B
y Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith
Yesterday, after reading more about the war initiated by Russian president, Vladimir Putin, I asked God, “How should I pray about this?” The war is non-comprehensive and incalculable. I, like most people, have felt helpless to make a difference.
Immediately, after saying that prayer an image of a vast, white net encircling the globe was seen in my mind’s eye. I knew instantly this worldwide net represented God’s people. People throughout the entire world in whom goodness and truth resides. A huge amount of people on earth want peace and goodness to flourish throughout the earth. The majority, most likely! We are globally present and we are connected! The love of God’s goodness, alive in our consciences, Scriptural truth, and the power of prayer connects us continuously!
Imagine the power we actually have! Now, let’s use our power. Every day—as often as it comes to mind—let’s lift up our hearts and pray as we think of this worldwide “net” of people who want God’s will to win over Putin’s war.
At the time of Christ’s birth, these are the words sang by the angels “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”
Pray with me, or pray in your own words.
“In Jesus’ name, we stand against all evil powers that attempt to thwart God’s will for peace and goodwill. God’s will be done, here on this earth which He has created. Satan’s murderous plan is bound and cast out as we speak within the power God has given to His people! Amen.”
This is putting our FAITH to work. The Internet is a tool that is available for sending the message to WEB contacts, as many as you wish. It only takes the investment of a few minutes–and could spread worldwide.
What we have is God’s people worshiping in churches all over the world seemingly separate like postage-stamps, unable to perceive the vast empowerment of our connectedness through the Holy Spirit of God that is in each and every one of us.
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What if: Think of the possibility our Father in heaven is wanting us, His children, to break out of our separateness and become united in prayer as a family. Could it be that is when He will to call out the angels and trumpet bearers so He can send His Son. Jesus promised to come again to the earth at His Father’s nod. 2 Peter 3:3, instructs us to know “scoffers will come in the last days walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ As they point to the fact two thousand years have passed since the Lord’s promise to return a second time. Verse 8, speaks soundly, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.” With God “time” does not exist. What is real is stated in verse 9: “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.”
Billions upon billions of people within our generation and generations before us for two thousand years have found intimacy with God through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit. As children of God, we can celebrate common truths of Scripture.
The book of John, chapter 1, verses 1-3 and verse 14, tells us who Jesus is.
The book of John, chapter 3, verse 16, tells why Jesus came to the earth.
The book of John, chapter 3, verse 17, shows God’s reason for sending Jesus to the earth.
The book of John, chapter 1, verses 10-13, tells us what makes a person “a child of God.”
The Book of Revelations, Chapter 3, verse 20, confirms the “how” of our hearing God’s call to enter into fellowship with Him:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Nothing can prevent us Christians from seeing our “connectedness” and lifting their voices in unison!
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It occurs to me, that, with the ease of connecting- we are more disconnected than ever. I pray daily for the people who wield earthly power will be struck with God’s wisdom, compassion and mercy. At crucial times in history, many Bible believers talk of end times- though, we don’t know the day or the hour, your message Joy guides us to prepare our hearts and live in relationship with him. Yes we can also use the internet to spread this message.
Thank you, Chery, for these encouraging words. Since childhood the Biblical scholars I’ve heard speak—and those who I have read have stated clearly that Scriptures show toward the end of time things will get exceedingly difficult and evil will abound. Those teachers, and others I have studied, indicate God is going to “rapture” His children–those who believe in Jesus as our Savior and receive Him into our hearts as Lord of our lives, sparing us from those last terrible days. The rapture will see us being lift from the face of the earth into heaven where we will escape what will be the worst for people who are “left behind.” It is our job (those of us who are believers) to do all we can to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ while the opportunity exists, here on earth. This does truly mean what you wrote above, Chery, “We don’t know the day or the hour [and therefore had best]” . . . prepare our hearts and live in relationship with Him.” Only the Holy Bible can do a good job of telling us how to live in relationship with God s believers in Jesus Christ. Thank you for writing, Chery! (The Left Behind series written in the past by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins is fiction, yet helps people realize the truth about the rapture. The word “rapture” does not appear in English translations of Scripture. In original Greek manuscripts the word “harpazo” was used to describe the Lord snatching His people out of the days of tribulation. Chery, as we know, Jesus promised His disciples that He would come again. I plan to write on this soon. His return will take place at the end of the 7 years of the Tribulation described in symbiology throughout the Book of Revelations. (Please know that many people who study the Bible believe the rapture will take place in the middle of the 7-year tribulation, at the 3 1/2 years. Only God knows which understanding is “right on.”
I just finished posting a new blog for today “The earth’s creatures–our teachers?”