We would not be where we are today without the Lord’s providential guidance, protection, provision, and power. We fully believe when we follow His will in His way (and wait on His timing), He takes full responsibility for the outcome of His sovereign plan. As President John Quincy Adams famously said, “Duty is ours. Results are God’s.”

This audiobook has been produced as a free ministry resource for LivingStrategically.com.

Timestamps & Appendix

Chapter 1: Waiting for a Miracle 0:04:30
Chapter 2: Exposing Darkness 0:15:15
Chapter 3: Seeking Justice 0:35:17
Chapter 4: Dwelling in the Wilderness 0:51:51
Chapter 5: Hope Deferred 1:13:18
Chapter 6: An Unexpected Plot Twist 1:29:13
Chapter 7: God’s Resurrection Power 1:54:28

Click here to download the appendix PDF with additional resources for your wilderness journey.

“What is truth?” Pilate asked his prisoner, and he was certainly asking the right person. The world’s greatest Teacher of truth—the very embodiment of God’s truth in the world—stood before him as the defendant. Truth was on trial, but the judge didn’t know what truth was.

Pilate’s famous inquiry is the same question that has perplexed the world from the fall of man all the way to the age of fake news. What is truth? Some people, like Pilate, ask it in contempt or disillusionment, while others are sincere truth seekers. In this post, we’re taking a look at five traits of people who put truth at the top of their priority list.

Know the Source of Truth vs. the Source of Lies

If you want to seek the truth, you have to know where to find it.

The Gospel of John records ten times that Jesus spoke about truth in His last few hours with His disciples, between the Passover supper and His betrayal and arrest. Perhaps most critically, He tells His followers where to find the source of truth: in Him, in the Father, in the Holy Spirit (the “Spirit of truth”), and in the Word of God (John 14-17).

In your search for truth, you also have to deal with “untruths”: lies, deception, and everything false. Jesus identified the source of falsehood when he confronted the corrupt Pharisees:

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44, NASB

Satan was the source behind the lies of the Pharisees and is still the ultimate source of falsehood in our world today.

Study the Truth

If your third-grade teacher made you memorize the multiplication tables, then you know without thinking that 7 x 7 = 49. A truth seeker takes the same approach to the truth, studying until it is second nature, ingrained in the heart and mind.

The foundation of this study should always be the Word of God:

“The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119:160, NKJV

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God…accurately handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15, NASB

“We keep asking God that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding— to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9b-10, TLV

Patrick Morley, author of The Man in the Mirror¹, asks, “How many of us have carefully chiseled our life view by a search for truth? Or, is our life view more the product of our environment and circumstances?”

A truth seeker will build on their biblical foundation by examining every fact and event in relation to Scripture. Over time, they develop a Christian “life view” that allows them to be discerning and act in accordance with God’s truth, even in areas that are not specifically addressed in the Bible.

For example, we can know something true about the existence of fossils or the structure of DNA. But what do these facts mean? Do they confirm the account of a global flood and show the genius of an intelligent Creator, or do they prove that we evolved from a primordial ooze over the course of billions of years? A true fact can point to a bigger truth or it can be manipulated to tell a complete lie, and that is why a truth seeker must remember that anything true will be consistent with God’s Word.

Know the Signs of the Times

The “end times” started in the first century AD. The apostles considered themselves to be living in the end times, which biblically means the period of the new covenant leading up to the second coming of Jesus. With the prophetic fulfillment of Israel once again becoming a nation and the Jewish people returning to their homeland, we are seeing signs that we are nearing the end of the end times. (Check out this article for a list of biblical signposts that can help us identify where we are on the biblical, prophetic roadmap.)

The Bible tells us the end times is an age of deception, where many false prophets and evil men arise and mislead many (Matt. 24:11 and 2 Tim. 3:13). We are called to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1) and be bold for the things of God. This is a time to be led by the Spirit of truth, who will “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

The Bible paints what appears to be a bleak picture for truth in the end times:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:3-5, NKJV

That last sentence is the key for truth seekers. Though there are forces of evil at work, the bottom line is that we are called to fulfill our ministry. And how do we do that? Stay alert and be aware of the deceptions in the world, so that we will not get caught up in them.

Speak the Truth

Knowing the truth is important but it doesn’t do you any good unless you act on it. A person who is a truth seeker should also have the courage to be a truth speaker. Sometimes that is an incredibly difficult thing to do. The people that need to hear the truth the most are usually the people who want to hear it the least, but if we truly love our neighbor then we can do nothing less than speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:14-15).

Author and pastor Rick Warren has said, “Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

When speaking the truth, we must remember that we cannot control whether our neighbor believes the truth. We may be called to be a witness but the rest is between them and God.

Defend the Truth

Once you know, study, and are willing to speak the truth…you have to be ready to defend the truth. It says in 1 Peter 3:15, “…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…” (NASB).

This defense could entail sharing your faith with someone you don’t expect to be receptive. It could mean risking a friendship because you won’t go along with the crowd. It may even require you to risk your job because you won’t tolerate corruption. Whatever the situation, a truth seeker will obey God’s truth even when it costs them to do so.

When these types of situations arise, the Apostle Peter gives us this encouragement:

“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled.” 1 Peter 3:13-14, NASB

The truth is that God’s children have nothing to fear, because His blessing is greater than any threat the world can devise. That truth opens the door to the kind of life that God intended for his people, a life of freedom. As Jesus proclaims, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32, NKJV.

¹ The Man in the Mirror written by Patrick Morley and published by Zondervan in 1997, updated in 2014.

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Article originally published July 2019. Updated August 2024.

“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10

At the midpoint of the final seven years (Daniel’s 70th week), the Anti-Messiah will desecrate the temple in Jerusalem. This is the Abomination of Desolation, beginning the final 3.5 years called the Great Tribulation.  At the end of the Great Tribulation, we reach the day of which nearly every biblical prophet spoke, the Day of the Lord. One of the main causes of confusion in the book of Revelation is that it builds up to the Day of the Lord several times, and just before it tells you the good part, it interrupts the story with an aside or it jumps back in time to show another perspective on the events leading up to that day. In this article, we will work through several of these narrative jumps to highlight the clear chronological sequence of events, especially at the end of the Great Tribulation.

The Feast Days in the Great Tribulation

The Day of the Lord and return of Messiah is strongly correlated with the fall feast days: Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Six months before these holy days, we have the spring feasts of Pesach (Passover) and Unleavened Bread. The Abomination of Desolation is likely to happen on Pesach, one of the holiest days of the year, 3.5 years before the return of the Lord. For more background on this idea, check out our video Prophetic Fulfillment of the Biblical Feasts.

From the time of the Abomination of Desolation, Jerusalem and the court of the Temple will be “given to the Gentiles, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months” (Rev. 11:2). The two prophets are witnessing in Jerusalem during this time. At the end of the Great Tribulation, they are killed, and after 3.5 days, they are resurrected and called up to Heaven. The flow of chronology from chapter 11 to chapter 14 suggests that this is not a special, stand-alone event, but rather the beginning of the global rapture/resurrection at the return of Messiah.

The End of the Great Tribulation

Chapter 11 ends with the 7th trumpet (11:15-19), which initiates a scene in Heaven. The angels and saints declare that the time has come for final judgement and the beginning of Messiah’s rule, which connects us back to these previous passages:

Sixth Seal:
“Then I watched as he broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, the sun turned black as sackcloth worn in mourning, and the moon became blood-red. The stars fell from heaven to earth just as a fig tree drops its figs when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. Then the earth’s kings, the rulers, the generals, the rich and the mighty — indeed, everyone, slave and free — hid himself in caves and among the rocks in the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of the One sitting on the throne and from the fury of the Lamb! For the Great Day of their fury has come, and who can stand?’” Rev. 6:12-17

Seventh Trumpet:
“There will be no more delay; on the contrary, in the days of the sound from the seventh angel when he sounds his shofar, the hidden plan of God will be brought to completion, the Good News as he proclaimed it to his servants the prophets.” Rev. 10:6b-7

“The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
‘The kingdom of the world
has become the Kingdom
of our Lord and his Messiah,
and he will rule forever and ever!’” Rev. 11:15

Chapter 11 ends with the Temple in Heaven opening to reveal the Ark of the Covenant (v.19). Chapters 12 and 13 are an aside to explain the origin of the beast (Anti-Messiah), and then chapter 14 resumes the scene in Heaven where we left it in chapter 11. When 14:1 says, “there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion; and with him were 144,000”, I see this as the heavenly Jerusalem (compare to Hebrews 12:22) from which Jesus and his saints are about to return. The 144,000 are the Messianic Jews mentioned in Revelation 7 and the “full number” of the martyrs mentioned in Revelation 6:11.

The Rapture/Resurrection

Chapter 14 proceeds with angels proclaiming three messages over the earth: the Gospel, the announcement of Mystery Babylon’s fall, and a warning not to worship the Anti-Messiah. These are the final chance for anyone to respond to God’s mercy, because Messiah is on His way to judge the earth and set up His kingdom.

Then the rapture/resurrection takes place:

“Then I looked, and there before me was a white cloud. Sitting on the cloud was someone like a Son of Man with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Another angel came out of the Temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, ‘Start using your sickle to reap, because the time to reap has come — the earth’s harvest is ripe!’ The one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.” Rev. 14:14-16

The end of chapter 14 (v.17-20) summarizes the bowl judgments as the treading of the winepress of God’s wrath, which chapters 15 and 16 describe in detail.

Setting aside chapters 12 and 13, Revelation 11:11 through 14:16 is all describing a continuous series of events on the same day. The end of chapter 14 (summarizing the bowl judgments) appears to happen over the course of several days, possibly between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur.

Armageddon and the Bowl Judgments

The events of the bowl judgments in chapters 15 and 16 coincide with the return of Jesus, the final battle (aka Armageddon), and His march to Jerusalem. Put another way, the bowl judgments are the means by which Jesus fights the final battle. Chapters 17 and 18 are another aside about Mystery Babylon, and then chapter 19 is a vision of Jesus that compliments chapters 14-16. He goes forth from the Temple in Heaven on a white horse accompanied by the armies of Heaven and He treads the winepress of God’s wrath (bowl judgments, final battle).

There is a great deal of curiosity about “the battle of Armageddon”, so we made an entire video about it.

Revelation moves through this time period swiftly and focuses on the cataclysmic plagues that accompany the Day of the Lord. Many other parts of the Bible provide details about what happens in the days immediately following the bowl judgments and the return of Messiah:

• The marriage supper of the Lamb
• Jesus judges the nations (think tribunal as opposed to the plagues of judgement)
• The resurrected saints join Jesus in ruling the earth (Rev. 20:4)
• There is a years-long process of cleanup and reconstruction (Ez. 39)
• All nations submit to Messiah’s authority and celebrate Sukkot in Jerusalem annually (Zech. 14:16)
• The Earth is restored to an Eden-like state

In Revelation 20, Satan is bound and Jesus begins His millennial reign. After 1,000 years, Satan is allowed one final rebellion, and then cast into the lake of fire forever. At this point, Jesus holds the Great White Throne Judgement, where all the living and the dead are judged — except those whose names are written in the Book of Life (Rev. 20:15).

The Book of Life

How do you get your name written in the Book of Life and escape the Great White Throne Judgement? This is perhaps the least mysterious part of Revelation: “Blessed and holy is anyone who has a part in the first resurrection; over him the second death has no power” (Rev. 20:6a). If you believe in Jesus now, before His return, you will be part of the first resurrection and you never have to fear judgement again. The Book of Life will also contain the names of those who survive the Great Tribulation and then turn to the Lord, and those who are born during the Millennium and serve Messiah faithfully, but they still must pass through that final judgment. We who live in the present age have the greatest and simplest opportunity for eternal security, because now is the time we can receive Him by faith. In the Day of the Lord, every eye will see Him and faith, at least in the manner and to the degree that we now depend on it, will no longer be possible. Don’t let that opportunity pass you by!

All Scripture taken from Complete Jewish Bible (CJB). Photo credit: Mission Media, Lightstock.com.

When we study Scripture, we gain a better understanding of God’s heart in this matter. We see that God delights in love, justice, truth, and righteousness (Jeremiah 9:24). And because He alone knows the hearts and minds of mankind, He always judges rightly (1 Kings 8:39).

When we as humans take issue with God’s approach to justice, it usually means we need to gain a better understanding of three things: God’s standard, God’s timing, and God’s objective.

God’s Standard

Notice that the Bible always divides people into two groups, the righteous and the wicked, based on those who serve God and those who do not (Malachi 3:18 and Matthew 25:31-33). In regards to holiness, Jesus uses this metaphor of fruit trees to show the simplicity of His perspective.

“For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (Luke 6:43-45)

Most of us do not see ourselves or others in such black and white terms — partly because we do not have God’s insight into the true nature of each person’s heart and mind, but more importantly because we often do not understand righteousness.

God’s standard of righteousness is complete, absolute perfection, which no person can attain in their own power. Instead, it comes through faith, like Abraham who “believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). We believe in God’s free gift of salvation and it changes the way that we live our lives, and it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to produce good fruit. This allows God to maintain His standard of holiness without condemning every human to eternal punishment, and at the same time, it allows our actions on this earth to have a meaningful effect on eternity.

Each one of us will give an account to the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, and we will be recompensed for the way we spent our lives while on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10). Revelation 2:23 tells us, “I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.” We also read in Jeremiah 32 that God is “great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds” (Jeremiah 32:19).

Those who have produced good fruit will be given a resurrection of eternal life, but those who have done evil and rebelled against the truth will be given a resurrection of judgment and wrath (John 5:28-29 and Romans 2:5-8).

So if God’s standard divides all humanity into the righteous and wicked categories, then why does He need the prophesied events of the end times to happen? Why not just stop the clock right now?

God’s Timing

The first thing that we need to understand about God’s timing is that God’s perspective on time is always longer than ours. He has existed from eternity past and He sees into eternity future, so it only makes sense that He does not see a year, decade, century, or even a millennium as a very long time. This can feel frustrating when we are waiting on God to act, but it actually works to our advantage. Psalm 103:8 tells us, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.”

The second thing we must realize is that God’s timing always follows the principle of sowing and reaping. The Bible describes righteousness and wickedness as two harvests, which will not be gathered until they have reached full maturity (Matthew 3:8-12 and Revelation 14:14-19). The longer a righteous person lives, the more time they have to produce good fruit. The longer a wicked person lives, the more thoroughly they earn their coming judgment. This is even more true on the global scale than it is on a personal scale.

When Jesus returns, He will utterly defeat the forces of evil at the height of their power, and pour out His wrath on the nations and peoples that do not know or worship Him (Jeremiah 10:25). If He returned before the appointed time, it would diminish the glory of His victory. Likewise, when Jesus returns, He will find His own people fully refined, purged, and purified by the fires of tribulation (Daniel 11:32-35), and if He rescued them early He would deprive them of the full measure of their reward.

In short, God has designed His story of redemption to reach a perfectly-timed righteous crescendo. If He dealt with every turn of events in a piecemeal fashion, the kingdom of Heaven would trickle in rather than arriving with a bang!

God’s Objective

God’s objective, in a single word, is salvation. I Timothy 2:4 says that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Peter underscores the connection between God’s objective and His timing when he writes, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

As long as a wicked person is alive on earth, he still has the opportunity to repent. “‘Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,’ declares the Lord God, ‘rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?'” (Ezekiel 18:23, see also 33:11). God may intervene with discipline in a person’s life, “striking but healing; so they will return to the Lord” (Isaiah 19:22). Until that person’s last breath, God is extending the offer of eternal salvation while also allowing the free will to choose life or death.

Let’s return to our original question: Is God too permissive today, or too severe at the end of the age? In truth, He is neither. As pastor Charles Stanley says, “He tempers His justice with grace.”¹ Only God has the wisdom to balance His standard of righteousness with His desire to save. If that balance ever looks off from our point of view, we can rest assured that the error is in our human perspective. God’s ways are perfect, and trusting them will always be in our best interest.

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)

¹ The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible, NASB, page 354.

So where do we start and how do we begin to understand what God has revealed?

1. God gives wisdom and knowledge, revealing the profound and hidden things.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments,” says Psalm 111:10.  We must start by recognizing that God is the source of understanding, and we have to approach Him with an obedient and teachable heart. Paul tells the Ephesian believers he is praying “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18).

The prophetic is not excluded from God’s offer to share His wisdom or from His admonition to learn.

• “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:19-21)
• “Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances [gifts]. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21)
• “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)

The study of prophecy can be challenging and it does require persistence, but we are not wandering alone without a guide. Jesus encouraged His disciples, saying, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13).

There are also many good resources and commentaries that can help us understand the context of Scripture and evaluate various interpretations, but we must remember that the Holy Spirit is our primary guide. Also, Scripture is the best commentary on itself, and all the important prophetic concepts are described in multiple passages from multiple angles to help us gain a fuller understanding.

2. God’s people must actively seek after the Lord in these end days.

Jesus told His disciples that the second coming would be like the days of Noah for those who did not understand the prophetic timetable of the Lord and heed His warnings. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Believers are admonished to know the Lord’s will and be on guard lest we fall away from the faith as the days get darker.

• “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)
• “…be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17-18)
• “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron…” (I Timothy 4:1-2)
• “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…you have forgotten the law of your God…” (Hosea 4:6)
• “Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!” (Hosea 7:13)

Though Jesus tells us in the last chapter of the Bible that He will soon return to judge the world, some may wonder how soon that will be. As we wait, the faithful will continue to grow in their faith, staying in close fellowship with the Lord, and seeking to understand the will of the Lord.

3. God’s children are to be walking in a holy manner, growing spiritually, and bearing fruit.

Christ-followers have a high calling on their lives. Jesus assigned us to take the Good News into all the world, sharing the message of His eternal salvation until the day of His return. As we work to fulfill this ministry, the apostle Paul instructs his reader to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

We grow in our knowledge of the truth by taking it in daily. It is also through diligently studying the Word that we get more rooted in Christ and established in our faith. And it is through “Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). If we want to know the mysteries of God’s plan, the answers can be found in communing with the Word of God — Christ Jesus (John 1:1-3).

We also receive the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ. We read in Philippians 1:9-11, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

As we grow in our spiritual walk with Christ, we are “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” (Colossians 1:9-10).

And this growth brings God great delight. He tells us in Hosea 6:6, “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

4. Discerning the signs of the times.

Ultimately, we will understand God’s prophetic plan at the time of the end. We are told in the book of Jeremiah, “The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; in the last days you will clearly understand it” (Jeremiah 23:20).

As we watch for God’s plan to be unveiled, we are encouraged to discern the signs of the times, asking God for wisdom.

• “Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:3)
• “…the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do…” (I Chronicles 12:32)
• “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)
• “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7)

You have probably noticed that this article isn’t preoccupied with a particular interpretation of Bible prophecy. In truth, it is much more important to walk faithfully as a disciple and study God’s Word as a whole (including, but not limited to, prophecy) rather than trying to predict the future. By studying and seeking the Lord’s guidance now, we will have all the pieces of the puzzle clear in our minds so that when they begin to take shape on the stage of history, we’ll know how they all fit together.

