Category: Current Events

Descending into the Darkness

“… the night [is coming] when no man can work.” – John 9:4

By Mike Wingfield

If you are saved and walking in the light of God’s Word, you know we are living in a time of great spiritual dark­ness. We can see our world descending into a deep, dark pit of depravity. The global culture is rapidly plunging into a deadly cycle of brutal violence, gross immorality, and civil anarchy. All of these developments are being accompanied by an unprecedented global economic col­lapse. This is extremely dangerous because it is taking place at a time when man continues to create and prolifer­ate powerful weapons of mass destruction around the globe. This will be most deadly because planet earth is currently home to the largest global population in history – 7 billion souls.

The Bible tells us that in this pit of darkness, the world will display the greatest rebellion of all times against the Lord. It is my opinion that the global culture has reached the spiritual tipping point of no return. When this hap­pened in the days of Noah, the Lord said: “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Genesis 6:3) This simply means that the culture of Noah’s day had collectively de­stroyed their consciences so that they were never guilty nor ashamed of their gross immorality and brutal violence.

The conscience is the spiritual means whereby the Holy Spirit strives with man to produce guilt and repentance that leads to salvation. Without this work of the Spirit in the conscience of man, no one is able to come to Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:3) Therefore, when a society collec­tively reaches the final stage when its conscience is seared (see 1 Timothy 4:2), they are vulnerable to demonic influ­ence and possession. In their fanatical rebellion against God, He gives them over to their passionate desires to continue down the path toward eternal damnation, without any spiritual warning. When this happens in the last days, the Lord will allow Satan to use evil men to deceive the global masses. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, That they should believe [the] lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

It is true that history has been filled with some of the same sins that are being expressed around the world today. So, how do we know that this hour is any darker spiritually than previous times? How do we know that this spiritual darkness is the one described in the prophetic Scriptures that will usher in the Great Tribulation? To answer these questions, we must turn to the prophetic Word of God and examine the way God will measure spiritual light and darkness in the last days.

I would like to suggest that Isaiah 60 is the perfect Bibli­cal text that gives us insight into to how the Lord will measure spiritual light and darkness in the last days. This text begins with a prophetic promise given to the Jewish people at the beginning of the millennial kingdom. The millennial kingdom will be established by Christ follow­ing the Great Tribulation. First, the text focuses upon the spiritual light that will shine greatly at the beginning of this earthly Messianic kingdom. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1) When the Lord returns to earth at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period, the entire living nation of Israel will be saved. (Ezekiel 36:25-28; Zechari­ah 13:8-9; Romans 11:26) No unsaved Jew or Gentile will enter the Kingdom of God on earth. Only the saved Gentiles and Jews who have survived the Tribulation Pe­riod will physically inhabit the earthly kingdom of God in their natural physical bodies. (Matthew 25:31-46) The remaining kingdom dwellers will be made up of the re­deemed saints of all of the previous ages. These resur­rected saints will rule with Christ in His kingdom in their heavenly glorified bodies they respectively received at the time of their resurrection.

This will be a glorious time for planet earth and all those who live to enter this glorious kingdom. “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the earth.” (Isaiah 11:9) All of the Jewish people will return home to Israel and the Lord will rule over them and all of the nations from Jerusalem, Israel. Finally, the passionate sovereign will of God for His chosen people will be fulfilled. The God of Jacob has declared: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” (Isaiah 62:1) The entire nation of Israel, every Jew on earth, will be a spiritual light unto the Gentile na­tions. As believers in Jesus, “the light of the world” (John 8:12), the entire nation of Israel will reflect the glorious light of their Messiah and Redeemer. The Lord has given them His promise: “The LORD shall be unto thee an ever­lasting light, and thy God thy glory.” (Isaiah 60:19) So, the Lord will begin His millennial reign with this com­mand to His redeemed chosen nation: “Arise, shine: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1)

However, in sharp contrast to this glorious moment of spiritual light at the beginning of the kingdom, the Lord directed His prophet to remind His people concerning the time that will precede this kingdom – the Tribulation Peri­od. Isaiah wrote: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:2) According to this verse, and many others, the Tribulation Period will be a time of dangerous global spiritual darkness. On what basis does God meas­ure this spiritual light during the Kingdom and the spiritu­al darkness that will precede His Kingdom? The follow­ing context in Isaiah 60 answers this question.

After making his opening statements in the first two vers­es of Isaiah 60, the prophet was directed to write about the evidences of the great spiritual enlightenment that will exist during the Messianic kingdom for 1,000 years. He lists four major evidences of this time of spiritual light that will shine forth from His physical kingdom in Jerusalem, Israel, and be reflected throughout the Gentile nations over all the earth. Let us briefly examine these four evi­dences of the spiritual light during Christ’s global king­dom. Understanding this will enable us to know and ex­amine the spiritual darkness that will be displayed during the Tribulation Period.

Spiritual Oneness

We must remember that during His kingdom on earth, the Lord will “rule all nations with a rod of iron.” (Revela­tion 12:5; compare Psalm 2:9) As the global dictator, He will not tolerate any other gods, idols, or forms of worship that would honor any former pagan deity. Satan and his demons, the great counterfeiters behind all gods and idols, will be banished from earth and locked away in the bot­tomless pit until the thousand years are finished. (Revela­tion 20:1-3)

All of the nations will worship the Messiah on His throne in Jerusalem. “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light. … and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. … They shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.” (Isaiah 60:3, 6-7) Earlier in his prophecy, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3)

In Isaiah 60:6-7, the Spirit of the Lord directed Isaiah to write about the spiritual transformation that will take place in the Arab/Islamic nations that will surround Israel. During the kingdom, the people from Midian, Ephah, Sheba, Kedar and Nebaioth will all come up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. These ancient names clearly point to a remnant of the Muslims living in the desert areas east of Israel, who will surrender to Christ before He returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation. In this text, the Lord points to the incredible transformation of the people who have violently and passionately rejected the God of Jacob for centuries. Finally, they will be spiritually one with Israel and come to Jerusalem to worship the God of Jacob.

Civil Peace

Because of the spiritual oneness that will be enjoyed by both Jews and Arabs during the kingdom, there will final­ly be peace in the Middle East and throughout the world. In this context, Isaiah reminded the future Jewish genera­tion that will inhabit the kingdom: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy walls, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.” (Isaiah 60:18) There will be no more war in the Middle East, or among the Gentile nations.

“And he [the Messianic King] shall judge among the na­tions, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into prun­ing hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4)

Therefore, the spiritual light that will permeate the king­dom of God on earth will be evidenced by the dramatic change among the nations in their attitude toward the presence of the Jewish people in their land. The conflict over the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem will cease. The wars and acts of terrorism that had preceded the king­dom will be over. The gates of the millennial Jerusalem will never need to be closed to defend itself against invad­ing forces. (Isaiah 60:11)

The nations will support the immigration of the final Jew­ish remnant to the land of Israel. (Isaiah 60:4, 9) Hatred for Israel and the Jews will be replaced with an attitude of honor, service, and acceptance. (Isaiah 60:7, 10, 12)

“The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bend­ing unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.” (Isaiah 60:14-15) With great praise and joy, Isaiah announced to his people: “the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” (Isaiah 60:20)

Political Unity

Another amazing evidence of the spiritual light that will exist within the kingdom is the global political unity. The nations of the earth will be in submission to the Messianic administration that will be centrally located in Jerusalem. The king will rule with a rod of iron. There will be no tolerance of any rebellion, defiance, or disobedience. He will have no competition. Those who rule with Him will be in glorified bodies and will not be able to sin or rebel. They will be spiritually and politically one with their Lord and King.

