Bankrupt Bounty

Try to picture yourself at the scene. None remain in their homes as news of Jesus' return to Capernaum spreads. The streets quickly fill with people running from every direction; all are in a footrace to nab a front row seat. Jesus disappears in the center of the throng. Latecomers rubberneck from the perimeter, hoping to snag some of his message and see Him perform miracles. Suddenly, the crowd parts, clearing a path for a man whose pace leaves a trailing cloud of dust until he kneels at Jesus' feet. As the dust settles, a hush falls over the crowd; they recognize the young man as one of their own, a son of Capernaum, a leader of the synagogue and one who has amassed more wealth in his yet young life than most of the citizens of Capernaum combined. Riches have not ruined him or spoiled his devotion to the Torah or his generosity toward the Synagogue. He is a "shoe-in" to make Pharisee.

Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Which?

Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Hearing those words, the young man … went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

The rich young ruler was probably accustomed to Pharisees fawning over him because of his riches. Their flatteries had convinced him that pleasing God meant tithing and keeping the Ten Commandments. He thought he had everything money could buy and that religion could offer; that is until Jesus showed up.

Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, this new iconoclastic rabbi taught with authority, vanquished demons, healed the sick and raised the dead! Whenever Jesus taught, his heart would burn within him. He yearned to know God the way Jesus talked about Him. Whatever Jesus and the twelve had, the young tycoon wanted it.

He approached Jesus respectfully, in the same way he would one of the Pharisees. Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16) Expecting Jesus to suggest a reasonable percentage, say 10%, he was caught off guard by the Son of Man’s initial response, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. (Matthew 19:17) So much for culling favor with flattery. One assumption down, one to go.

He regained his footing when Jesus turned to a topic that was right up his alley, Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. (Luke 18:20) The Pharisees had told him as much and often affirmed his goodness. Check. Been there, done that: “All these things have I kept from my youth up.”

As “I think I can do this” formed in his thoughts, Jesus’ next statement jolted the young aristocrat’s heart like a bolt of lightning. One thing you lack … Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. (Luke 18:22) Though spoken in a normal tone of voice, Jesus’ words were louder than thunder. Evidently, he only heard the “sell everything you have and give to the poor” part, and missed the “and you will have treasure in heaven” part. “One thing I lack?!” he thought to himself, “I have everything!” He waited for option two, but it didn’t come and Jesus didn’t flinch. When he realized Jesus was serious, the young man’s countenance fell and he walked away with a sorrowful heart.

Jesus didn’t need or want the young man’s wealth. He wanted his heart. Temporal wealth is of little consequence in the economics of God’s kingdom. Jesus instructed the young man to organize a big yard sale, sell everything he owned, and give the proceeds to the poor! I can picture Judas Iscariot losing it in the background as Jesus matter-of-factly dismisses enough wealth to bankroll their ministry for the foreseeable future.

After the young man leaves, Jesus turns to His disciples and says, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:23, 24)

Rather than mangle Jesus’ words to make them fit twenty-first century American prosperity, I will leave you where the rich young ruler began, kneeling inquisitively at Jesus’ feet. What is Jesus telling you to dispense with? What has your heart? What might be keeping your camel from squeezing through the eye of Heaven’s needle?

The only one who can answer that question for you, or me, is Jesus Himself. I pray that you will find the grace to do just as He says. I pray that you will stay.

PRAYER

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, be merciful to me a sinner. I give you everything that I have and that I am and I ask you to show me how to “travel light.” Teach me to be content with what I have. Create in me a generous heart that I may give joyfully to others in need.

Copyright © 2009, Seeds for Good Soil

Will December 7, 2009 be another "date that will live in infamy?"

December 6, 2009

Tomorrow, December 7, is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, “a date" President Franklin D. Roosevelt said "that will live in infamy.” December 7, 2009 could be another date that will live in infamy. Please read on.

It isn't likely you've heard about the following two major events unless, like me, someone in your church who is “in the know” offered prayer about them in Church today. Both are slated to begin tomorrow, Monday, December 7, 2009.

Council of European Union Statement on Palestinian Statehood Forthcoming

According to www.haaretz.com, the online version of the Israeli newspaper by the same name, Sweden, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, has drafted a document calling for the “urgent resumption of negotiations that will lead within an agreed timeframe, to a two-state solution with an independent, democratic, contiguous and visible state of Palestine, comprising the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.” European Union foreign ministers will gather in Brussels on Monday, December 7 for a two-day meeting to commiserate on the Mideast peace process and put finishing touches on a statement that outlines EU policy toward the currently stalled negotiations.

There is great prophetic significance in growing interventionist sentiments within the European diplomatic community. Zechariah wrote, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)

The nations of the world are aligning themselves against God’s people and the restored State of Israel. As the spirit of antichrist, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience, gains increasing control over the hearts and minds of the sons of men, growing international animus toward Israel will culminate in the formation of a multinational military invasion force with a mission to subjugate “the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them … up to the land of unwalled villages … to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates … upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land” (Ezekiel 38:8-12) Jerusalem has truly become the “burdensome stone for all people” prophesied by Zechariah. (Zechariah 12:3)

I have often wondered where the United States would stand in the unfolding eschatological drama foretold by Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Jesus in the Gospels, Paul in some of his epistles, and John in Revelation. The Obama administration seems to value good relations with the Muslim world above our relationship with longtime friend and ally in the Middle East, Israel. If the White House continues to emphasize improved relations with the Muslim world at the expense of our relationship with Israel, the implications for American national security could be devastating. I cannot envision a scenario where the United States would stand on the sideline in the face of multinational military aggression against the State of Israel unless our nation had been reduced to insignificance by a cataclysmic event such as a nuclear attack, complete economic collapse, or both. The US will be for or against Israel or incapable of responding.

New Wave of Iranian Protests

Also, according to another Israeli news source, Arutz Sheva (www.israelnationalnews.com), new Iranian protests against the current regime are slated to begin tomorrow, Monday, December 7, 2009. Time will tell, but I believe God spoke to me several weeks ago that He is going to “take out” Iranian President Mahmoud Achmadinejad because of his stout words against the Most High and his apocalyptic threats against Israel, the apple of God’s eye. In the last wave of protests, hundreds of demonstrators were brutally killed and thousands injured by Iranian police, elite Basij militia forces, and imported Hezbollah and Hamas units. To gain a better understanding why the current Iranian regime must end, go to Revolution in Iran: Thoughts on and about the Iranian revolution where you can read about slain demonstrators who are considered “martyrs” by their fellow revolutionaries. If you have the stomach for it, you can also view video that clearly portrays the violence and brutality carried out by Iranian authorities.

This might be a good time to pray about these two situations.

Our redemption draws near, indeed!

Bankrupt Bounty

Try to picture yourself in the scene. Jesus has returned to Judea. Large crowds strain to hear His message and be healed of their diseases. A wealthy young ruler sprints onto the scene from out of nowhere and kneels at Jesus feet. Silence falls over the crowd in anticipation of Jesus’ next move. As a local, you recognize the young zealot. He is remarkably sincere in his quest to please God, a “shoe-in” to make Pharisee. He eagerly asks Jesus what he must do to secure a place in heaven and a conversation follows:

Ruler: Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16)

Jesus: Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

Ruler: Which? (Matthew 19:18)

Jesus: Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 19:18-19)

Ruler: All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? (Matthew 19:20)

Jesus: If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (Matthew 19:21)

But … the young man … went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:22)

Jesus: [to disciples] Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:23-24)

The rich young ruler was probably accustomed to Pharisees fawning over him for his wealth. Their flatteries had convinced him that pleasing God meant tithing and keeping the Ten Commandments. He thought he had everything money could buy and that religion could offer; that is until Jesus showed up.

Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, this new iconoclastic rabbi taught with authority, vanquished demons, healed the sick and raised the dead! Whenever Jesus taught, his heart would burn within him. He yearned to know God the way Jesus talked about Him. Whatever Jesus and the twelve had, the young tycoon wanted it.

He approached Jesus respectfully, in the same way he would one of the Pharisees. Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16) Expecting Jesus to suggest a reasonable percentage, say 10%, he was caught off guard by the Son of Man’s initial response, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. (Matthew 19:17) So much for culling favor with flattery. One assumption down, one to go.

He regained his footing when Jesus turned to a topic that was right up his alley, Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. (Luke 18:20) The Pharisees had told him as much and often affirmed his goodness. Check. Been there, done that: “All these things have I kept from my youth up.”