All Scripture taken from New American Standard Bible, 1995 version. Emphasis added by the authors. Photo credit: Kevin Carden, Lightstock.com.

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24

Over the course of our lives, the Holy Spirit molds us to be more like Christ in our words, deeds, and intentions of the heart (our desires and our will). This process requires us to know God’s character, grow in our relationship with Him, and follow His commands. It takes humility of heart to allow God to mold us, because the experiences He uses to do this are often not the kind of things we would choose for ourselves. The achievements that we aspire to may be worthless in God’s eternal perspective, and the struggles and trials we want to avoid may be exactly the things we need to be conformed to His image. Humility enables us to lay down our own desires and accept this process of sanctification, becoming set apart and holy unto the Lord.

As we grow in spiritual maturity, God tests our hearts to know if we are truly committed to His ways and truths. We must diligently maintain our relationship with the Lord and guard our hearts.

“You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”  Deuteronomy 8:2

“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life…”   Deuteronomy 4:9

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  Deuteronomy 6:5

Since we are born of the flesh, our sinful natures can get the best of us. Sometimes our spirits are willing but the flesh is weak. God’s Word tells us what it requires to walk humbly with God:

• The working of the Holy Spirit
  “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6
• Obedience to God’s Word
  “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes…”Deuteronomy 8:11
• Prayer and fasting
  “I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer kept returning to my bosom.” Psalm 35:13
• Waiting humbly and patiently on the Lord
  “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land… the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” Psalm 37:9, 11
• Submit to and draw near to God
  “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:6-8

The result of these heart attitudes is that we will be closer to God and in line with His will and His ways. We will find ourselves increasing in understanding, wisdom, discernment, and integrity, simply because we are in sync with Him. We will have God-given courage, knowing it is God who fights for us. We will develop greater faith in God rather than the fear of man. We will learn how to demonstrate servant leadership, like Jesus did. Once we have accepted God’s plan for our lives over our own, we will find that His plan is perfect after all.

God honors those with humility of heart, who seek to glorify Him above all else. Those who chose to walk daily in submission to God are promised great rewards.

“He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.”  Luke 1:51-52

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”  James 4:10

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time…”  1 Peter 5:6

“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.”  Proverbs 22:4

We can achieve nothing in life for ourselves that will compare to the rewards that come from our heavenly Father. So take a moment today to think about how you can pursue humility and leave the rest to Him!

All Scripture passages taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 version.

How do you fix a broken nation?

Add another government program? More economic stimulus? Elect a different president?

Humanistic thinking could easily lead you to any of these conclusions. America has certainly tried time and time again. But have you noticed that it never works? No man-made solution has ever been able to solve the root problem.

Oddly enough, there is a solution that will get to the heart of every issue. It is not a secret, nor is it complicated or expensive. It has been in front of us our entire lives, but in recent generations it has not been applied on a national level.

In fact, the one solution that can fix this broken nation is the solution that Americans (as a whole) appear to be most unwilling to try.

The reason man-made solutions have not worked is because they apply social, economic, and political solutions to a spiritual problem. To solve a spiritual problem, you need a spiritual solution.

The Pledge

In 1954, President Eisenhower felt that an important ingredient was missing from the United States pledge of allegiance. At his prompting, Congress added the words “under God”, giving us the final version of the pledge that we use today.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

At the time, few Americans would have disagreed with the idea that we are a nation under God. And yet, there were major cultural changes that were advancing under the surface and eroding the truth of the newly updated pledge.

Fast forward three or four generations and the turmoil is no longer under the surface, to say the least. It may be more accurate to say one nation in rebellion against God.

The Solution

The ancient nation of Israel experienced a similar rebellion against God. At the height of Israel’s glory, the dedication of the First Temple in Jerusalem, God already knew about the fall that would come and He gave King Solomon the solution:

Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:11-14 (NKJV)

The solution that will bring God’s healing on our land is for God’s people to humble themselves, pray and seek God, and turn from their wicked ways.

Just as judgment begins with the household of God (I Peter 4:17), so does healing. And it starts with humility. In the age of Covid, there’s been a lot of talk about immunity but if there’s one thing to which America has immunity, it is humility.

Going Astray

Like the ancient nation of Israel, America started out by dedicating itself to God. Our forefathers made a covenant with God Almighty that we would follow His commands and stand apart from other nations. Now, our nation looks much like Israel in the time of Ezekiel, when God declared He would judge the nation according to their ways and bring all their abominations upon them.

In Ezekiel, Israel is described as:

• trusting in their silver and gold
• acquiring dishonest gain
• God’s blessings turned into a source of pride rather than gratitude
• the people began to idolize their abominations and detestable things
• the land was full of bloody crimes
• the city was full of violence

And still greater abominations are described as:

• the elders were corrupt and apostate
• false prophets were giving false visions
• the priest profaned the holy items of the Temple
• the very house of God was filled with the worship of idols
• God’s name was being profaned among the nations because of Israel’s sins
• and most heartbreaking of all, the people were sacrificing their children to idols

God describes the sons of Israel as rebellious, disobedient, stubborn, and obstinate. And a people who provoked the Lord repeatedly. All of these indictments apply equally to current-day America.

Humbly Depending on Him

Even amongst a wicked and perverse generation, God’s people can shine as beacons of truth in the darkness.

First and foremost, we must make no provision for sin in our lives. In order to glorify God, the Bible tells us that the righteous must wholeheartedly obey His commands with reverence. Isaiah 66:2 says, “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

God’s children are also called to “groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in [their] midst” (Ezekiel 9:4). And how can we not do this, if we have any moral fiber in our beings? We should be like Daniel, crying out on behalf of his nation, confessing their rebellion against God, and seeking restoration for God’s name sake (Daniel 9).

Finally, we must stand as watchmen who warn our fellow man to repent and turn back to God. We must lovingly speak truth amongst cultural lies, without being frightened by any fear and leaving the consequences in God’s hands. Doing so may not win us any popularity contests with the world, but we should be far more concerned with God’s opinion of us.

The Lord told Ezekiel, “According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 7:27b)

The choice is clear: we either walk in rebellion against God or humbly depend on Him. There is no middle ground.

Reckoning for Sin

In Daniel’s time, King Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the world’s top super power—Babylon. Not surprisingly, he had an issue with pride and failed to recognize the one true God as ruler of all. God, in His mercy, decided to teach Nebuchadnezzar a lesson and humble him by taking away his mental faculties and causing him to live like an animal. God told him this would continue “until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes” (Daniel 4:25). It took seven long years, but Nebuchadnezzar did finally repent and acknowledge God’s sovereignty over the nations.

Today, America is the world’s top super power and struggles with the same rebellious pride against God. Would it not be highly inconsistent if the Lord turned a blind eye to our abominations? There are countless examples in Scripture of God bringing judgment on a nation, and we’ve already seen the same patterns beginning to take place in our time. God’s judgment is not merely vindictive; a loving Father uses discipline and correction for our own good, to protect us.

For a nation like America which has claimed the Lord as our God from our founding, there is another dynamic, which is that the Lord will not allow His name to be profaned indefinitely. Unless America turns back to God, we can expect a reckoning. He will judge us according to our conduct, as He told the children of Israel.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.” Ezekiel 18:30-32 (NASB)

God is calling to America. Repentance is still an option, but not indefinitely. Humility can turn away wrath, but we are fast approaching the point of no return.

If America does not repent, the watchman’s cry of warning will soon become a cry of mourning.

“As for you, son of man, groan with a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight. And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 21:6-7 (NASB)

In our video The Prophetic Fulfillment of the Biblical Feasts, we describe the seven appointed times that God gave His people: four in the spring that correspond perfectly with the first coming of Jesus, and three in the fall that foreshadow His second coming.

The biblical year is a pattern for the whole of human history. You have the period leading up to the springtime arrival of Jesus, then a summer of “working in the fields” to spread the Gospel, which is the time we’re in now, followed by His return in the fall to conclude the harvest and begin the Feast of Tabernacles — God dwelling with us.

Today, we’re going to look at an even earlier and more fundamental pattern of human history, which God established at the very beginning.

Creation Week

In God’s plan, all of history centers around the Messiah. From the book of Ephesians, we read:

“In all wisdom and insight, He made known to us the mystery of His will, in keeping with His good pleasure that He planned in Messiah. The plan of the fullness of times is to bring all things together in the Messiah—both things in heaven and things on earth, all in Him.” Ephesians 1:8-10 (TLV)

The timeline of history is made up of increments of time — days, weeks, months, years, millennia — and God has built some really interesting patterns in time that all point to the Messiah. Take creation week for example: we know that God created all things in six days and then rested on the 7th day.

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3 (NASB)

Paul tells us in Colossians 2:16-17 that the sabbath day is a mere shadow of what is to come, and “the substance belongs to Christ.”

So what is the “substance” that the weekly sabbath is a shadow of?

Maybe you’ve heard of the millennial reign of Messiah that is to come. It will be a 1,000-year period following His second coming, during which He will rule on earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.

It’s easy to see how Messiah’s millennial reign will be a sabbath age that fulfills the foreshadowing of the weekly day of rest. And if that 1,000-year period is equivalent to the seventh day of a week, what does that imply about the “days” preceding it?

When a Day is More Than a Day

There are other hints in Scripture that make the same implication. For example, we read in Hosea:

“After two days He will revive us. On the third day He will raise us up,
and we will live in His presence. So let us know, let us strive to know Adonai.”
Hosea 6:2-3 (TLV)

This prophecy indicates that God’s people will be raised up following the same pattern as the resurrection of Jesus himself, “On the third day.” But this obviously does not refer to literal 24-hour days. One interpretation is that the third day is the sabbath age, the millennial reign of Messiah, which we know will be the time when “we will live in His presence.” And if the third day is 1,000 years, it makes sense to see the two preceding days as two millennia.

By this time, you may be thinking of 2 Peter 3:8:

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” 2 Peter 3:8 (NASB)

This verse is the biggest hint the Bible gives when it comes to understanding human history as a week of millennia. Based on this premise, and what we know of history so far, here is how the seven “days” add up:

• Messiah’s first coming was about 4,000 years after creation.
• It has been nearly 2,000 years since Messiah’s death and resurrection.
• Messiah’s millennial reign will be 1,000 years.

According to this timeline, we are very close to Messiah’s second coming — although on a scale of millennia, “very close” may still be many decades.

By the Numbers

In addition to the passages mentioned above, there are a couple more biblical patterns that correlate with this idea.

The number seven is prominent throughout Scripture as the number of perfection, completeness, and sufficiency. Seven days was just the right amount of time for God’s work of creation, including a day to enjoy its completion. Perhaps seven millennia is just the right amount of time for God’s work of redemption, including a millennia to enjoy its completion.

While seven is the number of perfection, six is just short of it—the number of imperfection. Man was created on the sixth day, and it is plausible that man may be given 6,000 years to rule imperfectly over God’s creation before Jesus returns to establish His perfect rule in the seventh millennium.

Conclusion

The idea we have presented in this article is not a matter of primary or even secondary doctrine. It cannot be proven from Scripture beyond a shadow of a doubt. It is only an interesting pattern, which time will confirm or disprove. But we thought this mental exercise was worth pondering together.

Whether or not this theory turns out to be accurate, the important thing is to keep our attention focused on our Lord and our hearts longing for His return. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and God’s story starts and ends with Him.

“The plan of the fullness of times is to bring all things together in the Messiah—both things in heaven and things on earth, all in Him.” Ephesians 1:10 (TLV)

We are living in the End Times, but how close to the end of the end are we? If history is truly a week of millennia, then we don’t have to wait long to find out.

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Have you ever felt like studying the End Times was much more complicated than it should be? We’ve been there.

We have been avid students of Bible prophecy for many years now, and it always amazes us that simple, clear, and concise information is so difficult to come by. We firmly believe that the overall outline of the End Times is simple enough for every Christian to understand without needing to become a “prophecy buff”.

In this 15-page ebook, we stick to the essentials and present a straightforward study of the end of the age based primarily on Jesus’ own words, covering the span of time from the present day to the return of the Lord, the millennium, and eternity.

As always, we want to give away the resources that we create for free, so we invite you to download a FREE copy of our latest eBook.

Ready to finally understand the End Times? This ebook will get you there in less than an hour.

When it comes to studying the End Times, the Word of God should be the first place to look for information, not the last. So grab your Bible because today we’re going to find out what the Bible says about a very specific end times revival: the national salvation of Israel.

This end times revival will be initiated when the Jewish people cry out, “Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai.” (Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.)

You might recognize this phrase from the triumphal entry of Jesus the Messiah on Palm Sunday. (Or in Hebrew, He is called Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.) We find the account in the Gospel book of Matthew…

The crowds going before Him and those following kept shouting, saying, “Hoshia-na to Ben-David (the Son of David)! Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hoshia-na in the highest!”  Matthew 21:9 (TLV)

In Messiah’s first coming, the Jewish people did not recognize the time of their visitation. They recognized the humanity of Yeshua, but not His divinity. They expected Him to be their geopolitical savior, but He came for a much greater purpose—eternal salvation. But there is still hope for the Jewish people to be reconciled to the Messiah! Students of end times prophecy know they return to Yeshua in the last days.

The book of Hosea tells us…

Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.  Hosea 3:5 (NASB)

In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul shares about this mystery…

For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved…  Romans 11:25-26a

Paul wants to make sure that gentile Christians never make the mistake of thinking that God is done with Israel. However, keep in mind that, although the nation will be saved in the end, we should still be sharing the Gospel with Jewish individuals here and now.

The book of Hebrews tells us more about this end times revival of the Jewish people…

For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Hebrews 8:10 (NASB)

Adonai will inaugurate a new covenant with the houses of Israel and Judah. The Jewish people will see Yeshua as their Messiah, who came in the first century to save His people from their sins. And they will long for His return!

Fulfilling Prophecy

But in His first coming, Yeshua told the inhabitants of Jerusalem that He would not return until they welcome Him and acknowledge that He comes in the name (and therefore the authority) of Adonai.

I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say,
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Luke 13:35 (NASB)

There’s the same phrase we heard in the triumphal entry:
“Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai.”

This will fulfill the end times prophecy that we find in Psalm 118…

I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me,
And You have become my salvation.
A stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This came about from the LORD;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
Please, O LORD, do save us;
Please, O LORD, do send prosperity!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD;
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.  Psalm 118:21-26

 A day is coming when the Jewish people will find eternal salvation in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. From Scripture, we see that this will happen in the last days and it will usher in the second coming of the Messiah!

And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of pleading, so that they will look at Me whom they pierced; and they will mourn for Him, like one mourning for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.  Zechariah 12:9-10 (NASB)

With repentant hearts, the Jewish people will return to Yeshua, and He will turn their mourning into gladness and their weeping into dancing.

May we say together with the Apostle Paul that our heart’s desire and prayer is for Israel’s salvation.

My heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation.  Romans 10:1

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We’ve been intrigued by what the Bible says about money and possessions for the past 20 years. It’s a topic that has grown near and dear to our hearts! Practicing the principles of Biblical stewardship has made it possible for us to live a debt-free lifestyle.

In 2020, we recorded a podcast series taking a look at the key elements for a Biblical understanding of personal finances. Now we’ve taken the content from those episodes and created a 28-page eBook.

As always, we want to give away the resources that we create for free, so we invite you to download a FREE copy of our latest eBook.

If you’re ready to find financial freedom, then let’s get reading!

When it comes to studying the End Times, the Word of God should be the first place to look for information, not the last. So grab your Bible because today we’re going to find out what the Bible says about…the Battle of Armageddon.

Scripture Passages

Here are 10 key Scripture passages about Armageddon (and the Day of the Lord):

Ezekiel 38 and 39
Rev. 16:12-21
Rev. 19:11-21
Rev. 14:14-20
Joel 2:1-11
Joel 3:2, 12-17
Isaiah 13:3-13
Isaiah 63:1-6
Zechariah 12:1-3, 9-10
Zechariah 14:1-9

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Sometimes we need to be reminded that we serve an amazing, awesome, incredible God. Our God knows everything about every single human on this planet. And He has our best interest in mind. God’s Word tells us in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

And that is a theme we see in Jonathan Cahn’s latest book called The Harbinger II: The Return. God is working behind the scenes in countless ways in our country, in our churches, and in each of our lives. He is orchestrating events in ways we can’t even imagine.

Rabbi and Pastor Jonathan Cahn leads the Beth Israel congregation at the Jerusalem Center in Wayne, New Jersey (located just outside New York City). It’s one of the largest Messianic worship centers in the world, and we had the pleasure of attending services there on our road trip around the U.S.A. last year. We got to meet Rabbi Jonathan in person and we were touched by his humility and great love for the Lord. We enjoy listening to his sermons every week online.

We first discovered Jonathan Cahn in 2013, after the release of his first book The Harbinger. We’ve read all of his books, and we give them out as gifts because they are so important to read in these prophetic days that we are living in.

The Harbinger II: The Return

As of September 1st, 2020, Jonathan Cahn has released his sixth book, The Harbinger II: The Return. And we’d like to share some thoughts about it, hoping to inspire our readers to go pick up a copy and read it for themselves. (And just a quick note, if you haven’t read the first book called The Harbinger, don’t worry. We suggest you skip that book and just start with The Harbinger II, which does a good job of summarizing everything from the first book.)

Just like the original Harbinger, The Harbinger II takes the form of a story, following the same fictional character, Nouriel, as he discovers real-word facts. It helps keep the book from being just an information download, because the experiences of the protagonist help to pace things out.

As far as subject matter goes, this new book speaks of a biblical pattern of judgment, calamity, and destruction that appeared in ancient Israel, a template of judgment on a nation that once followed the Lord’s will, the ways of God, and reaped the blessings of God…but then turned in defiance against God. Even warring against God.

Crossing A Moral Tipping Point

We’ve obviously crossed a moral tipping point in the United States of America, but The Harbinger II makes the case that we have been standing in a window of grace between initial signs of warning and a coming national judgment.

America’s hedge of protection was temporarily lifted when terrorists attacked our nation on September 11, 2001. For decades, the nation had been departing from the Lord and God sent a wake-up call in the form of a terrorist attack.

For America, the pattern of judgment began on 9/11, and the harbingers of judgment have continued ever since on American soil. If America does not turn back to God, then following the ancient biblical pattern it will be destroyed. That will be the end of America as we have always known it.

On the day The Harbinger II was released, Jonathan Cahn sent out an email blast and this is one part of what he said. “The ancient template leads up to where we are right now. What I have written in The Harbinger II, I believe all the more is that the present moment is most critical and dangerous – one that could seal America’s future once and for all, for judgment or redemption.”

Patterns of Judgment

We have now studied Jonathan’s Cahn books and listened to his sermons for 7 ½ years. When his first book, The Harbinger, was released, we exhaustively researched all the details of 9/11 that he connected to patterns in biblical prophecy. We were thinking, could all of this really be true? But it was; all the details are verifiable. And then we started thinking, how in the world did he make all those connections?

What we’ve come to realize is that Jonathan Cahn has a unique gift for identifying patterns, both in scripture and in history. It partly goes back to his Jewish background, because in western thinking and philosophy, going all the way back to Aristotle, you have this tendency towards categorical reasoning — how can we divide up ideas into discreet parts. But Hebraic thought is much more typological. Prophecy is pattern, not just prediction and fulfillment. Jonathan Cahn is able to see things through that lens and make connections that we never would have seen… but now we can’t not see them.

In this new book, so many new connections, or “mysteries” (as they are called in all of Jonathan Cahn’s books), are revealed that are very shocking. There are numerous new insights into 9/11 (which was the event when judgment began in this nation)… and connections following the same template of judgment that ancient Israel went through, shakings that impacted America’s economic power, its military power, and its position as a world superpower.

The whole idea behind both the first Harbinger and Harbinger II is that God is consistent, and we can see a pattern He used with ancient Israel being repeated now with America.

Without Repentance, There Will Not Be Revival

Throughout the book, the reader sees how only God could be behind these events…orchestrating them for the purpose of bringing America to repentance and revival. Because without repentance, there will never be revival. And repentance was a key element missing after the shakings of 9/11.

The Harbinger II is such an important wake-up call for America, and it will help Christians better understand the days of national judgment that are increasing in intensity right before our eyes.

We believe that Jonathan Cahn is a watchman, and a prophetic voice, for this generation. God has used him to sound the alarm of warning to anyone who will listen, and he has been faithful in his calling. We are grateful that God allowed us to discover his work back in 2013 so we could better understand what is going on in our nation and consider how to respond to things that are still to come.

Jonathan Cahn’s message is really simple, “Judgment is coming. Prepare to stand before God. Get right. Repent.” If there is anything in your life that needs to change, get right with God. If there is anything that you have been called to do, fulfill your calling. Time is short. We are in a window of grace, but that window is closing.

The Turning of America

Now, you may be asking, why would God judge the United States of America? And will America ever turn back to God and have revival?

These are things covered in The Harbinger II, and we want to explore this concept further in our own words. These thoughts are consistent with what you will find in the book, but not necessarily taken from it.

1. America has a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Following the pattern of the nation of Israel. Our founding fathers formed this nation based on prayer and a commitment to honor the Lord Almighty. For example, our nation’s moto is, “In God we Trust”, and in our national pledge we state, “One nation under God”. However, over the past many decades our leaders have been abandoning this covenant in word and deed. And there are consequences for a nation that once knew God and turns its back against God. Becoming a nation that brazenly wars against God.

2. America has turned against the Ten Commandments and honoring God’s Holy Word the Bible. We absolutely believe America has crossed a moral tipping point and is now operating as a pagan nation. For example, its citizens have allowed the murdering of the unborn, to the tune of tens of millions! Helpless babies that never saw life outside the womb. Its judiciary has gone against the biblical mandate for marriage. We’re seeing rampant carnality and sexual immorality. And unfortunately, many churches and people of faith are choosing to walk hand-in-hand with the culture, instead of standing up for biblical truth.

At one point in the book, Jonathan Cahn describes it as, “not only calling evil good and good evil but establishing it, legislating it, and executing it, by sanctifying the profane and profaning the sacred.”

Walking in God’s Ways

We read in Deuteronomy 28 that a nation that the Lord establishes through covenant must be careful to observe the commands of the Lord and walk in His ways. Here is Deuteronomy 28:8-14 (NASB):

“The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 11 The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, 14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”

This was a covenant which God made with the children of Israel in the Old Testament. And likewise, our forefathers followed many biblical templates in the founding of America, modeling it after ancient Israel.

And thus, we have seen the blessings of heaven poured out on America, when it carefully observed the Lord’s commands. We’ve seen economic prosperity, spiritual blessing, and military and political success.

Consequences for Disobedience

But all of these blessings have a condition. We read in Deuteronomy 28:13-14:

“…if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”

We’d encourage you to finish reading the rest of Deuteronomy 28 on your own. It goes on to list the consequences of a nation that once knew God but turns its back on the Creator. Disobedience that leads to national shakings and calamities.

In verses 45-46, we read, “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 46 They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever.”

It’s important to note that these consequences are for redemptive purpose. God’s love is so great that He chastises His children, hopefully bringing them to a restored relationship with the Lord.

And that is God’s hope for America. Complete restoration. Complete salvation. That is why He sends warnings of judgment to turn us back to Him.

The Window of Grace Is Closing

But the Lord’s time of warning is not endless. At some point, if America does not return and repent, then out of God’s nature of justice, He will send judgment.

Right now we are dealing with a world-wide plague, financial instability, a national debt crisis, natural disasters, civil unrest…but we believe these are only warning signs and shakings (or as Jonathan Cahn calls them…harbingers) telling us that our nation needs to turn back to God.

In the template from Deuteronomy 28, we see that a nation that once knew God but turns to rebel against God is eventually given some dire consequences. The nation will be torn from their homeland. They are given severe lasting plagues and chronic illness. And it says, “the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul.” (Deut. 28:65b)

Ultimately, the nation is destroyed.

Returning To God Almighty

Over the years, we have heard many sermons by Jonathan Cahn where he shares about Christians being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and in The Harbinger II he describes a dream that the protagonist has about America being a city on a hill. These concepts come from “The Sermon on the Mount” found in Matthew 5:13-16:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

And that is what Christians need to do in a pagan nation that once knew God. We need to commit to honor the Lord in all that we do. We must come to repentance in our own lives. We need to stand firm on a biblical foundation and unwavering faith. And we need to rise up to our divine callings.

And as the dark gets darker, we need to shine ever brighter! We must rise up and shine brightly as witnesses to the lost world.

The United States of America is dying from a spiritual disease, which requires a spiritual cure to be healed. It must return to God Almighty.

We want to encourage our readers to pray as never before for God to bring repentance, return, and revival to America. Because until God sends the final destruction, there is still hope for the revival of our nation!

This page contains affiliate link(s) from ChristianBook.com. If you choose to make a purchase, your price will not be affected and we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

From the very first announcement of The Return, I knew I needed to be there. The event was created by Jonathan Cahn and Kevin Jessip to be a “national and global day of prayer and repentance.” For a long time now, those two actions—prayer and repentance—have weighed heavily on my heart as two of the most needed and most lacking disciplines in the American church. And I’m not the only one. There has been a rising chorus of voices from throughout the Christian community calling for the church at-large to wake up from its spiritual stupor and for the nation to reverse its descent into godlessness.

I believed that The Return would be a catalytic event, uniting the long-building sense of spiritual urgency from countless individual Christians and turning it into action. I hoped that this would be a rolling pebble that triggered the avalanche of revival.

On the morning of September 26, 2020, I found myself in Washington, D.C., weaving my way through the gathering crowd on the National Mall’s massive open lawn to find a place close to the stage. Due to Covid-19 restrictions in D.C., the stage was in a small, fenced-off area with no public access, but four giant screens and two enormous speaker arrays made the event visible and audible to everyone in the area. A great cross section of America was represented there: every age and every race, from young families trying to keep toddlers confined to a picnic blanket to elderly couples in camping chairs. They wore youth group t-shirts, business suits, tie-dye, and in one case, even sackcloth. Some groups brought banners to wave and others brought shofars to blow. We were a diverse congregation to say the least!

My Three Take-Aways

As the event got underway, I really had no idea what to expect. I knew the purpose of the event, but how would it play out with dozens of speakers and prayer leaders from many different ministries and backgrounds? And just as importantly, how would the crowd respond and participate?

I won’t try to give a play-by-play of the entire event. (You can watch the 8-hour live stream here.) Instead, I want to share a few big takeaways from the whole experience.

1. Unity and Humility

Most importantly, repentance truly was the theme of the day. Nearly all of the presenters were unified in heart and mind, speaking out of humility and a deep sorrow over America’s sins. The crowd was right there with them, kneeling, praying, and pouring out their hearts to God.

To be honest, a handful of the presenters were out of sync, using their time for self-promotion instead of repentance. But those were few and far between. Overall, The Return remained laser-focused on its stated purpose, and I don’t think I have ever seen such a large gathering of big-name leaders that was so conspicuously free of big egos.

2. The Warning Has Changed

If you haven’t watched Jonathan Cahn’s keynote from The Return, you need to. It was the foundational message of the entire day. He modeled the message after Jeremiah 19, in which God commanded Jeremiah to take a clay jar and shatter it before the leaders of the people as a prophetic foreshadowing of God’s judgment, which would soon shatter the kingdom of Judah for their sin and rebellion.

Jonathan Cahn preached that America has followed in the spiritual footsteps of the ancient Israelites and has come to the same precipice of judgment. He took an ornate clay jar and, in conjunction with telling of the event in Jeremiah 19, he smashed it on the stage. If that sounds overly theatrical to you, I urge you to watch the whole message. It was no gimmick.

The breaking of the jar was a grave symbolic act that I believe carries as much import for America today as it did for Judah in biblical times. To me it was the most significant moment of the day. It embodied a realization that I think is dawning on many Christians: that repentance is no longer a free pass for the nation to escape judgment. When we pray for revival and God’s mercy, it is so that the church can be sustained and refined during the unavoidable shakings that will come. Escape is no longer the name of the game, but rather endurance.

3. Not Everyone Gets It

Perhaps the greatest difference between attending The Return in person and watching it online was the ability to observe the crowd. The collective reactions to various moments throughout the day were revealing. At many points, I saw a true spirit of repentance—people kneeling and even on their faces before God, grieved by the sins of the nation.

But I also noticed a large percentage of the crowd that was hungry for positive words. The most jubilant reactions went to a few speakers who glossed over the repentance part and preached only revival, restoration, and power from on high. I believe there is a yearning among Christians to jump straight from where we are now directly back to the good old days, without going through the painful process of deconstructing decades of bad decisions in our nation. It is an understandable feeling, although I fear there is a strong current of denial in it.

When Jonathan Cahn broke the clay jar, the reaction was varied. There were a few gasps. Many people knew what was coming and bore solemn witness to it. But surprisingly, a large portion of the crowd cheered and applauded. If you watch the video closely, even Jonathan Cahn seems stunned by this response. I get that people were trying to affirm the act, but I also got the sense that many people didn’t understand the gravity of what they were seeing and what it meant for the nation and for them personally.

I don’t mention this to criticize my fellow attendees. These were folks who made a long and expensive journey to Washington, D.C., to spend 8 hours kneeling, praying, and worshipping. These are dedicated people! But it is a sign of where we are as a church that even among this passionate group, there is perhaps a lack of awareness of how deep the valley is between two mountaintops.

Conclusion

Was The Return the event I hoped it would be? — Yes!

Would I go again? — Absolutely, in a heartbeat!

Is it resulting in national revival? — I believe it is one of the first steps, along with many other solemn assemblies that have taken place recently as the Holy Spirit has moved God’s people to prayer. This is only the beginning of something that will take shape in the months and years to come. I believe that those who attended will look back one day and see it as a pivotal moment in America’s spiritual history.

The Return was all about repentance and then revival. We must have the former if we want to see the latter. And when revival comes, we need to embrace whatever God brings our way—whether it is another Great Awakening or something that looks more like the persecuted underground church.

So now, mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of Adonai your God; so Adonai will relent of the calamity that He has pronounced against you.  Jeremiah 26:13, TLV

Photo credit: Images taken from The Return live stream.

Reed and Elizabeth Hewitt were blessed to meet Jonathan Cahn in April 2019 at The Jerusalem Center (one of the largest Messianic Worship centers in the world) located in Wayne, New Jersey.

And that is the main theme in his new book. America is on the verge of judgment, if it does not return to its foundation in being one nation under God. Join us for a review of this timely new book, as well as a discussion of the broader themes of repentance and revival in America.

If you’ve never read a book by Jonathan Cahn, get ready for a different way of looking at the world — in a good way! Just as we believe his message is important, Jonathan Cahn’s methods provide a fresh perspective on prophecy and history to help us understand the world we live in today.

Jonathan Cahn is a watchman, and a prophetic voice, for this generation. God has used him to sound the alarm of warning to anyone who will listen, and he has been faithful in his calling. We are grateful that God allowed us to discover his work back in 2013, so we could better understand what is going on in our nation and consider how to respond to things that are still to come.

In case you couldn’t tell already, we really think you should go get this book! Purchase it through our affiliate link here: https://www.christianbook.com/the-harbinger-ii-return/jonathan-cahn/9781629998916/pd/998916?event=AFF&p=1205899&

Scripture from this Episode

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28, NASB

“The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” Deuteronomy 28:8-14, NASB

“So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever.” Deuteronomy 28:45-46, NASB

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16, NASB

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14, NKJV

Suggested Resources

Sermons by Jonathan Cahn through Hope of the World Ministries

The Harbinger II: The Return by Jonathan Cahn

This page contains affiliate link(s) from ChristianBook.com. If you choose to make a purchase, your price will not be affected and we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

This week marks three years since Hurricane Harvey hit South Texas as a category 4 storm. It made landfall just north of our hometown and was the first major hurricane to hit our area in over forty-five years.

Our local communities had forgotten the amount of destruction such a massive storm could bring with its 140 mph wind gusts, tornados, storm surge, and torrential rainfall. To make matters worse, Hurricane Harvey gained most of its strength in a short period, growing from a tropical depression to a category 4 storm in less than 48 hours.

The small coastal towns that were devastated by Harvey have mostly recovered by now, but there is another storm brewing on the horizon. It is a global storm that looks on the outside like civil unrest, cultural revolution, government corruption, tyrannical oppression, and societal breakdown, with a pandemic thrown in for good measure.

Like Hurricane Harvey, this new storm threatens to go from inconvenient to devastating at a rapid pace. But unlike Harvey, the global storm in front of us is not driven by the wind and seas. It is man-made, and it stems from humanity’s loss of its moral compass and increasing rebellion against its Creator.

The Global God Divide

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”  Romans 8:6-8, NASB

The Pew Research Center conducted a worldwide survey last year asking people if belief in God is necessary to be moral. They call the report “The Global God Divide”. Here’s what they found: “Across the 34 countries, which span six continents, a median of 45% say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values.”

Particularly interesting for those living in North America, the survey reports, “Less than half in both Canada and the U.S. say belief in God is necessary to be moral (26% and 44%, respectively).” For Americans, this represents a 14 point drop from a survey conducted seventeen years earlier in 2002.

Across the globe, the survey shows a divide between younger adults (ages 18 to 29) and those age 50 and older, with the older generation more likely to affirm that belief in God is necessary to have morality and strong values. This pattern has held consistent for past analysis as well.

The significance of these statistics is not about whether an individual can have a moral framework while not believing in God. We have all met unbelieving people who are nice, law-abiding citizens. The Apostle Paul writes that “they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 2:15-16, NASB)

Lost at Sea

The true consequences of unbelief, however, can be seen on a societal level. When a large percentage of the population pulls up their anchor of faith in God, it is only a matter of time before we collectively begin to drift out of the safe harbor and into the stormy seas.

The moral drift happens slowly in the first generation, when those who have abandoned their parents’ faith still hold on to their parents’ cultural values and traditions. The next generation sees those values and traditions as barriers to their happiness and fulfillment and begins to dismantle them. Without revival, the process continues until there is virtually nothing left of the stabilizing, safeguarding influence of a widespread faith in (and fear of) God.

Today in the U.S., citizens are essentially divided in half, with the two sides engaged in a gargantuan battle of tug-of-war over the future of the nation. This polarization is usually defined in terms of a political or ideological divide, but in truth the divide is spiritual — regardless of whether the people on either side recognize that fact.

As Christians, we believe God is the author of morality, which He gives us in written form in the Holy Scriptures. Only societies that point their moral compass to God’s unchanging moral law can find a reprieve from the storm of lawlessness and spiritual rebellion.

Excluding God

A number of years ago we participated in a study called The Truth Project by Focus on the Family, which provided an excellent description of how contemporary culture has removed God from philosophy and ethics:

“…current thought pictures reality as a closed box—a cosmic cube—in which there is no room for anything that cannot be sensually or materially perceived. The problem is that with the lid of the box closed and God excluded, philosophy is deprived of a universal reference point and thus crippled in its ‘scientific quest for ultimate reality.’ As a result, it cannot answer the most basic questions about right and wrong behavior.”

When society takes God out of the picture, it loses its ability to define right and wrong. It turns to humanism and man’s attempt to achieve the greater good. The problem there is rooted in mankind’s sin nature. The entire human race is born sinful and corrupt from the womb.

“The wicked are estranged from the womb; these who speak lies go astray from birth.” Psalm 58:3

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8

Without accepting Christ as personal Lord and Savior, mankind lives in hostility towards God and it leads to eternal death.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17)

There are a few things that we need to realize, if we are going to make progress out of the current situation.

1. The only way to solve a spiritual problem is through a spiritual solution. Our efforts need to be spiritual efforts and our battles need to be fought on our knees in prayer.
2. The people with whom we disagree are not our enemies. Our main concern is to bring the lost into the Kingdom of Light. When the Holy Spirit changes someone from the inside out, the political issues take care of themselves.
3. As we watch this storm rolling across the globe, we have to realize this is just the earliest rumblings of thunder. The true severity of the storm will be much, much worse and come much more quickly than we expect. (Even so, the storm will not prevent us from practicing points one and two above.)

God’s Shelter from the Storm

“He who does these things will never be shaken.” Psalm 15:5b, NASB

Throughout the Psalms, we read that God is our refuge and hope through any storms of life. So how do we make sure that we are staying in the shelter that He provides? Psalm 15 gives a beautiful description of what it looks like to walk in integrity and righteousness, and gives a promise of security to those who walk in God’s ways.

“O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.” Psalm 15, NASB

We may not be able to stop the storm from coming, but praise God that we can be found unshakable in Him. The darkest hour for the world may yet be the brightest hour for God’s people.

Perhaps the best example of a man who understood prophetic urgency was Noah. God gave Noah a prophetic revelation about the coming judgment of his generation and He assigned Noah a task to prepare for it. It says in Genesis 6:5, that Noah lived in an age where “every intent of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually”. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, being a righteous man who was blameless and walked with God. The Lord declared that Noah and his family would be spared from the coming destruction, because Noah was the only righteous one in his time.

Our mission at Living Strategically is to help you strategically pursue your God-given purpose, especially in these prophetic times that we live in. God hasn’t called you to the same assignment as Noah, but He has given all of His children specific callings. Through faith and obedience, we need to be following God’s will for our lives.

No matter how bad things get in these prophetic days, we can take courage knowing that God will always keep a remnant for Himself, and He has a purpose for that remnant.

