猴媽備註：
Canada is indeed in a heated spiritual battle, and we can see a rough pattern of God's dealing with this nation in accordance with the paradigm shift of 2006.
As for Vancouver, not only did she experience the violent storm mentioned by the article below, which caused some power outage in some area, but also the weather has been very peculiar for the past few months. Since November of 2005, rain started to fall almost non-stop, and most days in December was in rain. I read in the Vancouver Sun newspaper that in January of 2006, it rained 29 days out of 31 days, which was a record of second place of some sort. I believe these weather phenomena could be some sort of "spillover effect" from 2005's severe spiritual battle, inasmuch as 2005 was a year of judgment. Despite all the issues that Canada is encountering, such as the homosexual subject, the paradigm is indeed starting to shift. As prophesied by Kenneth E Hagin, the beginning part of 2006 was going to be impacting. In January, we see Canada voted the Conservatives in and hence its leader, Stephen Harper, as the new Prime Minister. Not only does the party hold a more biblical view on many important issues, but there's also a probability that Harper is a believer, since he was raised a Presbyterian and attends church regularly. Furthermore, he uses the phrase "God bless Canada" in most of his campaign speeches and in the PM swear-in ceremony speech too. Nevertheless, regardless of whether he is a Christian or not, this is a very good news and great change, spiritually, for Canada.
On the issue of prophecies of a considerable earthquake transpiring in Vancouver and the Northwest region of the US, this is my take as of now. I do believe these prophecies are from the Lord because the contents seem biblical and they came from mature prophetic voices, such as Kim Clement, Todd Bentley et al., with a number of confirmations. However, just as they have pointed out, not only can this be averted, but also this is taking place because spiritual enemies are being judged. We just need to continue in prayer and supplication for all things, and God can turn all things for good for His people. (A good prophetic bulletin and info resource for the city of Vancouver and BC:
http://cityscapeprayer.org)
On the personal level, all of these things have an effect on each individual in some ways too. I myself am going through some real health concerns, especially in 2005 and January of 2006. But I am now beginning to see more light and finding more strength in Him in this area. In conclusion, I summarize the matter of things during these few months with the phrase "great challenges, but greater victories" (John 16:20-22) because the paradigm, God's dispensation of things, is shifting. And remember, 2006 is just the beginning of that shift; therefore, in the "beginning of the beginning," let us not be discouraged in various trials and battles when circumstances seem to not conform to the perfect will of God yet. God is faithful, and He will come through again just like He did for us in the past. Let us be persistent to remember those in difficult trials with intercessions of love and fervency. Let us continue to stand on God's Word and meditate and confess them daily and be unwavering. Let us keep on praying, and not only praying, the key is BELIEVING in what we pray are coming to pass because that is what faith is (Heb 11:1).
I really do believe the US is very blessed to have George W Bush as the President, not because we both have the same first name, but because he is relatively quite pious. He is not perfect, no one is, but at least he is more biblically minded than many of his predecessors and than his last election opponent. I'm touched by how he and Harper use the phrase to invite God to bless their nations when they meant it from their hearts. And so God would truly do that "for He is good (all the time), His mercy endures forever!!!" (Psa 136)
May God bless all of His beloved saints.
Article taken from:
http://www.charismanow.com/02-07-06/ A Storm Warning for Canada The Canadian church is facing a sobering spiritual battle. We need to stand with our brothers and sisters to the north.
The headline in a Canadian newspaper caught my eye this past weekend while I was in Vancouver. It said bluntly: "OUT WITH GOD."
The page-one story was about Anglican minister Michael Forshaw, a gaunt-faced man who is 64 but who looks much older. He suffers from AIDS and recently learned that the Canadian health agency will allow him to try an experimental drug. He is part of a movement of Canadian Anglicans who want to convince their nation that God approves of homosexuality.
Forshaw told a reporter that he believes God is present in all creation, in all people, and "even in the sex act," by which he meant the kind of sex he has with men.
"I tried to live a celibate life," Forshaw told Vancouver's Xtra West newspaper, "but I needed the warmth of a human body."
With people like Forshaw in authority in Canada's church, it's not surprising that the spiritual climate of the nation is stormy. In Toronto and Vancouver, gay activists are pulling lots of political strings. Gay marriage was legalized last July. Recently the age of sexual consent was lowered to 14—thus allowing adults to prey on young teens without any legal repercussions.
Canada is a nation under siege. And even the weather is doing strange things. Last weekend while I was in Vancouver, unusually high winds and rain knocked out power and triggered floods on Feb. 4. Forecasters dubbed it the Super Bowl Storm.
Alistair Petrie, the Canadian minister who shared the pulpit with me this weekend, says every Canadian province has had bizarre environmental events in the last few years. He calls these events "God's wake-up calls."
I hope Canada is listening.
Many Canadians have become champions of a strange philosophy of religious "tolerance" that embraces all world religions—except, of course, biblical Christianity. At one major mainline seminary, leaders ruled that all religions lead to God—and any student who believes that Christianity is exclusive in its truth isn't allowed to proselytize.
Anybody who speaks out for morality or traditional marriage in the media or public debate is branded as homophobic. And when the new Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, dared to mention God during his swearing-in ceremony, there was an outcry from liberals who don't even want innocuous religious platitudes uttered in public.
Canada faces a serious crisis. A charismatic prophet recently told a group of pastors in Vancouver that he believes a serious earthquake will rock the city.
Hopefully this story does not have to end in disaster. I have hope that in the midst of this gathering gloom God will arouse a sleeping church.
I spoke in Vancouver last Sunday from 1 Samuel 30, a passage that tells how the Amalekite armies invaded David's camp at Ziklag and kidnapped all of his army's women, children and possessions. It was probably the lowest point in David's life—not only because of the huge loss but also because his own men blamed him for the misfortune.
But the Bible tells us that David "found strength in the Lord his God" (v. 6, NIV). David then asked the Lord if he should pursue the enemy, and God answered: "'Pursue them.'…'You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue'" (v. 8).
In one of the most dramatic turning points in biblical history, a ragtag army that was once discouraged and defeated raced to the battle line and watched God overthrow their invaders. And the Bible tells us that David not only recovered all the families that had been taken, but also his men took the Amalekites' plunder.
I believe God's promise to David applies to the struggle in Canada—as well as to our own spiritual crisis here in the United States. When God's people rise up out of their discouragement and lay hold of the hope of revival—no matter how dark the sky has become, how loud the winds howl and how outnumbered we feel—God's word to us is the same: "You will certainly overtake them."
I'm not a Canadian, but I owe my Christian brethren up north my solidarity. You can demonstrate yours by praying that the Canadian church will heed the signs of the times and run to meet this challenge with faith and courage.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma and an award-winning journalist. He writes his column "Fire In My Bones" for Charisma Online twice a week.
