Prophecy for 2011

Not Effort but Sacrifice!
(Notice the book blast discount at the end of this letter.)

First, I need to emphasize that you do not need to be a prophet to have foresight and to share your personal prognostications of what you perceive could take place in the future. This statement is more than a shot in the dark--it is something that's deep in my (spiritual) gut. So please cut me a little slack as you read it. If you don't agree, that's fine with me. Either way, I'd like your comments on it.


The year 2010 included two exoduses. As we exited 2010, the weekly Torah portion led us into the Book of Exodus (i.e., exiting). I’m just now remembering that God whispered into my heart that He is ushering us into a desert-exodus experience this year.

I believe God is leading America into a desert of sorts. We’re not to worry because God’s intent is for our good and not for our harm. I do not think this desert wilderness will last 40 years but I do know it is intended to TEST us. Needless to say, we’re at the brink of tests that come in the form of mighty shakings.

Exodus 16:4-5 says, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.’” Please note, God is saying that He wants ‘to see whether we will follow His instruction’ and directives. In other words, the good news is that He wills to instruct and direct us if we let Him. We have nothing to loose if we do and all to loose if we don’t.

Exodus 20:20 says that Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” His tests are intended to keep us from sinning any more. In other words, God’s intent is to STOP US from sinning—because we have sinned pretty miserably.

God’s test includes no less than two things.

First, God is taking our “toys” away from us. Secondly, God is requiring more than our good efforts—He is demanding sacrifice. Let me explain.

God is stripping us, including our government from the toys that have consumed much of our attention, money and time. God is stripping us of our pet projects which kept us too busy from truly listening and depending on Him. We’ve become addicted to the little toys that keep us so busy on an individual and a national basis. We see this in the news every single day—how God is stripping our government from material things we took for granted which led to mismanagement of God’s resources. This is sending shock waves all across our nation and also affecting all nations of the world. And He isn’t through with us yet.

Secondly, God is requiring real sacrifices from each and every American citizen. Situations that we could previously accomplish with some good effort will no longer work this year. God has led us to the point where we must go way above and beyond the very best efforts we could ever engage in. God is expecting us to make real sacrifices in order to attain His best for us and for our nation.

Psalms 51:16-17 reads: “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

In other words, God will no longer endure what we called our personal sacrifices which became nothing more than route and routine. He is requiring the sacrifices of a “broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart…”

This sounds much like that which God spoke to King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “…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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Now this is what I call sacrifice in this day and age in our nation–willingness to humble ourselves, a real commitment to pray and truly seek God’s face and to turn from our “wicked ways.” But this shouldn’t be a sacrifice if we hadn’t become such a proud and arrogant people.

The epitome of the sacrifice God’s calling for is captured in Psalm 50:5 which says, “Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."

God doesn’t want another temporary or provisional commitment. He wants a permanent and irreversible covenant with Him which can take place only by our daily and personal sacrifice. This is the only way that, individually, we’ll press beyond the insurmountable obstacles that lay before us. And this is also the only way that our nation might possibly remain as the number-one nation in the world. Failure to do this only spells our nation’s bankruptcy.

And if our nation goes down, most Americans will go down too. Conversely, if most Americans go down, we’ll pull our entire nation along with us too.

So it is that we do not need a new set of toys and addicting pet projects to keep us busy or entertained. We need 2 Chronicles 7:14 to become our daily prayer and action. We need to contract every muscle within our being to sacrifice itself so that we might finally achieve God’s purpose and destiny for us and for our nation.

In conclusion, the title for the first Torah reading for the New Year reads: “And I appeared.” I earnestly believe that if we follow the 2 Chronicles 7:14 formula set by The Almighty, He shall appear to our nation once again. I believe God will “hear from heaven and will forgive (our) sin and will heal (our) land”—and this begins with you and me today.

Shalom,

Dell

PS: Don’t forget you’ve got till the end of January ('11) to get in on the BOOK BLAST DISCOUNT. For any two titles you purchase, you’ll get a FREE copy of my book, “THE LAST EXODUS.” Simply go to the PUBLICATIONS page of my website and put your order. WWW.4sephardim.com