God Is Coming For His Flock

The Lord lead me to this text in Ezekiel 34 today. As I began reading, my jaw fell down, and my eyes opened wide, as I couldn't believe what I was reading. The Lord was showing me that He sees what is and has been going on, and He has had enough. I believe that this is not only a word for The Church, but a word for our Nation. This is a text filled with HOPE. For He knows His sheep have been scattered and lost. Many in leadership have abused, neglected, and used others for their personal gain and the Lord has had enough. This text is a bit lengthy, but I hope you will read it in its entirety. I note a few of my thoughts at the end, but honestly, the text pretty well speaks for itself. 

Ezekiel 34

 ^1-6 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherd-leaders of Israel. Yes, prophesy! Tell those shepherds, ‘God, the Master, says: Doom to you shepherds of Israel, feeding your own mouths! Aren’t shepherds supposed to feed sheep? You drink the milk, you make clothes from the wool, you roast the lambs, but you don’t feed the sheep. You don’t build up the weak ones, don’t heal the sick, don’t doctor the injured, don’t go after the strays, don’t look for the lost. You bully and badger them. And now they’re scattered every which way because there was no shepherd—scattered and easy pickings for wolves and coyotes. Scattered—my sheep!—exposed and vulnerable across mountains and hills. My sheep scattered all over the world, and no one out looking for them!

^7-9 “‘Therefore, shepherds, listen to the Message of God: As sure as I am the living God—Decree of God, the Master—because my sheep have been turned into mere prey, into easy meals for wolves because you shepherds ignored them and only fed yourselves, listen to what God has to say:

¹⁰ “‘Watch out! I’m coming down on the shepherds and taking my sheep back. They’re fired as shepherds of my sheep. No more shepherds who just feed themselves! I’ll rescue my sheep from their greed. They’re not going to feed off my sheep any longer!

^11-16 “‘God, the Master, says: From now on, I myself am the shepherd. I’m going looking for them. As shepherds go after their flocks when they get scattered, I’m going after my sheep. I’ll rescue them from all the places they’ve been scattered to in the storms. I’ll bring them back from foreign peoples, gather them from foreign countries, and bring them back to their home country. I’ll feed them on the mountains of Israel, along the streams, among their own people. I’ll lead them into lush pasture so they can roam the mountain pastures of Israel, graze at leisure, feed in the rich pastures on the mountains of Israel. And I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep. I myself will make sure they get plenty of rest. I’ll go after the lost, I’ll collect the strays, I’ll doctor the injured, I’ll build up the weak ones and oversee the strong ones so they’re not exploited.

^17-19 “‘And as for you, my dear flock, I’m stepping in and judging between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. Aren’t you satisfied to feed in good pasture without taking over the whole place? Can’t you be satisfied to drink from the clear stream without muddying the water with your feet? Why do the rest of my sheep have to make do with grass that’s trampled down and water that’s been muddied?

^20-22 “‘Therefore, God, the Master, says: I myself am stepping in and making things right between the plump sheep and the skinny sheep. Because you forced your way with shoulder and rump and butted at all the weaker animals with your horns till you scattered them all over the hills, I’ll come in and save my dear flock, no longer let them be pushed around. I’ll step in and set things right between one sheep and another.

^23-24 “‘I’ll appoint one shepherd over them all: my servant David. He’ll feed them. He’ll be their shepherd. And I, God, will be their God. My servant David will be their prince. I, God, have spoken.

^25-27 “‘I’ll make a covenant of peace with them. I’ll banish fierce animals from the country so the sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. I’ll make them and everything around my hill a blessing. I’ll send down plenty of rain in season—showers of blessing! The trees in the orchards will bear fruit, the ground will produce, they’ll feel content and safe on their land, and they’ll realize that I am God when I break them out of their slavery and rescue them from their slave masters.

^28-29 “‘No longer will they be exploited by outsiders and ravaged by fierce beasts. They’ll live safe and sound, fearless and free. I’ll give them rich gardens, lavish in vegetables—no more living half-starved, no longer taunted by outsiders.

^30-31 “‘They’ll know, beyond doubting, that I, God, am their God, that I’m with them and that they, the people Israel, are my people. Decree of God, the Master:

Wow, right?! I'm sure that as you read this text, you picked up on the message I feel like God is speaking. But maybe you read it, and weren't sure. So in that case, I wanted to share a few of my thoughts. Over the last couple of years, I have been learning and understanding more and more of what is going on in our Nation and world. I'm sure a lot of you are right there with me, it's been a wild ride. But as I began learning more, I quickly began to understand that the root of everything is Spiritual. There is a Spirit behind everything. It looks like a Political debate, it looks like a bunch of people making accusations, it looks like a race war, it looks like whatever we think it looks like. But the truth is, the root is a Spiritual matter. The enemy is out to divide us, turn us against each other and destroy the unity and beauty of humanity that God created and intended.