As “I think I can do this” formed in his thoughts, Jesus’ next statement jolted the young aristocrat’s heart like a bolt of lightning. One thing you lack … Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. (Luke 18:22) Though spoken in a normal tone of voice, Jesus’ words were louder than thunder. Evidently, he only heard the “sell everything you have and give to the poor” part, and missed the “and you will have treasure in heaven” part. “One thing I lack?!” he thought to himself, “I have everything!” He waited for option two, but it didn’t come and Jesus didn’t flinch. When he realized Jesus was serious, the young man’s countenance fell and he walked away with a sorrowful heart.

Jesus didn’t need or want the young man’s wealth. He wanted his heart. Temporal wealth is of little consequence in the economics of God’s kingdom. Jesus instructed the young man to organize a big yard sale, sell everything he owned, and give the proceeds to the poor! I can picture Judas Iscariot losing it in the background as Jesus matter-of-factly dismisses enough wealth to bankroll their ministry for the foreseeable future.

After the young man leaves, Jesus turns to His disciples and says, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:23, 24)

Rather than mangle Jesus’ words to make them fit twenty-first century American prosperity, I will leave you where the rich young ruler began, kneeling inquisitively at Jesus’ feet. What is Jesus telling you to dispense with? What has your heart? What might be keeping your camel from squeezing through the eye of Heaven’s needle?

The only one who can answer that question for you, or me, is Jesus Himself. I pray that you will find the grace to do just as He says. I pray that you will stay.

PRAYER

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, be merciful to me a sinner. I give you everything that I have and that I am and I ask you to show me how to “travel light.” Teach me to be content with what I have. Create in me a generous heart that I may give joyfully to others in need.

Copyright © 2009, Seeds for Good Soil

Facing the Overcomers

God put the following message on my heart months ago. I have finally put the thoughts that have been coursing through my heart and mind into writing. As we head into days of intensified temptation and trial, we would do well to consider those who have gone before us, who triumphed over their own temptation and suffering, lest we grow weary and shrink back from following Jesus.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Hebrews chapter 12 is a continuation of the narrative begun in chapter 11 where the writer rehearses the roster of ordinary lives made extraordinary through faith that won Heaven’s highest endorsement, “of whom the world was not worthy.” (Hebrews 11:38) Chapter 11 crescendos in unattributed acclaim for “others” who looked beyond temptation’s apogee and paid the ultimate price for their triumph of faith over it:

… others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented. (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:35-38)

These are among the great invisible “cloud of witnesses” who attend our performance now in the arena of life. (Hebrews 12:1) When we have our own day in court before the “Author and Finisher of our Faith,” Jesus Christ, their lives will stand as irrefutable testimony to overrule every alibi for unbelief and self-justification for sin, for they were no less ordinary than you and I. Those who …

• deemed themselves unworthy of God’s calling will face Moses, a fugitive murderer for forty-years. (Exodus 2:11-15)
• softened the message will face the condemned who will wish they had not.
• omitted the hard sayings of Jesus, will face Paul who declared the whole counsel of God to his cure. (Acts 20:26-27)
• surrendered to sexual temptation will face Joseph who fled from Mrs. Potiphar’s sexual advances. (Genesis 39:7-13)
• were almost persuaded to follow Jesus will face the citizens of Nineveh who earnestly repented at Jonah’s eight-word proclamation, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4)
• were silent on the unborn will face countless millions who might have fulfilled God’s dream for their lives had someone been willing to speak in their defense.(Proverbs 24:11)
• dropped out of the race will face multitudes who endured to the end.
• bitterly cursed God for their suffering will face Job who said, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 2:21)
• retreated from life out of fear and unbelief, will face David who ran to fight Goliath. (1 Samuel 17)
• gave out of their abundance will face the widow who gave her last dime. (Luke 21:1-4)
• wouldn’t go because they couldn’t let go, will face the twelve who immediately left everything and followed Jesus.
• recanted in the face of torture or death will face Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) as well as the “others” of Hebrews 11:35-38.

