What's coming?

  What to do? Oh, what to do?.........  Rome is burning.  Turning to ash and crumbling all around us! What of my children? How will they survive the world we leave behind for them?

  What's right has now been deemed offensive.  You cannot criticize. You cannot speak your mind or speak of the truth without being labeled a racist, a bigot or xenophobe.  How have we gotten here so fast and can we turn the tide? Even in some of our churches- Our pastors have replaced truth with twisted acceptance of sin as to not condemn or correct the sinner for fear of not adhering to the instruction "judge lest ye be judged". Without biblical truth, our instruction manual, all that remains is chaos and destruction.

And thus, we have:

  Brother against brother.  Nation against nation.  We are a country divided, too entrenched in ideology or in our own interpretation of right and wrong to reach out to each other.  To build upon our strengths and our common ground. To let go of our deep need to be right and make believers out of our critics. This is America. A nation set apart by God to be the light in the darkness.  Instead we have embraced the dark. The wolf in sheep clothing. The temptress with a wicked design. A devouring, spirit corrupting, soul taking demon....... Tolerance, inclusion, political correctness; synonyms for the great deceiver.

  I will not quietly reside in my fear and fret upon such silly things as offending my brothers and sisters.  I will not soften my speech in order to blindly accept evil as "the ways things are" and to not offend.  No!  I WILL judge others.  I will judge their actions, their associations, their words.  I will judge a mans destructive behavior.  I will not idly watch as the world slowly dies. I will speak.  I will pray.  I will correct and will not be afraid. I will praise the Lord God and I will petition the Lord for intervention with my family, myself, my friends; and yes, for you too.

  We are all His children. We all have His spirit within our being, guiding us to do right.  Whispering warnings to us when we violate His law and yet as children often do, we are disobedient and will continue to be so until corrected.  Those of you who have little ones know that this is true.  Are we now as adults so enlightened in our arrogance to believe we choose what is right and wrong; we set the rules?  That there are no longer consequences for breaking His law?  That we are above correction?

Oh, how deceived are we!

Lord God,
  I am not a perfect man.  I am a lost shepherd. A pitiful steward of what You have given me, yet You continue to bless me more than I or any other man deserve.  Strengthen my resolve. Temper my heart with compassion, conviction, love and without condemnation for my brothers and sisters.
Please continue pouring out your blessings upon our families, churches, pastors, leaders and friends. Though we, I, have not earned it, forgive us of our sins and turn our wicked hearts back to You. May Your will be done in all things and in Your time.

In Your sons holy name,
Amen


Footnote : The past several months I have had many conversations with God.  I have meditated on His truth, studied history and culture and the language of the ages and how it has changed over time and impacted the meaning of words we use today.  In doing so I have discovered a new and appreciated understanding of the Word.  I mentioned above Mathew 7:1-3 " ¹Judge not, that ye be not judged.² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" - KJV.  It is important to come to understand that ultimately we will all be judged, however, we do not look beyond that which follows judgment.... condemnation or conviction if you prefer, followed by carrying out of sentence.  Furthermore, historically, specifically prior to our modern judicial system, justice was carried out immediately and by the public or common man. This continues today in more archaic primitive societies.  It was revealed to me that the term "judging" a man has been perverted and lost in translation.  We immediately associate the term with conviction.  We know as Christians that this is reserved solely for God.  We don't judge a man and stone him in the streets anymore and as revealed to me changes the meaning slightly.  We can judge a man by his actions and words and how he treats his brothers and sisters.  His deeds speak on the condition of his heart. There is nothing wrong with this, so long as we do not attempt to apply conviction or damnation of his soul. We can do this only as long as we do so without determining guilt or innocence - damnation or salvation. Only God in heaven can do this.

I also mentioned being a shepherd.  I believe we are all shepherds as the body of the Church.  As believers we are given charge over His flock, which I now understand to be all peoples both within and without the Church.  We are to be the light in the darkness.  We are given authority over all of the Earth. All creation. And the sheep.......they are the lost.  Christ has taught us to "go" and to reach the lost.  To be disciples. To minister to those in need and provide them access to the Father and to salvation through the blood and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Theses things have been revealed to me as true to the Word and applicable in this life and the life to come.

For my brothers and sisters.
In Christ,

~PR