Mike Wingfield – Page 44 – Prophecy Today News

2014 June – Making Sure You Will Not Be Left Behind – Part One

Making Sure You Will Not Be Left Behind – Part One

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own yourselves.” -2 Corinthians 13:5

By Mike Wingfield

My 17 years of preaching and teaching the Word of God in churches across America have aroused great concern in my heart for the people sitting in the pews. More specifically, when I speak on the Second Coming of Christ, I sense that deplorable spiritual conditions exist in some of our churches. And my concerns are heightened when I consider the fact that I am only invited to speak in churches that consider themselves to be conservative and evangelical.

It is very apparent to me that most church members’ lives are no different than those who are lost or not attending church. Several decades ago, Dr. Billy Graham said he estimated that 85 percent of American church members are not saved. I agree with his observation.

This means that a great number of professing Christians in America are living under the deception that they are saved, when they are not. When the rapture of the church takes place, a majority of church members will be left behind. This will be utterly shocking for those who thought they were ready for the coming of the Lord, only to be left behind to face the horrors of the Tribulation Period.

Many wonder about the mass chaos that will erupt throughout the world when millions disappear during the Rapture. The sad reality is that fewer will be raptured that we think. Jesus asked the following rhetorical question: “…when the Son of man cometh, shall he find [the] faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) The obvious reply is: “The state of the church at the end of the age will be such that very few will accept the faith and be truly born again.”

We have arrived at that point of self-deception and apostasy within the professing church.

Part of the problem is the gospel has been watered down to a few chosen promises of the Lord that make it easy to “make a decision.” Most professing Christians and churches hurry a person through a few verses and then ask the person if they are ready to “invite Jesus into their heart.” They do not really present the core truths of the gospel. Does the person know and believe that Jesus Christ is God? Do they believe that He died as God’s sinless, perfect sacrifice as their substitute on the cross, paying for their sin? Do they believe that Jesus bodily arose from the grave? Do they believe that Jesus’ payment for their sin on the cross is the full payment for their salvation? Do they understand that the Bible demands them to repent (turn from) their sinful lifestyle? Do they know they are a sinner and are living under the sentence of the wrath of God, having already been condemned to hell? Do they understand God is holy and their sin is an offense to the holiness of God? Do they understand salvation is a work of grace on God’s part, accompanied by their response of faith in all that He has done? Are they willing to count the cost of surrendering their life to the Lord and serve Him for the rest of their life?

Jesus never lowered His standards or demands so He could attract a larger number of followers. Instead, He repeatedly demanded that those who were considering following Him count the cost. For example, He said: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27) How many times have people been warned or instructed that if they want to be saved (become a disciple of Jesus Christ) they must consider the sacrifices they must make to follow Him?

Many people have been left with the impression that if they say a certain prayer that they possess eternal life and never need to question the probability that they may not really be born again. Jesus warned His followers that there would be many people who would go through life thinking they have received the gift of eternal life, only to find out after death and final judgment that they were never saved. Jesus gave the following sober warning: “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out [demons]? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23) Notice that in this context, Jesus is speaking about those who are deceived and deceiving others. He makes it clear that real issue is not what people say or claim. Jesus said: “Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20) This simply means that the real examination of one’s claim to faith must not focus on his words or claims, but on his lifestyle or works for the glory of God.

It is my experience that when most people are faced with this truth, they become angry and feel threatened that anyone would question their salvation. From their perspective, their salvation experience is confirmed in their mind and they are frightened to consider the possibility that they are deceived and may not really be saved. How sad! It is better for a person to deal with his pride now and be sure where he really stands with God, than to rely on a meaningless confession that is not substantiated by what the Bible demands – a changed life. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Some people do not believe that a person can know for sure they are saved. However, the Bible says: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life …” (1 John 5:13) As a person examines his salvation experience in light of his lifestyle, he must never question God’s promise of salvation. God will always honor His Word and promises. However, the Bible demands that we question our genuine reception of God’s offer of salvation.

2 Corinthians 13:5 gives us the following command and question: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

Once again, in 2 Peter 1:10, the believer is commanded to examine himself to make sure he is saved: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure…”

One might ask “How can a person examine himself to make sure he is saved?” The Bible provides the means to do so. First, we must recognize that our assurance of salvation is not based upon what we have said, think, or feel. Our thinking and feelings can be deceptive because they come out of our sinful way of reasoning. (See Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 16:25) The assurance of our salvation comes from a Biblical evaluation of our works and changed lifestyle. The Bible declares: “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can [that] faith save him? … Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2:14, 17)

It is has been my observation for many years, that the Lord has given us a wonderful book in the Bible to help us examine ourselves to make sure we are saved. That book is 1 John. The theme of this book is given in 1 John 5:13:

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” I would like to share with you nine tests in this short epistle that deal with the assurance of the believer’s salvation. I highly recommend that you thoughtfully and prayerfully consider these nine tests. It could make a difference in where you will spend eternity.

Test #1: Do you have fellowship with God?

(1 John 1:3-2:2) When a person is born again, he becomes a child of God. At that moment, he enters into a personal and intimate relationship with God. He begins to develop a personal relationship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit. This relationship is demonstrated in the believer’s life by his daily fellowship with the Lord. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3) The word “fellowship” means sharing. To have fellowship with God means that God is sharing eternal life (a deep and meaningful life of purpose) with us. We will commune with Him in prayer and read His Word. We will worship Him. We acknowledge the reality of His presence and desire to walk with Him, know Him and please Him.

The spiritual basis of this fellowship with God is holiness. Above all considerations about the nature and person of God is the fact that He is holy. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light [holy], and in him is no darkness [sin] at all.”

(1 John 1:5) When a person claims to walk with God, he is claiming to walk in holiness, because he is fellowshipping with a holy God. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness [sin], we lie, and do not the truth.” (1 John 1:6)

When a person becomes a child of God, he is justified, or declared righteous, at the moment of conversion. (Romans 4-5) His position or standing with God is based upon his holy position through the blood of Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:9) The daily demonstration of the reality of this standing will be seen in his victory over sin. It is impossible for a person to be sinless. The believer will sin every day! “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth [God’s Word] is not in us. … If we say that we have not sinned, we make him [God] a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, 10) When he does sin, he will be convicted and confess his sin because he has offended the holy God he loves and who lives in him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

The message of the Bible is clear. A person who walks with a holy God on a daily basis cannot live a lifestyle of sin. (1 John 3:6-10) A real believer cannot ignore sin in his life. He cannot say he does not sin, or that sin doesn’t matter! What we think about sin and how we deal with it in our daily lives, is at the heart of our daily walk with God. The Holy Spirit, who lives in every believer from the moment of conversion (Romans 8:9), will not allow the true believer to continue in a lifestyle of sin without a work of conviction and discipline. (Hebrews 12:7-13)

