Thursday, November 15, 2007

Who Is It?

I have a whole two hours before I have to go do a radio show, and what better way to spend the time than to post one more article. I know I said the last one would be the last for the day, but I just had to share my thoughts on the prayer vigil that just took place in Georgia, you know where the Christians, and the Buddhists, and Muslims, with a few Wicca sprinkled in for seasoning all prayed to their respective gods for rain.
As the Creator of all that is looks down upon the earth, which is His footstool, his attention is drawn to the North American continent by a great noise emanating from the state of Georgia. Most seem to be praying to Him, although some in the communal prayer seem to be praying to other gods as well. He takes a closer look, since they are calling on His name, but as He searches the hearts of those who are present, He does not recognize any as being His own.
They call Him Father in one accord, but He does not recognize them as His children. For many, it's their first time gazing heavenward, it's their first prayer, and the God who knows all things, also knows why they decided now, was a good time to pray.
After all these years, after all the rejected attempts to reach their hearts, they come to Him now, because they want, they need something from Him. They need rain, that's why they pray, not because they want to know Him, or form a relationship with Him. 'Keep the fellowship, keep the relationship, spare us the requests for holiness and repentance, just send us the rain', is what God hears. Shrugging His eternal shoulders, God looks down and says, 'I do not know you, why do you call me Father, when you refused to be My sons and daughters, when you rejected the gift of My Son, and trampled upon the blood of His sacrifice?'
Those who are truly His, are not among the crowd, for they pray away from prying eyes, away from the bulbs and the camera flashes. Those who are His, know not to defile themselves. They come before Him in spirit and in truth, with all humility, because they desire Him, and not something from Him.
If God shows favor, and the rains come, it won't be because an ecumenical crowd gathered on the steps of City Hall, it will be because of those few in their prayer closets, who cry out to Him, have an established relationship, and fellowship with Him.
When there are no options left, every man eventually gazes toward the heavens and says 'God?', and God looks down and answers, 'Who is it? I do not recognize you.'
There are however, those blessed few who knew Him long before they needed something from Him, and when they call upon His name, He answers most assuredly, for He recognizes His Son in them.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey michael,

your latest post raises many thoughts about the current drought that covers much of the southeast. with many calling it an epic event or the drought of the century, whatever it is called it has caught the attention of not only those directly affected but that of the rest of the nation.

it kind of is reminiscent of ahabs epic drought, and how the many turned to the baals for relief, and not until one lone prophet confronted the error of his day did the drought end. the rains came but the record does not show much evidence for national repentance except for the death of the priests of baal.

so the rains will come to alanta and the scientists will explain it away as some la nina-enso event and the people will quickly forget how their prayers may or may not have influenced the course of events-then the Lord will wonder what he must do next to garner the attention of a people so quick to forget and so prone to turn away.

there is so much we don't understand when it comes to national tragedy(look at what is going on in bangeldesh today-and yest. earthquake in chile)and how our response should be.

may our prayers always be to Jesus inspite of what benefit there may be in it for us.

-p.g.-

Anonymous said...

Apart from the blatant disregard for Jesus' direction to "pray in secret", the people in Georgia upset me for another reason. The growing trend to embrace all faiths in harmony.
I was visiting a friend's church last year and I started purusing the bulletin board. I was horrified to see a full page advertisment for "The Divine Child Within Us" conference. "A place for groups of interfaith people to gather and embrace the divinity we all have within us." My friend says this church is a Bible believing, God fearing church. So how can they advertise an interfaith meeting?!?!?
If your neighbor is a Buddist, by all means say "hello" as you pass by, but don't worship with him.
This whole 'we worship the same god, just by different names' movement is so hideous and deceptive. And there are so many people falling for it. I always hear, "Jesus said to love one another." I don't recall ever reading to love their gods.
The other comment I abhor is the "Allah of the Quoran and the God of the Jews are the same". Last I checked, God said He would die for me. allah said we need to die for him.

Michael, please oh please, keep posting the truth here for everyone to see. There are new people coming everyday. If just one soul is pulled out of ignorance it is worth it.

To the rest of you guys (and gals):
I LOVE reading your comments! Some of you are so gifted with getting the point across. It refreshes my soul every day.

Brother Andrew, your earlier post made me cry it was so well put. That we would all search deep within our hearts and acknowledge the hurts and grudges we hold, this I pray.

