Haiti 7.0

I had recently heard someone speaking of God's judgments, and one of the things they said was that God always puts His signature on His judgments--and a lot of times that signature is the number 7.

When I heard about the earthquake in Haiti, and the magnitude being 7.0--I had to stop and wonder if it might have been judgment from God.  Then I wondered what it would be judgment for--and I thought of the widespread practice of voodoo in Haiti.

It shows no compassion to speak of disaster being judgment from God, after the fact.  And I can't say for sure whether it was or not.  In other posts, I have speculated about whether the earthquake may have been caused by our government.  If it was, it certainly would add to the cruelty, to say it was God's judgment and we were the 'hand of God' in causing it (if we did).

But the mere fact that it may have been caused by man, doesn't rule out the possibility of it being God's judgment.  God uses evil nations to carry out His judgment on other nations.  Hear me--he uses EVIL nations, and then He punishes them as well.

In the end, it is the meek who will inherit the earth--not the evil, reprobate souls who would take the life of another to further their own ends.

As I was reading news of the damage after the Haiti quake, there was mention of a woman.  She was walking around, with her hands in the air, looking up toward heaven and crying 'God have mercy on us, we are sinners!'. 

It made me cry.  I believe God's heart was moved with compassion too.

The God Factor

One sunny morning, a pilot sets off across the ocean for a distant land. His fuel tank is just large enough to hold enough fuel for the voyage, and maybe a hundred miles extra. Early into his flight, it comes to his attention that he has erred in his navigation, and is a couple of degrees off course. When do you suppose that pilot will make the necessary correction?

 If he corrects soon enough, he will only have flown a small distance more than planned. However, if he waits until later to correct, he will have to make a major change, and will have wasted much fuel going in the wrong direction. In fact, if he waits too long to correct, he will run out of fuel and meet destiny at the bottom of the ocean!

 America is on the wrong course! As Christians, we are losing our freedoms and rights at an amazing pace! The assault on our liberties was designed to be a blitz attack--so that by the time we figured out what was going on, it would be too late.
 
We had better start using all the freedoms we have!! For too long we have been voluntarily coerced to refrain from speaking, by the doctrine of 'political correctness'. Now, we are facing the likely prospect of 'hate speech' legislation. There seems to be a principle, that what you give up voluntarily, will later be 'set in stone' as law.  People, we can see the storm clouds gathering on the horizon--the time for denial is past!

If you are thinking that, by speaking out and exercising your liberties, it will just draw attention to you and create the persecution you would rather avoid, you may be right--but consider this: we have been quiet, we have been polite, we have been politically correct, yet we have been continually pressured to retreat, to 'cede more ground'. Now we are expected to be silent in the face of all sorts of abominations!
 
The hour is late, but speaking out now is better than speaking out never!  Sure, there is much opposition now--but do you think it will lessen in time?  

 If you find it too hard to speak out now, when it is merely unpopular--how will you have the courage to speak out later, when it is illegal? Don't count on being courageous tomorrow, if you won't act with courage today! Courage is built, gradually, upon past experience in being courageous. Conversely, giving in to fear and intimidation only tend to reinforce your tendency to be fearful and intimidated!
 
And, as Christians, there is one other important factor to consider--the most important one--the God factor!  It pleases God when people act for truth and righteousness, against overwhelming odds, relying on Him for help!!  God can do amazing things! 

 Do you realize, that if enough people in America repent, and plead with God for mercy, He may relent of judging America now?  Be it that He spares America, as an island in the midst of worldwide suffering, or that He postpones the inevitable--it is worth a try people!!  Do not give up hope in the mercy and compassion of our God!!  Have the audacity to trust in Him and ask great things of Him!!


We have failed Him and brought dishonor to His name!  Lets repent and act courageously!  Lets turn things around in America!! Lets wage war on ungodliness!  Lets make abortion illegal!  Lets turn the tide on homosexuality and the indoctrination of our children in the public schools!  Lets push back the unholy tide of Islam and restore Christianity to our schools and our courts!  God is big enough!!  He is the God of David,  not Goliath!  He is with the small and weak, that are courageous enough to try great things for His glory!!  Let us go forth to battle, with faith in Him!

