Be Prepared Not Scared

October 6, 2020 Gracie

The Lord Wants Us To Be Prepared Not Scared

Has 2020 been a disaster or what?

It certainly feels like the world is going, to borrow an old expression, to “hell in a handbasket.”

heartbreaking world events None of this craziness is a surprise to God, though.

So, what next?

Can we pull ourselves out of this mire – where the world is drowning in perversion, hatred, idolatry, and anti-God rhetoric?

No – not alone we can’t.

The fact is we can’t pull ourselves out of any of this spiritual backslide.

Our help comes only from the Lord, in His timing.

The verse below is a lovely reminder, and a great one to memorize.

Psalm 121:1-2

Our help (whether it’s looking towards the hills of Jerusalem like the Psalmist, or out our own front door) comes from the Lord.

We see evidence of His grace everywhere.

Our problems become smaller when we think about how big the love of God is.

Can I get an Amen!!

Be Prepared Not Scared

No matter what happens next in this crazy world, we should be prepared not scared because He promised to never leave us.

be prepared not scared

When the headlines about the rioting and violence cause alarm, take a moment, stop and pray.

There’s comfort in knowing that your prayers will reach all the way up to Heaven – quicker than you can blink your eyes.

When I look at the world with all its problems, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed when I pray. And it certainly is overwhelming, until we look to the greatness of our God and realize that with Him, nothing is impossible. By His grace we can see this nation turned around, healed both of its plagues and the sin that plagues all of us. – Ray Comfort, Evangelist, founder of Living Waters Publications. ²

I know it looks scary out there. I’ve seen the headlines too, and watched incredulously as foul-mouthed bullies try to take over Christian Facebook pages.

The godless may win some battles, but folks – they will lose the war.

The Spiritual Battle Rages On

This is a spiritual battle between Good and Evil.

Now’s not the time to back down and keep our mouths shut because of fear.

Now is the time to share the hope that we have through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have a responsibility to shine His light in this present darkness.

I know that there are some who’d rather not bother: I hate getting involved in politics and I’m not going to vote. Can’t we just keep quiet?

No, we can’t.

America is in trouble.

Socialism is a godless, ugly, ideology lurking right on our doorstep, and it’s up to all of us to exercise our right to vote.

We must be prepared not scared to take a bold, courageous stand for Jesus Christ and godly values.

We as Bible-believing evangelical Christians are locked in a battle. This is not a friendly gentleman’s discussion. It is a life and death conflict between spiritual hosts of wickedness and those who claim the name of Christ. Where is the clear voice speaking to the crucial issues of the day with distinctly biblical answers? We must be the voice of reason. May we not sin through silence. – Francis Schaefer. well-known theologian and apologist.

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² Quotation from Pastor Ray Comfort, “Revival Amid Riot.” Courtesy of Living Waters. [blog post]. May 29, 2020, para. 7. Web. Accessed September 30, 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.livingwaters.com/revival-amid-riot/

³Francis August Schaeffer, (1912-1984), evangelical Christian and theologian. Schaeffer quotation, courtesy of Dobson Digital Library. [blog post]. “Socialism: The Enemy of Christianity.” n.d., para. 3. Web. Accessed October 5, 2020.

Our Exceptional God

National Day of Repentance 2020

September 22, 2020 Gracie

A National Day of Repentance

Dear fellow Christians –

You may have heard that Saturday, September 26^th (just a few days away) is designated as the National Day of Repentance 2020.

There’s so much at stake here in America that I urge you to take part and pray.

America is in desperate need of prayer.

It’s impossible not to see the great divide unfolding in our country, provoked by those who want to destroy her.

Even so, I’m encouraged by the prayer and repentance events scheduled to take place all over the nation.

Why Should a Whole Nation Repent?

There’s a simple answer to that – because our nation has turned away from God.

Now is not the time to bury our heads in the sand, and pretend that wickedness isn’t happening, and even increasing on our soil.

Sexual trafficking and child exploitation

Christians cursed and mocked

A complicit news media

Churches threatened

Millions of babies brutally ripped from their mothers’ wombs

Family values made fun of as Hollywood “entertainment”

So many heartbreaking things going on.

Even though there’s always been a spiritual battle between the forces of good and evil around us, we can see it with our own eyes now like never before.

We have to face it – God allows bad things to happen, even under a good President who believes in the power of prayer.

There’s no doubt, this contentious election is bringing out the worst in people. I’ve seen it and I’m sure you’ve seen it too.

It might be difficult to understand this now, but the Bible teaches that something good will eventually come from all of this turmoil for those who love God.

Therefore, we must pray and repent as a nation.

Praying shouldn’t end on November 4th.

We’ve gone so far down a rabbit hole of wickedness, we may only be able to recover just a little of our respectability as a God-fearing nation.

But, it may be enough to spark a much-needed spiritual revival.

Throne of Judgment

God is love, but just in case you’re being told otherwise, He is also a God of Righteous Judgment.

Do we really think that our Creator God will not execute judgment on America (and the world for that matter), in His timing, for those who don’t repent and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior?

Those who do not believe in the Son, who do not receive Him as Savior, will be judged on the day of wrath (Romans 2:5–6). – Got Questions website.

That day is coming.

Have you accepted Christ into your life?

Please don’t delay.

Are you prideful, believing in your own greatness, or do you have a repentant heart?

Simply being a “good” person may earn you friends here on earth, but it doesn’t get you into Heaven.

We truly aren’t “good”, we have all fallen short.

Salvation in Jesus Christ is the only answer.

The Bible and the National Day of Repentance 2020

You don’t need any book other than the Bible to tell you what we need to do right now – while we still can in the public square.

day of repentance

How do we pray for repentance?

It’s in the Book – the Bible, that is.

Currently, my studies have focused on the major and minor prophets.

Undoubtedly, the verses therein are focused on the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and God’s judgment. But, we need only to learn from the history of God’s people that disobedience to God, rejecting Him, and lawlessness lead to a path of destruction. I can’t tell you how many times in my readings that I have recognized America, as a whole and looking at the culture, making the same disastrous mistakes.

What’s Next On The Timeline?

Only God knows the timing of prophetic events that will happen to our great nation and globally.

As Christians, I believe we need to follow the historical call of the prophets in Scripture and pray for nationwide repentance.

In Daniel 9:15-18, the prophet pleads for God’s people at that time.

Take heart, fellow believers, our God has great compassion.

Maranatha!

¹⁵And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked. ¹⁶O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. ¹⁷So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion.

On this National Day of Repentance 2020, it’s time to call on “the Great I Am.”

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Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “What is the biblical understanding of the wrath of God?” n.d., para. 3. Web. Accessed September 16, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.gotquestions.org/wrath-of-God.html

Photo source credits:
– Group prayer photo by Ismael Paramo on Unsplash

– Woman praying photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Our Exceptional God