Prepare the Way International
Approximately a week after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Japan on March 11, 2011, I abruptly awoke at 1:23 AM. I did not give it much thought, until the very next night I again suddenly awoke at precisely 1:23 AM. Knowing that the Lord was speaking through this prophetic sign, I carefully examined all of the 1:23, 1:2-3, 12:3 and 123 scriptures in the Bible. I discovered within the 123 scriptures the following clear and timely prophetic message to America. I am elaborating on this message in six consecutive editions of The Messenger, this one being the second.
For most people, judgment is a rather unpopular and unpleasant topic. We would much rather hear about God’s promises, blessings, grace, and healing power than be instructed regarding His judgments. However, our clouded understanding regarding this aspect of divine nature has kept many from receiving the heavenly rewards associated with keeping His judgments. Indeed, the psalmist David declared that “the judgments of the Lord are more to be desired than gold, sweeter than honey and the
honeycomb” (Psalm 19:9-11).
Three Stages of Divine Judgment
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul stated, “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (I Corinthians 11:31-32).
The first stage of divine judgment is self-judgment. When temptation comes, yielding to the conviction of the indwelling Holy Spirit enables believers to abort the seeds of lust and selfish desire that germinate into sin. In other words, when carnal enticements come knocking at our door, the Holy Spirit not only sounds an alarm in our spirits to warn us, but also provides a means of escape (James 1:14-15, I Corinthians 10:13).
Thankfully, if we do sin, we have an Advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ. Surely, if we confess and forsake our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Unfortunately, the sin standard set in the minds of many Americans is much lower than that of Holy Scripture. We have been conditioned to render judgment upon unrighteous acts such as rape, murder, child abuse, and stealing. However, other sins such as abortion, adultery, fornication, and pornography have become socially acceptable. Moreover, our consciences have been seared and hearts hardened to the point where pride, jealousy, greed, gossip, gluttony, lust and lying are not even labeled sin, but instead considered mere weaknesses. In contrast, the psalmist David considered secret faults, presumptuous sins, unrighteous words and heart meditations as “great transgression”. How we have fallen from the Biblical standard regarding sin! (Psalm 19:13-14, I Timothy 4:2, I John 1:9; 2:1-2).
If we fail to judge ourselves, we become subject to the second stage of divine judgment – the chastening of the Lord. His chastening may manifest in a multiplicity of ways, ranging from a trusted mentor’s rebuke, to an exhortation from a minister’s sermon. Though unpleasant and even grievous, believer’s subjection to the Father’s chastening ultimately yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness and holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11).
However, if we grieve the Holy Spirit by repeatedly resisting or ignoring the Lord’s chastening, we subject ourselves to the third stage of divine judgment – condemnation with the world. When rebellious teenagers altogether reject godly parental counsel and correction, they not only forsake their protective covering, but also leave a door open for the enemy to wreak havoc in their lives. Similarly, those who walk away from Christ after tasting the good word of God and partaking of the Holy Spirit, forfeit divine provision and protection, and become subject to the law of sin and death. In other words, those who repeatedly and willfully disobey the Holy Spirit, walk out from under God’s protective hand, and expose themselves to Satan’s destructive devices (Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:26-31, Romans 8:1-2).
The Law of Sin and Death
The law of sin and death applies not only on a personal level, but also on a corporate level. Sodom and Gomorrah are Biblical examples of wicked cities that condemned themselves through generational iniquitous living. Similarly, present day San Francisco and New Orleans brought destruction upon themselves, primarily through their widespread practice of homosexuality. Declared to the be the “gay capital” of the United States in 1964 by Life magazine, San Francisco has been steeped in homosexuality since the beginning of the 20th century. Consequently, on April 18th, 1906, San Francisco reaped death in the form of a devastating earthquake that claimed approximately 3000 lives. Infamous for their annual “Southern Decadence” homosexual celebrations, “Girls Gone Wild” pornographic video series, and for being one of the abortion capitals of the world, the inhabitants of New Orleans have been sowing unrighteousness for decades. On August 29th, 2005, their harvest of destruction came suddenly, as New Orleans was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Moreover, the law of sin and death also operates on a national level. The book of Psalms declares, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”. If a nation can be blessed for serving the Lord, then certainly a nation can also be cursed for serving idols and false gods. For example, Haitians have sown seeds of divination for generations through their occult practice of voodoo and witchcraft. Unfortunately, their sorcery yielded a severe and swift judgment on January 12, 2010, when over 46,000 Haitians lost their lives in a devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.0 MW (Psalm 33:12).
