WHERE ARE WE GOING

Where are we going if we continue on this present course?
January 23, 2014
Greetings,

Where are we at? Where are we going?  One in the same question that has plagued me and that I am constantly asking of the Lord. This continued theme of 'pervert - profane - provoke' which I posted earlier this week, will not leave me alone. Even last night again, the thoughts of our nation's sins and the legalizing of all the abominations holds before me that question, 'how much longer before the Lord stretches His hand out to remove us from the earth'? Please forgive me as I try to communicate all this of what is on my shoulders before the Lord. . .

First, let us consider where we are today as the church and as a nation, I put this into perspective of what we once was. Our nation has a population of 330 million souls; the Christian church estimates that roughly 120 million - 150 million believe in God and claim a Christian belief.  But out of that 135 million (avg. mean) only 20% attend church regularly. (and I believe that 20% to be very kind and gracious to our reality). Out of 330 million, somewhere between 30 -50 million are in church and should have a knowledge of the truth. I am not here to argue about the numbers, but to get a realization of our true plight.

Now with this minimized Christian influence and true lifestyle of holiness, evil and wickedness have advanced beyond anything that we have ever known. I have gone through the legalization of sin in our nation and we can see the 'ramping' up of court legislation and judicial edicts that support and allow abominations in this land.
Now in the midst of this influx of evil and allowance of more vileness they have clamped down on the church of voicing and dictating the truth of Scriptures, that we was once gleaning from and adhering too. Evil goes up, righteousness goes down; ultimate scenario of Satan is to eradicate it all together, so that he might possess the souls of a nation and generations.  Isn't this where we are heading?  Have we forgotten our enemies agenda and tatics.  Paul says, 'we are not ignorant of his devices'; but we are most negligent of our enemies ways. 

Now having said all this, where are we at? God has begun a new birth for us to pray, to seek His face, to stand in the gap. But as Greg Frizzell has pointed out for years, that with the prayer movement in the US, which has existed for well over 40 years) we have not seen an increase of godliness, holiness or revival. But the exact opposite of more evil, more sin, more wickedness, more lost souls. Which leads us to ask once again, 'what are we doing wrong in our prayer life?' Are we really willing to look at this and answer such questions?

In all reality, with more prayer meetings, more prayer partners, more prayer conferences, more prayer initiatives, shouldn't perversions, profaning the Lord's Name and the abominations that provoke Him become diminished? It would seem so;  but that is not happening. But it seems, and I believe to be the reality of our plight, that evil is multiplying in spite of our supposed increase of prayer times.  So it may be that many are bragging, excited that there are more prayer meetings, but let us not forget that unanswered prayers are not the goal to be reached for.  Muslums pray all the time; religious folks pray often, even though in hell pray, but to no avail.  Praying is not the goal, prevailing in prayer is. 

Let me once again examine this in perspective of our current situation. Last year, we faced what we all knew to be an historical battle of the Supreme Court over the issue of gay marriage. We knew, and I, not being a political student or any other insight than the reality, knew when the court overturned California's voting to allow same sex marriage, that it would go to the Supreme Court. I voiced it for over a year, that this was coming to a head. I reached out to prayer leaders and church leaders to engage this battle long before it happened.  What did the church do to prepare for this major assault of hell against marriage and the church and the bible? it sat. It was busy with other ministries, agendas and my calls to prayer, although praised for my 'heart'; no voice or action was taken in large manner. Only 6 months before that ruling happened there was still no prayer initiative of a prayer guide, a prayer focus. Yes, there was those of the remnant that was sensitive to this and responding, but not the majority, not the whole. I begged others to take more of an active role, but alas, it was put back on me to do it.  So I did what I could to invoke, to make aware and to pray to avail over this evil. For I knew what would be the result if allowed in this nation.  The result -- the Supreme Court all but gave legal permission for states, individuals to allow and permit same sex marriage. And for states that had DOMA and the church that stood against it to remove themselves lest they be found guilty of federal hate crimes. (This last part is not in full effect yet, but it is coming).

