I am celebrating Thanksgiving with my daughters and grandchildren this weekend but I also wanted to share some thoughts with you as well. This link will take you to the website of Jack Kelley who has been a source of knowledge and encouragement for many years and an friend who's words I treasure greatly.
https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/the-god-without-a-thanksgiving-message/
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“So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, “Do business til I come.” Luke 19:13 NKJV
It should come as no surprise that many in this country are more than disappointed in the results of the midterm elections this month. Rather than ushering in a new period of change for the better, it would appear this country will instead keep on travelling down the road that many believe leads to destruction. As a practical matter, the question many believers will ask themselves is how will this affect me? In truth, if we look closely at this passage from Luke concerning the faithful servant, it shouldn’t affect us at all.
In the King James version, the word “business” is translated “occupy”. Used here, the word in the Greek is “pragmateuomai”, or occupy. It is defined as “to be occupied in anything, to carry on a business.” While certainly no one would disagree that the intent of this parable by Jesus was and is to focus our attention on the importance of carrying on His business of spreading the gospel, my thoughts are more focused on the word “occupy” and considering the message Jesus has for us there.
“ Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!” Haggai 1:5-7 NKJV
Although Haggai is considered to be one of the minor prophets, there is certainly nothing “minor” about his prophecy to the nation of Israel. Haggai was the first prophet to appear after the end of the Babylonian captivity and when the Jewish people were again living in the land of Israel. His prophecy towards the people was one of judgment from God because of their neglect to rebuild the Temple, something they had been given permission to do when they were released from their captivity. This prophecy was given because fifteen years had passed and the people still had not finished the rebuilding, but rather had turned their attention to selfish personal ambitions.
Although the book of Haggai is just two chapters long, the word “consider” is used five different times by Haggai as God commands the people to examine their actions and the motivations behind them. The word for consider in the Hebrew is suwm which is translated to put, make, set, lay, ordain, to bring to pass. I found it interesting that nowhere does it say “think about it”, which would probably be our answer to the meaning of “consider”, but rather God is saying “do something” or “change” your ways because they are wrong.
Because they had chosen to ignore His instruction to rebuild the temple, God chose to remove His blessings from them in order to show His displeasure at their actions. Haggai tells us that although the people were working very hard for personal gain, God decided to take it all away as a sign to them that no matter how hard they might work, if following God’s instructions were not their priority, nothing they did would bear fruit.
“You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.” Haggai 1:9 NKJV
The people who God had charged with the responsibility to rebuild the Temple were instead focused on their own lives, looking for personal comfort and gain. Rather than making obedience to God’s instructions their priority, they were instead putting all their efforts into trying to improve their own situation by working for themselves. As a result, God tells them to consider their ways. In the situation we find ourselves in today in regards to the Church, and understanding the lateness of the hour, should we too listen to the admonition from God to consider our ways?
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:24-25 NKJV
Now I am sure most of us work very hard at our jobs, knowing that the work we do brings us the means to provide for ourselves and our families. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, especially if you consider that it is God who arranged for us to obtain the work that we have. Yet if you look closely at the message from Haggai, it is obvious that what God is displeased with is the fact that the people focused all their efforts towards personal gain while ignoring their service to God. When Haggai tells the people the message from God is to “consider their ways”, he is telling them to make their service to God the priority in their lives.
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33 NKJV
The state of our country as it now stands, especially as we watch the economy tank and inflation rise astronomically negatively affecting our incomes and budget, it becomes ever more difficult to focus on putting God’s business first. The questions we must ask ourselves today is are we “occupied” in serving God, or are we making the same mistake that the people did in Haggai? Our trust should be in God to provide for our needs, and focus our efforts to protect the message of the Gospel.
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2 NKJV
While there appears that there will be no change forthcoming in the direction this country is headed, there should also be no change in the priorities we have as well. As believers, our charge is the same as given to Timothy. Our focus, our time, our efforts, should all be to make it our priority to spend time in the Word and be prepared to defend the faith, doing God’s business until He comes. If not, don’t be surprised to find God bring all our efforts to nothing just as He did in Haggai.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV
This week may we all “consider” our ways and be certain we are “occupied” in the business of serving our God and trusting in Him to meet our needs.