Like natural laws, spiritual laws cannot be defied, but they can be superseded. For example, if the vertical force exerted upward on an airplane’s wings exceeds the downward force of gravity, the airplane will remain airborne. In essence, the law of lift overcomes the law of gravity. Similarly, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus trumps the law of sin and death, resulting in God’s mercy triumphing over sin’s judgment. Nevertheless, the habitual practice of gross sin not only yields the forfeiture of divine protection, but also draws judgment and death. Simply put, sowing in
righteousness yields mercy and life, whereas seeds of unrighteousness will only produce
judgment and death (James 2:13, Hosea 10:12).
The Pride of America
Of all of the “123” scriptures in the Bible, the one that the Lord emphasized to me more than any other was the prophet Obadiah’s prediction of judgment on the nation of Edom.
Obadiah 1:2-3 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be greatly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ (v. 4) Though you exalt yourself as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,’ says the Lord.”
This prophecy regarding the imminent judgment of Edom, made almost over 3690 years ago, has a parallel, prophetic application to the United States of America. In this passage, references made to the eagle, which is our national symbol, and stars, represented on our nation’s flag, are not a mere coincidence.
Sadly, many Americans have either forgotten or forsaken the godly principles and heritage by which our “one nation under God” was established. Indeed, our foundation of righteousness and justice has eroded to the point of collapse. Over the past five decades, we have removed prayer from our public schools, legalized abortion and same-sex marriage, and largely abandoned the living and true God to serve Mammon and Baal. Our spiritual complacency has shut out the Master from our busy lives, and opened a wide gate through which Muslims have invaded our land. Indeed, our commander in chief was not far from the truth when he declared that America is no longer a Christian nation (Psalm 89:14).
Pride has kept America in a place of denial regarding our depraved spiritual, social and economic condition. The handwriting is on the wall for all nations to see. Yet, our arrogance has kept us from acknowledging the pit we have dug for ourselves, and from humbly turning to God for forgiveness and answers. American pride has many deceived into believing that the real estate and stock market crises of 2008 and 2009 are a thing of the past, and that economically, we are making a comeback.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, two published economists, who in 2006 accurately predicted the 2008 stock market crisis, have made additional economic forecasts in another book released in 2010. They predict that between 2011 and 2013, Americans will begin to witness a vicious downward spiral of not only the real estate and stock markets, but also the American dollar. As of this writing, the stock market has already taken another major nosedive, and the dollar has been greatly devalued.
Pride is one of the most dangerous of sins; it not only blinds us from accepting the truth, but also precedes destruction. Many have scoffed at the numerous predictions regarding a massive earthquake that will forever change the landscape and lifestyle of Californians. Regardless, numerous seismologists and seers agree that it is not a matter of if, but when the West Coast is severely shaken. We must continue to pray that the severity of this judgment will be lessened, and that through it multitudes will learn righteousness (Proverbs 16:18, Isaiah 26:9).
Humility is the antidote for pride – a remedy that the Lord has been prescribing for our nation for over forty years. Indeed, His challenge to the Church of America to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways for the most part has fallen on deaf ears. As a result, our nation is approaching the dawn of our most formidable crises ever. Truthfully, nothing short of genuine nationwide repentance and a sweeping righteous revolution will rescue America from the graveyard spiral we will soon find ourselves in (II Chronicles 7:14).
Nevertheless, God has not given up on America. I believe that the prophetic sign and corresponding “123” message I have been entrusted with will help prepare Americans for the imminent economic and environmental judgments that lie ahead.
More importantly, I believe that through this message the Lord is sounding an alarm in Zion, to prepare the Church for the greatest ingathering of souls this nation has ever witnessed.
