California’s Burning. What Do We Do?

0
83

 

There are still wild, out of control, fires burning in Southern California.  At least 25 people have died, but there are many who are missing and unaccounted for.  40,300 acres have burned.  This inferno has burned about 12,000 structures in L.A., and in the Palisades alone approximately 5,300 homes are gone.  All these numbers are still going up as I write, and the homeless population is moving towards a couple of hundred thousand people.

Yes, there are political improvements that could be made, but now, casting blame on governments and agencies does not help the people in need of basic assistance immediately.

There are also some Christian individuals, churches, and ministries who are claiming that these disasters are of God’s judgment on sinful America, while others argue that it is not.  To those who do not believe in God, nor His Son Jesus Christ, this is not helpful in any way.  Every time God has had to bring judgment upon a land, it has been because His people have, in various ways and degrees, turned away from His ways and purposes for them.  And in those times, God has given instructions to His people as to how the various judgments against them and their land could be lifted.

13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.   (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?   (1 Peter 4:17)

Yes, of course, this could be a judgment of God upon a nation that has continually waved her fist in the face of God by doing abominations against His Holy Word; literally mocking His Creation, will, and purpose.   However, where has the voice of God through His churches in America gone?   The Church of the LORD Jesus Christ, the one He died to give Life to and ordained and empowered on Pentecost by the coming of the indwelling Holy Spirit, has lost respect by not truly living the Word they preach before a watching world!  The Church in America has lost her respect from the citizens of America.  At some point in the late ‘50’s and through the ‘60’s and up to now, the Power that God gave her has been absentmindedly placed in the churches storage/junk rooms and forgotten about.  Preaching stays in the house as the members seldom take it home with them and model or share the teachings in the world around them.  Power is weak in the church because prayer has become a ritual rather than a source of power for her mission.  The most important gathering of the Church must be seen to be her time of gathered prayer by all.   Prayer has become an afterthought.  The Church in repentance revived will be God’s means of healing and blessing to America.

But back to matters of need in these disasters . . .

How can you help?  The Salvation Army and the Red Cross need donations and volunteers.  Some of the needs of the displaced are shelters, food, clothing and a variety of toiletry items.   Cleaning up will be a long and challenging task.

The good news is that there are many compassionate, caring, everyday folk stepping up to do what they can do very low key.  They are simply doing what they see needing to be done.  This world would be in a better place if people simply became silent doers instead of complainers.  The phrase: “it’s not my job” needs to be done away with, destroyed, forgotten.   I have often suggested to church members in each church I have pastored, “if you see something broken, dirty, out of place, trash laying around, fix it without fanfare or complaining.”  There are many things you can do to help damage victims.

There are many survivors who just need to talk without someone else trying to sound wiser than they.  They need caring.  They need love and understanding.  They need people who know that they do not have the right words to help them, but they know the One Who does have the right words and the right Presence.  They need God in you acting through you without you getting in His way.  He needs you to be His tool to help others in the right way, His way!

If you can’t be in person where the needs are, if you can’t give financial support, you can do the best service to them in your home in prayer for all the needs.  Pray to the LORD of the harvest to send workers.  Pray that resources will become available.  Pray that the wind will calm.  Pray for the protection, strength and wisdom of all first responders.  Pray that all who need quality counsel receive exactly that.  Pray that fear, anxiety, and terror be overpowered by God’s peace.  Pray that beauty comes from ashes.  Pray that you and I might be God’s beauty raised from ashes for those in need.

Beloved Believer, be, do, what you were created to be and do.  And before all, Pray On!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.