 
1.  The first sin;  The first sin of this earth is found in Genesis 3:6.  A specific command of God to Adam and Eve, that they disobeyed and rebelled against Him in eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge.  They were allowed to eat of any tree of the garden but the tree of knowledge.  Genesis 2:17, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."  Thus the edict of obey and live; or disobey and die.  And as Eve was tempted of the SErpent, the devil, she ate of the tree and gave to Adam and he did eat, thus disobeying God.  'The wages of sin is death'.  And death entered into the life of perfection that God had made. 

Now this is the first sin of man, but it is not the first sin of time.  When Lucifer rebelled against God, this was the first sin.  And out of that sin came the impact for God's perfect creation to be ruined by Satan's hands. 

2.  The next sin of impact for us to see is the sin that produced the flood. 

2.  WHEN GOD RESPONDS IT IS TO DRAW THEIR ATTENTION BACK TO HIM WITH OBEDIENCE

Men sin, God's wrath and judgment is provoked; 'God is angry with the wicked every day'.  The sooner men respond to the conditions of judgment upon them in confession, repentance, and working out their salvation with fear and trembling, the sooner their relationship is restorede and renewed in Him.  The attributes and names of God verify to us, that it is God's desire for grace and mercy over wrath and punishment.  His nature is Divine love and He seeks the redemption of His fallen creation over the destruction of His creation.  But do not persist in ignoring and rejecting His lovingkindness.  Delays, instensify His judgments and push us farhter awayf from responding to Him in fellowship and Divine Presence of His the Holy  Ghost. 

the second level of judgment is found in God responding to the act of sin.  The first level of sin provokes God. 'the wages of sin is death'.  The second level is God responding and/or Him not responding because the Spirit has been quenched.

--How Does God Respond? 
1. Of course, this article is fashioned on the response of God in wrath through judgment;  Judgement is the punishment for repeated and continued rejection of God's commandments and ways.

2.  Another response of God is through His prophets and spokesman. 
--When Cain slew Abel, God came and spoke to Cain, 'Where is thy brother? What has thou done? Your brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground.'  God was confronting him directly with his sin. 
--When Israel had gone into the promised land, they did not fulfill all that God had commanded.  During the days of Joshua as he got older and that generation of leadership, they did not continue in obedience.  And as sin was tolerated and allowed, God rebukes them.  Joshua 2:1, 'And an angel of the Lord came up and said, 'ye have not obeyed My voice,; why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out from before you. . . ' 
God sent His angel to reveal their sin, and folly.  God then pronounced His response.  Now the people could have repented and made right with the Lord right there.  They cried and lamented at the word of the Lord, but no drastic change of repentance in them.  They were content. 
--Following this, the sin began on a continaul basis of the children of Israel throughout the book of Judges.  They did evil in the sight of the Lord, disobeyed and forgot the Lord's commandments.  God's anger was hot against them and He sent them into captivity.  We shall study the levels of God's judgment in Judges later.  Then the children of Israel would lament before the Lord.   And God in His mercy would send deliverance, this is God's longsuffering with the ways of man. 
--IN response to their cry, Judges 3:10, "And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel'.  God selected and raised up judges to lead the people back to Him and obey Him.  HE could have consumed and destroyed, but in His mercy He sought to deliver and redeem. 

3. LEVELS OF JUDGMENT - Judment against the land;  weather, earthquakes, floods, seasons, etc.

Over the last several years, and predominately from the year 2010 to present, we are under judgement on the land itself.  There has been 'record' events in weather details in almost every aspect of nature.  Truly that verses resonantes, 'all of creation groans'.  Massive amount of destruction has come globally, as well, as across the United States.  Regions of disaster have occurred over these last several years.  Let us look at a few of these:
--in spring/summer of 2011, record land was scorched in fires in New Mexico and Arizona;
--in spring/summer of 2012, record land was scorched in fires in Utah and Colorado;
--record drought conditions are over 70% of the entire United States for most of August, September and presently of 2012;  the hardest hit is the summer of 2012 across all the plains, destroying record crops;
--temperatures have continued to produce record highs;
--record flooding;

These disasters of weather and nature are events allowed and caused by God.  The reason behind these things are before us to understand why.  Sin is the beginning of the reasons for sorrow.  But due to the church's failure to respond correctly and rightly before God to confess, repent and acknowledge, the severity of weather phenenom continues to increase. 

