2008...Politics, Prayer and the Pursuit of the Lord (Alliteration seems to be a theme with me these days)

I haven't posted on my blog in a while so this is going to be a hefty post.

2008. A new year. The number 8 is symbolic of new beginnings. Thanks be to Jesus who gives us a clean slate through His blood!

I believe that 2008 is a very pivotal year for our nation. With the presidential elections in November, the choices we make politically will affect our lives directly for the next 4 years. This is huge not only because of the political decisions that our future president (and other members of government) will make but also because this nation is not "on good terms" with God. We have a window of opportunity (from now until November 4) to plead with God for mercy on out homeland. God has mapped out for us in Joel 2:12-17 the "action plan" for His people when their nation is in a state of crisis. "'Now, therefore,' says the LORD, 'Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.'" (vs 12) We must return to Him! Verse 14 says, "Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him..." God has given us the opportunity this year to pray and fast for our nation. Although going and voting in the primaries and in November are vital, the most important war is waged from our knees. We need to cry out for God to have mercy on the US. He has vested in us the authority to determine the destiny of our nation through prayer. To use the words of Joel, who knows if He will give us a righteous president. I don't really want to think of the alternative of what could happen if we don't pray and a wicked president is elected. The judgment of God on the US is near at hand. As a whole, we live in wickedness. The blood of 50 million murders of babies slaughtered through abortion is on our hands. We are definitely in a time of crisis. These next years of 2008-2012 can be a window of mercy. We need to fast and pray! There is no other option!

On a slightly different note, God has been speaking to me lately about the fear of the Lord. He has especially highlighted Proverbs 14:26-27, "In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death." A definition of fear is reverential awe. And one of the times that I am awestruck by God is when I study His attributes. I believe that these verses are a call to really know God, not just head knowledge but heart knowledge that comes through fellowship with Him. Song of Solomon 1:14 says, "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms in the vineyards of En Gedi." There is much to say about this verse but basically henna blooms are beautiful flowers known for their fragrance. We cannot fully comprehend God in all His beautiful glory by examining one "flower of the cluster", one of His attributes. As we consider all that God has declared about Himself through His Word, we experience a bit of the fear of the Lord. This is a great place to be because Proverbs 14 says that there you will find a place of refuge.

God bless ya'll in this next year!