Put Your Sword Back In Its Place!

I'm saddened by the blatant dishonor of authority I see in this country. The destruction of important historical monuments, the desecration of what is holy, the vandalism of public property, and the violent attacks against innocent bystanders. What is sadder still is the justification of these acts in the name of injustice. As they say, Two wrongs do not make a right." This means that if someone has done something unjust or dishonest it is no justification for acting in a similar way. God has called all of us to honor authority, be peacemakers, and love our enemies.

The reason I'm writing this is that many Christians or "Believers" have gotten caught up in making excuses for what is happening in our nation and even justifying the behavior of people whose hearts are filled with rage. They have gotten caught up in the distraction of the riots instead of praying for revival or being an answer to our national crisis. It's time to speak the truth in love and base all of our opinions on God's Word not the nightly news.

God's Word is clear, we must submit to those in authority. 

Submit yourselves to [the authority of] every human institution for the sake of the Lord [to honor His name], whether it is to a king as one in a position of power, or to governors as sent by him to bring punishment to those who do wrong, and to praise and encourage those who do right. For it is the will of God that by doing right you may silence (muzzle, gag) the [culpable] ignorance and irresponsible criticisms of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover or pretext for evil, but [use it and live] as bond-servants of God. Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

(1 Peter 2:13-17 AMP)

First, God asks of us is to submit to authority. Submission means to yield control to the admonition or advice or authority of someone who is placed in a position of power over us. It means to obey the rules, regulations, and laws set forth to protect people, property, and possessions. We do this as a testimony of the transformation God has done in our hearts and to glorify Him through the love we walk in. 

We need to realize that authority is necessary to bring punishment to those who do wrong and protect those who do right. When we do what is right, those who are in authority should not harass us (use aggressive pressure or intimidation) use excessive force, disrespect, or mistreat us based upon our outward appearance or perceived notions or even suspicion. Respect or honor must be a two-way street to bring healing to our national crisis. It is true that much of our legal system is broken often victimizing the innocent and letting go of the guilty but we can't step into the role of God. It is not our place to bring vengeance and retribution to the guilty.  

It's time we built a culture of honor. What is honor you may ask? Honor is respect. It is also to adhere to a conventional standard of conduct. We need to value people and deem them worthy not by their behavior, race, gender, lifestyle, past but by what Jesus has done on the cross. The cross defines our value. The reason people mistreat others is that they don't know their own personal worth and don't love themselves. When people are broken they bleed all over others. Yes, it is hard to love those who are being unlovely but hatred and violence are never the answer. We are called to love our enemies!

Even when Jesus was going to be unjustly arrested as an innocent man he told Peter who drew his sword to protect him, “Put your sword back in its place; for all those who habitually draw the sword will die by the sword. (Matthew 26:52 AMP) What was Jesus saying? Violence begets violence. Vengeance or bringing justice is God's job, not ours. Yes, we can bring judicial reform, change the laws, and bring discipline to those who disobey those laws but the ultimate judge is God.

Solution:

"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Romans 12:18-20

Prophetic Word:
I hear the Lord say there is a violence that has been coming from the media. Violence proceeds from their tongues. There is sedition in their hearts. I will cure it by exposing it. I see shirts pulled over the heads of those who are rioting. They cannot see but they are exposed. I see their hands bound behind their backs by a black chord (it looks like velcro). I will end this says the Lord of Hosts. I have heard the cries of my people and my angelic host is on the way to quell the insurrection against God and country. Shame will be on those who chose to unjustly benefit from the blood of George Floyd but glory to those who chose to give glory to me in his death. The scales and balances are now weighing every heart. George Floyd's blood is not the only one who cries for justice. I hear all the blood that has been spilled. I will do justice on their behalf. 
Yahweh Tsidkenu 

As in the Days of Noah

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
(Matthew 24:36-39)

Prophesying of the end of the age, Jesus gives a prophetic picture of the last days before His coming. He compares the last days as "as the days of Noah." Even though we may not know the exact time of His coming we can look for the signs of His return. He tells us that before the flood, people were carrying on like normal. They were still conducting their lives and affairs without a single concern of a flood coming up until the very end. They were still going to parties, getting married, going to those bars to drink, and enjoying all this world has to offer. What this tells me is that the end will come on a day that seems like any other day. Yes, there will be signs on the highway but people will keep driving to their intended destination. Just like Caltrans, God will be putting out the cones on the highway and putting up warning signs way ahead of the actual danger area but many will not heed the warnings.

