Daily Devotional for Thursday October 10, 2013
The Tea Party is a Great Idea but the Problems in this Nation are Spiritual
(Jonah 1:2)
***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, what exactly is required to surrender 100% to Christ and live by faith?
ANSWER: Die to self daily. That is done by waking up praying, getting in the Word first thing, and staying "plugged in" to God throughout the day. During the day, make decisions pleasing and acceptable to God. Don't forget for one minute you are HIS ambassador. Find ways to serve Him. Trust Him with the problems you encounter throughout the day. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, you learn to die to self daily and live for Him instinctively.
The tea parties are a great idea but are simply political protests when the problem is SPIRITUAL! I applaud the efforts of so many citizens who are rising up to protest the out of control spending by our government, Obamacare, the increase in taxes which will stifle corporate and personal financial growth, and the growing concern over the socialist direction our nation is heading. I pray that these efforts will impact those men and women we have elected to office and they will take notice of the concern so many have over the fiscal and political directions of our nation.
However, let me be blunt. What we are dealing with in this nation are not political problems or economic problems, nor are there any political or economic solutions. Our problems are SPIRITUAL and turning back to God and to His Truth is our hope and answer. Tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands will take part in tea parties across our land in these coming months. But let me make this very clear. Unless this nation repents, turns from its sins and back to God and to His Truth, NOTHING will change and it will continue to get worse!
Trust me, I am not minimizing the efforts of so many involved in these events nor am I trying to discourage anyone today. I am simply pointing out that unless we turn back to God as a nation, NOTHING we do politically will matter! Turning back to God and to His Truth must be the first thing that happens. At that point, we can start to look for political and economic solutions to the problems we are facing. However, without turning back to God and Biblical Truth, none of these efforts will matter or have any success.
I have spoken at many Tea Party events over the years. I told those in charge I would love to, however, my message will not be about politics, but encouraging people that we must turn back to God and to His Truth before anything else we do will be successful. I have sent an email to literally hundreds of organizers of tea parties around the nation, encouraging them in their efforts, but reminding them that this is first of all a spiritual crisis, and unless we turn back to God and to Biblical Truth, nothing will change and all of their good intentions will be for naught.
My friend, I can't even begin to tell you how heavy my heart has been about this nation, the world we live in, and so many people dying every day and spending eternity in hell. The fact is, this nation and world could be looking forward each day to God's blessings, instead of awaiting His soon coming wrath and judgment. So many people die each day and end up in hell, when many of them would have accepted Jesus as their Savior and been spending eternity in Heaven if someone had only told them how to be saved.
In spite of all that Liveprayer accomplishes each day for the Kingdom, the impact we have in so many lives, the fact is I have failed God because I should have been doing more, could have been doing more. I've recommitted my heart and life to the Lord and vowed I will not rest until my work is finished. I will not be satisfied until every effort has been exhausted to turn this nation back to God and His Truth, to bring that message to all the other nations around the world, and insure every breathing soul has had the chance to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior!
2,900 years ago, God called a man named Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people of that great city of God's coming judgment if they didn't repent, turn from their sin and back to God. We know that Jonah ran from that call and God had to get his attention by sending a great fish after him. After that experience, Jonah decided it was better to obey God and went to Nineveh, delivered the message God called him to deliver to the people, and Nineveh repented, turned back to God, and was spared His judgment. 120,000 souls were saved in one day! As wicked as this nation is, I have hope that we can repent and turn back to God just like the people of Nineveh did!!!
Let me be blunt with you. There is NO EXCUSE we still slaughter 4,000 babies in this nation every day. There is NO EXCUSE we have men marrying men and women marrying women in this nation. The is NO EXCUSE for the proliferation of porn and gambling. There is NO EXCUSE that the media puts out the unfiltered garbage it does 24/7. THERE IS NO EXCUSE THAT SATAN IS ABLE TO INFLUENCE THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE MASSES 24/7 WITHOUT ANY OPPOSITION! I echo the challenge Elijah issued to the people of his day on Mt. Carmel, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
Here is the reality of where we are at today. We have forsaken God for the false gods and idols of the world. Our President is no friend of God. The economy is not going to get better anytime soon, it is going to get worse. The heart of our society, marriage and the family, has been decimated. We are in all out rebellion to God and evil operates virtually unopposed throughout this nation and world. Our nation and this world is overdue the wrath and judgment of God for our gross wickedness. Now is the hour for the message of Jonah to be delivered to this nation before it is too late. Our time is up and we are currently operating on God's grace and mercy at this point.
I love you and care about you so much. Over these past 15 years there has been many times when I wanted out. I was tired. I wanted my life back. I just wanted God to leave me alone so I could do what I wanted for the few years I have left. But the Lord reminded me over and over during this struggle that it was no longer my life, it was His. I was his servant. Now it is time for this servant to step up to the plate and fulfill the final chapter of my calling. I have totally let go of this world and only seek to serve the Lord with whatever breath remains. It is time to go to this modern day Nineveh called the United States and deliver the Word of the Lord!!!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller