God defend New Zealand… and save us from ourselves
The grass is crispy and brown, the cattle are skinny and every living thing is suffering in Northland in the terrible heat. There’s been no rain for weeks, and this is on the back of many consecutively dry summers which has depleted our rivers, reservoirs and aquifers. Kaikohe has run out of water and other towns are not far behind.
As I listen to Christians praying for rain, I seldom hear any repentance, but simply requests for blessing. As a nation we have much to repent for. Repentance has been pushed to the side as the glory and blessing movements march on through our culture.
Years ago when halal exports started, and halal killing for the NZ market began, I was disturbed on several levels. There was an outcry from Christian farmers, but they were railroaded, and eventually lost their will to fight. Their precious animals succumb to this inhumane practice and die as a blood sacrifice to the Islamic demon god, against the farmers will. Now, nearly all of the meat we consume in NZ has been sacrificed to Allah.
In an effort to minimise the suffering of the animals while still meeting halal requirements, the animals are stunned by an electrical shock. I can totally understand this if it is a shock to the head or brain. However, when I found out that they are stunned from both ends!?!! (and the other end - internally) - I myself was deeply shocked. In fact, last month, I cried myself to sleep thinking of the animals being tortured to death and blood sacrificed to a demon god happening around the clock in my nearest town - and couldn’t eat for 3 days.
stuff.co.nz “Frightened animals being led to their deaths in such 'in-animal' conditions produce a cocktail of hormones and chemicals which ultimately find their way into our bodies. Stomach cancer and brain tumours are just two of the many diseases that humans get after consuming such meat.”
Our abattoirs now have a dedicated prayer room and roster so the death of every animal is covered in prayer and offered to Allah as a blood sacrifice. If only Christians were as dedicated! If we think this isn’t having an effect on our communities and nation, then we are sadly mistaken.
A while back, our pastor was called to a farm where animals were mysteriously dying in the same spot in a paddock. He was disturbed, to say the least. By word of knowledge, the pastor learned that the farmer had previously employed a Muslim worker, who had killed an animal or animals as a blood sacrifice to Allah on that spot. The blood cried out from the land, demanding more blood sacrifice, and the cycle goes on. We see this cycle repeating on the ‘black spots’ on our roads.
Sorry, I digress… my point being, how far have we, as a nation, fallen into sin? Halal, abortion, legalised prostitution, civil unions, now talk of legalising marijuana and euthanasia… sin has become such an integral part of the fabric of society, that we don’t even feel the need to repent anymore. We moan about our politicians but do we repent, pray, and seek the Lord how He wants us to vote? Or make a stand ourselves for righteousness in the political arena?
So no. I’m not surprised at the years of drought. The Bible is full of stories of drought, famine and occupation or exile when God’s people turned away from Him - Joel, Amos, Isaiah, Ezekiel.
“The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.” Amos 1:2
He did this in judgement and to cause His people to turn back to Him. In fact, I am surprised the Lord still blesses us as much as He does. I feel deeply called to repent daily for the sins of our nation. I never ask Him for anything unless I have first repented for our sin, as Daniel did in Daniel 9. It is only God’s amazing grace and wish that none should perish that continues to buy us time in the face of this avalanche of evil in our culture. And the prayers of a faithful few. And I’m not talking about bless-me prayers, but prayers of true repentance and intercession, for as a nation, we have sinned greatly - and continue to do so.
Alfred Ngaro MP posted on his Facebook page this week, a prayer from his heart agonising over how we as a nation have come to a place where our political leaders have forsaken all that is good. That we declare in our national anthem that God would defend New Zealand, yet we have ignored the essence of His truth. He went on to say, “Lord, I pray this morning that you would awaken the intercessors to plead and pray for forgiveness, that You would hear our prayers and heal this land. Lord, I pray that the people would be stirred in their spirit with righteous indignation and stand up and speak out against the legislation that would bring death to the beginning and to the end of life.”
I concur, and pray, “God, forgive us for we have sinned greatly and turned from Your ways. Save us from ourselves.” Whatever we have reaped, we now sow. God gives us the government we deserve, see Isaiah 3:1-5 for example.
In all this, the Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love (Psalm 145:8), and is giving us time to respond to His call to repentance and righteousness. Now is the time to Awake! Awake, Zion and clothe yourself with strength (Isaiah 52:1). Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him (Mark 1:3).
This is election year. God is raising up His people in the political arena who will stand for righteousness. The 2020 elections are more crucial that we can ever know. Unless we repent, pray, and seek the Lord as to how He would have us to vote, we deserve what we get. Let’s pray…
Father, I come to you in Jesus mighty name. You are the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings (Rev 19:16). You are the One True God (Isa 65:16). I ask You forgive us, Lord, for we have sinned greatly. We have turned from Your ways and broken Your precepts. We have rebelled against you and not obeyed your voice (Dan 9). We thank You for Your great love and mercy that You have blessed us as much as you have in our sin.
Father, we ask for the spirit of Godly sorrow to fall upon our ungodly leadership that they may turn and be healed (2 Cor 7:10). Improve them, Lord, or remove them, we ask in Jesus name. Help us, Lord, to fear Your name that the sun of righteousness will rise upon us with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2). Help us, Lord to prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God…
We command every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Isa 40:3-5). Help us, Lord, to intercede and pray for our nation. Raise up Your remnant who will stand in the gap for Aotearoa until we see You bring Your righteous government to this land and shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward (2 Kings 19:30).
If my people, which are called by Your name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek Your face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will You hear from heaven, and will forgive our sin, and will heal our land (2 Chron 7:14). God defend New Zealand, and save us from ourselves. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour (Hab 3:17-18). Amen
Janet xox
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Visit janetbalcombe.com to learn more about my books, blogs or to connect with me. To see what else I’m up to, visit: wildsidetrust.org, wildsideministries.com and wildsidedesign.net
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! -2 Corinthians 5:17
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. -Romans 12:2
Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. -Ephesians 4:22-24