Mrs. Pugh

Pam said...

Inspired by your words,I did a little mini study to pull up some verses that I knew I remembered in part.. One in particular that says exactly what you stated is:

Proverbs 1/24But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you-
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 "Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me.
29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD,
30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.



Just as the fire did not come down from heaven to consume the sacrifice of the BAAL prophets so God will not honor the prayers of those misguided souls.. You are so right, if there is rain it will only come through the prayers of the righteous and only for their sakes might the rains fall.

Perhaps five years ago, I was spending an intense time in Jeremiah. The Lord, was revealing much to me about judgments to be fall America.. I had the heaviest burden about a drought coming upon the land, Our intercessory group prayed over this matter and The heaviness
lifted.. I believe grace was extended yet another time.
There comes a time however when judgment is set. I pray yet for just one more day..

Pam
http://worshipwords.blog

Anonymous said...

Michael,

I dont understand all that well about praying in secret. Does this mean the people who pray in front of others in church are sinning? I heard you pray on a radio show, that was not in secret. And the people writing prayers in these posts, I think I did as well. Can you or someone else explain what type of prayer is to be done in secret and in front of others. I Dont want to disobey God and sin.

thank you,

Anonymous said...

Brother Michael,
My husband and I will be praying for your trip. I don't think you actually said (although I might have missed it), but I am assuming you will be going to teach? We will pray that the Lord will annoint His Word and that it will accomplish that which it is sent forth to do, and that signs and wonders will follow.
I found a couple of videos of you teaching at a Church this past spring, I believe the videos were either on UTube, or maybe audio index. They were a blessing and I hope that maybe some of the other places that you teach at will also tape and post them. There are just so many hungry sheep out here!
May the Lord Bless you brother.
I'd like if I might just say thank you to the brothers and sisters who shared such kind words about my comments. The one thing that blesses me about this blog is the lack of contention and strife that sometimes can be seen even on Christian Blogs. I am absolutely blessed by the humbleness of spirit and the out pouring of love and encouragment I find here, and it's always a blessing to sit at this table and partake of the Unleavened Bread with each of you. I truly feel as though I am with family.
May God receive all the Glory as he continues to fit us all together in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

May God's continual blessings and grace be with each of you.

Rachele

Bonny said...

I have seen similar events on our news here in the past, since most of my state (New South Wales) is in severe drought also. I feel sickened and want to weep, when churches happily 'pray' with new age feminists, aboriginal spiritists and every religion.
I don't pray for rain. If it takes drought and natural disaster for people to genuinely cry out to God and to take responsiblity, and to repent of their sin, then Lord, allow these things that some may be saved.
Once I wrote a letter to the minister of a church who allowed yoga classes on his premises, explaining that I had some knowledge of these things from long past experience, and that even my ahteist husband thought it strange. I wrote the letter kindly, not in a critical manner, but the minister wrote back and called me a bigot. Such is the tolerant ecumenical church.

Bonny said...

PS looking forward to the next instalment of Thyatira!!

deannaslater said...

Micheal, I was sent this by a friend, Let me know what you think about this, no need to post.

This just happened this morning. This is our Government in action folks. The Liberty Dollar has done nothing wrong.
The Government does not like competition of real money (Gods money, silver and gold) with their fiat (backed by nothing)
paper money.


