WEATHER FORECAST: WINTER STORMS LIKELY

WEATHER FORECAST: WINTER STORMS LIKELY
Thursday, September 15, 2022 by Leona Choy

I don't mean to be pessimistic about the outcome of the forthcoming mid-term elections and all the bright and shining hopes and prayers and prophecies we are sharing with one another. I'm an optimist at heart, not a naysayer. I don't want it to rain on anyone's parade. I hope for sunshine and an overwhelming victory for righteousness come November.

But let's be realistic. Threatening clouds hover on the horizon. At a certain point in history, God made the command decision that it was time for the ancient world to be judged for its gross evil. At another point, time was up for Sodom and Gomorrah. Is it time for God to judge the evil deeds of men and nations (including America the Beautiful but wicked)—or is it still mercy time? We can't second-guess God or presume we know the extent of His mercy. God will be God, and we must keep reminding ourselves that we are not God.

The matter of our deliverance seems to be a big deal in biblical history—woven throughout the stories of God's people in their life journeys. Sometimes God delivers, and sometimes He doesn't. Not that He is capricious but because that's His sovereign prerogative. He knows and has planned the overall panorama of time and eternity. He will mete out justice when it's time for separating sheep nations from goat nations and wheat from the chaff.

The Psalms are like a diary of David, the king and commander-in-chief of the army. He was always getting into some kind of scrape, distress, dilemma, or falling into a miry pit and calling on the Lord for deliverance—God repeatedly answered—but sometimes He allowed David to go through the trial. “I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). “You surround me with songs of deliverance” (32:7).

It's not a matter of God being “able” to deliver us when we call upon Him. Of course, He is able! And He invites us to ask Him for help. The way and the time He chooses to deliver us is up to Him who knows what is best for us on any given occasion.

In the Bible account, three young Hebrew men were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to compromise their faith and worship the idol of king Nebuchadnezzar. Before they were thrown in, they declared, as recorded in Daniel 3:17, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king...but even if He does not...we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image.” Either way, it was going to be a win-win situation.

The Lord did not see fit to keep them from that furnace, but He joined them in the furnace and then delivered the literally cool and faithful young adults out of it safely without being singed or burned or smelling of smoke.

Later when Darius the Mede was king, Daniel served under him as commissioner in line to be appointed over the entire kingdom. Motivated by jealousy of Daniel by the other administrators, the king was tricked into throwing Daniel into a lions' den for praying and giving thanks to his God openly, as was his habit. That was in disobedience to an edict the king could not revoke. Credit the pagan king who said hopefully to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” The following day after Daniel was pulled out of the den alive without injury, the relieved king declared, “The living God...delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders...and has also delivered Daniel.”

Deliverance is defined as "a rescue from bondage or danger." Deliverance in the Bible is the act of God whereby He rescues His people from peril. Sometimes that is deliverance from the bondage of sin. He can deliver the worst sinner and accept them as His child. Or it can be the eventual deliverance of His children from this earth to the beauty of His Home in heaven. Sometimes that deliverance is when God simply walks through the trials by our side, comforting and encouraging us through them as He uses them to mature us in the faith.

The apostle Paul prayed three times for deliverance from the “thorn in his flesh,” whatever it was. Of course, God was able to deliver him! But He did not. He assured Paul that His grace was sufficient for his weakness. He learned that lesson and rejoiced in his afflictions.

If today we are weighed down with the burdens and length of this restrictive journey in our troubled, confused world, let's rejoice that yes, God is able to deliver us! Let Him choose the way and time He knows is best. Will we trust Him enough to declare with our whole hearts, “Even if He doesn't deliver us within our preferred timeline, we will not worship and bow down to the idols or false edicts of this befuddled age, whatever they may be?”

Back to those mid-terms. The devil and followers under his control have many powerful hidden javelins to hurl at us yet even before the election and the winter storms approach.. Let’s keep our armor bright and our shield at the ready and prepare to stand steadfast—come what may. The devil realizes his time is short. Ready or not, he may unload his entire arsenal on us.

When we face difficult trials, God will walk through them with us in the fiery furnace or lion's den and comfort and deliver us without a smokey smell on our clothes or paw marks on our sensitive flesh. When all is said and done, the Lord has promised to deliver His children to our permanent Home in Heaven. The time of Jesus' triumphant return is nearer than it has ever been. Deliverance from sin, rescue from trials, and escape from the influence of a world that is out of control can come only through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Meanwhile, put up your umbrella. Prepare to ride out the howling storm, if that’s what’s coming. Let us celebrate that He is returning to deliver us—Hallelujah! Praise His Name! Maranatha! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

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Comments

Pat Christ From Kempton, PA At 9/16/2022 1:25:45 PM

Dan & I couldn't agree more with your friend Gene Witmer! Thanks for raining those words down upon us dear Leona!! We love YOU!

Sarah From Austria At 9/16/2022 8:41:14 AM

AMEN HALLELUJAH MARANATHA

Louise Looney From Conroe, TX At 9/16/2022 8:06:12 AM

Your posts are always challenging and insightful. Blessings and love

Linda Ann Ann Fumea From Florida At 9/16/2022 6:14:43 AM

Wonderful message. Brought to mind the following scripture: "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." (Romans 13:11)