This work of the Holy Spirit to convict the believer of his sin is connected to the impact of the Word of God upon the conscience of the believer. The conscience of the believer is strengthened as he meditates upon the Word of God. (Psalm 119:11) The true believer will meditate upon the Word of God and be daily cleansed by it. (John 15:3; 17:17; Ephesians 5:26) Having a strong conscience that is strengthened by God’s truth is at the heart of the practical goal of all those who walk with a holy God. (1 Timothy 1:5) Please notice that God says that if we ignore our sin, it is evidence of the reality that God’s “truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

The believer will experience the joy of the Lord when he is walking with his holy God in God’s truth, and confessing his sin. “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:4) In John 15, Jesus spoke of the believer abiding in Him and His Word, bearing much fruit. He said that the result of all of this is real joy.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:11) Real joy in life can only be found in a personal, dynamic relationship with God as we walk in His presence. Long ago, the Psalmist declared: “Thou wilt show me the path of life, in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11) It has been my observation that the joy of the Lord is really absent in the lives of most people who claim to be believers in Jesus Christ. The joy of the Lord is not impacted by all of the trials and tribulations of life. (Acts 16:20-25) The joy of the Lord is anchored in His presence, blessings, and the forgiveness of our sins. And, nothing can take that away from us.

While I was a pastor, I learned that the people who always caused division in a church are those who probably could not pass this test. People who are always judging people and focusing on other peoples’ sins or failures usually are filled with religious arrogance and pride. They seem to think they have spiritually arrived at a state of perfection, and it is their calling to rebuke others about their sin. I believe that when a person has a lifestyle of being broken over his own sins, there will be a spirit of humility and godly patience as they deal with other believers. A true believer is filled with the Spirit, the Word of God, and the joy of the Lord. There is a time and place for rebuking others. However, when it is needed, it should come from one who is patient and filled with the Word of God. (2 Timothy 4:2)

Before we move on to the next test to examine our salvation, let us focus on the great measuring stick of our relationship and fellowship with God. At the core of all of this is the believer’s daily hunger for the Word of God. This alone sets him apart from the ungodly. (Psalm 1) Our time in the Word is essential to our walk with God. As you reflect upon the first chapter of 1 John, please consider this: If a person is not in the Word, he will not confess his sins. If he does not confess his sins, he will not have forgiveness of his sin. If he does not have forgiveness for his sins, he does not have fellowship with God. If he does not have fellowship with God, he does not have any power to live the Christian life. If he does not have the power of God, he will not experience victory in his life. If he is defeated in his Christian life, he will not have any joy. All of this goes back to the believer’s time in the Bible.

Sadly, statistics show that an overwhelming number of church members never look at their Bible throughout the week. If that is your habit, and you think that everything in your life is spiritually fine, you are living in spiritual deception. If you are not in the Word of God on a regular basis, you are living with unconfessed sin in your life. You are not walking with God, and maybe, you are one of those who think they are saved and are not. Think back to your conversion experience. Since that time, if you have never had the lifestyle of being in the Bible and really being sensitive to your sin, then you are not saved!

In the next two newsletters, we will look at the remaining eight tests in 1 John to help you examine your claim to salvation. You really need to do this, so that you can made sure you are saved and not be left behind when the rapture takes place. And, that could happen any day now!

Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

They will Never Forget

Each time I have gone to Israel, I have concluded my tour with a visit to Yad Vashem – the memorial to the Holocaust – in Jerusalem. This memorial is an attempt to maintain a lingering memory in Israel of the 6 million Jews who were brutally murdered by the Nazis during World War II. Each time I view the records and remains of these victims I am moved to tears to think of the sheer hatred that was heaped upon these Jewish people and other minorities.

The Jewish people know all too well that what happened during the Holocaust was not an isolated incident. The nation of Israel and the Jewish people have suffered greatly from the time of their beginning. Psalm 129:1-2 declares: “Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.” All of this has happened because the nations “hate Zion.” (Psalm 129:5) In an earlier Psalm, the Psalmist helps us to understand why so many people hate Israel.

“Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederated against

thee.” (Psalm 83:1-5) Then in verse 6-8, the Psalmist lists these enemies of God and Israel. They are the Arab/Islamic nations of the Middle East.

Each year, Israel has a day dedicated to the memory of the 6 million victims of the Holocaust. At 10:00 a.m., sirens wail over Israel and for a few minutes everyone stands in complete silence. During this solemn time, traffic stops, people get out of their cars and stand in silence. During that day, there are special ceremonies held at Yad Vashem. This year, the day of memorializing the Holocaust victims was Monday, April 28. I was deeply moved by the speech given by the Israeli president, Shimon Peres, who is 90 years old. He remembers the Holocaust and lost many of his own family members who were murdered by the Nazis. Here are some of his remarks:

“My brothers and sisters, at this very moment I see before my eyes a heartbreaking image.”

Tens of thousands of people; young and old, male and female, all concentrated on the banks of the Danube River. They are all under orders to face the river, each one tied to the next. Behind them stand Nazi storm troopers, Germans and locals, who cut them down with bullets to the back. To save bullets they tied weights and stones to them so that the dead will drag the living down with them. Children were tied to their mothers, the young to the elderly. The bodies of the victims are pushed into the chilling, foaming waters of the Danube. Their cries rise to the heavens and are left without an echo. The perpetrators stand with smiles on their faces, as if they carried an act of heroism and won a brave battle. The blue Danube is painted red, in a single moment it became a floating grave, innocent victims, innocent people. Itamar Yaoz-Kest, a Jewish poet born in Hungary and sent to Bergen-Belsen, screams in one of his poems, “What is there to drink? They tell me people. Water with blood?” It happened in Hungary.

