In less than 24 hours, Americans will go to the polls to decide the most important and decisive presidential and Congressional election since 1860. The stakes are high and the country is deeply divided. Many evangelical Christians are fired up and heavily engaged in this election, feeling strongly for one candidate or the other. Other Christians are disappointed by the choices and feeling unmotivated to turn out at the polls at all on Tuesday. They’re wondering, “Does my vote matter? What’s the point? Should Christians be involved in the political process at all, or should we just say to both political parties, ‘A pox on both your houses?'” 

Having lived and worked in Washington, D.C., for more than two decades and having had the opportunity to work inside the world of policy and politics as a follower of Jesus Christ, I have come to several conclusions about what role all Americans—and particularly Christians—should play in the political arena. I hope these ideas will be helpful as you come to your own convictions. In Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic & Spiritual Challenges In Time?, I lay out five key points. Today, allow me to share two of those five:

1. Christians need to pray faithfully and consistently for wisdom and direction for our national leaders.

We may not always be happy with what our leaders are doing and saying, but we need to pray for them anyway. Failing to do so is disobedience to God. As the apostle Paul instructed Timothy and the church he pastored in Ephesus, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Paul told the church in Rome to “render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:7).

The apostle Peter reinforced this message. “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.” (1 Peter 2:12-17, NLT)

The Christians who founded this great country certainly were men and women of prayer. Indeed, because of the First Great Awakening, many of our nation’s early leaders had become deeply faithful in praying and fasting. They most definitely prayed for God to protect and guide those in authority. But they also prayed that God would remove tyrants and unfit men from leadership and replace them with new leaders who had great wisdom and sound judgment to govern the struggling nation. Should we do any less today?

2. Christians need to exercise their right to vote and mobilize others to vote as well.

We are not slaves of an empire. By God’s grace, we are free people and citizens of the greatest democratic republic in the history of mankind. Very few people in history have had a say in who got elected in their countries and what values and policies those leaders would defend and advance, but we have that very privilege. How dare we ignore and squander it? We should take this right seriously. As Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

Over the past four decades, the number of Americans of voting age who describe themselves as born-again Christians has risen from 50 million to more than 80 million. While such Christians do not have the numbers to dominate American politics, we can play a decisive role. But we cannot have any influence on the direction of our country if we don’t get involved. So if we want to help our government fundamentally change direction—if we’re committed to doing everything possible to avoid an economic and cultural implosion—we need to be serious, focused, and involved in the political process.

What does this mean for you if you’re a Christian? At the very least you should register to vote and then go to the polls to vote your conscience. Encourage others to register to vote too. Become informed on the issues, and help educate your friends. Pay close attention to what the candidates are saying and what their records are. Study all candidates carefully. Don’t make any rash decisions. Weigh all the elements—a candidate’s character, history, marriage, experience, voting record, views on the issues, speeches, statements, articles, ads, advisors, and allies. Don’t expect candidates to be perfect. Remember that campaigns are about choices. You will be presented with flawed candidates. That’s a given. So you must carefully choose the least flawed, most principled, most experienced, and most effective candidates during primaries and during general elections. Don’t ignore a candidate’s moral failures. Don’t ignore unorthodox religious views. Don’t ignore that uneasy feeling you have in your gut that you can’t explain but that you sense is trouble. Study hard, and weigh everything carefully. Patiently ask God for wisdom. And don’t simply pray; fast as well.

When you find a candidate you like and can trust, ask the Lord whether he would have you help that candidate with your time, your talent, or your treasure. The Lord doesn’t call every believer to get actively involved in a campaign beyond voting, but some he does. Do only what the Lord tells you to do, no more but no less. And when the time comes, vote—and mobilize others to vote—and then trust the Lord with the results. As the prophet Daniel told us, ultimately it is the Lord who “removes kings and establishes kings” (Daniel 2:21). So don’t let yourself become depressed if your candidate loses. God is still in control. And don’t gloat if your candidate wins. Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Not all Christians are going to agree on every issue or every candidate, of course. But consider how much impact Christians could make in reshaping the fundamental direction of the White House, the Congress, the federal courts, and the Supreme Court (as well as local and state government) if we unified behind leaders who share and represent our values. Consider a few facts:

• In 1976, 35 percent of voting-age Americans (about 50 million people) described themselves as “born again,” according to a Gallup poll.
• That same year, fully 50 percent of self-described born-again Christians voted for Democrat Jimmy Carter, playing a critical role in helping Carter win the presidency over the Republican incumbent Gerald Ford.
• By 1980, the number of self-described born-again Christians in America had increased to 39 percent, according to Gallup.
• That same year, born-again Christians broke against Carter, voting almost two-to-one (61 percent to 34 percent) for Republican candidate Ronald Reagan and playing a key factor in Reagan’s victory.
• In 1984, Reagan won 78 percent of the Christian vote in his landslide victory over Democrat Walter Mondale, who received only 22 percent.
• Republican George H. W. Bush won a stunning 81 percent of the evangelical vote in 1988 as part of his lopsided victory over Democrat Michael Dukakis, who received only 18 percent.
• However, when born-again Christian support for George H. W. Bush declined significantly in 1992—he secured only 59 percent of this critical voter bloc—Bush ended up losing the presidency to Democrat Bill Clinton, who received 21 percent (Independent Ross Perot siphoned off the remainder of born-again Christian voters).
• In 1996, Bill Clinton increased his share of the evangelical vote to 43 percent, which helped him defeat Bob Dole, who secured only 49 percent—the lowest percentage for any Republican in two decades.
• By 2000, the number of voting-age Americans who described themselves as born again had increased to 45 percent (about 87 million people).
• That same year, Republican George W. Bush, a devout and outspoken evangelical Christian, won 57 percent of the born-again Christian vote (which was far more than Dole but actually less than his father, George H. W. Bush) and only very narrowly defeated Democrat Al Gore, who received 42 percent.
• In 2004, George W. Bush specifically and heavily courted Christians and won 62 percent of the self-described born-again Christian vote and defeated Democrat John Kerry, who secured only 38 percent.
• In 2008, Republican candidate John McCain was faring poorly among Christians for much of the election cycle. His numbers improved after he named Sarah Palin, a devout and outspoken evangelical, to the ticket, but not enough to defeat Democrat Barack Obama. In the end, McCain won 57 percent of the born-again vote, while Obama won 41 percent.
• In 2010, a stunning 77 percent of self-described born-again Christians voted for Republican candidates running for the House of Representatives, while only 19 percent voted for Democrat candidates, resulting in a landslide victory for the GOP in which they picked up sixty-three congressional seats and won back control of the House.

How will the American government be shaped in the future? Christians could play a key role in answering this question. But one thing is certain: disunity will destroy us. Jesus said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25). If in coming elections Christians are divided between candidates who share our biblical principles and constitutional convictions, who practice what they preach, and on the other hand candidates who are opposed to our principles or who flip-flop on them or cannot be trusted for other reasons, then elections will be won by candidates who do not share our values. In turn, we will lose the opportunity to turn this ship of state around.

But if Christians register to vote en masse and unite behind serious, substantive, pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-growth, pro-defense candidates who truly use the Constitution as their guide, then we have a real chance to put solid candidates in office and empower them to make the reforms we so desperately need to rescue our country from the abyss.

• Listen to the online podcast of the “Implosion Radio Special,” exploring the dangers facing the United States and what Christians’ role should be — spiritually and politically — at such a time as this.
• New e-book – Israel At War: Inside The Nuclear Showdown With Iran — now available on Kindle, Nook, other formats for $2,99 (includes sneak preview of material from forthcoming Damascus Countdown novel, as well)
• Help The Joshua Fund care for the poor and needy in Israel, teach the Word of God in the epicenter, educate and mobilize Christians around the world to bless poor and needy Israelis, train pastors and ministry leaders in Egypt, strengthen the believers in Syria, and prepare for a possible major new war in the epicenter — please prayerfully consider a generous, tax deductible financial contribution to The Joshua Fund.
• Come with The Joshua Fund and me to Israel for the 2013 “Prayer & Vision Tour” and the 2013 Epicenter Conference — click here for more details and to register
• Follow Joel on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg

“We’re going to die! We’re going to freeze! We got 90-year-old people!” Donna Solli told visiting officials.

“We’re going to die! We’re going to freeze! We got 90-year-old people!” Staten Island resident Donna Solli cried to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and other officials visiting the Hurricane Sandy-ravaged neighborhoods in a dramatic confrontation on national television. “You don’t understand. You gotta get your trucks down here on the corner now. It’s been three days!”

