The Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE), led by Cindy Jacobs, had much to say about the events of July 13. Fifty prophets from around the world gathered and shared their impressions of what they are hearing from the Lord. Afterward they made public their points of agreement. Their belief is that the enemy is working hard to destroy America but by the spring of 2025 there will be a shift to righteousness in our nation. In the meantime, we must be vigilant in prayer, to fight the good fight of faith.
 
These prophets agree that the Scripture that stands out for this season is Isaiah 30:21. "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.'" We must be praying that the Lord would open our ears to hear His directions as this is a critical season in our nation. As we know, had Donald Trump not moved his head at the exact second that he did, he would be a dead man. The prophets believe that this is a sign that the headship of our nation will shift. God has not forgotten America, and His plans and purposes will not be changed. He is the one who "changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him." (Daniel 2:21, 22)
 
Exodus, Chapter 3 tells us how Moses had to turn aside on Mt. Horeb to meet with God at the burning bush. Because he did this, Moses received a word from the Lord, assuring him that He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt and that He intended to rescue them. (Verses 7, 8) Could it be that the Lord has seen the plight of America and intends to rescue us from the grip of evil? Let us pray to this end. Let us turn aside to listen to directions from God for our future. Revelation 2:7 tells us, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
 
A reminder came from ACPE that when Jesus was being arrested at the Mount of Olives, his disciple Peter used his sword to cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest. The servant's name was Malchus, meaning "king." When Peter did this, because he was offended, he stopped the servant's ability to hear. But Jesus wanted the servant to hear and know Him. He healed and re-created the ear of the servant. (John 18:10, 11, Luke 22:50, 51) Can we look at the injury to Trump's ear, which is being healed, as a sign that God wants him to hear both physically and spiritually? Definitely, it is true that God wants all of us to hear Him. "My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)
 
The ACPE reminds us of how the priests in the days of Moses were consecrated. "Slaughter it (a ram), take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons..." (Exodus 29:20) This ritual was also used to cleanse those who were diseased so that the priests could make atonement for them. (Leviticus 14:14, 17) The ACPE also pointed out that Exodus 21:2-6 explains how a Hebrew servant could declare his desire to stay with his master instead of being set free in the seventh year of service. "Then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life."
 
 
We have much to consider and pray about. The most encouraging word is that after a time of chaos and turmoil we will see a shift to righteousness and justice in the spring of 2025. In the meantime, we must pray that the pierced ear represents a pierced heart. Right now, the tongues of all those who want to be leaders of our nation need to be tamed. James tells us that it "...corrupts the whole person..." (James 3:6) We must also pray that a spirit of humility falls on everyone for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) Peter admonishes, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5, 6) Our prayers need to be not only for ourselves but for the generations to come. Our young people need to be awakened to the truth. The ACPE says we have received a wake-up call to the seriousness of this hour. Let us remember Peter's warning:  "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (1 Peter 3:12) Awaken, people of God, and let our prayers turn us from evil to righteousness and justice. 

​Psalm 33 comes to mind as I contemplate the events of last weekend. "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the people. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth--He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army, no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in HIs unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine." (Psalm 33:8-19)
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu said it well..."The shooting of Trump is an attack on America and an attack on democracy." Our country got a wakeup call on Saturday, July 13, when a 20-year old man climbed up on a roof and shot Donald Trump as he was making a speech in Butler, PA. Details as to who he is and why he would do this are slim, but his actions have awakened the people of America. My hope is that everyone will contemplate their frailty and open their hearts to the Eternal God who holds our lives in HIs hands.
 
Job said, "He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." (Job 5:12) After spending time in considerable suffering and complaining to his friends, Job acknowledged that he had been talking over his understanding. Also, after meeting the Sovereign God and realizing that God was with him through it all, his testimony was, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2) Several verses in Proverbs agree with Job's testimony. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9) "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." (Proverbs 21:30)
 
None of us can presume on tomorrow or even the next minute as the attempt on Donald Trump's life so visibly shows us. James 4:14 warns, "But you don't have a clue what tomorrow may bring, for fleeting life is but a warm breath of air that is visible in the cold only for a moment and then vanishes!" (TPT) The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that God makes everything fit together in its timing. He says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Chapter 8, Verse 6 says, "For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter."
 
The life of Donald Trump has been spared by our Sovereign God. Dutch Sheets articulates the perspective of many: "If Trump ever questioned God's hand and destiny on him, he should now be fully assured of it." President Trump himself recognizes the protection of God and the mandate that he must move forward. He wrote a social media post that says, "Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will Fear Not, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness...In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin."
 
What should our response be in light of the events of July 13? May I suggest that we live every day as if it were our last. The Psalmist reminds us that our days are numbered. (Psalm 90:12) We must use every opportunity to love and encourage those around us and to nurture our relationship with the Lord. Let us also pray for protection over, wisdom to infuse, and fear of the Lord to overtake those who are running for office and who have a call on their lives to lead America into the future. Another quote from Donald Trump should be kept in mind. "None of us knows God's plan, or where life's adventure will take us. But if the events of last Saturday make anything clear, it is that every single moment we have on Earth is a gift from God.”

We should not live in the past but learn from it! This is the clear message from the month of Tammuz, the fourth on the Hebrew calendar. There is wisdom in looking to the past so that we can discern what God is trying to teach us. One of the reasons I keep tuned in to the Hebrew calendar is that it gives me direction each month on how to live my life for victory. The prophet Hosea warns us: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”  (Hosea 4:6) When we are aware of the patterns of the Biblical calendar we are prepared for battle and poised for victory.
 
