Success and Failure Blog

The  massive 9.1 earthquake in Japan recently has many people fearing the worst-world end!  Combined with other world earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, famines, global warming , and extreme weather conditions there is evidence of other troubling issues across the globe.  There have been out breaks of new health threats like H1N1, and terrible diseases without known cure, pestilence problems like the recent epidemic of bed bugs, and a surge of violence and criminal activity greater than ever before.  Our economy seems to get worse by second and the crippling effects of hard financial times can be seen and felt all over the world.  Many fear these terrible things are clues that point out disaster.  Could this be a severe warning of catastrophe?  What can be done to prevent this horrible outcome, and is it too late?  What can we do as individuals and families  to ready ourselves and be prepared for the future?  Can anyone escape from this terrible threat?  With so many gripped  with fear and bracing for worst, these are the type of questions that fill the hearts and minds of people today.  The answers to these crucial questions have been discovered and the outcome is astounding and may come as quite a shock . 

 The bible warns of these same concerns and very issues.  It is written clearly for all to read.  These hardships and major world issues should not come as a surprise to the discerning person. All of the events that are taking place have been foretold in the bible and if you have not yet read these scriptures, you may be surprised to see how accurate and detailed these prophetic messages actually are.

Matthew 24:5-8 (Amplified Bible) ⁵For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [^[b]appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray.   ⁶And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place; ⁸All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the ^[c]birth pangs [of the ^[d]intolerable anguish].

 It is amazing how these prophecies, written so long ago, so accurately depict the picture of our world condition today.  This world is definitely spiraling towards a great tribulation.  As seen in the previous scripture of Matthew 24:8 all of these things are just the beginning of a time of  the intolerable anguish that lie ahead.  As terrible as things are today, they appear to be just a taste of the great tribulation to come.  These words and promises are not meant as a source of fear and dismay.  On the contrary, these prophecies are words of hope and offer peace in a world of a turmoil.  There is another scripture that reveals salvation from the aweful terrors that are to come.   You see if we can identify the truth in these prophecies we should also not be oblivious to the hope that is available.  There is hope and there is a way of escape from the terrible times that are most certainly and rapidly approaching.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18   ¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died^[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.  ¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.^{[g] 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died^[h] will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words. 

Clearly the ultimate source of hope for humanity is found in Christ Jesus.  He lived here on this planet amongst us and performed many great miracles.  He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf, cast out unclean spirits and raised the dead and still His greatest miracle was His greatest sorrow and greatest joy. 

He gave up His life for us.  He was brutally beaten and mocked and hung on the cross for death.  He died there in a place called Calvary.  Despite the fact that He had never sinned and remained clean His whole life, He took all of our sins upon Himself.    He  was buried in a tomb. Then just as it had been pre foretold, on the third  day He rose from the dead.  Jesus was resurrected from the dead!   Jesus is alive!  He later ascended to heaven and can now be found at the right hand of the Father.  He is our mediator, and friend.  He represents us earnestly with love and compassion.  That is the true message of Easter and by far the greatest news of this day and age. 

The events that are taking place right now in our world herald a great tribulation to come.  These events are the direct result of sin and evil.  No one on earth is perfect or without sin but according to bible there is a way to be saved from sin and the terrible events that are now unfolding right before our very eyes. 

Hebrews 9:28 (New Living Translation)²⁸ so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

1 Peter 1:5 (New Living Translation)⁵ And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

Receiving the salvation and assurance of eternal life is as simple in believing in Jesus Christ and accepting the fact that you are in need of saving.  All one must do to be saved is ask Jesus to come into their heart and forgive   them of all their sins. Then God will make you a brand new creation and if you truly believe it, God will transform you and lead you and guide you during these uncertain times that we face.  Although we are not promised that we will not have to endure trials and tribulations, we are promised ultimate salvation through Jesus. 

Now is the time to pray and Jesus come into your heart.  He understands what you are going through and He will not be hard on you.  Jesus wants to save you.  But there is no guarantee how long we have before Jesus returns to get His people.  According to Matthew 24:36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
  All those wait, thinking that time is on their side live in jeopardy and face the dangers of judgement and punishment for all eternity. 

Please take time right now, while there is still a chance and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.  Tell others about the ,hope and love you have found.   Want to learn more?  Read the bible and begin attending church and studying God’s word daily.  Read more articles like this on the Success and Failure website. You too will learn that no matter what terrible fate this earth may face that there is truly great hope and complete assurance in God.   

