“Waking Up the Sleeping Giant” – Now Think On This by Steve Martin

April 1, 2020 Love For His People ministry Charlotte, NC USA

“How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” Proverbs 6:9, NASU

Did the Lord just turn up the heat to get some of His people off the church pew, if they were still sitting there and not at home from years gone by?

Is our Lord waking up the sleeping giant?

If you have been on Facebook this past month, or any other social media, national and international news websites (forgetting about the talking heads on the TV tube more and more, who give 40 minutes of opinion and 5 minutes of news, with the rest of the hour taken up in paid advertising time), then you know the level and warmth of the rising water is heating up.

Take a look at this post I shared on my Facebook page on Monday, March 30, 2020 at 4:38 pm. I tried copying each and every response, but that would have taken up a lot more of this message white space than you or I would like to see, let alone read.

The large amounts of postings which followed the mug shot of Rodney Howard-Browne – posted on Christian websites – the revivalist pastor who brought to the sleeping church worldwide laughter and fire, starting in the 1990s (who even prior to “The Toronto Blessing, a term coined by British newspapers, refers to the Christian revival and associated phenomena that began in January 1994 at the Toronto Airport Vineyard church, which was renamed in 1996 to Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship and then later in 2010 renamed to Catch the Fire Toronto. Wikipedia) also brought a new spark of fire.

Yes, it looks like this pandemic coronavirus, COVID-19, which has brought fear and panic among many populous states in the USA and nations of the world, has lit a fire under the cold seats of the wooden pews and padded folding chairs of the churches.

Look at the following: the mug shot, my post, and the multitude of other comments (80 at this time of writing) that came forth.

Steve Martin  March 30 at 4:38 PM · 

Lord, let Your government rule on the earth. Let Your people gather to give You praise and honor. Stop the craziness.

14 Jane F Schultz, Jorge Parrott and 12 others

80 Comments1 Share

James Laura Bolen Not shame on the pastor. I commend him for standing up for his faith and not being a frightened sheeple. Where are people’s faith?? Shame on the government for doing that. People have bowed to the government even when the government tells you to defy God. I bet thousands would throw away their Bibles if the governors ordered it. Not enough Joshuas and Calebs these days. – L

Nita Brown Shame on the government for restricting freedom of religion and exercising faith that God can and will protect His people when they PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE to worship him. This is an outrage and I hope Pastor Brown sues the ever-loving heck outta them and wins!!!!!!!!!

JanetMeadows Phiri Lets be in prayer for him

Rachel Anders What a joke! People are dying due to this virus but let’s sing the praises of a mad man for “standing up for his beliefs” even Jesus respected the authority of the government

Richard Scholtz They should charge him with negligent homicide if any of “his congregants die” — as much stupidity as the snake-handling stunt. 🤔🤔🤔 Another Jim Jones wannabe who will be sued by the survivors ….so much for his $$

Sandy Shepard 1Tim1:9

Karen D Marsh There’s several who think they are higher than the law

Michael Allerton He knows what the NWO is up to.

Cornelius Steyn I wish it was me

Ben Martin I’ll leave this one alone…

Robert Arthur McDuffie I read the statement made by Liberty Counsel who is representing this pastor. They met responsibly and abiding by all the guidelines and more. The truth is it would be safer to go to their church than your local Wal-Mart.

Kathy McPherson My question is in regard to the difference(s) between it being a business vs a place of worship…The law still permits worshiping God, it only states no more than 10 people and suggest those people be essential for, as an example, for running the appr…See More

Warren Marcus Christians break the law when they smuggle bibles into other countries or preach the gospel in hostile lands. The early church preached the gospel even though the Romans were hostile to it.
Paul was imprisoned by Rome fir preaching the gospel but continued to do so even as a prisoner

Tom Fahey Warren Marcus yes, but smuggling Bibles doesn’t cause people to contract a deadly disease.

Warren Marcus Tom Fahey – well if the people get caught with a smuggled bible given to them by a missionary might just have their head cut off

Kay Knop Kah-nup Warren Marcus Acts 4 …obey God or man?

Ron Cantor Warren Marcus, yeah, this is just like that…except RHB may have caused his own people to die instead of giving life.

Warren Marcus Ron Cantor – Florida Governor just made church services as “essential” and so did Texas

Warren Marcus That’s what Rodney wanted to happen

Steve Martin Great to see some energy coming forth from the believing community. Maybe this is what the Lord wants all along – to wake us all up and get on with His plans and purposes – getting the Gospel out, being lights in a dark and dying world. I say let’s do this.

Is the Lord above, knowing that the time is now for His church, His Body of Christ, get a fire lit under them so that He can wake the sleeping giant? Is His Father God letting us know that we don’t have decades left to get the job done, which He sent the Holy Spirit to equip and prepare us for these end times, to bring as many to salvation in His Name as would?

I think so. And I say again, which I posted on the same above, “Great to see some energy coming forth from the believing community. Maybe this is what the Lord wants all along – to wake us all up and get on with His plans and purposes – getting the Gospel out, being lights in a dark and dying world. I say let’s do this.”

And as a final thought…it won’t surprise me that sooner, if not later, this whole thing will be blamed on the Jews, as has so often happened and recorded in the history books of mankind, beginning with the Bible itself. (We just celebrated Purim – Queen Esther, Mordecahi and the evil Haman.) And when that happens, we pray that these same believers, who have caught the fire, will be there to assist our friends the Jews in making aliyah to their homeland, Israel.