Approximately a week after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Japan on March 11, 2011, I abruptly awoke at 1:23 AM. I did not give it much thought, until the very next night I again suddenly awoke at precisely 1:23 AM. Knowing that the Lord was speaking through this prophetic sign, I carefully examined all of the 1:23, 1:2-3, 12:3 and 123 scriptures in the Bible. I discovered within the 123 scriptures the following clear and timely prophetic message to America. I am elaborating on this message in six consecutive editions of The Messenger, this one being the second.
For most people, judgment is a rather unpopular and unpleasant topic. We would much rather hear about God’s promises, blessings, grace, and healing power than be instructed regarding His judgments. However, our clouded understanding regarding this aspect of divine nature has kept many from receiving the heavenly rewards associated with keeping His judgments. Indeed, the psalmist David declared that “the judgments of the Lord are more to be desired than gold, sweeter than honey and the
honeycomb” (Psalm 19:9-11).
Three Stages of Divine Judgment
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul stated, “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (I Corinthians 11:31-32).
The first stage of divine judgment is self-judgment. When temptation comes, yielding to the conviction of the indwelling Holy Spirit enables believers to abort the seeds of lust and selfish desire that germinate into sin. In other words, when carnal enticements come knocking at our door, the Holy Spirit not only sounds an alarm in our spirits to warn us, but also provides a means of escape (James 1:14-15, I Corinthians 10:13).
Thankfully, if we do sin, we have an Advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ. Surely, if we confess and forsake our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Unfortunately, the sin standard set in the minds of many Americans is much lower than that of Holy Scripture. We have been conditioned to render judgment upon unrighteous acts such as rape, murder, child abuse, and stealing. However, other sins such as abortion, adultery, fornication, and pornography have become socially acceptable. Moreover, our consciences have been seared and hearts hardened to the point where pride, jealousy, greed, gossip, gluttony, lust and lying are not even labeled sin, but instead considered mere weaknesses. In contrast, the psalmist David considered secret faults, presumptuous sins, unrighteous words and heart meditations as “great transgression”. How we have fallen from the Biblical standard regarding sin! (Psalm 19:13-14, I Timothy 4:2, I John 1:9; 2:1-2).
If we fail to judge ourselves, we become subject to the second stage of divine judgment – the chastening of the Lord. His chastening may manifest in a multiplicity of ways, ranging from a trusted mentor’s rebuke, to an exhortation from a minister’s sermon. Though unpleasant and even grievous, believer’s subjection to the Father’s chastening ultimately yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness and holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11).
However, if we grieve the Holy Spirit by repeatedly resisting or ignoring the Lord’s chastening, we subject ourselves to the third stage of divine judgment – condemnation with the world. When rebellious teenagers altogether reject godly parental counsel and correction, they not only forsake their protective covering, but also leave a door open for the enemy to wreak havoc in their lives. Similarly, those who walk away from Christ after tasting the good word of God and partaking of the Holy Spirit, forfeit divine provision and protection, and become subject to the law of sin and death. In other words, those who repeatedly and willfully disobey the Holy Spirit, walk out from under God’s protective hand, and expose themselves to Satan’s destructive devices (Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:26-31, Romans 8:1-2).
The Law of Sin and Death
The law of sin and death applies not only on a personal level, but also on a corporate level. Sodom and Gomorrah are Biblical examples of wicked cities that condemned themselves through generational iniquitous living. Similarly, present day San Francisco and New Orleans brought destruction upon themselves, primarily through their widespread practice of homosexuality. Declared to the be the “gay capital” of the United States in 1964 by Life magazine, San Francisco has been steeped in homosexuality since the beginning of the 20th century. Consequently, on April 18th, 1906, San Francisco reaped death in the form of a devastating earthquake that claimed approximately 3000 lives. Infamous for their annual “Southern Decadence” homosexual celebrations, “Girls Gone Wild” pornographic video series, and for being one of the abortion capitals of the world, the inhabitants of New Orleans have been sowing unrighteousness for decades. On August 29th, 2005, their harvest of destruction came suddenly, as New Orleans was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Moreover, the law of sin and death also operates on a national level. The book of Psalms declares, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”. If a nation can be blessed for serving the Lord, then certainly a nation can also be cursed for serving idols and false gods. For example, Haitians have sown seeds of divination for generations through their occult practice of voodoo and witchcraft. Unfortunately, their sorcery yielded a severe and swift judgment on January 12, 2010, when over 46,000 Haitians lost their lives in a devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.0 MW (Psalm 33:12).
Like natural laws, spiritual laws cannot be defied, but they can be superseded. For example, if the vertical force exerted upward on an airplane’s wings exceeds the downward force of gravity, the airplane will remain airborne. In essence, the law of lift overcomes the law of gravity. Similarly, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus trumps the law of sin and death, resulting in God’s mercy triumphing over sin’s judgment. Nevertheless, the habitual practice of gross sin not only yields the forfeiture of divine protection, but also draws judgment and death. Simply put, sowing in
righteousness yields mercy and life, whereas seeds of unrighteousness will only produce
judgment and death (James 2:13, Hosea 10:12).
The Pride of America
Of all of the “123” scriptures in the Bible, the one that the Lord emphasized to me more than any other was the prophet Obadiah’s prediction of judgment on the nation of Edom.
Obadiah 1:2-3 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be greatly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ (v. 4) Though you exalt yourself as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,’ says the Lord.”
This prophecy regarding the imminent judgment of Edom, made almost over 3690 years ago, has a parallel, prophetic application to the United States of America. In this passage, references made to the eagle, which is our national symbol, and stars, represented on our nation’s flag, are not a mere coincidence.
Sadly, many Americans have either forgotten or forsaken the godly principles and heritage by which our “one nation under God” was established. Indeed, our foundation of righteousness and justice has eroded to the point of collapse. Over the past five decades, we have removed prayer from our public schools, legalized abortion and same-sex marriage, and largely abandoned the living and true God to serve Mammon and Baal. Our spiritual complacency has shut out the Master from our busy lives, and opened a wide gate through which Muslims have invaded our land. Indeed, our commander in chief was not far from the truth when he declared that America is no longer a Christian nation (Psalm 89:14).
Pride has kept America in a place of denial regarding our depraved spiritual, social and economic condition. The handwriting is on the wall for all nations to see. Yet, our arrogance has kept us from acknowledging the pit we have dug for ourselves, and from humbly turning to God for forgiveness and answers. American pride has many deceived into believing that the real estate and stock market crises of 2008 and 2009 are a thing of the past, and that economically, we are making a comeback.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, two published economists, who in 2006 accurately predicted the 2008 stock market crisis, have made additional economic forecasts in another book released in 2010. They predict that between 2011 and 2013, Americans will begin to witness a vicious downward spiral of not only the real estate and stock markets, but also the American dollar. As of this writing, the stock market has already taken another major nosedive, and the dollar has been greatly devalued.
Pride is one of the most dangerous of sins; it not only blinds us from accepting the truth, but also precedes destruction. Many have scoffed at the numerous predictions regarding a massive earthquake that will forever change the landscape and lifestyle of Californians. Regardless, numerous seismologists and seers agree that it is not a matter of if, but when the West Coast is severely shaken. We must continue to pray that the severity of this judgment will be lessened, and that through it multitudes will learn righteousness (Proverbs 16:18, Isaiah 26:9).
Humility is the antidote for pride – a remedy that the Lord has been prescribing for our nation for over forty years. Indeed, His challenge to the Church of America to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways for the most part has fallen on deaf ears. As a result, our nation is approaching the dawn of our most formidable crises ever. Truthfully, nothing short of genuine nationwide repentance and a sweeping righteous revolution will rescue America from the graveyard spiral we will soon find ourselves in (II Chronicles 7:14).
Nevertheless, God has not given up on America. I believe that the prophetic sign and corresponding “123” message I have been entrusted with will help prepare Americans for the imminent economic and environmental judgments that lie ahead.
More importantly, I believe that through this message the Lord is sounding an alarm in Zion, to prepare the Church for the greatest ingathering of souls this nation has ever witnessed.
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