“Something awful has been unleashed in America.” Daffodils. “How to Pray for Others.”

Something Awful Unleashed 

It was recently said, “Something awful has been unleashed in America.” Few people think beyond the physical in trying to understand today’s world. Yet the Bible reveals a spirit dimension where dwells the God family and other spirit beings who interact with and influence our world. 

The apostle Paul lays it out in Ephesians 6, saying, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (verse 12).

To understand some recent events and trends in culture and society, we must acknowledge the truth of this passage. The irrational, God-defying evil that has erupted upon America—and the world—comes from the realm of unseen evil and Satan’s demonic influence. This evil intends to unravel the fabric of human life. Satan’s kingdom is massing powerful forces of hate, anger and evil. They masquerade as good and fair values that liberate, confirm and advance culture and civilization. But they are doing the very opposite!

When Scripture says love not the world nor the things of the world, it means this world is not your friend and does not seek your best interest. Events and trends have reached a point of no return. A Christian must be armed with a solid faith in God to withstand the battle of life before us. 

It is time to check our faith—protected by a shield that cannot be penetrated by doubt, fear or weakness. I encourage you to begin a personal study of faith. A strong belief and confidence in God’s firm hand in our life can be the anchor we need during these times. Here is the opening chapter to our booklet, “You Can Have Living Faith”.

Take some time to read it this weekend. I think it will lead you into a further study. “  From: https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?e=72c729d811&u=1d04480cefc2e7c4492fe4a04&id=359cbd5c27

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Daffodils

‘We're in the cold, dark days of winter, but like the hibernating daffodil we should use this time to prepare for spring; to pause, to reflect, to plan, and to nourish our spiritual lives.”

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/2RviY4FkBwo

[Darris McNeely] “Have you ever wondered what the good of all the cold, hard winter months are, December, January, February? These are daffodils. They don't look like daffodils right now. They're bulbs, but you can see that in time, as it comes up out of this dirt, these will be daffodils. My wife dug those out of our front yard just a few days ago. We had a tree cut down. And before the man came in with his grinder to grind the stump out of the yard, my wife got out and dug these up because she didn't want them destroyed by the grinder, because she wants to see these again in the spring. And so, this afternoon, we'll have to have to put these back into the ground, cover them with dirt, and then wait a few months for them to come back up. And in the spring, we'll have our beautiful yellow daffodils once again.

I was thinking about this because right now we're in the midst of winter. We've past the shortest day of the year and slowly we're gonna be getting to longer days, and eventually, springtime will come. But in the Northern Hemisphere, at least for us right now, it's the dark, short, cold days of winter. What value are they? What should we be doing?

Rather than the reveling and the merrymaking of the false holidays that are somewhat prominent during this time of year, I think God had in mind for His people living in these temperate zones to use that time with shorter days, longer nights, colder weather, where we're not able to get outside and do a lot of other things, we're a bit more dormant just like these bulbs to prepare for the time and the future for the coming spring, for the days that are longer. In other words, for the time when the work can be done.

Right now is the time to be reflecting, to be thinking, to be drawing closer to God during these days. There is a reason that God causes the seasons to change as they do. And when we have these shorter, colder days, it gives us an opportunity to draw closer to God, to think through, and to pause.

Use that time wisely. Plan, nourish your life spiritually, nourish your life like these bulbs. These daffodils are nourished during the winter months in the ground in a dormancy, but still working, so that in the spring, when the sun, when the light and the light begins to come back out, then they will bloom and they will show all that they have been prepared for.

That's what we should be using these times for. That's what we should be thinking ahead for the times when we can bloom as well because we have prepared by being closer to God, by feeding ourselves on the values and the things of life that will help us during those times ahead.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/daffodils

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”God appreciates people who pray fervently for others facing trials. Why does God command intercessory prayer, and how does He want us to pray for others? Learn more in this week’s featured article, “Intercessory Prayer: How to Pray for Others.”  

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