IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!

While listening to the radio one morning, I heard Woodrow Kroll say this:  "Every election year we hear the cries of change. And it's true, our nation needs to make some changes. But not the kind the political leaders provide.  I'm talking about life change. The kind of change that happens as a result of people engaging God by reading the Bible.  Here at Back to the Bible, we exist to promote Bible reading. And we have a real urgency about our ministry plans because studies show that if things keep going the way they are, within the lifetime of your children and grandchildren, the United States will be a post-Christian society.

Did you catch that?  A post-Christian society.  That means a God-less society.

The Bible is under attack in this country. Now's the time for some real change." 

After I heard those words, I was 'awakened' with an alarming sense that I must do something!  But what?  I began to pray and ask The Lord to speak to me.  He started pouring out His words.  The first thing I heard Him say was:  "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"  The NIV says "at hand" is "near!"  (Matthew 4:17)   He continually sent prophets to His people telling them to "repent and turn from their wicked ways" in the Old Testament.  He told us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:10, 23; Psalm 14:3)   Don't think of others; think of yourself and examine these Scriptures...and then repent.  Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30-31; John 13:34-35; I Corinthians 12. 

Many have been referring to 2 Chronicles 7:14 of late in conjunction with the USA. I would like to point out that the FIRST prayer we need to pray is:  (Psalm 51)

Lord, forgive us for turning from You and Your Word; forgive us for becoming self-centered.  Cleanse us and create in us clean hearts and renew a right spirit within us - Your Holy Spirit to empower us and unite us together; restore unto us the joy of Your salvation by obeying Your words and teaching transgressors and sinners so that they can be converted." 

Then, we need to seek His face and humbly pray...for His will to be done.  Take a good look at the Scripture before and after;  remember that this is referring to the other country that claims His Name:   13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will 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...  19 "But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' 22 People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.' " 

We must repent.  Our whole nation is going to be judged because of God's people not repenting!!  We can't pray for our nation until we repent- sin separates us from God hearing! 

After fulfilling His purpose for coming and dying (giving His blood as offering for our sins) and rising from the dead, He returned to Heaven where He is preparing a Heavenly Home for all those who have become children of God.  He told us this in John 14.  At His ascension, he said:  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  (Acts 1:8)

One of the reasons for the Holy Spirit is empowering us to be His witnesses everywhere we go!  Our bodies are His Temple (His dwelling place) - He works through us!  I might add that He never forces us to do His Word, He just gives us His very own power to do it!                          

Don't listen to the devil - there is nothing to fear when honoring and giving Him glory and bringing others into the Kingdom.

Finally, I challenge each of us to get fit for His coming.  We are to be found "blameless." 

Genesis 17:1; 22:18 ~  When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said:  "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless...and be blessed."

Ephesians 1:4 ~ For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.

"And may the very God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 

I Thessalonians 4:23 Amplified Bible

What can we do?  PRAY and  Repent.  PRAY and Turn to God and His Word.  PRAY and  Release the Holy Spirit.  PRAY and  Love one another. (This really is the fulfilling of the whole Law because when we love one another we are loving Him - we are His Body!)  PRAY and Witness (tell everyone you can what you know about Him and His words.)

It's time for God's people to wake up!  

In HIS Love I send you His blessings,

Betty Nunes

*I shared these thoughts on June 12, 2008!  Sadly, we have gone through another election, and I personally don't see that we, God's people, have awakened to the truth of where we really are and how accountable we are for the condition of our nation.  When will we repent and take a stand for The Only One Who Counts - and He counts for Eternity!