The United States of America in Biblical Prophecy

The United States in Prophecy, July 4

I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Revelation 13:11.

One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America.10 The Great Controversy, 440.

10 The Great Controversy, 440.

Here is a striking figure of the rise and growth of our own nation. And the lamb-like horns, emblems or innocence and gentleness, well represent the character of our government, as expressed in its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism.11Spirit of Prophecy 4:277.

The Lord has done more for the United States than for any other country upon which the sun shines. Here He provided an asylum for His people, where they could worship Him according to the dictates of conscience. Here Christianity has progressed in its purity. The life-giving doctrine of the one Mediator between God and man has been freely taught. God designed that this country should ever remain free for all people to worship Him in accordance with the dictates of conscience. He designed that its civil institutions, in their expansive productions, should represent the freedom of gospel privileges.

The life-giving doctrine of the one Mediator between God and man has been freely taught. God designed that this country should ever remain free for all people to worship Him in accordance with the dictates of conscience. He designed that its civil institutions, in their expansive productions, should represent the freedom of gospel privileges. Mar 193.4

But the enemy of all righteousness has designs upon God’s purpose for this country. He will bring in enterprises that will lead men to forget that there is a God. Worldliness and covetousness, which is idolatry, will prevail through the working of the arch deceiver, till the law of God, in all its bearings, shall be made void.12Manuscript 17, 1906.

I have been shown that Satan is stealing a march upon us. The law of God, through the agency of Satan, is to be made void. In our land of boasted freedom, religious liberty will come to an end.13Evangelism, 236.

13Evangelism, 236.

When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin.14SDA Bible Commentary 7:977.

14SDA Bible Commentary 7:977.

© Ellen G. White, Maranatha

https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/74.1391

WIP- With Intent & Purpose

In the yarn circle, WIP is the acronym for a Work in Progress. In fact, the average number of WIP’s is always 3-4 projects waiting for completion. We buy yarn for no other purpose than to store it for future use. Due to the loss of employment and income, many “yarners” have reached a point where they never thought possible and have depleted their yarn stash. Inevitably someone feels courageous and reaches out to the other members of our group to post their dilemma, asking for yarn donations. That one post initiates a domino effect with a minimum of 100 to 200 responses, revealing many who are in the same predicament.

Members of the yarn community are aware that it is risky to ask for yarn donations. We do not share our yarn! When it rains, it pours, and the responses to the post for help can easily reach 500-600 answers. The typical responses are usually minimal, one to two words; “Wow!” or “That’s too bad.” There are many suggestions to find cheaper options for purchasing yarn, search the Marketplace for yarn sellers, use your coffee money, sell unwanted items, etc. But the #1 suggestion that most agreed with was from a veteran yarner. She recommended they use their WIPs that have been unfinished for months and FROG them. In this sense, “to FROG” means “to take out stitches.” Hence, the solution is to utilize the yarn that you already have.

Although this is a light-hearted story of desiring crafting materials, many individuals struggle financially and are unable to purchase essential items. During this pandemic, there is a great divide and separation of those who have and those who need help. Community churches and food banks are overwhelmed by the long lines of individuals without the basic needs of food, water, and toiletries. The reality is that most of us have an over-abundance of resources. But many have the “I” concept that consists of focusing on self. How did we reach this point?

When we love God, we live ‘With the Intent and Purpose” to share our resources. We do not ask, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Our intent and purpose of emulating Christ who lived to help others happens naturally and becomes our mission. Having values built on the “We” concept enables us to share our over-abundance and keeps us from adopting the unbeliever’s attitude of “every person for themselves.” A heart filled with the love of God is forever concerned with giving to those in need.

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there, the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21

In reading the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give us the life story of Jesus Christ and his compassion for others. Four individuals are in agreement that Jesus lived with the intent and purpose to alleviate the burdens of others. What has caused us to deviate and disregard Christ’s example? It is not our duty to share tips on how to become financially savvy or to advise others to sell their unneeded items, Jesus left the example and the mindset we must possess if we say we love God. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 1 John 3:17

The miraculous blessing of Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand is in Matthew 14:13-21. Even His disciples required a wake-up call because they also possessed the selfish spirit of the “I” concept. It is hard to imagine that the men called and anointed to help those in need, to heal the sick, and preach the plan of Salvation possessed hard-hearts. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Matthew 14:15

Jesus was fully aware of the self-centeredness that infiltrated His disciple’s hearts. His directive reminded them of their responsibility to provide. Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat!” Matthew 14:16. But wait! Along with the big reveal of selfishness, the disciples also exposed their spiritual state of faithlessness, “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. Matthew 14:17

Many of us are in the same predicament, we have relied on our abilities for so long that we have forgotten who God is. We place limitations on ourselves and our Heavenly Father because self-reliance nurtures self-centeredness and destroys our faith in God. “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matthew 6:24

Yes, Jesus’ primary purpose was to die for the redemption of humanity; even so, the Son of God feeding the 5,000 plus multitude sets the godly standard for using our financial resources. If we say, “But God, I only have…” then we are not living faithfully or obediently, and our values are in stark contrast with those found in the Word of God. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:31-33

We must never forget that God blesses us with New Mercies and always gives us His Amazing Grace every day. Pray for guidance and direction to “Bless Somebody Else.” During this pandemic, reach out to your family and friends to find out if they need assistance. Then contact your community churches and non-profit organizations to donate financially or volunteer to assist with their Outreach programs. Help is desperately needed in all areas without the need to have person-to-person contact.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? …Matthew 25:34-40.

