Ezekiel 36
31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
32. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.
I suppose this could be why so many ‘westernized’ Jews are referenced by others as self-hating, maybe its their own fulfilment of an ancient prophecy.
Leviticus 26
3. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
4. Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
5. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
6. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
7. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
8. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
9. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
10. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.
11. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
12. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
Although these national blessings are specifically for Israel, I think its safe to say the blessings would be applicable to any nation that openly serves GOD.
GOD exists outside of time as we finite humans understand time. HE exist in time, every moment for GOD is a now. When nations or people choose to sin, in GOD’s time its a now. The conceputalisation of HIS blessings on nations or individuals are based on what we see as foreknowledge, but those blessings are GOD’s now.
Does GOD know the future? Yes because to HIM past, present, & future are now. Nation’s as collective humans and we as individuals live in our now, we all decide to chose right or wrong, good or evil, love or hate. GOD isn’t a puppetmaster pulling the strings, HE may set things in motion by urgings or dreams or insight. HE may guide us with that still small voice in our heart and mind, but HE is always there, watching and experiencing our life with us, not in a pantheistic sort in that HE exist in all things, but as an observer. Our day, our future, our past are all HIS now.
The blessings listed above are those future nows the Father gives to those nations who revere HIM. First applicable to Israel, now applicable to those nations who serve or believe in the Son.
Looking at the world in our day it’s easy to say GOD is judging nations because of their sins as a collective. What most forget or haven’t been taught to discuss by secular government education is problems of wars, disasters, plagues, corruption, etc has existed in every nation throughout history. No nation or people are immune to the vicissitudes of man or nature. All things change in our concept of time. The one thing that doesn’t change is GOD. All of our time, all of our decisions are in HIS now. HIS love for us hasn’t changed nor has HIS anger towards sin.
Wars happen because of our decisions, disasters because of nature corrupted by sin; hate & anger, bitterness & malice, pride & conceit, murder, theft, & lies, all arise and come forth from us, from our heart.
If nations or collective groups of peoples desire the blessings listed above, those same peoples need to look into their own hearts and to repent or turn away from wickedness.
My prayer, for those collectives, is that the Spirit would convict them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, leading those collectives to repentence and salvation so while here on this earth, those blessings listed above could be experienced in our now. Otherwise those blessings will remain letters in a book.
GOD Bless.
Romans 7
7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Psalms 53
1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
John 4
13. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Psalms 39
1. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
2. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
3. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
4. LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
5. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
John 16
7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9. Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Luke 18
2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Luke 14
2. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4. And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5. And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
6. And they could not answer him again to these things.
John 5
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
Luke 10
29. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30. And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37. And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Luke 8
19. Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
20. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp
Friends, Open Doors workers recently visited some ethnic minority believers in China—ranked 23 on the 2020 World Watch List—who are from Buddhist backgrounds. Their house church was recently shut down by local authorities. The believers were told to stay away by authorities but decided to keep meeting together, despite the very real possibility of arrest.
Attendance at the church meetings is down because of threats by local officials. Tithes and offerings are down too. As a result, the pastor and his wife have to make ends meet by picking mushrooms.
The believers are dealing with more than just the local government. The local culture is primarily Buddhist, so Christians are not welcome, especially Christians who have converted from Buddhism. A few women in the church are victims of domestic violence—punishment from family members because the women choose to follow Jesus. Our workers report that, in spite of all of this, believers remain joyful!
Please pray Buddhist-background believers in this village and other places in China are strengthened in their faith as they experience persecution.
Pray believers choose to continue meeting together despite the personal risk.
Pray for provision for church leaders’ daily needs.
Pray Open Doors workers are able to continue visiting communities in order to meet believers and encourage them with teaching, in worship and times of personal prayer.
Photo: The baptism of a convert from Buddhism.
The 2020 World Watch List has been released! Click here to learn more.
Luke 1
30. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Mark 12
13. And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
14. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
15. Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
16. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.
17. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
A Laymans Discourse 
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