Keep Your Eye On the Prize
Greetings in the Lord~
Well, as the wind is blowing fiercely outside in the natural, it is hard for me to not make a connection to things going on in the spirit realm as well. So much turbulence these days, angry faces and harsh words and deeds, 2020 is off to a roaring start, that's for sure. But in the midst of these winds, the same antichrist winds that I wrote about last year if I recall, God is building and rebuilding the foundations of the good things He is doing. So it is not surprising that I've been led to read from 1 Chronicles 22 and Nehemiah 7 again, as both chapters detail contentious events and time periods in Israel's history, but today's word highlights some different aspects of these, so here goes.
Over the summer, I shared a word from 1 Chronicle 22 about the rise of "Athaliah." This is a type of vengeful spirit and mentality that is directly related to a Jezebel type, but it does not have the smooth, deceptive words or disarming beauty as such. It is a very hostile and aggressive female type that seeks to manipulate men for her advantage and eliminate opponents publicly and harshly. In Israel's history, this female ruler only lasted seven years as the people were delighted to overthrow her and get back to the order of things. But for those seven years, Athaliah proved to be force to be reckoned with, and we can see likewise in the US political landscape. But there's more to be gleaned from this passage because it wasn't just Athaliah that was purging the palace of her kin, no, there was Jehu carrying out his mission in the north. So in the big picture, we can see that the entire house of Omri was being eliminated; a whole spiritually corrupt line of thinking and leading. Naturally, this included Ahab and Jezebel's influence over the northern and southern kingdom. It was a type of purging and pruning, and yet, it was for the sake of preserving and returning Israel's leaders back to the Lord--another aspect of how God puts us back on track even when we don't ask Him to! The restoration was done in part through Joash, the hidden grandson of Athaliah, who survived her purge and went on to lead after all his kin (house of Omri) had been eliminated and she was finally deposed. In other words, God wasn't in the wind, fire or earthquake, but in the small still voice that was heard by Jehosheba who saved as an infant, and Jehoiada the priest who reared and groomed him for the day Joash would emerge to lead Israel with his help. Therefore, this clearing away had to happen even though it was a big ordeal to get there.
Nehemiah 7 is similar in that it centers on a time when Israel's enemies were a constant thorn and hindrance to the rebuilding that God had decreed for His people in Jerusalem. But once again, there is more to be gleaned. The power and strength Nehemiah had came from his personal petition; his quiet and urgent prayers to God in the middle of the storm. He shouldered not only the physicality of the rebuilding process, but also the constant scorn and mocking and criticism of his adversaries. He had to discern their lies and true motives as well as weed out imposters and expel infiltrators into the temple. Then, in Nehemiah 7, at the completion of the wall, his job was not yet finished as Nehemiah had to select people of integrity to stand watch over the doors and gates of the city--no small task, mind you. These ongoing positions of security for the city was vital in maintaining their work; there was no room for compromise or double-minded people at those posts. So in looking at 2020, we can see that the spiritual restoration and revitalization of the US will continue to be a laborious project as sifting out those with disingenuous mindsets and selfish ambitions has to be done.
As I prayed about these things, I began to see a vision that made no sense to me: it was of a Nordic settlement of igloos and all of their traditional means for survival and transportation with dog sleds, etc. but it faded away to very modern technology that replaced these things very quickly--motorized vehicles, cell phones/laptops, drones, even RFID implants and other bio-augmentations. I don't think it was a literal vision but rather, it represented the coming time (now?) where technology will go to radical levels of changing nation-states in remote and unassuming, unnoticed areas even faster than in larger countries; kind of like a pilot program or test tube, controlled environment. It seemed to include places like North Korea, under the direction and monetization of places like Iran. The advancement of this data-based electronic technology is completely legal, even beneficial in some ways, but the motives are getting darker--that is what I discerned. I also discerned that just like Nehemiah had to select only people of integrity to be door and gatekeepers, likewise, the major task of the US will be to find reliable partners in this industry (Silicon Valley) to keep up with the advancements/threats happening online, etc. I am reminded of the passage in the Old Testament where Israel's leaders were rebuked for depending on Egypt for help, "they are like a 'bent reed' that cannot be used for support, but rather will break and pierce your hand." As it stands today, corruption in this industry is too pervasive to be relied upon for national security or otherwise. Quite possibly, new people will have to be hand-picked from data forensic programs before they even get to Silicon Valley and drink the Kool-Aid. Who do they serve, and what do they value? Not in lip service, but in action. Those are the questions to ask.
So today we pray like always that the Lord's will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. We thank God for raising up Jehu's and others that will pave the way for a restorative work, and that no matter the ruckus that happens, we pray that our ears will hear the soft, still voice of the Holy Spirit guiding and encouraging us with His wisdom. Be expecting good things, for God has a great plan in store for those who love and follow Him diligently, even when the way is difficult and shrouded in contention. God is greater than the noise around us, and He is always good.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Well, as the wind is blowing fiercely outside in the natural, it is hard for me to not make a connection to things going on in the spirit realm as well. So much turbulence these days, angry faces and harsh words and deeds, 2020 is off to a roaring start, that's for sure. But in the midst of these winds, the same antichrist winds that I wrote about last year if I recall, God is building and rebuilding the foundations of the good things He is doing. So it is not surprising that I've been led to read from 1 Chronicles 22 and Nehemiah 7 again, as both chapters detail contentious events and time periods in Israel's history, but today's word highlights some different aspects of these, so here goes.
Over the summer, I shared a word from 1 Chronicle 22 about the rise of "Athaliah." This is a type of vengeful spirit and mentality that is directly related to a Jezebel type, but it does not have the smooth, deceptive words or disarming beauty as such. It is a very hostile and aggressive female type that seeks to manipulate men for her advantage and eliminate opponents publicly and harshly. In Israel's history, this female ruler only lasted seven years as the people were delighted to overthrow her and get back to the order of things. But for those seven years, Athaliah proved to be force to be reckoned with, and we can see likewise in the US political landscape. But there's more to be gleaned from this passage because it wasn't just Athaliah that was purging the palace of her kin, no, there was Jehu carrying out his mission in the north. So in the big picture, we can see that the entire house of Omri was being eliminated; a whole spiritually corrupt line of thinking and leading. Naturally, this included Ahab and Jezebel's influence over the northern and southern kingdom. It was a type of purging and pruning, and yet, it was for the sake of preserving and returning Israel's leaders back to the Lord--another aspect of how God puts us back on track even when we don't ask Him to! The restoration was done in part through Joash, the hidden grandson of Athaliah, who survived her purge and went on to lead after all his kin (house of Omri) had been eliminated and she was finally deposed. In other words, God wasn't in the wind, fire or earthquake, but in the small still voice that was heard by Jehosheba who saved as an infant, and Jehoiada the priest who reared and groomed him for the day Joash would emerge to lead Israel with his help. Therefore, this clearing away had to happen even though it was a big ordeal to get there.
Nehemiah 7 is similar in that it centers on a time when Israel's enemies were a constant thorn and hindrance to the rebuilding that God had decreed for His people in Jerusalem. But once again, there is more to be gleaned. The power and strength Nehemiah had came from his personal petition; his quiet and urgent prayers to God in the middle of the storm. He shouldered not only the physicality of the rebuilding process, but also the constant scorn and mocking and criticism of his adversaries. He had to discern their lies and true motives as well as weed out imposters and expel infiltrators into the temple. Then, in Nehemiah 7, at the completion of the wall, his job was not yet finished as Nehemiah had to select people of integrity to stand watch over the doors and gates of the city--no small task, mind you. These ongoing positions of security for the city was vital in maintaining their work; there was no room for compromise or double-minded people at those posts. So in looking at 2020, we can see that the spiritual restoration and revitalization of the US will continue to be a laborious project as sifting out those with disingenuous mindsets and selfish ambitions has to be done.
As I prayed about these things, I began to see a vision that made no sense to me: it was of a Nordic settlement of igloos and all of their traditional means for survival and transportation with dog sleds, etc. but it faded away to very modern technology that replaced these things very quickly--motorized vehicles, cell phones/laptops, drones, even RFID implants and other bio-augmentations. I don't think it was a literal vision but rather, it represented the coming time (now?) where technology will go to radical levels of changing nation-states in remote and unassuming, unnoticed areas even faster than in larger countries; kind of like a pilot program or test tube, controlled environment. It seemed to include places like North Korea, under the direction and monetization of places like Iran. The advancement of this data-based electronic technology is completely legal, even beneficial in some ways, but the motives are getting darker--that is what I discerned. I also discerned that just like Nehemiah had to select only people of integrity to be door and gatekeepers, likewise, the major task of the US will be to find reliable partners in this industry (Silicon Valley) to keep up with the advancements/threats happening online, etc. I am reminded of the passage in the Old Testament where Israel's leaders were rebuked for depending on Egypt for help, "they are like a 'bent reed' that cannot be used for support, but rather will break and pierce your hand." As it stands today, corruption in this industry is too pervasive to be relied upon for national security or otherwise. Quite possibly, new people will have to be hand-picked from data forensic programs before they even get to Silicon Valley and drink the Kool-Aid. Who do they serve, and what do they value? Not in lip service, but in action. Those are the questions to ask.
So today we pray like always that the Lord's will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. We thank God for raising up Jehu's and others that will pave the way for a restorative work, and that no matter the ruckus that happens, we pray that our ears will hear the soft, still voice of the Holy Spirit guiding and encouraging us with His wisdom. Be expecting good things, for God has a great plan in store for those who love and follow Him diligently, even when the way is difficult and shrouded in contention. God is greater than the noise around us, and He is always good.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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