Saturday, March 1, 2014

What Season Are We In?


Ecclesiastes tells us that there as an appointed time for everything, and that there is a time for every season under heaven.

What is our time, and what season are we in?

These are questions that I have been pondering and trying to figure out.  I have been, for the past few months looking to the past, trying to learn about our future as a Nation.  Our Creator gives us lessons in His Word, and men from our History have given us their thoughts from what they observed and experienced in their times and seasons.

Patrick Henry’s warning gives me pause whenever I read his speech to the House of Burgess.  But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.”

Henry knew what would happen if the colonies did not prepare for war, and prepare for war he warned: “It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms!”

Thomas Paine knew the times and seasons of their day “THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God. Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long, I will not now enter into as an argument; my own simple opinion is, that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been much better. We did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we, while we were in a dependent state. However, the fault, if it were one, was all our own [NOTE]; we have none to blame but ourselves. But no great deal is lost yet...”

Our Founders words are meant to be a guide us almost as much as the words of our Lord, because they knew what they needed to do, and they knew what it would take for succeeding generations to hold on to what they fought and won for us.

I have heard many people asking, what is it going to take for people to do something, what is it going to take before we the people take back our country from those who are transforming it?  I am one of those. I have been asking the same thing for years.  I know from experience that it takes a lot before people will get out of their comfort zones and do something.  After all, not many of us would compare ourselves to the men and women of the Bible or of our History- those who did things.

But could we be this generation’s Henry, Paine, Jefferson or Adams?  Are there any George Washingtons among us? John Paul Jones’? Rev. Muhlenburgs?

Whoa, wait, WHO?

Reverand John Muhlenburg, who on January 21, 1776 delivered his final sermon, which at the close, removed his clerical robe and revealed his full officer’s uniform.  In the language of Holy Writ, there was a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray, but those times have passed away… There is a time to fight- and that time has now come.”

That day was the birth of the 8th Virginia Regiment. At the end of the Revolutionary war, he was a Major General of the Continental Army.  There were other pastors who knew the time for petitions, councils and redress were over, and that the time to act was upon them. The Black Robed Regiment was a big part of the Revolution.

Am I calling for a Revolution? Not quite. But I’m not denying the idea either.  My point which I’ll make shortly, is that I don’t know yet if that’s what course we’re meant for. If I acted on my own belief and thoughts, I’d say we’re headed in that direction, but I don’t know how close we are to it, or if that’s where we’re supposed to go.

The Bible tells us in Daniel 2 that God changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. But the thing is, He gives those he uses wisdom and knowledge to do these things.

So, what Season are we in? 

As our National sins are grievous, and people have allowed themselves to sleep instead of being vigilant. It also seems as if we have too many people who “esteem too lightly” our Constitution and everything which made this the freest nation.  Because of this, we also have a ‘king’ in which we deserve, and those of you who know me, know I’d never say something like that lightly.  But maybe, could this be the time that God will use us to change the season?

The Book of Esther tells the story of how God used a Jewish woman to save her people from death. A young Jewish Esther who became the number one Queen to the King of Persia.  This young lady had a choice to make- either stay in comfortable obscurity, obey the King’s command to only come when he called for her, and let her people perish, or risk her life and that of her people, and petition the king. 

Her uncle Mordecai made it clear, telling her, “Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

As our nation quickly loses freedom at the hands of those whom our Founding Fathers warned us about, have we as a liberty desiring people been put here for such a time as this? To win back freedom not just for ourselves, but also those who would squander it?

How will we know for sure?  Turning again to the Bible, we see that the first thing Esther did was to tell her uncle to assemble all the Jews and called for a three day fast to prepare her for her mission. Daniel prayed and fasted for his people, in chapter 9, confessing Israel’s sins and his own.

From reading the past, and observing the present, we can see the seasons.

I believe we have seen the time of giving birth to an anti-Christian, anti-Constitutional, anti-American government, and if not changing, the death of America.

We have witnessed the sowing of seeds which are enemies of freedom and liberty and the uprooting of our heritage and foundation.

We have seen a time of killing- our enemies becoming bolder in their attacks and attempts on our nation.