“The residents of Staten Island are pleading for help from elected officials, begging for gasoline, food and clothing three days after Sandy slammed the New York City borough,” reports ABC News. “Staten Island was one of the hardest-hit communities in New York City. More than 80,000 residents are still without power. Many are homeless, and at least 19 people died on Staten Island because of the storm. One of the devastated neighborhoods was overwhelmed by a violent surge of water. Residents described a super-sized wave as high as 20 feet, with water rushing into the streets like rapids.”

As many as 60% of New Jersey gas stations are closed — not primarily because they don’t have enough fuel, but there is no electricity to pump the fuel into people’s cars. Gas lines at open stations can extend for miles. What’s more, those with generators to provide much needed heat and electricity amidst plunging temperatures in the Northeast can’t run their generators because they have no gasoline to fuel them.

At the same time there is growing anger at federal, state and local officials for not doing a good enough and fast enough job to help people get the food, fuel and even blankets they need. There is also anger over misplaced priorities.

“This is America, not a third world nation. We need food, we need clothing,” Staten Island Borough President Jim Molinaro said today. “My advice to the people of Staten Island is: Don’t donate the American Red Cross. Put their money elsewhere.” ABC reported that “the Red Cross and the National Guard arrived in the area late Tuesday and are distributing food, water and gas….Molinaro urged New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Wednesday to cancel Sunday’s New York City Marathon. The race’s staging area is on Staten Island and Molinaro said it would be “crazy, asinine,” to have the race after what has happened.”

“Four days after Sandy slammed the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, the U.S. death toll climbed past 90 in 10 states, and included two boys who were torn from their mother’s grasp by rushing floodwaters in Staten Island during the storm,” reports the Associated Press. “Their bodies were found in a marshy area on Thursday. With fuel deliveries in the East disrupted by storm damage and many gas stations lacking electricity to run their pumps, gasoline became a precious commodity, especially for those who depend on their cars for their livelihoods….Motorists increasingly desperate for a fill-up fumed in long lines at gas stations and screamed at each other Friday as fuel shortages in Superstorm Sandy’s wake spread across the metropolitan area. Meanwhile, a backlash appeared to be building against Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s decision to hold the New York City Marathon on Sunday as scheduled, with some New Yorkers complaining that going ahead with the 26.2-mile race would be insensitive and divert city resources at a time when many are suffering.”

“The Energy Department said Friday that 3.6 million utility customers were still without power,” reported the Wall Street Journal. “The largest outages remained in New Jersey, with nearly 1.6 million customers in the dark, and New York, with nearly 1.3 million customers. “‘It’s freezing like an ice box,’ said Lydia Crespo, who was using a gas stove to heat her home in Staten Island, N.Y., still without power. ‘No hot water, no light. All you smell is the gas, the oil, the mold.'” The Journal reported the death toll has already hit 102.

“Patience was wearing thin on Friday amid widespread gas shortages, chilly homes without electricity and long, snaking lines for everything from buses to food handouts as many parts of the New York City region struggled to recover from the devastation left by Hurricane Sandy,” reports the New York Times. “Beyond irritation, some New Yorkers say the lack of power has made them fearful. ‘It’s terrible,’ said Marilyn Smalls, who lives in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn. ‘Totally black. It’s dangerous.’….The losses, too, continue to pile up. Mr. Bloomberg said the death toll in New York City had risen to at least 41. The financial toll will approach $50 billion, according to an early estimate from economists at Moody’s Analytics — about $30 billion in property damage, the rest in lost economic activity like meals and canceled flights. But tiny increments of progress, including a second day of limited subway and bus lines, have been made in the aftermath of the hurricane, which made landfall on Monday night as what officials now describe as the worst storm to hit New York City. Its punishing floods, rains and wind left millions of people with overwhelming problems they too had likely never faced.

HEADLINES:

• ‘We Need Food, We Need Clothing’: Staten Island Residents Plead for Help 3 Days After Sandy (ABC News)
• Drivers Waiting For 6 Hours At Midtown Gas Station (CBS)
• Staten Islanders On Sandy Response: We’ve Been Left FAR Behind; Borough Is In Shambles, But Little Help Has Arrived; They Ask: Where Is FEMA? (CBS)
• Gasoline situation increasingly dire in days after Sandy (CBS)

Tourists are flooding into Israel in 2012 in record numbers. They are coming on religious tours. They are coming on cruise ships. They are coming for meetings and business. And they are doing so despite concerns over a possible war between Israel and Iran. “Based on the Central Bureau of Statistics data released today, 305,000 visitors arrived in Israel in September 2012, an increase of 8% on last year (283,000) and 13% more than the record year of 2010,” reports the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. “Of these, 236,000 were tourists (visitors who stayed at least one night in Israel), 3% more than last year and a new record for the month of September….From the beginning of the year until the end of September, a new record of 2.6 million visitor arrivals was registered, 7% more than the same period last year and 6% more than the previous record in 2010. Of these arrivals, 2.2 million were tourists, 4% more than the same period last year. 444,000 were one day visitors, 27% more than last year.”