But then another image comes to my mind, a photo of the town where I was born and spent the first decade of my life, Vishneva. In Vishneva the Nazis used a different technique. They didn’t shoot the Jews. They burnt them alive. The Nazis, Germans and locals, gathered up all the Jews left in Vishneva, (half had already immigrated to Israel) and forced them to march to the synagogue which was made of wood. My grandfather, wrapped in a Jewish prayer shawl, stood at the head of the march, Rabbi Zvi Meltzer may peace be upon his soul. The same prayer shawl that I huddled under every Yom Kippur to listen to him recite the Kol Nidre prayer in his beautiful voice. They locked the doors of the synagogue and set it on fire with all the Jews still inside. No-one survived. Nothing was left of the synagogue. I can still hear the Kol Nidre prayer, which my grandfather would recite, in my heart. I visited Vishneva when I was Foreign Minister of Israel and I was accompanied by the Foreign Minister of Belarus, a delegation of senior government officials, and a honor motorcade. On the way to Vishneva we passed the train station at Bogdanov. The station still operates but during the war years the rails were heaving with carriages packed with Jews on the way to Auschwitz-Birkenau. I imagined hearing the trains. The contradiction between the noise of the motorcade and the screams of help from the trains was ghastly. This station, from which we travelled to Israel, is the station that took my people to the death camps. What happened to them could have happened to me. It could have happened to many of us here tonight. …

The State of Israel of today is not only the only possible memorial standing for our perished brothers and sisters. Israel is a deterrence against any attempt at another Holocaust. A strong Israel is our response to the horrors of anti-Semitism but it does not excuse the rest of the world from its responsibility to prevent this disease from returning to their own homes. Allow me to say, based on 90 years of experience, that without a state of our own we would continue to live on our weakness rather than, as we do today, live on our historic and contemporary abilities. The State of Israel is not a passing event; it is based upon 4000 years of life. The history of the Jewish people contains no lack of anguish but it is filled with hope – the eternity of Israel will not die. Israel seeks peace. Between people and between nations. Peace with nations near and far. We pursue peace because we pursue justice for all regardless of origin, regardless of faith. The right to peace is the right to life. I say with confidence – we are strong enough to repel dangers, we should not be scared of threats and we must not give up on peace.

As a member of the Jewish people I may not and I cannot forget the horrors of the Holocaust. As a citizen of Israel I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Nazis will not rise again. As a human being I will do everything in my power to bring peace between peoples. Between races. Between religions. Between nations.

We lost the best of our parents and the best of our children. But our faith that victories are temporary and values are eternal never erred. We will forever be a people who believe in values of man and values of heaven. In the name of the six million, among them one and a half million children, we will carry the torch of Jewish independence. The torch of freedom. The light of man. The belief that we will know an enlightened world in which every person treats the other as a fellow human being. And in which we are all born in the image of the Lord. May their memories be blessed.” (E-mail from Joel Rosenberg, April 28, 2014)

A Legacy of Hate

The founding prophet of Islam, Mohammed, hated all who opposed him. Therefore, it was his custom to murder them. This included Jews, Christians, and even Muslim apostates. Therefore, when Muslims kill non-Muslims, they are following the legacy of Mohammed.

In recent months, we have been reminded of this legacy of hate. In April, a radical Islamic group, Boko Haram, in Nigeria kidnapped 300 teenage Christian girls and are holding them for ransom. This militant Islamic group has been on a killing spree for almost four years in Nigeria and no one seems to care, or made an attempt to stop them. To make matters worse, the U.S. State Department and media fail to publicly disclose Boko Haram as an Islamic group. At the same time, they blame Israel for the failure of the “peace talks.” This demonstrates moral collapse at the highest levels of our society.

In Sudan during the month of May, a Christian mother who is eight months pregnant, was jailed, along with her two-year-old so. This woman has been sentenced to be hanged because she is considered an Islamic apostate. The Sudanese authorities view the young Christian mother as having had illegitimate sex with a Christian man, because they do not recognize her marriage to him. The authorities say she is to be flogged and allowed to give birth to her child. She and her two children will remain in prison for two years after the birth of her second child. If she does not repent from her Christian faith, she will be killed.

According to the command of Mohammed, all apostates of Islam must be killed. In recent years, several Muslim clerics have openly declared that if they did not have this to exist, parents are prisoners of Islam.

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2014 May – Five Minutes After You Die

Five Minutes After You Die

“… it is appointed unto men once to die …” – Hebrews 9:27

By Mike Wingfield

Most people live their entire lives without thinking about death and eternity. They know they will die someday, however, in their foolish thinking, they never consider the moment they will step out of the physical realms of this earth into the spirit world. Little do they realize that they will spend eternity in this spirit world.

Obviously, it is very important for a person to think about his death and where he will spend eternity. In reality, there is no subject more worthy of contemplation and discussion. Jesus asked the following thought-provoking questions: “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

The most important question of all is: “Where will you spend eternity?”

It is very wise for a person to consider his own death. Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 teaches us that it is more beneficial to attend a funeral than to go to a party. While going to a party may be pleasant, it does not teach us anything meaningful about eternity and life. When a person attends a funeral, he is forced him to think about death, time, and eternity. That is wise.

Most people are so afraid of death they refuse to think about it. Death is one of our major enemies. Death entered the world when man ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Consequently, every person who has ever been conceived has died (except Enoch and Elijah). Romans 5:12 declares: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” This great enemy will continue to reign in this fallen world until it passes away at the end of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

“For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26)

As believers in Jesus Christ, we do not need to be afraid of death. Our blessed Lord has resurrected from the dead, claiming victory over the devil, hell, the grave, and death!

(1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Hebrews 2:9, 14-15) In Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus boldly declared: “Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Our lives are anchored in our living Savior. His resurrection from the dead guarantees our future resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:16-23) We do not need to fear death because it is only a momentary transition into the spirit world where we will live forever in the presence of Jesus.

The greatest test of a person’s faith comes at the time of his death. Is he confident in a faith that is anchored in his Savior? If so, he will not fear death, but will be anxious to step into the presence of the Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul faced death on many occasions. While he was in prison for the gospel’s sake, He wrote: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) In essence, this great apostle of the faith was saying that he would be victorious if he lived or died. If he lived, he would continue to serve his Lord. However, if he died, he would be with his Savior in eternity. It is important to observe that all of the apostles, except the Apostle John, willingly gave their lives as martyrs for Christ. When you compare the spiritual demeanor of the apostles in the gospels after the death of Christ and before His resurrection, with their boldness in the book of Acts, it demonstrates a drastic change. What made the difference? They watched Jesus die and were eye-witnesses of His resurrection. This gave them great boldness and confidence to know that they did not need to fear death. They were confident that they too would be resurrected.

In recent years, I was privileged to speak with my dad and father-in-law only days before they passed into the presence of the Lord. Both of these men were anxious to step into His presence. With a smile on his face, only three days before his death, my dad said to me: “I have lived my entire life for this moment and I am now going to see Jesus.” That is real confidence.

In this brief article, I would like to examine three Biblical considerations about what happens to a person in the first five minutes of their death experience. I would encourage you to read a real historical account in Luke 16:19-31. In this report, Jesus tells about two people who died. One was a believer and the other was not. From this account, supported by additional Scriptures, we will observe three considerations about death

The Entrance into the Spirit World

As physical beings, we move about in a physical world. As far as our depraved and finite minds are concerned, the physical world is all that is real. However, those of us who study and believe the Bible know this is not true.