 
Even so, we may die--but better to die honorably, in His service, than to die as cowards and faithless!  Mark my words, the days are coming when you will either deny God (by your words or your actions) or you will be put to death.  Your silence and retreat will not hide you--they will only serve to hasten the arrival of that day.

The New Year's Gift

I have always been different from everyone around me, so it should come as no surprise that I celebrate New Year's Eve differently too.  I really don't give much thought to celebrating it.  Sure, I may turn on the TV and look at other people celebrating, but it doesn't really move me.

I don't know where I got the idea, but for at least the last dozen years I have had my own tradition.  I spend New Year's Eve alone with God, and I ponder which spiritual attribute I lack the most--the one that would give me a closer walk with God, in the year(s) ahead, if I had it.  Then, I request it of God.


The most memorable was the year that I asked Him for faith.  I had already heard that one shouldn't ask for faith because it would bring many trials.  But, that's what I felt led to ask for, and I'm glad I didn't let fear stop me.

When the spring semester ended, I was surprised to learn that I would have no financial aid for the summer . . . and my lease would end at the same time!  As a single parent of three kids, this was not a good situation to have looming on the horizon!

After much prayer, I decided that camping in the woods all summer was one option.  But, that a better option would be to buy a camper shell for my pickup truck, store our things somewhere, and travel the USA for the summer.  I realized we had what might be a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'!

That summer is one that none of us has ever forgotten!  A whole summer of 'quality time' together really bonded us deeply.  We had a couple of destinations in mind--relatives that we could visit for a few days, but mostly we had 'time to kill'!  (I find that almost impossible to imagine these days!)

For $100 we bought a family pass to the National Parks, and we lived on $600 a month.  Every day I got behind the wheel and asked God to guide me.  I would set a jar of canned food on the dashboard and head east, driving and praying.

By midday we had a warm 'meal'.  We ate very simply and very rarely paid to stay at a campground or eat at a restaurant.  We trusted God to show us a safe place to park each night, and prayed we could sleep unbothered.

We soaked in the beauty of God's creation and rested--what a blessed thing that was!  We learned that California had a nearly magical forest of giant trees;  that in Michigan, blueberries grew on the ground; and that the mosquitos in Minnesota were something to be reckoned with!!  We fell asleep in the woods at dusk, serenaded by the most beautiful birdsong I had ever heard.

That summer, I learned that God can take a bad situation and turn it completely around; that He can be trusted to watch over me, even while I'm asleep; that He is always with me, even when I have no idea where I am; that some of His best gifts are free; and that a glimpse of blue sky, the song of a bird, or a gentle breeze can help me reconnect with Him when I feel alone and afraid.


In the days ahead, as the works of man grow more depraved and ugly, and as evil increases around us--remember to look up sometimes.  Let God's creation remind you of who is eternal and who is really in charge.  Remember that the trials and tribulations that lie ahead are only temporary.  Life on earth has never been easy.  Although things will get a lot worse--it won't last much longer!!  Ten years from now, it may all be behind us.

We have much to look forward to.  We will have a thousand years to live on earth, in peace and equity, with Jesus Himself in authority.  How I yearn for His truth and justice to be established upon the Earth; for righteousness to be the standard, and the law to be upheld; for things to finally be fair; for a chance to rest and walk with Him; for a time when evil is put to flight and goodness can prevail.


Last year was difficult.  Not the circumstances of my life, but the evil around us grinding on me, wearing me down.  I imagine that a year from now, 2009 will seem like 'a piece of cake' as evil continues to increase.  I've become polluted by our culture, taking on bad attitudes and values, picked up from TV and movies.  Anger has taken root inside me, and hatred has started to grow, as I have seen America stolen and our rights stripped away.

Learning that it is all part of God's judgment has helped me put it in perspective.  I have long known America was provoking His judgment.  Realizing that the destruction of America that is now taking place is God's will--because of our sin--my anger at the people involved diminishes.

Instead I cry bitter tears of regret.  We had it all, but knew it not!  We had such a priceless gift from God, but we threw it away.  We squandered our freedom, to indulge our lusts.  Oh how foolish we were!!  America is forever lost.  We can never go back.


The anger and attitudes I have adopted have hardened my heart and made me more callous towards the pain and suffering of others.  Tonight, I need to repent of my anger, and my attitudes, and move beyond them.  I think what I need to ask for this year, is compassion.  Someone's life may depend on it.