“IF YOU SOW TO THE WIND YOU WILL REAP THE WHIRLWIND” (Hosea 8: 7). The is a great proverb, it means you will suffer now because of mistakes you have made in the past. Our Government did not tackle the Covid -19 problem as soon as they should have now they are reaping the result of the Pandemic with uncontrolled sickness, deaths and a failing Economy. This scripture has reference to the punishment of the Israelites because of disobedience to God.
Father God we recognize that the world has a Court System called the Supreme Court, but we know that the final and impartial judgment we need now must come from the Courts of Heaven. Now Father God, I enter your gates with thanksgiving and into your Heavenly Courts with Praise 100: 4). I am thankful to you and I bless your holy name. I thank you for the Blood of your Holy Son Jesus Christ that was shed on Calvary for us (Matthew 26: 28).
Father God, as I stand before your Heavenly Courts, I am seeking your mercy concerning the petition that I have brought before you. As Job I layout our cause before you (Job 5:8, 23: 4-5). Your servant Moses testified that God you are the defender of the causes of the fatherless and the widow (Deuteronomy 10: 18). Your servant David said that you Oh God secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy (Psalm 140: 12).
David had confidence that you would get involved in the dispute between him and his enemy Saul and decide between them. He believed that you alone would acquit him (1 Samuel 24: 15). David came before you with strong tears to plead that you would fight against those who fought against him (Psalm 35: 1) and contest his case.
Now Father God like you servants of old, I ask that you will let your angelic hosts who execute Your righteous judgments go forth now and deliver us in this hour of racial division, persecution, and injustice and bring forth deliverance and righteous judgment during this very quarrelsome 2020 Presidential Election. Father bring forth healing from this dreaded Pandemic, restore equality and redemption for all your people. Father God, please release your Warring Angels to destroy the enemy’s assignment against America’s Democracy and the rights of all its citizen. Father God we ask that you secure our success, our destiny, and our birthright as fellow Americans from this time forward until your return. In Jesus Name we have prayed, so shall it be, Amen!
People of God, remember that FAITH is powerful. Our Lord said that all things are possible for those who believe. We must now take him up on that by receiving that God in his LOVE is protecting us. Now that we accept that we are now ready to ask for and receive his angelic help. In the book of 2 Kings 19:15 the King Hezekiah prayed to God for his assistance against the invading armies of Assyria which were as close as the the very front doorstep of his kingdom. It was during that very night that the angel of the Lord was sent out on assignment and solitarily defeated those armies.
Like Hezekiah we are praying today and asking you Lord to bow down thine ear; and hear; open Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib which has sent him to reproach the living God. Now Therefore, O Lord our God, we beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only” ( 2 Kings 19: 16, 19).”Lord this day that you will send out your angels on assignment to deliver us from the hand of the wicked that the world may know that you are God of the whole earth.”
To facilitate release from prison after they have served their time, they must have a set place of residence with a legal address. The residence must have a working telephone due to the offender’s parole requirement to be on an electrical home monitor for the first 90 days after release. Secondly, in order to be able to obtain help from any social services a residence is required as well.
Statistics alleges that approximately 44% of recidivism is due to ex-offenders facing multiple fees and barriers to employment, education, affordable housing, and other social programs designed for the poor. It is these issues that can lead to vicious cycles of incarceration and re-incarceration. It is impossible for the Criminal Justice Reforms to work effectively until these institutional barriers to reentry for prisoners after their release are eradicated. Reportedly, as of 2013 there were 628,900 adult males in local jails n the US and 1, 463, 500 adult males in state and federal prisons. Among federal inmates, 63% of male inmates and 56% of female inmates reported being a parent. Nearly 1 in 4 states (23%) and federal (24%) inmates reported having one child.
It is reportedly alleged from statistics that 70% of CRIMINALS are from broken homes. Dysfunctional families and physical, mental and sexual abuse lead to psychological problems. Attempting to cope with these challenges often lead to drug abuse. These problems in themselves become a revolving door and continue the historical legacy of incarcerated individuals.
The only way things will ever change is when we as fellow human beings reach out to help integrate these individuals back into the community as productive citizens.
This nightmare begins for me on March 15, 2020, the last Sunday that Apostolic Miracle Center, Inc, has a regular Worship Service. This day stands out for me because I am the pastor of this congregation.