Finally, the writer of Hebrews lays down the gauntlet for us by alluding to Jesus’ crucifixion as the ultimate temptation resistance strategy. “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. (Hebrews 12:1-4) It would seem irrelevant to reference Jesus’ suffering had He relied on His status as God the Son. But Jesus didn’t use the advantage of His divinity to triumph over the enemy, for He had “emptied Himself” of the divine privilege:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:1-4)

When we say following Jesus is just too hard, that it costs too much, that it makes us look foolish, or that temptation is too great to be resisted, we would do well to think upon the great cloud of witnesses who have already won their battle over trials and temptations that are common to man, for their performance will negate any protestation we might otherwise offer for our own inability to triumph in this battle called life.

© 2009 Seed for Good Soil. (Last updated 20090730)

How to Attract and Keep a Herd

How does a carpenter-turned-street preacher with a child’s message keep large crowds so riveted that they forget to eat—Sowers, seeds, mustard seeds, wheat, weeds and soil; birds, sparrows, and vultures; trees, fig trees, vines, and vinedressers; fruit, wine, and wineskins; lost coins, lost sheep and lost sons; wages, workers, and employers; slaves and masters; money, talents, rich fools, and poor debtors? What was it about His delivery that left listeners drop-jawed and amazed? The rabbinical elite certainly wanted to know.

Why had their flocks abandoned their scholarly erudition to join the stampede thronging Jesus of Nazareth? What was His secret? What did Jesus bring to the table that today’s market-savvy, member-surveyed, felt-need-centric, production-esque American church doesn’t? The disciple whom Jesus loved offers some insight:

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. (John 6:2)

One word—Results. Jesus had Spirit-power that got results. And lots of ‘em. “Yes, but Jesus was the Son of God,” you say? Fine. I have another question. What did Jesus have that isn’t available to today’s—I’ll even give you a clue—Spirit-marginalizing church? You catch my drift. Nothing.

Granted, dunamis isn’t easy to choreograph—3,000 new converts in one service who need to be baptized and discipled; 1000’s of out-of-towners who need emergency housing; a man and his wife struck dead in the same day for lying to the Holy Spirit; church services regularly interrupted by authorities; church leaders constantly standing trial, some of them beaten; a city-wide yard sale to help the needy; a round-the-clock soup kitchen to feed the masses; a major congregational rift over who eats and who doesn’t; a highly-esteemed, miracle working church leader executed; and your congregation scattered because of persecution—but it sure beats a Broadway spectacular! There’s just no way that status-quo Christianity turns the world upside down like that. Disease-destroying, demon-dispelling, death-defying miracles are not going to happen because of flawless stagecraft. We need dunamis! Everything else is stage prop.

Had the disciples disembarked at Gadara’s necropolis to perform a street skit on the benefits of weekly synagogue attendance, it is doubtful they would have gotten the results Jesus did with “Go” spoken to a legion of demonic squatters. (Mark 5) Call me crazy, but by my calculation dunamis + “Go” = lots of demons gone = deranged man returned to sanity = a swine stampede = a human stampede to find out what all the hullabaloo is about: “And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus.” (Matthew 8:34), herd of dead swine notwithstanding. But the people of Gadara weren't any more eager to be around Jesus than the swine that had just kamikaze'd into the sea. The new reality Jesus introduced frightened them far more than the city’s demonized, graveyard-dwelling, maniac with superhuman strength; they asked the Son of God to bolt. Too bad for them. I don’t hear Jesus muttering second thoughts, “I knew I should’ve waited ‘til after the service to cast out those demons,” as He gets back into the boat.

In spite of Jesus’ success, it is doubtful He would even land an audition, much less a role in today’s Church production. If, however, He showed up on a street corner in your town and began healing the sick, raising the dead, and casting out legions of devils, I’ll bet the stampede of unchurched and churched sheep charging down to that street corner would be audible! People are hungry for God, for the living God. Get God, and you’ll get the herd.