Our goal is to hear, “Well done!” A loving heart is always full of care and compassion for others. Lighten someone else’s burden by sharing your resources, and you can live every day “With Intent and Purpose.”

Bible Readings: Matthew 6, 14, and 25

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020, No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes without the written permission of the author.

✞Portrait of Christ ✞ (1)

 

Disable the Distractions!

Yesterday, I researched to find out why my tablet had slowed down. Although there were several possible reasons and troubleshooting techniques, the one reason that stood out is the pre-installed apps that automatically run and receive updates. To my surprise, the pre-installed apps, known as bloatware, cannot be deleted, but they can be disabled, or the device can be rooted. After reading the pros and cons of rooting, I decided to take the safest option, which is to disable the bloatware and clean the cache.

Considering that I did not get my first computer until 2007, I have come a long way. Because I am still on a learning curve with solving techy problems, I had to swim through a sea of information, use common sense, and say a prayer before taking action. Learning to fix an issue that caused much frustration (I was angry with my WiFi provider) taught me not to assume and to broaden my perspective by acquiring new knowledge.

We possess the ability to seek knowledge and learn new concepts that can significantly change the quality of our lives. It is not a complicated process to achieve personal growth; obtaining new knowledge is easily accomplished and empowers us to see beyond our boundaries. If learning beyond what we have experienced and acquired academically is so easy, then why are we resistant?

We are pre-loaded with mental and emotional bloatware that varies based on our life experience. Exposure to a negative environment results in a struggle that is harder than someone who was nurtured and received a positive reinforcement to accomplish their goals. Still, we can rise above our prior experiences. “You do not have to end up where you began!” The growth and development of becoming a better person are only possible with continuous learning.

To initiate the new and improved person, we need the bundle package of Desire, Motivation, Perseverance, Planning, and the strength to Overcome–Internal elements that fight the External factors that lead to Failure.

Desire means having a wish to get something. Motivation means that which inspires us to achieve the goal, which can lead our life better. … A desire can lead to doing something we need, but motivation is the final thing that can put on the place where we wanted to come when we desire to reach there. philosophy.stackexchange.com Jul 24, 2013

The spark of desire must be within to change your current status. However, having a desire is not enough. Yes, desire is a catalyst for change, but wishing for something falls short if it is not fueled by motivation and perseverance. “Motivation is a force that compels you to do something. In other words, it is the reason why you act.”

Before setting goals for growth and development, we should identify the external factors that present opposition to our plans. We live in tumultuous times full of chaos, disunity, sickness, disease, fear, carelessness, anger, etc. Nevertheless, we can take the necessary steps to use our internal mechanisms of willful determination to propel us forward.

Setting goals is the next step to improving your life. The goals must be realistic and achievable on a short-term or long-term basis and result in a positive outcome. Once you are motivated and determined to seek new knowledge, then the roller-coaster ride begins. Anticipating that we will face obstacles is not the same as possessing a negative outlook. The awareness that things will go awry even when skillfully planned provides us with the strength and ability to adapt, resolve, and overcome.

And that resilience gives us another viable character trait, perseverance!

Perseverance is the internal strength that keeps us focused and gives us the drive to challenge the obstacles and keep moving in the right direction. When faced with the obstacle, identify the problem either as one that you can resolve or one that you have no control over. Rational thinking and patience are the tools required to address the presenting challenges. Remember, we have to utilize time and effort to eliminate the distractions. Most likely, we can resolve the issues, but there are no guarantees. Taking the time to re-evaluate and modify our existing plans ensures that we stay on the path to achieve success.

Some may think, setting goals, re-evaluating, and fighting obstacles is easier said than done, and I agree wholeheartedly. And for that reason, I prefer additional help with overcoming and disabling life’s distractions. Although my internal strengths include motivation and perseverance, self-reliance was a distraction that weakened my character and prevented me from reaching my goals. Yes, I am still responsible for doing my part in the pursuit of knowledge and making a conscientious effort to improve my quality of life. But I learned to tap into the power from a higher source, God.

Even when my plans appear perfect, I still become sidetracked from the obstacles and cannot move forward. Including God in my life has changed my perception, broadened my perspective, and narrowed my pursuits. Through prayer and the process of elimination, God has enabled me to prioritize my goals. Because I was born sinful and shaped by iniquity, I cannot delete the sinful bloatware that continues to resurface.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God, everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26

It is only through God that my mental and emotional bloatware can be deleted. My part is to disable the unnecessary distractions that prevent me from seeking spiritual knowledge and praying for wisdom. The great news is that God will perform the rooting process when we commit to serving Him. He is just a prayer away. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Mathew 6:6

Verse for today: I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

God, we ask you to provide us with the strength to disable the distractions that prevent us from growing closer to you. We desire spiritual growth as we study your Word and communicate with you through prayer. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020, No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes without the author’s written permission.

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The Gift

I am sharing this cute video which shows a baby waking up and happy to see her Father. Are we embracing each new day as a wonderful gift that is wrapped with God’s grace and mercies?

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Psalm 96:1

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your loving-kindness, and the mercies of a new day. Please forgive us for our sins and place a hedge of protection around us and our families during this pandemic. Thank you for giving your Son, Jesus that we may have Eternal life if we so choose. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz 2020