Saints, Hold On!

I was reading this week how a swarm of locusts - of reportedly biblical proportions - has struck Egypt.  Immediately I thought of how God sent the plague of locusts against Egypt when He was commanding Pharaoh to let His people go.  It simply was one more confirmation for me about how we are in the last days.  God is in the process of culling His people from out of the world (via sanctification unto holiness) for His end time work.  The world has been used to forge the character of Jesus Christ within His people (Galatians 4:19), but in the end it will be thrown away like afterbirth as God prepares to usher in a new Heaven and a new Earth after Jesus' second coming.

Yet, this locust plague is different...and appropriately so.  This particular swarm has crossed over Egypt and spread into Israel itself.  The very ones whom God delivered from Egypt with the help of a plague of locusts are now being themselves hit with the same plague.  I say this is appropriate because Egypt - often symbolizing the world in Scripture - has invaded the church.  Much of what calls itself the church is carnal and so enthralled with the world that there is virtually no difference between the two.  There is no evidence of the new birth and the life of Christ within much of the churchworld because many professing Christians are feeding on the world instead of the word of God.  Their desires therefore mirror the desires of those in the world, although God has called us to "Be ye holy." (Leviticus 20:7; I Peter 1:15-16)

Yet, God says to His people ensnared in Babylon, "Come out of her my people that you don't become a partaker of her sins and a partaker of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4)    Yet what do we see?  Israel becoming a partaker of the plague sent against Egypt.  Friends, if you don't realize that time is winding down, then you need to pray to the Lord for eyes to see.  Prophecy is unfolding right before our eyes as the systems of this world come together with one mind to give their power to the beast (Revelation 17:13).  The only question of importance is, "Where do you stand?"  Don't be found too busy or distracted to prepare for His coming (Matthew 22:1-14). 

"Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" Luke 12:56

When Israel was in Egypt, Pharaoh increased the pressure & stress on God's people in order to deter them and turn them back from wanting to go into the wilderness to worship their God (Exodus 5:1).  Likewise, Satan is increasing the pressures on the church in order to deter & distract them from pressing in to the Spirit of God so as to reap the Lord's promises.  Yet, as rough as it may be, as seemingly hopeless as your circumstances may appear, I tell you that God is bringing you out!  Hold on and press in to the Lord all the more.  In spite of Satan's schemes, the Lord Jesus Christ is mighty to deliver, only believe...and keep believing.  No matter the situation, hold on to the promises of the Lord and see His faithfulness unfold in your life.  How can you give up when victory is just around the bend?

"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever." Exodus 14:13

Remember the old paths and turn your whole hearts unto the Lord (Jeremiah 18:15).  Sometimes, even the "old school" music is better than the contemporary.  Songs that truly relay the Gospel message and can strengthen you in times of going through.  The Sensational Nightingales, The Gospel Keynotes, The Williams Brothers, The Angelic Gospel Singers, Dorothy Love Coates, Wynona Carr, The Jackson Southernaires, Bessie Griffin...but as the old folks might say, "Yal don't know nothin' about this here."  :-)

Hold on Saints!