The curse of weather is told us in Deuteronomy 28.  Droughts, famines, earthquakes are scattered throughout Scripture to make the people lift up their eyes to the Lord for His mercy and help.  Favor is given by God and can be taken away due to their sin and rebellion. 

4. LEVELS OF JUDGMENT - Judgment against governments, kings, leaders, etc.

We see that leadership is also affected by the sin of the people.  God can give good leaders or leadership; or He can give us evil/wicked leaders for our own destruction and punishment.  Proverbs declares to us, that a nation rises and falls on its leadership of being right with God or rebelling against God.  Wisdom is a gift given for godly people or foolishness for wicked people.  The poor adminstration of government to help its people is a judgment from God to afflict the people to repent and humble themselves. 

In Scripture we see the instances of these kings, leaders and governments. 
--for the days of Christ, the Messiah coming, it was the fulfillment of the Roman Empire, wicked, yet casuing the 'fulness of time' to come for Christ; Galatians 4
--King Nebuchadnezzar was raised up in Babylon for the destrucction of the nations and especially Judah and Israel for their rejection of God;  King Zedekiah in his foolishness caused this destruction for being unwilling to humble;  he lost his eyes, the city was burned and destroyed and his children were killed in front of him because he refused to listen to the prophet of Jeremiah;
--Esther was given place for the saving of the Jews during the days of King Ahaseurus;
--Pharoah's heart was hardened by the Lord during the deliverance of the Israelites to show His power and glory among the nations;
--throughout I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles we see the result of good and wicked kings are premised by two phrases: 1. 'they did right in the sight of the Lord' or 'they did evil in the sight of the Lord';
--the example of Jeroboam, king of Israel is the complete result of leading a nation away permantly from God;  whereas, David, king of Israel is the result of leading a nation to excel by God's favor for doing right;




6.  LEVELS OF JUDGMENT - against people through animals, pestilence, dearth;

God sent lions among the inhabitants of the land after Israel had been carried away into captivity because of their sin. 
"And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them." II Kings 17:25

We see cause/effect demonstrated again.  They 'feared not the Lord' - cause; 'God sent lions' - effect.  Now this is a level of judgment perhaps not seen as prevalent but still unfolding in our midst. 

The other instances in Scripture is that: 'and God plagued them'.  Let us look at a few of these to see the hand of God against a person or nation. 
Genesis12:17, "And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife."
Exodus 9:14, "For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth."
Exodus 32:35, "And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made."
Numbers 11:33, "And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague."
Numbers 14:37, "Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD."
Numbers 16:47 - 50, "Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah."

And so we see instances of God's wrath gone out against the people due directly to their sin and refusal to obey Him.  For some it may be only a few affected, but if allowed to continue, we where it reaches into the next level of judgment that it literally becomes 10,000's. 







7.  LEVELS OF JUDGMENT - catacylmisic events, war, major catastrophes; death;
 
--I will bereave you of your children;  The loss of children is not the natural order of life established.  How painful for a parent to have to bury their fallen children.  Such examples of death are found in babies, accidents, disease and when God places His hand against wicked children.
WE see Aaron's sons were slain at the altar for offering false fire before the Lord.  And the fire of the Lord came out against them and consumed them on the spot. 
We see David and Bathsheba had commited adultery and murder.  The child born to them out of this sin was taken by the Lord.  Nathan the prophet declared, 'The child shall die'.
These last references may be more under the realm of Judgment Level #.  I say that because they are instances of indivudal, or a couple of deaths, not population masses of death.  But I include them here because of the severity of God's wrath poured out, sometimes instantly because of the sin.  Severe wrath of God that immeidately take their life.
Here are a few more of these instances before we look at the population masses of death:
--the sons of Judah;  isn't it interesting to note, that the line of Christ we see this beginning of Judah's older sons being removed from the earth due to their sin.
Genesis 38:7, 'And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.'
Genesis 38:10, 'And the thing which he did displeased the Lord:  wherefore he slew him also.'  This was in reference to Onan pouring out his seed on the earth instead of fulfilling his duty for family preservation.  God poured out His wrath instantly on them for the severity of their wickedness.

