A Fresh View

In my heart, as of late has resonated this feeling of, "Whats really important, finding what matters, and doing it." That something big is in the works within our nation as a whole, knowing how much we have turned from our Maker...it really frightens me.
My husband and I have done a fair amount of discussing the end times, and all that is happening across the world, and how it relates to certain prophesies of end times. It' causes to me to take each day very seriously. Perhaps a bit too seriously, but for someone who never cared about tomorrow, to suddenly feel as I do, it's quite a change and I have to credit God for a deepening in my concerns for His world.
I always have the mentality that each individual is here for a purpose, and God's purposes for that person will be made known the more they get to know God and what He wants for them!
Unfortunately fear always laces my thoughts, one, because God is so big, and He can do so much. But two, because I know my depravity at the core, and that I am only one person, what can I do for God? However, riding on my initial conviction that God has a certain plan for each of us, forces me to step forward, knowing His plans for my steps will be made more clear as I just simply put one foot in front of the other. It's truly blind faith that leads us friends, for we don't know what lies ahead, all we can do is trust in His best for us, and know He loves us as children and will do nothing that does not fit into that plan of "best."
The way the world is today, living in either denial or complete self sufficiency, is what scares me the most. There are many times throughout scripture where God warns us to not forget Him. I would say, as in all other times, we are slowly forgetting Him more and more as a nation, and I'm uncertain about what He may do to cause to turn our gaze back to Him once more.
I cannot describe that plans of God for our nations future, nor do I want to...but I do know this, He tells us "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.." Isaiah 55:8-9
He is so concerned for us friends! He cares about our every move, and our every move has the potential to honor Him, ignore Him in blindness, or flat out refute Him, and I do not want to be grouped into the latter two groups! SO this of course makes you feel like, "what a mean dictator God!" But that is not farther from the truth. God causes things to happen in our lives, in hopes that our eyes will once more turn to Him, and rely upon His strength rather than our own, and when a whole nation turns away, the discipline has to reach many in order to any good. That's where you see things like the Flood of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, the warning to Nineveh by Jonah, and many many more. God does not want us to shake in fear, He simply wants us to lift our eyes to Him and put our trust in Him, so the world that HE created will run as is should. What you believe about God will greatly affect how you live your life...and if you believe that He has His best in mind for you, then you will act in accordance with that belief. If you think God "has it out for you.." then perhaps you should first consider why you have those thoughts, and then line it up with scripture. If it does not line up, perhaps entertain the idea that some of your thoughts towards God are scewed.
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you! Because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes those He accepts as a son...Moreover we have all had human Fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" Hebrews 12:5,9

This is more a call to examine our hearts, and see perhaps where we ought to pick up and take notice of Him more, and listen more. Some respond in fear, and others seem oblivious, but in either case, self reliance is what fuels both. We are too self reliant as a whole, and I myself am most certainly guilty of this too! We are not built to be reliant upon ourselves...we were created by a Father who loves us more than we can ever fathom, who has plans for us, and if our desire is to fight that way of life, then we have a long road ahead. It's when we attempt to tear away ourselves from His loving grasp that truly, we are lost, blind and alone. Independence may be what you want, but Independence is not freedom. Just as "less is more" and "more is often too much" so it goes with doing our thing, and going our own way. I know this is a lot, and the thoughts I have on this go on and on...but may these sobering thoughts, cause you to consider first, where you are, and secondly, how you may encourage others to see where they are at too...in hopes that we will all turn back to Him! Never forgetting, His death on the cross for us, the reality of Hell, and the beauty of a life lived with Christ.