Write His Answer

“Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone—except God. Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control.” – Billy Graham

If you’ve not read Billy Graham’s July 24 prayer letter, “My Heart Aches for America,” I urge you to click here.

When Craig von Buseck asked at this year’s Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference how many believe our culture is in peril, most every hand was raised. The question now is, “What would Father have us do?”

I’m often reminded of the words of a dear friend who grew up in Switzerland prior to the start of World War II. She said, “The church in Germany saw what was happening, but the church in Germany was silent.”

Father, please save us from complacency and stir us to action.

Cindi Clover, a GPCWC conferee, shared the following with me. I believe it is a word from the Lord. Be watching for her crossexaminations.wordpress.com blog.

I saw a large army of people in ranks, row upon row, each person standing straight and at attention.  However, instead of holding a gun, each person was holding a larger-than-usual fountain pen.  It was evident that the people were those who were trained to use their pens, much as a soldier has been trained to use a weapon.

As I watched, I suddenly saw light being released from each of the pens in sort of a spray that looked like a headlight beam, only wider.  As this was happening, the army began to be “deployed,” each marching forward and then going off in a particular direction.  Some went to the right, some to the left, and some forward.  The interesting thing is that each knew exactly where to go; there was no hesitation or milling around or changing direction.  Each had been given specific orders from the Lord about what to do; in short, each had been “deployed” on a specific mission.

I believe that what I saw is an encouragement to those whose calling it is to “write his answer” in the coming days.  Each is called to write perhaps on a different topic or in a different format (books, articles, scripts, etc.), some fiction, some non-fiction, to various age groups, and in various genres. But each, having been called by the Lord, knew exactly what his or her calling was.  Leaving the “ranks,” which I believe represented the conference, none was confused about what he or she is being called to write.  The light represents God’s answers to questions, His perspectives on topics, and His worldview in general.  The important thing about the pens is that they represent weapons in the spiritual realm.  When we write what the Holy Spirit has given us, we are doing warfare as we spread the light – the truth of the Gospel – into a dark world.

I will “write” why this picture is significant to me.  For many years, the Lord has been showing me where this nation is headed and about the hard times – economically, politically, and in terms of natural disasters – that He is going to allow to come upon this nation for the sake of turning our society and culture back to Him (redemptive purposes, not so much punishment).  The fact is, things are going to get more challenging (worse) than they are now.

A year ago, in August of 2011, the Lord told me that He is, and will continue to, “shake everything that can be shaken – down to the very foundations of our lives – individually and nationally.”  He said that the purpose for doing this is to expose to everyone WHO IS WILLING TO SEE the conditions of the various foundations in our lives.  In other words, upon what foundation have we built marriages and other relationships? finances?  health? (etc.)

When we examine what we are trusting in regarding these things, we will find that in some areas we may have strong foundations, in some partial foundations, and in some, no foundations that would survive the storms that are to come in the future.  This is a crucial time to listen to the Lord and to repair any foundations not exclusively built upon Him and His Word. We are not to wait until the storms come to do this.

The problem is that people don’t know how to do this.  Therefore, they will need what the Lord has “deployed” us to write so that they may prepare for the challenging times ahead.  As things get darker and more difficult, people will be more willing to listen (as they always are . . .) and more opportunities to share His answers will become available.  In some way or another, we are all called, as writers, to proclaim a message equipping people to “prepare” for the times to come.  And personally, I believe that this is the greatest calling there is.

Father, please strengthen my faith and my resolve to allow You to use me to “write Your answer.”