Now think on this.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Founder/President  Love For His People, Inc.

SPECIAL NOTE: Our ministry’s new mobile app is available for iPhones and Androids is available. These are free app downloads! Look here: Love For His People free phone app

Please sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter: Now Think On This. The sign-up form is on our new ministry website: https://loveforhispeople.com

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.  Others will be thankful you did. And I thank you too.

Now Think On This #497 – in the year of our Lord 04.01.2020 – “Waking Up the Sleeping Giant” – Wednesday, 5:45 pm in Charlotte, NC USA

Will the 'Sleeping Giant' Wake Up? - Jennifer LeClaire

Will the 'Sleeping Giant' Wake Up?

6/28/2015 JENNIFER LECLAIRE  charisma magazine

An appeal to Heaven has been made for the church in America to wake up.

When Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn's book The Harbinger hit the New York Times best-seller list the week it released in print, I believe the sleeping giant called the church started waking up.

A prophetic warning to the American masses about God's impending judgment on the nation, The Harbinger connects undeniable dots between what has happened in the United States since the terrorist attacks in 2001—including a housing market bust and banking industry collapse that led to a $700 billion government bailout to prop up financial institutions and auto manufacturers—and Israel's fate after it turned away from Jehovah God. Although written as a fictional narrative, the book details how nine signs hidden in recent events reveal God's progressive judgment on America.

Here's the message in a nutshell: Cahn believes the Holy Spirit showed him that events such as 9/11, the collapse of Wall Street, and the Great Recession occurred because God lifted some of His hedge of protection from around America. He is certain God is trying to get our attention. He is convinced that God is warning the nation to turn back to Him and used nine harbingers, or prophetic signs, to shake us up and wake us up. The Harbinger may anger some; it may scare others. It caused some to fall to their knees in repentance, and it caused others to cry out in intercession.

The release of The Harbinger is what you could call a "kairos moment"—a supreme moment in time when God sent a prophet with a "you need to hear this and repent" message to America. Notice I say "to America"—not just the church in America. Cahn's message about an ancient mystery that holds the secret to America's future transcended the Christian market to become a mainstream phenomenon that, at the time of this writing, is still on the New York Times best-seller list nearly three years later.

The book—and the clear proof of God's discipline on our nation—changed my theology. Until 2012 I did not believe God sent judgment on nations in the New Testament age. I reasoned that if God was going to judge any nation, He would start with places like the Netherlands, with cities like Amsterdam and its infamous Red Light District that hosts all manner of immorality. But the founders of the Netherlands didn't make and break a covenant with God.

I believe America as a nation is reaping what we've sown. I believe that where there is unfettered sin, there is ultimately death (Rom. 6:23). And although some rightly argue that many nations are more sinful and anti-God than the United States, consider this: to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). As a world power, the United States has done much good. But our nation's Christian foundations are shaking. The seven major influencers of our society—the economy, government, family, spirituality, education, media and arts—are shaping an idolatrous New Age culture.

I submit to you that our nation is in natural and spiritual crisis, and it will take a divine intervention to avert disaster. Although "man" can't solve the problems in our nation, electing leaders who will guide the United States using biblical principles rather than those who defy biblical principles in the name of change speaks volumes to heaven. Politicians can't fix what's broken, but politicians who pray to the One who can will receive His wisdom to right the ship.

If we don't make a drastic shift in this nation, I believe there's no way to escape God's judgment. Billy Graham's late wife, Ruth, once said, "If God doesn't judge America He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah." Again, I never wanted to believe that. But now I do. I can see it. God has moved some of our hedge of protection because He loves us and hopes we'll wake up. We haven't woken up yet—but clearly there is an awakening afoot.

There is hope for America. The church—"sleeping giant"—needs to wake up. If the church were being the church, we wouldn't have so many problems in our nation. The church looks, thinks, and acts too much like the world. Christians are having abortions. Christians are committing adultery. Christians are fornicating. Christians are getting divorced. Lord, help us!

I believe time is short for America to repent before we see stronger manifestations of God's discipline on this nation, but at the same time I have never been more hopeful. I believe that we are on a cusp of a Third Great Awakening even now.

Let's wake up to the realities our nation is facing, but let it also fill you with hope, and let that hope give substance to your faith to pray and take action as you agree with God's plan for America to wake up in this hour. 

Adapted from The Next Great Move of God by Jennifer LeClaire, copyright 2015, published by Charisma House. Even as America is in a spiritual crisis and on the verge of God's judgment, there is an appeal to heaven for a Third Great Awakening; a revival like no other and a turning back to God as never before. Pockets of revival are breaking out across the country. This book serves as a means to fan the fires of revival and to equip you to sustain it. To order your copy clickhere.

Prayer Power for the Week of June 29, 2015

As you prepare to celebrate Independence Day the end of this week, and amid all the festivities, cookouts, fellowship with friends, family and fireworks, pray for America. Pray for our leaders and ask God to raise up more godly leaders to fill upcoming vacancies through the election process. Pray for the families that lost loved ones through violent crimes. Pray that revival would sweep the nation and eradicate all forms of hate except that which perpetuates ungodliness. Remember Israel and the persecuted church, and ask the Lord to use you to help fulfill His purposes in these last days (Rom. 6:23; Luke 12:48; 1 Tim 2:1-4).

The Charisma Podcast Network is now live. Featuring a variety of programs including news, leadership, inspiring stories, women's topics, sports, and even more.
Subscribe now for free!

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive Charisma Magazine by email.