As Christ Loved the Church

”Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” (Genesis 24:58)

The story of Isaac and Rebekah is a beautiful picture of Jesus—the Bridegroom, and the Bride of Christ—the Church.

Abraham the father, sent his eldest servant, to find a bride for his son, Isaac. However, the servant was carefully instructed that if she was not willing to come with him to be the bride, he was not to force her.

In the same way, God the Father sent His Holy Spirit to draw us to Jesus the Son, to become the Bride of Christ. But the Holy Spirit never forces us to come. We must freely and willingly surrender our hearts to the Bridegroom Jesus, and become espoused to Him.

And isn't that the way love should be.

Freely, sacrificially giving ourselves to, and for, one another. Not begrudgingly, out of some cold, stingy, sense of duty. 

Jesus said (to all of His followers, men and women, young and old alike): 

"A new commandment I give to you; that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34)

How did Jesus love us?

Sacrificially—laying down His very life.

He said (to all of His followers, men and women, young and old alike): 

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Does that command sound complicated?

So why do we—especially husbands and wives—make this so hard? Why do we war against each other, fighting over having control and getting our way in our relationships?

Brothers and sisters—this ought not to be.

Since I'm a husband, I am going to pick on my brothers in Christ a little bit. As the spiritual leaders of our homes, we are commanded; "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25) 

Again, how did Christ love the church? Sacrificially, by giving His very life for His Bride—the church. 

He didn't lord His power and position over the church in an angry, arrogant, or domineering way. 

No, He led in love. He spoke the truth passionately, in love. And He taught with patience and sensitivity, having compassion on those who were in need. Ultimately, He went to the Cross willingly, to die, because that was the only way He could save us. By the shedding of His own blood. By the giving of His own life.

Jesus called to His disciples; "Come, follow Me." 

But He never forced anyone to follow Him. He never circumvented their free will. He wants us to freely choose to receive Him. He doesn't want cowering slaves, or pre-programmed robots for disciples.

Husbands, lead in love. 

Lead by setting aside your own personal needs and wants, and instead, nurture, comfort, encourage, support and care for your wife, patiently understanding and attending to her needs. Might be a good time to re-read, and then put into practice, the Love Chapter—1 Corinthians 13. 

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013&version=NKJV

Over the years when my wife and I had our challenges and even our little (and not so little) wars, usually the problem was me trying to force an issue, trying to pressure my wife into doing, or being something that (for whatever reason) she was not yet ready, or willing to do. Oh, I had Scripture on my side, and technically, I was in the 'right.' But my heart wasn't right. I was trying to force her, when Jesus Himself wasn't trying to force her. One day, He spoke quite clearly to me; "Will you get get out of My way and just let Me work on her?" I said, "Yes, Sir...I will." 

God showed me clearly that I can't change my wife's heart—only He can do that, and then only when she is ready, and willing.

The moral of the story goes back to Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24. The eldest servant asked the father, "And what if the woman is not willing to come with me?" The father responded, "Then you will be released of this oath." In other words, he was not to force her to come with him to be a bride for Abraham's son.

For all of us who profess to be followers of Christ—men, women, young and old alike—if we love Jesus, we will choose, in love, to walk in obedience and submission to Him. Jesus said; 

"Whoever has My commands and keeps them, is the one who loves Me." (John 14:21)

For married and single people alike; if we truly love Jesus, we will lay down our will, our rights, and the need to get our way, and love each other.  If you can't, or won't do this, I think you need to ask yourself, how much do you truly love Christ? 

And for all of you married folks, love Jesus by loving and serving your spouse sacrificially—even if he or she is not walking in obedience to the Lord. 

I believe that if a husband will love Christ by loving his wife in this way—leading in love—that ultimately, she will in turn follow his lead and turn to the Lord, and will want to love Him all the more. 

And so will much fruit be produced by, and for the Lord, that He might be glorified.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Rivers of Living Water

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me—as the Scripture has said—out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

(John 7:37-38)

One of my favorite rivers is the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. It literally flows out of the ground at Big Springs, Idaho. Water from Henry's Lake, along with snow melt, seeps into the volcanic caldera which lies underneath a huge portion of the eastern part of the state, and it gushes forth at Big Springs, immediately transformed into a full-fledged, living river. It is one of the clearest, most beautiful rivers you will find anywhere on earth.

Flowing rivers bring life.