Being “purpose-driven” is helpful, but purpose is hardly a substitute for dunamis; without it, we are barely able to drive out of the parking lot when it comes to fruitful ministry. Still, many churches invest countless hours crafting finely-tuned mission statements that will convey a sense of purpose and motivate their members to action. In most cases, however, church strategic planners wind up with the Great Commission in another form:

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus gave the Church its purpose before Pentecost. But before He was even crucified, Jesus told His disciples, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12) Purpose doesn’t empower anything. It just keeps the herd from scattering. (Proverbs 28:18)

Just before He ascended, Jesus told his followers, “Don’t go anywhere; don’t do anything, until you receive power from on high. (Acts 1:4-8 paraphrased) When He arrived at His Father’s right hand, Jesus received the promise of the Holy Spirit which He then poured out on His Church on the Day of Pentecost! (Acts 2:33) Once endued with power from on high, Jesus turned His followers loose, with “rivers of living water” flowing out of their innermost beings, to a needy world! (John 7:38)

It is worth mentioning, that after salvation, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the summation of every other spiritual gift and blessing Jesus gives to His Church. Why then, do so many church leaders neglect to teach their congregations about the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and miracles? Pastors will often cite concerns over “divisions” that could occur if they teach openly about the Holy Spirit. Such fears are absurd and deprive God’s people of gifts and blessings distributed by the Spirit of grace. Such worries lend credence to the false notion that our heavenly Father might indeed give his children a serpent when they've asked for a fish. (Luke 11:11)

Paul the Apostle was clear in his emphasis on demonstrating the Spirit's presence and power wherever and whenever he proclaimed God's word:

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God … But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 4:19-20)

If the Church hopes to reach its culture, we will need to recover a key distinctive—power. Without dunamis, our message amounts to fiction.

© 2009 Seeds for Good Soil.

A Word for Troubled Times--The US Economy Will Not Recover-The Only Hope for America is 2 Chronicles 7:14

Following is what I believe the God is revealing about America:

1. Do not be lulled into complacency by recent reports that the US economic recession is easing;
2. The current leveling-off of delining US and international markets will be short-lived;
3. Following a brief respite, the US economy will enter a more protracted period of precipitous and painful decline; we are being given a reprieve to get our financial houses in order.
4. Unemployment rates will climb sharply, well above the current rate of 9.4%;
5. The President's approval numbers will plummet as increasing numbers of Americans awaken to his radical and destructive agenda.
6. As unemployment lines lengthen and people lack basic necessities, civil unrest will ensue. Mounting credible evidence of Obama's foreign birth will add fuel to the fires of civil discontent. National Guard troops could be deployed to American cities to suppress unrest.
7. The President's America-flagellating diplomacy and wishy-washy stand on international crises, his languid response to the Iranian regime's brutality toward its citizens and North Korea's nuclear saber rattling, will embolden Islamic terrorists to strike at the heart of America during this period of ecomomically-induced malaise. We need to pray that God will protect us from nuclear or other types of weapons of mass destruction; I am concerned that such attacks will be colossal and dramatic.
8. The White House's diplomatic adultery with anti-Israel, Arab-Islamic interests in the Middle East at the expense of our friendship with the Jewish state will draw the ire of Israel's God and hasten America's demise.
9. In the aftermath of another major terrorist attack, disillusioned American citizens will not rally behind the President and national resolve will wither. It is at this point that America will be most vulnerable to the designs of any number of anti-American regimes.
10. The troubles that are unfolding in America are from the hand of God who is "giving America over" to the reprobation so many have have insisted upon. (Romans 1:28) God will not be mocked. We "have sown the wind" and we will "reap the whirlwind." (Hosea 8:7)

To those who put the unraveling of America decades into the future, think again. World events are accelerating rapidly.

The shipmaster shook the prophet Jonah from his slumber with the words, "What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not!" (Jonah 1:6) So must the Body of Christ arise and shake off sleep for America's time is short. Do not believe those who say, "all shall be well" and "peace, peace; when there is no peace." Such are false prophets. The prophet Joel wrote:

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand ... the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness ... for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? (Joel 2:1,6,11,13-17)

There is Hope

During the 1970's America faced multiple major crises including the nation's first ever defeat in the Vietnam War, an OPEC oil embargo, critical shortages of oil and gasoline, skyrocketing fuel and food prices, endless lines at gasoline pumping stations, American diplomats held hostage in Iran, interest rates above 20%, high unemployment and inflation, the legalizing of abortion on demand, and to top things off, the spectre of nuclear annihilation at the hands of the Soviet Union during tense years of the Cold War era. But also during the 1970's, the "If My People" prayer movement began and spread across America as Christians of every persuasion came together in unity, prayer, intercession, and worship for a nation in trouble. The movement was based on the pattern for national healing outlined by God Himself in 1 Chronicles 7:14, If My People was a movement of prayer and intercession for the healing of 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)