Jesus the Messiah will return to earth as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16) The earthly kings of the nations will submit to the Messi­anic King. Isaiah wrote: “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isai­ah 60:3) Through Isaiah, the Lord promised: “And the sons of strangers shall build thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee.” (Isaiah 60:10) Rebellion against the Jerusalem-based government of the kingdom will be met with swift judgment. “For the nation and king that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those na­tions shall be utterly wasted.” (Isaiah 60:12)

Economic Submission

The spiritual light of the kingdom age will be evidenced by the economic submission of the nations to the Lord and His people – Israel. All of the kings and their nations will demonstrate their recognition and acceptance of the Jew­ish Messiah as their King and Lord by flooding Israel with economic wealth. The nations will bring their silver and gold to Israel. (Isaiah 60:6, 9) The abundance of precious metals in Israel during the kingdom will be so astounding that Isaiah offers the following description: “For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron.” (Isaiah 60:17)

Therefore, we must conclude that the Lord measures the great spiritual light of His kingdom by the amazing trans­formation of the Arab/Islamic nations that surround Israel. The light of His kingdom is evidenced by the Arab’s spir­itual oneness with Israel. Because their heart has been changed, they will not hate the Jews, but love them be­cause of their Jewish Messiah. Wars and violence over the land of Israel and the Jewish possession of Jerusalem will cease. The Islamic passion to dominate Israel and control the world will be replaced with a submission to the Jewish administration in Jerusalem. Instead of investing in military hardware to destroy Israel, they will give full financial support to the Jewish people and their presence in the land that the Lord has given them.

In light of this understanding, we must now turn to the divine understanding of the darkness that will permeate the earth before the kingdom. Remember what Isaiah wrote: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” (Isaiah 60:2) This spir­itual darkness must be the exact and extreme opposite of the spiritual light that is described in Isaiah 60. Let us now examine the evidence of this gross spiritual darkness.

The current developments in Israel are being driven by many prominent radical Islamic groups. The agenda of these radical Islamic terrorists threaten life and freedom in the Middle East and around the world. On Monday, Sep­tember 29, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the United Nations General Assembly and very clearly sounded out a warning to the nations concern­ing the radical Islamic threat to the entire world. It is my opinion that Israel’s leadership is at this time speaking with the greatest moral clarity and spiritual light within the nations gathered at the U.N. Here are a few of his comments: “The people of Israel pray for peace. But our hopes and the world’s hope for peace are in danger. Be­cause everywhere we look, militant Islam is on the march. … For the militant Islamists, ‘All politics is global.’ Be­cause their ultimate goal is to dominate the world.

“Now, that threat might seem exaggerated to some, since it starts out small, like a cancer that attacks a particular part of the body. But left unchecked, the cancer grows, metastasizing over wider and wider areas. To protect the peace and security of the world, we must remove this can­cer before it’s too late.

“… They all share a fanatic ideology. They all seek to cre­ate ever-expanding enclaves of militant Islam where there is no freedom and no tolerance — where women are treat­ed as chattel, Christians are decimated, and minorities are subjugated, sometimes given the stark choice: Convert or die.

“… Militant Islam’s ambition to dominate the world seems mad. But so too did the global ambitions of another fanatic ideology that swept to power eight decades ago.

“The Nazis believed in a master race. The militant Islam­ists believe in a master faith. They just disagree about who among them will be the master… of the master faith. That’s what they truly disagree about. Therefore, the ques­tion before us is whether militant Islam will have the pow­er to realize its unbridled ambitions.

“The fight against militant Islam is indivisible. When mili­tant Islam succeeds anywhere, it’s emboldened every­where. When it suffers a blow in one place, it’s set back in every place.

“That’s why Israel’s fight against Hamas is not just our fight. It’s your fight.” (http://www.jpost.com/Arab­Israeli-Conflict/Full-text-of-Prime-Minister-Netanyahus­UN-speech-376626) link no longer valid, routing to home page

I applaud Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech. He not only speaks with moral clarity, but from experience. Isra­el is on the front line of the global battle against militant Islam. In essence, he is acting like the proverbial watch­man on the walls of Jerusalem, sending out a warning to all the nations. (See Ezekiel 3:16-21.) The world is fac­ing the same threat and should listen to his warnings and advice. However, it is apparent that this is not the case. Israelis were saddened when they realized that almost half of the U.N. delegation left the auditorium before Netanya­hu spoke. The world, including the United States, is not listening to his warning. Our world is doomed to suffer the wrath of God as He allows Islam to dominate the world during the Tribulation Period.