“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV
Keep Watching.
While many may have been more disappointed in the outcome of Tuesday's midterm elections than I was, it goes without saying that at least for me, the results were not totally unexpected. As I have said before, I truly believe we are on a one way street with no expectation of a turn around. I fully expect Jesus to return at any moment and deliver the world left behind to the fury of His judgment. Yet as I have also said before, while we are still here, there is an expectation from our Father that we be about His business until He returns. This commentary from Ask Dr. Brown this past week says much about these times and I wanted to share it with you today.
For a number of reasons, I would have preferred to see the Republicans take back both the House and Senate in fairly decisive ways. This would have effectively thwarted the implementation of what I believe to be a very destructive leftist agenda. And I voted accordingly in my own state.
But I am not in the least bit discouraged or downcast, since the “red wave” I am really looking for is a spiritual one, not a political one.
As I tweeted on October 20, “I have voted Republican for many years, but my vision for a ‘red’ America is for a nation washed in the blood of Jesus.”
As followers of Jesus living in America our calling remains the same, regardless of who runs the government.
If we can change the laws too, that’s wonderful. Many will benefit from that in the long run.
If we can shift the culture, that’s glorious. The more the light shines, the more the darkness is dispelled.
If we can elect God-fearing political leaders, that’s something to shout about. In the words of Proverbs, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2)
But let’s remember that generations of believers, beginning with the very first disciples, lived and died with slavery and infanticide and other barbarous practices as a way of life, the cultural norm. It took centuries before these evil things were abolished or went out of practice. Yet the gospel continued to march on.
It is the same today here in America.
The lost will still be saved today through the message of the cross.
The sick will still be healed today and the oppressed will still be delivered.
Prayers will still be answered today and God’s people will still worship.
As I tweeted on November 5, 2018, right before the midterm elections four years ago, “Regardless of a blue wave or a red wave tomorrow, God is still God, the Bible is still His Word, and we are called to be disciples and make disciples. Period.”
And as I tweeted a little past midnight during yesterday’s elections, “Regardless of the outcome of the elections, my hope remains where it has always been, in one place only: our unshakable God and His Kingdom.What about that gospel-based moral and cultural revolution that I have spoken about for more than 20 years? Do I still feel confident that is coming? Do I still believe it is already here, in incipient form?
Of course I do, since it has never been based on political outcomes.
As I wrote earlier this year, “You’ve probably heard the saying that ‘politics is downstream from culture.’ I agree but would add that culture is downstream from morality, which in turn is downstream from spirituality.
That’s why my own emphasis is spiritual first, then moral, then cultural, then political.”
The Church must be transformed first, burning brightly with the fire of God, ablaze with holy love for a lost world.
Then, as more and more lives are transformed and more and more disciples are made and believers make an impact in every area of life and society, we will see the righteous outcomes that we long for. (By righteous outcomes, I don’t primarily mean our favorite politicians being put in office; I mean righteous laws and a more God-fearing culture, which of course will require God-fearing political leaders.)
But we must also realize that evil will not be fully eradicated until Jesus returns. So we do our best before God to make a difference in our generation while we eagerly await the Second Coming, never forgetting our calling to take the gospel to all nations.
One thing, though, is sure, and I write this as a registered Independent who has only voted for Republican candidates for decades and as someone who is deeply concerned about the Democratic agenda: America will not be saved and transformed by having an all-red (meaning, all Republican) government.
America will be saved by being washed in the blood of Jesus.
That is the red wave I am looking for.
https://askdrbrown.org/article/the-red-wave-that-really-matters
Keep Watching.