> Dear Liberty Dollar Supporters:
>
> I sincerely regret to inform you that about 8:00 this morning a dozen FBI and Secret Service agents raided the Liberty Dollar office in Evansville.
>
> For approximately six hours they took all the gold, all the silver, all the platinum and almost two tons of Ron Paul Dollars that where just delivered last Friday. They also took all the files, all the computers and froze our bank accounts.
>
> We have no money. We have no products. We have no records to even know what was ordered or what you are owed. We have nothing but the will to push forward and overcome this massive assault on our liberty and our right to have real money as defined by the US Constitution. We should not to be defrauded by the fake government money.
>
> But to make matters worse, all the gold and silver that backs up the paper certificates and digital currency held in the vault at Sunshine Mint has also been confiscated. Even the dies for mint the Gold and Silver Libertys have been taken.
>
> This in spite of the fact that Edmond C. Moy, the Director of the Mint, acknowledged in a letter to a US Senator that the paper certificates did not violate Section 486 and were not illegal. But the FBI and Services took all the paper currency too.
>
> The possibility of such action was the reason the Liberty Dollar was designed so that the vast majority of the money was in specie form and in the peoples hands. Of the $20 million Liberty Dollars, only about a million is in paper or digital form.
>
> I regret that if you are due an order. It may be some time until it will be filled... if ever... it now all depends on our actions.
>
> Everyone who has an unfulfilled order or has digital or paper currency should band together for a class action suit and demand redemption. We cannot allow the government to steal our money! Please do not let this happen!!! Many of you read the articles quoting the government and Federal Reserve officials that the Liberty Dollar was legal. You did nothing wrong. You are legally entitled to your property. Let us use this terrible act to band together and further our goal – to return America to a value based currency.
>
> Please forward this important Alert... so everyone who possess or use the Liberty Dollar is aware of the situation.
>
> Please click HERE to sign up for the class action lawsuit and get your property back!
>
> If the above link does not work you can access the page by copying the following into your web browser. http://www.libertydollar.org/classaction/index.php

Anonymous said...

This is not a response to the post, but a heartfelt request for prayer. My name is jim Emmons, and my wife is Tammy. We live in Indiana. A year or so ago Tammy came down with Histoplasmosis. Because of this illness she has lost 80% of the vision in her left eye. This has caused her worry, headaches,and pain in the eye its self. Still she works 40 to 50 hours a week sanding desks in a factory.A few weeks ago we discovered that the Histo has moved to her other eye. She is now slowly loosing sight in that eye also. There is no cure for Histo. For that reason she is now faced with the prospect of being blind. However we do know someone who cures that which there is no cure for. Someone who bore the stripes of our healing. Of course I speak of our precious Lord Jesus. We have no doubt that Tammy WILL BE HEALED!! by the one who said "ask and you shall recieve". He does not lie. What I am asking today of you, whoever is reading this right now, is that you pray with me for the healing of my wifes eyes. I ask that you please continue to pray for her, untill I report our victory. A friend of ours who has the gift of healing, will be coming here in late december during her holiday break to lay hands on Tammy. I don't know if that will be the day of healing, or if it will have already happened. I do know that she will recieve mercy from our great God who is Love. My true love in Christ to each one of you. You and your prayers are precious to us. Glory be to God. Thank You. Jim

Anonymous said...

Brother Michael,

It is a sad day when so-called believers can join themselves together with pagan faiths and have no problem praying together. I believe it grieves the Father's heart, because we are without excuse. If only people would open their bibles and actually read what it says. Paul says to the church in Corinth regarding this issue, "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" (1 Cor. 10:20-22)

To be true to the context, you can argue that Paul is likely referring to some form of animal sacrifice, but we know from Revelation that prayer is like bowls of incense and can also be considered a form of sacrifice. Just because these people in Georgia are not eating sacrificed food, it doesn't mean that they are not sitting at the table of demons. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3)

I once attended a prayer breakfast in my city (thinking it was Christian only), but to my shame they also had a Buddist and a Muslim pray. I was appalled and grieved in my spirit man. Needless to say, I never went back to that one again.

God may yet send rain on the Souteast part of this nation, but it won't be from the prayers of these people. It will only be because "...he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust." (Matthew 5:45)

These people's prayers are actually doing more harm than good. In the earlier verse, Paul says that the Lord is provoked to jealousy. I don't know about you, but this probably can't be a good thing. Since we are inferring what God may be saying or thinking when He sees such blasphemy, I think He might respond with the following words from Proverbs 1:23-33 saying, "If you had responded to my rebuke (ie. the drought), I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me (by no repenting)when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you- when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge (by not opening their bibles and understanding that you can't pray to me and demons)and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Destruction awaits all who join themselves to demons. It may be postponed awhile, but it will still come. God has appointed a day to judge the world in righteousness. Unless we REPENT, we will perish.

As the Lord instructs us to do from the sermon on the mount, I pray for these lost and deluded souls. Let them see the fruit of their ways and grant them repentance unto life. Lord have mercy once again on your people who have been taken captive to do Satan's will.

Amen!

With love in Christ,

Brother Andrew

Elm Street Chapel said...

