Evaluating the Escalating Middle East Protests

Posted by Charlotte Lowrie

The recent killing of four Americans, including the U. S. Libyan Ambassador, Chris Stevens, in Benghazi may seem like just one of many headlines coming out of the Middle East, an area that seems to be in perpetual unrest. But as Christians watching for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, this incident and the subsequent protests must be examined from a prophetic point of view. The question is whether the killings and protests are part of ongoing unrest in the region, or are they part of the fulfillment of end times Biblical prophecies?

If we evaluate the incidents by following the popular press and government officials, then the protests seem to be an escalation of existing unrest provoked by an anti-Islam film trailer posted on the Internet. An American reporter asked a Libyan protester why they were protesting. The impassioned protester replied that the U.S. government should have immediately censored the anti-Islamic film. Whether the film triggered the protests or served as a convenient excuse to attack the American embassy in Libya and kill Americans may never be known. What is certain is that a contingent of protesters was armed with sophisticated weapons that were not available to the average street-level Libyan protester. Some believe the embassy attack was premeditated, with well-positioned assassins seizing what was for their purposes a perfect moment.

Less than a year earlier, the average Libyan protester was fighting for freedom and democracy. But clearly, the protester interviewed did not understand what freedom of speech and freedom of religion mean and how these freedoms play out in everyday democratic life. This protester and others don't understand that freedom of speech and religion means that the government does not censor the content of movies regardless of its religious content. From a Western perspective, it then becomes easy to pigeonhole the protests as cultural misunderstandings. And then it's easy to wax philosophical about how freedom of speech and religion play out on an ever-widening global stage.

But as I mediated, the Lord made it clear that these protests have nothing to do with political systems and democratic freedoms. Rather, the protests have everything to do with the ageless battle between good and evil--a battle that is being fought on earth as well as in the unseen realms. The Lord was clear that these protests are a sign of the times--the end times. And protests, violence, and unrest will increase and become more widespread. All are part of the fulfillment of end times prophecies and must happen before the Lord returns.

The Lord cautioned, "Watch and be ready for My coming, for it is near." Knowing that these and other events point to the nearness of the Lord's return, what are our tasks--what part do we play during these times.

First it is important that we listen only to His voice and His word and not be deceived by what we hear from the media, politicians, and governments. As believers, we are to fight for what is right and good on all levels of our lives and in our spheres of influence.

Then we must:

• Pray for worldwide revival
• Spread the Gospel as He commanded us
• Not falter in being His witnesses in the world

The Lord cautions, "There are not many days remaining. Do My work while there is time. Look neither left or right, but stay on the path of righteousness. Be My witness where you are and beyond. Tell others before it is too late. I will help you. Be not afraid. Spread the Gospel as I commanded. Live according to My commands. Do not be afraid for I am with you."

Important Note: As the tensions in the Middle East continue, pray for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Christ who often take the brunt of the hostilities. Both homes and churches have been burned. Some who were evacuated from their homes to safe houses cannot return to their homes because the landlords do not want Christians living in their properties. One way to help persecuted Christians is by supporting the Voice of Martyrs, an organization that provides safe houses and other support for Christians who are persecuted around the world.

Embracing Change

By Charlotte Lowrie

The saying goes, “Change is a only constant in life.” And in many cases, change is the one thing we dread and resist most. Unless the current situation is uncomfortable and painful, many people would rather maintain the status quo than face the uncertainty of change.

But change is the single thing that keeps life fresh and alive. As the Lord told me, "Without change, you would wither and die. With change, you move forward and breathe new air."

I learned the effect of change recently. The change meant the loss of the work -- work that I've had for the past half-dozen years, and work that I wanted to keep. But it wasn't to be.

It took some talks with the Lord to realize that I should welcome change rather than dwell on what I'd lost and resist the change. I quickly realized that I had been praying to get more work, and, of course, the Lord already knew that I need more work. I really needed to welcome the change as a new and exciting opportunity. Now I pray that I will learn all that the Lord has for me to learn during this change. The Lord reminded me, "Change is only hard because you resist it." And I would add that wherever the change leads us, we know that the Lord will never lead us astray.

So if we examine the change that comes our way, and if we determine that is come from the Lord, then we should, as the Lord suggested, welcome change, and embrace what He has for us next, even if we cannot see it yet.

How to Treat Others

By Charlotte Lowrie

Walking through life with the Lord is like having a wise, old, and trusted friend available at every moment. Every day, I realize afresh that He knows me better than I know myself, and that His love is incomprehensibly wide and deep. The walk is rich and satisfying even during hard times when jobs disappear, when struggling with a persistent sin, and during times of grief as well as joy. Regardless of what I do, and regardless of what happens, the Lord treats me with such love and kind regard that even the worst circumstances are made doable.

As I reflect on the years spent with the Lord, I’m amazed at how peaceful (conflict-free) our relationship is. I know myself well enough to know that I can be contrary, stubborn, and willful. Yet the Lord leads me so that none of those characteristics interfere with our daily progress. In my years of walking with the Lord, I have never felt pushed or coerced. I’ve always and only felt His complete love in all that we do.

Without question, this is the best relationship that I’ve ever had. Many times, I’ve tried to analyze what the Lord does to work with me so perfectly. And I’ve often thought that if I could imitate Him, then my interactions with my family, friends, and co-workers would be much richer and happier.

So I asked the Lord for his secret. What can I do to treat other people in the same way that you treat me? The Lord answered, "Treat people as they are, not as you want them to be. That is how I treat you."

The wisdom of his answer is, of course, perfect. So often I want others to change or to see things my way. I believe the desire to persuade or change people is present in almost all interactions even if it’s on a subconscious level. And as long as is self-interest is involved, I believe that we never truly see the other person as he or she is. And if we don’t see them as they are, then we see only a distortion of our own making.

The Lord added, "It's a matter of respecting the person's nature and working with it." A key word in this advice is, respect. Respect means to admire someone deeply, such as admiring his or her abilities, qualities, or achievements. Synonyms for respect provide more insight and they include: esteem, honor, regard, and consideration. In fact, these definitions and synonyms describe how the Lord makes me feel in our relationship. And as a result, He makes it easy for me to follow Him. And it makes it easy for me to change—to change my ways, my course, or whatever else needs changing.

As I thought about this perfect relationship that the Lord creates with us, Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:35-41 came to mind. When an expert in Jewish law asked Jesus was the greatest commandment was, the Lord replied, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:35-41 NIV).

The way the Lord treats us every day is a perfect example of love. It is an example that we can imitate as we love God and our neighbors.

Celebrating Our Risen Lord!

Thoughts to Ponder

By Charlotte Lowrie

This week, I'll share some of the thoughts, questions, and insights from recent prayers and studies.

• What have you done with what the Lord has given you?

• Creativity is the awakening of what God instilled within us.

• "Snow is silent because the weight has been lifted."

• When I think I'm not learning fast enough, the Lord tells me to, "Be patient. Make peace with waiting."

• We are never defeated. Times of trouble are the times to claim His victory; to restrain Satan by the authority in and of the name of Jesus.

• "It isn't a matter of you trying. It's a matter of you believing in My power to carry you through all things, and that those things will work to My glory."

• "You think that life centers within the mind. But the heart is where you hold your passionately held beliefs. The heart holds what is dear to man, not the mind. So it's the heart that must be cleaned. It's the heart that makes the judgment of what the mind knows and remembers."

May your Easter season be filled with His peace and joy.

I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are suffering persecution for His name's sake.

Praying Transformative Prayers

By Charlotte Lowrie

If you feel that your prayers hit the ceiling and go no farther, consider what you're praying for and the spirit of your prayers. Too often our prayers are like pulling up to the divine drive-through to order up what needs to be fixed, added to, or subtracted from our lives. We pray for quick fixes to prop up temporary problems in our lives. We lose site of the larger context of our part in God's divine plan.

If you want your prayers to be transformative, then I suggest two things. First, pray from the heart. To pray from the heart, you have to know what's on your heart. Usually what's on your heart is a lot more than a list of what you want the Lord to fix in your life. So before you say, "Our Father in heaven," ask yourself what's on your heart right now. Then pray from that space--the heart space. It makes all the difference.

The second thing to transform your prayer is to pray in agreement with God's will. Many Christians pray wanting to persuade God to do their will rather than them doing His will. But when we pray to do his will in our lives, that's when prayers get divine power. I personally think of this as a parallel to Matthew 6:33, when Jesus said to, "first seek his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be be given to you as well." The parallel is that if I pray to do the will of God in my life, then I know that He will take care of the rest of my needs.

Jesus knew how to pray in agreement with God's will. As he faced the cross, Jesus could have prayed for an avenging army of angels, but instead he prayed that he would glorify the Father. And He prayed for His disciples and the believers who would build the church on the foundation He laid. Jesus could have asked for anything, but he prayed in agreement with the will of God. Our prayers will be transformed when we also pray in agreement with God's will.

What is God's will? His will is always that His kingdom be advanced. The work of the kingdom is our work as believers and as the church. Our work is living lives where we share the Lord Jesus with others, where we serve others as our Lord served, and where we do the work of the church. It is His will that we use the talents and gifts that He has generously blessed us with for His glory.

With your next prayer, first know what's in your heart, and hold that thought. Begin your prayer with praise and thanksgiving. And then ask, "Lord what can I do for You today?"

Creativity and the Daily Walk, Part II

By Charlotte Lowrie

I continue to seek greater creative expression in my work. And in my daily walk with the Lord, I ask for insight and guidance on being creative. And the Lord often reveals more about the source and expression of creativity.

Here are some of the latest notes on creativity from my prayer journal.

"I instilled [creativity] in you from the beginning. It is from Me, and within you. Give it space and time. [Creativity] must be nurtured, allowed to breathe—to have breath. It cannot live otherwise. Breath is life in all things. Let it breath. Do not crowd out your creativity with too many thoughts. Our creativity works together—what I’ve instilled in you, and what I inspire you with. That is how the gift works."

"Through the gift of creativity, the creative process on earth continues beyond the [original] creation, for you are my agents. I work through you if you answer the call."

"The [creative] expression is yours. The Source is Me. You have the nuances of expression, and the content is Mine. [Creativity] flows from Me to you. Accept it. Expect it. Embrace it. Look for it every day."

The Lord has cautioned me to not block creativity. Following the crowd—following the popular trends of whatever creative endeavor we’re involved in, can block creativity. Instead, the Lord encourages us to seek His approval rather than approval from the others. "Don't focus on others; focus on what you can do, and do it well. You know what you do well…cultivate your uniqueness."

And for anyone who looks at what the Lord has created, this note will not be a surprise. "There is beauty in all [that I create]. Beauty and function co-exist in perfect harmony."