“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:5-8 NKJV
This coming Friday will be the anniversary of Noah’s flood, (if you use the sighting of the new moon to establish the start of the Jewish month as they did in Old Testament times), and I thought since Jesus linked the flood of Noah to the end of this age I would share some of my thoughts on the subject. For no reason I can think of, (other than the prompting of the Holy Spirit), I have always been fascinated by the story of Noah. In fact, at one point in time I spent considerable time and effort researching the possible location of where the ark might have come to rest.
Much has been said and written lately on the subject of God judging this world, and considering the state of this country at the present time, even singling out America as a nation deserving God’s special attention. As we see evil growing and manifesting itself in sometimes horrific ways not only around the world but here at home, is it any wonder that many believe that we are approaching or even have arrived at the time where God will once again reveal Himself to mankind by directing His wrath upon an unbelieving, sinful world. As believers, we know that God has already warned that there will be a coming time of judgment just as there was in Noah’s day but instead of using water, this time He will use fire.
“knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth whichare now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:3-7 NKJV
While many in the world would use promises like this to portray God as being cruel and vindictive, they choose to not only ignore the fact that this judgment is well deserved, but also that God has provided both a way of escape and given mankind ample opportunity to make the right choice. In Noah’s day, even those witnessing the ark being constructed over a period of so many years never made the choice to join Noah and his family on the ark. It has been almost two thousand years since Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again as a sacrifice for mankind’s sin, yet slowly but surely that sacrifice has been ignored by more and more of the world’s population until we find ourselves once again facing the time of God’s judgment.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
Many find it hard to believe that we are still here after all that has occurred so far this year, and you can count me among them. Unfortunately though, some people mistake God’s patience for indifference or “slackness”. I can recall while raising my children and setting boundaries they often mistook my patience for indifference. The looks on their faces when my promise of judgment actually occurred was often priceless. Although God has promised a sure and final judgment, He is giving the world time to make the right choice because as a loving father, He wants no one to go to hell. Yet as in Noah’s day, more will choose to ignore God’s providence than accept it.
“And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 NKJV
The lie that God will not judge is the same one that Satan introduced in the Garden of Eden so many years ago when he convinced Eve to ignore God’s warning not to eat the fruit of the tree. Just as he was able to deceive Eve, he is also able to deceive many in the world today. The question for us as believers is how do we react to the situation we find ourselves in as the world looks more and more like it did in Noah’s day? Noah made the choice to be obedient to God, and followed His instructions to build an ark. In much the same way, salvation by faith in the gospel of Christ is the modern day ark which will save mankind from the coming judgment, and it is our responsibility to share it with an unbelieving world.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16 NKJV
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John
3:16. NKJV
Truth be told, I can’t help but wonder at the timing of a couple of events occurring this coming week. In the flood narrative, God tells Noah to enter the Ark seven days before the rains begin. Many have speculated that this timing is significant in some way to the coming rapture of the Church before God’s judgment of this world begins. What I also find interesting is that on this Tuesday, the world will watch as this country votes in the mid-term elections which most agree will set the direction this country will take for the next two years. Even more curious is the fact that we will also see a blood moon eclipse on Tuesday as well. While I am predicting nothing, I certainly will be watching closely this Tuesday for many different reasons.
“Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” Genesis 7:2 NKJV
“For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” Genesis 7:4 NKJV
Noah found grace in
the eyes of the Lord. Have you? Have you made the choice
to accept the gift of salvation made possible by the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus
Christ? If not, if you are reading this you still have time to do so
before God’s judgment begins. Becoming a believer is accomplished by
asking Christ to come into your life and to begin to help you live life as He
directs. If you want to do that today, simply pray this prayer to
Him;
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."
If you have done this today, or have done it in the past, you have God’s promise that you will be spared from the judgment He has promised is going to occur to those who choose not to believe.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,” Romans 1:18-22 NKJV
Keep watching.
https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-35306783/documents/6f7e0114494a4d5db024948aebe100ac/Election%20Day%20Blood%20Moon%20and%20Americas%20Prophetic%20Destiny%20rev%20a.pdf