The day started as usual but by the end of the day, we all heard the news of the Pandemic over the television and as well the radio. For those who make it a point of getting the daily Freeport Journal-Standard, it was there on the front-page also.
However, because we were not aware of anyone close to us with the disease, it did not feel real. We felt as long as we just heard of other people contracting the disease, we were safe. I compared the news of the Pandemic to looking at a movie about the distant future when the world supposedly is torn from war and nothing is left but a few people living in sparse areas all over the United States.
It is because of the social distancing that things began to appear more real. It had become necessary to have to wear masks every time you were in social gatherings. As I said before it really felt like a dream or a movie about the future and the end of the world.
Our lives began to change dramatically with the main focus on obtaining all kinds of germ fighting agents that included hand soap, hand sanitizers, bleach, and cleansing agents that had to be strong enough to destroy germs,
viruses, parasites, unhealthy microbes, bacteria, and fungi on contact.
Because the need was so great to have these germicidal agents’ people were desperate in obtaining them and spending every dime, they could get their hands on. The Federal government had failed so miserably in making sure the public had been warned of this deadly and rapid spreading disease. When the news finally became public, people was in a sheer panic mode trying to make sure they were well supplied.
I feel that is particularly important to express what it was really like to live each day trying to avoid being overcome by this deadly pandemic. Our entire world as we knew it, had drastically changed overnight as we realized that we knew very little about how the disease was really transmitted, and how long we would have to survive in this toxic environment before a lifesaving cure was found.
Even though I am going to try my hardest to give a precise picture of living under such frightening conditions for such a long time, I am acutely aware that this is purely my opinion. However, at no time in my lifetime have I ever recalled or experienced anything this traumatic.
There are times when you want to go to the shopping mall and just act normal without the mask, gloves, or the social distancing. You just want to remember what it feels like to touch another person or hug your relatives or children. You long for the normal pleasure of enjoying a laughable situation with another person or a more serious moment of intimacy.
I have lived alone now for almost 20 years and many time felt the need to just be in the presence of another person. But now it felt a thousand times lonelier because of the compulsory social distancing in trying to prevent the spread of this Covid-19 Pandemic. After hearing of large crowds and close contact had vastly increased the spread of the disease and so many deaths, suddenly being alone had become something to be sought after.
Even though we had heard so many different stories in what to expect if contracting the disease, every cough or sneeze or a common cold seemed very most serious. Because the Department of infectious diseases was not certain how to respond to this disease each person’s mind ran wild thinking of the terrible possibilities.
What made this threat of this pandemic so frightening is that all the so-called facts that we had heard was mostly lies. It appeared that our governmental leaders had seriously fumbled the ball and were not taking this as serious as they should have, and they were not being forthright with us. Some of the facts that was being published seemed so farfetched that there is no way it could possibly have been true.
At one time you heard that in one specific city or state people was falling dead like flies. Whereby in another city or state we heard that very few people had contracted this disease.
For a brief time we heard that the disease was slowing down and it seemed as if it was possibly ending, then all of a sudden we heard that Dr. Fauci was espousing we should be expecting a second wave as winter approached. They cannot imagine how misleading this kind of information is when our very survival is dependent on it.
This pandemic has made it so difficult to even want to go to your physician when you feeling ill because you of the fear of the doctor saying that you have gotten the disease and your life is threatened.
I have spoken to many people who complained of being very sick and riddled with pain, yet they swore they would not go to the doctor in fear of being declared Covid-19 positive.
The people of our nation is left in limbo because their livelihood has shrunk, and some are now living on public assistance which is not nearly enough for their family to survive. All the while this is going on the government is trying desperately to find a way to deprive these already suffering sick people by cutting Medicare and Medicaid and Obama Care which will take away their only means of obtaining real medical help during this dreaded time.
Many times the attempt to obtain food and the basic necessities is thwarted. When people first heard about the pandemic they were so fearful of not having enough to survive, they just ravished the stores of food and items that are needed for the sanitation and protection of their homes and families. This created a lot of anxieties for many because the only time we have to get those items and places like the doctor is very limited.
The most concerning issue to me it that fact that most of the churches had to be closed because of the social distancing. As a servant of God, I know that this is Satan’s desire to keep God’s people away from their main source of strength and that is meeting together in the house of God.
The enemy knows that when he can keep us separated and alone it is easier to discourage and make people doubt God (Genesis 3: 1-6), by saying to them “if God really loved you he would not let this happen to you.” The greatest danger is that when you are alone it makes it easier to doubt and feel sorry for yourself and believe such nonsense.
