What Is Your Vision Of the Kingdom?

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:4

Over the weekend, I was blessed to spend the weekend up at the Brant County Ultimate Frisbee Challenge where Brother Jay Mayock spoke on the topic “Looking for the Kingdom.” He brought us to multiple verses – on multiple topics – on what we can know it will be like in the Kingdom for sure.

It startled me. Until then, the kingdom had been something hazy – something that I knew will exist in the future, but I couldn’t describe what it would look like to anyone else with the support of verses. I knew it would be wonderful, and I had a hazy image of the Temple in my mind based on the artwork taken from its description in Ezekiel. But that was all it was. Hazy.

When Brother Jay took us through what the Kingdom will look like, he did it in two ways. He took us to verses that show how the world will be and he also took us to verses that show us a glimpse of the kingdom through the events of the lives of Bible characters.

Going through this study and these verses in the way Brother Jay had (lain/laid) them out for us – I could almost reach out and touch the vision that was forming in my mind. I was more excited then for the things that are to come than I had ever been in the past.

I resolved to strengthen my picture of the Kingdom. If I felt this much excitement over a few verses imagine what my joy would be over many more that I found on my own!

Prov 29:18 states: “Where there is no vision, the people perish:” (KJV).

It is hard to go through life trying to reach a goal without being able to picture that goal in your mind - even to the smallest of details. If you can see what you want to achieve clearly, and keep it in the forefront of your mind, taking the steps you have set for yourself to get there is so much easier.

When I think of someone in the Bible who kept their vision of the Kingdom of God at the forefront of their mind, I think of the Son of Korah who wrote Psalm 85. He writes at the end of the Psalm of God’s Glory and and salvation of His saints.

     8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,

    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;

    but let them not turn back to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,

    that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;

    righteousness and peace kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,

    and righteousness looks down from the sky.

12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,

    and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him

    and make his footsteps a way.

Psa 85:8-13 (ESV)

This Psalmist made his vision personal. We can see that he focuses on what God will do for His saints in the time of the Kingdom (v. 8,9,11), and that the Kingdom will be ruled perfectly by Christ who is perfect (v. 10) - judging the wicked in righteousness and giving everlasting peace to the saints.

These particular aspects of the Kingdom of God meant a lot to this Psalmist, and must have helped him struggle through the terrible infidelity that the people of Israel demonstrated at this time. You can also see the echoes of the history of the sons of Korah and what their ancestor had done as you look at what he looks forward to in the Kingdom.

But the Psalmist is so passionate about these particular things. He wants these things o come to pass with such fervor. And he knows  that God will do these things in the time to come, and it helps him through the present.

My point is simply, make your vision your vision, and that it strengthens us to have one to look forward to.

I’m working on developing my own that will excite me for the time to come - because the Kingdom will be wonderful, and perfect - and I want to know all I can of what it will be like before it comes.

And I’ll ask:

What is your Vision of the Kingdom?

In the Hope of Israel, 

Mikaelah B 

"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10

Making An Appointment With God

“And after he (Jesus) had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” Matt 14:23

I wrote a similar post to this a few years ago called ‘Making Time for God’ where I mentioned that we need to set aside time for God. This post has that same idea, but I want to expand on this idea a little bit.

I think one-on-one time with the LORD is important. Classes given by others, and bible readings and prayers as a group are a fantastic way to look at God and learn something about Him that we may have never thought of before. But time alone with Him, it’s just as important, maybe even more so. Because salvation is personal. You must focus on your walk and your commitment and your own relationship with God. Because no amount of knowledge by itself will get you into the Kingdom of God if it doesn’t change you.

Personal time with God, when done correctly I think, will help build that singular relationship with our Father. We need to be able to see Him working in our lives for good, and how can we do that if we are not reflecting, not learning about who He is and what He is capable of?

David made time for God, even amidst the busy life of a King. Psalms 5:3 says “O LORD, in the morning You hear my voice; in the morning I direct my prayer to You and watch.” He chose the beginning of the day to sit and pray to God, and tried to do so every day.

And so did Christ, our perfect example. In Mark 1:35 it says “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he (Jesus) departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
Christ took time to talk with his Father. During his busy ministry, he may have not found time alone to truly sit and talk with God, so he woke up early to make time for God.

My point here is not that we must make time for God in the morning (though there is a case to be made for starting your day with God), but simply that we need to make time for Him in the busy schedules of our lives.

A friend told me that we need to liken our time with God to a meeting with our boss at work. We would do everything in our power – waking up and leaving the house early, making sure nothing else is scheduled during that time – to make it to that meeting on time. And when we get to that meeting, we have brought with us our best – our best behavior, best attitude, and best work ethic.

