A Turnaround

“The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.” (Jeremiah 18:7-10)

This is a word from the LORD spoken to Jeremiah thousands of years ago. Yet it is just as relevant to us today. You may be asking “How is that?” What does the Old Testament have to do with me?

The word nation used here is the Hebrew word “goy” and it means nations and peoples as in EVERY nation, including Hebrew and Gentile.

So this is a word from the LORD for EVERY nation upon the face of the earth as long as there are nations upon the face of the earth.

And we know from Isaiah 55:10-11 concerning the word of the LORD:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

So, what has the LORD been saying about your nation?

I believe He is calling all who are away from Him to REPENTANCE. The word repent means to feel or show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you want to do what is right. Biblically it means to change one’s mind. It means to turn from evil and to turn towards good, or more appropriately to turn towards GOD. It is a TURNAROUND!

But hear this, no one can repent unless God draws them to it. Because repentance is the preparation for salvation and no one comes to the Lord for salvation unless they are first drawn by God (John 6:44).

A biblical example of God drawing a non-Hebrew nation to repentance is found in the Book of Jonah. We read:

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord…. (Jonah 1:1-3)

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them…..Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” (Jonah 3:1-5;10)

God knew that upon hearing His warning, the people of Nineveh (which were Assyrians and were traditionally enemies of the Israelites) would receive His word of repentance and they would turn away from their evil doings, turning towards Him.

And how did this warning come about? The LORD gave this revelation to His chosen prophet and the prophet spoke God’s word to the people.

The LORD spoke this to Jeremiah regarding his calling as a prophet:

“Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.””

The biblical definition of a prophet is a spokesman, or speaker. And a true prophet of God speaks what God tells them to speak. They do not speak on their own authority, but only that which God reveals to them.

So what has God revealed about the nation of America? It's time for a TURNAROUND!

A turnaround from what? Let’s take a look at the current status of our nation:

Rebellion against authority

Everyone doing what is right in their own eyes

Violence against one another

Escalating persecution against God’s people

Rampant sexual immorality

Systemic deception and lying from the media and Government

Extensive (internal-national) tension and strife

All of this unrest cries out for a REVERSE in course. A drastic TURNAROUND is called for when a nation or group is in such a state of disorder.

And I am sad to say, that the CHURCH has let some of these actions play out within its own gates. You better believe that God will deal with the CHURCH body in American before He deals with the nation as a whole.

We learn about this pattern of God dealing with His own first in 1 Peter 4:15-19:

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Because we KNOW better! Or at least we are supposed to KNOW better than to act like the world. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) Sanctification is being set apart for God and His use.

Elsewhere in the New Testament, we THE CHURCH are counseled as follows:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” (Colossians 3:1-11)

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

But listen! These are not things we do out of our own strength. It is Christ in us who makes us able to walk according to the spirit as we yield to Him and His leading.

I received salvation from the LORD Jesus Christ a little over 7 years ago, and to this day He is still working in me His will and way. To this day, I am convicted of soulish and fleshly thoughts, desires, and actions. The moment I speak a harsh word to my daughter, I am convicted and through Christ I learn to not speak that way anymore. The moment I think badly of someone, I am convicted and through Christ I learn to see them as He sees them. 
And that goes for every action that springs forth from my soul and flesh because I am submitted to my LORD. He doesn’t drop me the moment I mess up, rather He, like a father, corrects me. And I am willing to receive the correction and walk it out. It is a process.

Philippians 1:6 says “that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…” And that is completely true! But we must be willing to be worked in.

For those who are willing you are ever a work in progress, changing into the being that God purposed you to be from the foundations of the world. Free from sin and free from the bindings of the devil. An open heart to God leads us to walk joyfully in our created purposes.

And so as I give this warning from the LORD regarding REPENTANCE, I am not saying that this is something you do of yourself. You cannot make the TURNAROUND on your own. It is God Who brings this turn in you, but how will you ever know what He desires of you if you do not spend time with Him?

Seek Him! I have found myself seeking the LORD lately like never before. And in the search, He is showing up. In the search, light is shining on dark places within me. In the search, I find myself laying before Him crying out “Create in me a clean heart!” And He is faithful to do so. He is changing me, working in me so He can work through me! I truly believe the LORD is doing a great work in His CHURCH right now. Many are casting off the cloak of religion and putting on the cloak of relationship with God.

Through this TRANSFORMATION, the CHURCH will begin to operate as it was always intended. Be warned though. This process is also causing a separation. A separation in the CHURCH itself between the righteous in Jesus Christ (those in relationship with Him) and the righteous of religion (those who depend on their own works).

I urge you to choose Jesus! Choose life!

God spoke this word to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:15-20:

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…”

How much this echoes to us today. We have the choice. Life or death? Blessing or cursing? 

Which will you choose?

I pray you choose Jesus!