In case of emergency …
April 19th, 2011 by Tait
As I was in my daily Scripture reading the other day, I was in Deuteronomy 19 and the stories of cities of refuge (sanctuary cities) seemed to jump off the page. The thought I had was that since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, is it possible that since He provided cities of refuge as described in the Old Testament, it is possible that He has set aside cities of refuge for us today, especial as I believe we are close to entering the last days?
The last days I’m referring to are the last 7 years, the tribulation, before Jesus returns (His 2nd coming). I personally believe that if Christ will “rapture” His Children it will be in the middle, or near the middle, of this 7 year period (in an upcoming blog I’ll address the tribulation in more detail). Assuming a mid-tribulation rapture, Christians will have to live through 3.5 years of great distress, but I believe that God’s favor and protection will be on and over His cities of refuge.
I don’t know which cities these might be, but if there are to be cities of refuge, I believe that there will be clues (evidence) to which cities might be. One such city that I wonder about is the city I live in which is Colorado Springs, Colorado. I’ve wondered what He is up to by bringing so many (50+) ministries to be headquartered here and I’ve wondered if He has brought all of these ministries here for the sole purpose of protecting them from the future turmoil.
Some might say, “do we really need to know” and I would say yes. For example, ever time you fly you listen to the talk before the flight describing where the exits are and what to do in case of an emergency. If you are in a movie theater there are the big green “Exit” signs so you know where to go in case of an emergency. In a tall building there are signs directing you where to go (and not go) in case of an emergency.
Now imagine finding yourself somewhere where there were no signs and directions on where to go in case of an emergency and there was a true life emergency. In that moment you won’t have time to hunt around and search out where to go in case of emergency and there is a high probability that you won’t make it out of the building alive because you wouldn’t know where to go.
How many of you have an emergency kit in your car so if you are driving, for example, in the mountains and your car breaks down you have some food and water to sustain you until rescue comes. I’m sure that most of you have made other “emergency” plans (insurance, retirement, cell phone, etc.), so doesn’t it also make sense to plan ahead to know where you would go in case of an emergency?
If there is a rapture and it occurs in the middle of the tribulation, do you know where you would go when the tribulation begins? Or if there is some natural disaster, do you know where you would go? If not, may I suggest that you go to God and ask Him where you should go while there is still time.
Posted in Impressions | Comments (0)
The flood is coming
April 12th, 2011 by Tait
The flood is coming and most are not at all prepared. I see a small stream wide enough such that many people are standing with one foot on one side and the other foot on the other side. It is a comfortable place to be with one foot in the world and the other in their Christian faith. It is a clear day and all looks to be good and safe, but unknown to most is that high up in the mountains is a raging thunder storm. I say it is unknown to most because only a few have open eyes to see and open ears to hear and they both see and hear this storm.
Those that see and hear may not know exactly when the flood will make its way down to this small stream, but they are prepared by picking a single side of the river to stand on (Christ’s side) and not only that, they have started to move up the bank of this stream to distance themselves from the coming flood (which also means they are distancing themselves from the ways of this world).
Sadly most are happy to have a foot on both sides thinking that if a flood comes they will have plenty of warning and lots of time to move but all are sadly mistaken because the flood will come upon them like a thief in the night and at the least expected time.
I’ve wondered about the “great falling away” the Bible talks about where in the last days many Christians will “fall away” from their faith, but in the context of this stream, many Christians have compromised their faith and without realizing it are not just straddling this stream, they are heavily leaning towards the worlds side. So when (not if) the flood comes, if a person has a fraction of a second to react, they will naturally “fall away” from Christ since they are already mostly on the worlds side of the stream anyway and so will jump in that direction for safety from the flood. And many will just get washed away outright.
What is interesting is that for those straddling the stream or standing on the worlds side, this flood will be a very bad thing. For those standing on Christ’s side, this flood will actually be a good thing.
Are you ready for the coming flood? Are you prepared? Are you alert enough to have eyes to see the storm and hears to hear it? Even if you can’t see or hear the storm, are you observing what other Christians around you are doing? Are you seeing the Christians standing on one side of the stream (Christ’s side) and starting to move up the bank away from the stream? Which side of this stream are you standing on? Are you one straddling it falsely believing that you will have plenty of time to make a decision?
Don’t wait until the flood is upon you because by then it will be too late. Decide today which side you need to stand on. I encourage you to pick the side of Christ.
Posted in Impressions | Comments (0)
Don’t compare yourself with others …
April 5th, 2011 by Tait
Several years ago the Lord showed me the following “picture”.
In this picture I found myself in a car on a very wide freeway that was about 10 lanes wide with all lanes going up hill. I was in a car in the middle lane. I looked to my left and then my right and in front of me and behind me and I remember thinking:
Wow! I’m doing really good (in my Christian walk) because I’m keeping up with everyone. They are not pulling ahead of me and I’m not falling behind.
I found this scene very comforting to me.
The scene then changed and instead of me being in one of the cars, I now found myself standing on the edge of this freeway. Although I didn’t see Him, I knew that I was standing next to Jesus and that what I was now seeing was how He saw things. What I saw horrified me because every single one of the cars, including the one I initially found myself in, were slowly rolling backwards and in that instant I knew that these “Christians” (that is what the cars represented) were all losing ground and going in the wrong direction.
I also knew in that instant that I shouldn’t compare myself to others because it can, and probably will, give a false sense of achievement. Galatians 6:4 tells us:
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else
Some years ago I had a pastor tell me that he had numerous people tell him that his ministry was twice as good as any other similar ministry and he was wondering why I was suggesting any improvements when things were twice as good. The problem is if the other ministries were only 1% of what they should be, then his ministry was only 2% of what it should be and that is not something to brag about.
Sadly we live in a world, especially here in the United States, where we are constantly comparing ourselves with others. We compare ourselves with our neighbors, family, friends, actors/actresses in Hollywood, or any number of other people and as a result we need the newest car, the best clothes, the biggest house, the largest office, the latest cell phone, etc. and for what? What does it accomplish, in a Heavenly perspective?
So I pray that the Lord will open our eyes to see ourselves and our situations from His perspective so if there is any comparison going on it is comparing ourselves with Him and what He wants us to be.
Posted in Lessons Learned | Comments (3)
We won’t know the day or the hour …
April 2nd, 2011 by Tait
Some have suggested that the end of the world will come on December 12, 2012 (from the Mayan Calendar), but then Christians say that it can’t be then since the Bible says in Mt. 24:36:
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father
So Christians say that it can’t be December 12, 2012 since we can’t know the day or hour. Then some other group picks a different date and again Christians say that it can’t be that new date since we can’t know the day or the hour. Using this logic though means that if the worlds population each picked a different date, then the end couldn’t and wouldn’t every come just because someone had picked that date.
The problem is, I believe, that we are missing a key word in the above scripture which is the word “knows“. Just because someone thinks they know doesn’t mean that they really “know” and if they can’t really “know” then they are just guessing. And since it is just a guess, a person might just guess right, but that still doesn’t mean that they “know“.
I’m not suggesting that the end will be on December 12, 2012 (though it is possible that that is the date) since I don’t “know“, but I fear that many Christians are not at all prepared and not at all ready because they are assuming that it can’t be that date.
What many seem to forget is that although we won’t know the day or the hour, we will know the season. In Matthew 24:32-33 Jesus Himself says:
“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”
So when we see these things we will know the season is near.
Jesus continues to say Matthew 24:42-44:
“Therefore be on the alert [keep watch], for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 says:
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3hile people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Yes each generation has said something like:
Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.
which is from 2 Peter 3:4 and each generation just assumes that it won’t be their generation, but one generation will be right and I personally believe that it will be our generation that sees the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we open our eyes, the evidence is easy to see all around us. Are you watching? Are you prepared? Are you ready for His soon return?
Posted in Interpretation of Scripture | Comments (2)
Distractions …
March 29th, 2011 by Tait
This past week I’ve had the sense that I, and others, need to be mindful of and watchful for distractions.
Some definitions of distraction are:
- that which distracts, divides the attention, or prevents concentration
- that which amuses, entertains, or diverts; amusement; entertainment
Distractions are not always bad or sinful, but they do keep us from focusing on the Lord and good that we need to be focused on.
Sometimes church or worship at church is a distraction because we get so focused on that that we forget why we are at church and whom we are worshiping. Years ago I attended a church that had fantastic worship music and I loved it, but the Lord showed me that I was worshiping the worship and not worshiping Him. Ouch! I had allowed myself to become distracted. I had allowed my attention to be drawn to something other than the Lord.
Another way of looking at it is this. Imagine a dad coming home from a two week business trip and as he walks in the door his children come running up to him saying, “Daddy, daddy, what did you bring us!” They then grab his gifts and run away leaving him standing there. Are we allowing ourselves to be distracted by His Gifts, or are we staying focused on the Giver?
I pray for you and me that we would see distractions for what they are (often the enemy stealing our time/attention) and that we could realign our lives to be focused on Him.
Posted in Lessons Learned | Comments (0)
Open Doors
March 28th, 2011 by Tait
The Lord has taught me two lessons concerning open doors and both are something I’d like to share.
The first was about 8 years ago when I was unemployed and I had an interview with the head of an Arizona ministry. He was in town and we meet for breakfast and as we talked it was clear that I had all of the skills he needed. It was so clear to him that he started saying that when he got back to Az. he would send me the paperwork to get me hired. I had a check in my spirit, though, and I mentioned to him that I would need to pray about this job opportunity. I’ll never forget what he said which was, “What is there to pray about. This is such an obvious open door, you just need to walk through it.” I insisted on praying about it, which I did later that morning and I felt the Lord say,
Yes this door is open, but not all open doors are meant to be walked through and this specific door is not open for you, but for the person behind you.
Wow! So simple, yet something I’d never heard talked about or preached about before. Usually I’ve heard it said that if a door is open, you just need to walk through it.
The second lesson was just a few months ago and relates to the first lesson. I was thinking about open and closed doors and I felt the Lord say,
You pray for Me to open doors that need to be opened and to close doors that need to be closed, but the problem is you often walk through open doors before you pray that prayer and by the time I close the door, you have already walked through it so closing it won’t do any good. Before you walk through an open door, you need to stop and pray and ask Me for guidance on what you should do. Don’t just assume that since it is open you should walk through it.
It is so easy to just “assume” what we are to do without every praying about it, and if we pray about it, it is often after the fact (after we have already walked through the door). We need to be like the little child that before touching something looks over their shoulder to see if mom and dad are either shacking there head no or nodding that yes it is OK to touch it.
Posted in Lessons Learned | Comments (2)
Welcome…
March 23rd, 2011 by Tait
I believe that the Lord has called me to be a watchman (a type of prophet) so this site is intended to be a place where I write down lessons the Lord has/is teaching me as well as other interesting thoughts and ideas.
Posted in Misc | Comments (0)