At last, we can see signs of spring. I enjoy living in the Northeast because I like the change of seasons. We have seasons of life, too. Some of you are in the season when you're busy with little children, or maybe your family is grown and out of the house. If you're like me, you might be a widow. Our season of life is very different from the young mother.
The change of seasons in life can bring big adjustments. The challenge we face is to discern the season we're in, and press in to God for understanding and fresh focus.
I believe the American church is in a season we've never been in before. There is an increase of spiritual oppression and challenges requiring a much deeper level of faith and trust. As the children of Israel followed God in the wilderness, they had to pay attention to when the cloud of His presence moved - because if they didn't follow Him they'd be left to their own devises and suffered the consequences.
We can't live like its summer when the snow is falling. We can't hold on to a past season when God is doing something different. That would be like wearing a heavy winter coat when it's 80 degrees out, just because we prefer winter. If we don't move with God, we lose our power. We become stronger when we move with Him.
Ecclesiastes 3 says, "To everything there is a season . . . and a time for every purpose under heaven." It's the last line, I believe God wants us to see today - "A time of war and a time of peace." We can insist on peace when God has moved us into a season of war.
First, let me differentiate between true peace and false peace. Every believer is given the peace of God when we walk in Christ, and are obedient to His Word. Even in the midst of battle, we test our advance with whether or not we have His peace. We have peace, not determined by circumstances, but determined by our standing in Christ.
False peace is for the convenience of the flesh. It's a head-in-the-sand kind of peace. It's avoidance because we don't want to rock the boat of our comfort, or because we're afraid of the unknown. So, we keep quiet. We hide. We say, that's too negative, I just want to love God and stay peaceful. There's nothing wrong with the last statement - unless - God has moved us to a new season. If God wants us to pick up our swords and fight for the cause of freedom we must move with Him or suffer the consequences of our disobedience.
A once-a-week kind of faith won't be enough in the season of war. It demands that we suit up daily, draw closer to our Commander and attend to His instructions. We have to listen - really listen. If hurricane winds begin to blow, and warnings are all around, I'd a fool not to try to avoid the calamity.
God puts watchman on the walls of the church to warn the people when the enemy is coming. It seems to me, the church has not been listening, because the enemy has crossed the threshold of our gates. We can't look to seasons past when the battle is staring us in the face.
God wants us awake and ready. We're in the mess we're in because we refused to see the threats. We've veiled ourselves from what is happening in our nation under the covering of staying separate and peaceful and 'loving'.
It's not peaceful for the believer in China who are being brutally tortured and incarcerated for not complying to a tyrannical government.
It's not peaceful for the children being trafficked and sold into slavery by unchecked leaders who engage in the wickedness, or simply look the other way.
It's not peaceful for the child in its mother's womb thinking they are safe when it's become the most unsafe place for a child in America. It's not peaceful for the heart of our Father who hears the blood of 50,000,000 aborted babies crying out for justice.
It's not peaceful for the confused adolescents being told by our secular culture and media they can pick whatever gender they identify with.
It's not peaceful for our loved ones denied to have family around them when they're sick or on their death beds. It's not peaceful for our elders locked away in near solitary confinement when criminals are being let out of prison.
This has happened on our watch. While we sing, "Jesus Loves Me" we're losing our edge, our fire, and our fight. We've tolerated the infiltration of the enemy and succumb to fear. Now we see the stench of our indifference all across this nation.
This is much, much bigger than who is in the presidency. We're in a fight for the land God gave us to tend. This may sound political, but it really isn't. It is spiritual. Our righteousness is under attack, and the church must wake-up. This is not time for sleeping. WE MUST PRAY FOR THIS NATION, SEEK GOD, and GET INVOLVED. He hasn't given us a spirit of fear. We have to speak out about what we know is right. Ask God what He would have you to do. We can no longer be silent.
How could this happen in America: My Grandson, Owen, is an A student at Geneseo College, studying to be a history teacher. That is, until he posted on Instagram, his highly controversial opinion that, "a woman is a woman and a man is a man." He was told by the college he must take down his videos, change his major, or go someplace else. He respectfully refused to do that because of his first amendment rights. So, they kicked him out of the education program. To be reinstated, he must take, and comply with, their re-education courses to train him what he is supposed to think and how to blend into the Woke culture.
We can't retreat into our churches, hide our heads in the sand. We need to train, prepare, get informed, draw close to God, memorize God's Word, mend the broken places in our families, humble ourselves and pray. An army of soldiers all doing their own thing will never succeed in the battle. It's time to roll up our "picnic" blankets and get serious. This is the season of the great awakening. Join me!
Heavenly Father, we confess to You that we have been asleep, and we have been doing our own thing without noticing You've changed Your direction. Your arm is not short, Oh God.
You can heal our nation, our churches and our families. You've promised to teach our hands to war and our fingers for battle (Psalm 144:1) Show us where YOU want us to stand in this season. Show us WHAT You would have us do. We humble ourselves before you, Lord, and seek Your face. Please heal our land.
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