"What If?" and The Bigger Question...

​The Lord asked me one day, "What if?" and then He took me to a familiar passage of Scripture and re-scripted it for me:

• There once was a land known as America, a nation designed by the Father to be perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. There were many sons and daughters of liberty. It was a land of great substance, and eventually became one of the greatest nations in history.
• Now there was a day when the angels of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
• Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My beloved nation of America, that there is none like her in all the earth, a blameless and upright nation, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
• So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Has America feared God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around her, around all the sons and daughters of liberty, and around all that she has on every side? You have blessed the work of their hands, and you have made her the most prosperous and powerful of any nation. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that she has, and she will surely curse You to Your face!”
• And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that she has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on those who belong to Christ.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
• And thus he commenced to make an end of the beautiful land of the free and home of the brave. Slowly but surely,
• He stirred up strife, jealously and dissension from within and without
• Other nations took oaths to destroy her
• Other gods were lifted up to be worshiped by her
• He planted messengers of corruptions into her government and communications networks
• He stirred up the seas and all that in them is to overtake the borders of her coasts
• The mountains began to tremble at the very thought of what might come next
• And many within her borders began to exclaim, like Job, “That which we have greatly feared has come upon us.”

Could this be what has happened to America? God allowed Job to be tested because He believed that Job would, in the end, do the right thing and prove himself to be a shining example of righteousness regardless of his circumstances.

So, I believe the bigger question is this: What are we going to do about it?

• Let us not take the role of Jobs’ comforters - condemning & judging him before all the facts were known
• Let us not take the role of Job's wife - who encouraged him to curse God and die
• Let us not take the role of Job – claiming righteousness when there is plenty of need for repentance
• Let the Church rise up and take her place - having been made righteous by the Blood of the Lamb
• Let Her lift up her voice, first of all, praying for those who are in authority that we may lead a quiet a peaceable life.
• Let Her stand the gap of intercession for the lost and those who are perishing; a voice a supplication for those who are suffering
• Let Her be a voice of clarity; a voice crying out for repentance and righteousness
• Let Her take her place of authority; never wavering or giving in to fear
• Let Her come together in unity; until we all come into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
  

​​I will also add here for your consideration, in the end:

• The Lord turned the captivity of Job - when he prayed for his friends
• Also, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before
• All of his friends and family came and comforted him; showering him with gifts and money
• God blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning - multiplying him greatly - granting unto him longevity and the right to see his descendants to four generations.

(c) 2017 ~ Denise Shaw, Adoration International