Is prophecy being fulfilled?

Is prophecy being fulfilled? Russia vs Ukraine! The battle rages and many folks are fighting for their lives, freedom and country. I have a couple thoughts. First, foremost pray for this unrest and war. Pray for the Ukrainian people. They are congregating in church basements, subway tunnels and bomb shelters. Many many churches are becoming refugee stations providing food, shelter and clothing as well as presenting the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray: This Prayer for peace: Almighty God we pray for the situation on the border of Ukraine. We pray for those who live in fear, that you may grant them peace. We pray that the voices for discernment and peaceful solutions may prosper Lord, we ask that you raise up peacemakers on all sides, that war and violence might be averted Give diplomats wisdom, understanding and build trust. We ask for the church in the nations involved, may they be salt and light in a dark situation. Lord we lift this dangerous situation to you. We pray for you love and peace to abound and your will be done. In Jesus name I pray. Amen Also, there is a Christian organization that is sending relief funds for the refugees and even those cornered in the Ukraine. You can find out more about then and what they are doing at www.ides.org. I know them and can vouch for their legitimate efforts. Another thought: maybe just maybe this is God’s way of moving forward on His plan to return all Jews to their homeland. There are over 100,000 Ukrainian Jews. As I write Israel is receiving over 10,000 refugees to their homeland. To a Jew this is called, Aliyah – “the act of going up” (towards the Holy city of Jerusalem), moving to the land of Israel of Israel or “making Aliyah” is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism. Now I don’t know this for sure and God hasn’t given me a vision but it’s just me wondering if this is God moving His chosen people back to their homeland. Jeremiah 42:12 states, “and I will shew mercies unto you that he may have mercy upon you and cause you to return to your own land.” I know this was God’s prophetic voice to Jeremiah concerning the children of Israel’s return from Babylon. However, could it also have a double meaning telling us that as the we enter into the birth pains of the last days that God would be calling His people, the Jews, back to their homeland. I just wondering out loud. Today, Jews from all over the world are returning to their homeland where cities that were destroyed by their enemies are now being rebuilt where the soil is bursting with fruit, trees and flowers. Ezekiel 36:24, “for I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land’. Is this happening now? Is this a part of God’s end time actions moving us ever closer to the final end times? I’m just wondering out loud. God is in control. God is still on the throne. Plus God is still of nations falling and nations raising. History, all of it, is in God’s control and working according to His plan. Our job? Show people the love of Jesus and warn them of things yet to come. If you have noticed the world will move more and more to ungodliness and vanity. God’s Word says it will not get better (I Timothy 4:1-3) Let us be people showing forth the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and help all we can through both physically and financially. Those refugees will be finding food, clothing, shelter in the name of Jesus by Jesus followers. May they respond to this love that is being shown to them. How many conversions will be attributed to shelters, bunkers, tunnels and basements of churches? I am praying for peace in the midst of war. I am praying for conversions in the midst of suffering. I am praying for the Ukrainian people especially those who are fighting for their lives and those who have to be separated from their families. I am praying Psalm 46: 1-2, “God is our protection and our strength. He always helps in time of trouble. So we will not be afraid even if the earth shakes, or the mountains fall into the sea.”

Is God’s Anger just simmering?

In our Bible study we have been focusing on the little letter of Amos in the Old Testament. The blunt and outspoken Amos was not a professional prophet. He was from Judah, a sheep herder and a horticulturist who took care of sycamore trees. Yet, while he was tending the sheep the Lord spoke to him to go prophesy to the people of the northern kingdom, Israel.The lifestyles of the people of Israel were a stench unto God. They had not one leader that was good or obeyed the Lord God throughout their entire history. They achieved their prosperity at the expense of others. The sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. They trampled impoverished people into the dust. A man and his father would share the same girl in bed and thus profane God’s name. Nothing religious was considered sacred. They lived in mansions and had both summer and winter homes. They reclined in beds of ivory and sang their own special music. They rubbed their soft bodies with special cosmetic preparations. The feasted on gourmet foods, and drank wine from goblets. But not once did they consider God or his laws. And because of this the judgment of God was about to fall upon them.Amos 3:7 says that God will always give a warning before judgment, “surely the sovereign Lord will do nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Not only did God send Amos warning the people of Israel of the judgments to come, He also sent a series of “natural disasters” to sound the alarm and tries to get the attention of the Israelites. He gave them drought, famine, pestilence, and plagues. He overthrew some of their cities like Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, they refused to repent and change their ways. They stared down at the dust of the drought and said “tough luck” when they should have looked to heaven and seen the “tough love” of God. As always, those who WILL NOT see are worse than those who cannot see. Their problems were not to be compared with the problems they were about to have. SO, Amos cried out with OUR BIBLE BOOST for today. It’s found in Amos 4:12, “prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”The message of Amos is tailored made for you and me AND or America. You know we are prepared for just about everything but meeting God. We prepare for school, graduation, work, vacations, retirement, and even our funerals and burials. But even though we have made all these preparations when have we prepared to heed the call of Amos, “prepare to meet your God”. The poet puts it this way:“When the great plants of our citiesHave turned out their last finished work.When the merchants have sold their last yard of silkAnd dismissed their last hard clerkWhen the banks have raked in their last dollarAnd paid out their last dividendWhen the judge of the earth calls…closed for the night.And asks for the balance…WHAT THEN!”Is God’s anger just simmering and ready to boil over in judgment? Remember, Amos 4:12, "Prepare to meet your God..."Are you ready?I am praying for you and your family, Leonard Navarre Lubbock, TX