I was awakened by Carla
screaming, “You get out of here.” I
started to get up, but realized it wasn’t a person she was hollering at.
There was a masked burglar
trying to get in – into the bathroom via the cat’s window. A raccoon was half way into the room,
reaching into the cats’ dishes with his paw and eating.
We put the cat window in so they
could come and go as they please without having to open the door all the time –
it also gives us control of the dog because he can’t go out without our
knowledge.
We place the cat food bowls on a
small chest freezer because we were having trouble with Max eating cat food – by
putting it there he couldn’t get to it.
We did not do all this for the
benefit of the masked bandits.
Later I got up to find him
trying once again; he saw me and took off.
At least, thus far, a skunk
hasn’t managed to climb up the stand outside and come in through the window –
one of the other reasons why the passage is in a window and not in a door.
Lamentations 1:1-2 How doth the city
sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that
was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become
tributary!
2 She weepeth sore in the
night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to
comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become
her enemies.
Lamentation 2:15-16 All that
pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter
of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty,
The joy of the whole earth?
16 All thine enemies have
opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We
have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have
found, we have seen it.
As I read the Old Testament, as
I read of the trials and tribulations that Israel went through because the no
longer feared God. I see America
today.
Instead of worshiping God, they
defied Him, stopped worshipping and obeying Him, they chose to worship other
gods of wood, stone and metal. I see
America today.
They chose to demand they be
allowed to live life without the oversight of God and be able to decide for
themselves what was right and what was wrong.
I see America today.
Where Israel was once blessed by
God; was once a shining light to others as to what God can do for a people that
love, worship, praise and obey Him. I
see America in the past.
As I read of the destruction the
turmoil the desolation of Israel as a result of their disobedience, I see
America fast becoming a mirror of that wretchedness.
We are losing our focus. It is every man – or group/gang – for
themselves and if anyone disagrees they are attacked and labeled as a hate
group.
Christians are being vilified
for their beliefs while those that oppose the deity of God, oppose the need to
turn to Him in time of trouble to help heal become stronger by the day.
The tyranny of ‘we must be
tolerant of everything’ is coming back to haunt and destroy America – we are
allowing the very foundation of our nation to be torn under and trampled
upon.
Many Christians are just
wringing their hands and saying the Last Days are upon us – yet they take no
action, no fervent prayer, and often don’t even stand up for Christ. They become part of the problem as they try
to make scripture more palpable to the world they water down the truths and
commands.
As Christians we have helped
make this country what it is becoming by our fear of retribution, by our refusal
to take the Bible seriously, by not proclaiming God in our words and in our
deeds.
Instead of working until Jesus
comes, many are just sitting and waiting, wondering why He hasn’t done so
already.
We are ignoring the millions of
Christians that have been undergoing persecution and death for their stand in
Christ all over the world.
We have become, as many in this
country, me centered and as long as we are okay, we will be okay.
The Old Testament is filled with
warnings for our nation; for our people and we ignore them.
God told them, and us, that He
loves us. That He wants to give us the
very best in life – while this love is free to us, He does want us to place Him
first in our lives. To give Him the
honor due Him as the Creator.
He didn’t just destroy Israel
without warning, He tried nudging them, giving them reminders that they are His
people and need to follow Him. As a
parent must make sure a child stays out of trouble by slowly increasing
penalties when they continue to disobey, so God gradually had to apply more
serious consequences as they continued to disobey.
We are the recipients of God’s
great love through the death and resurrection of His Son. Jesus taught love and compassion for all
people, but He too, commanded that we take a stand for Him, living for Him and
telling others of His great love.
We have become so focused on
God’s Love for us through His Son, that we forget that there is a responsibility
to serve Him and to openly and honestly share His Word – all of it.
Old and New Testament, love and
consequences for disobedience, using the Word to discern false doctrines,
spirits and prophets. Caring for one
another and lifting up, rather than tearing down others.
We too often compromise our
witness in Christ because we do not take full advantage of God’s Love, Christ’s
teaching and the Holy Spirit’s leading.
As a result, not only are
Christians falling away from Him, but so is our nation.
Yet, there is indeed hope and
promises of Him to be with us during these troubling times, to lead us, protect
us and to bless us.
Psalm 9:9-11 The Lord also
will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of
trouble.
10 And they that know thy
name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them
that seek thee.
11 Sing praises to the
Lord, which dwelleth in
Zion: declare among the people his doings.
He expects us to remember who He
is, what He has done in the past and what He is promising us for our
future. He also expects us to worship
and praise Him – and tell others about Him and His Grace.
Mathew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost:
20 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.
He has promised to always be
with us.
And
they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou,
Lord,
hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
lo,
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
But those promises come with an
attachment, we must put our trust in Him AND we must share His Word with all
nations – including our own nation, our own communities.
He never promised it would be
easy, as a matter of fact He told us it would not, but He did promise that He
will be with us.
Later, Art :-)
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