All of us move through our lives without being constantly aware of the spirit world. The spirit world may not be tangible to the physical human eye, but it is real. We cannot see them, but, according to the Bible, there are spirit beings [good angels and evil angels called demons] all around us at all times. For example, read 2 Kings 6:15-17.

In our text, Luke 16, notice that both the saved and unsaved persons entered into the spirit world immediately upon death. The saved beggar was met by the angels of God. (verse 22) When the unsaved rich man died, he entered into hell. (verse 23)

We need to remember the Bible teaches that all humans are equally created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26) This means we, unlike all the other creatures in God’s creation, are a spiritual and physical being. Only mankind has an invisible part we call soul, spirit, intellect, conscience, etc. This is a very complex issue that has been debated by theologians for centuries. However, for the sake of this article, we will focus on the truth that man is a physical and spiritual creature. We, like God, are a moral and intellectual being that have been created to live and act with purpose and will. We also have been created to live forever. Unlike God, man has a beginning – at conception. However, like God, man will live for the remainder of eternity. The reality of man’s existence beyond the grave is a thread of truth that consistently stretches from Genesis to Revelation. The physical and bodily resurrection of our Lord is the most powerful evidence of this reality. Anyone who rejects this truth is calling into question the very foundational truths of the Word of God and the powerful testimony of Jesus and His resurrection as the Son of God! “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar: because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” (1 John 5:9-10)

When we speak about death, according to the Bible, we should think of one word – “separation.” Physical death is the separation of the body and soul (spirit, conscience, etc.). At the very moment of physical death, the invisible part of man departs from the body. We have a perfect picture of this reality with the death of Christ on the cross. When the end of six long hours of suffering had come to an end on the cross, Jesus spoke to His spirit and gave it permission to leave His body. Luke, a physical physician, wrote in his gospel: “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the [spirit]. (Luke 23:46) The power of life and death is in the hands of God. (John 1:4; 11:25; 14:6) While speaking of His approaching sacrificial death, Jesus said: “… I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

Therefore, when it came time for Jesus to voluntarily die on the cross, He did something that only God can do. He spoke to His spirit (the invisible part of man) and gave it permission to leave His body. That was the moment of physical death for Jesus. So, physical death should be understood as that moment the invisible part of man (soul or spirit) departs from the body.

When a person dies and his soul departs from his body, he is instantly aware of a world that he has not seen or experienced before. His body and the tangible world on this earth are left behind.

The Transport to our Destination in the Spirit World

According to our text, Luke 16, when a person dies he immediately begins a journey in the spirit world that has been travelled by billions of people before us. When that person leaves his body and enters the spiritual realm, he ceases to be a creature that is bound by time, space, and matter. While his experience will be considerably different, it will be real.

Depending upon his spiritual standing while on this earth, he will immediately begin a brief journey to his residence in the spirit world. According to the Bible, there are only two possible destinations – heaven or hell.

Notice in our text that the believer, the beggar, was transported to Paradise. Prior to the death of Jesus, all believers were gathered into a special temporary place of comfort, called Paradise (located in the earth), until their sins were paid for by Jesus on the cross. The place of the departed spirits of the dead in Old Testament days was called “Sheol.” As described in Luke 16, Sheol was made up of two compartments. One was a place of torment for the wicked, while the other was a place of comfort for the saved. These two places were separated by a great “gulf” or space. (verse 26) Remember what Jesus said to the dying thief who expressed saving faith to Jesus while on the cross. He said to him: “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Three days later, when Jesus arose from the grave and ascended back to heaven, He emptied Paradise and took all of the souls of the Old Testament saints to heaven with Him. (Ephesians 4:8-10) Therefore, when all believers die today, they immediately are transported into the presence of God in heaven. The New Testament is filled with the truth that when the believer departs from his body in death, he is in the presence of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:20-24)

Our text, Luke 16, informs us that when the beggar died, he was immediately carried to Paradise “by the angels.” (verse 22) Hebrews 1:14 declares that God’s angels are “all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” Perhaps the last assignment for the angels who are caring for God’s children on earth is to meet their spirit when they leave the body. With great care and comfort, they transport the spirits of the saints of God to their heavenly home. It is my opinion that this angelic transport of the spirit of the saints who have just died is rather quick. It is not instant, but also is not a lengthy process. 2 Corinthians 5:8 declares: “…to be absent from the body” is to be “present with the Lord.”

Let us examine two related questions in this consideration. First, where is heaven? We do not know the exact location of the spiritual heavenly dwelling place of God. We know that is in the heavens. In 2 Corinthians 12:2, the Apostle Paul reported that at one time he was “caught up to the third heaven.” The first heaven is where the clouds are located. The second heaven is where the planets and stars exist. The third heaven is not visible to the physical human eye. The spiritual heaven is real and tangible to those who have spiritual vision in the spirit world. It does have an exact location in relationship to earth. However, it is unknown. Perhaps it is only a few million miles from earth.

The second related question is: How fast can angels fly? Ezekiel 1:14 indicates that angels can move like “a flash of lightning.” This would mean that angels can at least travel at the speed of lightning, which is about 93,000 miles per second. Perhaps we have another hint in Daniel 9 concerning how fast angels can travel. According to Daniel 9:21, the angel Gabriel was commanded to fly from the presence of the Lord to the prophet Daniel in Babylon when he began to pray his prayer recorded in Daniel 9:4-19. Before Daniel was finished praying, Gabriel interrupted him and informed him that the Lord had sent him with an answer to his prayer. In the processes of communicating this message to Daniel, Gabriel reported to Daniel that he had been “caused to fly swiftly.” (Daniel 9:21) The Hebrew words from which this phrase is translated, suggest that Gabriel was flying a great speed, even for angels, and that he was exhausted from his exertion in traveling such a distance in such a short period of time. In another comparison, we have been told that the entire process of the supernatural resurrection of the dead saints at the rapture will take place in “the twinkling of an eye.”(1 Corinthians 15:52)

Therefore, while we cannot be dogmatic about this, it would appear that the angelical escort of the spirit of the dead saints into the presence of the Lord is perhaps only a brief flight of no more than a few seconds or minutes. One can only image the sheer joy of the saints of God who have been escorted to heaven by the angels of God. What a trip!