Always moving, flowing outward, downward, watering crops, bringing much needed moisture to parched lowlands, cool drinking water to those who thirst, calling spawning fish home, providing refreshment—bringing much-needed life.

Lord, thank You for the life your living river brings.

The polar opposite of rivers are ponds. 

Ponds are self-contained—having no inflow or outflow. They slowly stagnate, surface thickening with parasitic insects, algae and pond scum. Robbed of oxygen, they slowly dry up, and eventually, they die.

Do you see any examples in these two metaphors with real life?

How about in your life?

Jesus said:

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive." (John 7:37-39)

I can see my own heart in both of the previous water examples.

Fortunately, I've had times where I remembered my Source and allowed His life-giving water to flow out of my heart, providing desperately needed mercy, encouragement and love to those around me.

Sadly, I've had far too many times when I was like a self-contained pond. Self-focused, stagnate, allowing no healthy inflow, and therefore, no life-giving outflow was coming out of my heart. The pond scum of self-absorption was choking the life out of me to where I was no good to anyone.

When we become inordinately self-focused, we are so blinded by self that that we cannot see others all around us who are in need of God's love and encouragement.

This kind of self-focus is self idolatry.

May God forgive me for all the times my heart was a stagnate, self-contained pond.

We have to ask Him for it, and then we must choose to allow the river of the Spirit of God to flow into our hearts. And then we have to allow His living water to flow out onto others. That living water was never meant to stay locked in a stagnate pond.

Is your heart flowing out like a river? Or self-contained like a pond?

If, like me, you need a time of refreshing in your life today, call on Jesus—the One who said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life..."

He will fill your thirsty heart with rivers of living water...which were never meant to be contained. 

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Lift Up Your Eyes

“Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.” (Psalm 143:8)

Are you in need of encouragement today?

—I can relate.

Life has a way of not turning out as you planned, or had hoped. Unmet expectations. Under-utilized potential. Unrealized dreams. However, it's not like we should be surprised, after all, Jesus did say that in this life we will have trouble—tribulation.

But then He said, "But be of good cheer—for I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Try as we might, we cannot overcome the world in of ourselves. We have no natural strength, wisdom, or power so great that we can overcome alone that which only Christ could overcome.

How then are we to be of good cheer as Jesus said?

He begins this verse by saying, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace."

Peace begins by simply being in Christ—saved by grace. Placed in God's family. Our names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise unto the Day of Redemption. Seated in the heavenly places with Christ. Filled with God's own Spirit. Eternally joined to God, never to be separated from Him again.

Kind of hard to be discouraged when you really get hold of the Truth of those amazing promises from our Everlasting Father.

I get discouraged when I take my eyes off of Christ, and look down at the stormy seas of my circumstances, failures and shortfalls. That's why we are encouraged in the Bible to lift up our eyes towards Heaven—to look up.

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)

“To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 25:1) 

“Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 86:4) 

“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.” (Psalm 123:1) 

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2) 

“Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.” (Psalm 143:8)

Ultimately, our peace, our hope and help, cannot come from man, or from the things of this world. Our hope is in Christ alone.

A friend reminded me recently to, "fail forward—not backwards." 

"What does that mean and how can I do that?" you may ask. By reaching out, crying out, and running to your Savior—Jesus. Not by falling backwards in shame, depression, or self-loathing. Every failure is an example and an education on 'what not to do' next time. And every failure is an opportunity to run to Jesus and ask Him for His comfort, wisdom and peace. He will never say "no" to that prayer.

The apostle James writes: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

God loves it when I humble myself and confess to Him; "Lord Jesus, without You I can do nothing." When I acknowledge my utter weakness and my inability to fix myself or make my life right.

Here is perhaps my favorite Psalm, and very appropriate today for many of us:

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

What is "contrite?" It literally means "crushed" (powder). 

What an amazing love the Father has for us! He is near to all of us who have a broken heart—who are so crushed in spirit that only He can save us and lift us up. That love makes we want to draw nearer and nearer to God. Such a wonderful and faithful Father He is!

When Peter walked on the water to Jesus, he began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the stormy seas. But when he cried out, "Lord, save me!" immediately Jesus reached out and lifted him up.

And that's our word of encouragement from the Lord today.

Keep your eyes and focus on Jesus. 

And if and when you do take your eyes off Him and focus on your stormy circumstances and troubles so that you begin to sink into a sea of despair—look up to Jesus and cry out to Him, "Lord, save me!"

