Welcome to the June 2016 Newsletter, Holiday Edition!
That's right, we've once again arrived at "Holiday Weekend"! Canada Day is showing up on Friday, followed by Independence Day on July 4th just three days later!
The last time I created such a newsletter, I wrote the following at a very different place in domestic and international politics:
To those who live overseas, as you scan the news online or flip the channels on your television set, it is clear that there is trouble brewing worldwide at this time. Unrest has taken over major areas of the globe as governments and religious groups try to crack down on those who do not follow their creeds. As these scenes cross your screen, reach out a hand toward that screen and pray over those going through these troubling times. Pray for comfort for those losing family members, pastors, and community leaders. Pray for those committing such crimes and claim their souls for the Kingdom of God outloud so that they are unable to die until they have made Christ Lord. Pray that the Holy Spirit will invade troublesome governments and tight-fisted regimes, that in these last days the name of the Lord will be lifted up. Pray for peace, wisdom, guidance, discernment, insight and foresight for the governments and leaders at all levels right where you live.
Yes, this is a call to prayer. This is a call to self-examination. This is a call to surrender to the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit so that you are free to do battle in the heavenly realms on behalf of those who can't. This is a time for the army of Christ to stand up and be counted! Nation after nation is falling prey to the forceful voices of sin demanding that their sin be legalized, accepted, respected, and not only tolerated but engaged by those who these voices know right well will not do so. Christians in "free" countries are being dragged through courts and heavily penalized for standing up for their beliefs where once they used to be free to do so.
Darkness is falling across the globe as we enter the wee hours before morning when Christ will return for His Church, the Bride of Christ. The birth pangs as of a mother in labour according to Matthew 24, are upon us and getting closer and closer together. The frequency of these pangs are causing some to think we have entered the Tribulation period, although Christ said these were only precursors to that time. Even as precursors however, they are catching people off-guard. They are creating panic and heartbreak and even the earth is not immune. The saying goes that it's always darkest before dawn. However it is also said that one small candle can light an entire room when that room is darkened.
We live in dark days that are only going to get darker and more troublesome before the great and terrible Day of the Lord comes. The enemy of our souls knows his time is short and he has begun his offensive. Christ when looking out across time to this period says Himself, will He find faith on the earth when He returns? Indeed, will He? Only you and I can answer that question for ourselves and for those we love. Only we can engage in intercessory prayer for those God places on our hearts. Only we can ensure our own hearts and minds and our own outward daily walk is upright and clean before the Father. Only we can ensure that our Robes of Righteousness have been washed by the Word so that Christ can present us blameless to the Father.
Remember that your heart-felt prayers are powerful! Not because of what you say, but because of Who is listening! Lastly, remember Psalm 91. . . Read it before you go to bed tonight, and read it often in the days to come. Create a poster and copy and paste the passage into it, print it and post it on your kitchen or living room wall for all to see as the days get darker. If you were tried in a court of law, would there be enough evidence to brand you a Child of the King? Take time this coming week of celebration, to make sure you will be celebrating your citizenship in Heaven.
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Last year at this time, Canada had a Godly leader in power and the US President was doing many bothersome things that seemed bad already at that time.
One single year later, the change that has taken place in both countries is staggering! I don't normally link to anything on my Facebook private profile, but once in a blue moon I break with personal protocol and share something I've posted there. The events just in this month of June alone prompted me to go back through various articles I've written over the years, to see just how recent events had been showing up on my horizon. This excursion through past writings resulted in THIS article! Included in the linked article are links to other articles going back as far as 2003. If you have the time, I encourage you to read through them as you ponder what has taken place both at home and on the world stage.
This year again, I wish to emphasize the above call to prayer as we prepare for our national holidays. I can't put enough emphasis on the fact that we MUST be praying for our nations' leadership from the town to the region to the province or state to the federal government and beyond. Please take time over this coming holiday weekend to lift your nation before the Lord and to plead for His mercy on our land!