Now 6 months removed from that, look at the horizon. Look at what is coming as the floodgates of evil have been opened. Drug usage-- from the 1960's drug culture to present day; from those that practice recreational drug use to prescription drug users, are devastating the nation. Tell me what family has not had to deal with a drug overdose death; jail sentence; family abuse to drug usage; and money wasted on its habit?  And again, remember, this is not outside the church. Drug use in the church is as high from prescription users to recreational users in the church. A problem of sin and evil that we do not want to address nor own up too. Thus, our sin still remains, so long as it is unconfessed, unrealized and not repented of. It has begun to be legalized into practice of our way of life. It is the prohibition of alcohol, from the 1920's and 30's all over again. President Obama's comments recently that 'marjijuana is not as bad as alochol' is a key statement that they will legalize it and want to have it for tax and money purposes. But the root of it, is Satan is master-minding a complete annihilation of our nation because of our iniquity in perversion, provoking and profaning the Lord God and His ways. He has commanded, 'Thou shalt not. . but our courts, government and people have said, 'but we will'.   The legalizing of drugs is the next warfare for the church. 

Another issue that is coupled with same sex marriage is the sexual abuse of children that is sweeping our nation.  An entire generation robbed of innocence and being naive til their teenage years is all but gone now.  They are abused at young ages, they are socially taught in elementary school of sex and perversions.  The tv., computer and social engines all promote, lewdness, fornication, perversion and vile filth against the Lord Who demands holiness, purity, and being and living rightly.  This rampant evil is in all generations, almost all homes, every family affected by it, and a generation destroyed because of it.  Sex trafficking has become more in the headlines and awareness, but its activity due to the perversion of men continue to multiply its affects on our children.  Causes of all this is found in pornography, societies permissiveness of sin, raging lusts in all forms of thought, communication and society.  The root of it is self and lusts in the flesh that rages out of control and there is no restraints to its evil due to a silence from the church and prayer closets that do not bring this before the Lord daily.

And one more great travesty that is happening and yet almost unaddressed by the church or unrecognized is this great evil of murder-suicides.  The increase and wide spread affect of this is mounting like a raging volcano.  And when it erupts I don't know what that disaster will look like.  As a nation it is in the headlines.  But at churches, those that experience this are 'put on the prayer list', very little is done to counter, attack and defeat this evil.  It is like a boiling pot of water; it is simmering, getting hot right now, and eventually it will boil over.  Time to cut the heat out from under now before it gets to that point.  Where are you church on this?  Having eyes but we see not; having ears but we hear not the cry of this great evil before us. 

Why can we not prevail against this? I believe there to be two things to answer this:
1. As I have quoted and used quite often from the Bible. The story of Josiah and Manasseh. Manasseh did more evil than all other kings before him for over 50 years. Although he repented in captivity, the evil of blood shed, and idols were practiced and employed among Judah and Jerusalem. Manasseh's son reigned shortly and was removed. Josiah becomes king and restores, renews and revives worship of the Lord all over Israel. But the will of the Lord was already spoken, 'You, Josiah, shall be gathered to your fathers, and then the wrath of the Lord shall be poured out on this land and people for the sins of Manasseh.' And that is exactly what happened to the worst case scenario of God's punishment and wrath as revealed in the book of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
I continue to lean more and more towards this. The edict has already been spoken. The allowance of further evil and practices in our nation, is God allowing for the cup of wrath to fill up so that He might have His vengeance on this nation and people that have forsaken and forgotten His good and right ways. It is not the first time that He has done this. He is allowing and orchestrating His will and way for the completion of this dispensation.
What about the church in this scenario? Most in the church are lost; having made decisions but clearly not saved and have no knowledge of what salvation is. Past revivals have revealed this truth over and over in the church's history. We lose sight of a true born again experience replaced with dangerous, damnable religious gestures. A loss of knowledge of God's Holy Word and Spirit filled way is at the heart of this.

2. The second scenario that may be possible is that as God allows for the flood gate of evil to increase; we have anchored on the promise of Isaiah 59, that He will and has raised up a standard to fight against this evil. But victory is not promised here, only that God would have a witness against the evil, that He had His remnant in place. That God must prepare His bride and purge her from the carnality and worldliness in our midst. Many of you and others and myself all assert that we still have self in our lives. WE know it not to be there, we know the Scriptures that says it is not to be there. Yet, church leaders candy coat it by saying, 'everyone sins, its okay; just keep trying'. In Acts, in revivals, sins was never approached like this; there was complete death to self and sin. And even now, reports of China and other areas complete sanctification and consecration are given unto the Lord. They view our Christianity as too carnal and worldly; which it is. So as this dispensation comes to an end, God may work a work of revival to purge, expand, and have His bride in place. The recent prayer initiatives and prayer practices are encouraging. God has birthed an increase in prayer. But for all purposes, simply desiring for revival praying does not mean that it is on track.

