Stepping Up to the Plate

Recently, everything that has been going on in the news, along with things the Lord has been speaking to me personally over the last few months has really got me thinking about "the last days" even more.  I believe we are starting to experience the "birth pains" of the earth. This past Saturday, there was a fire that started burning here in CO across town. Within the last 3 days, it has burned over 15,000 acres and over 32,000 people have had to be evacuated from their homes, some of them friends of ours. I also know of 12 other fires going on, the tropical storm around FL, all the earthquakes, tsunamis, nations coming against Israel, persecution, wars/rumors of wars, famines, people being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, familes turning against each other, everything that the Bible says will happen in the last days, is happening now.

Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, "I am the Christ," and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors 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 24:4-8—NIV)

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:2,3—NIV)

Since I was probably a young teenager, I have been very interested in end time events and I believe that the Lord is going to return sometime during my lifetime. The Lord has spoken to me very vividly about such things, and have never openly shared these revelations except with my very close friends until now. When I was about 15, the Lord gave me a dream and showed me part of what the tribulation was going to look like; fire everywhere, people in sheer chaos, people trying to run and hide, trying to live inside of mountains, people being tortured worse than they were in the days when Hitler was in power, people being killed merely for the sake of being a Christian, and death and destruction were everywhere.

Back in March, while talking to a friend/mentor of mine back in VA, the Lord gave me a vision and showed me that the earth is groaning, experiencing turmoil and natural disasters, and it is because it is going through labor pains; it is literally about to give birth to the anit-Christ, death and destruction. Then two weeks ago, I had a vision and saw Jesus coming on the clouds. Immediately I said "no Lord, I'm not ready!" Not that I personally am not ready, but I believe there is still a lot of work that still needs to be done and people that need to hear the goodness of God.

I am not writing this to scare anyone, and I am no way "preaching doom and gloom," or that the world is ending. I know there are a lot of skeptical people out there. I can't speak to any skeptics, but I can speak from my own experience. A little over 2 years ago I felt the Lord calling me a "Daniel," a prophet to the nations. Daniel was a prophet of God who the Lord spoke to/through to fast, pray and speak the things of God to people, kings and nations. I have always felt that God has given me the gift of prophecy and I know beyond a shadow of doubt that I hear the Lord and take heed to the things he reveals to me. The Lord has always spoken to me very vividly through dreams and visions, and I have already had at least 10-12 of them come to pass, so even if no one else believes, I believe! I believe the Lord shows me things like this to prepare myself, other people, and to give us a prayer point on specific things to be praying for or against. The Lord is good and faithful. I know all of these things are from the enemy because he comes ONLY to steal, kill and destroy BUT God has come that we may have life and have it in abundance(John 10:10)! God wishes that no one should perish, and regardless of what you think, time is drawing to a close. This isn't a dress rehearsal people, this is the real deal!

I am writing this to challenge people to think about the things that are really important in this life; family, friends and lives. What can, and should we be doing to reach out to a lost and dying world, to share to good news of Jesus with people, to be the hands, feet and mouthpiece of God while we are here on this earth? Life isn't about all the stuff we have, it's about who we have. Having these fires so close to home has definitely opened my own eyes to how precious and short this life is, how in an instant all the possesions and things you think are important can be gone, and what I can do to make the most of the time I do have here. God has sent us here on a mission, not to sit back and say "Oh, thats too bad," or simply "I'll be praying for you," but to actually do something, to get outside of ourselves, our comforts, our wants and desires and help those in need. I'm going to step up my game and up to the plate, are you? Will we hear God say one day "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" and will we have done the best we could've done with what we were given, or will we come to the end of life full of regrets and lots of stuff, nothing of real value to show for? Lots to think about....

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

The last couple months have been a roller coaster of emotions. I have really missed my friends and family back home, A LOT! My parents came out to CO last week to visit, and I have been counting down the days since they bought their plane tickets!!

Family means more to me now then it ever has, and it's sad that up until the last year or so that I have really taken their closeness for granted. My parents have always been there for me, no matter what! They have loved me even when I couldn't see it, fought for me, supported me in more ways than one, always encouraged me in the Lord, always been around to help me fix little problems that arise, my dad has been my personal mechanic, my mom was there for the births of our sons, and have always been within a 5 mile radius of me for almost my entire life. Sure, we have butted heads on numerous occasions, I have held grudges against them for being too hard on me at times, for showing what I felt like at the time was favoritism to my sister, been mad at them for being too "protective," and said/done things I really regret. And yet, because they have always been there, I have never really sat and thought about how lucky I am to have them in my life and how much they truly mean to me.

Last night I asked God to show me His love in a new and tangible way. Tonight, after everyone else was in bed, my dad and I sat up and talked as we often do. Growing up, I was never really close to my dad. He was always there for me when I needed him, but he was also very distanced emotionally and I never really understood the reasons behind it. I knew he'd had a rough background and upbringing but tonight it really struck a chord in me.

Tonight, I listened to my dad go into detail and describe how my grandfather (his father) was shot and killed, the anger and hatred he had in his heart, how he has been able to forgive and even eat with the very man that murdered his dad, and some of the tragedies he has gone through in his life. I have never met my dads parents, they both died long before I was born, yet I have always felt a deep love and connection to them that I can't explain. I remember visiting their grave site years ago, breaking down and sobbing, feeling mad and deprived that their lives were cut short and I'd never got to experience a life with them, and that my children would never get to experience a life with them one day either. As I listened to my dad, tears streaming down my face, as they still are, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of love for my parents, compassion for their lives, sorrow for all their past experiences, how I didn't have it nearly as bad as I thought growing up, and I saw a facet of my heavenly father through my dad tonight; a loving father who wants to fellowship with me, who can't wait to open up and share his heart with me, and who has always welcomed me with open arms even though I have wounded him deeply. Listening to my dad made me very sorry for everything I've ever done or said to hurt my parents and my heavenly father; not in a condemning way but in a sorrowful way, a way that makes me realize how precious time is and what a gift family and friends really are! At the same time, it made me miss them even more, knowing I only have a couple days left with them until they fly back home.

Tonight I realized that in the past, I have been far too selfish, judgmental, condemning, wasted too much time being angry or bitter at how I was/wasn't treated, and cared more about myself that I couldn't see just how amazing my family really is, and just like I saw a new side of my dad, I also saw a new side of my heavenly father; a side that is overwhelming with love, a love that breaks down any and all walls, barriers, preconceived ideas, a love that forgives, keeps no record of wrongs, hopes the best and is the very picture of 1 Cor. 13. Thank God that he has promised to restore to me ALL the things that the enemy has stolen from me, including wasted years and broken relationships! Don't let life pass you by before you allow yourself to love and be loved, to truly enjoy the gifts God has put in your life, and before you really get to know the people around you. Their story might just change your perspective AND your life!!