Teshuva

         "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."

                                                                 Ecclesiastes 3:1    

Twenty years ago, in May of 2001, I woke up with a burden in my heart about a dream I had the night before. In it I was standing on a runway getting ready to board a plane. Behind the plane I was to board there was another plane. That plane was engulfed in flames inside and I saw people getting into the plane, their faces reflecting terror and anguish as they made their way inside. Then I looked up at the sky and saw two more airplanes, also engulfed in flames. Then I looked down and found myself in front of a field full of smoke, where an airplane had crashed. Four months later, after taking my kids to school, I came home and went upstairs to watch the news. As the broadcasters began to describe the scene unfolding in NY no one could tell what was happening. As soon as the second tower got assaulted by the airplane and they called it a terrorist attack for the first time, I ran outside like a mad woman, waving my arms and yelling out to my husband, who was on his morning jog, motioning for him to rush home because something terrible had happened. By the time we ran upstairs the pentagon had been hit and the cameras quickly turned to a field in Pennsylvania, where another plan had crashed. That is when my heart sank even deeper, because when I saw the field, I was instantly reminded of the dream I had in May. The picture below is the exact image of what I saw in the dream. 

 

 Seeing this brought chills down my spine. I felt like I had literally been there already and knew what had happened, like it wasn’t news to me because I had already seen it. I didn’t know it at the time, but God had given me a vision of something that was to come, and I honestly didn’t know what to do with it at the time. I remember thinking maybe I shouldn't book a flight anywhere just in case. I thought it was about 'me' since I saw myself getting ready to board a plane. I never imagined that dream had anything to do with a major world even, one that would change America forever. I wasn’t born again until 2002 and until then, I did not have an understanding of many things related to God and how He works in our lives. Once I entered into a relationship with Him, the eyes of my understanding were opened {Ephesians 1:18} However, don’t think you have to be in a relationship with God for Him to communicate with you. I have been having dreams and night-visions and revelations since I was six years old, yet somehow I knew it was God even though I wasn’t born again yet.

       John 10:27

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

 God is constantly communicating with us. Sometimes we have a dream that we know means something, but we don’t know what it could be, or maybe we just have a gut feeling about something that we just know we should either do or not do, whether is going somewhere or staying put, or saying something or remaining quiet. God doesn’t surprise anyone, He always lets everyone know everything ahead of time, whether in a vision or dream or by way of a messenger. If we know Him and are known of Him, He is always warning us and He is always giving us direction. It is up to us to listen and obey. If we are not yet in His Will, He is always ‘knocking’ at the door of our heart. It is up to us to let Him in.

Revelation 3:20

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

 The world is in chaos, and He is not surprised. The world has been in chaos since the beginning. That is why He had a plan, a perfect plan of salvation, that ‘whosoever believes in His only begotten Son will not perish but have everlasting life’ {John 3:16}

 This plan is for everybody, and I mean, everybody, and that includes the terrorist and the enemies of America and especially our own personal enemies. I know, I know. Some people reading this may go ‘what? Is she crazy?’ No, I’m not. And if I’m going to continue calling myself a Christian then I definitely cannot be. Some really horrific things have been recorded in the Bible and yet, God, in His infinite mercy still wanted for the people to repent and turn to Him. Remember, God does not want for anyone to perish!

                                                         Romans 3:23

                “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

 Before Paul became one of the greatest Apostles in history, he was one of the greatest persecutors of the faith. Still, God chose him, of all people, to carry His message to the world. He gave Paul, named Saul at the time, a magnificent vision where he not only saw the powerful light of God but also heard His voice calling out to him. This is not an isolated event that happened ‘in the times of Jesus and the Apostles’ Today, there are hundreds if not thousands of people in the Middle East who are, much like Paul, receiving powerful visions from God. That is why persecution is so great there. Because these encounters are causing people to turn from their wicked ways to serve the One, True and Living God!

                                                             Matthew 4:17

     “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The Hebrew word ‘Teshuva’ literally means ‘to turn back or to return’ and it carries the implication of ‘returning to God.’ In English, the word is translated as ‘Repentance.’ While Christians do not celebrate the Jewish Holy Days, the truth is we can all glean a deeper understanding of prophetic cycles and God’s relationship with us, through them. I keep seeing lots of posts on social media from people asking God for help. God, please take away the pandemic. God, please stop the riots. God please…fill in the blank. Yet, what God is waiting for is for people to repent.

                                                       2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

 Easy as that. Humble yourself, pray, seek Him, repent. Forgiveness and healing come from doing just that. Not only for ourselves but also for the nations. And God knows this nation needs healing, but healing won’t come until there is repentance. God has been patiently waiting for America to turn from her wicked ways, to stop ‘playing the harlot with many lovers’ – [Jeremiah 3:1], to stop compromising the Truth with error and to stop destroying the work of His hands in the womb (Psalm 139), just to name a few. God is still giving dreams and visions and revelations, even to the unsaved! Pay attention to your dreams and your gut feelings, He may be trying to tell you something! And never underestimate the power of prayer! 

May the Lord open the eyes and the ears of your spirit that you may behold His glory and hear His small, still voice leading you to His Truth.

 

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.