So what possible good can come from surmising what only God knows?  Is there any value to give time, thought, or discussion to these things?  And the answer is, absolutely.  These are the things of existence, of importance, of His kingdom's business.  To not give thought to these things and simply allow for things to continue, as is, will only escalate and multiply the advancement of hell and evil.  And most certainly bring our ruin to pass that much sooner.  It is needful for us to understand things while there is still time to do something about it before His throne.  There does come a time of cut-off, in which the Lord says, 'pray not for this people'. 

One such thing is the prayer meetings.  In revival prayer meetings that I have listened to and been a part of here is what is missing:
--there is still much humanism in the language and requests before God; a lot of 'I's,' "Me' in praying and very little of 'Unto You, O Lord';
--fervency, urgency and prevailing spirit of prayer is absent; If all that I have shared is true about the course of events of our nation, would there not be more of an urgent appeal and cry to the Lord for mercy? Yet, it is a hard and rare thing to find among those that are praying. Are they praying? yes, but prayers of importunity, longevity of waiting before the Lord, and pleading because we understand that God has stood up and is preparing to gesture with His right hand to destroy us. If you knew that was your loved one ready to receive the gesture of God's right hand of wrath today, would you not plead? would you not agonize? Certainly you would. Almost everyone does this in the intensive care unit, when life and death are in the balances. Then if we know that our loved ones are only a breath away from eternity; (the Lord holds our breathe in His hand, Daniel 5) then will we not plea with Him for mercy and restraint?
--Many continue to act that since we are praying, we have arrived and it is only a matter of time before God answers. But how often in the Scripture does God say, 'I will not hear you'. Sin has not been dealt with, repentance is not the norm of our churches or Christian living and our praying is honesty, sporadic, brief and haphazard. All of this must change if we are to prevail in prayer. The importune, fervent, urgent, prevailing prayer is that of David Brainerd; that of Em Bounds, that of JO Fraser, that of Praying Hyde, that of Praying Nash that would not be denied, but labored until they broke through. We are not there, but we must get there. For the war is in the last stages and without a final assault of such praying as just described, we have all but surrendered our families, lives and churches to the enemy. For truly, what we have been doing has not done anything to combat evil. Therefore we must get to this place of prevailing and brokenness. before it is too late.

Now this much is true:  God is God.  (A lesson ingrained from TW Hunt over and over.)  And there is absolutely nothing too hard for Him.  (Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Numbers 11:23)  Many a Scripture I share on this truth of God's ultimate power and ability to destroy and conquer all these things.  But Isaiah 59 tells us where the problem is, God's hand and ear is not shortened nor deafened; but our iniquities have separated us from Him.  On us lies the necessity of dealing with unbelief, sin and grieving His Holy Spirit. That is dealt with at the cross, in the blood and before His throne.   God has not changed in any of His ways, He is immutable.  I love that verse in Malachai, 'I am the Lord, and I change not.'  He is still willing and desiring for none to perish.  He has made a wonderful way for atonement and redemption.  His power is not limited nor decreased or waxes short.  He awaits for us.  'I sought for a man. . . '  'My eyes run to and fro throughout all the earth looking. . . .'

All of this reminds us that there is still time, there is still hope, there is still God before us.  But He is asking, 'how long before you trust in Me? surrender to Me?  how long will you let this go on before You seek Me and call upon Me?'  So are you there?  are you seeking Him?  are you calling upon Him with a full heart, a whole heart with the things that break His heart and that cause His great Name to be provoked and profaned?    There is a great need and call for us to respond, even today, 'today is the day, now is the accepting time' not just for salvation, but for yieldness unto Him in all our ways.  Let the old hymn be true of us, 'I surrender all, all to Him I owe, all to Him I give.' 