Michael,
God is not the author of confusion.
Public prayer is not forbidden either. Nineveh was spared for the public outcry. If Esther had not called for prayer and fasting, Satan's plan to kill the Jews may not have been averted. A national day of prayer is not evil in intent, and I doubt that God hears babal. Many Spirit filled believers pray for mercy and needs at every major catastrophe, even minor ones. The travesty is that we adjoin ourselves to unbelievers. Not separating ourselves or even seeking understanding first. Offering a mixed wine to God. There were plenty of well meaning Christians at the event, my wife is praying for rain there also. It's why judgment has been delayed, God answers the prayers of the righteous. If we don't pray we fall into the category of:Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

The confusion and condemnation is that other gods will get credit for what the one true God does. And fools will rejoice in their deception. Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
L,J,P&HG
Dave

Anonymous said...

I Live in Georgia (although I am Kenyan) and this drought has been somewhat perplexing in that it is green unlike the droughts you see in places in Africa where the bushes and the trees are dried out and the earth is perched to reflect the drought. In Georgia it rains just enough to keep the greenery but not enough to grow food crops or raise the river/lake levels. You see it deceives you...much the same way fake preachers deceive their flock by sprinkling some truth in with the lie so that you are hooked and don't even realize you are choking to death or dying of starvation.

Yea that photo-op show of prayer was pitiful...then maybe, in a little while will come the shaking of the fists to the heavens if the rains do not come...once the facade lifts eh?

Joyce

James Kinsman said...

"...those blessed few who knew Him long before they needed something from Him..."

Anonymous said...

As commented above, the droughts in this nation ARE like the one suffered under Ahab. At least the one in my area of the country is. It is like the drought described in Joel 1 and 2. God is waiting for His own people – us – to humble ourselves and seek His face and offer up what He ASKS for (not what we decide to offer), in the way He has prescribed, and only then will it rain. Literally and spiritually. I know this is true because the Lord demonstrated it on a small scale in my own life. I think I should share what happened because I really believe what He did with me has nothing to do with me personally but is an earthly illustration of what He wants to do spiritually through each of the members of His Body in this country.

Another couple and I were praying for rain and for the work of the Holy Spirit in our area, which has been in a physical drought for at least 6 years, and spiritually for longer than I've lived here. We were asking the Father to show us if there was anything in us hindering His blessing, and how we could cooperate with whatever He wants to do here. Well, eventually the Lord asked me for, or more like came to collect on, something I promised Him many years ago. I never expected it to take the form He decided on. I was sick. I was reeling. I was even furious. Anything but that. NO! It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. Ever. And He knew it. I was so nauseous I had to keep pulling the car over on my way to submit.

Let me tell you, in the end I didn’t do it, it was Jesus in me Who took over, not my own strength or willpower or flesh that obeyed. Because I kept saying, “I can’t believe this is necessary. This is crazy. YOU are crazy! Maybe that’s because it’s NOT You but Satan speaking. Okay, it’s probably You. All right, it IS You. Are You out of Your mind? Why does this matter so much? You’ll have to literally kill me first and resurrect me because otherwise I can’t do this.”

By the time I got there I was saying, “No matter what, You will see me as a whole burnt offering. You will. I believe that. Even if this is Satan trying to kill me, You will still be pleased with my dying because You know I’m doing it unto you. Even if I’m crazy and wrong. Okay. Okay. OKAY. Here I am on the altar. Here I am. HURRY UP AND CONSUME ME!”

Well, even as my flesh was helplessly lying in pieces on the altar no long able to protest or pray, a HUGE bolt of lightning struck right over the house, shaking the very ground, and it started pouring rain. Another sister was involved and would testify to this. It continued raining for over 24 hours, a total of over 4 inches, which was a record. It was even investigated by hydrologists from across the State because it was unprecedented to have such abundant rainfall in such a small, localized area and none a few miles away.

One reason among several why I cannot dismiss it as a super-spiritual interpretation of what was only a mere coincidence is this: a neighbor who received a call from a State hydrologist requesting that he measure the creek on his ranch called me to ask if I knew what was going on. I didn’t understand what he meant by asking ME about it, until he explained that he was wondering, since I am a CHRISTIAN, (he is not) if I had anything to do with God sending the rain. WHAT? I told him although I did know something about it, it was all God’s doing.

Brothers and sisters, think about that! I thought that was private. I thought the Lord was just dealing with me. In the moment I had no idea of affecting anything bigger than my own relationship with the Lord. I am a weak nobody, (as you can see from how I was talking to the Lord about it) but this is an earthly illustration of what our Father wants to do in the spirit. I can’t see yet what spiritual fruit (besides what He has done in me) has come of that ordeal which happened this past spring, but I just know, when He puts His finger on something He wants, let Him have it.

Pray for me that Jesus will help me continue surrendering like that if only for the benefit of my unsaved neighbors.

HisLoveAbides said...

Shalom all, and peace and blessing in Messiah.

p.g.made reference to the drought in king Ahab's time.

There certainly is a parallel....and behold Jezebel cometh shortly and the threat to destroy the righteous.

"And the Dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17

Shalom and Love in Yeshua Ha'Mashiach

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your posting Michael. Jesus gave me conformation on the four horsemen,"THE DREAM" they are riding.

We love you Lord Jesus

Jeremiah

Anonymous said...

And if God sends the rain upon Georgia the masses will rejoice, pat each other on the back, shake hands in proud affirmation saying "I guess god does hear us all no matter what religion we are!" and forget that He causes the rain to fall on the good and the evil. They will comfort themselves, the rain being their evidence, that surely God does not impute their sin against them. NOT!

Anonymous said...

just a tag .....

i wanted to add a comment to what amy said...and thank her for sharing:)

amy i have forecasted weather now for several years and studied for many more, the story you shared brings to the surface the God factor of which many in our profession have long since forgotten or never relised. the capricious side of weather has always intriged me(along with the sheer power) and to see your prayers so vividly answered is awesome-we serve such an ancredibly awsesome God!!!

truly, dark days lie ahead for our nation but it is the testimonies offered by many on this blog that shine the hope of life in this present darkness.

jim and tammy, my/our prayers will be with you as you battle against the enemy-the Lord be your strong tower!

--p.g.--

Anonymous said...

I have been reading your blog for about 2 weeks now...so that would make me one of the "new people" that come here every day. As Mrs. Pugh said in an earlier comment - please keep posting the Truth here! May God bless you and your family!

Elm Street Chapel said...

Jim,

I trust that your wife would not have to wait until December for her healing.

As you said yourself, the Lord is her healer and by His stripes she was healed.

Lord, we come before you in humility and thank you that you are our Healer. You are the same yesterday today and forever.

In the name of Jesus, I agree with you for the healing of your wife Tammy. I come against the anxiety and fear in Jesus' name and ask you to touch her eyes, Lord, and make her whole.

Matthew 18:19 - Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Lord, your word is true and we pray that your will be done in this situation and may your name be glorified.

In Him,
Ryan

Anonymous said...

p.g. - Are you pete g.?

I don't think I did a very good job telling the story above because I was worried it was already taking too long. But I'm glad you enjoyed it anyway.

I just wanted to clarify that it was obedience - exact obedience - not my prayers, that God responded to. I understand why Obadiah argued when Elijah told him to go tell Ahab, "Elijah is here." 1Kings 18:1-15. To explain what the Lord was asking me to do and the context would take way too long, but I was thoroughly convinced that Jezebel would kill me spiritually once and for all, or kill me literally through demonic intimidation and fear strong enough to give me a heart attack, if it turned out I hadn't really heard from the Lord.

Brother Michael, I will be very interested to read your article on the church at Thyatira. :)

Anonymous said...

Kevin,
I'm sure by the time this is posted many others will have responded to you, but just in case...

No, public prayer is not a sin. Putting on a spectacle, participating in pomp and circumstance,and praying to look good are all sins. The sixth chapter of Matthew tells us about these pitfalls and how to avoid them. Jesus is clearly addressing the attitude of the heart.

So pray on! If you are motivated to pray publicly (Often times it's the unexpected prayer of others that moves me the most.) by all means do so. Just don't do it to be seen by others.

Mrs. Pugh

Anonymous said...

Romans 8:18-22
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed IN US. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for THE REVEALING of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it IN HOPE; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

Love,
F

--until now, until the revealing of the Sons/Daughters of God!!!! Until The Day of The Lord !

--Rev 3:16...I will vomit you out of My mouth.(I am thinking of amy vomiting out all that is carnal)

--2 Thessalonians 1:10 when He comes, IN THAT DAY, to be glorified IN HIS SAINTS and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

--1 Peter 2:9 But you are a CHOSEN GENERATION, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;