We have seen the weeping of families of those lost in Iraq and Afghanistan, in Extortion 17 and Benghazi.

We have mourned the losses of what has made America a beacon of hope to the rest of the world, as our ‘leaders’ are seen as impotent and weak to other nations.

We who have spoken out against the treasonous acts of the government have had stones of Alinsky thrown at us faster and more furiously and,

We have seen the embrace of multiculturalism through a wide open border and invitations to those who hold no allegiance to our Nations’ laws.

Our time is now to search our Lord and our hearts, to give up as lost the idea of peace in our time.

We have spent the years keeping the idea that we have a government who represents all of the people, and it’s time to cast that thought away.

It’s time to tear down the established monarchy and send those who would help sew the threads of our Constitution back into the hearts of the American people.

We must have a time of Silence in prayer, for we have spent the past 5 years speaking out.

It is time to love our nation and those who gave her to us, more than our comfort. It is time to hate the stripping away of God given rights and to do something about it.

Back to Patrick Henry’s words, “The war is actually begun…”
We already are at war, as we the people have been assaulted by those who are supposed to be protecting our Constitution and rights- people in the government, and people who vote for those who give so called free stuff while allowing freedom to be stripped away.

The very same thing that finally pushed our Founders to take action, the British crown revoking the Charter of Massachusetts Bay, the Charter which had been a guarantee of the people’s religious and civil liberties.  Has not our government been doing this for years now?

We are in a war, but only God can call us to fight it if we’re meant to.  There is no more peace in our time, if our course does not change, but we need to be certain of the season we are in.

Purim is a Jewish Holiday- one of celebration to commemorate the saving of the Jewish people by God through Esther.  Purim is celebrated on the 15th of March, and 5 days later, we enter the season of spring. I would like to call on all who have visited or joined us here at the Constitutional Freedom Party, and together spend 5 days of prayer for our Country, for petition to God to give us wisdom to know what we are meant to do- as individuals and as a group. Ask Him to reveal His purpose for our lives, and to help us change the course of our country. And finally to seek His will, about what if any actions He is waiting for us to do; to know if we are to wait on Him for instructions, or whether He is waiting on us to prove our faith by action.

I have prayed much these past few years, more so in the past few months. The more I read, the more my soul and spirit are stirred, and it seems as though I am meant for more than sitting- but I don’t know what. Some of you may feel the same.

Instead of waiting to see what happens next, please join me praying as our Founders prayed, as those in the ancient days prayed.  God showed them what to do. He will show us too.
 
 
 
   CAE 2014

2 comments:

  1. I am so glad to read the suggestion that we stop acting and spend time in prayer. We have done what we could; now it's time to ask God for His help, if He will give it.

    We are inadequate even to manage our own lives without His help. He is infinite in power and wisdom. We desperately need his guidance and assistance, at all times, much more so in times such as these.

    As one fallible human to others, I want to add this thought: speaking generally, not of everyone: America has not reached this desperate condition in spite of faithful Christians. Many Christians, of whom I am one, have been lazy about their faith, more concerned about our own comfort and luxuries than about the condition of our neighbors and our nation. We have been timid, easily silenced by non-believers. Many of us have some serious repenting and destroying of idols to do before there is any point in asking God for His assistance.

    That will not be pleasant, but as Carolyn has told us, the fun times are already over. Judgment is falling on us already. We can repent and "endure hardness, like a good soldier of of Jesus Christ", or we can stand before King Jesus on the Judgment Day and hear Him say He is ashamed of us.

    "Well done, good and faithful servant" is not an automatic feel-good award handed out just for existing.

    I think it would be useful for us to consider the words of Paul to Timothy in 2nd Timothy 2:1-8. In fact, that entire chapter is a good place to start preparing our hearts for the future:

    "You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything."

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  2. Excellent verse Lawngreen. Thank you. You're right. Especially when you say, ""Well done, good and faithful servant" is not an automatic feel-good award handed out just for existing."

    We have a lot to ask forgiveness for, corporately and individually.
    But I do look forward to hearing how the Lord speaks to those who join us in prayers.

    Thank you my friend.

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