For nation will arise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Mark 13:8

    As we proceed into these most interesting of times, we are coming into unprecedented opportunities for the gospel. At the same time, there is an obvious and accelerating collapse of the spiritual, moral, political, and economic foundations of America, as well as most nations in the West. If these trends are not checked and reversed soon, we will see lawlessness growing in an increasing and merciless rage. As this happens in America, it will also happen in Europe, only with greater intensity. Western civilization is tottering on the edge of a meltdown.

As we come to the close of this most exciting year, many are entering the New Year with a feeling of dread and fear because of the things going on in the world. Others are entering it with great faith and hope. Faith and hope are going to win. The best year yet will be 2009.

This study is about how we will take the Promised Land, as the church, and as individuals. During this week’s study, I want to focus on how we can individually begin to practically cease from our wanderings, mostly in circles in the wilderness, and begin to walk in our purpose, our Promised Land from God.

As we continue our study of how the church will cross over and begin to possess its Promised Land, this week we will look at the first great event after crossing the Jordan, which we see in Joshua 5:2: “At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time."

The next “work of the flesh,” we will study from Galatians 5:22 is “drunkenness.” Of course, getting drunk, or high, should have no place in the life of a Christian. To become drunk is at best to reduce your ability to control yourself, or to resist the devil. When this happens we can count on the other “works of the flesh” to assert themselves, and the devil taking advantage of us to do his evil work.

What will America be like in 2020? Some believe we will be another socialist state modeled after various European countries. Others see an even more extreme form of totalitarianism in our future. Some believe a reaction to the recent radical turn to the left will result in an even more radical swing to the extreme right after the seemingly inevitable economic meltdown. However, there is another possibility. The following is a very possible scenario. In just ten years, America could have:

        We continue our study with Revelation 1:6:                    

To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are two of the most important prophetic messages for our own time. They contain the story of how a remnant of God's people returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon to rebuild the temple of the Lord and the walls of the city. These faithful ones met with continuous opposition and criticism from the nations around them, and even from some of their own fellow Jews who had remained in the land. One of their most vehement enemies, Sanballat, said the following concerning them: