Recently I was waxing lyrical on the coming storm, and I thought I’d develop the theme a little bit more here.
It might be useful to consider our current situation – as I did when using the analogy of the white, pasty figure. One might indeed argue that we are currently under the worst kind of curse – a spiritual curse that numbs the body, mind and soul in physical ‘riches’, condeming us to hell because we never knew our real need.
Is money in itself a curse? Well no, I do not think so, though it has to be handled very, very carefully. And when we are as physically rich a culture as we are now, the sensible, sane thing to do it to seek to give that we would supply others need out of our riches. That is I think the choice that leads to life.
However, we have, as a culture, often chosen the darker path – hoarding our possessions, until they possess us. At that point, money does indeed become a curse. It’s often said that the wallet is the last thing in a Christians life to be converted – a telling indication of what is really important to us, and what really holds us in its grip. And this grip, it is a death grip, that will not let hold of us until we are spiritually blind, deaf – and dead. We wallow in everything we have, and our deadened souls are prepared for hell. Yes, as it can be fairly said that we as a culture are cursed through what we have allowed our possessions to become.
Did God intend this – is it a judgment against us? I do not know. Suffice to say, possessions are in themselves a test – to use what God has given for His glory, or to use it for our own ends, on the broad easy way to destruction.
It’s probably easier to note that whatever the intent was, the reality is that the weight of our possessions has become a curse unto us – and a curse of the most deadly kind, slowly killing us without us even being aware in most cases.
So, in light of that, what are we to make of the coming storm? For many of us it is going to appear a curse, although as I pointed out, it will also be a great opportunity. In fact I think it will eventually prove to be in many ways a great blessing, or mercy for those that walk in the way of the Cross. Now, indeed it will appear nothing of the kind, at least at the time. However, like with Susans dam, I rather think it will prove in the end to be to the good.
Lord, save us from the curses of poverty or wealth, rather give us simply what is needed in due season, and turn our hearts so that they will trust in you. Have mercy upon us, remember our frame, do not repay evil for evil but form us in your heart to be pleasing to your eyes. In the name of Christ I ask this. Amen.
The Age To Come 
wow Peter, last night I dreamed of something so similar to your Feb 2006 vision which I just read ( how do you link to old posts? )
I am a little, um, I don’t know what I am… deeply pondering.
There were a series of corresponding dreams of serpents and dragons,, no the Hollywood type..
very graphic and profoundly stirring. The church I fear, has almost succeeded in gorging itself to death there fore judgment is indeed coming, either way.
But oh the deception that there will be…
even the elect would be deceived but for the Lords mercy..
Lord have mercy!
Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what your Spirit is saying!
Let us be obedient to do our part, whatever that is, during this season…
an Awakening will surely come , but in such unexpected ways and at a great price.
Yes, what seems like a curse will be Gods mercy and blessing for those who have hearts to embrace it.
Do you remember what I wrote to you about hearing the cries of those throughout the valley (and it was through out our nation) mourning the loss of their lifestyles, of their possessions as much as the loss of life and destruction.
Oh how we cannot find our identity or security in anything but Christ!
I’m sorry Peter, but my spirit is so stirred, so very stirred…
Bless you and keep speaking the words and truth our Lord gives you to speak!
His love, light, grace and discernment fill your heart ,mind and spirit always,
Susan
LikeLike
not the Hollywood type.. I really shoud re read what I write! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Susan,
I know what it is like to have a stirred spirit! I’m glad that this spoke to you. I do remember what you said, and indeed if possessions are our god, then a fickle god it will prove to be indeed. Well, this is the subtitle of my blog really.
Blessings on you,
Peter
PS The Link button (blue with and undescore) allows you to link to any post, your own included. Sometimes you will have to allow scripted windows to open (you’ll be prompted at the top of the browser – well I guess it depends on the browser, I’m using IE 7). Any post will have a URL associated with it – you can get that by opening the post, rather than the general website, and copying the URL from the bar at the top – i.e. this post is https://theagetocome.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/the-storm-to-come-redux. Well, hope that helps!
LikeLike
Thank you, I will try it!
And i love your tag line; it grabbed me the first time I came to your site.
I just put up a new post; I literally heard the words as I woke up this morning and wrote it as soon as I could sit up and see straight without getting out of bed.
The Lord occasionally speaks clearly to me as I am waking up. But not like this. usually it is a warning that something is about to happen.
This was a first for this exact kind of thing during the transition from sleeping to waking.
Anyway, I probably sound like a nut so I will cease my rambling! 🙂
Blessings Peter!
LikeLike
No more nutty than the rest of us nuts 😉 I will go read…..
LikeLike
Bless you Peter!
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Just checking back!
God bless you this day
Maria in the UK
http://www.inhishands.co.uk
LikeLike
Given the present Episcopal spin ie all is well,Ezekiel’s parable in Ezekiel 13 continues to be so pertinent ,the storm bringing the whitewashed wall down.
Something yet to be seen will be if the Anglican Church of Canada continues on the same path as its sister church ala Jeremiah 3:-10.
LikeLike
Jeremiah 3:8-10,sorry
LikeLike
And also with you Maria!
Yes Padraic, All Is Well. In that sense, a storm will be a blessing as it will prove All Is Not Well and the relativistic mush that passses for Christianity in much of TEC/ACC will be shown to be the fraud that it is.
Blessings,
Peter
LikeLike
‘It is characteristic of the false prophets to promise prosperity-the real meaning of peace(v.10),when no prosperity is likely.They are compared to men who build an unsound wall,camouflaging its defects by some deceitful covering.Jehovah will hurl against it a torrential storm,which will level it to the ground crushing them in its fall.’
FD Wardle in The Abingdon Bible Commentary 1929 Edition
LikeLike
Whatever and however the future comes, in whatever form, good or bad, up or down, our only hope will be as it always has been, Christ in us the hope of glory!
Now is the hour drawing near, of building up and pressing in. Now is the season of preparation while it is day for night comes when no one shall work.
Lord have mercy on your church and this world.
However, I am still holding out for the Restorationist view of the end times. It seems much happier and more positive, besides, I just like it better and I get to choose, right 😉 ?
Blessings in Christ Jesus!
LikeLike
Yup, as we know It’s All About Us (TM) Phil 😉 Though, I must do some more Revelation type reading to refresh my memory of all the different views. It still makes my head hurt.
And yes padraic, the claim of actions as ‘prophetic’ has been sounding more and more from those false prophets. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun!
Blessings to you too,
Peter
LikeLike
Peace, peace where there is no peace… woe to those prophets.
Sounds as if I lmight like the restorationist veiw …
But what exactly is that?
You get to choose hm? Now, How does that work? just curious…! 🙂
LikeLike
During prayer service approximately 4 weeks ago we received this word of prophecy. “Warn my people that righteousness is in the soul, a calamity is coming. I will spare my righteous.” The awesomeness of God still amazes me when I see him speaking to others I did not even know until now…the Lord has impressed upon me that this is truly the “fourth watch” and we will be required to leave the safety of our comfort zones and step out into the kind of faith that walks above the circumstances and the storm…Bid me come Jesus…is my prayer…my hope is in His Word as answer when He says Come. Today you have encouraged me….glad he led me here.
LikeLike
Hi D.S.Lear, thanks for droppping by and commenting. You are right, there certainly is a common theme – many different folks who did not know each other previously are seeing the same thing.
Blessings,
Peter
LikeLike
Today is my first time I find the chance to browse your site, Pete (everyone is calling you Peter, but I still think of you as Pete … I hope that is ok!)
I find this all fascinating.
I meet more and more people who are unhappy with church (or is it Church with a capital ‘C’?) the way it currently is, the hierarchy and structure and religiousness, self-righteousness and ungrace. I meet more and more people who hunger for the reality of living in the Spirit day by day and want church (or Church?) to be less of a structure and more of a movement… characterised by LOVE, real love to those around us in our communities, our neighbours, the people we meet every day. And GRACE.
What does God think about this? Is he fed up of church (or Church) the way it is now too? Does he also long for more of the realness of taking HIm and HOPE into our communities and making a real difference in people’s daily lives (as Jesus did when he was on earth)? Is this dissatisfaction something He is doing in us to prepare us for the “tsunami” (the picture / prophecy of which implied that the church the way we know it now will come to an end of some sort) … is he preparing his saints for that day so we can continue to be church (his agents) on earth despite what is to come, and continue to be pointers to him?
Am reminded of the passage in Revelations about the dragon chasing the woman and nearly getting her, but the Lord in various ways saving her. I’ve always read it as meaning that the church will be persecuted but will not be allowed to be gobbled up totally …
Just wondering really. Watching this space.
When I get nervous about it all and what is to come, the Lord reminds me gently that all he asks of us is to be faithful each day one day at a time , to live in the Spirit and obey his promptings as we seek to minister to those we meet day by day, to bring hope and light and to LOVE them, as Jesus would have done were he here now.
Ulrike
LikeLike
Hi Ulrike, glad you could drop by 🙂 I’ll be able to reply to you properly tomorrow when I’ve got a little more time……
Blessings,
Peter
LikeLike
So, a few additional thoughts. I think in a way we are moving away from the structure and to more of a movement, an interconnectedness. I mean, look at the blogs 🙂 There is no rigid heirarchy here, but here are connections. Look on it like a matrix with interconnected nodes, some master nodes, other regional nodes. Well, anyway, this is getting a little mathematical! Suffice to say, what God is doing, He is doing, and we’d better just get on for the ride!
I think though that the best of the old wine churches will remain. For instance, take liturgy. Most ‘non-liturigal’ churches have liturgies – just not very good ones. There are many gems in denominational churches like Anglicanism, and I think they should, and will remain.
Things for certain are changing!
Bless you and yours,
Peter (or Pete, either works) 🙂
LikeLike