And just as He did for sinking Peter, so too will Jesus lift you up out of your despair and give you His peace.

Your stormy circumstances may or may not go away. But regardless, when you humble yourself and cry out for the Lord to save you, He will lift you up.

Look up, for in His presence is fullness of joy.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

What Does God See?

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” 

(Luke 18:8)

When God, who sees everything, examines His creation, what does He see?

From 10,000 miles up, what must the comings and goings of mankind on this planet today look like? We're so frantically busy as a species; scrambling, buying, selling, building, consuming, striving, strategizing, justifying, asserting ourselves.

Man looks at the outward appearance—but God sees the heart.

What does God see when He looks at your heart?

I've been thinking alot lately about Jesus saying, 

"And when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

When Jesus comes, what will He find me doing? 

What I am doing at any given time is the outflow of what's in my heart. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21). I've really felt compelled by the Spirit of God to examine what I have invested my heart in. Is it in myself, my interests, my own life? 

Or is it in Christ, and in the lives of others?

The Apostle Paul wrote:

“He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)

It is a painful operation of the Spirit, when God begins to slowly peel away the layers of your 'self',' like the removal of dry layers of an onion. And there will be some tears shed in the process. But I find the more of those old layers that Christ removes, the more free I become in Him. The more I see Him, the less I focus on myself. But as each layer of 'me' comes off, He exposes another part of me that is not very appealing. 

Self-justification.

When I resist God's 'onion peeling' process in my life, I cause myself, and other people around me, a lot of pain and frustration. When I try to justify and cling tightly to my preferences, hobbies, and worldly things, He does not force me to give up these things. No, He just let's me hold onto them until I ultimately realize that none of these things can satisfy or fulfill me. 

Isn't it interesting, how we go to such great lengths to justify things that are not of God to ourselves and to others? Why do we, who claim to be born again by the Spirit of God, worship sensual and superficial things from a godless culture, as if these lifeless things are somehow still important to us? As if they are still part of us?

I don't get it. 

But almost all of us still do this. We cling to and seek to justify spiritually dead things that do not bring life, nor do they glorify God.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)

This is so amazing about God. He doesn't force us to be His disciples and follow Him. He said, "Deny yourself."

He doesn't force us to love and worship Him. He wants real, genuine, sincere love and obedience. He wants true disciples who will love Him enough to choose to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him.

One of my favorite sayings of Jesus is:

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” (John 14:23)

It's all about loving Jesus, who first loved us.

He laid down His life because of His love for us and made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Doesn't that love just make you want to deny yourself and give your life to Him?

Jesus is the greatest Friend we ever could have and will have. And our greatest Friend said:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

No longer do I look at the things of my life as things that I have to give up for God. I now look at anything that I have sought to hold onto as things that I get to be set free from. To deny myself of, because of my love for Jesus.

Loving Jesus is a Get to... not a got to.

How you see it... is all about your heart.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

What is God's will for my life?

“But share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (2 Timothy 1:9)

How many times have you asked God,

"What is Your will for my life?"

If you're like me, it's been many, many times, throughout this life of following Christ.

"What is my purpose?"  "Why am I here?"  "What is my calling?"  "How will I know?"

One thing I've learned after many years of seeking God on this, is that my purpose for being on this earth was not to become a spiritual "naval gazer."

So many of the "Christian" books I have read over the last several years have been focused on self; "how can I have a better life?" "How can I have better relationships?"  "How can I....?"

"It's all about me."

The pastor of our church calls this, "The self-idolatry of self-absorption."

It's spiritual naval gazing. Self-focus. And it's a recipe for depression, unhappiness, and a fruitless life.

An inherent danger of having been a Christian for many years, having read through the Bible many times, and going to Bible studies for years, is the temptation to reason within yourself; "I've already read that book and chapter several times before, I don't need to keep reading it over and over. I want something 'new' to read."

And then you can easily begin to slip into a process of reading many books, some of them very good, but then you get to the point where you're reading everything but the Bible.

And as I've discovered, as good as some of these books may appear to be at first, the subtle focus is on self. "How can I have...?"

The apostle Paul brings the focus back to God and His purpose:

“But share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (2 Timothy 1:9)

It's all about Him—His power, His works, His purpose, His grace; a holy calling in Jesus Christ.

Why did Jesus Christ come?