This is a simple meeting with our worldly authorities. How much more then, should we be bringing to our time with God?

I want to prioritize the time that I take to learn more about God and what He is doing in my life to shape me in His image and likeness. But what are some ways that we should use our time with God, whenever that is? And how often should our time with God be “scheduled” during the week? Every day? Twice a week? Once? How much time should be in each “appointment”?

I don’t think the answer will be the same for everyone. I think you could make the argument for every day. But is 10 minutes of hurried thanks or praise better than the hour that someone could give once a week? Or is noticing and appreciating the things God does for us 5 minutes every day better than the hour and a half that we could devote to personal Bible study every Saturday morning?

I don’t know. And I don’t think there is necessarily a right or wrong answer.

I’m going to sit down this weekend and take a look at my schedule for the week and mark in some “appointments” with God. I think I’m going to try in the mornings before I have to leave for school. And because my classes start at different times, I’m going to make the “appointments” different lengths and see how that works this upcoming week. Maybe in two weeks, I’ll change it up.

I did brainstorm a list of things that I think I could use in my time with God in the next week. Some of them will require more time and some will require less, and some I might not find helpful to me, but hopefully, this list will help you brainstorm your own ideas of what you want to spend your time with God doing.
• Prayer
• Journaling
• Scripture writing
• Expounding on the week’s Characteristic of God
• Listening to a Book of the Bible while crafting, taking notes, etc.
• Personal study
• Maybe reading an exposition book

 I didn’t add Daily Bible Readings here, because, LORD willing, I will be doing this on top of already doing my daily readings. But that is a wonderful way to spend your quiet time with God!

What else can you think of besides these that you would like to start doing in your time with God?

In the Hope of Israel, 

Mikaelah B 

 "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10

Reclaiming Our Joy In The LORD

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? …” Psalm 42:11

Coming home from Manitoulin this year was rough.

Before leaving, I had made my Action Plan for Going home - just as I had every year previous. I had cleared my mind - removed the clutter of the world and cleared the cobwebs from the corners - ready to place in it things that were sanctifying to God. That week had strengthened old friendships and built new ones. And just like every year, I expected to come home ready to do those things on my Action Plan, I had expected to come home with the post-Conference high.

Instead, I came home with crushing disappointment.

As soon as I stepped out of my car, it was as if all of the clutter I had so meticulously cleaned out over the course of that week had instantly been shoved back in. The headspace I had promised to dedicate to God was instantly filled with what needed to be done: with school - it started in two days - with work - what were my hours again? - with my responsibilities at home - family was coming in from out of town in three days, the house needed to be spotless -

And the fact that these things had so easily swept back into my clear, focused, dedicated mind pummeled me. The walls that I had so carefully built shattered the second they were tested - before I even had time to prepare. All the work God, I, and others had done in building myself back into someone dedicated to Him was washed away in an instant.

And that, I think, is what brought me to my knees the night I got home. The staggering weight of disappointment that this was the world that I lived in, and no week away from it would prepare me upon returning. I didn’t live in the perfect world of Manitoulin Youth Conference - the one where Bible study was the priority and God was the topic of conversation. It was a glimpse into the life of the Kingdom, and I had to return to a world without it.

I think that is what brought me to my knees in prayer that night, though I didn’t know it at the time.

I don’t know if prayer is the right word, though. I had demanded of God to know why He had decided that this was the state, the mindset He needed me to be in. Why was this year so different than previous? I had come back with such a high then - why not now?

Why did He think this was best? It had been less than two hours since I had been home and already I felt like I was further away from Him.

Why did He think that this was a good idea? It was exactly the opposite of what I wanted. I wanted my entire mind and heart to be dedicated places to Him, why wasn’t He letting me feel this way?

The next couple of days were not any better, and while settling back into a routine I continued to question God’s reasoning in bombarding me. And I didn’t feel as if I was making any progress either - the joy that I had at Conference was gone. It hadn’t faded slowly like usual, it was snuffed out like a light and I didn’t feel like I was gaining any back - however small the amount.

What I didn’t lose was the determination. Even without the “spiritual high” I was determined to keep my relationship strong, determined to keep Him as my Rock and my Strength.

But how was I to go about strengthening my relationship with God (when I had no joy in doing so?) I had spent the week of Manitoulin doing just that - deepening my love for God and drawing my comfort from Him - but now without that heady joy, what was I supposed to do?

I found that without the passionate happiness brought on by a bible school, I turned to Him even more in search of comfort and of contentment.

But what could I do to reclaim that flame of utter happiness in God?