Scripture from this Episode

“As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.’ ” Matthew 24:3-8, NASB

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” Matthew 24:42, NASB

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:6-7, NASB

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” Genesis 6:5-9, NASB

“Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.’ ” Genesis 7:1, NASB

“Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him.” Genesis 7:5, NASB

“Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He said, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.’ ” I Kings 19:9-10, NASB

“Yet I have preserved seven thousand in Israel whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouth has not kissed him.” I Kings 19:18, Tree of Life Version (TLV)

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:37-39, NASB

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” Psalm 91:1-2, NASB

“Because he has devoted his love to Me, I will deliver him. I will set him securely on high, because he knows My Name. When he calls on Me, I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble, rescue him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16, TLV

“Keep serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer…” Romans 12:11b-12, TLV

Suggested Resources

Understanding Prophetic Urgency article
www.livingstrategically.com/2020/understanding-prophetic-urgency/

Biblical End Times Signposts article
www.livingstrategically.com/2018/end-times-signposts/

Podcast Episode 10: Living in the End Times
www.livingstrategically.com/2019/podcast-ep-10-living-in-the-end-times/

Get our free e-Book and learn how to live more strategically!
www.livingstrategically.com/newsletter/

This is our attempt to take a step back, look at the big picture, and share some signposts that can help us identify where we are on the biblical, prophetic roadmap. God has given His children knowledge of these signposts ahead of time so we will know how to best use our time and prepare for what comes next. That is what living strategically is all about.

Scripture from this Episode

A list of birth pangs – Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13

“Gog of Magog” war – Ezekiel 38-39

War between the powers in the Middle East – Daniel 8:1-14, 21

“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week [a week of years, meaning seven years], but in the middle of the week [after 3.5 years] he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” Daniel 9:27, NASB (Brackets added.)

“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. […] For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.” Matthew 24:15-16, 21, NASB

“Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” 2 Thess. 2:1-4, NASB

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place…” Revelation 1:1, NASB

Seal Judgments – Revelation chapters 5-7
Trumpet Judgments – Revelation chapters 8-9
Bowl Judgments – Revelation chapters 15-16

Rapture – Revelation 14:14-16
Wrath of God – Revelation 14:17-20
Battle of Armageddon – Revelation 16:13-21

Suggested Resources

Biblical End Times Signposts article
www.livingstrategically.com/2018/end-times-signposts/

Understanding Prophetic Urgency article
www.livingstrategically.com/2020/understanding-prophetic-urgency/

Podcast Episode 10: Living in the End Times
www.livingstrategically.com/2019/podcast-ep-10-living-in-the-end-times/

Get our free e-Book and learn how to live more strategically!
www.livingstrategically.com/newsletter/

There are numerous things in which our culture tells us we can find self worth, but notice they are all external.

• Status symbols – fashion, automobile, house, expensive vacation
• Relationships – being popular among peers, friend count on social media, sports team loyalty
• Accomplishments – epic life experiences, attending the right university, successful career, title and job position
• Personal – physical appearance, personality traits

The lists could go on and on. The point is the things of this world will never fulfill us. If we base our identity there, we will always come up empty. And we’ll never stop striving for more. We’ll never measure up.

We must find our identity in things that are spiritual and last forever. Look at what 1 John 2:14-17 says:

“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (NASB, emphasis added)

These verses connect with a passage in Luke 4. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. What types of things did Satan use to tempt Jesus?

• the lust of the flesh (Luke 4:1-4)
• the lust of the eyes (Luke 4:5-8)
• the boastful pride of life (Luke 4:9-12)

Satan used the things of this world and he also twisted truth to try and get Jesus to sin. However, Jesus used Scripture to combat the temptation and the lies. We can follow this example in our own lives.

Know the Truth

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…”
Hebrews 6:19, NASB

The best place for a Christian to discover (or recover) their identity is in the Word of God. Check out these verses:

• “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” Jeremiah 1:5
• “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” 1 John 3:1-2
• “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14
• “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” 1 Peter 2:9

Can you imagine the stability the world would find if they placed their faith in Jesus Christ? If they based their identity on the Savior that gives everlasting life? For God loves each of us so much that He gave His only Son, so the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17).

But, Satan wants us to think otherwise. John 10:10 says Satan is a thief that “comes to steal and kill and destroy” but that Jesus “came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

From Your Identity to Your Calling

Your identity not only describes who you are, but even more importantly, it also determines what you do.  Once we discover our identity in Christ, we can go on to fulfill the God-given calling that He has designed for our lives.

• “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
• “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Has God put a calling on your life that always seems out of reach or too difficult to begin?  Take a moment to reflect on where you are finding your identity.  If it is not in Jesus Christ, start by letting go of everything that competes with Him to define who you are.  Once you find yourself in Him, like a branch firmly connected to the vine, it will be the most natural thing in the world to bear good fruit.

Thankfully my dad took the time to explain to me that this “too good to be true” offer was exactly that.

I can look back and smile at the naiveté of my third-grade self, but unfortunately, not every scam is so easy to spot. This world is full of subtle lies and empty promises when it comes to money and possessions, and countless people get caught up in them every day.

But we’re not in this alone. We have a heavenly Father who has taken the time to warn us about financial pitfalls. God knew that money would be one of our biggest struggles, so His Word is full of principles and instructions to guide us.  He explains how to get back on track when we’ve gone astray, and He tells us exactly what it takes to become a success in His eyes.

The Study of Stewardship

Like what you are reading? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

My wife and I have been intrigued by what the Bible says about money and possessions for the past 20 years. Around the time we started our courtship, we also started listening to Christian financial experts like Larry Burkett and Dave Ramsey. Over the past two decades we’ve studied the topic of biblical stewardship, as well as taught it and put into practice. In our latest podcast series, we take a look at the key elements for a biblical understanding of personal finances.  (Scroll to the bottom of this blog post for links to all the episodes.)

If you listen to the podcast, you’ll hear us talk about stewardship a lot. It is an old-timey word, but it’s still very useful today because whether you realize it or not, a steward is exactly what you are. A steward is a person who manages something that belongs to someone else. A steward’s job is to act according to the instructions and interests of the owner. Sure, we all have things that belong to us, but the Bible says that, in the ultimate sense, everything belongs to God simply because He created it all. When you follow that truth to its logical conclusion, it has a profound influence on how you handle money.

A Spiritual Perspective

For one thing, we realize that how we spend “our” money really comes down to spiritual decisions. And if our job is to be stewards, then we probably can’t do a very good job unless our priorities are aligned with those of our Boss.

We also find reassurance in the fact that we are dependent on God, and that He is completely trustworthy! When we do things His way, it actually works out really well for us. (But we also find out how much trouble we can get into when we think we can control everything on our own.)

Above all, the Bible shows us that all the money and all the material possessions that pass through our hands are temporary, but we have an opportunity to use them to accomplish things that will last for eternity.

We hope you’ll join us for this podcast series and embrace what we call the ultimate paradigm shift in your financial life. It may seem daunting at first, but God is faithful to help His children walk in His ways. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up. The reward is treasure that will outlast this world!

Podcast Episodes

• • The Ultimate Paradigm Shift (Episode 11)
    Acknowledging that everything under our care ultimately belongs to the Lord.
  • Biblical Stewardship (Episode 12)
    Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities.
  • Cultivating Contentment (Episode 13)
    Living with the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds.
  • Debt-Free Living (Episode 14)
    Viewing debt as bondage and hazardous to our financial health.
  • Reaching Financial Freedom (Episode 15)
    Living an abundant life when we connect our faith with our finances.

Suggested Resources

• • • Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt
    • Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt
    • Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt
    • Class: Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey
    • Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.
    • Book: Debt-Free Living written by Larry Burkett and published by Moody Publishers in 1999/updated in 2010.
    • Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.

In the final episode of our podcast series on managing money and possessions as wise stewards, we take a look at what it means to find true financial freedom. We talk about our goals as we aim for financial freedom, and the character traits required to get there. We also share our take on Dave Ramsey’s “baby steps”, as a guide for transforming your finances.

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities is what being a wise steward is all about. Join us on the journey of reaching true financial freedom!

Scripture from this Episode

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21, NASB

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Matthew 6:24, NASB

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Class: Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Debt-Free Living written by Larry Burkett and published by Moody Publishers in 1999/updated in 2010.

Join us for the fourth episode of our current podcast series about money management and biblical stewardship. It may just transform your finances!

Scripture from this Episode

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

“…we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” Nehemiah 5:5b, NASB

“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God…” Deuteronomy 28:1-2, NASB

“But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…” Deuteronomy 28:15, NASB

“The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Deuteronomy 28:12, NASB

“He shall lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you will be the tail.” Deuteronomy 28:44, NASB

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7, NASB

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'” Isaiah 55:8-9, NASB

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Class: Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Debt-Free Living written by Larry Burkett and published by Moody Publishers in 1999/updated in 2010.

At Living Strategically, we define contentment as “the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds”. We believe that contentment is not about a number, or achieving a certain amount of wealth to be satisfied. It’s about the attitude of the heart, being content with whatever God blesses you with to manage for His glory.

Christian financial advisor Ron Blue summarizes contentment this way:

“No financial principle can have a greater impact on you or free you up more than this truth: Money is not the key to contentment! Contentment has everything to do with your relationship with God and nothing to do with your money. Once you are free from the love of money and the pursuit of it, you can have a lot or a little and be content all the same. At that point you have learned the secret to contentment.”

If we want to take hold of that which is life indeed, then we need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness! By prioritizing that which really matters in life, sort of recalibrating our priorities, we can reach a point of true fulfillment in life. Now that is thinking strategically!

Scripture from this Episode

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6, NASB

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.” Eccl. 5:10, NASB

“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Deut. 8:11-14, NASB

“Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” Deut. 8:17-18, NASB

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.'” Luke 12:15, NASB

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” I Timothy 6:6-10, NASB

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” I Timothy 6:17-19, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.

You can probably think of many more examples, but the type of balance we will study here is the most elusive of all: balance in life. This type of balance is most conspicuous by its absence, and it is not hard to find many examples of unbalanced lives. Most of us do not have to look beyond ourselves.

If you suspect that unbalance is taking a toll on your life, here’s a quiz to help you diagnose some problem areas.

• Do your projects, commitments, and “to-do” items stack up faster than you have time to complete them?
• Do you frequently rely on credit cards to make ends meet?
• Is it hard for you to leave work at a decent time? (Maybe your spouse should answer this one for you.)
• Are family dinners an endangered species in your home?
• Does it seem impossible to provide for the wants and needs of your family while also giving them substantial quality time?
• Do you feel like you are neglecting your spiritual life?

My definition of balance is this:
To manage one’s resources by God’s principles, resulting in a life of peace, joy, and contentment.

Notice I define balance as a verb. I am not talking about a motionless state of equilibrium; balance is an ongoing activity. Like riding a bicycle, life requires forward motion to maintain balance.

The definition above contains two parts: the criteria (God’s principles) and the outcome (peace, joy, and contentment).

The Bible contains no shortage of principles:

• Love God & others (Matthew 22:37-39)
• Live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)
• Work hard (Proverbs 10:4-5)
• Make time for rest (Exodus 20:10-11)
• Take care of your family (1 Timothy 5:8)
• Help the needy (Deuteronomy 15:11)
• Be content (Hebrews 13:5)

And the list goes on—you can probably think of many, many more. Collectively, these principles create a framework that guides every area of life.

Even so, God does not micromanage. The Bible doesn’t tell us how much time we can spend in front of the TV each day. We must ask ourselves, “How much TV can I watch without neglecting God’s priorities?” Likewise, “How much time can I spend at the office without diminishing my ability to serve God’s purposes in my family?” God typically requires us to answer these questions on our own, but doing so requires wisdom, which comes from Him (James 1:5).

Faith and Flexibility

On top of His generally revealed principles, God also has specific tasks in mind for each of us individually. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Sometimes these are direct leadings of the Holy Spirit; other times God makes His will apparent through our circumstances. He closes one door and opens another. Recognizing these things requires us to pay attention. Acting on these things requires us to have faith and flexibility.

Here’s an alternative definition of balance:
To focus on the important while minimizing or eliminating the unimportant.

In John 15:1-17, Jesus uses the word “abide” ten times. To abide in Jesus is to be connected to, supplied by, and directed by Him. Christians talk a lot about bearing fruit, but I think it’s important to note that Jesus does not command us to bear fruit; he commands us to abide in Him and then fruit is the natural result. A life that bears the kind of fruit that God desires to cultivate is the ultimate description of a biblically balanced life.

Take Action

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

1. On a scale of one to ten, rate your level of excellence in each of these priorities:

____ Work

____ Finances

____ Marriage

____ Spiritual Life

____ Physical Health

____ Family Life

2. Remember the words “peace, joy, and contentment” from our definition? Throughout the day, whenever you notice one of those things missing, take it as a reminder to refocus your thoughts on Jesus Christ.

Efficiency

How do you get the greatest mileage out of a tank of gas? If you drive too fast, the increasing drag from the air and road combined with the physical limitations of the engine will sap your efficiency. This is called the law of diminishing returns. If you drive too slowly, on the other hand, the vehicle’s auxiliary systems will continue to draw a fixed amount of power from the engine and reduce your miles per gallon. You can, in fact, run out of gas in a parked car. The greatest efficiency, and thus the greatest performance, lies somewhere in the middle.

One key purpose of balance is to get the most out of your life. We’ve now looked at the definition of balance, which starts with managing one’s time and resources in a way that serves God’s purposes. God has placed certain assets in your control that He expects you to manage: we all have varying amounts of talents, skills, influence, and money. And we all have exactly twenty-four hours each day. Balance is all about utilizing those assets as effectively as possible.

There are several ways to increase the “efficiency” of your life: first by pacing yourself and finding the sweet spot between over-exertion and lethargy. Then you can reduce your fixed costs by eliminating wasteful financial and time obligations. Finally, you can train yourself to increase your effective capacity for work. 

For starters, we must carefully consider the most important point of all: how does God measure effectiveness?

We define biblical stewardship as Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities. This requires the conversion of our hearts, minds, calendars, and pocketbooks. It means that decisions on how to invest our resources are really spiritual decisions that require faithfulness and wisdom.

It can be difficult to keep a biblical stewardship perspective in today’s culture. But in the end, godliness and contentment are key to living a strategic life!

(Audio note: Can you tell we picked a rainy day to record under a metal roof? Sorry about that! Even so, we give thanks to the Lord for sending rain to South Texas.)

Scripture from this Episode

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

“Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” I Cor. 4:1-2, NASB

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15, NASB

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” I Timothy 6:17-19, NASB

“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.” Proverbs 27:23, NLT

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing…” Proverbs 3:9-10, NIV

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3, NASB

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10, NASB

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Prov. 21:20, NIV

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Proverbs 6:6‐8, NIV

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another…” Romans 13:8a, NASB

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Prov. 22:7, NASB

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.

For Christians who are new to the topic of stewardship, this is the ultimate paradigm shift! How about you…are you seeking God for the answers to your financial decisions? Are you relying on Him for your provision?

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

We believe that financial decisions are really spiritual decisions. What we do with our money and how we use our possessions shows where our heart is. It all comes down to giving full ownership back to the Lord.

(Audio note: Can you tell we picked a rainy day to record under a metal roof? Sorry about that! Even so, we give thanks to the Lord for sending rain to South Texas.)

Scripture from this Episode

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it on the seas and established it upon the waters.” Psalm 24:1-2, NIV

“Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.” I Chronicles 29:1-2, NASB

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.” Proverbs 19:21, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

How do you live a strategic life? How do you make the most of the resources that God has entrusted to your care, and avoid the pitfalls that distract you from His calling on your life?

In this video, we share 5 keys for Christians to live intentionally and effectively. When these 5 strategic elements come together, Christians can live the fruitful and abundant life that God has called us to live.

You can dive deeper into this study by listening to our podcast series that starts with podcast episode six, which is called “Living a Strategic Life”.

As you listen, we hope you’ll see that there is no greater joy to be found in life than in fulfilling the calling that God has given you.

While on a book tour in 2019, the Benham brothers declared, “America is changing. Not from Christian to secular, but from secular to pagan.”

It’s true. America is now operating as a pagan nation. Its citizens have allowed the killing of the unborn. Its judiciary has gone against the biblical mandate for holy matrimony. And many churches are choosing to walk hand-in-hand with the culture instead of standing up for biblical truth. These are signs of the times, but are they signs of the end times?

Defining the End Times

The “end times” started in the first century AD. The apostles considered themselves to be living in the end times, which biblically means the period of the new covenant leading up to the second coming of Jesus.

In modern times, major prophetic events have come to pass: Israel once again becoming a nation, the restoration of Jerusalem, and the Jewish people returning to their homeland. These signs show us that we are nearing the end of the end times.

In Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13, Jesus gave a list of “the beginning of birth pangs” that would be precursors to His return, including persecution of the saints, false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. The takeaway from these prophetic passages is that there are signs to watch for.

God has a specific timeline for the events of the end times, and in His grace He has revealed enough of it to us that we shouldn’t be lost or confused when we see it unfolding. (Check out this article for a list of biblical signposts that can help us identify where we are on the biblical, prophetic roadmap.)

So, yes, we are living in the end times. However, the “birth pangs” have just begun and no one knows when Jesus will return. As one prophecy teacher described it, “Today we are one day closer to the end than we were yesterday.”

Alert and Expectant

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”
Matthew 24:42

Two of the basic principles that Scripture gives us about the end times are that the day of judgment is coming soon and that there will be a great apostasy as the return of Christ draws near.  But how soon is “soon”?

Many believers throughout the centuries have expected Jesus to come back in their lifetimes, and they were right to do so. The Bible admonishes us to be alert and expectant. If He delays, it is out of grace so that more may be saved. Regardless of the amount of time that passes, the day of judgement will come “soon” in this regard: it will be much sooner than the world or any complacent believer expects.

According to Faith

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen,
in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household,
by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness
which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:6-7

Perhaps the best example of a man who understood prophetic urgency was Noah. God gave Noah a prophetic revelation about the coming judgment of his generation and He assigned Noah a task to prepare for it. The Bible does not record any reluctance or delay on Noah’s part; instead, it says, “Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him” (Genesis 7:5).

Our mission at Living Strategically is to help you strategically pursue your God-given purpose. God probably hasn’t called you to the same assignment as Noah, but He has given all of His children specific callings. Through faith and obedience, we need to be following God’s will for our lives.

Noah lived in an age where “every intent of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, being a righteous man who was blameless and walked with God (see Genesis 6:8-9). The Lord declared that Noah and his family would be spared from the coming destruction, because Noah was the only righteous one in his time (see Genesis 7:1).

What does it take to live righteously? A commitment to honor the Lord in all that we do. Standing firm on a biblical foundation and unwavering faith. And rising up to our divine callings.

For Such A Time As This

These are prophetic days. Days just like the days of Noah. And before we know it, our Savior will return. We read in Matthew 24…

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:37-39

From studying God’s Word, we understand the big picture. We see the signs of the times and we fully trust in God’s plan. Now it is time for biblical Christians to live each day with prophetic urgency.

Simple living is an attitude of the heart that can help us align with God’s plan for our lives and find true fulfillment. The world will tell you to aim for quantity over quality. And we are always supposed to want more, more, more.  But that actually leads to a stressful life. Simplicity creates margin and it helps us prioritize the essential.

An Aspect of Stewardship

We see the topic of living more simply as an aspect of stewardship and it also goes along with living with an eternal perspective. Those are two of our five pillars of living a strategic life. In our key verses for Living Strategically, Ephesians 5:15-17, God tells us to pay careful attention to how we conduct our lives, making the most of our time on earth.

So how do you know if you need to live more simply? You must learn to spot the warning signs that something needs to change:

• Do you lack peace of mind?
• Are you losing sleep at night?
• Is your daily schedule overwhelming because you are over committed?
• Is your health suffering?
• Are you drowning in debt?
• Do you feel unsatisfied, as if you have to continually chase after more?

You must discern when enough is enough. In fact, it’s even better when you can recognize those warning signs as early as possible, before natural consequences take their course.

Ecclesiastes 6:13 tells us, “There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.” And verse 18 goes on to say, “Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.”

King Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, knew a thing or two about having a complicated life.  Maybe he was looking at his own life when he saw “riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.”  In fact, most of the book of Ecclesiastes is about Solomon trying to find meaning and fulfillment in all the ways that the world has to offer, and yet coming up empty handed.  But his conclusion in 6:18 is beautifully simple: basically, we should enjoy the simple pleasures in life and be content to do an honest day’s work.

They Weren’t Satisfied

We live in a society of excess, but God designed us to live simply. Consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God provided everything they needed in that beautiful garden. They had food, water, shelter. They had companionship with God and with their spouse. And their God-given calling was to be stewards of the garden. Genesis 2:15 says, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.”

But they weren’t satisfied. There was a boundary that God told them not to cross, a tree they were not to eat from. God told them the consequence would be death if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

But read what happened in Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

So, first of all, it brought delight to Eve’s eyes. It was desirable to make her wise. And then she shared it with her husband. In the end, Adam and Eve had many sorrows from their sin. They had to leave the garden, and their relationship with God was greatly impacted.

Eve got caught up in the sin that started from not being satisfied with the life that God had provided. It wasn’t enough for her. She went on to cross the boundary that she knew was wrong to cross. So, what about in our own lives?

Pleasing God

It says in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” This verse reminds us that serving God is more important than striving to please men or even our own desires. The Lord should be our focus.

And in Hosea 13:5-6, God tells the Israelites, “I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.”

God cared for the children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, but when they finally settled in the Promise Land, which was flowing with milk and honey, they became proud and ungrateful. And this verse tells us they forgot their God. Again, the Lord should be our focus in life, but too often we become complacent with what the world has to offer and we lose our focus.

Our chaotic culture tries to sell us a bag of lies in this area. But here’s the truth:

• You cannot maintain an overwhelming schedule. It will damage your health and important relationships will suffer.
• You cannot financially afford an endless cycle of consumerism and increasing your standard of living. You’ll end up in a financial crisis.
• And a larger home or a nicer car will not give your family true happiness. Only the Lord can give you lasting happiness, not physical possessions.

Not to mention that continuously striving for more is an unhealthy way to live. God wants better for us.   Over the years we’ve learned that contentment is the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds. And God’s plan is the only way to find lasting contentment and true fulfillment.

Getting Personal

For us personally, we made the commitment to be better stewards and live with an eternal perspective in 2013, after being married for 7 years. (That’s also the year we started Living Strategically.)

The first seven years of our marriage were invested in various ministry opportunities, getting college behind us, paying off all debt besides our home, and becoming self-employed. Those seven years were jam-packed, and we finally reached a point where we knew we needed to intentionally slow down and live more simply. We needed more safeguards in our lives to make sure that God was our #1 focus in all areas of life.

We basically started saying “no” more often than “yes”… and being more intentional with how we spent our time, our money, how we served in ministry opportunities, and even in some activities with family and friends. Now we are in our seventh year of intentionally living more simply, and we have found such a deep level of contentment.

Time to Prune

In order to do this, we had to prune off the things that were not yielding a return for their investment of time, money, energy, etc.  And when you prune something, you see new growth. It was a strategic move that has paid off!

Some areas where we set some strategic boundaries included:

• Time wasters like social media and spending too many evenings in front of the TV. We deleted our social media accounts and no longer own a television set. (We will say, though, that in our free time and for educational purposes, we do watch videos on YouTube.)
• We also became more intentional about our purchases. This has saved us money and stopped the flow of excess from coming into our home. It saves us time because we own fewer items to maintain, and it helps us practice contentment and delayed gratification.
• We intentionally take a Sabbath rest day once a week, which gets us refreshed and gives us extra time with God.
• And a big area of de-stressing our lives was limiting our church and ministry commitments. We took a hard look at where we were serving and only stayed in the areas that aligned with our God-given calling. In some areas, we had been “volun-told” to do tasks and some of those tasks eventually didn’t make the cut. This required a lot of prayer to make sure we were making wise investments for God’s kingdom.

Evaluating the Spiritual Value

One thing that helped us prioritize in these areas was asking “What is the spiritual value in this activity, project, or commitment?” Honestly, some things added up to “busy work” and we had to let those things go. We realized that God doesn’t call us to do it all. And we found that simplifying our commitments and our finances gave us more time for our priorities in life: our relationship with God, our marriage, and our life’s calling.

Being human means that we have limitations, including limited time and resources.  We had to decide what was making a lasting impact for God’s kingdom and lining up with God’s will for our lives. And we also needed more margin. We needed more times of rest in order to be our best. And more margin gave us time to evaluate which areas were unfruitful for us.

It’s All About Balance

Balance is a very important part of this equation. Some people go to an extreme and see how minimally they can survive. Some people take it to the opposite extreme and become hoarders. Either extreme can be an unhealthy obsession, rather than a simple way of life, because the focus is on stuff rather than on God.

As Christians, we should be using our resources to serve God, serve others, and provide for the needs of our family. That’s wise stewardship. It’s not about having the least amount of stuff or the most amount of stuff.

And the goal of living simply is not to reach a point where we can relax and take it easy, either. We want to find a healthy balance in our daily schedule between being consumed and being lazy. We need a work-life balance, with times of rest and renewal.

Getting Strategic

The key is finding the point where you are the most effective for God’s purposes for your life — in your investments of time, energy, money, and talents.

This requires a strategic process and we came up with an acrostic that spells “SIMPLE” to help us describe the process: Stop and take inventory, Invest in what really matters, Manage your resources wisely, Peace and Love, and Evaluate. Let’s expound…

S – stop and take inventory, evaluate where you need to implement changes in your life.

I – invest in what really matters, prioritize the most important and say “no” to what doesn’t line up with God’s priorities for you.

M – manage your time, relationships, assets, and abilities as good stewards…remembering that God owns it all. Managing things on a daily basis for an eternal impact.

P – peace: If you are losing peace and stress is setting in, that is an indicator that something needs to change. As you are managing things, monitor your level of peace and make changes where needed. We are always making adjustments when needed.

L – love: God’s greatest commandments are to love Him and love others. We keep margin in our schedule in case we need to spend extra time with God or others, filling our love tanks or someone else’s love tank.

E – evaluate: daily, weekly, monthly, annually. Make changes where needed, being guided by the Holy Spirit. Life is full of changes. We grow, we need to refocus in certain areas, we have a life changing event.  The point is to keep evaluating things and be flexible.

If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to cultivate a simpler lifestyle. But remember, this process is ongoing and takes a daily commitment to stay the course.

The Parable of the Sower

Now we want to close with a passage from the book of Mark that tells the parable of the sower and the four soils. Specifically, the verses that talk about the seed sown among the thorns.

Mark 4:18-19 says, “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the Word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Living more simply is about the attitude of your heart. Don’t get distracted with riches, desiring things, or the worries of the world. Those thorns are part of a temporal world that is passing away and they lead to an unfruitful life.

Living strategically means being a faithful steward with an eternal mindset. And keeping God at the center of your life. Living simpler is the answer to so many worries in life, but only the courageous will make the necessary changes to take hold of that which is truly life.

As always, we want to give away the resources that we create for free, so we invite you to click this image to download a FREE copy of our eBook. It contains 20 pages that can help you live more strategically!

The Bible says that “man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” It also says that we “are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” In other words, life is short. Life is also unpredictable. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. So how do we make the most of the brief, uncertain time we have on earth? You have to have a strategy.

In our eBook “5 Keys to Living Strategically”, we study what the Bible says about a life lived with intention. We see these five keys as essential elements for any Christian who wants to make the most of their life.

As always, we want to give away the resources that we create for free, so we invite you to download a FREE copy of our eBook.

These 5 strategic keys form a foundation for Christians who want to build a life of purpose and true fulfillment:

1. Eternal Perspective

   The Bible tells us that part of living wisely is remembering that this earth is not our home. Our real citizenship is in Heaven and we are to invest our temporal assets in ways that gain eternal dividends.

   Related verses: Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 John 2:15-18

2. Stewardship

   God is the owner of all that we manage, which makes us stewards. Wise stewards use their time, energy, money, and talents in ways that bring God glory and advance kingdom purposes. When we are faithful stewards, God’s blessings follow.

   Related verses: 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, and 1 Peter 4:7-11

3. Freedom

   We know from the full counsel of Scripture that God desires for His people to be free — free from sin and encumbrances that hinder our effectiveness as Christians. We find this freedom when we walk daily by the Holy Spirit, because He keeps us on the straight and narrow and helps us to see sin for what it really is (captivity) and submission to God for what it really is (freedom).

   And in our foundational verses, we see what we should be doing with that freedom: choosing to walk with wisdom and managing our time for maximum impact.

   Related verses: Galatians 5 and Hebrews 12:1-3

4. Prophetic Urgency

   Because we are living in the end times, it is crucial to use our days wisely. We must also stay on the alert because our culture will only become increasingly evil. We need to be doing the will of God and studying the Bible, in order to be bright lights in the darkness.

   Related verses: Mark 13:33 and Matthew 24:37-51

5. Biblical Framework

   To know the will of God, we must be getting daily nourishment from God’s Word. This practice builds our faith and keeps our focus on Christ. A biblical framework is the most important key to living a strategic life!

   Related verses: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 and Hosea 14:9

When these five strategic elements come together, we can live the fruitful and abundant life that God has called us to live. We pray that you will apply these five strategic keys to your own life and reap the blessings that follow. Download a FREE copy of our eBook to dive deeper into the study!

In the Bible, Paul told the Galatians, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) The concept of freedom and slavery is interwoven throughout the Bible. From the time of Moses leading the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, all the way through the New Testament where the apostles talk about freedom from spiritual slavery, this running theme is there to help us understand our spiritual condition and why we need the new life that God is calling us into.

Salvation

For example, have you ever considered how the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt was a foreshadowing of the plan of salvation? Their captivity in Egypt was like a person who is lost, then they were called out of the land. And their deliverance from the curse of death was accomplished through the blood of a lamb on the doorposts of their homes, just like the blood of Messiah (our Passover lamb) delivers us from eternal death.

But then in the wilderness, which is like our life after salvation but before eternity, when the Israelites were free from captivity there was a constant temptation to return to slavery in Egypt. Being free was difficult in a way that was different from the hardship of slavery.  As slaves, their lives were predetermined for them. It may have been miserable, but it was familiar and predictable, and it didn’t require faith.

But God’s purpose for the Israelites required them to be free, which meant that they had to go out into an unpredictable world and have faith that God would provide. That pattern shows up again and again throughout Scripture.

Laying Aside Encumbrances

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

We can identify two basic ways that Christians today try to leave their freedom and return to slavery. One is to be weighed down, distracted, and hindered by the cares of this world. And the other, to put it frankly, is bondage to sin. And how do we get past these obstacles? The second verse in Hebrews 12 gives the answer…by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”.

Here are some examples of encumbrances in our modern culture, that may not cross the line of sin, but can still keep you from living in freedom:

• the endless accumulation of possessions
• the pursuit of financial success and status
• financial debt
• being distracted with screen time and social media
• being too busy
• dysfunction in a family or a workplace
• tolerating toxic relationships

1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” That’s the standard we have to apply to everything in our lives. Whenever you feel something weighing you down, or competing with the Holy Spirit for control of your life, that’s probably something that you need to prune back or remove entirely.

Another thing to keep in mind is that stress is a warning sign that there’s an issue that needs to be dealt with, in order to restore balance and health. Stress can serve a temporary purpose, but if stress has become a permanent thing in your life, that’s no longer living in freedom!

The Trap of Sin

“…through Him [Jesus Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39

In our modern Christian vocabulary, we talk about “being saved”. But the Bible also uses the phrase “to be freed” in the same way. That’s a powerful way of looking at salvation!  Sin is captivity. Salvation is freedom.

Ironically, sin usually masquerades as freedom. To the sinner, holiness can look very restrictive. But the test that shows that sin is really a form of captivity is when you try and put it down. If you can’t stop doing something that God calls sin, then that sin is controlling you. It’s slavery, not freedom.

The list of sins that Satan tries to use to entrap us could be limitless, but here are some examples:

• Emotional lives – pride and bitterness
• Social lives – gossip or any time we chose not to love our neighbor
• Physical lives – addictions or sexual sin, or neglecting our bodies which are the temple of the Holy Spirit
• Financial lives – we can become enslaved to debt, as the Bible says, “the borrower becomes the lender’s slave”. Also, there’s the temptation to allow money to become an idol.
• Spiritual lives – The spiritual aspect encompasses all of the above sins, but there’s also a hidden danger of embracing man-made religion, like the Pharisees, instead of the pure and liberating Gospel!

We need to realize that, like us, Satan also thinks strategically. He will focus most of his efforts on our areas of weakness, to lead us to sin, and the Bible tells us that sin leads to death. That death can be emotional, social, physical, financial, as well as spiritual. We should be extra cautious in any area that we know is a personal weakness.

Christians who stray into sin, to borrow the words of Paul, “pierce themselves with many griefs” (I Timothy 6:10). And there is a particular danger for Christians, because when you have been set free from something, and then go back to it, it is much harder to get free of it again! For example, the Israelites were set free from Egypt and they were an independent, sovereign nation for hundreds of years, but when they strayed and eventually went into captivity again, they remained the subjects of foreign powers for thousands of years.

The Israelites had sins that they kept tolerating, and we as Christians need to take that example and not just focus on symptoms. When we are struggling with sin in our lives, we need permanent solutions. We don’t need a Band-Aid fix that covers things temporarily. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we need to end that sin completely. We need complete restoration. Turning back to living a life of freedom!

Walking by the Spirit

We started this article with Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” And the entire chapter of Galatians 5 is like the handbook on freedom in the New Testament. Verse 16 gives us the secret weapon in the battle for freedom. It says, “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Walking by the Spirit is the key to staying out of the enemy’s traps and it’s also the key to right living. It’s how you stay out of dysfunction and toxic relationships. It’s how you set your priorities so you don’t drown in a schedule filled with fruitless tasks. The bottom line is when we walk by the Spirit, it keeps us on the straight and narrow, because we see sin for what it really is (captivity) and we see submission to God for what it really is (freedom).

Let’s close with 2 Corinthians 3:17, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” When we pursue things that lead to freedom, we can set aside encumbrances and live a life unhindered!

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

In these verses, we find a biblical prescription for living wisely and making the most of our short time on earth. They form a foundation for Christians who want to build a life of purpose and true fulfillment.

Five Keys to Living a Strategic Life

Whether it’s a podcast episode or blog post, everything we produce at Living Strategically touches on one or more of these five key concepts. We see these five pillars as essential elements for any Christian who wants to make the most of their life.

1. 1. Eternal Perspective

      “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise…”
      The Bible tells us that part of living wisely is remembering that this earth is not our home. Our real citizenship is in Heaven and we are to invest our temporal assets in ways that gain eternal dividends.

      Related verses: Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 John 2:15-18

   2. Stewardship

      “…making the most of your time….”
      God is the owner of all that we manage, which makes us stewards. Wise stewards use their time, energy, money, and talents in ways that bring God glory and advance kingdom purposes. When we are faithful stewards, God’s blessings follow.

      Related verses: 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, and 1 Peter 4:7-11

   3. Freedom

      We know from the full counsel of Scripture that God desires for His people to be free — free from sin and encumbrances that hinder our effectiveness as Christians. We find this freedom when we walk daily by the Holy Spirit, because He keeps us on the straight and narrow and helps us to see sin for what it really is (captivity) and submission to God for what it really is (freedom).

      And in our foundational verses, we see what we should be doing with that freedom: choosing to walk with wisdom and managing our time for maximum impact.

      Related verses: Galatians 5 and Hebrews 12:1-3

   4. Prophetic Urgency

      “…making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
      Because we are living in the end times, it is crucial to use our days wisely. We must also stay on the alert because our culture will only become increasingly evil. We need to be doing the will of God and studying the Bible, in order to be bright lights in the darkness.

      Related verses: Mark 13:33 and Matthew 24:37-51

   5. Biblical Framework

      “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
      To know the will of God, we must be getting daily nourishment from God’s Word. This practice builds our faith and keeps our focus on Christ. A biblical framework is the most important key to living a strategic life!

      Related verses: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 and Hosea 14:9

When these five strategic elements come together, we can live the fruitful and abundant life that God has called us to live.

“Five Pillars” Podcast Series from Living Strategically

We encourage you to dive deeper into this study by listening to the following five podcast episodes. Through this series, we aimed to unpack the five pillars of living a strategic life and study what the Bible says about a life lived with intention.

• Living a Strategic Life
• Living with Purpose
• Living Unhindered
• Living More Simply
• Living in the End Times

This study shows us that there is no greater joy to be found in life than fulfilling the calling that God has given you. And the impact it can have on others, both here on earth and for eternity, is astounding! We pray that you will apply these five strategic keys to your own life and reap the blessings that follow.

We also encourage you to watch this 4-minute video that sums up the podcast series.

Reed and Elizabeth Hewitt were blessed to meet Jonathan Cahn in April 2019 at The Jerusalem Center (one of the largest Messianic Worship centers in the world) located in Wayne, New Jersey.

We began our current podcast series telling listeners about the impact that Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn had on us in 2013, which led us to start Living Strategically. It seems fitting to end our podcast series by reviewing Jonathan Cahn’s new book, The Oracle: The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled, which was released in September 2019.

We’ve read all of the books from best-selling author Jonathan Cahn, since he first released The Harbinger. (The Oracle and The Book of Mysteries are now our two favorites.) Through Rabbi Cahn’s new book, you’ll learn about the prophetic history of Israel, from it being reborn as a nation in 1948 to present day events, and see the fingerprints of God through Jubilean mysteries.

Outline of the Episode

1:10 – Are we living in the End Times?
3:08 – Signs of the Times
5:42 – Cultural Christians
7:34 – Israel’s Prophetic History in The Oracle
9:14 – God’s Recurring Patterns from the Bible
10:14 – Israel’s Return to the Holy Land
11:36 – Prophecies Fulfilled, Following God’s Plan
12:53 – Jubilee of 1867 and the Ottoman Empire
13:23 – Jubilee of 1917 and the British Empire
15:05 – America’s Support of Israel in 1948
16:19 – Jubilee of 1967 and the Six-Day War
17:13 – Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel
18:09 – Jubilee of 2017 and President Trump’s Declaration
19:04 – Messianic Movement
20:13 – Worldly Pagan Roots
20:56 – Wrap Up

Scripture from this Episode

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6, NASB

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, NASB

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6, NASB

“If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.” Deuteronomy 30:4-5, NASB

Suggested Resources

End Times Signposts article by Reed Hewitt

Sermons by Jonathan Cahn through Hope of the World Ministries

The Oracle: The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled by Jonathan Cahn

Simple living is an attitude of the heart that God calls His children to live by in order to find true fulfillment. The world will tell you to aim for quantity over quality, but that actually leads to a stressful life. When we stay content with a more simple lifestyle, it helps us prioritize the essential and live more intentionally.

In our upcoming episode, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically, so be sure to subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17, NASB

“There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.” Ecclesiastes 6:13, NASB

“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.” Ecclesiastes 6:18, NASB

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15, NASB

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6, NASB

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10, NASB

“I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.” Hosea 13:5-6, NASB

“And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the Word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Mark 4:18-19, NASB

Sometimes we Christians come against obstacles that hinder our effectiveness, even hindering us from fulfilling our life’s calling. And that’s why the topic of freedom is so important. We need to aim for living unhindered! Here are some examples of encumbrances in our modern culture, that may not cross the line of sin, but can still keep you from living in freedom:

• • the endless accumulation of possessions
  • the pursuit of financial success and status
  • financial debt
  • being distracted with screen time and social media
  • being too busy
  • disfunction in a family or a workplace
  • tolerating toxic relationships

1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” That’s the standard we have to apply to everything in our lives. Whenever you feel something weighing you down, or competing with the Holy Spirit for control of your life, that’s probably something that you need to prune back or remove entirely.

The bottom line is when we walk by the Spirit, it keeps us on the straight and narrow, because we see sin for what it really is (captivity) and we see submission to God for what it really is (freedom). We pray that you will pursue things that lead to freedom in your life, so that you can live a life unhindered!

In our upcoming episodes, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically, so tune in weekly and subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12

“…through Him [Jesus Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39

“…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Suggested Resource

Living Strategically Book Recommendations

“Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord.
We lift up our heart and hands toward God in heaven…”
Lamentations 3:40-41, NASB

At Living Strategically, we’re all about using our time, energy, money, and talents in ways that make an impact for eternity. A wise steward knows that these assets are too precious to waste. Here’s a strategic method for examining your life and living with intentionality!

Evaluation Process

For our family, we sit down every six months and prayerfully evaluate how we’re doing on reaching goals and utilizing our resources. We keep a journal where we have written our key areas of focus and prioritize how to invest the next six months. These investments cover the areas of time, finances, ministry opportunities, personal projects, career, health, etc.

It’s so helpful to look back in the journal, covering many years, and see the progress we’ve made but also the path to follow for the future. As the months pass by, our written goals provide us with accountability and help us keep an eternal perspective. They also keep us on high alert for things that would distract or prohibit us from reaching goals.

We believe if we’re diligent in the little things, over time we’ll accomplish much. Like it says in Proverbs 21:5, “Plans of the diligent surely lead to gain…” Another version says, “Steady plodding leads to prosperity…”

Biblical Framework

It’s also important that our goals are based on a biblical framework. God’s Word contains all the wisdom and guidance we need to choose the right path. And God has given mankind the responsibility to do exactly that. If we don’t fulfill our responsibility to chart our course then someone else (bosses, advertisers, family members, our peer group) will chart it for us. We want to be following God’s agenda for our lives, rather than leaving it to chance or peer pressure.

Being Proactive

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Our personal evaluation method is completely opposite from basic human nature. Typically people react to circumstances instead of being proactive. Patrick Morley, author of The Man in the Mirror¹, says, “Instead, we rush from task to busy task, but we don’t call enough time-outs to reflect on life’s larger meaning and purpose. Rather, we live myopically from day-to-day-to-day; we live under the tyranny of today’s problems.”

Stewardship

An important part of stewardship is looking at the big picture rather than being short-sighted — taking the time to examine how we are investing the assets that God entrusts into our care. If we’re not careful, we’ll lose sight of our higher calling and reach the end of our lives without fulfilling our God-given purpose.

Are you managing your affairs with diligence and careful examination? We’d encourage you to take a time-out and truly evaluate how you’re doing in working towards God’s calling on your life.

¹ The Man in the Mirror written by Patrick Morley and published by Zondervan in 1997, updated in 2014.

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We also talk about the special calling that God gave to Abram/Abraham in Genesis 12 and how he demonstrated intentional focus and obedience to head toward the Promise Land as soon as he received that calling. It says in Genesis 12:4, “So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…” His obedience reminds us of the quote: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” This is where you start walking. Just like Abram, you start taking steps in the direction that God is leading you.

As Christians, we should live each day purposefully and intentionally. In order to do that, we must live our lives in response to God’s call. Once you answer that call, you are on your way to a fruitful and abundant life!

In our upcoming episodes, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically and study what the Bible says about this concept, so tune in weekly and subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31

“Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” Isaiah 43:7

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1-2

“So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…” Genesis 12:4

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Suggested Resource

Living Strategically Book Recommendations

There’s no greater joy to be found in life than fulfilling the calling that God has given you. And the impact it can have on others, both here on earth and for eternity, is astounding! In our upcoming episodes, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically and study what the Bible says about this concept, so tune in weekly and subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20, NASB

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17, NASB

Suggested Resources

Jonathan Cahn at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9xMxkNROto&list=WL&index=3&t=0s

Why has America been blessed?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoN9-Qnpmfg

As Christians, we should never lose sight of where our eternal home is because that affects all of our actions and decisions while on earth. The Bible tells us that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven and we should all be seeking that city which is to come, the new Jerusalem (see Revelation 21 and 22). It also reminds us that our real citizenship is in heaven and we should eagerly await our Savior’s second coming. A glorious homecoming awaits us at the end of this present age!

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Scripture from this Episode

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

“For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” Hebrews 13:14

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21

Suggested Resource

The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

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Reading these books, we are amazed at how little the Ingalls family had to make do with and yet how much abundance they felt like they had. They were pioneers and knew how to live off the land. At times they had harsh weather and endured financial hardships. Through it all, they had contentment, which is a strategic mindset, multiplying the effectiveness of their circumstances.

The Ingalls family also lived a very simple lifestyle, especially compared to American standards in today’s culture. They held possessions loosely and valued relationships over material gain. Being content with what God supplied allowed them to overcome challenges and leave an enduring legacy that still inspires readers today.

Scripture from this Episode

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” I Timothy 6:6-8, NASB

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13, NASB

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” I Corinthians 9:24

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Suggested Resource

Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

We like to listen to Christian podcasts while traveling in the car, doing chores, and exercising. It’s a great way to make the most of our time, allowing us to knock out two activities at once.

Sometimes it can be hard to find Christian podcasts that are worth the time investment. We’ll admit it, we are picky listeners. We prefer programs that are concise and get to the point. In our listening experience, typically podcasts that go much beyond 15 minutes seem to do so by adding filler rather than quality content.

If you are on the search for a great Christian podcast, we suggest you check out this list of our top ten favorite podcasts.

• MoneyWise (now Faith & Finances Live) is a daily radio ministry hosted by Rob West. The program offers a practical, biblical, and good-natured approach to managing your time, talents, and resources.

• Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch is a podcast about having a fearless faith in a compromising culture, hosted by Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of Billy Graham.

• Unashamed with Phil Robertson – The Duck Commander crew, including Phil, Al, and Jase, goes beyond the four walls of the church to unashamedly share God’s Word and study the Bible with you. So pour a glass of tea, and experience fun and inspiring stories of faith and family, straight from West Monroe, Louisiana.
  (Note: These episodes are a bit long, with a lot of rabbit trails—but they are entertaining rabbit trails.)

• Integrity Moments is a daily radio vignette hosted by Rick Boxx and dedicated to providing biblical wisdom for the marketplace. It encourages integrity and faith in the marketplace through practical workplace stories.

• The God Centered Success podcast with Mia Rene is designed for Christian entrepreneurs, leaders in the business world, who want to fulfill God’s calling on their life. If you have been called into the business world and you want to live your life according to God’s Word rather than the world’s way, then the God Centered Success podcast is for you.

• Pray the Word with David Platt is a podcast with short, daily meditations on God’s Word that not only drive us to pray, but drive how we pray. Featuring teacher, author, and pastor David Platt.

• The Ask Pastor John podcast shares daily audio clips from pastor and author John Piper, answering tough theological questions.

• The Focus on the Family podcast has provided encouragement and advice for the family since 1977. It is hosted by Jim Daly who has served as the president of Focus on the Family since 2005.

• The Revive Our Hearts podcast is hosted by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, who has an incredible passion and love for Jesus Christ. This is more than just a program for women–get ready for a personal, counter-cultural revolution in your heart and home!

• The Living Strategically podcast is a Christian podcast that gives a dose of encouragement and thought-provoking discussion about the Bible, simple living, and how to strategically pursue your God-given purpose.

That last podcast is probably the one we’ve invested the most time into, being that we are the hosts! We’re really excited about the new Living Strategically podcast and look forward to seeing how God uses it. It’s humbling for us to become a part of the Christian podcast world, among great servants of God who we have listened to and learned from for years. A great thing about serving our God is that He can use anyone, big or small, to glorify His name and impact lives for eternity!

Proverbs takes many different aspects of our financial lives and reveals the unifying thread:

In the long run, prosperity is inextricably linked to character.

In this post we have listed 39 passages from Proverbs that cover topics from tithing and generosity to greed and debt. Take a moment to see what these verses say about your approach to money and wealth!

Wealth & Riches

Proverbs highlights the fact that wealth is neither good nor bad on its own. It tends to be the natural result of diligence and integrity (albeit not necessarily right away). But we are cautioned that wealth is not always what it seems!

“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.” Proverbs 22:4, NASB

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.” Proverbs 21:5-6, NASB

“Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Proverbs 23:4-5, NASB

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.” Proverbs 27:23-24, NASB

“There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth.” Proverbs 13:7, NASB

“A rich person’s wealth is a strong city or like a high wall—in his imagination.” Proverbs 18:11, TLV

“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have a common bond, the LORD is the maker of them all.” Proverbs 22:1-2, NASB

Hard Work

Even though Proverbs warns us more than once not to wear ourselves out in pursuit of riches, it also emphasizes the importance of a good work ethic. There is also a measure of “work smarter, not just harder” in these verses, encouraging us to work at the most opportune time and to improve our skillset.

“Prepare your work outside and make it ready for yourself in the field; afterwards, then, build your house.” Proverbs 24:27, NASB

“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” Proverbs 10:4-5, TLV

“He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.” Proverbs 12:11, NASB

“Plans of the diligent surely lead to gain, but all who are hasty come only to loss.” Proverbs 21:5, TLV

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29, NASB

Wisdom

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In a classic example of God’s economy, we are told to seek wisdom instead of wealth… and then we come to find that wisdom leads to success on many different levels, often including our finances.

“Receive my instruction instead of silver and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than jewels, nothing you desire compares with her.” Proverbs 8:10-11, TLV

“How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” Proverbs 16:16, NASB

“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise person’s dwelling, but a foolish person devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20, TLV

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand.” Proverbs 19:21, NASB

“Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22, TLV

“Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” Proverbs 11:14, NASB

Righteousness

Looking for a good insurance policy? Try righteousness! Of course we know that the righteous do experience trials and tribulations, but the principle here is that godly living ultimately brings God’s blessing.

“The house of the righteous has great wealth, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.” Proverbs 15:6, TLV

“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28, TLV

“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.” Proverbs 3:33, NASB

Being Satisfied & Content

As an important corollary to the three verses above, Proverbs also explains that contentment is a more important ingredient in prosperity than the actual quantity of your riches.

“Two things I asked of You, do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:7-9, NASB

“By the fruit of his mouth a man will be satisfied with good. The work of a man’s hands will reward him.” Proverbs 12:14, TLV

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.” Proverbs 13:4, NASB

“The fear of the LORD leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.” Proverbs 19:23, NASB

Tithing & Generosity

Giving is one of the healthiest financial actions we can take. It breaks the power of greed in our lives. It allows us to be God’s blessing to someone in need. But perhaps most importantly, it is how we walk out our belief that God is in control and that He can make more out of what we have left over than we could have made if we hoarded our money.

“Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10, NASB

“There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 11:24-25, NASB

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Proverbs 3:27, NASB

“He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.” Proverbs 28:27, NASB

“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” Proverbs 19:17, NASB

Greed

The thing about greed, Proverbs tells us, is that it generally results in the opposite of what it seeks. Greed is often a shortcut to poverty, and even when a greedy person succeeds in accumulating wealth, they will not find the fulfillment that they expected.

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich. Be wise enough to restrain yourself.” Proverbs 23:4, TLV

“A stingy man chases after riches, but does not know that poverty will overtake him.” Proverbs 28:22, TLV

“A faithful man will have many blessings, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 28:20, TLV

“A greedy soul stirs up strife, but one who trusts in Adonai prospers.” Proverbs 28:25, TLV

“All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives.” Proverbs 16:2, NASB

Debt

Proverbs speaks bluntly about the danger of debt. It also has many verses that don’t mention debt directly, but which accurately describe modern, debt-fueled consumerism. Debt tends to be a shortcut that looks like a blessing at the time, but results in years of regret.

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7, NASB

“Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become guarantors for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?” Proverbs 22:26-27, NASB

“He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not become rich.” Proverbs 21:17, NASB

“It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.” Proverbs 10:22, NASB

The Bible tells us that God is a shield around the righteous and ultimately the only One who can protect us from harm. But a hedge of protection can work two ways. It is both a defense against dangers on the outside, and it is also a boundary to keep us inside the bounds of safety. When we go outside God’s boundaries, natural consequences will take their course.

Scripture from this Episode

“For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” Psalm 5:12, NASB

“He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” Ecclesiastes 10:8, KJV

“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones? So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.” Isaiah 5:4-5, NASB

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20, NASB

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1, NASB

As Christians, we similarly need to have a response of faith ready for the trials of life, ahead of when they hit. What will your response be the next time a loved one passes on to eternity? Or you face a financial hardship or loss? God knows our needs before we need them, and many times circumstances are completely out of our control. In this episode, we encourage listeners to rely fully on the Lord through the uncertainties of life, for He is faithful and He will always protect His children.

Scripture from this Episode

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

There are hundreds of names, titles, and descriptions given to God in the Bible, and in this article, we will look into ten key names that describe His innate qualities, His relationship to His people, and even hints of the Trinity.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.”
Proverbs 18:10

YHWH | Yahweh | Yehovah = Lord (all caps), I AM יְהֹוָה

Yahweh is the divine name that God uses to describe Himself in the Bible, and it is the most frequently used name for God in the Old Testament. Because it is so sacred, the Jewish people do not write or speak the name YHWH. Similarly in English translations, the name Lord is written in all caps to show reverence.

Yahweh described Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM”, meaning He absolutely is. He has no beginning and no end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is eternal and unchangeable. He is constant.

Throughout the Old Testament, the name Yahweh is used when a covenant is made between God and man. (See Genesis 12:1-7 and Exodus 6:7.)

Scripture using Yahweh:

• • “Declare and set forth your case; indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord [Yahweh]? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:21-22
  • “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord [Yahweh], our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stood upright. Save, O Lord [Yahweh]; may the King answer us in the day we call.” Psalm 20:7-9
  • “O Lord [Yahweh], You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord [Yahweh], You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:1-5

Adonai = Master, Lord God אֲדֹנָי

Adonai is a plural noun from the word “adon” which means lord or master and can also be used in reference to humans. When used as a name for God, we capitalize Lord. Its literal translation is “My Lords”, in reference to the Trinity.

Jesus told the people of Jerusalem that they would not see Him again until they declared that He is the true Messiah and their Adonai. We read in Luke 13:35 (TLV), “…for I tell you, you will never see Me until you say, ‘Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai [Master, Lord God]. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'”

As the Creator of the universe, the Lord God is master and ruler over all people. We are His creation and His possession.

Scripture using Adonai:

• • “For the Lord your God  is the God of gods and the Lord of lords [Adonai], the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17
  • “O Lord, our Lord [Adonai], how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!” Psalm 8:1
  • “Give thanks to the Lord of lords [Adonai], for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136:3

El = God | Deity אֵל

El is a root word in Hebrew. It is used for deity and conveys the ideas of might, strength, and power. Let’s look at ways it is used in combination with other Hebrew words to create the names listed below.

Elohim = Father God, Mighty Creator אֱלֹהִים

Through this name God reveals His might, power, and sovereignty. Elohim is also used to describe God as creator of the universe, as seen in the very first verse of the Bible. All things are possible for Elohim!

Like Adonai, the word Elohim is plural, but it is used with singular verbs. Many scholars see this as an allusion to the Trinity. This name encompasses the three-in-one nature of God.

Scripture using Elohim:

• • “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
  • “Arise, O God [Elohim], judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.” Psalm 82:2, TLV
  • “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God [Elohim], the Lord is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4

El Shaddai = God Almighty אֵל שַׁדַּי

El Shaddai is used nine times in the Old Testament, describing our all-sufficient and all satisfying God. He is the One who sustains us and meets all our needs.

Scripture using El Shaddai:

• • “I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]; walk before Me, and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” Genesis 17:1b-2
  • “So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him…’May God Almighty [El Shaddai] bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.’ ” Genesis 28:1-3
  • “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty [El Shaddai].” Psalm 91:1

El Elyon = God Most High אֵל עֶלְיוֹן

El Elyon is the sovereign ruler over all the universe. He is the most exalted God and the splendor of His majesty overshadows all of creation.

Scripture using El Elyon:

• • “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High [El Elyon]. He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High [El Elyon], possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High [El Elyon], Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ He gave him a tenth of all.” Genesis 14:18-20
  • “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High [El Elyon] will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
  • “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High [El Elyon] and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:34
  • “I will cry to God Most High [El Elyon], to God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalm 57:2

Jehovah Jireh | Yahweh Yireh = God Provides, The Lord Will Provide יְהֹוָה רָאָה

This special name only occurs one time in Scripture, when Abraham is offering up his son Isaac and God provides a ram instead. Many centuries later, God Himself did what He spared Abraham from doing. Jehovah Jireh provided for our deepest spiritual need by offering His one and only Son as a sin offering for us so that we can have eternal life.

Scripture using Jehovah Jireh:

• • “Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide [Jehovah Jireh], as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.'” Genesis 22:13-14

Jehovah Rapha | Yahweh Rapha = The Lord That Heals and Restores יְהֹוָה רָפָא

The Bible tells us that Jehovah Rapha can heal our physical sickness, give us emotional healing, and restore those who have not been faithful. We also read that Jesus (or Yeshua) gave us complete healing through His shed blood on the cross at Calvary.

Scripture using Jehovah Rapha:

• • “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer [Jehovah Rapha].” Exodus 15:26
  • “‘For I [Jehovah Rapha] will restore health to you and will heal you of your wounds.’ It is a declaration of Adonai. ‘For they called you an outcast: “Zion—no one cares about her.” ‘ ” Jeremiah 30:17, TLV
  • “He forgives all your iniquity. He [Jehovah Rapha] heals all your diseases.” Psalm 103:3

Jehovah Shalom = The Lord is Peace יְהֹוָה שָׁלוֹם

Jehovah Shalom technically only has one occurrence in the Bible (see Judges 6:23-24 below), though there are many more verses that teach us that Jesus is our source for true peace.

Only Jesus Christ can make us complete and whole, and this kind of shalom is not dependent on our outward circumstances. It says in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

And only through Jesus Christ are we made right with God. We read in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Scripture using Jehovah Shalom:

• • “The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace [Jehovah Shalom]. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Judges 6:23-24

Abba = Daddy, Dearest Father אַבָּא

The intimate name Abba comes from an Aramaic term for father. It occurs three times in the Bible, with all three verses listed below.

Scripture using Abba:

• • “And He was saying, ‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.'” Mark 14:36
  • “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!‘” Romans 8:15
  • “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!‘” Galatians 4:6

Yeshua | Jesus = Salvation, Safety יֵשׁוּעַ

In English we know the Son of God by the name Jesus, but His name in Hebrew is Yeshua which means safety and salvation. Since Jesus was raised Jewish in the land of Israel, it seems appropriate to call Him by His Hebraic name…Yeshua. Either way, we are assured in the Scriptures that anyone who calls on His name will be saved!

Scripture using Yeshua:

• • “This Yeshua [Jesus] is ‘the stone—rejected by you, the builders—that has become the chief cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!” Acts 4:11-12, TLV
  • “…so that at the name of Jesus [Yeshua] every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ [Yeshua the Messiah] is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11, NASB
  • For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua [Jesus] is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation.” Romans 10:9-10, TLV

Our Response

“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast
in the name of the Lord, our God.” Psalm 20:7

Isn’t it incredible that the God we serve uses names to reveal His character to us? He is a relational God and wants to grow deeper in relationship with His children. Studying His names is a great way to improve your prayer life and worship. Now you can cry out to your Creator using specific names for the situations that you face. And you can praise Him for distinct attributes and character qualities.

And, isn’t it fun to learn His names in Hebrew? Along with Aramaic and Greek, Hebrew is one of the original languages of the Bible from which our English translations are derived. How fitting to speak the names of God in their original language.

In this first episode, Reed and Liz compare their upcoming trip to a Christian’s journey through life. It starts with preparing for what is to come and knowing your purpose. You must also have a plan, while staying flexible and dependent on God’s guidance. And remember to “pack light” and take only what is necessary.

There are many more spiritual truths to be discovered on this trip of a lifetime, so tune in weekly and subscribe to the new Living Strategically podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

“Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” Psalm 144:4

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’ And He told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'” Luke 12:15-21

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

The Bible says that “man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” It also says that we “are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

In other words, life is short. Life is also unpredictable. We don’t know what tomorrow holds.

So how do we make the most of the brief, uncertain time we have on earth? You have to have a strategy.

We created Living Strategically to encourage Christians to live with a strategic mindset.

Living strategically is all about using our time, energy, money, and abilities in ways that make an impact for eternity. It’s investing our temporal assets to gain eternal dividends. It’s acting with great intention and purpose, knowing that one day we will give an account to the Lord for our stewardship of His resources.

Our key verses for Living Strategically are found in Ephesians 5:15-17: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise; making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Join us on this journey as we help you strategically pursue your God-given purpose.

www.LivingStrategically.com

What follows is our attempt to take a step back, look at the big picture, and share some signposts that can help us identify where we are on the biblical, prophetic roadmap. God has given His children knowledge of these signposts ahead of time so we will know how to best use our time and prepare for what comes next. That is what living strategically is all about.

When did the end times start?

The “end times” started in the first century AD. The apostles considered themselves to be living in the end times, which biblically means the period of the new covenant leading up to the second coming of Jesus. But there are many signs which will show we are nearing the end of the end times, the events of the book of Revelation that describe the final years leading to the return of Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13, Jesus gave a list of “the beginning of birth pangs” that would be precursors to His return, including persecution of the saints, false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. But Jesus is careful to explain that although these things must happen, they do not mean that the end is near. However, there will eventually be one giant, unmistakeable sign that ushers in a “great tribulation,” followed immediately by His return. (More on that in a moment.)

The takeaway from these prophetic passages is that there are signs to watch for. We are not completely in the dark, and while no one knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return, we should be able to see it coming.

The Next Signposts

War

Yes, war has been a regular feature in most of human history, and it is one of the things that Jesus said does not mean that the end has come. However, it is still worthwhile to pay attention to military actions in the Middle East because there are some unfulfilled Old Testament prophecies about wars. When these things come to pass, the world is one step closer to the resolution of the age.

• Some believe the “Gog of Magog” war, described in Ezekiel 38-39, will come before the events of Revelation.  Others believe this war describes the battle of Armageddon, which happens at the triumphant return of Christ near the end of Revelation. Either way, the scenario is that Israel will be attacked by its neighbors and other major powers, but will be miraculously delivered by the hand of God. If this war happens sooner rather than later, it will be hard to miss—but if it happens later rather than sooner, we shouldn’t let the absence of it affect our perception of other signs.
• Before the end, we will see war between the powers in the Middle East as described in Daniel 8:1-14. This war describes Iran (the ram) conquering new territory, but being overcome by “the goat”.  We believe this stands for Turkey, based on the connection to the territory of Javan (or Yavan) in verse 21. (Many translations render Yavan as Greece.) Four kingdoms emerge (verse 8), leading to the rise of the Antichrist (the “little horn”).
• The power structure of the world, and especially of the Middle East is likely to change, with a trend toward consolidation of power. Currently, there are three major regional powers in the Middle East vying for supremacy: Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. End times prophecy depicts the nations of the Middle East acting with a level of unity that at the time of this writing they do not currently display.

The Abomination of Desolation

This is the big one, the sign that cannot be missed, the lynchpin of end-times prophecy that both Jesus and Paul give as a fool-proof reference point.

Daniel 9:27 lays the foundation: “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week [a week of years, meaning seven years], but in the middle of the week [after 3.5 years] he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” (Brackets added.)

Jesus adds some detail in Matthew 24: “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. […] For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”

And Paul makes it crystal clear in II Thessalonians 2: “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

To summarize: there will be a powerful leader who initiates a seven-year “covenant” that involves Israel, but three and a half years into the covenant, he will set himself up as God in the temple. Other passages in Daniel and Revelation make it clear that the very end, the return of Christ, will happen three and a half years after the abomination of desolation.

When we see something that looks like the seven year covenant, we should be on very high alert.  When we see the abomination of desolation, we’ll know exactly, beyond any shadow of a doubt, where we are on the calendar of end-times prophecy.

It’s worth pointing out that the abomination of desolation requires the existence of the temple and the re-institution of the Torah’s sacrificial system in Jerusalem. If that seems far fetched to you, consider that 100 years ago, most people thought end-times prophesies about the nation of Israel could not possibly be literal because there was no nation of Israel. If God can bring back an entire nation to validate His Word, He can bring back one building!

The Events of Revelation

The entire tribulation that surrounds and follows the abomination of desolation is described in great detail in the book of Revelation. One key in studying this book is to look for Jesus in what you read. The first verse says, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place…” (Revelation 1:1).  Our faith in Jesus will get us through any trial, and we must remember that all the trials the earth will go through in the end times are part of the plan of God.  He will sustain us! Don’t let your hearts be troubled!

We know there will be war, terror, and severe weather during the tribulation.  There will be an increase in the shakings that God sends on the earth, first with the “seal judgments” (see Revelation 5-7) and then the “trumpet judgments” (see Revelation 8-9).  These shakings are meant to bring people to repentance but the majority will not turn to the Lord as their Savior. Satan will keep his strong hold on many.

It is our belief that the rapture is described in Revelation 14:14-16. The wrath of God greatly increases at this point, figuratively pictured in Revelation 14:17-20. His wrath takes the form of the “bowl judgments” in chapters 15-16 and culminates in the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-21).

Conclusion

As one begins studying prophecy of the end times, fear is a common reaction. But fear is a weapon of the enemy. Scripture never tells us to be afraid of the world or the powers of darkness. “Be sober, be vigilant,” absolutely, but never lose sight of the One who wins in the end.

Now you know the main signposts to keep in mind as we stay alert for the approach of the end of the end. Many prophecy teachers proclaim that the return of Christ could happen any moment, but it’s not as simple as that. God has a specific timeline for the events of the end times, and in His grace He has revealed enough of it to us that we shouldn’t be lost or confused when we see it unfolding.

Maybe you’ve heard of Passover or Yom Kippur, but did you know that there are seven total feasts prescribed in the Bible? These holy days contain precise prophetic details about the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.

Spend some time digging deeper into the Jewish roots of our Christian faith with this quick overview of the Biblical feasts and their past and future fulfillment.

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“Prophetic Fulfillment of the Biblical Feasts” by Living Strategically is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This means you can download and share this work as much as you like at no charge.  However, you must not alter this work or sell it.  You also must attribute this work to Living Strategically, which you can do simply by allowing the logo to show at the end of the video.

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The Mystery of the Shemitah¹ is an important read in today’s age. The author, Jonathan Cahn, is a Messianic Rabbi in New Jersey who also wrote the book The Harbinger. We have spent many hours listening to his sermons and researching the “mysteries” he reveals in The Harbinger, and we feel Pastor Cahn is a very down-to-earth, biblically grounded, cautious preacher who really does have a message from the Lord for America. (It was important to us to make sure he is not one for speculation or date setting.) His message for Believers is simple: stay right with God and stay pure in all your ways, in order to be a bright light in this world that is getting darker and darker. And for America, his message is to turn back to God, or else God will bring judgment on the nation as a loving act to bring us back.

We share this book with you because we believe the Shemitah pattern is biblical and applicable to us today. We believe God is a loving God who sends judgment when it is needed in order to turn people back to Him. Out of His love, He also warns before bringing judgment. If God chooses to bring a national shaking to our country in the years to come, we feel a need to send the warning to be ready.

While reading the book, Pastor Cahn would want you to keep in mind two cautions. First, while the author believes God is calling this nation back to Him, and it would seem that the pattern of every seven years (the Sabbath year, aka Shemitah) could bring a national “shaking”, God does not have to follow the pattern. On the flip side, God certainly could continue the pattern you’ll read about and we should be prepared if this happens in an upcoming Shemitah.

It seems that we have crossed a tipping point in America, and when a tipping point comes, momentum increases. Now is the time to stand strong for the Lord. Now is the time to stay grounded in the Word. Now is the time to rid our lives of anything that keeps us from total dependence on God. And, if our nation increases in boldness against God, we must increase in boldness for the things of God!

We have learned so much about the ancient Hebrew and present-day Jewish cultures from Rabbi Cahn since he was raised Jewish and is also a Believer. We hope this book will open your eyes to new insights that you may not have known before, and that you will prepare for the days ahead however God leads you. 

¹The Mystery of the Shemitah written by Jonathan Cahn and published by Frontline in 2014, updated in 2017.

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Do you believe that God has blessed America? Most American Christians do, but not many stop and think about what we’re supposed to do with all those blessings.

As Christians in a land of plenty, we need to take a long hard look at what our Lord expects of us — and at the extraordinary results that obedience will bring. Once we do, the idea of giving our wealth and our lives for the Kingdom starts to look less like a sacrifice and more like an investment.

Download

For your small group Bible studies, we have a printable, one-page discussion guide that digs deeper into the issues addressed in the video.

License

“Why has American been blessed?” by Living Strategically is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This means you can download and share this work as much as you like at no charge.  However, you must not alter this work or sell it.  You also must attribute this work to Living Strategically, which you can do simply by allowing the logo to show at the end of the video.

In the garden of Eden, there was nothing to be afraid of. Adam and Eve lived in a perfect paradise where now‐dangerous animals were tame and there were no diseases known to man. Unfortunately, we now live in a world that has fallen to sin (Romans 5:12, 18). When sin entered the world, so did pain, suffering, and danger, and on their heals came anxiety and fear, stealing our peace.

The phrase “do not be afraid” is listed 48 times in the New King James version of the Bible. The word fear is listed over 400 times! God knew that we would need guidance and instruction on this topic and He provided it. Out of His love for us, He commands us not to fear, fret, or be anxious (1 Chron. 22:13b; Ps. 37:7; Philippians 4:6), and through His presence, He provides the means of resisting fear. God’s primary reassurance when His people are facing fear is that He is with us and in control (Isaiah 41:13). He doesn’t say the world is a safe place, or that we won’t experience pain, but rather, His presence is greater than the dangers of the world (1 John 4:4).

The question remains, will we hear and heed His Word? Will we trust in Him?

Faith vs. Fear

“Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” Mark 5:36b, NASB 

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7, NIV

My wife and I recently watched a documentary that reported reasons why some states of the US support euthanasia. The top reasons did not have to do with a patient experiencing pain from a life-threatening illness, rather, a fear of experiencing pain at some point in the future. This puts into perspective how much of a stronghold fear can have on a person, even to the point of taking their own life.

God knows we have countless things in this world that we can be afraid of. That’s why He accompanies His commands of “do not be afraid” with promises of protection and provision.

Trusting in Him and His plan for your life is the only way to live confidently in this life (2 Timothy 1:7). Faith is the belief that God will take care of you. Fear is the belief that He won’t. When we choose to accept and embrace our fear, we’re basically telling God, “I don’t trust You.”

One of the great steps of faith taken by a disciple in the Gospels is when Peter leaves the boat to walk on water with Jesus. Peter was doing great on his “faith‐ometer” until he looked at the wind and “he became frightened” and began to sink (Matthew 14:30). After Jesus reached out and caught him, He remarked, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus equated Peter’s fear with a lack of faith.

Our Response

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27, NASB

Fear is a powerful emotion. If not dealt with properly, it can quickly grow until it becomes paralyzing. When this happens, it robs us of peace, cripples our judgment, and puts the enemy in control. Although the feeling of fear may come upon us through no fault of our own, we are accountable for how we respond to it. Every single day Christians must make the decision to either walk by faith or walk in fear. Ann Voskamp says in her book One Thousand Gifts that trust takes effort; it must be intentional and focused. “Sometimes, too often, I don’t want to muster the energy,” she says. “Stress and anxiety seem easier.” She goes on to say one must be trained to walk in certain assurance, keeping our “gaze fixed on God”.¹

The Bible has equipped us with many weapons in the fight against fear. If we are to win the battle, we must employ the tactics of our Commander.

• Trust – Chose to remember Who is in control (Proverbs 3:5‐6)
• Prayer – Pour out your heart before God (Philippians 4:6‐7; 1 Peter 5:7)
• Scripture – Hide God’s Word in your heart to recall in time of need (Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 37:31; Psalm 119:11)
• Holy Spirit – Rest in the comfort He provides (John 14:16 in KJV; Acts 9:31; Psalm 23:4)

Digging Deeper

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10, NASB

Each one of us has different fears in life and different “giants” we have to fight. Here are some areas that you may be struggling with fear in your life. Look down the list and look up any verses that fit with your personal circumstance. You will discover some great promises from our Heavenly Father!

• General anxiety – Philippians 4:6‐7, Lamentations 3:22‐23; Joshua 1:9
• Lack of confidence/fear of failure – 2 Timothy 1:7; Psalm 27:3; Mark 10:27
• Being punished for doing the right thing – Galatians 6:9; 1 Peter 3:14; Psalm 56:1‐4
• Hearing bad news – Psalm 112:7‐8 (NIV); Proverbs 3:25‐26
• Facing an unexpected crisis – Proverbs 3:25‐26; Psalm 46:1‐5
• Facing impossible odds – 2 Chronicles 20:15; Luke 1:37; Mark 4:37‐40
• Fear of the future – Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 78:52‐53; Matthew 28:20
• Fear of death – Psalm 23:4; Hebrews 2:14‐15
• Battling the enemy – Deuteronomy 20:1, 4; Psalm 46:1; Psalm 27:3
• Sharing the Gospel – Acts 4:29‐31, Acts 18:9; 2 Timothy 1:8‐12
• Facing life‐threatening persecution – Luke 12:4‐5; Luke 21:12‐19; Romans 8:35‐39; Psalm 56:4

¹One Thousand Gifts written by Ann Voskamp and published by Zondervan in 2010.

We have a spiritual epidemic spreading in our nation. It is impacting thousands of churches, leaving them unhealthy and unsuccessful in their Christ‐given mission to reach the world. One of them could be your home church. The cause of the problem? Allowing a worldly mind‐set to filter into an institution called to be set apart and holy (James 1:27, Titus 2:14, and 2 Cor. 6:16‐7:1).

Chuck Swindoll wrote a great book in 2010 called The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal ¹ . In it, Pastor Chuck describes the warning signs of erosion in a church and compares the signs of a worldly church and a godly church. (This chart lists these characteristics, with a few additions of my own.) As Chuck Swindoll says, erosion is “slow…silent…and subtle”. We are called to guard against it. We must stop the inner drifting away from Biblical foundations.

This is quite a list! No church will rate perfectly in “the blue”, so there is always room to work towards improvement. The key is not to ignore areas that need improvement (1 Peter 5:8). Denial is one of the most dangerous attacks of the enemy because it allows him to keep chipping away at our churches unchallenged. The first step to solving a problem is to admit that a problem exists (and then, of course, you must do something about it).

Another way we can fight against the epidemic of worldliness in our churches is looking at Acts 2:42, part of the foundation of a church, “teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer”. Pastor Chuck says these are to be essentials, part of a church’s core. If they are not, the church is susceptible to getting off course and carelessly losing Jesus as their main focus. To stay healthy, a church must pursue the good just as strongly as it opposes the bad.

The Business Mindset

“But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation
other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident…”
1 Corinthians 3:10 b‐13 a

Has your church let growth and numbers, marketing gimmicks, or a flood of “filler” activities become its main focus? Or does it seek to be contagious for the right reasons? It may be time to reevaluate our approach before erosion takes its toll. It’s essential to reach the unchurched, but we are headed down a slippery slope if we merely imitate the tactics of the world as we do so. So how do we make sure that we are building on the right foundation? We must follow a Christ‐centered example.

Operating a church like a business is not the method Christ modeled. He was interested in the depth of spiritual maturity of His disciples, not in the size of the institution. He didn’t use manipulative tactics, yet His message was still contagious. His impact on the lives around Him was long‐term. He did this through love and He provided what each of us needs most: a way to have a personal relationship with the Father. Bill Gothard says, “The source of our lights is the face of Jesus shining in us and upon us,” and that is exactly right. The tactics of the corporate world have no place in the church.