"If My People" bore miraculous fruit during the 1980's. Ronald Reagan was elected President for two successive terms as one of the most popular presidents in American history, across party lines. America entered a period of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity. The Iranian hostages were released immediately after Reagan's inauguration. The Iron Curtain separating East and West Europe crumbled like the walls of Jehrico and the spectre of thermonuclear war evaporated. The Gospel was freely preached and bore fruit again in every Eastern bloc country where it had once been prohibited by law. In short, the "weeping" that endured through the long night of the 1970's gave way to "morning joy" during the 1980's.

American needs a fresh "If My People" movement for these troubling times; a Church fully engaged according to 2 Chronicles 7:14 is the only hope America has left. If the Church delays, we do so at our own and America's peril.

I welcome feedback and comment.

Feline Hit Man Headed for the Pound

A satirical response to countless stories on a case of cat abuse

Michael Vick killed dogs, but Tyler Weinman committed the unthinkable—cat abuse.[1] Investigators have been combing through Weinman’s Internet history and veterinary records of the deceased cats to find out if Weinman’s is just another case of a sadistic adolescent thrill seeking or honor killing by a dog lover over Vick’s canine abusing ways. Police also want to know if Weinman acted alone, but the cat’s got Weinman’s tongue.

The teenage kitty killer was released from jail today on $250,000 bond. Weinman will wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and remain under house arrest while he awaits trial on 19 counts of catslaughter. The question that has cat lovers choking on hairballs is “Why, would he stoop to such barbarism when there are humane ways to terminate Tabby?” One bereaved cat owner meowed, “Poor defenseless Tigger,” and fainted. Feline fanatics and police are both worried that there could be copycats.

Cat Coroner Henry Harebawl darted around the crime scene earlier today to assess the carnage. “These cats are in full rigor. I’m finding paws and claws everywhere!” he said. “By the looks of these carcasses, these puddy tats were probably catnapped around midnight and drugged with catnip; toxicology reports will tell us for sure. The toms usually go on the prowl for kitties around midnight. They were probably slain shortly after that; the Cat Examiner’s autopsy reports will pinpoint the times of death.” Harebawl also mentioned that “Cat owners, desperate to save their furniture, are so afraid of furtive feline rescuers that they won't carry kitty into a vet clinic in broad daylight. They end up turning to back alley cat butchers to get rid of their unwanted felines.”

Callie Calico of Cats Against Cat Abuse (CACA) arrived on the scene early to make sure investigators didn't overlook evidence. "I lost my kitty to a cat abuser," the moribund minx said." Calico added, "After that traumatic experience, I founded CACA and have given my life to stopping this kind of abuse from happening to other cat lovers. We’re working for a cat abuse-free world."

Weinman will be arraigned on July 6 and could get up to 158 human years in prison. That’s about 843 in cat years for the purr sadist. The defense is hoping that prosecution will accept the lesser charge of involuntary catslaughter by reason of insanity in exchange for a no contest plea. Lead investigator Bloodhound Bill Bowser (a.k.a. “Snoopy”) dismissed rumors that Weinman could end up in the same prison cell as Michael Vick. “Not on your leash!" Bowser growled. "They’d end up fighting like cats and dogs."

If my satiric take on this story strikes the reader as insensitive or offensive, I've hit my mark. I refuse to raise an eyebrow over the wanton slaughter a few cats in a society that approves the wanton slaughter of 4,000 helpless unborn human beings who are butchered, poisoned, chemically burned, and dismembered in the sanctuary of their mothers' wombs each and every day. Our priorities and indignation are misplaced and perverse and our damnation is just.

I would only ask that readers be equally indignant over the wanton slaughter every year in America of 1.5 million unborn human beings who are of inestimable value to God who made them, certainly far more valuable than any number of cats. If your contempt for cat abuse exceeds your disdain for child killing, then there is something in you that is as twisted as the neurosis that motivated Tyler Weinman to torture cats.

© 2009 Spin Cipher Publishing.

[1] Actual story can be found on numerous online news websites doing a Google search on “South Florida Cat Killer.”