Have you ever been to Israel before? Interested in going with The Joshua Fund in 2013. Please join us! I’m looking forward to leading our 2013 Prayer & Vision Tour to Israel, which will include the 2013 Epicenter Conference in Jerusalem.

• To watch the video about the tour, please click here.
• For more details — or to sign up today — please click here.

A fascinating new poll in Israel published by Haaretz shows that 57% of Israelis prefer Gov. Mitt Romney to be the next American president, compared to only 22% who would prefer President Barack Obama to remain in office. Israeli Arabs, by contrast, overwhelmingly support Obama. My point in sharing this is not to be partisan. Rather, I think it’s important to share with you an intriguing insight into the mind of modern Israelis. It turns out Israeli Jews overwhelmingly believe Romney would be more pro-Israel and more effective in confronting Iran over the nuclear issue.

This view contrast significantly with American Jews who overwhelmingly favor Obama, though there is some movement among dissaffected Jewish voters to the GOP over the Israel issue.

“The October 2012 results of the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University’s monthly Peace Index reveal that a clear majority of Jewish Israelis prefer Republican candidate Governor Mitt Romney (57 percent) over incumbent President Barack Obama (22 percent),” reports Haaretz. “The poll — carried out between October 22 and 24, and conducted among a representative sample of 601 respondents with a margin of error of 4.5 percent — shows significant differences in Israeli attitudes towards the American presidential candidates and upcoming Israeli elections….Support for Romney includes 70 percent of self-defined right-wingers, 54 percent of centrists, and 30 percent of left-wingers.  However, a plurality of Arab Israelis prefers Obama (45 percent) over Romney (15 percent).”    

>> Reminder: The “Implosion Radio Special” will air on 700+ Christian radio stations this weekend to call for prayer for America and Israel. Please check here for times and stations in your area. Or you can click here to listen to the 2-hour broadcast on-line.

Today, I am honored to join the ministry of “If My People 2012” to ask Americans to pray for Israel — to pray for geopolitical peace for all the people in the epicenter, as well as to pray for Jews, Muslims and nominal Christians to turn to the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to receive Him by faith. Here is a link to the video (about 5 minutes). Please take a moment to watch it, to pray with me, and to share this with others.

Have you been praying for repentance and revival in America for the past few weeks? I hope you have. We desperately need to turn our hearts back to the Lord Jesus Christ and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways that He may hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.

Today is Day 35 of the 40 days of prayer many pastors and ministry leaders have committed to, leading up to the election next Tuesday. We have called for 40 days of prayer and fasting because we know that America is in so much trouble financially, economically, morally, culturally and spiritually that only Christ can save us. We need a Third Great Awakening, or we face implosion as a nation. 

Here, too, is a link to the audio of my personal spiritual journey. Earlier this year, I spoke at a church in Arizona and told the story of how my parents and I came to faith in Jesus as Messiah — as well as the story of a time of personal revival in my life in January 1984 when I was at my lowest point spiritually and emotionally. I hope that is helpful to you, and to others.

That said, we also need to pray for the peace and protection of the nation of Israel, and all of the inhabitants of the epicenter, be they Jews or Arabs. Given all the sins we are committing as a nation — and the danger we face of God’s judgment — the last thing we dare do is forget, or abandon, or turn away from, or stand against the nation of Israel. In Genesis 12:1-3, God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that “those who bless you I will bless, and those who curse you I will curse.” Let us be a blessing to the nation of Israel and to all who live there, including the Palestinians, let God turn His face and hand against us.

PRAYER POINTS

• Pray for God to send ministering angels to protect and shield Israel.  Psalm 71:3-5
• Praise Jesus because He is faithful to keep His promises concerning Israel.  Psalm 121:6-9
• Pray for the peace of Israel. Ask God to prosper the apple of His eye.  Psalm 122:6-9

Tips and Suggestions on How To Pray

• Watch the Prayer Leader video and pray with him/her at the end.
• Pray throughout the day about today’s prayer topic.
• