Going to War!

10 years, 11 months ago 14

We are already at war!   Spiritual war. We have been from the moment we gave our hearts to Him!  In my prayer time the Lord has been impressing something on me that I feel compelled to share.  Here is what I’ve gotten from Him;

 

I want to challenge you to start to observe the world.  See what is in today’s movies, TV shows, music, what the networks are showing, reporting, and promoting.  What newspapers are printing, what is the world’s “in” stuff.  Look at what our elected officials have done, look at their behavior. look at how little concern they have for those that elected them!!!!  I could go on and on,  but I won’t.  Our world is almost hopelessly lost, I say almost because with God all things are possible, but things are bad folks! I have a shocking place to start!  Leave all of that to God, we must start with ourselves.

 

The number one thing we must guard against is being self-absorbed.  We live in a time that we truly need to be the salt of the world, we need to love others with His love, and reach out and help those that are lost.  In the difficult times that lie ahead people will be looking for answers, we have “the” answer, Him!  No one is going to want to ask us for help if we are so absorbed in our own lives, own desires, and our own welfare that we can’t reach out to others.  As believers, it is time we grow up, and face the reality that we will fail in serving Him if we don’t let go of self, and start living and looking outward. We are past the time that we can live selfishly!  I know this is harsh, but the reality of our world today is harsh.  This was a message for me!  I may be wrong to share it, but I just suspect we all need to pray about where God would have us to be in the days to come!  Make no mistake about it, Our world has gone far astray, and a time of correction is coming on all fronts!   Will we be prepared to do His will when those times come?  I have opened my heart to His voice, and will be waiting on Him, I pray you will do the same.

 

I wish today’s blog was more cheerful, but I know His voice,  and I believe this is truly from Him. I believe He is giving us a chance to prepare our hearts.

 

Please pray, and check me on this!!!!

 

Always seek Him with all your hearts,

 

the pilgrim

14 Responses

  1. Ken says:

    Bill:

    You are definitely not wrong in sharing this message. The world has to hear this message if things are going to turn around. We need a major revival. The great revivals in the past all started with the prayers of one person. Maybe you are God’s messenger today. Even though things may look bleak may know we have hope in Jesus Christ! Only God can turn this around. Keep spreading the good news of Jesus Christ! It will make a difference!

    Ken

  2. Jim in Bloomington says:

    At my home church we recently concluded a special 30-day period of prayer and fasting. We gave up an activity or endeavor that we usually did and devoted that time to prayer. We prayed individually for our families and our marriages and our congregation. We prayed for our community and our leaders. We prayed for our elected officials to see the Truth and to be guided by God’s Word again. Each of us is now continuing on our own to devote that time to prayer. Sometimes it may be that just that one prayer, that one request, that one pledge will make a difference.

    Your words today (and you always) will be included in our prayers.

    • the pilgrim says:

      Thanks Jim, I’m not alarmed, I’m excited for the challenge! So glad you ad your church did that!! I know it had to bea rewarding experience! Can’t wait to have next week with you guys!

  3. Jenn says:

    You are absolutely correct in sharing this message; never apologize for God’s truth! I so agree with you on this; it’s easy to turn away from the news because, as a believer, it gets incredibly disheartening and sad. But, ignorance to the events in our world just makes us more susceptible to them if we aren’t praying for change! I think it’s the duty of every believer to grieve what God grieves; lost people, sin, a fallen world – it all grieves the Father. What’s almost laughable to me is how, in corporate prayer time, believers tend to ask for prayer about Aunt Alma’s broken toe or ,. While these are admirable prayers, too often, we are to self-focused or we reduce God to a God that heals headaches and sore backs, instead of praying expectantly to a God that has the power to change the world. Not to minimize prayers of healing or for our loved ones, but there are some big obstacles before us and it’s time we get serious and pray fervently about them.

    • the pilgrim says:

      Jenn, you hit it out of the park!

    • Doug says:

      Jenn: Thanks for your comment. Helped me a lot with a point in my sermon this morning. Just modified my outline slightly and now I’m ready to preach! Thanks!

  4. Rodney says:

    LOVE the photo. How did you do that??? I love how you made the blue sky black, and white puffy clouds just pop out, well done.

    As a missionary living overseas, we often find ourselves without TV or mainsteam news coverage. So after living in a developing country for several years, it’s an ‘in your face’ experience to return to the US and see all at once how our nation has ‘progressed’ in a downward spiral. But as for the times when I live in the US for extended periods, I find it hard for to observe the world I live in because I so easily get re-entangled in my own culture. Bottom line, unplug. Let us unplug for a week or two, then turn on that TV show we normally watch and I suspect we’ll have regained some of the Holy Spirit sensitivity that our world so easily builds a calus over, and be uncomfortable with what we had previously allowed ourselves to take in.

    Seriously, how’d you process that photo?

  5. the pilgrim says:

    Agree on all the spiritual points, thanks for sharing!!! I appreciate your perspective!

    The photo: Was shot at Osh Kosh last summer. 7 stop HDR processed in Photomatix, then converted to B&W in Nik Silver Efex Pro. I picked one of the real contrasty templates!

  6. Eric says:

    Bill you are dead on target. I feel like we are living out the Screwtape Letters. You are right, we have to get into a pattern of listening for his true words and acting on it decisively.

    PS If I remember my B-17’s right…that is a G model. Late war productions did not bother with paint, saved weight for fuel. I hope we can bomb better on target than those old Norden bomb sights could, and we won’t be reduced to a wing and a prayer by the end of our missions. Lovely portrait.

  7. Mark says:

    So many of our problems are compounded, I believe, by the weakening of families in our country. I am always amazed at the way parents’ relationships with children are a mirror of our relationship with God. With single-parent households, and with families that are never together because both parents are always working, is there any wonder we have problems with teenagers getting into trouble with violent behavior, substance abuse, erosion of values, etc. etc. etc.? Fix the families and so many other things would just fix themselves. I would love to see America do away with easy no-fault divorce, and go back to closing businesses on Sundays so families could be guaranteed at least one day together every week.

  8. ``George says:

    How about we all start treating each other with respect and dignity? Like it or not, we tend to emulate our political leaders and for too long that gang has been in-your-face, tell any lie, me-me-me, special interest, etc. Well, maybe it’s time we set the example for them. Love, after all, starts with us and some people are darned hard to love. Bill Fortney, you walk the talk – thanks.

  9. Joshua Boldt says:

    Amen!