His Hebrew name, "Yeshua" means; "God is salvation." 

When an angel spoke to Joseph, about the divine Child to be born to his young virgin wife, he said:

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Jesus' purpose for stepping out of eternity, into our fallen little world, was to save us sinners from our sins.

Many people, including me, have been captivated by Jesus saying, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

And so, for years I have been on a quest to experience this "more abundant life" that Jesus spoke of.

But Jesus also said; "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6)

Jesus did not say, "I will show you the way to have a more abundant life." No. He said, "I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Jesus came that we may have Him, and Him more abundantly. He IS the Life. He is not a way of finding blessed living. He is Life, and life eternal.

Eternal life is not a place. It's not Heaven. Eternal Life is knowing God in and through Jesus Christ. 

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

We place so much focus on finding and obtaining the happy Christian life. Financial blessings. A great marriage and family. A good job. A nice house. Peace. Security. Happiness. 

But how much focus and passion do we place on knowing and experiencing Jesus Himself?

So what is this "holy calling" that Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy 1:9?

Knowing Jesus and making Him known.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him…” (Philippians 3:7-10)

Eternal Life is Jesus. And Jesus is God.

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Jesus came that we may have Him. And He is all that we need. Nothing else can satisfy. Nothing else can bring life. In His presence is fullness of joy. Yeshua—"God is salvation."

Jesus is Life, and Life more abundantly. And He came to save us from our sins so that we can be reconciled to Him. 

That we may know Him—the Way, the Truth and the Life.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

The Lukewarm Church

“These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:14-19)

Have you ever heard the story of the Frog in the Kettle? 

It's been said, that if you put mister frog in a pot of lukewarm water and then turn the heat up, he gets so comfortable in the gradually warming water, that it lures him into a false sense of security. And by the time the water begins to reach the boiling point, it's too late for mister frog, because he is too lethargic to jump out.

In my opinion, this is where much of Christianity in America is today. Lethargic, lukewarm, lured into a false sense of security, not seeing or discerning that the proverbial 'pot' is quickly reaching the boiling point. 

Compared to the rest of the world, most believers have it pretty good here in prosperous America. Good job. Happy family. Plenty of cash flow. Summer house on the lake. Jet skis. "We're fine. God is blessing us. We have need of nothing!"

But what did Jesus say to the Lukewarm Church in Revelation chapter 3?

"Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” 

"Be zealous and repent."

Repent of what?

Spiritual apathy for starters.

Why are we as followers of Christ here on this earth? Is it to simply 'get blessed' and have plenty of wealth to where we have need of nothing. 

Not according to the Bible that I read.

There's a whole world of lost, unbelieving humanity that God wants to restore relationship with.

But we often seem to be more concerned with our bank accounts, our houses, our hobbies, or in taking vacations to exotic places, than we are over the lost souls of our co-workers, neighbors, family and friends.

Does it ever hit you...break your heart... that millions of people in this country are perishing spiritually?

I confess, it hasn't been the major area of focus for me. 

And I'm ashamed to say that I have been pretty comfortable in that warm kettle.

Lord, forgive me.

So, "Why are we here?" 

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 18:20)

Jesus has given us the Ministry of Reconciliation.

Paul says it's as though God is pleading to lost people through us: 

"Be reconciled to God."

The love of Christ, and the love for people should compel us to plead with people to be reconciled to God. 

Because Jesus first loved me, I should want to plead with lost souls to be reconciled to God because of my love for Him. Jesus said, 

"If a man loves Me he will keep My commandments."

What was the Great Commission that Jesus gave us?

It was not, "Go ye into all the world and make boatloads of money and build great little castles for yourselves to live in."

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Our purpose—our calling—is the ministry of reconciliation.

No one need perish. But they need to hear the message:

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

And how will they hear the message unless someone shares it with them?

Paul said:

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

I've spent too many years living for myself. And today, I repent of that. 

From this day on, I want to live out the rest of my days on this earth, for Christ who died for me. 

The Love of Christ compels me.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:22)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

The Isaiah 9/11 Effect

"Who say in pride and arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.” Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and spur his enemies on."  (Isaiah 9:10-11)

There's no question that The United States of America was founded on godly motives, and on Biblical principles, by a core of godly men. And since that strong foundation and beginning, we have enjoyed liberty and God's favor and blessing in America; going on to become the most powerful and prosperous nation on earth.