When my dad went home to be with the Lord several years ago, I was in Indiana for a speaking engagement. He was hospitalized in Virginia, when he made his heavenly journey. My family was at the hospital when dad passed. When my little precious granddaughter, who was six at the time, was told that her great grandfather Wingfield had gone to be with Jesus, she asked: “How did he get out of the building?” I laughed when they told me about her question. However, it was a powerful testimony to her little, but growing, spiritual mind. The angel, a spirit being, and the spirit of my dad, made their way in a fraction of a second through the roof of that hospital and disappeared out of earth’s atmosphere on their flight to heaven. I had to fly home from Indianapolis, Indiana on a much slower flight. There are three approaches to the runways at the airport in Roanoke, Virginia. One of the approaches takes you almost directly over the hospital where my dad took his flight to heaven. However, in all of my flights back home for many years, I had noted that it was very rare to fly over the hospital. As our plane was in flight to Roanoke that night, I asked the Lord, if was His will, if I could fly over the hospital and see my dad’s launching pad to heaven. My assigned seat, the last one available on the full flight, put me at a window seat on the left side of the aircraft – the only possible view I could have of the hospital. As we made the approach in darkness at around 11 p.m. that night, I was still praying that my desire would be granted. As we made our final approach, the tears began to flow when I looked out of that window and saw the roof of the hospital. In my glorified imagination, I could see the angel with his arm around the spirit of my dad, flying up toward heaven. No one can convince me that the Lord had not ordered my steps that night and was so gracious as to answer my prayer.

Now, let us consider the transportation of the spirit of the dead sinners to hell. Our text, Luke 16, does not mention that the spirit of the dead sinner was supernaturally escorted to hell. However, there seems to be some Biblical evidence that demons –those fallen, evil angels who are in league with Satan – are present to escort the spirits of the unsaved down into hell. It appears that the Lord allows Satan and his demons to play some role in the death of the wicked. Notice in Psalm 78:49 that the first-born of the Egyptians that died as a part of the final divine plague against Egypt in the days of Moses were killed “by sending evil angels among them.” It appears that the Lord allows Satan and his demons to kill sinners and escort them to hell. This only seems natural for the one that is described as “a murderer from the beginning.” (John 8:44) Please notice that the demons who aid the one who is called the destroyer (Apollyon) in Revelation 9 will be forbidden to kill those who have the seal of God in their foreheads (probably the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:1-8) at the mid-point of the Tribulation Period. The fact that they are forbidden to kill indicates they would have acted as murderers if the Lord had not restrained them. In 1 John 3:12, we are told that Cain was acting like “that wicked one” when he murdered his brother, Abel. Therefore, it seems obvious to me that at death, the spirits of the sinners will be escorted to hell by demons.

What a shocking chill it will be when people like the rich man in Luke 16 have lived their lives seeking the pleasures of this world, while totally rejecting Jesus Christ, only to be confronted by a demon at the moment of death. What a shock for their spirit when they are met by demons that immediately escort them down into the heart of the earth to hell. In light of the changed attitude of the rich man in hell, one can only image the immediate sense of foolishness and desperation that will overcome the soul of the sinner as he descends into hell.

The Initial Experience of Those Who Arrive at their Final Destination in the Spirit World

According to Luke 16 there are only two possible final destinations for the spirit of the departed dead – heaven or hell. The Catholic Church teaches that the spirits of the dead go to an intermediate place called “Purgatory.” It is believed that those who need to attain more holiness before they can enter into heaven are held in Purgatory. Therefore, according to this doctrine, living saints on earth must intercede in their behalf until they acquire such purification and can enter into heaven. This entire concept has no Biblical foundation. The Bible declares that upon death a person’s spiritual state is fixed. Hebrews 9:27 clearly states: “… it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

When a believer in Jesus Christ enters into heaven he will be once and for all in the presence of his Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23) Heaven is a place of “comfort” (Luke 16:25) and “fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11) It is a place of worship (Revelation 4:10; 5:8-13) and service to our Lord. (Revelation 7:15) The Lord will care for our every need with intimate attention. (Revelation 7:16-17)

The Bible declares that it is the delight of our Lord to have His children join Him in His heaven. In John 14:3, Jesus said: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” In His high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed to His Father: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me for thou [loved] me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24) The entire process of welcoming a child of God home is precious to the Lord. He has declared: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)

The saints of God cannot begin to imagine the sheer joy and thrill it will be to finally be in the presence of their Savior and all of the other saints in glory. The ecstasy of worship around the throne of God will create a perfect spirit of thanksgiving and praise that will fill our minds with thoughts of awe and wonder as we witness the infinite attributes of our awesome God. Our tongues shall never cease to join the angels and saints in glory to give our Lord the glory that is due unto His Name. The worship and service of our Lord in heaven, even in its initial moments, will confirm that we were created to for His pleasure. (Revelation 4:11) We will never tire of gazing upon His face and prostrating ourselves before His throne. We will know down deep in our souls that we are finally “home.”

In sharp contrast to the final destination of the saints in glory is the final place of torment that awaits the wicked. Luke 16:23 pictures the rich man in his initial moments in hell with the following words: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments…” His initial response was: “I am tormented in this flame.” (verse 24)

The sinful, finite mind of man cannot begin to image the horrors of hell. The thought of this is so painful that most people refuse to give it any thought. Some even try to rationalize that God is so merciful and loving that He would certainly not allow anyone to suffer in hell forever. However, we all need to remember that our blessed Lord continually spoke about the reality of hell as a place of fire and great torment. He spoke more about hell than heaven. Why? The answer is found in Ezekiel 33:11: “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die…”

Please notice that in the immediate context of Ezekiel 33, the Lord commanded His prophet, Ezekiel, to remind the children of God that they must warn the wicked to turn from their sinful ways. If we do not warn them, their blood will be on our hands on the judgment day. (Ezekiel 33:8-9)

My friend, you do not know when you will die. However, unless you are saved through the blood of Jesus and raptured to heaven, (1 Corinthians 15:51) you will experience death. When you die, who will meet you – the angels of God or the demons of hell? Five minutes after you die you will either be in heaven or hell. If you make no preparations in this life, you will join the majority of mankind in hell. (Matthew 7:13) You cannot go to heaven unless you have been redeemed by the blood of God’s sacrificial lamb – Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, only the blood of Jesus can satisfy the wrath of God against your sin. Your sin is an offence to the Holy Lord God! I urge you to cry out to Him today and ask Him to save you. (Read Romans 10:9-10, 13.) Turn from your sins and give Him your life. Read the gospel of John and believe everything you read about Jesus. Do not delay in making this commitment. Hell is filled with millions who had good intentions of receiving Christ. They did not know they would die so soon. Do not let that happen to you.

Is Israel Preparing to Strike Iran?

Those of you who have been receiving this newsletter for several years know I have been following the developing Iranian nuclear threat against Israel. I believe that if Israel attacks Iran militarily to eliminate this threat, it will probably set in motion the eventual response of the Gog and Magog nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39. In March, Israel Today released the following report:

“The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly maintained massive military funding for a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities despite ongoing negotiations between Western powers and the Islamic Republic.

Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz reported that Knesset members taking part in committee hearings in January and February were informed that the 2014 national budget still includes 10 billion shekels ($2.89 billions USD) for preparations for a long-range strike on Iran.

A number of Knesset members who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity said army officials were asked if the large expenditure was justified in light of negotiations taking place between Iran and the West to resolve the nuclear issue. The [Israeli Defense Force] representatives simply answered that these were their orders.” (e-mail from Israel Today, March 19, 2014)

Ukrainian Jews and Russia

In light of the Russian involvement in the Ezekiel 38-39 future invasion of Israel, it is not an accident that Russia is once again testing the response of the U.S. and U.N. by threatening to take over Ukraine. This is a move that many conservative analysts are saying demonstrates that Russian president Putin is working toward rebuilding the former Soviet Union. Of great concern is the following USA Today report on April 17^th:

“World leaders and Jewish groups condemned a leaflet handed out in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk in which Jews were told to “register” with the pro-Russian militants who have taken over a government office in an attempt to make Ukraine part of Russia, according to Ukrainian and Israeli media.

Jews emerging from a synagogue say they were handed leaflets that ordered the city’s Jews to provide a list of property they own and pay a registration fee “or else have their citizenship revoked, face deportation and see their assets confiscated,” reported Ynet News, Israel’s largest news website, and Ukraine’s Donbass news agency.

Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, the oldest pro-Israel group in the USA, said the leaflets should be seen in the context of a rising tide of anti-Semitism across Europe.

‘This is a frightening new development in the anti-Jewish movement that is gaining traction around the world,’ Klein said.” (www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014 /04/17/jews-ordered-to-register-in-east-ukraine/7816951/) link from usatoday.com no longer working we now send you to the front page.

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2014 March/April – God Have Mercy on America

God Have Mercy on America

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

By Mike Wingfield

May the Lord God have mercy upon the United States of America. That is the cry of heart as I am burdened to pray for my country as I witness its moral and spiritual decline. I sense in my soul that our nation is about to suffer a major act of divine judgment. No one can pretend to know what this act of divine judgment will be or when it will occur – but it is coming.

As I witness my country ever increasingly turn its back on God, I am reminded of the great Jewish prophet, Elijah. Elijah marched into the throne room of wicked King Ahab one day and announced that divine judgment in the form of a drought was about to fall upon Israel. (1 Kings 17:1) Where did he get such a revelation that this was about to happen? Elijah walked with God. He knew that God had warned the Jewish nation that if they ever departed from Him and disobeyed His Word, He would curse them and send a drought as an act of judgment. (Deuteronomy 28:23-24) Elijah saw the spiritual and moral corruption of his people. He knew their sin had reached a point where it was time for God to keep His Word and judge His people. In other words, Elijah was taking God at His Word. In his soul, he sensed that the time of God’s retribution with a drought was imminent.

Similarly, as I look around America and see the spiritual and moral corruption, I sense in my soul that the time of God’s divine judgment upon our nation is imminent. God will honor His Word! I am not a prophet, and like all believers today, I can never pretend to know the exact timing or nature of God’s divine judgment.

At this very hour, America continues to exhibit a haughty spirit of rebellion against God and His Word. There is a hunger for the sinful pleasures of every sexual perversion that is an abomination to our Holy God. A lifestyle of violence, lawlessness, and deception permeates the land. Many Americans have turned from the One and only living God and are flocking to various religious expressions of paganism. Too many Americans are fascinated with witchcraft, sorcery, mind-altering drugs, and other bizarre activities that are an offense to the Lord. An ever-growing spirit of greed, accompanied by a relentless pursuit of the idols of money and power, have a spiritual death-grip on the nation. The God-ordained order of marriage and the home is disintegrating right before our eyes. Our nation is spiritually, morally, and politically divided. It appears that the United States stands on the brink of economic collapse and political upheaval.

However, the greatest problem in America is the godless condition of the majority of local churches. The spiritual and moral collapse of America is a commentary on the failure of the church to be salt and light to the world. (Matthew 5:13-16) The professing church has become a part of the problem, rather than a part of the solution in America! A majority of pastors and church leaders have turned our churches into nothing more than social clubs where people can think about religious platitudes, and continue to applaud and promote godlessness within their congregations. There is very little talk about sin, repentance, the holiness of God, divine judgment, or eternal punishment. It seems that the leadership of American churches promotes and proclaims a message that we can convince God to bless us so we can be happy now. Very little is said about heaven or eternity. In essence, the church has become like the world. Professing Christians thrive on instant gratification. It is all about the god of self. God gets relegated to some lesser position of importance in our daily lives when He should be Number One.

While reflecting upon all of this, the Spirit of God directed my attention to Daniel 9:1-19. In this great passage, the godly prophet of Israel, Daniel, had discovered that his people were about to be released from their captivity of almost 70 years in Babylon. Being the godly man that he was, Daniel immediately began to wonder if this would be the time when the temple would be rebuilt in Jerusalem. In light of the response of the angel Gabriel to his prayer, it appears that Daniel was also wondering if this was the time the Messiah and His kingdom would arrive.

While Daniel contemplated the coming of the Messiah and His temple, he realized that his people were not spiritually ready for their long-promised Messiah to come. Consequently, he began to confess his sin to the Lord, as well as the sin of his people, Israel. (Daniel 9:20)

For a number of years, I have been deeply moved every time I read this prayer of this godly prophet. Daniel had a deep love for his God and his people. He was broken over the spiritual condition of his people and realized that they were not ready for the opportunity to rebuild the holy temple in Jerusalem and to welcome and worship the Messiah.

Please understand my heart. I am not even remotely suggesting that I should be compared to this godly prophet of God. I am, at best, a spiritual pigmy when compared to Daniel. However, I share his brokenness over the condition of my nation. I too, have a deep love for my God and a sense that the church of America is not ready for the Rapture. And, those who will be raptured are not really contemplating the reality that they will soon stand in the presence of the holy Lord Jesus and give an account of their lives, since the day of their salvation. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Should our Lord not come in the next few years, it seems to me that it is highly likely that every Christian in this country is going to suffer the consequences of living in a nation that will experience the divine judgment of God. Only those whose lives are deeply anchored in the Word of God and walking in the Spirit will be able to glorify our Lord and rejoice in the midst of the suffering that will come.

What I am about to do, I have never done before. The Lord has directed me to write out a prayer of confession and repentance for America in this newsletter. I am seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God to help guide our thinking and praying to provoke us all to get on our knees and cry out to God for mercy on behalf of America. I will include in this written prayer certain Biblical passages that you should read to guide you in this effort.