--another instance in the New Testament is Ananias and Sapphira;
Acts 5:5, "And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost:  and great fear came on all them that heard these things."
Acts 5:10, 'Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost:  and the young men came in, and found her dead, and , caryying her forth, buried her by her husband."
Again, the action of sinning agains the Holy Spirit, against God Himself, was met with straightforward response in death.

Now here are few of the population masses consumed in God's response:
--one of the first is the story of Noah;
Genesis 7:21, 'And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of best, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: v. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died."
this was not just the one's or two's, but the entire population of what was probably scores of 1,000's.  I would not estimate that it was over a million, but definitley ten's of 1,000's to hundred's of 1,000's.

--the account of Sodom and Gomorrah;
Genesis 19:24, "then the Lord rained upon Sodom an dupon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; v. 25 And He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground."
Again, an illustration of whole cities and a region was laid low.  Scores of 1,000's were oblierated instantly upon this judgment, due directly to their wickedness.

--God's Own people are smitten for their disobedience and rebellion of sin;
Exodus 32:28, "And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses:  and there fell of the people that day about three thousand."
This was not God striking them down.  But it was still the mass amount of death due to sin.
Numbers 11:1, "And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord Lord:  and the Lord heart it:  and His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt amont them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp."
Numbers 11:33, "And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.  v. 34, "And he called the anme of that place Kibrothhattavaha:  because there they buried the people that lusted."
Numbers 12:23, 'Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:"
Thus, 605,000 men died in the 40 years of the wilderness.  Only Joshua and Caleb survived.
Note also, throughout these acts of rebellion by the children of Israel how many times the Lord threatened to consume them all instantly.  This only confirms the truth, that God has power to do it slowly, or instantly upon millions.
Numbers 16:35, 'And there came out a fire ffrom the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."
Numbers 16:45, 'Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment."
16:49, 'Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah." 
Numbers 25:9, "And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand."

I Smauel 6:19, "And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even the smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men:  and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten amny fo the people with a great slaughter."

II Kings 19:35, "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand:  and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."

Death into the numbers of 100,000's. 

The end of times, reveals during the great tribulation how much death and devastation will occur. 
--Revelation 8:9, "And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed."  We see here, that sailors are on the boats.  Literally, could be scores of 1,000's die at sea because of the ships being destroyed.  a huge fireball of  what is believed to be a star, comet, or rocket crashes into the sea and causes this destruction.
--Revelation 9:18, "by these three was the tird part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths."  A complete understanding of this magnitude of death is needful.  It declares 1/3 of men were killed; of 7 billion now on the earth, that would mean over 2 billion souls ushered out into eternity in a moment of time.  And we know the reality of this, men are not ready for eternity.  How near is this time?  How urgent should our pleas be? 

And what shall we say of the whole of the children of Israel throughout the entire Old Testament.
they go down into Eygpt 70 souls from Jacob and his sons.  In 400 years, they grow to over 600,00 0 that came up out of Egypt toward the promised land.  during the days of David it is estimated that they reached over 1 million men in the armies and of Israel and Judah.  this was at 1000 BC, 500 years from Moses time when the children of Israel came out of Egypt.  And yet, when 600 BC, 400 years later from David, they are killed, destroyed and removed from the land.  And in Ezra, the number of those that came up where 42, 360 souls (Ezra 2:64).  What happened to to the other 950,000 souls?  what happened to all these generations?  They were destroyed and removed from the earth.  Why?  Because they provoked the Lord God to anger and He removed them.  Thus is it, when men forsake the good and right ways of God and follow Satan and his lies and our love of self. 
Take heed, brethren.  We are doomed to repeat the same tragic sin.  We have learned nothing from that which has gone before us. 

War, pestilence, famine, catastrophes due directly to the sin of the people finds God's wrath poured out on them. 
And what shall we say of the end of the world in Revelation?  There were 1/3 of the world's population is destroyed by calamity.  That is numerically numbers into the billions. 
the masses of humanity removed from the earth into eternity.  'The harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not yet saved.'  They are not ready for eternity and they shall perish in hell for ever.  Woe unto the nations, unto the land, and unto the people!

