AMERICA NEEDS THE LORD! Reading Ezekiel chapter 14 this morning and 1 John chapter 5, I see how our nation is at a critical crossroads of choosing what path to take and then to stay on: the path being set by the wicked in power, or the path of righteousness being the path of how we are to live and govern GOD'S RIGHTEOUS AND JUST WAY, so that we be favored by Him once again, blessed by Him and feared again by other nations whose leaders disobey and even hate God.

Here's what GOD says to us: “If a country sins against Me by being unfaithful to Me, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save ONLY themselves by their own righteousness.” (Noah, Daniel and Job perservered with God through it all, and were victorious.)
God continues: “If I send wild beasts through that country and it’s left childless, and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They ALONE would be saved, but the land would be desolate."
“Or if I bring a sword (war) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if these three men were in it, they could NOT save their own sons or daughters. They ALONE would be saved."
“Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath on it through bloodshed, killing its people and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save ONLY themselves by THEIR righteousness (obedient faith in the LORD).”
“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters [of faith's righteousness] who will be brought out of it…. You will be consoled when you see their faithful conduct and their right actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in that nation without cause, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

The God of ALL creation, works THROUGH His creation to wake up people and draw them to Himself, TO HIS SON, the ONLY SAVIOR of this sin-sick world. Our founding fathers believed in the LORD, and trusted Him to guide them and show them how to establish a God-fearing sovereign free and prosperous nation. God will not be mocked - as we see happening in our nation today, and is why we have all kinds of ways that are hurting us and destroying our land. We are being severely disciplined, but for our 'good' future, and you can believe it or not. God's WORD is TRUE and FAITHFUL.

"We know that anyone 'born of God' (by faith in His Son) does not continue to sin; Jesus Christ - God's Son, keeps them safe, and the evil one (with all his active worshippers) cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of Satan, also known as the devil. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us UNDERSTANDING, so that we may KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE. And we are IN HIM WHO IS TRUE by being in God's Son Jesus Christ. HE IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE....This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God our Father and carrying out HIS commands."

Praying for our country to return to the LORD and His Word.

This morning as I was praising my Lord for who He is, I thought about His Holiness, and my shortage of it. Because He is Holy, and commands me (His child) to be holy – He disciplines me as a true Father, while I live now. And, because He is Holy, He must and will judge the dead and the living at His appointed time.  His holiness will judge the wicked and rebellious without any mercy; for all unbelievers had more than enough timely opportunities, while they lived, to respond openly and eagerly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But for the believer in Jesus Christ, born of His Spirit and Word, God’s holiness disciplines us now while we live on the earth for His good purpose. Sinners saved by God’s grace, continue to live out the rest of their lives on earth by that same GRACE?

“Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory.’”    1 Corinthians 15:54  

It’s not easy to live for the Lord PERFECTLY. That’s why we are disciplined as children by our Father. We all have the natural tendency to serve our sin-nature, and so we must learn to die to it, and live unto Christ our Lord by His indwelling Spirit poured into us - so that we can.

“Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have NEW life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”  Romans 6:13

“For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us (now), what terrible fate awaits those (later at the judgment) who have never obeyed God’s Good News?” (1 Peter 4:17)  “Anyone whose name was not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15

I am so very thankful to my Father God that He ‘followed me,’ watching over me with His mercy until that day, when He knew I was ready for His love. I responded eagerly and gratefully to His Spirit’s conviction to repent, and to His gospel’s invitation to “come just as I am.” Now I ‘follow the Lord’ who gave Himself for me on that cross, and not only for me, but for all who would believe in Him.

“They will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. Those who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and His angels that they are MINE.” Revelation 3:4

Have you ever heard how when you take a black rock, cover it with red cellophane transparent paper, and then with a flashlight – shine the light on that rock – to see that the rock is now white, not black?  Because of the blood of Jesus Christ over me – I appear white as snow to my Father God.  

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been ‘born again,’ because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through our faith, God is protecting us by His power until we receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.  So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though we must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that our faith [in Christ Jesus] is genuine. 1 Peter 1:3-7

Reading Ezekiel chapters 1- 6, I saw a distinct similarity in what God said to Ezekiel about the nation Israel and its people, and in what God has been doing to America because of the same thing, that turning to idol worship: idolatry.