What are any of us supposed to do when our Joy in the LORD is departed?

I didn’t have the answer nearly three weeks ago, and I’m not sure I have much more of an answer now.

In hindsight, I know God was working through me to better me as His disciple, and I knew this even in the midst of the emotional whirlwind of the past few weeks. But what could I have done - what can we do - in the midst of this to help ourselves reclaim our Joy in the LORD?

Two and a half weeks ago, I messaged a friend, and this was his suggestion: stay positive, keep your friends of like-mindedness close, do things with them, and remember that God is working in you.

I sat and thought about his answer. How would I practically apply those suggestions? I wasn’t struggling with the knowledge that God is working in me to shape my character to be His (Rom 8:28; Heb 13:20-21). And I knew how to keep active with my friends in the Truth. But how was I supposed to “keep positive?” This was the exact thing I was struggling with.

I’m still figuring this out.

I’ve begun a couple of things to help me reclaim my Joy in the LORD. They are still rough ideas, and I don’t know how well they are working because I’ve only just begun, but here they are:

●      Journaling verses about Joy

●      Studying and praising a characteristic of God each Week (this week is: He is our Redeemer)

●      Starting up this blog again

●      Scheduling uninterrupted time with God

●      Continuing to read the scriptures continually

All of these things I’ll, LORD willing, talk about in the coming weeks, but I wanted to start this blog up again in the hopes of tracking my progress, sharing with others my process in hopes that you too can grow closer to God. Because Singing Psalms in the Thunderstorm is a skill we all have to develop - it takes time and it takes practice.

And the only way to practice is when God puts us in that Thunderstorm.

Before I signed off though, I wanted to add a few suggestions of my own:

●      We don’t always have to be happy. Jeremiah certainly wasn’t - look at the Lamentations we just read in the Daily Readings - and neither was David, or even Christ. So we shouldn’t expect to be happy at all times simply because we have God.

●      We need to appreciate these lows too. What can we learn about God from these times in our lives that God couldn’t have shown us if we were full of happiness as opposed to sorrow?

And finally, here are some verses that I have found comforting the past few weeks, and I hope that you can find strength from them as well.

●      James 1: 2-42  
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

●      Psalm 34:4
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears."

●      Psalms 34:6-7
"This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them."

●      Psalms 34:8
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"

●      Psalms 34: 15
"The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry."

●      Psalms 34:17-20
"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken."

●      2 Cor 4:8-9,16-18
"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ...
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

●      Lam 3:22-25
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him."

●      Lam 3:31-32 
"For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love"


Rom 8:28 - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."


Heb 13:20-21 - "Now may the God of peace ... equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

“...Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” Psalms 42:11

In the Hope of Israel, 

Mikaelah B 

 "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10

Finding the Time to Talk with God

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Joshua 1:8

As many of you probably saw, I did not post last week. Too swamped with the logistics of life, I did not have - or make - the time to sit down, plan, and write out a post about keeping focused during times of trial. Ironic, yeah?

Because a busy life can also be a trial. Not having an obvious block of time to spend with God can be strenuous on the relationship we each are supposed to have with Him. How can we expect to mature and grow as children of God if we don't remind ourselves of the ways to do so? How are we supposed to keep our faith strong if we don't take the time to strengthen it ourselves?

We can't.

We can't expect to be good Sons and Daughters of God if we don't put in the effort. But when our lives are chalk full of other essentials that we can't avoid, how do we juggle both without sacrifices on either side? I've found a few tips that help me - and I'm sharing them in the hopes that they'll help you in your busy lives too.

One thing I’m trying to do is read a chapter of the Bible around the time of each meal of the day. Breakfast is the beginning of our day, and - to start off with the right mindset - a bible reading will have our mind thinking towards the things above as we go about our morning. It's surprising to me how much a single Bible reading changes my perspective on the day.

Sometimes during the weekday, the only time you have off is your lunch break - so why not spend 15 minutes out of the hour and do a Bible over your sandwich? It clears my head for the second half of my day and gets my mind back on godly characteristics and the way I should be acting.

For the final Bible reading, I don't actually do it around dinner time - because usually, that is the busiest, most hectic part of my day. Instead, I save it for about half hour before I go to bed - a happy note to end the day on. I rest easier, knowing God's in control - and I find it easier to speak to Him at the end of the day when I have His word saturating my thoughts and my prayers.

For those of us who may not even be able to find time for a quick chapter during meals or at the end of the day, I have another solution. We all drive - and a lot of the time car trips are what take the most out of our day. So why not listen to an audio version of one of our favorite books of the Bible? Simply being reminded of the actions of our favorite characters - even while multitasking - is a huge help. Another wonderful thing about listening to the Bible, is we don't feel an underlying anxiety f what all we could be getting done at the moment we take to ourselves. Since we're already doing something we have to - driving, or even exercising or making dinner - it has the opposite effect and makes us feel more productive.

But taking a break from all the things we have to do is essential too. When on a break from studying or during a lull in the workday, read or do a bit of Bible study as a relax technique and a way to give your mind a rest. You'll come back rejuvenated and more ready to work.

Another thing I've found helpful is following, pinning, or favoriting a lot of Christian pages and pictures on social media. I spend way too much time on social media - time I should take to spend time with our Father in Heaven. So I began following some Christian inspirational pages, and I find that they help in the small ways. Not a devotional or a Bible reading, but they bring my mind back from the depths of the Internet and onto God and His promises.

But spending time with God doesn't have to be Bible readings. It can simply be time of quiet and personal contemplation or finishing the First Principle lesson you had meant to finish ages ago. And if it is readings, the Daily Bible Readings don't have to be what you follow. I find reading random Psalms or rereading about my favorite characters helps me more that going monotonously through the Bible.

Everyone is different. But the point is we need to spend time getting God and His word into our hearts and minds - and that takes time. Even with schedules filled to the brim, we have to find a way. These are some of mine, and I hope they help you if you're struggling to find the time to talk with God.

In the Hope of Israel, 

Mikaelah B 

 "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10

The Little Things

"I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart..." Psa 138:1

It’s Thanksgiving break and as believers in God’s Promises, we have much to be thankful  for - even more than the average person. But we struggle as much as everyone else when it comes to letting that thankfulness bleed into our lives and shaping them to have a more positive outlook.

When life kicks up into fifth gear, I find I have little time for anything but the essentials: school, Memorial Service, CYC, piano lessons, sleep, and food. My focus goes towards making it through the day - checking off the mandatory boxes - and moving on. I struggle to see an hour in front of or behind me, let alone remember and be thankful the events of  that day.

But how can I - how can we - change this unintentional thanklessness in us? God does so much for us each and, surely it cannot be too hard to find one thing each day that He has done for us?

And it’s not. Not really. To come up with a single blessing God has given us everyday is not a challenge at all.

So why don’t we do it? Why aren’t we as thankful as we used to be?

I remember it used to be so easy. Mom and Dad used to come in to say nightly prayers, and we would say one ‘please’ and one ‘thank you’. I remember there used to be so much to be thankful for when I was little: the sun for shining, the rain for give the flowers a drink, and for bringing Momma and Daddy safely home from work. My sister and I found that we couldn’t only say one Thank-You, sometimes there’d be a whole list of little things that we appreciated throughout the day.

So what changed? When did we stop being thankful for the little things? When did a sunny day become so unappreciated? Or when did the fact that Mom and Dad got home safe in that snowstorm become an assumed event?

God is in the little things: the green lights when you’re running late, the text of encouragement when you’ve hit rock bottom, an easier test when you feel you may fail, and the extended due dates after a busy night. Be thankful for the little things - write them down and put them in a box. Pull one out when you’re feeling down.

That’s not to say that God isn’t also in the large things - in the accepted college application, the new job, or the finalized down payment of your next house - but we tend to associate these successes with God. We remember Him when He helps us with the events that more obviously shape our lives, but it is the little things that remind us to be thankful each and every day.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation…” James 1:17

In the Hope of Israel, 

Mikaelah B

 "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10

The Clouds of Doubt

“‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.’” Isa 49:15-16

At some point in our lives, each of us will have to brave the storm of insecurity. Whether we are a Jack of All Trades or a King of One, we all balk when faced with the clouds of doubt. But one doubt in particular stands out from the rest: the doubt that God could possibly want us to be a part of His family.

Broken and such sinners as we are, there is no way we could be of any use to Him - so why did He call us? Why not that one friend at school who is so much more self-sacrificing that ourselves, or that one coworker who never has a mean thing to say about anyone? Why did God pick us over them? Wouldn’t they be a better fit to do His will than we? Because we have so many problems, surely those problems do more harm than good - both to ourselves and to those around us.

Why did you choose us God? We are full of holes and mistakes, and we could list off 10 people who would be much better suited to the task - why didn’t You choose one of them to do Your will?

Thoughts like these are among those that pour down on us from time to time. And they cannot always be helped, for we are human, and sinners. We must remember that we will never be good enough to earn the Kingdom of God - and we are not expected to be. As we well know, it is our faith and what we do with it that will get us into the Kingdom of God. However much we wrestle with the notion that we will never be righteous enough or perfect enough, we must take to heart the words Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 2 and verse 8: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.’