BEGAN: JULY 18, 2012
UPDATED:  7/23/12; 7/28/12, 10/04/12; 10/05/12; 10/8/12

Saturday, July 14, 2012

24 HOUR PRAYING

Greetings,

Several from Atlanta prayer group are initating a week long, 24 hour prayer time that would have been Broken Before the Throne. The document is a sign up sheet for the 168 hours in a week to pray one hour or take that hour each day as your schedule permits.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AphJTjrV4MsCdGYxUXA4bVUtZ2dacGpfUVdBMjlxQ1E#gid=0

The conversation I had was about the Moravian prayer meeting that lasted for over 100 years. God put His people to prayer and the world was changed and impacted with the Gospel through their prevailing prayer.
HEre is an archived article that I like about that payer meeting:
http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1982/issue1/118.html

so I began to think of what that would entail and look like. I noted, God moved Zinnedorf to initate it. WE have multiple prayer movements scheduled from Harvest America by Greg Lauire; 40 day prayer at the end of September; etc. There are numerous prayer times being established because of the need of the hour.

What is the need? Christianity is fading in the US. It is flourishing everywhere else in the world, except in Europe and the US. Why? Because we have sought humanism over God Himself. This idea of prayer is not something new; it was the mandate of Christ in His way of life and for His followers:
'Men ought always to pray and not to faint'
'Go and wait to be endued with power from on high'
'And when ye pray. . .'
'I give myself unto prayer'
'Conintue in prayer'

It is the command, discipline and way of a Christian life.
Now the depth and length of prayer is the next issue. Once a person knows that they have sinned in not praying, they confess it, and then repent of it. Repentance of not praying is by starting to daily pray. WE learn how to pray. How to stay before the Lord.
Note in this article that they had division and lack of power, so they set a prayer time. That is what is happening right now. People see the judgements, they know the lack of power and they are setting prayer times.
Note that they had 24 men and 24 women to begin. They had suffecient numbers to begin and maintain the 24 hour period of prayer.
Note the sacrifice to commit to something like this. It is upon the shoulders of the few to take their hour seriously and maintain it. If they do not pray their hour, then all effort and labor is stopped at that moment. I am sure there was ups and downs and ins and outs of continuing such a time for 100 years. But when it started, only a few were surrendered to it. It literally fell on the shoulders of them. It is something different when you have 100's or 1000's holding it up.
Regardless, there must be a serious heart and mind given to such a thing.
Another point, few know how to occupy an hour of prayer. Yes, we sing, 'Sweet Hour of prayer'; but very few churches, pastors and Christians could honestly pray for one hour. They are not taught, disciplined, or aware of how to do it. I would think it foolish for one to agree to take an hour of prayer and not have ever done an hour before in prayer.
One of the things that I understand about IHOP prayer meetings is that whether any one is praying or not, they play music and worship. I understand why they do that and what they are doing, but I do not agree that worship is the same intercession, supplication and petition. Making request, needs, prayers before the Lord is verbal communication before the Lord.

But no doubt, when God is in the midst of something like this, He desires to do something. And as the old saying goes, 'When God is prepared to do something int he affairs of this world, He sets His people to prayer'.
Let us learn how to pray. Let us grow in prayer. And let us pray. There is much that hinges on our prevailing in prayer. 

2.  consider the things to pray for
As most have not prayed for an hour on their own, it is needful to have a crash course of what would fill up an hour of praying.  Here are suggestions to consider, add, or lead you to your own ways. 
--consider adoration, worship and praise of Who You are talking to; fill time with remembering and rehearsing Who God is; His Names, His attributes, Scriptures that define and declare His greatness;
--consider the specific needs in front of us; we are to be in prayer for the church, specifically;  Now the Spirit might lead you to pray for yourself, for other requests on your mind and heart.  But there is a time for that on your own, this time is to be about the church, the nation and the sin before us.
--consider the specific sins committed before the Lord in lives today; openly, unashamed, no remorse, rebellious and defiant before a holy God. 
Here we are to intercede on their behalf.  His anger is hot against them; His wrath is being poured out; Is there no voice to shield and deliver them?


until,
dan biser