Francis asked God and God answered in that quiet, inescapable voice that none of us must avoid.  What Francis was called to, challenged conventional thinking, even provided the possibility of potentially devastating impacts upon his family.  But he still walked the road that God had bid him travel.  For after all that is why we are here each of us, isn’t it?

We live in times that most of us would prefer to change, within a nation that has for the most part ignored, forgotten or simply doesn’t remember what it means to receive the chance to live free by the blessings of Almighty God.  Children yearn for the brutal hand of socialism, a concept they neither understand nor will want but by the time they realize its crippling servitude it will be too late.  However, isn’t that what we as humans force God to bring us through in order to turn our hearts back to Him.  I mean look in Biblical history, people were always so hard headed, wanting back into the world system or having to be sold into slavery, conquered or led around endlessly in the desert before they realized we must attend to God’s call upon our hearts, or else.

The Lord has told us by not speaking about the United States in the Bible that we are not here in the end times.  Pastors most of them do not wish to speak of things that upset the flock, for a host of reasons.  The worst of which I will mention shortly the least of which is that they don’t know what to tell people about that absence.  We must now do what we are called to do and place our full hope, faith and trust in the Lord and leave the outcome to Him, for His plan is awesome and it is right to trust His devotion to each of us.  That is what Francis is doing, He loves and trusts God and has heard the voice of the Good Shepherd and has no other choice but to follow.

Where does this leave us?  I don’t have a church, I don’t have a pretty face, a building, a fancy car or a burgeoning church for which I must worry each month about a mortgage that will not disappear even if the money does.  So, I will tell you straight.  It is entirely possible that the United States is not in the Bible at end times, because it ceases to be a free and unfettered nation.  I do know this that when God doesn’t clearly talk about something in the Bible that He doesn’t want us to know.  That we are meant to operate on faith and place our lives in His hands.  What then do we do about this issue?  Do we believe the Bible being the inerrant Word of God, knowing that it has never been inaccurate or wrong?  And since we believe it what then is going to happen to our beloved country that once yearned to be free and now does not seem to share that original ideal?  That answer is that I do not yet know, but we will soon find out.  Now let us get into some of the encouragement through what we do know.

We know that Christ is returning for the Church and that we do not deserve to suffer His wrath for we have answered His offer of Grace through salvation.  Therefore, our lot is to keep our eyes skyward and our hearts prepared for that moment of His return.  But why are we here then, just to wait?  No, of course not, because the sounding bell of the moment of His return is the moment that the last person that will freely accept His offer of salvation makes that faithful decision that is when it is time for Him to come get His church.  So, we are the ones responsible for bringing about that faithful occurrence, so in effect we are somewhat in charge of when He returns.  The faster we disciple, the wider we cast our nets, the more fish we will bring into the boat.  Fishers of men, Hummm.

I do know that there is going to be a one world government, a one world religion and a one world commercial system.  That is clearly stated in the Bible.  I know that the world will choose their king, the son of perdition to lead them against the Lord our God in disobedience.  Does that occur because the restraining Spirit of the Holy God that resides in us, the believers is basically removed when we are harpazoed out of here?  That is a faithful thought is it not, because that empowers us to save our families, friends, colleagues and even our enemies by telling the Good News of Christ?

I know the fate of this world, to suffer God’s Wrath, lose a great battle with the Prince of Peace, the Lion of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ and will be ruled by the true righteous King of Everything.  I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be here in tribulation and the Bible indicates that that will be the case.  If I am not going to be here, then it is what I do now, in prayer and service the King which is the only thing that matters at all.  Praise God He has created each of us for such a time as this.  Stand up, march out, speak the Word in Power and Love.  Bring hearts to the Cross where they might be saved from the tragedy to come.  Leave the rest to God, for He was the only one who could ever do anything about it any old way.  In Jesus’ Name.