Before I begin with this written prayer, I must share with you an experience that I had which I consider not be a coincidence. These kinds of things happen to me all of the time while I am thinking about preaching or writing something. While I was driving to a conference recently, I stopped at a rest area to use the rest room. As I walked back to my van, my attention was drawn to a photo-copied page that was on the dashboard of the passenger side of the car parked beside of me. Before this stop, the Lord had been speaking to my heart about writing out this prayer and I was wrestling with this assignment in my mind. However, when I saw this paper on the dashboard of the car beside of me, I knew that the Lord was dealing with me about this assignment. The topic of the copied page, turned perfectly so I could read it without turning my head, was: “Abraham’s Intercession on Behalf of Wicked Sodom.” As I got in my van and drove away, my mind went back to Genesis 18 and the account of Abraham’s pleading with God to not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I believe that there is a reason why the Spirit of God chose to give us this great chapter in the Bible. It is a testimony to how the godly must cry out to the Lord for mercy when it is evident that divine judgment is about to fall upon a society. As I drove further down the interstate, my mind was flooded with what the Lord wanted me to write in this newsletter. I could hardly drive for the tears that streamed down my face.

My brothers and sisters, I plead with you to take this seriously. We must seek the face of God in this matter. I am not motivated to do this because I am a great patriot of America. And, I am. I am motivated to do this because there are still millions of Americans that need to hear the gospel and be saved. I am motivated to do this because I want my God to be glorified in the midst of all of this wickedness, deception, and confusion in America. I hunger to see a real revival among a remnant of godly people and churches! I must also confess that I need to pray this because I have two wonderful grown children with godly spouses, and three little grandchildren that have received Christ. I deeply care about them and what lies ahead in the future.

As you read this prayer, I sincerely hope you will join me on my knees in brokenness and confession before our God for our own sins and for the sins of America. I also appeal to you to share copies of this newsletter with other believers so they can join us in praying for our nation at this vital hour.

O Holy Father in heaven, we come to You in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We desire to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. We humbly come into Your divine presence with a sense of awe and reverence. We come before You in a spirit of worship, praise, and thanksgiving. We thank You for the gift of Your eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge You as the One and only triune God, revealed in three persons who are equally God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19)

We thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to die for our sins. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-11) We thank You for the gift of eternal life through His personal sacrifice on the cross, (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3) and His physical resurrection from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:4-19) We thank You for the promise we have that He will soon return to take us to live with Him in heaven. (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

Oh Lord, we believe that Your Son, according to Your revelation, created the heavens and the earth, “and all that in them is,” (Exodus 20:11) in six days and rested on the seventh day. We believe that He created the world out of nothing. (Hebrews 11:3) Nothing is impossible with You. (Luke 1:37) You have all power and authority upon this earth and in all of creation. (Matthew 28:18)

You are holy, righteous, and just. You can do no wrong and have never sinned or acted in an evil way. Everything You have ever done, or will do, is good. You are a good, gracious, kind, and merciful God.

All of us who have lived on this earth have sinned against You. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Not one of us can say we are righteous or good. (Romans 3:10) At our spiritual core, our souls, we are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9) None of us, without the work of Your Spirit, are seeking to know You or follow You. (Romans 3:11-12) “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Oh Lord, forgive us! We do not want to wander from Your presence. We want to abide in Your presence by the sweet work of Your Holy Spirit. (John 15:1-11) We acknowledge that without the work of the Holy Spirit we cannot know You or understand the things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16) With His help, we want to “trust in the LORD with all of [our] heart; and lean not unto [our] own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) We want to acknowledge Your presence in all that we do. (Proverbs 3:6)

Oh Lord, we come to You in behalf of our nation, America. We thank You that it has been evident that Your hand has been upon this nation for many years. You have blessed this nation. In Your Word, You have declared: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” (Psalm 33:12)

We know that this nation as a whole has never been a godly nation. However, we know that from its inception there was a godly remnant that settled this land and established a government that respected, honored, and reflected the Word of God. It has been an honor to live in a land where its people have been free to worship You. We rejoice that we have been able to openly and freely proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. We thank You that for hundreds of years, Your church has been able to saturate this land with the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. We are grateful that we have been able to send out missionaries to the nations of the world to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the salvation that comes only in His name. (Acts 4:12)

We acknowledge that You are sovereign over all the nations. (Romans 13:1) All of the nations are nothing when compared to You. (Isaiah 40:15-23) The history of the nations from creation to the end are in Your hands. You are the One who establishes the nations, selects kings, and removes them. (Daniel 2:21) We believe that You have chosen this nation as a very special instrument in Your hand for the good and freedom of many nations. It has been Your desire that this nation would give protection to Your people, both Jews and Christians. It is very apparent that this nation has played a very significant role in the establishment, recognition and protection of the nation of Israel in the last century.

Oh Lord, as we look at America today through the holy eyes of Your Word, our hearts are broken. It is apparent that the attitude of respect and honor for You as the One and only God is rapidly departing from America. O Lord, we believe that the first of the great Ten Commandments that You gave to Israel is still the first commandment from heaven for all mankind: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) We know that America is grieving Your heart as they follow after other idols and gods that really do not exist. Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, forgive us for the spirit of rebellion and haughty defiance against Your holiness and Your holy standards written in the Word of God. May there be a spirit of shame, conviction and brokenness that would break out in this land, bringing some to repentance. We grieve to know that our government, media, entertainment industry, and education centers are promoting a lifestyle of sexual immorality throughout the land. We know that such an open acceptance of these kinds of sins are an abomination in Your sight and historically have invited Your divine judgment. (Leviticus 18:18-29) Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, we live in a land of murderers. We are killing our unborn children for the sake of convenience and selfish ambitions. We are no different from the pagan cultures of ancient history that offered their babies to their gods, while living lives of gross immorality. (Deuteronomy 18:10) Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, we live in a land of gross demonic deception. Our culture is obsessed with witchcraft, sorcery, astrology, and many other forms of demonic pagan practices and expressions. (Deuteronomy 18:10-14) Our children are constantly playing games that saturate their minds with evil, violence, demons, murder, pornography, and many other sexual perversions. We know that You have said that a person becomes what they think about. (Proverbs 22:6) Oh Lord, we are already reaping the consequences of all of this ungodly and wicked entertainment. We fear for the future of our nation. We know that demons are taking control of the minds of many of our children, while parents are obsessed with gratifying themselves with pleasures and materialism. Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, we live in a nation where governmental leaders and educators are promoting rebellion against You, the destruction of marriage and the home, the destruction of our nation, and the damnation of our people. They are giving freedoms and privileges to Muslims while restricting these same freedoms and privileges to Christians in every level of our society. Oh Lord, the prophecy of Psalm 2:1-3 is coming to pass in America. Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, the greatest sin in America is within the professing churches of America. The spiritual condition of America is a reflection of the failure of the church in America to proclaim and live Your holy standards. (Jeremiah 23:16-32) The pastors and people of the churches have sinned against You. Our churches are filled with sin. The lives of professing Christians in most cases are no different than those who make no claim of being a Christian. Most church members do not really want to hear the truth and be convicted about their sins. They have hired pastors who will entertain them and make them feel good about themselves. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) Most professing Christians never read their Bibles and never weep over their sins or confess them to You. The churches of America are filled with sinners who do not know You. Those on the outside of the church see this hypocrisy and have no respect for the church or the Bible. Oh God, raise up godly men who will exhibit the spirit of Elijah and take a bold stand for their Lord. Oh God, send a revival among the saved pastors that have allowed sin to keep them from having fellowship with You. May they repent and boldly proclaim the Word of God and provide their congregations with godly leadership in these days of spiritual apostasy and deception. May they not compromise Your truth. May they not be afraid of anyone but You! May they allow the Spirit of God to work through them to “reprove the word of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John 16:8)