Where am I going with this?  As I have sought to bring before us the realization of our present condition, so I am desiring to communicate to you what the church needs to do. 

1.  Quit calling this increased awareness and calls of prayer as 'extrordinary'.  so many in their study of revival fall back on the saints to teach us and help us.  Many today are quoting from Jonathan Edwards on 'the explicit, extraordinary prayer' that he got from John Erskine of Scotland.  Yes, there is a greater call for prayer.  But that does not mean that the prayer is greater.  Quantity and quality of prayer times must deepen and accomplish His Divine will.  Only time before Him allows for this.  And too many which are claiming extraordinary prayer have not risen above the status quo of 'saying prayers' yet.  There must be a beginning, yes.  But let us not assume that in our beginning we have arrived. 

2.  Let us continue to understand and know God deeper and better.  No fuller way of understanding that He is able that to know what He has done and said about Himself in the Word and past revivals and experiences.  Culminate this for a fuller awareness of God's great mercy, grace and power in prevailing prayer.

3.  One important leading of this time of praying is the corporate prayer meeting.  When brothers and sisters come together to prevail.  I believe they have been moved in the secret closet, and they are being led to join others that this desire has been given to cry out.  And when they come together, it must be this unified, believing prayer that they will not be denied.  The Scripture promise is, 'when two of you agree together as touching anything, it shall be done for you in heaven.'  Come together in agreement and pray toward that end. 

4.  Let not the call of prayer be substituted for prevailing prayer.  I have had numerous calls for prayer, in the belief that if prayer was called for, then they would respond and all would fall into place.  But a 'call to prayer' does not mean that men engage in prayer.  An understanding that the call to prayer leads to a steadfast, resolve of perseverance and obedience to remain before the Lord.  Many is the church leader, pastor and Christian who agrees we need to pray, but still never increases their prayer life.  We must do it.  We must prevail. We must be before the Lord in our secret closets and corporately. 

5.  Whatever the will of the Lord is, it is right.  He makes no mistakes; 'shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?'  Yes He has, He is and He will.  However God decides to finish this dispensation up is right.  So whether it be revival, or judgment or a combination of both, it is the Lord.  Our faith must be anchored for its rightness in Him and of Him.  Not a dictation of 'this is what I want'; this is simply a relapse back into humanism.  'Nevertheless Father, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven'.  And how is it done in heaven?  Perfectly.  How is it and how will it be done here on earth?  Perfectly. 


until,
Dan

Began: January 23, 2014
Edited:  1/23/14; 1/24; 1/25
Finished: 

PROFANE, PERVERT AND PROVOKE

Profane - Pervert - Provoke

Profane - "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:12

Pervert - "For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me.  Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me."  Isaiah 47:10

"A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel:  for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God."  Jeremiah 3:21

"And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God."  Jeremiah 23:36

Provoke - "When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger:" Deuteronomy 4:25

"They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger." Deuteronomy 32:16


It is a consistent status of nations and men that these 3 things were done and practiced; they provoked, perverted and profaned the ways of the Lord and His great Name.  The practices and lifestyles of many in our nation, families, churches and personal lives are found guilty of repeating the same abominations against the Lord.  Let us examine these, note them, repent from them and pray for deliverance from them before it is too late.

The current plight of our nation is that they continue legalize sin and abominations.  In 1933, they stopped prohibition and legalized the sale and use of alcohol.  One of the most hideous cracks in the dam of evil to flood into our society.  Then in 1961, the Supreme Court set the Bible out of the public schools as separation of church and state.  Thus allowing for our nation to begin a generation of illeteriate young people of the bible and its truth.  In 1973, Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion and has been one of the greatest perversions of rational man kind that an unborn baby is not a living person and kill it.  Then in 2013 the legalizing of homosexuality all but destroyed traditional marriage and allows for the great provoking of the Lord God.  He has called it an abomination, but they have ruled it is okay.  It is a sure course of destruction.  And now the great push to hurry up and legalize drug use and other abominations that will finish us off. 

Therefore if God does not stop us on this current course of perversion it will lead to the ultimate annhilation of this nation.  We will have nothing left of worship, freedom and strength; it will all be removed due to our proking and profaning of His great Name. 



Began:  January 21, 2014
Edited: 1/22/14
Finished: