August 20, 2010 It Is Time To Seek The Lord Kathleen Maples

The time is around 537 BC. There's a new king over what's left of Babylon now. Cyrus
conquered it about a year earlier and appointed Darius the Mede to rule over the
Chaldeans. When Darius received authority over the kingdom from Cyrus, he set up 120
princes. Some translations record this word as 'satraps' meaning princes who would
judge. Then he set up three presidents over the princes so there would be a system of
checks and balances here to prevent the princes from defrauding King Darius in anyway.
The three presidents would answer only to Darius himself, and one of these was Daniel.

He still remained faithful to God all these years in Babylon. He was in his 80's now. He
had walked so closely with the Lord that when temptation for personal comfort and gain
arose, it meant nothing to him and he refused it. He refused to separate himself from His
God, even at the cost of being thrown in the lion's den. He refused gifts and praise from the
walking dead man, Belshazzar after he'd interpreted the handwriting on the wall for this
king who was defiling the holy vessels of God. Cyrus was at the very gate, with a great
army. No matter what situation had arisen during these years in captivity, the only thing
Daniel held closely was the Word and Presence of God, at a great cost to his own personal
comfort and success. He was willing to suffer for His God.

There had been many changes over the past couple of years in kingdom around Daniel.
One king was slain by an invading army, and the new king respected and greatly admired
Daniel. Daniel had favor in God's eyes, so God gave him favor in Darius' eyes as well. God
protected Daniel's life during the invasion of Babylon. In Dan_6:1-3 we're told that Daniel
distinguished himself above the other two presidents and princes because a more excellent
spirit was in him. See the grace and influence of God on display in his life, still, after all
these years in pagan place, surrounded by pagans and idolatry. He was clearly different
from the people and culture he'd lived in for 70 years. All the changes going on around him
drove Daniel to seek God, to begin to search His Word for understanding of what these
events could mean. He didn't assume anything. He went to the Lord for answers.

Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood from the books the number of the
years, of which the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish
seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

Daniel is alone, with the scrolls, searching through them. He is reading in Jeremiah.
Remember, this is a man who knows the Lord intimately. He saw the events prophesied
here where he's reading come to pass in his lifetime. He was taken in the first deportation
around 605 BC. He was taken from his home, his family, his country, his church, but he
never surrendered his faith. He has suffered great loss, including persecution. Some have
even sought his death. Still, he held fast to God, and refused to relinquish his relationship
with God. With his body, he served pagan kings, but with his heart and spirit he served the
living God, refusing to defile the body. He saw the Babylonian army come into his city,
Jerusalem, and destroy, kill and take whatever they wanted. He saw the people's laughter
and comfort taken from them. He heard the moaning and weeping along that long journey
they were forced to march from Jerusalem to Babylon. It was about four hundred miles
through Syria, north toward and along the Euphrates river. They marched as captives,
not knowing where or how they would end up. Ironically, they marched toward the same
area Abraham had left generations earlier. With the exception of Abraham's detour to
Haran, the captives marched nearly the same route Abraham took, only they were going
in the opposite direction. They couldn't march straight across the Arabian desert. God said
this army would come from the north that would devastate Jerusalem. And they did. The
red line below indicates Abraham's journey from Ur of the Chaldees to Canaan. The
captives, and Nebuchadnezzar's army would have followed the same route, going in the
opposite direction, except for the detour into Haran. Now, is that ironic or what?

But Daniel knew if he trusted God, God would take care of him. Something in his heart held
on to God in the midst of great trials and fearful circumstances.

Jer 25:8 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; Because you have not heard my words,
Jer 25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the LORD, and
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and
against its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy
them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
Jer 25:10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice
of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of
the lamp.
Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations
shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Jer 25:12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the
king of Babylon, and that nation, says the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the
Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
Jer 25:13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even
all that are written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.
Jer 25:14 For many nations and great kings shall be served by them also: and I will recompense
them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.

I can imagine Daniel's thoughts begin to race furiously, calculating the years he's been in
Babylon. 66? 67? He's in his 80's now, being just a teenager when he was captured and
taken to Babylon, according to the Babylonian method of counting, in 605 BC. Now it's 538
BC. Daniel saw the king of Babylon punished, as God had foretold He would do. He's saw
the Word of God fulfilled before his very eyes. He continues to read, and I believe
something began to burn in his heart. I believe he also read this:

Jer 29:10 For thus says the LORD, That after seventy years are accomplished at Babylon I will
visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace,
and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12 Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken
unto you.
Jer 29:13 And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, says the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will
gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD;
and I will bring you again into the place from which I caused you to be carried away captive.

I believe this gripped his heart. His people had lost so much. I believe reading this was
what caused him to do what he did next.

Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting,
and sackcloth, and ashes:

Daniel didn't just spend a "season of prayer." He didn't take a 'moment of prayer.' He
didn't pray some lay me down to sleep 5 minute prayer. How often we go to the house of
God and hear a Word preached that convicts us, but we don't take time to pray about it,
and if we do end up at the altar praying, in ten minutes or so we are back at our seats. We
don't allow that seed planted to spring to life by seeking the Lord in prayer so that Word
can work in us unhindered. The phrase "set my face" means Daniel gave himself,
committed himself, occupied himself in consecration and dedication to presenting himself
before the Lord. He was striving after the presence of the Lord, communion with the Lord,
desiring fellowship and understanding. He was searching for answers that only God had
and could give.

Supplication is a humble request for help from Someone in authority. His prayer and
supplications included three important things: fasting, sackcloth and ashes. Fasting
humbles self. It denies self food, entertainment, relaxation, ease, comfort. Sackcloth was
something worn by Hebrews to demonstrate mourning and humiliation. Humility. Ashes
are like dust. It's worthless, good for nothing. The Hebrews would cover their heads with
ashes as a sign of self loathing, and humiliation. For Daniel to go to such lengths testifies
of his deep grief over the sins of his people-and he didn't exclude himself as we shall see. He
read what God had said about the sins of His people. Surely, he understood a little of the
pain in the heart of God over the apostasy and betrayal of the people against Him.

Jeremiah had expressed God's pain well. "I remember you, the kindness of your youth,
how you told Me you loved Me. You followed Me in the wilderness, a place where there was
nothing but Me for you. You were holiness to Me. What iniquity did you or your fathers
find in Me that they abandoned Me, preferring to live for empty, worthless things? They've
not come looking for Me. I brought you into a bountiful place, gave you good tings to eat,
and when I prospered you, then you defiled My land, and made My heritage an
abomination. You taught your children idolatry. You sacrificed your children to devils.
Those who handled My law didn't even know Me and the prophets prophesied by Baal-an
idol of prosperity, fertility and gain. Still, I will plead with you and with your children.
Has any other nation give up their gods for another? My people exchanged their glory-Me-
for that which doesn't profit. My people committed two evils-they have forsaken ME the
fountain of living waters, and made themselves their own container-broken containers
that could hold no water. Evil come upon these people because of their sins and yet they
wouldn't cry to Me. You forsook Me, who led you in the right way. So now, what are you
doing going the way of Egypt? All you will find there is trouble, anguish and oppression.
You think they can help you? No, they can't. What are you doing drinking the black waters
of trouble at Sihor? There's no help for you from this world's sources. What are you doing
drinking the waters of Assyria's river? Why are My people seeking help from these nations
that will only get them pain and misery instead of looking to ME, the One who led them,
nourished them, and cared for them?

Daniel read it and he knew it was true. I believe he loved God so much he could feel God's
pain at the judgment He was going to have to bring upon His people. Over and over again
God had urged them through Jeremiah, Isaiah and others to repent. Turn back to Him.

Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the
great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them
that keep his commandments;
Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have
rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments:
Dan 9:6 Neither have we hearkened unto your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to
our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Daniel made his own confession first. He reminded both himself and God as he prayed that
God is great and awesome and keeps His covenant and mercy even though people do not.
He keeps His Word and shows mercy to those who love Him and keep His commandments.
When you come before God in total humiliation, totally loathing your own self and all you
are apart from God, it requires great courage. You have to be brought to the place where
you know you cannot any longer trust in anything good in yourself because you've been
shown by Him there is nothing good in you except Him. Daniel knew the Scriptures
promised God was merciful and willing to pardon and forgive.

Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God,
and have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed
my voice, says the LORD.
Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, says the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take
you one from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jer 3:15 And I will give you shepherds according to my heart, which shall feed you with
knowledge and understanding.

My goodness do you hear what He is saying? It is so heartbreaking when you see this. I
pulled apart these verses, carefully examining them, prayerfully searching for
understanding. And I've found myself guilty as well. We all are. God says, understand,
recognize that you have done wrong, deliberately done wrong, and what you've done
deserves severe punishment. Admit it. Confess you have perverted truth and justice in
your selfishness. You have rebelled against Me, broken away from Me every way you
could. Your behavior has been offensive. Instead of staying faithful to Me on your life's
journey in this world, you have spent your life and time with strangers, with profane
people, committing adultery against Me. When you need help, when you get in trouble,
you call someone else, not Me. When you are not satisfied, you find your pleasure
elsewhere, not in My Presence where there is fullness of joy. You get under these green
trees, these trees you plant to hide My altars which have become an offense to you and
play the harlot with your other lovers. You seek your pleasure and fulfillment with others
where you can never find it, worshiping profane things.

Oh, church of the living God we are so guilty. We have set up ourselves to dictate and rule
things in the House of God instead of His Holy Spirit being in control. Man decides when
the service begins, how it will go, who will sing, who will preach, and if you do get
convicted and come to the altar most of the time that pastor will be ready for you to return
to your seat after a few minutes and if you are trying by some miracle to touch God in
repentance, he'll get up and start talking into the PA system moving the service to it's
logical conclusion so everybody can go home, flip on their TV's, get in the fridge and fix
them a late evening snack, or do whatever it is people do to relax, and get comfortable,
with the Word they heard conveniently forgotten. And we say we love Him? We think we
do Him a favor by showing up on Sunday morning and sitting in church for two hours? We
might find a few minutes a week to read our Bible but do we really eat it? Do we set aside
time and depend on the Holy Spirit to show it to us? To open our understanding to who we
are and what we've done? How far we've erred from the truth? We act like it kills us to
consider going to a prayer meeting, and offer every excuse in the book for not praying-
even at home, like we should.

And it is a warfare, that devil will fight you harder when you are trying to pray than at
any other time, but our excuses, and our lack of prayer tells the world and more
importantly the Lord, we don't really think spending time with God is worth the struggle.
We truly are the Laodicean church, Beloved. Blind, poor, miserable, wretched and naked.
Laodicea means 'justice of the people' or 'just the people.' No power or Presence of God.
Just the people. It's what the people think is right, it's man's traditions and ways-and that
is a far cry from the ways and thoughts of God. For His ways are NOT our ways, nor His
thoughts as ours. That's why He said have the mind of Christ. In short, Laodicea is the
church man runs as he sees fit, not God. Jesus Christ is seen in Revelation 3 on the outside
of His own church, having been taken over by men, knocking on the door, asking to be let
in. What meekness. He has every right to kick the door in and reclaim His own but He
seeks our invitation. My God, people. No wonder there is so little power to effect real
change in our churches. I'm not saying they are all like this, I know better. God will
always have a remnant. But for the most part, this is how it is.

What did this church think? That they were rich, they had an abundance of material
things, plenty of money in the bank, for Laodicea was a city that had a very wealthy and
successful banking system. They thought they had it all, they needed nothing else. When
Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in 66 or 67 AD, they refused the offer of help
from Rome with the rebuilding and spent their own money and labor instead, quickly
rebuilding the city. What pride and arrogance. But Jesus said you don't realize you are
miserable, afflicted with the disease of selfishness, a spiritual pauper, naked in My sight
because you are clothed with the rags of your own righteousness instead of My
righteousness. They were trusting in their works, their wealth and their own personal
goodness.

Through Jeremiah, God is urging His people to come back, to come home. He calls them
backsliding children. They were faithless, idolatrous-they worshiped any and everything
but HIM who alone is worthy of worship. They had turned from light to darkness. They
slid back from truth to a lie. But God says I AM your Master, I AM your Husband, I'm to
have the rule over you, to provide what you need, to care for you. Instead you run to the
beggardly elements of the world and the flesh and the devil to find your pleasure and
fulfillment. You are Mine but you consort with My enemy-your enemy. Come back to Me,
wherever you are I will unite you, bring you back to Zion. I'll give you pastors, shepherds,
leaders who share My heart for you, My love for you and they will take care to teach you
what I know and they will help you understand who I AM. He was offering them so much
better than the world could ever give.

Oh, how He plead with His people. I believe this is still the desire of His heart now. That we
would take a long hard look around us. We've got full to half empty churches on every
corner. Powerless and ineffective. Though they are near to Him with their mouth, for the
most part, their heart is far from Him. You will know them by their fruit, Jesus said. What
kind of fruit is the church producing? They aren't producing any for the most part. The
young people are out the door as soon as they can be. The hurting come in and leave
confused and still hurting. The lost don't bother because to them the church is a money
racket just like the politicians. Where is the anointing that destroys the yoke? Not in our
churches, for those who sit in them mostly worship themselves first, and their own idea of
who God is second if at all. There's no presence of God filling the place showing people
their sins, making them hate sin, no anointed Word of God that will create a desire to be
free and clean in them. This is why you see a rush to exodus the House of God on Sunday
and the restaurants quickly fill up, mostly with church goers. How quickly they leave His
house to go their own way, just like Israel and Judah did. Okay, God we gave you two
hours on a Sunday morning, see ya next week. Now it's time to go feed my face and then go
watch the ball game or go play golf or go to the lake, or whatever. Who is being served
here? Self. And the result? Suicides are at an all time high. The youth shelters are full of
kids whose parents are either strung out on drugs, or are in jail or sick and can't take care
of them. The abortion clinics steadily continue their grisly work, day after day. The
schools are indoctrinating our children, pushing God out, and teaching theories as facts as
history is rewritten. The hospitals are full, the jails are full, and where is the church on
Sunday, or any day? Watching TV, playing sports, eating and shopping, playing on the
computer, reading the latest "Christian Fiction" novel, and doing so many other things.
Then someone we love has a car wreck, gets sick, or commits suicide, or overdoses on
drugs trying to cope with their own pain and we have the nerve to ask God where HE
WAS?

Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have
rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments:

Sadly, for the most part the church doesn't spend enough time with the Lord and His Word
for the Holy Spirit to teach them His precepts and judgments so they don't even know. Oh,
Father, we have put ourselves and our own self interest first. We have done wickedly,
pushing Your Holy Spirit out of Your House because we wanted to do things our own way.
We've done all we could to avoid the cross. We have turned from the only One qualified to
teach us Your Word, seeking men for our instructors instead. We have been unwilling to
pay the price that would once again invite Your Presence among Your people. We have
brought reproach and shame on Your Holy Name with our self seeking, covetous hearts.
We indulge ourselves and gossip about others, we criticize other denominations for having
their doctrine wrong, but we only appear to be Godly and we have no power because Your
Holy Spirit who is Your Power has left us since we insisted on running things and looking
to man. We've not went after those who were driven out of Your House because of our
critical attitudes and self righteous opinions and wicked tongues. We've been unwilling to
sacrifice so others could hear Your Gospel preached that have never heard Your Son's
name. We will pay Sears and Walmart but forget to pay our tithes. We will spend hours
watching television or talking on the phone but have no time for prayer. We can entertain
ourselves on the computer while those we say we love perish in their sins and we are
unconcerned. We've rebelled against Your Word because we've not taken time to come
before Your Presence and learn what You said. We live according to our own desires and
don't even care to know Yours. You sent us prophets and preachers to warn us. You left us
testimonies that will be a witness against us. But still, we stubbornly go on doing the same
thing, having our same religious services not even knowing we are dead. We see signs of
the end and your imminent return being fulfilled all around us that Your Word warned us
would happen but we continue like blind men walking toward destruction because we
have fallen asleep and have no oil, just religion. We trust our good works to save us as we
follow the error of the wicked who think deep down You are just too good a God to really
send people to an eternal, burning hell. We reject Your offer of help because our carnal self
will has persuaded us we can do it without You and then pacify You by giving You a little
credit for what flesh has done. Lord, how wicked we are, how presumptuous, selfish and
cruel. How can we say we love You and be so unconcerned about a perishing world that
You loved so much You died to save the people in it?

We get our feelings hurt and nurse bitterness and anger and resentment as if we had a
right to be offended, never considering we have done much worse to You. We get all upset
if somebody opens a beer joint close to the church instead of getting down to business with
You so Your Presence can once again come among us and be known. Who would want to
go drink their pain away when they could come and be healed by You? But no, we'd rather
shake our heads and wag our tongues and point our fingers and condemn than admit we
are at fault, it is we who have the greater sin. We know Truth but we hide it because we are
unwilling to deny ourselves so YOU can be seen and heard in us instead. That is worse
than iniquity. That is a heinous crime against a lost and dying world. We are guilty. We
have blood on our hands. How many have perished because we didn't take time to pray?
How many more will have to perish before we wake up and repent in total humiliation and
self loathing? God help us see what we have done! We've made a mockery of Your Word.
We have so misrepresented You, it's no wonder the world makes a joke and a curse word
out of Your name. We say but we don't do. We talk the talk but are unwilling to walk the
walk. How can they fear You when we don't? Even the devils believe and tremble, fearing
You, but Your own people don't. How blind! How foolish!

Dan 9:7 O Lord, righteousness belongs unto you, but unto us shame of face, as at this day; to
the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that
are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their trespass that
they have trespassed against you.
Dan 9:8 O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers,
because we have sinned against you.

You alone are righteous and holy, Oh, Lord. We should be so ashamed of ourselves. We
have so grievously sinned against You. You offer us Your righteousness but we refuse it
instead going about trying to establish our own. You made Yourself of no reputation but
we pursue one. You gave up everything to come here and seek nothing but the souls of men
and the glory of God. But we are too busy seeking a better figure, a younger appearance,
the latest clothes and electronic gadgets. We are too busy feeding our minds on the death
of the world's entertainment and live in religious hypocrisy to care. We try to soothe our
conscience with smooth words which are nothing more than lies. "Well, they knew they
needed to change, they wouldn't listen to us, we tried to tell them Lord, but they just
wouldn't come to church."

They wouldn't come because all they could see and hear was our own puffed up religious
selves, not Jesus. We get mad at sinners for acting like sinners and doing and saying
things that offend our sensibilities and morals while we are the truly wicked-we act
religious but have no spiritual authority, life or power and no real love for real love can
only be poured in our hearts by the Holy Ghost for You alone are love. We look pretty and
clean on the outside but inside, we're dead. We've not obeyed You, we've not been mindful
of Your warnings. We've forsaken You time and time again, feeling sorry for ourselves
over our trials, instead of coming to You with everything like we should.

We've brought a curse upon our own selves and our children are paying a heavy price for
our wickedness. We've committed such a great iniquity in allowing ourselves to set and
rule as Lord on the throne of our heart when we are not our own and have been bought
with the unspeakably high price of Your blood. When we do read Your Word and feel
shame prick our hearts, we brush it aside. Deep down we know it's not working like it
should because we won't let it. We are too busy and too selfish to pay the price. We don't
want to sacrifice ourselves or suffer for the sake of others. Our children are turning to
drugs and the things of the world for fulfillment because they can't see the true way to true
fulfillment in a self absorbed religious institution. They have sat in Your house, struggling
with too many things, and not been ministered to. Instead they've been criticized for their
appearance and clothes and attitudes. And we are to blame. They need to see a
demonstration of Your Spirit and Your Power not hear a bunch of rules and regulations.
The world offers them so many things to draw them in but the church only offers criticism
and a list of thou shall nots.

We've resented other people because of their race, because of the breaks they get from the
US Government that we don't as citizens. We've trashed the President instead of praying
for him. We've complained about the laws they are passing, we've argued and debated and
loudly voiced our opinions and displeasure with the direction the government is taking but
failed to heed Your Word and pray for them, intercede for them, be a light to them.

We don't trust Your Holy Spirit to convict hearts so we feel we have to help You by running
our mouths and doing something in ourselves, effectively nullifying anything and
everything You are wanting to do. We know You said no flesh will glory in Your Presence
but we just can't get over ourselves so You can't use us to manifest Your great power and
ability to truly rescue the perishing and change things in our society. We have refused to
humble ourselves and question why things have gone so bad. We point the finger at others
blaming them, when it is our fault. We have the Answer but refuse to let You be seen and
heard.

We'd rather debate and argue religion and get mad and go create our own denomination
than humble ourselves and seek Your face and Your direction and love one another as You
said. No, we would rather cut each other off. Impatient. I give up on you, we tell the lost
and hurting. You won't listen. Whatever happens to you will be your own fault. Listen to
us. How cruel, how smug and arrogant we have become, Oh, God in heaven have mercy
and deliver us from our presumptions, our wickedness, our arrogance, our own opinions
of ourselves. Our nation is falling apart-deliberately being divided by class envy, racial
strife, selfishness, and lies. We, as Your people let down the hedge. We haven't truly stood
in the gap so You wouldn't have to judge us and our nation. We know judgment begins at
Your house but we think ourselves holy and exempt. We are too tired to stay up all night
praying. We are too lazy to get up early and seek Your face and pray and put You first as
You told us to do. We make excuses and trust You will forgive us, because we don't
understand Your judgment. You said My people know not the judgment of the Lord and we
truly demonstrate that in the way we have wasted our lives.

