Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Talk Tuesday-Warning Signs

The last few years have been some of the toughest of my life. After my second surgery, I wondered what was the Lord's purpose in removing me from the life I had known. Unbeknownst to me, His plan was that I would become an intercessor while 'shut in'. Naturally, I did not understand what He was doing. It started in about June of 2009. I began to stockpile a list of names and situations to pray for. The Holy Spirit then called my attention to a map I had gotten at Missionsfest a few years ago. The map outlined the 10/40 window, where 97 percent of the world's 3 billion unreached live.

Last night, as I lay on the living room floor crying out in prayer, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that I had been praying for the nations that are currently experiencing turmoil today-the North African nations, the Middle East, Asia and yes, Japan! What was odd is that New Zealand, which is outside of the 10/40 window, as well as the Indonesian islands, were included in my prayer. GOD IS SOVEREIGN and HE KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING. God loves people, and He desires that ALL should be saved.

We are now living in the season of BIRTH PAINS.

“Tell us,” they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'
Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.'” Matthew 24:3-8

I have heard many prophesy about the end of the world, however, no one knows the exact date.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.'” Matthew 24:36-42

Let us offer ourselves as His vessel, to pray, go and love in the name of Jesus Christ. Let us lift up the people in Japan who have experienced epic devastation. Let us pray for our friends, neighbours and those who the Holy Spirit would put on our hearts. And remember, John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

6 comments:

Diane H said...

I had to reveiw what Jesus said about earthquakes again. It affirms we are in the times of which He spoke of.
Luke 21..... Jesus concluded

Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Beloved said...

Yes... we need to pray for the entire body of Christ to truly understand the times, and then to not only understand them, but to submit to God's desire to PREPARE and USE us for what He wants to do through each of us. Each of us is unique and have a very special role to play. But we'll miss it if we are lukewarm or weighed down by troubles and anxieties.

Let's pray for each other to be made READY to be used by the Lord the way He desires and that we speak the truth BOLDLY and in LOVE whenever the Holy Spirit gives opportunity.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so very much for your comment Beloved. You are right,
" we need to pray for the entire body of Christ to truly understand the times and to submit to God's desire to prepare and use us for what He wants to do through each of us." Too many of believers are lukewarm or weighed down by troubles and anxieties.
God bless you

Anonymous said...

The nuclear fiasco in Japan has the heads of nuclear scholars in quanadary. They just don't know what to do in the event of a meltdown. This just shows that man may feel that he has all the knowledge but when the hand of God shows up, man is left in a state of paralysis. The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God. Nations need to recognize their helplessness and seek fast the hand and face of a most helpful God. Thank you Jesus!

Anonymous said...

I am learning valuable lessons at this juncture in my
life:
1. It is absolutely mandatory of the Christian to pray for the our Christian brothers and sisters and the unsaved globally.
2. When God wakes us up or keeps us up it is not to count sheep and hope to fall asleep but to intercede as He would have us.
3. God always fire up the intercessors to pray before any situation takes place.
God bless you Natasha for being faithful to the call of God upon your life. YOU WILL BE BLESSED, IN FACT, YOU ARE ALREADY BLESSED.
Continue to walk in obedience.

Beloved said...

Thank you all three "Anonymous" friends ... and thank you especially for the reminder that when God keeps us up, it is not to count sheep! That was so poignant and timely. Pray that we will remember that and not give in to the flesh which of course wants to sleep and not pray!