The Nations Rage

We are back in California for a few days, gas is almost $4.00 a gallon here and it is everywhere evident that prices are up and quantity is down. The temptation is to stay put and play it safe and secure, I even asked Steve if we should pray about going back on the road again at this time. Of course we should always pray seeking the Father’s direction, but it was guised as, “We want to be sure we are getting our direction from YHVH, right?” So what’s so bad about that? Nothing, on the surface, but underneath is the question being driven by fear of “what if?” Steve’s response to me was, “I don’t have a check in my spirit about going out again, and we do have an assignment from YHVH don’t we?”


So, what is my assignment? Am I carrying it out no matter what my physical eyes see? No matter what my physical ears hear?

Daniel 11:32 says: And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their Elohim will display strength and take action.

In reading this verse we often focus on the latter part, “display strength and take action,” or as The King James puts it, “be strong and do exploits.” Let’s read on to get a fuller picture of this people. Vs. 33-35:

Dan 11:33: And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
Dan 11:34: Now when they shall fall, they shall be surrounded with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
Dan 11:35: And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

And in John 15:20 Yashua says: Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

I am home, with my comforts around me and I had to answer the question YHVH posed to me, “Are you afraid?”

For a few months now Steve and I have been reading the Psalms and Proverbs through every month for our morning devotion. Almost every chapter is a headline of current events today. The nations are raging and in the midst of this calamitous cacophony of the multitudes YHVH says, if you are willing I will send you in MY strength with action, but know this, they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you!

In the story/talk YHVH has given me to share I pose this pondering; Islam is bent on taking over the world. They have a lot of momentum going on their side because a radical element of their belief is not afraid to die for their prophet. Do we, as believers in Yashua haMeshiach have the same kind of fire burning in our bones that says I am not afraid to die for the gospel of my Messiah? Are we that radical for Yashua? I am not talking about putting on explosive belts and blowing yourself up, but rather this kind of radical; “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, cast out demons, freely you have received, freely give.”

I am convinced that those who take no thought for tomorrow, who keep their eyes focused on
Yashua haMeshiach, who count their life as nothing as Paul says in Acts 20:24:

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Yashua, to testify the gospel of the grace of Elohim

will do exploits, but will also be persecuted and may be martyred.

The comfort of my home and it’s (seemingly) safety and security, or the promise of persecution with great strength and action? To answer this question we have to take into account what our eyes and ears are focused on – what we can see and hear in the temporal realm or what we can see and hear in the eternal realm. Not everyone is called to do what Steve and I are doing, but you are called, you do have an assignment, are you being faithful to BE all you were created to be so you can DO all that He wants you to do?!

Mat 16:27: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.

Let us remember that our rewards come from the place of abiding in Him out of which will flow
what He has for us to do, not that we do to earn a reward and be accepted by Him. Salvation is
freely given always and forever, there is nothing we can do to earn salvation. And because
of this awesome and priceless gift we then from an over-flowing heart of love and gratitude for
His abundant mercy and loving kindness toward us, we desire, want, need, long to do all that
He has for us to do! His grace is sufficient to take care of us in whatever trail and tribulation He
allows us to go through no matter the outcome; count it all joy!

Look up, for our redemption draws nigh!!!