30 Days of Birth Pangs - Day 29 This Present Darkness

Ephesians 6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.

Brothers and Sisters, read that Scripture again... let it wash over you.  I know that you know it, but hear it again.  For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.

For this reason... what reason?  Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

To stand - having done all you can, in the end to be standing.

As believers surrounded by the darkness, it can be easy to forget your armor or worse to don the chains the of the enemy (if you missed it, read Counter Terrorism in the Spiritual Realm).  

I used the New American Standard because I love the phrase, This Present Darkness.  I loved Peretti's classic book by the same name, it changed my life.  Faced with overwhelming obstacles the heroes in the story prayed, fought, and clung to the Lord for the victory.  We fear today that there will be no such victory....

The Watchers on the Wall are tired; hoarse from beseeching a world that no longer hears, fighting an enemy whose time has come, and tamping down a desire so fierce just to be done. All the while going about 8-5 life like tomorrow is going to matter and being afraid that it actually does.  Simultaneously realizing that we could very easily be out of here in the twinkling of an eye but knowing that for 2000 years the bride has been waiting.

To Stand

So if October 1st rolls around and we are still here... well, we'll just pick each other up, brush each other off, and stand.

Rapture Index Scores:

Lovers of Self - Day 1: 10 out of 10

Perplexities of Nations - Day 2:  8 out of 10

Mass Animal Deaths - Day 3:  7 out of 10

Revilers - Day 4:  8 out of 10

Signs in the Heavens - Day 5:  9 out of 10

Commotions - Day 6:  7 out of 10

Scoffers - Day 7:  10 of 10

Vexed Souls - Day 8:  10 of 10

Greed -Day 9:  8 of 10

Famine - Day 10:  8 of 10

Itching Ears- Day 11:  10 of 10

Rushing to and fro - Day 12: 10 of 10

Blind Eyes and Hard Hearts - Day 13:  9 of 10

Brutal Men - Day 14:  8 of 10

Wars and Rumors of Wars - Day 15:  9 of 10

Boasters - Day 16:  9 of 10

Messianic Jews - Day 17:  7 of 10

Demonic Activity - Day 18:  8 of 10

Lawlessness - Day 19: 9 of 10

Hedging Your Bets - Day 20:  9 of 10

You Make Me Want to Vomit  - Day 21:  10 of 10

Earthquakes- Day 22:  10 of 10

Nobody Loves Philadelphia - Day 23:  10 of 10

Antisemitism - Day 24:  9 of 10

False Teachers - Day 25: 10 of 10

Asleep Church - Day 26:  10 of 10

Downward Spiral- Day 27: 10 of 10

American Idol - Day 28: 10 of 10

This Present Darkness - Day 29: 10 of 10

Rapture Index Total to date:  262 out of 290 or 90.34%

The Personal Destruction of the Great Recession

Abigail and Dolley readers as these terrible economic times enter their fourth year this month, I have to contemplate the human cost that has been extracted from Americans.  As a wife and a mother, I must consider the devastating impact on the family as a whole but would also like to expound upon the individual consequences.  For this recession is more than numbers on a TV screen, they are people and they have been grievously wounded.

From a Husband's perspective, the loss of income, the loss of house, and the long term inability to find a job is a recipe for destruction.  Most men are hardwired to provide for their families.  The first jobs to go were men's, the companies that went down early largely employed men, and those jobs still have not returned.  The hopelessness that comes with unemployment and the feelings of failure and unworthiness permeate today's struggling man.  Individually, this is tough but for a family the pain is compounded exponentially. 

From a Wife's perspective, the loss of security goes to the heart of her psyche.  Women need safety, they need to know that the house payment is made and there is still enough money left over to buy food.  Millions of Mother's have lost their homes, millions more have had to seek Food Stamps to pay for the basic necessities in life.  There is no work for their husband's and they desperately try to keep him optimistic, hide their fear from their children, and go to bed with a nerve shaking despair about how they are going to make it through.  Look in their faces at the store, they are weary.

From a Child's perspective, they know something is wrong.  Younger children may not know anything other than this Great Recession.  Older children may long for the days when there was vacations, new clothes, and a lot of food in the house.  They may carry with them a security worry that they should never bear.  Most devastating of all is that they may begin to believe their Father is a failure.  Almost nothing on this Earth is more destructive to a child than that, nothing.

These families are everywhere and as much as Obama whines about it being Bush's fault, the fact of the matter remains that these families had houses, food, and jobs with W was President.  The private sector is not doing just fine, Mr. President these are Dark Days, Dark Days Indeed.

This Present Darkness

Abigail and Dolley readers I have to admit that I wept before the Lord today.  I fell to my knees and sobbed.  I cried because when I speak the truth of Christ, many condemn me.  I cried because a good friend of mine claimed I was deaf to racial insensitivity and when I sought him out, to show me, he condemned me for my blindness.  I cried because we heard the same speech in different ways, and if we did, then I will never be effective in outreach.  I cried because the world's financial system is on the precipice of a bottomless pit.  I cried because the new unemployment figures are lies and for people hurting everywhere.  I cried because I have friends that are not saved and the Rapture is coming soon.  I cried today because Billy Graham is gravely ill and the world will be a much darker place without him.  I cried today because I have prayed for the Lord to come and get us but I never realized how dark it would be here before He came.

2 Timothy 3

The Dangers of the Last Days

 ¹ You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!