The Jews have a day of fasting on the 17th of Tammuz. This marks the day when the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem in 70 AD. There is another fast that occurs on the 9th of Av, the fifth month, because both Temples were destroyed (in different years) on the same day. We need to be on guard during the month of Tammuz as our spiritual enemies want to repeat history. They will be pushing to entice us into destroying our spiritual temples and our walk with the Lord. Chuck Pierce of Glory of Zion Ministries calls this month "The Filmstrip Month." Our lives tell a story as we learn the pattern from the past and look at the "slides" of events that have occurred and are linked together. We can also learn from the Israelites, as they are the people who are the "root" of our Christian faith. (Romans 11:17, 18)
 
It was during Tammuz that the Israelites were waiting for Moses to return from his meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. They became impatient and looked for immediate gratification and comfort. In their desire they did not remember their past when God freed them from the bondage of Egypt with plunder, led them through the wilderness, and provided for their every need with water, manna, and quail. He even gave them victory over the Amalekites who attacked them. Psalm 78:42 puts it this way:  "They did not remember His power—the day He redeemed them from the oppressor." The children of Israel chose to worship an idol, a golden calf that they crafted, instead of God. Idolatry always leads to destruction and desolation. Our enemy, the devil, want us to repeat the pattern of idol worship and places before us a plethora of ways to shift our focus from the worship of the One True God. We must be on guard, especially during this month. 
 
Each month of the Hebrew calendar is associated with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet. Tammuz is connected with the eighth letter of this alphabet. It is called "Chet" and looks like a doorway. The letter means "life" or "wisdom." It is significant that the Lord Jesus became a doorway for us. He led us from sin and death and into a life of peace with God. Here is what Jesus said about himself:  "...Most assuredly, I say to you, ' I am the door of the sheep...I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:7, 9 – NKJV) It is only as we worship the one true God that we will find the door to peace.
 
All of us could make some adjustments in our lives to move toward God's direction. This is the time to look at what has happened in the past so that we can chart the course for the future. We must investigate the trials, battles, and blessings. We must recall prophetic words of direction for our lives. Our life's story is not complete. The way to walk in the right direction is to dedicate ourselves to worshiping the Lord so that we do not develop a "golden calf." We must guard our mouths making sure that the words coming out of it agree with the Kingdom of Light. God wants us to shine this month as Moses did when he entered the Lord's presence. (Exodus 34:29-35) Let us stay on the ancient path and walk in the good way so that we find rest for our souls. (Jeremiah 6:16)

The first permanent American settlement began in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. It also started the British rule over the colonies which was unfair in that Americans were taxed without representation in the British Parliament. This, along with persecution, oppression, and the desire for true freedom drove the colonist, against all odds, to consider a war against the British. The "straw that broke the camel's back" was when the British attempted to disarm the Americans. Battles were fought at Lexington and Concord in April of 1775, and ignited the war. Patriot militias were added to the Continental Army and George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief by the Second Continental Congress two months later. The Declaration of Independence came before the Congress on July 2, 1776, and was ratified on July 4, 1776. The men who put their names on the document risked losing everything if the British won the American Revolution. I join with the thought that God directed the events leading to the birth of America, and our early leaders confirm this. The war officially ended in September 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed. The Treaty begins: "In the name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity. It having pleased the Divine Providence..." The Declaration of Independence begins with the following statement:  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." When the United States became a sovereign and independent nation, it had the opportunity to write its own laws. A new Constitution was written in 1787, uniting the states as a single nation.
 
A web site called "RenewaNation" explains their mission:  It is "to inspire and equip the family, church, and school to give millions of children a Biblical Worldview."  One of their posts is called "The Providence of God in American History." In it they remind us of an address that George Bancroft gave to the United States Congress in 1866. (George Bancroft is known as the "Father of American history" as he is an American historian who studied and wrote about the origins and development of the United States.) "He reflected a predominant philosophy to the leaders of the new nation." He said, "That God rules in the affairs of men is as certain as any truth of physical science." George Washington, upon reviewing the events of the Revolutionary War wrote, "The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all of this, that He must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligation."

When the framers of the Constitution wrote their document, they made it clear that this was a miracle of God. "The Father of the Constitution, James Madison said, 'It is impossible to conceive the degree of concord which ultimately prevailed, as less than a miracle.'" Benjamin Franklin wrote: "Our General Convention...when it formed the new Federal Constitution was...influenced, guided, and governed by that omnipotent and beneficial Ruler in whom all...live, and move, and have their being." When he called the Constitutional Convention to prayer in the summer of 1787, he said:  "That God governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' (Psalm 127:1) I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."

As the Founders of our nation acknowledge God and gave Him thanks, should we not continue to do so? RenewaNation writes, "We have advanced due to His goodness and purposes, not our wisdom and abilities. If we reject Him and fail to rely upon Him, this great experiment in liberty will become like the ruins of Babel. Let us, therefore, follow the advice of the Continental Congress and famous Declaration signatory, John Hancock: 'Let us humbly commit our righteous cause to the great Lord of the Universe...Let us joyfully leave our concerns in the hands of Him who raises up and puts down the empires and kingdoms of the earth as He pleases.’" We must be in prayer for our nation and stand on the truths that have been given to us in the Bible. This is our only way to save the Godly foundations of our nation.