2010: The Rising Flood.

"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house..." (From Matthew 7:25)

Friends, it's still true. Rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. And you may well find yourself in a torrential downpour that permeates your experience of life in 2010.

Some time ago in my blog I warned of the cessation of prophetic warnings as a sign of impending judgement: the Lord speaks graciously and tenderly, for months and years and decades, but the day comes where our time is up. The warnings stop. The gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit fades away. And the rebellious heart is left in its rebellion, to suffer the consequences of not heeding the call of God.

A praying remnant has done its part to intercede on behalf of individuals and institutions, and God has responded with an extension of His mercy. But the Scripture speaks loud and clear: "Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that country, they would only deliver themselves by their righteousness, says the LORD God" (See Ezekiel 14:14). In other words, when God ends the mercy and starts the judgement, not even the great men and women of God will be able to push a "pause" button. Judgement will indeed visit our house.

America has been desolate before. America now stands on the edge of desolation again, 80 years after the advent of the Great Depression of the 1930's. The rain falls, the flood is rising. And we have two options: we can stand in the company of those who are firmly anchored in Jesus Christ, those who meet His criteria: hearing and doing what He says (see Matthew 7:24). The other option is to not hear Him and not do what He says, which would place us in the company of those who perish.

If you're not sure where you stand, make sure. It's pouring rain.