God is going to give the Kingdom to us as a gift if we have faith in Him and what He says. A gift. We cannot earn it, no matter how hard we try, so we should not struggle and try to meet some imaginary bar of goodness that is too high up for any man to reach. God is erasing that bar, and simply giving us the Kingdom. We should be thankful and in awe of His great generosity instead of questioning His choices.  

We also mustn't compare ourselves to those around us. While they may seem like a more obvious choice in our minds, God’s ways are not our ways. He knows each and every person that has ever lived better than even they themselves have. We can only know a thin slice of that person’s life - out of context, out of proportion to the rest of their life. God knows the end from the beginning, and He has chosen us to further this end. His ways are perfect, and if His ways are through us, then why do we doubt? Perhaps that friend at school would be a wonderful addition into God’s family, and He has placed you in their life to bring them in - a role only you, as a friend of them, can fulfill.

God has chosen us each for a specific purpose both here and now, and in the future. He knows how we work, and what best suits us to do. He is shaping us to be kings and priests in the Kingdom.

He has chosen us each specifically our of the entirety of the world. And instead of doubt and apprehension filling our minds, it should be awe and wonder at the thought that out of an uncountable number of people throughout time, He chose you. He chose me. He chose us. He is choosing those who will be by His side and will do His work in the Age to come. And we should not doubt Him, but trust. Because His ways are perfect, and in Him can we trust more than anyone else.

Let us not doubt God’s choice in us, but rejoice in it and strive to do His will in this life so we may grow in faith and wisdom in the LORD our God.

‘The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.’

Zeph 3:17

In the Hope of Israel,

 Mikaelah B 

 "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10

The Most High Rules in the Kingdom of Men

"The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men." Dan 4:17

In these past few days, tempers have flared as Facebook friendships have been terminated and other, more drastic measures have been taken against those of opposing viewpoints. To label this past week’s events as controversial is to put it mildly.

It hard for many of us not to get swept along in this wave of negativity. It is hard for us to remember that it is not for us to decide or to worry about the future of the nation we live in - whether it be the States or any other nation on this earth. The fate and fortitude of this world rests in God's Hands, and we should not stress over its future.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer 29:11)

Many of you, on the day of the election, posted the above verse on your pages as a reminder to your fellow Christadelphians. A reminder not to worry. A reminder that God has everything under control. And a reminder I wish to accentuate.

The events of this election, its results - and of every election previous - are of the Hand of God. No matter your opinion of its outcome, the LORD chose the U.S.’s newest President Elect for His purpose. And ultimately, the future president of the States, is the right one - because the Most High chose to work through him.

Pharaoh also seemed like a pretty unorthodox choice as a Gentile ruler through whom God was going to work. When it came to the Israelites’ chances of being freed from bondage, Pharaoh kept those odds very slim. But God works through slim odds and unlikely choices to further His Plan. It is His work through the unlikely that we see His miracles. If the Pharaoh of the time of the Exodus was a man like Cyrus the Great, God’s Glory could not have spread through the land of Canaan and its inhabitants would not have known His power.

But God had chosen Pharaoh to be the force through which He  would make himself known. It was because of Pharaoh - specifically of God’s Hand in his actions - that the nations surrounding the newly freed Israel knew who the LORD Almighty was.

How different is this present time different from then? God works through what may seem unlikely to our minds. Perhaps this power shift in the States will be the catalyst we have waited nearly 60 years for. Maybe the long-anticipated events of Bible Prophecy can finally take place - the ones that wouldn't have happened in the present way of things. We can not know for sure.

And that specifically is what we need to keep in mind. We cannot know God’s Plan and His strategy towards it. For His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. (Isa 55:8-9) We know His plan is for the whole world to know the Glory of the LORD (Hab 2:14) and every moment in this life is working up to that awe-inspiring goal.

We must trust that He knows what He is doing. Just like in any other situation. We must have faith. Whether we like the prospects of the nation or not, whether we have hope for its future, whether we agree with this change or not, we must continually remember this is all for the furthering of God’s Plan.

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Phil 3:20-21)

The Almighty is setting the stage for Christ to return, my brothers and sisters, and I cannot help but feel myself growing a little more excited every time I think of it. Christ is coming soon! We just must have faith that God will get us there!

We will all be changed, in a moment grasped in time, in the twinkling of an eye. The dead shall all arise, at the trumpet’s final call, then God is all in all.

We turned and saw the earth, the wilderness blossom and bloom.

In the Hope of Israel, 

Mikaelah B 

 "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10