About three months ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about "the burden of the Lord" waiting for me in Jerusalem. The Lord then opened the door for me to visit Israel, and Jerusalem, from November 12 through the 21st. The trip was amazing in a thousand different ways which I obviously do not have the time to go into. But what I wanted to share with you today is what the Spirit revealed to me about "the burden of the Lord." "The burden of the Lord," very simply stated, is the very difficult task of awakening the Church and Israel as to what is currently going on in Israel and in the Middle East and to what is on the horizon. This is the most critical and the most important issue of our time. What happens in Israel and the Middle East will most assuredly impact the entire world--including you and your family. So allow me to share with you an experience I had while flying back from Tel Aviv to JFK in New York to try and put this into perspective.
Next to me on this flight back was a Jewish lady named Ahova, who was a Psychologist, and a lady named Catherine who was a Catholic. Both of these ladies were well educated and intellectually astute. About two hours out from JFK we began to really talk. In the course of conversation both ladies made it clear that they were far-left liberals, "progressive thinkers." I actually could care less about the labels, but what was really eye-opening was that both of these really intellectual ladies were clueless when it came to the geo-political dynamics of what is going on in Israel and in the Middle East. As the conversation went from the very real and existential threat of radical Islam to their naive belief that you can reason with people like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I was becoming aware of the heavy veil that covers the eyes of both the Jew and many, if not most, of the Church! As I later contemplated my conversation with these two ladies, I realized that the task of trying to awaken both the Church and Israel to what is happening and what is soon to happen in the Middle East would most certainly be a heavy burden, "the burden of the Lord."
In just a few sentences, let me give you what I believe is happening and what will happen in the Middle East in the not to distant future. As I tried to share with the two ladies on the plane, the current Arab uprising is not a move toward democracy like most liberals would like to believe. It would be wonderful if that were the case, but it's not! Rather, it is a diabolical move toward the formation of a radical Islamic Caliphate( the uniting of all Muslims under one banner). And this will, I believe, be the last world empire, the seventh head of the dragon spoken of in the Book of the Revelation. It is not hard to see how that this Islamic Caliphate and the last world empire headed up by the Antichrists will be one and the same. Yes, I do believe that the Antichrist will be a radical Muslim trying to force the world to "submit" to Sharia law or Islamic law. Also, it is no secret that one of the things that will bring this Caliphate together will be their hatred of Israel and their controversy with God's covenant that the Land belongs to Israel.
The Word of God teaches that at the time of the end the world's attention will be focused on Israel and particularly Jerusalem (See Zechariah 12-14). The real issue in these days will be centered on God and His right to be God. Let me explain. National and physical Israel, including Jerusalem, will be the geographical land where the One True God will force the world to make a decision about Him. Does He have the right to give the Land to Israel? Can He choose whom He desires to demonstrate His grace and election? It will be precisely God's choice to give Israel the land--including Jerusalem-and to show His grace to the remnant of Jews who will be saved that will be the dividing issue. It actually already is the issue, but as we draw closer to the end it will become the hot button issue for the whole world. Those who honor and recognize God's election and grace shown to and through the Jewish people will be blessed and those who don't will be cursed! The nations as well as individuals will be forced to either choose God or reject Him. And their choice will come down to how they respond to and treat Israel and their right to the land including the city of Jerusalem.
"The burden of the Lord" in these days will be to awaken Israel and the Church to this reality. It is a task that can only be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. My prayer for you is that what I have said in this message will become revelation to you. This is important because of several reasons. First, it will help prepare you for what is coming. Secondly, as you line yourself up with God's purposes for Israel and Jerusalem you are lining yourself up with God. And if God is for you then who can be against you. Third, by lining yourself up with God, you are seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. The end result of that is that "all of these other things" (whatever you need) will be added to you (See Matthew 6:33). Therefore I invite you to join me by receiving "the burden of the Lord." It will be both a heavy burden, but it will also be an incredible blessing! Shalom
Next to me on this flight back was a Jewish lady named Ahova, who was a Psychologist, and a lady named Catherine who was a Catholic. Both of these ladies were well educated and intellectually astute. About two hours out from JFK we began to really talk. In the course of conversation both ladies made it clear that they were far-left liberals, "progressive thinkers." I actually could care less about the labels, but what was really eye-opening was that both of these really intellectual ladies were clueless when it came to the geo-political dynamics of what is going on in Israel and in the Middle East. As the conversation went from the very real and existential threat of radical Islam to their naive belief that you can reason with people like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I was becoming aware of the heavy veil that covers the eyes of both the Jew and many, if not most, of the Church! As I later contemplated my conversation with these two ladies, I realized that the task of trying to awaken both the Church and Israel to what is happening and what is soon to happen in the Middle East would most certainly be a heavy burden, "the burden of the Lord."
In just a few sentences, let me give you what I believe is happening and what will happen in the Middle East in the not to distant future. As I tried to share with the two ladies on the plane, the current Arab uprising is not a move toward democracy like most liberals would like to believe. It would be wonderful if that were the case, but it's not! Rather, it is a diabolical move toward the formation of a radical Islamic Caliphate( the uniting of all Muslims under one banner). And this will, I believe, be the last world empire, the seventh head of the dragon spoken of in the Book of the Revelation. It is not hard to see how that this Islamic Caliphate and the last world empire headed up by the Antichrists will be one and the same. Yes, I do believe that the Antichrist will be a radical Muslim trying to force the world to "submit" to Sharia law or Islamic law. Also, it is no secret that one of the things that will bring this Caliphate together will be their hatred of Israel and their controversy with God's covenant that the Land belongs to Israel.
The Word of God teaches that at the time of the end the world's attention will be focused on Israel and particularly Jerusalem (See Zechariah 12-14). The real issue in these days will be centered on God and His right to be God. Let me explain. National and physical Israel, including Jerusalem, will be the geographical land where the One True God will force the world to make a decision about Him. Does He have the right to give the Land to Israel? Can He choose whom He desires to demonstrate His grace and election? It will be precisely God's choice to give Israel the land--including Jerusalem-and to show His grace to the remnant of Jews who will be saved that will be the dividing issue. It actually already is the issue, but as we draw closer to the end it will become the hot button issue for the whole world. Those who honor and recognize God's election and grace shown to and through the Jewish people will be blessed and those who don't will be cursed! The nations as well as individuals will be forced to either choose God or reject Him. And their choice will come down to how they respond to and treat Israel and their right to the land including the city of Jerusalem.
"The burden of the Lord" in these days will be to awaken Israel and the Church to this reality. It is a task that can only be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. My prayer for you is that what I have said in this message will become revelation to you. This is important because of several reasons. First, it will help prepare you for what is coming. Secondly, as you line yourself up with God's purposes for Israel and Jerusalem you are lining yourself up with God. And if God is for you then who can be against you. Third, by lining yourself up with God, you are seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. The end result of that is that "all of these other things" (whatever you need) will be added to you (See Matthew 6:33). Therefore I invite you to join me by receiving "the burden of the Lord." It will be both a heavy burden, but it will also be an incredible blessing! Shalom
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