 Yours in Christ Jesus,

Pam Shekailo

Please write to me if you more questions or concerns.  I would be happy to hear from you.

Importunity is a new word to my vocabulary. I learned that this word means wearisome persistence or of persistent demand. The word itself sounds like two words combined and I will probably remember it this way. It sounds like the word important and word opportunity combined. To me and through God the word importunity means an important opportunity. That is what we have right now in prayer for our nation. We have an important opportunity to pray for our nation and seek God on behalf of our country. We have an important opportunity and responsibility through prayer to see our land healed, to see the sins of our land forgiven and have the mercy, loving-kindness, peace, joy, revival and complete salvation and restoration of God in America.

However, before we can see these blessed results and favorable consequences, we must apply the true meaning of importunity to our prayers and our need for God and His presence in our country. You see before we can be blessed as a nation our prayers must go up to God with wearisome persistence. We must continually pray for God’s healing in our nation. I have heard this verse many times. I have seen it on t-shirts and such. But up until now, with God’s revelation, I have never understood it the way I do now.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
It is all here. God’s people, the church and body of Jesus Christ must humble themselves and pray with the importunity of prayer in their hearts. We must pray with wearisome persistence and unrelenting urgency. We must seek God with all our hearts in harmony with one another, in perfect unison, and in combined strength of faith. We must crave and need God’s presence in America in the same manner, with wearisome persistence, and with all our hearts and souls, together as one giant cry unto the Father in heaven. We must turn from our wicked ways and stop putting other gods before Him. Then and only then will God hear from heaven and forgive America and heal America.
Our country, the United States of America was founded as one Nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Our money is printed and stamped “In God We Trust.” Today, America is a nation of many people of from many different nations, beliefs, races, religions and creeds that all call America their home land. We all sin and we all fall short of the glory of God. In our land there are many sins, too numerous to list. Common things and seemingly simple and harmless things have taken precedence in the American way of life. One such example is the use of technology and the use of cellular phones. In reality these are examples of things that we have become dependent on, and in need of here in the USA. It may seem harmless but any time anything takes prevalence over God- it is idolatry. There are many other critical issues of concern and sin. The main issue of importance, dire need and in great demand right now is a great turning away from sin and a true repentance of sin. If one person prays this prayer of repentance and turns away from sin it is great for that person because they when they search for God with all their heart and soul they will find Him and they will be saved. But if a group of a hundred or a thousand or a million pray in repentance and turn away from sin to God, it is beautiful beyond words. We must come together in the importunity of prayer! Please take a few moments to pray this prayer along with me and pass this prayer on to as many as you will.

Dear Heavenly Father,
We acknowledge that our nation has turned away from you. In our greed and independence we have become financially, spiritually, physically and morally bankrupt. In our need to be self-sufficient and powerful and famous as individuals and as a nation, we have failed miserably and come to the end of all our own resources. In our desire to be free and powerful we have become enslaved and weakened in our sins against you. Our nation is falling apart. We have tried to replace you and put other gods of money, material possessions, and ease of life style above you and the precious sacrifice provided for us at the cross. In doing so, we have fallen away from you and the all sufficient grace that comes only from you. Now with humble, weary, and persistent hearts and souls we turn to you for forgiveness of all our sins. Forgive us for putting other gods before you and for turning to other things and other ways of life instead of turning to you. Right now we, as individuals and as the brothers and sisters and family in Christ Jesus, and as believers all join together, united in one accord and with one voice. As one voice we turn away from everything that would stand between us and you. As one people serving as one nation under God, we pray LORD that you will hear our prayer. We need your presence now more than ever. Please come and make your wonderful holy presence known to America in new and profound ways. We pray, seek, crave and require of necessity your face. As we submit ourselves to you, we pray that you will hear our nation, heal our nation, and make us your nation. We pray for a great restoration in America and a huge revival in America and all across the globe. As one nation and one voice we cry out for deliverance and we claim all of the indisputable promises found in the word of God. In these times of darkness, O LORD you are our only light. You LORD are the only hope of our nation. We pledge allegiance to you LORD God. We pray this prayer in the wonderful matchless name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

May your life be blessed and a blessing in Christ Jesus.