You have every right Lord to be ashamed of us, to be angry with us, to be sick of us. I'm
sick of us. Disgusted. How dare we call ourselves by Your name and so grossly
misrepresent Your Holy and Wonderful name. We call ourselves by Your name but act like
the enemy. You have allowed our leaders to become befuddled and confused, making all
the wrong decisions. You warned us but we have refused to listen, content with our own
self made religions and routines. You warned us You would smite us with madness,
blindness and astonishment of heart (Deu_28:28) and You have. So many have literally
gone crazy, exploded in rage and destructive behavior. We are so blind we don't even
realize what we've done enough to blush and be ashamed. We are bewildered by the
drastic changes in our society and nation over the past few years but still won't see the
truth that we are too blame. We have brought the world and its way of doing things into
Your House and then wonder where the signs are that are to follow them who believe. We
listen to the devil and our own selfish minds instead of You. We've obscured the truth of
Your Word with all our man made traditions and suppositions and presumptions. Oh,
righteous Father please forgive us. We are desperately wicked and deceitful above all
things-we who hold the Truth in unrighteousness.

Dan 9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil has come upon us: yet made we not our
prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand your
truth.
Dan 9:14 Therefore has the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD
our God is righteous in all his works which he does: for we obeyed not his voice.

The days are getting darker. Tragedy is all around us. According the news sources more
than 14 million people have become homeless because of the historic floods in Pakistan.
Over a thousand people dead so far. Historic floods and landslides kill many in China.
Heat waves, terrible storms and flooding has also hit several states in the US. Terrible
earthquakes in Chili and Haiti. Horribly destructive Tsunami in Indonesia kills hundreds
of thousands. All these things in the last few years. Extreme weather, tragedy unfolding all
around us, decimating people and their lives. Iran has their first nuclear reactor, thanks
to Russia. Israel is very nervous, and there is rumors of possible airstrikes which will
surely lead to a war of Biblical proportions in the Middle East. Israel is surrounded by
enemies and our own country is led by people who will not support Israel, regardless of
what they claim. North Korea threatens and tries consistently of late to provoke someone
to give them a reason to launch a war. Fighting continues in Afghanistan against Al Qaida
and the Taliban.

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying,
Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of
the world?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6 And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all
these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be
famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

What is it going to take to wake us up and get us on our faces? It's too late to pray and
have confidence in God when destruction hits where you are. We must be rooted in and
grounded in Him now. This takes time. We must get on our faces and seek Him and His
mercy with all our strength. If all these things are just the beginning of sorrows how much
worse will the end be? We've seen all these terrible things happen, so much suffering and
yet we haven't humbled ourselves, thought to ask ourselves, Lord do You have a
controversy with us? To know and understand Truth, He must live in us, be allowed to
work in us what He was sent to do. If we ignore the Holy Spirit, we do so at our own peril.
He wants to help us, He wants us to humble ourselves, present ourselves before Him. We
are of all people, a people who should be most humiliated, and realize we have been totally
unprofitable servants-useless actually. We've been too busy building our own little
kingdoms not God's.

Dan 9:16 O Lord, according to all your righteousness, I beseech you, let your anger and your
fury be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain: because for our sins, and for
the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a reproach to all that are
about us.
Dan 9:17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of your servant, and his supplications, and
cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.

We truly are a disgrace to Your holy name, Lord. Please turn our hearts back, open our
eyes and ears that we may see and know what Your Spirit has been trying to tell us.
Forgive us Lord for shutting our eyes so we wouldn't see, and closing our ears so we
wouldn't hear. We didn't want reality causing our house of cards to fall. Please forgive us,
pardon our wickedness oh Lord for it is great. It is monumental. Forgive us, Lord, not for
our sake, but for Your great name's sake. For Your abundant compassion, have pity on us
and deliver us from ourselves. You alone are our only hope. Forgive us for making such a
mess of everything, for those we've hurt and not helped. For the countless multitudes that
have perished on our watch. Change us, Oh God, rescue us from the darkness of ourselves.
In the unspeakably precious name of Jesus we ask this, not daring to lift our head up to
you for so great is our shame.