It is not an accident that the agenda of radical Islam is an exact replication of the spiritual darkness defined in the prophetic Scriptures. In essence, three major agendas are being promoted by these radical elements:

The Elimination of Israel

An examination of the prophetic Scriptures quickly reveal that the elimination of Jews from the Middle East and the world will be a major agenda of the Antichrist during the Kingdom. (See Revelation 12; 16:12-16.) Many Biblical texts state that the Tribulation Period will be the darkest page in Jewish history. (Jeremiah 30:4-7; Daniel 12:1) When the end of the Tribulation arrives, two-thirds of the global Jewish population will have been killed. (Zechari­ah 13:7-9) At the very end of the Tribulation Period, at the Armageddon campaign, the Antichrist and his Islamic coalition will lead a global assault against Israel. (Revela­tion 16:12-16) This will represent the world’s final at­tempt to slaughter the remaining Jewish population in Is­rael and return the Promised Land to Islam.

The teachings of the Islamic prophet Mohammed, the rhetoric coming out of the majority of mosques throughout the Middle East, the media outlets of Muslim countries, and the education curriculums in the countries that sur­round Israel, all espouse an agenda aimed at eliminating the only Jewish state in the Middle East – Israel. In some cases, this seems to be the sole purpose for the creation of some terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The battle cry to free Palestine and Jerusalem from the Jews is heard throughout the nations and especially in the Muslim lands that surround Israel.

The modern return of the Jewish people to their national homeland has been in progress for about 100 years. This entire century has been filled with many violent attempts to remove the Jewish people from their land. However, it is very apparent that this attack on the modern nation of Israel and the Jewish people living among the nations is reaching a very significant climax.

Many Jewish agencies who monitor and report on global anti-Semitism indicate we are witnessing a frightening rise of hatred against Jews. With the massive influx of Mus­lims in Europe in recent decades, Europe has become a hot-bed of Jew bashing. Attacks upon Jewish people are becoming very common. Natan Sharansky, the Israeli chairman of the agency that monitors global anti-Semitism, recently commented: “Something historic is happening,” … It may be the beginning of the end of Eu­ropean Jewry.” (www.jta.org/2014/07/08/news) link no longer valid, routing to home page As a result, many European Jews are leaving, many of them immigrating to Israel.

The Middle East in general is going through a major shift from a moderate Islamic position to a more radical Islamic agenda that calls for the destruction of Israel and the mili­tant advance of Islam to establish a global Islamic king­dom. This has been the driving force behind what has

been called “the Arab Spring.” This is not, as some here

in the West have proposed, a call for democracy in these countries. It is clearly an attempt to overthrow modern Arab regimes with a more radical element that will join the crusade toward the goal of Islamic world domination. The elimination of Israel is at the heart of this movement.

The rise of the radical and brutal terrorist force called “the Islamic State” in Syria and Iraq demonstrates the sweep­ing shift that is taking place in the Middle East. The sud­den rise of this group and its ability to control large swaths of land in Iraq and Syria is unprecedented in this modern era. When one examines ISIL’s stated goals, it is not sur­prising that it is bent on controlling all Islamic countries and removing the Jewish state of Israel from the center of their proposed Islamic kingdom in the Middle East.

However, from Israel’s point of view, the most dangerous threat is the religious leadership in the Islamic State of Iran. While the rest of the world is focused upon other increasingly pressing problems, Iran quietly continues to move toward the production of its first nuclear weapon. Once again, Prime Minister Netanyahu is warning the world of this grave threat to Israel and the entire world. While speaking about Iran in his recent address to the U.N., he said: “The Islamic Republic is now trying to bamboozle its way to an agreement that will remove the sanctions it still faces, and leave it with the capacity of thousands of centrifuges to enrich uranium. This would effectively cement Iran’s place as a threshold military nu­clear power. In the future, at a time of its choosing, Iran, the world’s most dangerous state in the world’s most dan­gerous region, would obtain the world’s most dangerous weapons.

Allowing that to happen would pose the gravest threat to us all. It is one thing to confront militant Islamists on pick­up trucks, armed with Kalashnikov rifles. It’s another thing to confront militant Islamists armed with weapons of mass destruction.” (http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli­Conflict/Full-text-of-Prime-Minister-Netanyahus-UN­speech-376626) link no longer valid, routing to home page

Anyone who is paying attention to all of these develop­ments must conclude that we are moving toward a major confrontation in the Middle East. While we might not be able to connect all of the dots at this time, it is apparent that the stage is being set for the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39.

A War on Christians

A major agenda of the Antichrist during the Tribulation will be the elimination of all those who reject him and his religion. (Revelation 13:16-18) His wrath will especially be poured out upon those who received Christ during the Tribulation. He and his global coalition of all nations will declare war on believers in Jesus Christ. (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:7)

The second agenda being promoted by the radical Islamic elements in the Middle East is the war on the church of Jesus Christ. In recent years, the number of Christians who have been brutally murdered by the Islamic terrorists in the Middle East has dramatically escalated. Thousands of believers in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq have been targeted by these radicals. For those who have the financial ability, they are leaving their homes in the Middle East. The exo­dus and death of Christians in the Middle East is a major story that is being ignored by the liberal media in the U.S. For those who are closely following these events, they have concluded “there is likely to be little place for Chris­tian Arabs in a Middle East rebuilt on intolerant ideologies like those of Isis.” (The Guardian, July 23, 2014)

The brutal killing of Christians in Iraq and Syria by the ISIL is a precursor to the Tribulation Period. The Anti­christ will rule the world from Babylon, Iraq. (Isaiah 14:4) The chief means whereby he will execute believers is decapitation. (Revelation 20:4) We are currently wit­nessing a microscopic picture of what will develop in Iraq and the Middle East on a more grand scale during the final seven years of this age.

The Establishment of a Political­Religious-Economic Kingdom in Iraq

The political, religious, and economic center of the world’s final superpower will be in the Middle East in general and in Iraq in particular. All of the nations that participate in the Armageddon campaign as a part of the Antichrist’s coalition are mentioned several times in Scripture. They are all Islamic nations. (Psalm 83:6-8) The religious power that will be in league with the Anti­christ’s kingdom in the last days is called “Mystery Baby­lon.” (Revelation 17:5) The context of Revelation 17-18, along with the Old Testament passages alluded to in these two chapters (Isaiah 13, 47; Jeremiah 50-51), support the conclusion that both the religion and the political structure of the Antichrist will be centered in Iraq. Those who do not submit to this new international economic order will be killed. (Revelation 13:15-18) These prophetic revela­tions are an exact carbon copy of the Islamic strategy promoted by the current ISIL forces in Iraq and Syria.

Therefore, in conclusion, we should note that the descrip­tive distinctions of the spiritual light that will exist during the kingdom age, according to Isaiah 60, will focus upon the incredible spiritual transformation of the Muslim countries that surround Israel. Israel’s enemies will be­come Israel’s devoted friends. So, the gross darkness that will permeate the preceding Tribulation Period will be measured by the level of hatred that will motivate these same nations to annihilate the Jewish State.

It is a very sobering thought to grasp the reality that our world is entering into the darkest period in all of human history. This is a difficult conclusion for some to grasp. They look at all of the academic, scientific, medical, and technological achievements of this modern era and con­clude that this kind of spiritual darkness does not seem possible at this time. However, one must remember that when Nazi Germany conducted its Holocaust campaign against the Jews almost eight decades ago, it was the aca­demic and scientific giant of the civilized world. While many modern cultures may be excelling in academic and scientific areas, these same cultures are morally and spir­itually in a state of self-destruction.

Those who are attempting to warn our present generation about this time of great spiritual darkness are being con­fronted with rejection and stern opposition. Jesus warned us that this day would come. He said: “the night [is com­ing], when no man can work.” (John 9:4) As we wait for Jesus to come for His church, the darkness will intensify and the global attack on the church and Israel will expand.

It is time for us to join the early church, which was facing persecution and martyrdom at the end of the first century, when they pleaded with the Lord: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:21)

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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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