However, the question people don't seem to be asking today, but should be asking, is—why is God's hand of protection and provision, which America has so long enjoyed, now seem to be in the process of being removed?

Why would God allow our security to be breached and thousands of our citizens to be murdered on 9/11 in 2001, when Islamic radicals crashed jet airliners into both of the World Trade Center towers, reducing them to piles of rubble, twisted steel and ash?

Why would God allow the economy of the most blessed and prosperous nation on earth to crumble, setting off a global financial crisis, the likes of which have never before been seen?

Why would God allow the rights of America's free citizens to be challenged and threatened by an ungodly regime?

The answer may well be revealed in historical events that unfolded over 2,500 years ago in the Middle East.

The northern kingdom of Israel was a special people; a nation chosen and established by God for His purposes. But they had turned their backs on God and His ways, and the people were worshiping other gods, slipping deeper into sexual immorality and idolatry, pushing God out of every aspect of their society and culture.

Through the Jewish Prophet Isaiah, God issued several warnings for His people Israel to repent—to turn their hearts back to Him. But they continued to harden their hearts further against God, ignoring the repeated warnings of His judgment that would certainly come upon them, if they refused to turn back to Him. (Read Isaiah chapters 7, 8, 9).

Ultimately, God used the Assyrians—the founders of terrorism, and Israel's most feared enemy, to bring His judgment upon rebellious Israel, after they ignored warning after warning from God to repent and turn their hearts back to Him.

Israel proclaimed their spirit of defiance against God, saying:

“The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.” (Isaiah 9:10)

Instead of humbling themselves and turning back to Him, God's people were basically saying; 'We will not repent and turn back to You! But in our own strength, and with our own resources, we will rebuild our walls and city bigger and stronger than before!'  

It was an act of arrogant defiance against God.

And the cause-and-effect of their open rebellion against The LORD, was to bring His judgment against them:

The Isaiah 9/11 Effect.

Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and spur his enemies on." (Isaiah 9:11)

The ancient nation of Israel and the modern nation of America are strikingly similar.

We both had a great beginning, enjoying special blessing and favor from God.

And we both have progressively turned away from God, even after being warned to repent and turn our hearts back to Him.

And just as God removed His hand of provision and protection off of His people Israel, so too, is God beginning to remove His hand of provision and protection off of the United States of America.

God used and allowed the terrorizing enemies of Israel—the Assyrians—to execute His judgment on a rebellious and hard-hearted people In Isaiah's day, some 2,500 years ago.

And on 9/11/2001, God allowed Islamic terrorists to breach our national walls of security, by removing His hand of protection on that day.

Like ancient Israel did, America has continued to drive God out of every arena of public life. 

Prayer in schools was outlawed in 1963. Abortion was made legal in 1973. The Ten Commandments have been removed from virtually every public monument possible. Sexual behaviors and lifestyles which were once viewed by the majority as immoral and ungodly, are now displayed and embraced everywhere as 'good' and acceptable. America is the pornography center of the world. And speaking God's Word in this nation is now seen by the cultural majority as 'evil.'

It appears that our nation is no longer, "One nation under God."

The day after 9/11, Americans in record numbers flocked to churches, seeking God, trying to make sense of the massive tragedy that had just befallen our citizens on American soil.

But very soon after that, most people went right back to living, "business-as-usual." Things improved, and people no longer were desperate to seek God.

9/11 was a warning... beckoning us... "Repent, and return to the Lord."

The growing global economic crises is a warning... "Repent, and return to the Lord."

Would you believe me if I told you that, after 9/11, several American politicians spoke the exact words about rebuilding and replanting, that the ancient Israelite's defiantly did, 2,500 years ago?

“The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”

Please, take the time to watch the following thought-provoking video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuUEPdyXvb0

*NOTE:  I am not seeking to promote the video and book titled, "The Harbinger" as a specific "prophecy" to America. However, I do believe that America is spiritually following the same rebellious and idolatrous patterns that Ancient Israel did. So, our need to repent and turn to God is just as relevant and urgent as theirs was.

In my strong opinion, it is high time for a wake up call for America to turn to God.

“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.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

This is not a message of fear, nor one of gloom and doom. This is a message of divine Love. For although God sent His rebellious people Israel multiple warnings of the coming judgment if they refused to turn back to Him, the Word says,

"And for all this, His hand is outstretched still."

To all who come to Jesus Christ, He will in no way cast out.

“Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.