Every year people that ignore these signs, end up on the nightly news report, being swept away in flood waters after they decided to go around what was meant to protect them. Some drown or lose their cars because they thought the situation was less critical than it actually was. Let's not forget the people who get warned to leave their homes in oncoming fires, hurricanes and tornados. We have developed a system to protect human lives and reduce casualties but people can be deceived about their ability to ride out the storm. Hurricane Katrina was a prime example of that. Many people perished unnecessarily because they did not correctly assess the seriousness of the situation.

My friends when Jesus returns we won't be able to ride out the storm. We will either be ready or we will become a casualty. If a fireman or rescue worker comes to your house, to tell you that you are in the way of impending disaster, you better listen. Don't gamble your life against the elements. Don't think you are exempted from the coming danger. As in the days of Noah, the bible tells us that God, "did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly" 2 Peter 2:4-5 Think about this, only eight people survived the floods that Noah prophesied about. Only eight gave heed to the signs and warnings. The people who were carrying on their normal lives must have thought Noah was a mad man working on that enormous ship. It must have took years of watching him build it with all the time to mock him. God's word says Noah was preaching righteousness to a world who had fallen into great wickedness. He wasn't placating them or making less of the situation. He wasn't telling them that they would be ok when clearly they were going to get swept away. He must have tried to compel them day and night to enter that ark until the very hand of God closed the doors to the ark.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Genesis 6:5-6

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 6:11-13

What was this great wickedness that would make God destroy the ancient world?

If you read the scripture carefully the reason God destroyed the earth is mentioned twice here in Genesis. VIOLENCE! The bible says their thoughts and hearts were wicked continually. The very motivation of their hearts was evil. Everything had gotten corrupted. In the book of Enoch which is not a book in the bible says that people had resorted to cannibalism, witchcraft, and drugs. Violence had taken over and the sin of Cain had infected mankind. Fast forward to today. Just in the last few weeks there has been one mass shooting a week. In 2012 a Florida man stands naked eating a homeless man's face. In another incident, a college student in Maryland ate another fellow student that shared the dorm with him. Also in that same year I believe a neighbor ate someone else's dog in a drug induced act of animal cruelty. These acts are beyond human comprehension. In 2011 in a video called "Church on Life Support" I prophesied of an increase of violence unless we turned back to God as a nation. I warned of persecution. We have seen the increase of both since I prophesied this. Also, after the release of this word we also saw the Boston Marathon Bombings, the 12 murders in the theater, in Aurora, Colorado, and the shootings of 37 people at Sandy Hook Elementary. Schools and college campuses have become a hazardous place to be as they have become a common place of violence.

Even in the face of these signs we have not made a concerted effort to turn back to God. We have debated over gun control, enforced stricter laws and pointed fingers at one another. None of these things will stop the evil in the heart's of men. More than just seeing these things as symptoms of the increase of violence TV, video games, and media; we need to see these things as signs of His coming. The persecution and murder of thousands of Christians all over the world like Syria, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries are also signs that we are nearing the end of age. "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened." (Matthew 24:21-22)

Dear reader, there is a reason Hollywood is going to release a movie about the time of Noah. God inspired them. There is a reason that you feel uneasy every time you wake up. There is a reason there is a show called Doomsday Preppers. Everyone all around us feels it. We can try to ignore the obvious but the signs keep appearing on the road we are on, they say, "Caution up ahead!" Some of you know that you should be saying something but you remain silent as people race by you on their way to their destruction. How can you say you love people when you are allowing them to stay on the path that leads to death? Don't you know that we are called to be fire fighters and emergency personnel so we can get people out of harm's way? How will they know unless someone tells them? Will you wait until the flames lick their house and their death is certain? A way of escape was already made for them why not share it with them. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life! He made a way out through His son. It is time to get out there and say something because LOVE WARNS!