7/7/2016
Proverbs 21:1 states, “The king’s heart is in the hands of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” I read this scripture a few years ago and as I pondered it I began to think about our situation today here in the United States. I thought about our current President, Barack Obama. This scripture says the heart of the king but in actuality, it represents any person who is a ruler over a country or countries. I believe we are at a crossroads here in this nation; we have as the people of God a decision to make. Are we going to awake and stand for Christ or rollover and put our heads back into the sand? I say crossroads because since President Obama was elected many things concerning Christians have gone downhill. The Defense of Marriage Act was declared to be unconstitutional when the fact is, marriage is between a man and a woman and it was created by God since the beginning. We do not have a right to change that definition. The President refused to uphold DOMA which was the law of the land; he instructed the Department of Justice to not enforce the law which he was sworn to do. Many people have probably forgotten but the President used the Executive branch of government to pressure the Boy scouts organization to allow homosexuals to serve even though the Supreme Court had already said they were in their rights to not allow homosexuals to serve as scout leaders…… and today many Christians are being challenged in court because their beliefs go against the will of the government. They are losing businesses and jobs because they refuse to deny their faith. Judges have disregarded the will of the people and have overturned many rulings where the people had voted. Why is Christianity the only religion under attack? Because we speak the truth of the word of God and we are willing to take a stand for that truth.
You might see the terribleness of these incidents or you might not. Many people did not realize the true heart of President Obama when he was elected, however, Alan Keys did, Obama Vs. Keyes: Christianity. This is a terrible time in our nation, or is it? I am sure the President does not realize that his heart is in the hands of the Lord, just as Pharaoh did not realize it when he refused to let the children of Israel be released from bondage so they could serve the true and living God. God used Pharaoh to bring judgment upon Egypt because of the abuse they heaped upon the children of Israel. Just as Nebuchadnezzar did not realize it when he refused to humble himself before God and one day declared “is this not the great Babylon that I have built.” God struck him in his mind and he lived as a beast among the beasts for seven years. Afterward, when his mind returned he knew the God of Israel was more than a God made by men’s hands, he was the creator of all there is and God does rule in the kingdom of men and he gives it to whomsoever he will, Daniel 4:25. God uses people to fulfill his purposes. God is using the President to rally the Christian community. God is using the President to bring unity to people of different denominations. God is using the President to awaken his people from their sleep and apathy. We are seeing that if we do not wake up and take a stand on our faith we will lose our rights in the country to freely practice our faith. We are being attacked on every side. Satan has launched an all-out attack on the people of God. God is saying to his people “awake, awake, awake from your slumber and prepare to meet the bridegroom.” Matthew 25
Many people do not realize that if Christian’s lose their freedoms, theirs will be next. The President is using his office as a hammer to shape this nation into the image he believes it should be. He is using the office of the Presidency as a Babylon. Losing our freedoms will not happen overnight but through the process of time many freedoms we enjoy today will be gone. The people of God know this; they feel it in their spirit. Many people may not be aware of what is happening in this nation concerning our ability to practice our faith freely. Right now as of today in Iowa two churches, The Fort Des Moines Church of Christ and Cornerstone World Outreach have come against the Iowa State Commission over what they say is an overreach of their authority. "This is an unprecedented move by a government agency to mandate that anytime a church opens its doors to the public that it automatically qualifies as a place of public accommodation. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. If the church has a doctrine or theology that is at odds with the state and they speak out about that – they can have the full weight of the law brought down against them." — Chelsey Youman You can read the articles by clicking on these links Pastor says state law threatens his right to teach the Bible in his church and Some Churches must comply with transgender bathroom laws
I am writing this not because of the homosexual issue but because I see the handwriting on the wall. Satan is using this issue to try and stop people from preaching about sin, any type of SIN.
We must pray for the leadership in this nation. The word of God commands us to do so, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” I Timothy 2:1-2. We must pray that the heart of the “king” will be turned because it is in the hands of the Lord and like the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will. We must pray because it was the kings of Israel that caused the people to error. Whenever a king did what was right and pleasing to God, the people followed, and whenever the king did what was wrong and wicked the people followed. This is what is happening today and has been happening for many years. God is not pleased.
Many people who say they are Christians are still on the side of the President, especially African Americans. They are more concerned about the color of his skin and the party he represents instead of what the word of God says. The Bible says we cannot serve God and mammon, even though this is talking about money it is still relevant. We cannot serve God and be on the side of wickedness at the same time. The word says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” James 4:4. We are called to be salt and light in the earth but how can we be these when we side with the world? I John says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” How can Christians be on the side of wickedness and say they love God?
Many people do not realize they are asleep, but I see it every Sunday and when I attend church. I have felt it for a very long time. I felt that something was terribly wrong in the churches. I see people go to church, praise God, sing songs, listen to the word, put on programs, and visit other churches, but where is the Power of God being demonstrated. Jesus said we would do greater works than he did. If we believed what the word says, we would lay hands on the sick and they would recover, we would cast out devils and if we took up any deadly thing it would not harm us. Jesus said we would have the same glory that he had with the Father. I’m not saying we shouldn’t do the things I mentioned earlier in church, but where are the signs and wonders? Where is the demonstration of his power? How can we be satisfied with the status quo? How can we not see the void? If we are the body, we say we are the body. Do we really know what this means, do we really understand the calling, do we really understand the gravity of being the body of Christ? Do we really understand the responsibility of being his body? I don’t think so, we are too comfortable, and we are too caught up in the things of this world. Many are teaching for doctrines the commandments of men and have turned their back on the truth just as the children of Israel did so many times. Will God have to send persecution to shake us as he did to Israel?
But I have good news, as I listen to different radio programs and read various articles and look at different messages going forth, I see the church awakening, I see them answering the call to awake. I see people hungering and thirsting for more of God. I see people beginning to question “Church as usual.” These people are seeking a move of God; this is the only thing that will save this nation from destruction. A MOVE OF GOD.
Nadine Richmond
The Church Readiness Ministries