From Deep Darkness to Glory

This is certainly a time of deep spiritual darkness. From the unbelievable corruption and spirit­ual darkness in our own govern­ment systems which is com­ing to light in the United States to the deep darkness of other nations which are allowing radical Islam to infiltrate their culture and are taking a stand against Israel.

But what a wonderful, encouraging word we have in Isaiah 60.

Arise, shine; For your light has come! and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people;
but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
“Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy;
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. (Isaiah 60:1-5)

A major shift has taken place with the passing of Billy Graham.
He has preached the gospel of salvation to more people than anyone who has ever lived on this earth.

Billy Graham had a major impact on my life when in the early days of his ministry he came to my hometown of Houston, Texas, and I had the privilege of working in the crusade office with his team and also served as a counselor to those who came forward to accept Jesus as their Savior.

What began as two weeks of meetings lasted for seven weeks as we outgrew the city coliseum and ended up filling Rice Stadium night after night with thousands coming into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Later in the early 60’s, I was an advisor with the Billy Graham team when we packed out the Dome Stadium in Houston with many more coming into salvation through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. How we praise the Lord for all He did during that time!

But today we feel an exciting new shift is taking place. There is a change that is taking place as we move forward from the emphasis on the “Gospel of Salvation” to “The Gospel of The Kingdom.”

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations,
and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14a)

God says, The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:3)

You might feel this could never happen to you but Joyce and I are from very humble, economically poor back­grounds and yet, over the years, He has let us speak and minister to leaders of nations.

He has given us the opportunity to know and visit with the man who was king over the kings of Africa.

We have been a personal friend and frequent advisor to the former president of Zambia, Africa. We have stayed in the statehouse and traveled across his nation in the presidential limousine with a long line of police on motorcycles, body guards, the Minister of Religion, The Minister of Protocol and other dignitaries.

In our travels across that nation we ministered to the heads of the various states, the mayors of cities, to packed out halls of pastors in the daytime and packed our stadiums at night. We were the President’s special guest for the opening of parliament.

We have had the privilege of ministering to the Prime Minister and his wife of a Muslim nation and to be in their home. At that time, he was also the head of the federation of all the Islamic nations of the world.

And doors are still opening. Not because of who we are, but because of Who we represent.

We had a recent meal with our good friend, Ambassador Dr. Clyde Rivers, who has been serving as the United Nations Ambassador for the Nation of Burundi.

A number of years ago, I was at the Gerald Ford Presidential Library in Michigan and he appointed me as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Golden Rule Initiative of the United Nations.

There are so many changes happening and God wants to prepare others to be used in the political arena. During our time with Dr. Rivers, we discussed plans to start training Ambassadors to be able to minister as advisors to leaders of nations. We are discussing the possibility of training believers to be leaders in the Kingdom here at Big Bear Lake, California. And as we continue seeking God’s will in this area, we would appreciate your prayers.

Isaiah chapter 60 is also full of prophecies of the coming gold and glory. Gold speaks of the great wealth that will finance the great end-time harvest. Verse five speaks of the coming abundance and wealth which will come to us as His kings.

The Gold

Verse 6 speaks of those who will bring gold and incense.
Verse 9 speaks of our sons coming to bring their silver and gold with them.
Verse 11 speaks of men coming that will bring the wealth of the Gentiles with “kings in procession.”
And verse 17 speaks of our Redeemer bringing gold instead of iron and silver instead of wood.

But above all, Isaiah 60 speaks of the coming glory. It is the knowledge of that coming glory that is going to fill this earth as the waters cover the seas. (Hab 2:14)

The Glory

It is about the glory of the LORD that will arise and be seen upon us (Isaiah 60:1, 2)
It is about God glorifying the house of His glory (vs. 7)
It is about His glorifying us. (Vs. 9)
It is about the glory of Lebanon coming to us and making the place of our feet glorious. (Vs. 13)
It is about our God who is our glory. (Vs. 19)
And finally it is about each of us bringing glory to Him. (Vs. 21)

Yes, out of the midst of the deep spiritual darkness that has covered the land,
there is a shift that is taking place.

There is arising a glory like this earth has never seen before.
It is going to arise upon those of us who are the kings in the Kingdom.

And with it the hidden riches of the silver and gold in secret places is going
to be revealed to finance the great end-time harvest.

“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine; says the LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2:8)

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name,
am the God of Israel. (Isaiah 45:3)