The election is over (but hopefully the quest to bring forth the truth is not).  Some are in despair and some are just putting it all behind them, but as for me, I asked the Lord to help me get the lessons we need to learn from all this, and to REFOCUS ON HIM, the True Savior, and the only One with the Truth and the Answers!

Reading in this morning's Torah parsha, I believe the Holy Spirit showed me quite a few of the lessons the Israelites had to learn when they were in their "Red Sea moment".  I noted that quite a few of the Christian prophets referred to the American Presidential election as a "Red Sea moment" and I too prayed a prayer a few blogs ago that said, "Even as we are in the Torah portion of the plagues in Egypt and the great deliverance through the Red Sea, O God, show a mighty sign and wonder again to the Pharaoh and all his armies and make this nation come to their knees in repentance and fear of YOU. Do not let us be completely given over to Pharaoh, O Lord!"  Well, brothers and sisters, I do not believe it's because God did not hear our prayers over this nation and this election that we are in the terrible place we're in. I believe it's because God ALWAYS HAS A RIGHTEOUS MOTIVE FOR EVERYTHING HE DOES, and usually that includes teaching His people lessons that must be learned before we can move on.  

In Exodus 13:17 we read, "When the Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.'"  Do you see it?  God doesn't give us shortcuts!  He doesn't give us a "quick fix" because He knows we will probably go right back to the sin we were operating in before.  Take 9/11, for example.  Americans were shocked and terrified at those horrific events and for two weeks our churches were packed and people were finally on their knees crying out to God for help. But after those two weeks, most folks just went back to their "Egypt," their lives unchanged, unrepentant.  That was 19 years ago.  The sin of this nation is exponentially greater and God's cup is now full and spilling over. Though we thought perhaps we could change His mind if some of us stood in the gap, I now believe it was too much, too late.  We didn't get a short cut. 

Going back to the book of Exodus in Chapter 13, verse 21, we read, "By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people."  It is important to note that even in this perilous journey to escape from Pharaoh's army, the Israelites were kept and surrounded by the Cloud and the Fire, the very real manifestation of Yeshua/Jesus! And we can glimpse some of our Lord's strategy with His people. He says to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. "  We can glean critical understanding when we know what these Hebrew words mean. Pi Hahiroth means "mouth of freedom."  Baal Zephon is a pagan god and the literal meaning of Zephon is "the destroyer."  I am overwhelmed at the marvelous picture we are given when we understand where the people of Israel were to camp while they were waiting for their miraculous deliverance from the wicked Pharaoh and all his armies.  Isn't this what the King of the Universe is saying to all His people today?  "You need to set up camp at the Mouth of Freedom, taking a strong stand in opposition to the Destroyer!  You must spend time in this camp vanquishing the works of the devil, getting the sin out of your lives, and turning back to Me, Your Creator and Redeemer, and THEN freedom will be returned to you!"  

I feel like we are in this camp right now and we can spend the time in prayer, taking a stand in opposition to the Destroyer, Baal Zephon, and the demonic influences on our government, our leaders, and so many of our people; but I also feel like our prayer, our passionate cry, should be that of "Maranatha Yeshua!"  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!  I will say it again: no man and no political party will bring our redemption.  The Righteous Judge of all the Earth is going to take whatever time it takes to bring many to their knees in repentance so that they can live forever with Him.  We know that in the First Exodus it took many plagues and judgments before the people feared God and were delivered.  Then - as now - there are no shortcuts!  But in Joel Richardson's awesome new book, Sinai to Zion, his words remind us of what we will finally experience in the "Second Exodus."  He writes, "Just as it did throughout the Exodus, at Mount Sinai, and at the tent of meeting, the pillar will come down. All will stand in awe, gazing at the glory of YHVH's presence as the penny finally drops, as they come to recognize the One they have pierced. For within the cloud will be the Son of man, Jesus, the Radiant One, Israel's only Savior."

On the afternoon of the presidential inauguration God showed me something. I want to share it with you. I was so quickened in my spirit by this vision that I actually sent out a small text to some of my closest brothers and sisters.  The text read, "1 Kings 18:44."  A few wrote back to me questioning what in the world I was trying to show them. That verse simply says, "The seventh time the servant reported, 'A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea.'" It was the picture the Holy Spirit showed me before I could feel discouragement or defeat over this inauguration - and I immediately understood what He was saying.

In 1 Kings 18 Elijah told Ahab that he heard the sound of a heavy rain. Because there was no rain, he told his servant to "go and look toward the sea." The servant kept going and looking and then coming back to report, "There is nothing there." Elijah sent him seven times, so finally the seventh time the servant has a report for Elijah. He does not report seeing a huge storm or a heavy rain or even dark clouds gathering. He reports, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea."  

Beloved, I know in my heart that God was showing me that even though things had not happened the WAY we wanted or as FAST as we wanted, there is great hope. There is a small cloud in the distance - and it is the promise of RAIN - even a Mighty Downpour of His Judgment!

I've learned an important lesson through this experience. There is only ONE we can look to for Justice, for Deliverance from Evil or for the answers to our prayers. It is not a man and it is not a political party. His ways are so much higher than our ways! (Isaiah 55:8-9). We only think we know how He is going to move - but as soon as we think we have it all figured out, He will do something completely different and He will probably make us WAIT for it.  God tests His people in times like this. He made his disciples wait four days until they could go to their deceased friend, Lazarus and his family. It was a divine delay, so that He could do a miracle of resurrection from the dead! He wants to know who will still praise Him when things didn't go like we thought they would. Who will still trust Him when they're feeling disappointed or betrayed? Who will be willing to wait on HIS perfect timing? Who will fall on their faces and repent for spending more time on the internet and less time in the Word?  I will. I promise you I will! I see a cloud as small as a man's hand and I don't know WHEN that cloud will fully bring the STORM OF JUSTICE that we have been waiting for and I don't now HOW.  But I do know THIS:
The LORD loves justice and will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.  The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom and his tongue speaks what is just. The Law of his God is in his heart and his feet do not slip. The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. WAIT FOR THE LORD AND KEEP HIS WAY.  (Psalm 37:18-34)

Let us wait for the LORD, keeping His way, acknowledging His sovereignty, and believing that the little cloud will become a great Storm upon the wicked in His time - the SEVENTH time - the perfect time!