Day 84 Shepherd Lead Me

3/25/2025

 

On Tuesday mornings I love to join the Kehilat HaCarmel Worship Watch from Mount Carmel in Israel. I look forward to connecting with other intercessors, standing on the wall praying for government leaders in Israel and elsewhere, the safety and welfare of the IDF soldiers and Israel's allies, and the hostages and their families. I feel more connected with Israel here in this little group, as well as with the Embassy calls that follow (ICEJ). As watchmen we do so according to scripture: 

Isaiah 62:6-7

 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 

 And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

 

 

The war is not just in Israel, but the nation is surrounded by countries who are against Israel, but the aggression is in many countries as antisemitism grows in Europe, America and elsewhere. The greater threat comes from public media posting false information, causing the heat to rise, and giving the enemy of our souls great joy seeing the chaos, mayhem, and tragic turmoil hate releases. The enemy uses the weak minded who are so obsessed by his suggestions that they cannot see the blatantly obvious truth staring them in the face. Do people who think they are free, enjoy the enemy manipulating their minds? He makes men slaves to his one cause - to destroy anyone who loves God and serves Him. Pastors and churches are under the spell and have conflicting views of what they can say or do. One is under the opinion that "politics" does not belong in the church, yet if they carefully read their Bibles, they would see the truth of who Jesus Christ is, that the government indeed is upon His shoulders, His business, therefore, our business as His representatives on this earth, the Body of Christ. Even in the book of Acts when Herod told Peter not to mention Jesus' name, Peter did. He said he would not deny his LORD. Obedience to God is more important than following the lambs to the slaughter. All things should be done decently and in order, but how is one to do so if they have no guidance. Romans 10:14-15:

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!'"

Now these scriptures may or may not be relevant to the above point, but as Christians we are either being taught, therefore, learning and growing, or we are still drinking milk. Paul spoke about that in Corinthians. The end point is that the whole counsel of the word is not taught, and we have a generation of young people hungry for the truth. Many older ones have long been undernourished.

Sometimes I think I am too passionate about following Jesus, but how can that be? Are we not supposed to surrender our lives to follow Him? Are we not to be transformed by Him, rather than conform to the world? Can't we have fun at church praising, worshiping, laying hands on the sick, enjoying the fellowship of believers, and lingering in His presence. Imagine a Sunday service where Holy Spirit is so welcomed, and He takes over, and people remain face down, sobbing, repenting, being saved, healed, and delivered. A message is never preached by the pastor, because he's right there on the floor with everyone else! 

I've said it before, but I love to watch the children dancing at Jacob's Tent and repeating the Shema, the scriptures. It is heavenly. And these children are persecuted, because they go to church on Saturday. When I was a kid, as long as I had a ride, I was at church every time the doors were open. Even as an adult I did the same, until things changed once we moved to New Mexico. Even then I attempted to maintain my attendance, but it was never the same. I did muster some excitement teaching children and some hungry ladies once upon a time back then, and I continue to this day. Imagine if our joy of being in the presence of God each time the church doors were open, spilling over into our homes and businesses, and every where we went we got the attention of others. I've been accused of being different, meaning the love of Christ being seen and felt in me and through me, and I praise God for that difference which I owe to Him alone for saving me from my sinful nature and setting me on the solid rock on Whom I stand. My Jesus. My Savior. My Lord. But if we are hiding ourselves, who will see Jesus? Our Shepherd leads us and protects us. We are His flock, and we have to do better. We have to tell others. We have to show others that He lives in us! We must come out from among the world and be a holy people. Starting now.