Oh Lord, the church needs to awaken from its spiritual sleep and proclaim that the triune God of the Bible is the One and only God. We know that in this present society a false message of tolerance is being proclaimed. However, these who call for tolerance are intolerant when it comes to the exclusive worship of the God of the Bible. The church must lovingly and firmly take a stand on this truth. The message of the Bible is clear. Jesus Christ, and the gospel message that is anchored in His life, death, and resurrection, is the one and only message of salvation. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5) We have been exhorted to pray for the salvation of others because our Lord “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Oh God, have mercy on the pastors and people in our churches in America!

Oh Lord, we deserve Your divine judgment at this very hour! We are grieving You! This nation has turned from its Biblical foundation and is promoting evil, lawlessness and rebellion in our homes, communities, schools and universities, and churches. I fear that we have gone too far. I fear that we are about to cross the spiritual point of no return. Oh Lord, I am crying out to You for mercy on behalf of my country. I do this because of the example of godly Abraham when he interceded for wicked Sodom. (Genesis 18:16-33) Oh Lord, I am praying this because Moses did this for his people. (Exodus 32:7-14) This was the heart of the great prophet Elijah, when he took that bold stand and prayed for a display of Your power to turn the heart of his people back to You. (1 Kings 18:21-40) This was the burden of Daniel and of all of the prophets of the Old Testament as You moved them to write to their people to warn them of Your divine judgment because of their sin. This was also the heart of the messages of the seven letters that our Lord Jesus sent to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3. Oh Lord, we humbly leave this matter at Your throne. We trust You and believe that because You are merciful, You will not bring divine judgment upon America until it is too late for repentance to take place in this land. (2 Peter 3:8-9) Only You know when Your Spirit can no longer strive with Americans. (Genesis 6:3)

Oh Lord, above everything else, we want You to be glorified. We are asking for mercy upon America and a revival in the land because we want to reach Americans with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that the day of Your divine judgment upon America and the entire world will come. May Your peace rest in our souls as You keep us in Your care as we wait for that moment when that judgment will come, or we rest in Your holy presence with You in Your heaven.

“And the Spirit and the bride [the church] say Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17) “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20) Amen.

The Miserable Failure of U.S. Policies in the Middle East

For several years now the United States has attempted to intervene in the affairs of nations in the Middle East. The consequences have been disastrous and will continue to be. Barry Rubin, of the International Jerusalem Post, writes: US President Barak Obama’s administration is engaging in over a dozen failed operations in the Middle East, and reason shows just why they’re failing: The Islamists’ philosophy is totally different from theirs. The Islamists are indifferent to the cost of victory.

“Clearly, the Obama administration does not understand Middle Eastern regimes and terrorist organization, and if it doesn’t remedy this, it will continue to meet miserable defeats.” (The International Jerusalem Post, February 7-13, 2014, p. 20)

First, the U.S. needs to understand that living in the Middle Eastern neighborhood of nations is very much different from living in the West. Many in the U.S. administration assume that the core problem in the Middle East is due to socioeconomic differences between Jews and Arabs. Therefore, in their materialist, socialist mindset, if we equal the economic playing field in the Middle East, then peace will come. In reality, this has nothing to do with the way people think in the Middle East, especially Muslims.

What is happening in the Middle East is a reflection of the war in the spiritual realm. Those of us who know the Scriptures understand what is taking place in the Middle East. The Middle East is engaged in a Holy War that is leading the world toward the end of this age. In our western mindset, there is a real separation of church and state (religious and political policies). However, this is not true in the Middle East. In Arab – Islamic countries, the religion dominates the political scene and dictates to it. This is what is really behind the current “Arab Spring.” This is not, as the Western media is portraying, a move on the part of the people of the Middle East to strive for freedom and democracy. What is playing out in the Middle East is a struggle between radical Islam and moderate Islam. Neither the radicals nor the moderates desire a western style of democracy. They view this as being evil. Most Muslims in the Middle East, moderate or radical, hate the U.S. and actually believe that there is more freedom in sharia law than with western style democracy.

In the Muslim mindset, power is respected and compromise is viewed as being weak. Israeli, Barry Rubin states: “What Obama and his administration do not understand about the Middle East is that in this part of the world, he who wins is he who compromises less, not he who compromises more. … Politics in the Middle East is like a game of chicken, not a game of bridge. … No extent of compromise is going to cause radical nationalists and Islamists to make real peace.” (The International Jerusalem Post, February 7-13, 2014, p. 20)

From a human perspective, the West is attempting to force Israel to compromise with the Muslims by giving the Palestinians the West Bank. Anyone who is listening to the Palestinian leadership and the majority of Palestinians, knows that real peace will never come to the Middle East as long as there is a Jewish nation in the land they believe belongs to Allah. The Palestinian mindset is a Muslim mindset. From their perspective, the presence of the Jews in the land formerly called Palestine is a total embarrassment to their religion. No matter what the cost and how long they are forced to wait, they must wage this war until they drive out the Jews and possess all of the land. They cannot and will not acknowledge Israel as a Jewish nation.

Millions of Muslims across the Middle East are committed to their religion and believe that they are destined to rule the world. They are determined to make this come to pass for their god, Allah. They are willing to lie and die to achieve this goal. The godless West cannot engage this war because they refuse to understand that this is a war being waged in the spiritual realm. The West is in a serious state of spiritual decline and is purposely distancing itself from the only One who can help them win this war.

From a Biblical perspective, this is the final struggle that will lead to Armageddon. The warriors are taking their positions. It is only a matter of time!

Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

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