Matthew 21:12‐13 shows us exactly how Jesus felt when He saw the temple being treated like a place of business. It says:

“And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written,
“My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a robbers’ den.’ “

Our churches are to be houses of prayer, teaching, worship, and fellowship. Jesus is to be our main focus. It’s that simple! Too many are exchanging the simplicity of Christ’s model for worldly sophistication, and they are getting empty results in the end.

Our Response

“Churches merely reflect the lives and convictions of those individuals who make up the body of Christ.
We can stem the tide of erosion only one life at a time — beginning with our own.”
~Chuck Swindoll ¹

The best way to guard against erosion in your church and spiritual life is to stay in the Word and keep your spirit focused on the Lord. This is how you keep worldliness from contaminating your spirit. Do some self‐examination. Check for areas of neglect in your spiritual walk. Are you staying the course that God has set for you? Are you living proof that there is power in the Word of God? If you are, then your testimony will attract the lost more than any marketing gimmick ever could!

As Bill Gothard says, “May God give us discernment to attract people by the brilliant light of Christ rather than the clever manipulation of deceptive lures!” We need to be spreading Christ’s love, not drawing people into a shallow devotion that will soon grow cold. This starts with our own spiritual walk.

We can’t walk in worldly ways and shine for Jesus (see 1 Peter 2:9‐12). We must wear the armor of light, as it says in Romans 13:12‐14, laying aside the deeds of darkness. We need a deep focus that is, as John Piper puts it, realigned to “white‐hot devotion to Jesus Christ…and unremitting labor to rescue the perishing, perfect the saints, and glorify our sovereign Lord.”

Amen, and amen!

¹ The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal written by Charles R. Swindoll and published by FaithWords in 2010.

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As we interact with people throughout our week, sometimes it’s easy to notice a difference between those who have peace, security, hope, and joy flowing from their lives, and those who seem anxious, fearful, empty, and stressed out. Many times this disparity comes down to the simple matter of whether that person is operating their life in the will of God.

So what is the will of God and how do we make sure that we are living in it?

Defining God’s Will for Your Life

“Out of the will of God there is no such thing as success;
in the will of God there cannot be any failure.”
~Author Unknown

God has a specific plan for your life that will bring you the greatest blessing and fulfillment—in other words, God’s will for your life.

On the macro level, He has given all of us commands that, when obeyed, will keep our life on the right track (Eccl. 12:13‐14, James 4:17). On the micro level, the Bible doesn’t tell us who to marry, which job to take, or how much money to put into our savings account each month. So how do we survive the day‐to-day, specific decisions that life throws at us?

God has given us a powerful set of tools to help us discern the right path to take when we have a decision to make:

• The Holy Spirit, who guides us to the truth (John 16:13‐15, Psalm 143:10)
• The Holy Spirit also empowers you to break free from sin and its destructive consequences (Romans 8:1‐2, 12‐13)
• The Holy Bible, which gives us direction (Ps. 119:105, 2 Tim. 3:16‐17)
• “Prayer partners”, who can pray for you to be filled with the knowledge of His will in order to walk in His ways (Colossians 1:9‐10)
• Spiritual counselors, who help us recognize and follow His plans (Proverbs 15:22)

If you are wrestling with a big decision, you may find that you have more than one option that will bring God glory and fit with Biblical principles. How can it be possible for more than one alternative to be “in God’s will for my life”? Theologians call this the permissible will of God. In other words, God created you with free will and He expects you to exercise it within His boundaries.

The bottom line is that we need to be faithful in using the tools that God has given us, and He will lead us onto a path that brings Him glory.

Our Response

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God;
let Your Spirit lead me on level ground.”
Psalm 143:10

To put a spin on Dave Ramsey’s famous saying at the end of his radio show each weekday: there’s ultimately only one way to live a life of peace, and that’s to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus. This too is the first step to knowing God’s will for your life. If you are not focusing on God and making Him the top priority in your life (Matthew 22:37‐38, Proverbs 3:5‐6), then you won’t be tuned in with His Spirit when you need to know the next step to take in life. The most important step is earnestly seeking Him (through prayer and reading His Word) day by day.

Another thing to keep in mind is that we are on this earth for the sole purpose of bringing God glory (I Cor. 10:31). Knowing God’s will becomes a lot easier when you keep that in perspective. We have daily choices to make in life with, at times, an overwhelming number of options. It is helpful to merely seek out the choice that will bring Him the most glory and have an eternal impact, and then be willing to follow through in obedience.

The Sabbath is being observed less and less with the passing of each century in the United States. In colonial days, the colonists enacted the first “blue law”, which used the militia to enforce church attendance. (If you think that’s extreme, consider the Old Testament punishment for working on the Sabbath in Exodus 31:14‐15.) Many other “blue laws” followed over the next 400 years. These laws prohibited certain activities (especially retail sales) in an attempt to make people spend time in church and rest, rather than working on Sundays. According to Wikipedia, most of these laws have now been repealed. But why did our forefathers put such a special emphasis on Sunday in the first place?

In the 10 Commandments, we are commanded to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” and “in it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:8, 9). Many Christians live their lives at an unsustainable pace with nary an empty square on their calendars. God knows we all need down‐time in a world that constantly invites us to overcommit, so He gave us a great gift to refresh us, the Sabbath.

Balancing Life’s Demands

“‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you
throughout your generations…as a perpetual covenant.’
It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth,
but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:13b, 16b‐17

In a world that seems to necessitate not just hard work, but workaholism, meals‐on‐the‐go, and a constant flow of media, it can be difficult to realize when you’re stretched too thin. At some point, we need a break from the noise, a retreat to “recharge our batteries”. If we’re not careful, our emotional or physical health will throw us a warning sign that we need some boundaries, and the sooner the better! Also, our marriages and families need time together to reconnect. Thankfully God directed us to a better way of life, one that is not dictated by the priorities of our culture.

My wife recently read the book 10 Smart Things Women Can Do To Build A Better Life. The author, Donna Carter, says the Sabbath is “a commandment designed to make us more effective and available to the people around us and to help us build better lives.” It may seem illogical that taking a day off can make you more productive. You might be thinking, “I’ll just get more behind on _______ (fill in the blank) if I take a day off each week.” However, every step of obedience also requires a step of faith. We must believe that God, as our Creator, knows what is best for us. Carter also says, “We experience life like someone watching a parade. We see one event at a time with no idea of what is coming around the bend…[God] is in a much better position to judge what is best for you and for me.”

Our Response

“I just continue to believe that if God is able to make 90 percent of a tithing person’s
salary go further than 100 percent, He is able to make six days better than seven.”
~David Green, owner of Hobby Lobby (which closes on Sundays)

In Judaism, the Shabbat (Hebrew for rest, a.k.a. the Sabbath) is the last day of the week and the most important holy day on their calendar. Unfortunately they have overshadowed it with legalism, creating 39 categories of work that are forbidden on this holy day. As Believers, we have the blood of Christ covering our sins so the Law has been fulfilled (Matt. 5:17‐19) and we are no longer slaves to the Law. Observing the Lord’s day should not cause quarrels over what is or is not allowed (Rom. 14:1‐6). Rather, as with all of God’s commands, we should focus on obedience in our hearts, not only with our outward actions.

It is critical to understand why God gives us boundaries. God is love, which means He wants to protect us from harm. Once we make this connection, we will see the Sabbath as a blessing rather than a burden (1 John 5:3). It may take some time to readjust your priorities, but don’t get discouraged. In the end, the things that you give up to observe this day of rest may not seem so significant after all.

Digging Deeper

“Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always,
that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!” Deut. 5:29

From the time of Moses to the New Church, the Bible has many examples of people who observed the Sabbath and were blessed, or failed to keep the Sabbath and were punished.

Take some time to look up the following passages or do a search online to see what else Scripture says about the Lord’s day. What can you take away from these verses to apply in your own life?

• Genesis 2:1‐3
• Exodus 16:22‐30
• Deuteronomy 5:1, 12‐15, 29
• Nehemiah 13:1‐18
• Isaiah 58:13‐14

Misconceptions About Salvation

“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does
not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:12‐13

The Bible describes salvation in very simple terms, yet there are still some common misconceptions.

Confusing the results with the cause. When a person comes to faith in Jesus, their life is bound to change. The Holy Spirit will begin making them more like Christ. They ought to obey the commands of Christ, such as being baptized as a sign of their faith. These things are the natural result of salvation, but they are not requirements in order to achieve salvation, which is “not as a result of works” (Ephesians 2:9).

Good deeds vs. bad deeds. Many people believe that you only get into Heaven if your good deeds outweigh your bad ones, despite the fact that this concept is nowhere in Scripture. This gives people the vague idea that they might be okay because they’ve lived a decent life. If you’re still holding on to this mentality, look up the Scripture references in Part 1 of this study. No one is good enough to make it on their own, and no one is bad enough that Jesus’ sacrifice cannot cover their sin.

The Old and New Testaments have conflicting versions of salvation. This myth stems from the idea that people in the Old Testament were saved by keeping the law. In truth, the law merely highlighted the need for salvation (Romans 3:19‐20); salvation has always come through faith (Hebrews 11). The only difference since the New Testament is that God has fully revealed His plan of redemption, which means that we are blessed with, and accountable for, a deeper knowledge of His grace.

Can I lose my salvation? People asking this question usually want to know if they can lose their salvation on accident by messing up really badly. The answer is no. God offered us forgiveness even though He knew about all our future sins, and those are also covered by the blood of Christ. Romans 8:38‐39 reassures us that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. (Also see John 10:28‐29.)

There are many roads to salvation. Scripture testifies that salvation is found in Christ alone (John 3:17‐18; Acts 4:12) and Jesus asserts that “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Even the Old Testament saints, though they didn’t have all the details, had faith in God’s mercy and grace for redemption. Now that God has revealed the full plan, we are all the more accountable.

The Redeemed Life

The most immediate facet of salvation is the part about being saved from judgement in Hell. That is certainly good news in and of itself, but that’s not where the Gospel ends. Salvation initiates a process of restoration to God’s original design. In that design, humans are meant to:

1. Have a close, worshipful, and loving relationship with their Creator (Gen. 3:8 implies that God literally walked with man before the fall. See also Galatians 4:4‐7; 1 Cor. 1:9.)
2. Interact with each other as members of a loving family (Mark 10:29‐30; John 13:34‐35)
3. Always do what is right and pleasing to God (Matt. 5:48; Romans 12:1; Col. 1:9‐10)
4. Undertake the challenging and rewarding work of managing the creation (Gen. 1:28; Eccl. 2:24)
5. Live abundantly and eternally (John 3:16, 10:10)

In a Christian’s earthly lifespan, all of those points will be accomplished partially, but none of them fully. This process of spiritual maturing is known as sanctification, and it includes all of the learning, growing, struggling, suffering, and healing that makes us more like Christ. Chuck Swindoll writes, “the conversion of the soul is the miracle of a moment, but the making of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”

So why doesn’t God make His followers perfect the instant they believe? For one thing, we get to experience a unique perspective on God’s grace. When we stumble, His mercy is magnified. When we are victorious—even in our current imperfect state—the power of the Holy Spirit is shown in us. He leaves us weak so that we can experience His strength.

Another reason for our delayed perfection is that we get the chance to work, struggle, and fight for the right things, now that we know what those things are. Jesus promises to reward those who suffer for Him (Matt. 5:11‐12) and do good works in His name (Matt. 10:42). Our remaining earthly lives allow us time to store up treasure in Heaven (Matt. 6:19‐21). Such rewards are separate from and in addition to salvation (1 Cor. 3:12 -15).

For now, God has delivered us from the power of sin, but not from it’s influence. He has given us new spiritual life, but He has not yet removed physical death from the equation. Ultimately, it is God’s place to decide when and how we are finally made complete, and He has chosen the method that He knows will make us most like His Son.

Eternity: The Big Picture

The aspect of salvation that I find most exciting is the part that most Christians think and talk about the least: eternity. This is where it all comes together, where all the mysteries are revealed and where all the wrongs are righted (Rev. 21:4). The five components of God’s original design listed above are brought to fulfillment and the whole scope of God’s plan of redemption finally comes into view. God does not merely save random individuals for eternal preservation in a heavenly lounge room with fluffy cloud sofas; He is redeeming all of creation (Romans 8:19‐23), starting at the top with man and continuing until the very foundations of the earth have been remade in the last days (Rev. 21:1). This will not be a trivial remodel; the formation of the New Earth will be a scene to rival the original acts of creation, and every Christian will be there to see it. God’s people will likewise be new creations, given bodies like that of the risen Jesus, no longer subject to sickness or death or even temptation (1 Cor. 15:42‐55). Heaven and earth will be one in the same. Jesus Himself will be the king who rules the earth, not just in a spiritual sense, but in a literal, physical sense (Rev. 21:22‐22:5). The world will be perfect. Forever. That is the ultimate conclusion of the Gospel.

Digging Deeper

The concept of eternity in the new Heaven‐on‐Earth is far beyond the scope of this lesson. Fortunately, Randy Alcorn has written a book called Heaven which presents a powerful, insightful, and exhaustive look at our eternal home. It is highly recommended reading for anyone who wants to get a better grasp on the final result of salvation.

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Of all the doctrines of the Christian faith and all the truths contained in Scripture, perhaps the most essential—and the most amazing—is the gift of salvation. Unfortunately, this topic is often distorted with legalistic rules, or worse, it is watered down until it looses its true power and meaning. When I hear professing Christians say, “All we can do is hope we get to Heaven one day,” it shows there are some serious misunderstandings about what it means to be “saved.” The salvation taught by Jesus (and made possible through Him) is both simple enough for a child to understand and powerful enough to change the universe.

Back to the Basics

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners‐ of whom I am the worst.”
I Timothy 1:15

Before digging into the what and the how of salvation, let’s take a moment to consider the why. In this age of moral relativism, the concept of sin is denounced as unenlightened, and the idea that a loving God would punish “sinners” is considered impossible simply because it is unpopular. Yet the Bible makes it clear that all people, aside from Jesus Himself, have fallen short of God’s standard of righteousness—that is, we have all sinned (Romans 3:10‐12, 23), and all sin has fatal consequences (Genesis 2:16‐17; Romans 6:23). God, because He is perfectly holy and just, will not allow any sin to exist without the due penalty (Isaiah 13:9‐13).

If that was the end of the story, then every human being who ever lived would be condemned to death and eternal separation from God, and God’s original intentions for His creation would have been defeated. But God was not surprised by sin, nor were His purposes thwarted by it. From the very beginning (2 Timothy 1:9‐10), He had a plan to restore sinful people back into a relationship with Him:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and suffered an execution designed for the worst of criminals. In doing so, He paid the penalty for the sins of all who would believe in Him (1 Peter 3:18). Then He rose from the dead, having earned what He already owned: authority over all things, including death.

Our Response

“Since no man is excluded from calling upon God the gate of salvation is
open to all. There is nothing else to hinder us from entering,
but our own unbelief.” ~John Calvin

Now that we’ve reviewed why every person needs salvation and what Jesus did to make it possible, how does it actually work? What must a person do to be saved? Many verses in the Bible answer this question, but my favorite is Romans 10:9 (see beginning of post). Let’s look at that verse step by step:

• “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord” – This means that you acknowledge Jesus’ authority over you and you are willing to be identified with Him (Matthew 10:32‐33).
• “believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead” – You have faith that Jesus really did die and rise again, and that His sacrifice paid the penalty for your sins so that you can be forgiven. This faith only comes from a repentant heart—you can’t truly accept forgiveness if you are not sorry for the wrongs you have done (Mark 1:14‐15).
• “you will be saved” – Your sins are forgiven, you are guaranteed eternal life in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:50‐54), and you are counted as a child of God and a co‐heir of Jesus (Galations 4:4‐7). In other words, you’re in.

Notice that there are no physical actions or special words required in the process. Salvation is truly a matter of faith. The Apostle Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8‐9). God has done all the work; we merely receive the gift through faith.

Digging Deeper

Next week, we’ll dig further into salvation, exploring some common misconceptions and taking a look at what a redeemed life looks like, both now and in eternity.

If you are reading this blog post and you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ (that is, you have not repented of your sin, accepted His forgiveness, and acknowledged Him as Lord), but you want to take that step, I encourage you to watch this short video with pastor Greg Laurie. He will lead you in a prayer that can help you express that decision of faith.

(If you’re not comfortable praying with a YouTube video, you can simply talk to God on your own, right where you are. If you want a real person to pray with you, then find your way to any Christian church and the people there will be absolutely thrilled to help you.)

What will bring you true and lasting happiness? Among the many supposed answers to that question you will find some of Satan’s favorite lies.

From the beginning, humans were created to want things—good things, like knowledge, food, and fellowship. Those desires motivate us to learn, work, and love our neighbors, but we run into trouble when our desires get focused on the wrong objects. Adam and Eve listened to the serpent’s lie that they would find ultimate fulfillment in the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6). In today’s age, the advertising industry carries the same message twenty‐four‐seven on more than 200 channels (in high definition, no less).

How should a Christian respond to both the cultural and internal drive to want, want, want? How can we find true and lasting happiness? The answer is contentment.

Contentment is the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds. Notice Paul’s “secret” to contentment in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Let’s look a little closer into how Christ enables us to be content in all situations.

Contentment has several building blocks:

• Love – allows us to put others first and de‐emphasize our own desires
• Joy and Peace – finding these in God releases us from seeking them in possessions
• Patience – because even when we want a good thing, we can’t always have it now
• Faith – believing that God will provide what we need
• Self‐control – to keep our wants in check

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If those character traits sound familiar, it’s because they are all found in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22‐23). A life lived in the Holy Spirit will bear those traits, and those traits collectively result in contentment. They are the building blocks and contentment is the house. They are the fruit and contentment is the fruit salad. That’s all well and good, you may be thinking, but it doesn’t make contentment any easier. That’s true. Contentment, like any other worthwhile character trait, takes practice. In the practice of contentment, here are a few helpful tips:

• Contentment does not mean avoiding money. Money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is what gets people into serious trouble (I Timothy 6:10, Heb. 13:5).
• God knows you need certain things to survive. He promises that if you make the kingdom of God your top priority, then God will supply what you need (Matt. 6:31‐34).
• Contentment is not an excuse for laziness. The Bible teaches that we should work hard and plan for the future (Prov. 6:6‐8). It also teaches that prosperity is the typical result of hard work (Prov. 21:5). However, scripture balances these teachings with the warning that peace and joy should not be sacrificed to gain wealth, which is fleeting (Prov. 23:4‐5).

Christian financial advisor Ron Blue summarizes contentment this way:

“No financial principle can have a greater impact on you or free you up more than this truth: Money is not the key to contentment! Contentment has everything to do with your relationship with God and nothing to do with your money. Once you are free from the love of money and the pursuit of it, you can have a lot or a little and be content all the same. At that point you have learned the secret to contentment.”

Digging Deeper

Read Exodus 20:17 (the last of the Ten Commandments). Why is this commandment necessary and how does it differ from the rest of the Ten Commandments?

King Solomon, perhaps more than any other person in history, had it all. Read Ecclesiastes 2:1‐11. What was Solomon’s response after attaining everything the world had to offer?