Yes, many people have been caught off guard and have listen to the enemy’s evil words and have taken their own lives. This is extremely dangerous for those who do not know God and have no real sense that they are also loved by God. They do not realize that God loves us all because we are his creation.
I have noticed that some of the people who were avid church attenders are now talking very casual about getting back into church. Even when having the service online I can feel the dryness and low energy when discussing the word of God or singing songs of worship.
I notice that Christians as well as unbelievers are terribly angry and very rude and cold in their interaction with each other even on the telephone. The sad thing is that the longer people are forced to be separated the more distant they become.
Before I conclude this article, I want to talk about how this pandemic has effected people’s health as well as their belief in things returning to normal. Many seem to have aged and gotten into poor health. They appear to have lost hope. I guess what I am seeing is the affect living in fear under these kinds of circumstances for any extended period.
I know that because I am a prophetess God (Ezekiel 3: 17) is revealing the truth to me and allowing to see things as they are and not just what I would desire them to be. As a Seer Prophetess, I am shown the hidden things that most people do not want others to see. However, even without the spiritual discernment some of the pain and fear is so visible anyone can see it if they will only take the time to look outside themselves and their immediate needs.
I want to end this with a warning
(Ezekiel 3: 17) to the entire world not look on the things that are seen but on the things that are not seen and that is faith in God’s promise that he will bring us though this. I want to warn people and let them know that we are living in the last day and these things are being manifested was prophesied in Revelations. I want to tell the world that Jesus is truly coming soon, and these things are preparing us for his arrival.
I want to warn people that the Lord has left his Holy Word to teach us what to expect and how to be prepared. I want to remind the world of the story of Noah and the destruction of the world by water (Genesis 7:11). I want to tell them that this world is coming to an end as we know it, but God has given us his promised it will not be by water this time (Genesis 9: 15).
I must tell the world that instead of looking for things to get back to normal we should be seeking God for our eternal home and asking him to protect us while we are waiting for his return (Colossians 3: 2).
Lastly, I want to end with a prayer that God would open our eyes to see the need for our salvation and the need to start seeking him now with all of our hearts. We need to ask God to help us to love our neighbors as ourselves and treat others as if they are also a part of God’s great creation and his plan.
Beloveds we still have a chance to be what God has planned for us to be. Instead of concentrating on the pandemic lets us concentrate on fulfilling God’s will and purpose for our lives. We need to make sure we are obedient to what we have learned in the scriptures. Let us seek to find peace and happiness in him and his word instead of in sin and toxic pleasures that are only temporal. We should start now taking our eyes off material things or worldliness, and things around us, because this world as we know is passing away (I John 2: 17; Matthew 24: 35).
Dear Lord, we would ask that you would let your unfailing love surround us, for our hope Lord is in you alone. (Psalm 33: 22). We are surrounded by your presence, your power and your unfailing mercy and love.
When I sit in my quiet time with the Lord in prayer and meditate on his Holy Word, I am overwhelmed with his presence and made acutely aware of how awesome and powerful God is. I am showered with the dewdrops of his mercy and love that just keeps on falling.
I am reminded of the song by Charly McCain:
“Surround me with love, I need you beside me
I want you to hold and hide me,
When this world is closing’ in on me.
Surround me with love, Lord and I can make it
What ever comes you, know I can take it
Just as long as you surround me with your love.”
I can hear the Holy Spirit whisper within the depth of my heart, “Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” (I John 3: 1).
This is the one day that all of us with Grandparents should stop and take the time to honor them for the footprints that they left for us to follow. It is their hardships and suffering and their doing without of just the everyday necessities in order to pave the way for us to be sitting in the nice homes and driving the nice cars we drive today.
This generation lacks the real respect that is so due our grandparents. When this generation stop and consider how they can go to public schools, colleges, and even dare to become CEO’s of company, Professors of Universities, and colleges, and yes even the president of the United States, they will recognize how blessed they are. They will be over whelmed with humility when they allow themselves to think back and dare to remember how some of their grandparents were killed just to try to go in the front doors of restaurants and drink from public fountains.
There is not enough paper or time to recall all the horrible things they had to experience for us to be able to attain the positions, money, prestige, and recognition that we do today. We need to stop just for a moment of time to reflect and think of how far we have come, even though we still have a long way to go, it was all due to the sacrifice that was made by our grandparents, or you may say forefathers.
Parents it is time to for you make sure there are pictures on the wall or on the mantel that show these wonderful trailblazers. Parents it is time that we sit down and do as the Bible tells us in ( Joel 1: 3), and pass our knowledge down to our children and they are to tell their children after them about their heritage and about our mighty God and how he gave our grandparents the strength and wisdom to leave the path for us to follow. We should make sure our children know all their grandparents and their history and how it connects to them.
Young men and women it is time that you start showing respect for your grandparents by showing the love and honor for the important role that have played in your parents life and yours. Young people it is time that you stop and realize that without your grandparents this day would not be possible.
Scripture emphatically tells us in Leviticus that we are to rise or stand up in the presence of our elders with the gray hair. Proverbs tells us to admire the strength of youth and respect the gray hair of age. Leviticus 19: 32, tells us that we are to “show respect for old people and honor them. Reverently obey me; I am the Lord.” Proverbs 16: 31 tells us that “Grey hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.”
Let us all stop on this great day and remember our grandparent whether they are still with us or gone to their eternal rest. There should be a special time to sit reminisce and go through all the memorabilia that you have retained that bring to mind many of the important incidences in order for the memory to be carried forward to the next generation after you. People we should never allow our children or their children to ever forget their grandparents for they were the real pioneers for our generation and beyond.
Like a shooting star he rose higher and higher representing the best of us. His presence blossomed in the first movie that ever shattered the glass ceiling of talent and skills for black actors in our history. It is most remarkable how he seemed to have poured out the very essence of his being in every part that he played. He seemed to have embodied the heart of every person he portrayed.
His acting was most grand and his speech seemed to have come from the lips of a seasoned orator. Every word that he uttered brought tears from the heart of even the most ardent critic. Now that we look back at the brief time that he shared with the world we see just how gifted and talented he was.
For Christians like myself we can see the hand of God himself on this beautiful life that was with us for such a short time, but oh how meaningful. These effects were heard in every word that he spoke and revealed in the presence that he brought to every movie screen in movies like (“Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, James Brown”) and will live on through history.
The most remarkable brilliance shown in the picture that brought such honor to black artists in the industry is the one film that allowed the fullness of his true character to rise to the top and to be revealed to the world (“Black Panther”).
The magnificence of the film was depicted when he played the role of a king who entire existence was to be a hero for his people and the entire world. Everybody needs a hero, someone to look up to, someone to emulate, someone to aspire to become. In a world where there is so much pain and suffering, so little to hope for and so few real heroes to admire, Chadwick Bosemen became the hero for the world.
My young brother, we salute you for your humble way of presenting the greatness of a true king and hero to the entire world. Your star rose to reach the ultimate heights and will never be extinguished.
Just as the Jehovah vowed this to Israelites on their way to the Promise Land, he also makes this vow to his faithful followers today if they will be obedient and faithful in following him (Exodus 23:26).
The Lord has given me to give a call out to the skilled individuals who spend their lives working as Researchers of Infectious Diseases, such as the Covid-19 Pandemic. I am including just some of the various individuals such as Scientists, biochemists, chemists, biologists, pharmaceutical companies, mathematicians, epidemiologists, and many who are unnamed.
I know your task is monumental because you have the lives of this entire world on your shoulders and it is unfathomable what that involves. I can just imagine the sleepless nights, lost meals, time away from your families and just the burden of the time element on your agenda.
The world will owe you so much respect for your unselfish devotion to your lives work to save mankind. However, I want to remind you that the most important thing we are to learn behind this dreadful disease that seems to have everyone stomped is humility.
What the God of this universe is trying to show us is how helpless we are without asking for his guidance and knowledge in everything that we do. We are to recognize how a man with all of his expertise is still lost without God’s help. when we reach a certain level of success in our individual fields of expertise we feel that we do not need God anymore, we know it all.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, this worldwide infectious disease of Covid-19 has brought the world to its knees. Now God is waiting for us to accept that fact and come to him and do as the scripture tells us in Matthew 7:7 (“Ask and it will be given to you and seek and you will find, knock and it is opened unto you), and Psalm 100: 3 (“Know that the Lord he is God and not we ourselves, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture”). In conclusion, when we do as Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, (“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart”}, we will find the answer that we seek and God will reveal the wisdom and knowledge to create an antibiotic that will bring an end to this present dilemma.