So, in saying that, if you do not agree with my words below, that's ok. There are a million different opinions for everything. I don't claim to know or understand it all. I don't claim to be 100% correct. I don't claim that everyone else who thinks differently doesn't have a valid reason for why they think opposite of me. I'm just sharing my point of view, and what I felt the Lord impressed upon my heart through this text that I read. So here's what I felt the Lord showing me.

I know there are many varying opinions on President Trump. And I want to make it clear that I'm not here to argue with anyone about it. This is what I felt impressed upon my heart as I read this text:

^23-24 “‘I’ll appoint one shepherd over them all: my servant David. He’ll feed them. He’ll be their shepherd. And I, God, will be their God. My servant David will be their prince. I, God, have spoken..."

Whether you like it or not, Trump has been appointed by God to lead our Nation in this time. Every time I say that, someone comes back with "I don't think Trump is as "Christian" as you think he is." First off, I never said that Trump is a Christian in my statement. However, I do believe that God can use anyone He chooses. Trump may not have been a believer when he went into office, and maybe he was. I don't know. But that to me is irrelevant. He is clearly fighting for the right things. He is clearly taking a stand against the things that God is against. He is clearly fighting for our religious freedoms. Whether he's a Christian or not, doesn't matter. He's fighting for the right things for our Nation.

In the realm of Human Trafficking alone, it has taken far too long for a stand to be taken; for our leaders to stand up and fight, and fight hard for these children, men and women who are enslaved. I was so encouraged to see that on August 4th, President Trump gave $35 million dollars to aid human trafficking victims. That is a lot of money, and a bold statement  as to where President Trump's heart is on the issue. 

Another issue that Trump began working on right away was the security and safety at our Nations border. Again, a huge spot where human trafficking takes place. And everyone against building the wall wants to chalk it all up to a waste of money, but honestly, the ones afraid of loosing money are the ones who are gaining the money by participating in the evil of human trafficking and other illegal acts taking place at our border. It's not about the Nation's money. It's about theirs. Trump on the other hand, is working for free. He has given up his salary to go to war for you and I. Granted he had money before he took office, but it's clear that money isn't the god he bows to or he would be taking in every penny of his salary. And the wall, it makes sense. Why wouldn't you protect your land? You don't leave your house unlocked when you leave, you don't leave your keys in your car when you park it..just think. He's doing the right thing. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. If others want to come live in our free land, they can do so, legally. And if others want to come visit our free land, they can do so, legally. But this open, in and out, come as you want, sneak whoever/whatever in, non protected border. No, enough. This is the territory that we are responsible to protect. 

Touching quickly again on whether Trump is a Christian or not..like I said, it's irrelevant in the argument of whether Christians should support him or not, but while reading the text below, I believe God is saying that, if he doesn't follow God, he will. He may have entered office, not believing, or maybe believing a little bit, or just questioning, but he will come out knowing, beyond all doubt, who God is. He will know that God had appointed him and is using him to fight for our Nation and our Nation's people.

"...they’ll feel content and safe on their land, and they’ll realize that I am God when I break them out of their slavery and rescue them from their slave masters.

^28-29 “‘No longer will they be exploited by outsiders and ravaged by fierce beasts. They’ll live safe and sound, fearless and free. I’ll give them rich gardens, lavish in vegetables—no more living half-starved, no longer taunted by outsiders.

^30-31 “‘They’ll know, beyond doubting, that I, God, am their God, that I’m with them and that they, the people Israel, are my people."

We can all agree that 2020 has not gone the way we planned. It's been hard. It's been scary. It's been a season of unknown. But be encouraged, because God is coming after his flock. He says if the shepherd leaders won't take care of them, then "I myself will tend my sheep. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (NIV)

God is coming for his flock. We are in a wild time, but God is moving. If 2020 is the year that everything changes, when wrongs are made right, where darkness is exposed and the American people begin to take back what the enemy has stolen. If this is the year that so much darkness and evil is exposed and we begin to fight for light and fight for the plans that God has for our Nation, I'll be ok with 2020. 

A light is dawning. 

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy..." Isaiah 60:1-5

Keep praying. Keep standing up. Keep speaking out. Keep leaning in to God. For this is the time. I believe a revival is coming, a revival is here. Don't miss it, don't mistake it for what it's not. God is moving & the best is yet to come. Be encouraged.

He is coming for his flock.

♡

Jasmine