God tells Ezekiel, the priest/prophet, what He is going to do the nation and people. What came to me was what we have been seeing happening in America because of how our leaders have turned away from God and His Word, to serve worthless IDOLS. For example:

“Yet in her wickedness she has rebelled against My Laws and Decrees MORE THAN the nations and countries around her.”  I thought, is there any other nation that has promoted abortion and homosexuality like we have?  AND because we have, there is now this ideology that you can change the gender you were born with simply because of how you ‘feel,’ having it TAUGHT AS TRUTH to confuse, and it’s in our schools and universities.  Is there any other nation like what ours has become by its LEADERS?

“I MYSELF AM AGAINST YOU, says the LORD. I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations. Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again. Therefore, in your midst parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents.” HOW IS THIS SEEN TODAY IN AMERICA?!

We have been seeing it with the killing of children in the wombs (abortion), and now up to birth, and in some states after birth if the parent/parents don’t like the sex or whatever.  Children murder their parents and grandparents for whatever sick reason they have. Children are taking advantage of their parents’ kindness and generosity, eating up (using and even demanding) their finances, refusing to take responsibility for themselves. BUT, isn’t that mostly the fault of how parents have raised their children? And what about our public schools and universities? What are they teaching our children that has caused children to turn on and against their parents?  It’s all comparable and fitting to what God told Ezekiel!  

Then there’s plagues, famine, and the sword – that God brought against the nation of Israel. As I look back over the last few years especially – it’s all here!  Our enemies attacking us with a man-made disease and using fentanyl as weapons against us. The “open border” policy of this current administration has brought in other diseases, as well as terrorists/sex-traffickers/cartel drug dealers/rapists/thieves/lawbreakers. What insanity to do this as a president! But “they do not even understand what they do” because God has turned us over to allow Satan to have his way with this nation THROUGH its self-deceived arrogant leaders, but for how long, I ask?

“I am about to cut off the food supply,” says the LORD, “so that people eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food and water will be scarce.”  Have we not seen what this administration is trying to do with all their foolish “green ideology” activism and policies? INSANE! Telling us what to eat and making it (legally) hard to disobey them?! And we know what they have planned with their IRS!  And look at how serious they are to remove our 1st and 2nd amendments, by “it’s what’s best for everyone!” What arrogant ignorance of what our CREATOR says! And what about them wanting to “pack the courts” with left leaning justices? And, trying to remove the rights of parents to educate their own children the way they believe? And, stopping natural resource industries in our nation, making us dependent on our known enemies? And working to force us all to buy electric cars, and stop using anything that requires oil/gas? And, allowing illegal aliens to be financially taken care of by tax-payers, and allowing them to vote (democrat of course)? And, weakening our military with teaching their fool ideology about gender and punishing those who won’t go along with it – that not being at all what they signed up to do in the military! And, doing their BEST to lie and deceive the American people with their BIG GOVERNMENT takeover livelihoods and freedoms!  Should I go on? Cause there is so much more!   

We have been hearing of a “third awakening” in our nation of people desperately returning to the LORD and others humbly seeking Him for the first time – because of what IS so blatantly happening, and that God has ‘allowed’ to happen. AND THERE IT IS! 

We keep fighting between ‘political parties’ as to blame our political opposition when it’s GOD who is to blame. And that’s exactly what HE IS after; that people start looking to HIM instead of looking at and to each other. No president, government, church, nation – has the solution for all this evil and rebellion on earth, man’s inhumanity to man. So, God simply allows things to get worse and worse so people will cry out to Him and find Him true and faithful to all HE SAYS, especially about HIS SON, the only SAVIOR of the world against the coming judgments and holy wrath on man’s evil and rebellion to God.

God started this country with Bible-believing men and their families and led them to establish this nation on a constitution of the perfect biblical principles and the promises of God. God-fearing men and women, though not perfect, formed this good foundation with prayer and favor of God, and over time slavery was ended with a fight against ‘part’ of the ‘governing body’ who wanted to keep their slaves. The KKK started because democrats lost that righteous fight to end black slavery. And, don't get me started on their "reparations" foolishness! WE OWE GOD!

Righteousness prevailed because of what America stood for then: liberty and justice for all; all men are created equal in the eyes of God and should never enslave one another nor should we work to destroy the personal faith of anyone, nor anything else that is good from God to bless our lives with. But that is what we are seeing today with the woke/left/democrat party ready and armed to come against and ruin anyone that speaks the truth and won’t bow to their idolatrous ways.

“You, LORD, reign forever; Your Throne endures from generation to generation….Restore us to Yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old – unless You have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”  Lamentations 5:19-22

As I was talking to my Father God this morning, I had to thank Him (once again) for who He is. I thought about what He had said to me a while back, “Give me more of you and I will give you more of Me.” The thought came this morning that ‘God is neither easy nor hard to know.’ 

Our relationship with the LORD of LIFE takes work on our part, just like a good marriage does.  It starts with commitment, then there is a daily work and progressive self-denial required. Some give up on their daily time in God’s Word and prayer. Most give up when “self-denial” is necessary. We tend to stay in our ‘lifestyle rut,’ or we expect more from the other (spouse or Lord) than of ourselves.  

When I first gave myself to the Lord Jesus out of love and gratitude for what He did for me, God’s Word became a hunger to me; I read it every day for hours till I had read through it all. Then I began reading it again! Once is never enough because the Word of God has new meaning to us each time we read through it because our life progresses with new experiences.  Every time I finish reading though the Bible, I buy another Bible so that it’s always FRESH to me each time I start reading God’s Word again. I write in my Bibles all that speaks to me at THAT time in my life. When I start over I want to hear from the LORD, who is the Holy Spirit, regarding my current life experiences.

As I look back over my almost 50 years of knowing the LORD GOD and journaling my ‘journey’ of learning to walk with Him, I am reminded of all that was required of me in order to know my God more and more. In this journey I have learned that God is neither easy nor hard to know; it depends on me really, in that, what am I willing to give up or die to, that is of my worldly/fleshly desires, habits, and of “the empty life passed down to us from our ancestors,” as the Apostle Peter put it. (1 Peter 1:18)  I know this is what separated me from my family; why they thought I had been taken away from them. But, as Jesus warned, “they will hate you because they hate Me.” They will not understand me because they do not know the LORD personally; they have yet to believe in the One who loves them with an everlasting love.

I can’t worry about what my extended family thinks! God gave me my priority with my husband, my children and my personal walk with the LORD who bought me with His own blood. I must care MORE for what Jesus did for me, than what my mother or father did for me. I must care MORE about what my LORD has for me to do, than what other people expect of me.   

As I have gotten into my 70’s I find it harder to make ‘adjustments’ in order to get closer to my Father God. I’m reminded of what John the Baptist said regarding the LORD JESUS: “He must become more important while I become less important. The One who comes from above is above all.” (John 3:30-31) And what Apostle Paul admitted, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is GAIN.” Philippians 1:20-21   

How can I “become more like Jesus” if I don’t keep in step with Him? What happens when I veer off His path with me? What happens when I run ahead of Him? What happens when I lag behind Him? I’ve done it all! I’ve also lived the consequences. (It’s all in my book “JUST WALK WITH ME.”) But here I am now in my “golden years” when ‘change’ is much harder.

I’m finding out that simply ‘offering myself’ to Him each morning is all He’s asking of this old gal. Will I be available, or not, at any given moment that He wants to use me, or just fellowship with Him? One thing I do know about my Lord, He understands my human weakness and tendency to worry or fear, and even to want things of this world. BUT! I must keep reminding myself of what He told me in His Word and in Prayer with Him; for His truth and love will always set me back on His path. His promises – I must cling to. His good purpose in this old woman is still mine to do. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” (Philippians 4:13) AND! “The joy of the LORD is my strength!” Nehemiah 8:10  

I also remember what Caleb said (being 85 years old): “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me…to spy out the land, and I brought back to him an honest report…..I remained loyal to the LORD my God….and He said: ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’  Now behold, as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses….So here I am today, eighty-five years old, still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. As my strength was then, so it is now for the battle [against our enemies], for going out, and for coming in. Now therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day.” Joshua 14:7-12

All that matters to God should matter to me and bring me closer to Him. God is neither easy nor hard to know.

I continually read through the Old Testament and the New Testament at the same time, going chapter to chapter, beginning to end, and then starting over again.

The main thing I see with the Old Testament that is different from New Testament is the way God deals with the heads of nations/governments whether they are democracies/monarchies/dictatorships. AND, that God deals with them according to if they fear God and how His people are being treated under their headships, whether Israel/Jews or the Church/Christians.

When it came to God’s people, Israel and Judah’s kings, depending on their obedience to God and His laws - their kingdoms were either blessed by God or not, and if not, then overtaken by other nations that God used.

“Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.” Psalm 82:8

A nation’s ‘laws and culture’ is either rooted in God’s laws and principles of living peaceful and productively, or is not, by their laws and culture of worshipping ‘false gods,’ all that God hates and will judge very harshly You can go back in history and see this truth repeated with all nations, and now we see it with America. How can America be great again when our leaders worship other gods? Why should God work on behalf of believers in Jesus Christ who have fearfully compromised the truth from God?

Then with the New Testament I see the other side of the coin: God’s grace and mercy to all ‘individuals’ (in any nation and of any race) who will turn their eyes on Jesus Christ, call on His personal forgiveness, stay committed to a love relationship with Him and a bold living faith in His words to them in the Word of God.

We are called to pray for our nation’s leaders that God will impart His mercy and wisdom on them, so we can live peaceful and prosperous lives. A president doesn’t have to be a born-again believer either, to do what is right and just in God’s eyes. We see examples of this in the Old Testament. King Nebuchadnezzar, King Cyrus, King Xerxes as a few, and all whom did not know or worship the One True God.

After all that God did to empower King Nebuchadnezzar against Israel and Judah’s disobedient kings – he came to worship the One True God. But meanwhile God used him to kill wicked Israel and Judah kings and take into exile God’s people. God told His exiled people (through God’s prophets) the promise that they would be able to live peacefully in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar.

Then came Cyrus king of Persia, whom God used to bring the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild all that had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar (under God’s doing – Ezra 5:12-15, 6:13-16).

Then after the Jews were living in obedience to God under God’s anointed priest Ezra, Satan uses Haman, the king’s right hand in a secret plan to kill them off. But God uses His faithful servant Mordecai and his godly niece Esther to deliver God’s people from the hands of Haman. God used Mordecai to protect the king from an attempted assassin and then Esther as one of Xerxes wives (and most favored for her humble godliness) to expose the evil Haman intended against God’s people. And the result was the death of Haman, by the king’s order, on Haman’s own gallows built for the Jews. God’s people enjoyed their freedom to live in this worldly king’s land peacefully.

All this partial history to say: As God’s obedient prayerful people in America – God will answer our prayers, but we may not like the way He does, maybe even surprised. Persecution brings the Lord’s wanderers back to Him wholeheartedly. Enemies within and without that are clearly at work to take America down – taking advantage of this current weak/ignorant/arrogant administration, can bring people to the Lord in faith, hope and love.

“Until the time of the end, many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” Daniel 12:9-10

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

“In keeping with HIS promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells…so then, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God. Our Lord’s patience means salvation….So be on your guard, since you have been forewarned, so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To HIM be glory both now and forever!” 2 Peter 3:13-15,17-18

I was praying to my Father God about my regrets of all my failures as a believer – thinking that He must make adjustments for in His plan for me.  He reminded me that ALL my “failures” ARE INDEED PART OF HIS PLAN; no adjusting necessary. Oh how that frees me! And oh how that encourages me to confidently persevere in His perfect love and graciousness.

How can I think that God, in His FOREKNOWLEDGE, wasn’t already aware of all my failures, even the ones still ahead, before I was ever born? Our human weakness is NO surprise to God. My ‘occasional’ worldly choices have not altered His plan to bring me into His eternal Kingdom. Jesus told His disciples that He would NOT lose one that the Father gives Him.  And I know, without a doubt, that I am one of His, even if I fail to obey His Word a little, or alot. What gives me this assurance and peace - other than the Holy Spirit that God poured into me when I first believed in Him.

Do I have any personal responsibility? Of course! At the end of each day (and at each beginning), HE is still the One I freely talk to, offer up praise to, bring all my secret thoughts and desires to, asking for strength and wisdom to live for Him. “Living before the Lord day and night – acknowledging Him in all my ways” – is all He is asking me to do!

Like God’s apostle Paul said, and I put it this way: There is a continual battle within me, so that what I do that does NOT honor God, I do, but I don’t want to do! And what I SHOULD do that honors God, I don’t always do - because of how I’m still in this world and all its temptations, and within this body of fleshly desires and weaknesses.

FAILURE on my part, does NOT forfeit God’s amazing GRACE. To deny the truth about God will forfeit His grace. God’s goodness to me is not based on my perfection but HIS!  So then, I must decrease (humbly live before Him in surrender to His will) so that He can increase in my life (for HIS strength is made perfect in my weakness)!

Jesus said, “If you remain in Me, I WILL remain in you, and you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do NOTHING (that could ever honor and glorify ME).”  So, I will continue to worship my God in spirit and in truth!

I will continue to call on the Lord day and night because of who HE IS and who I am to Him according to His own Word. I will not allow the enemy any victory to keep me stuck on my failures but will confidently remind ‘him’ of his own HUGE failure and eternal destiny in the eternal place God has prepared for him and all those who follow him in denial and dishonor to God. I don’t believe he likes to be reminded of that.   The devil hates God and all God’s promises!  But I love my Father God and all His promises!  So I choose, to walk and live in the LIGHT of my glorious God looking forward to ALL God’s promises being fulfilled. OH HAPPY DAY!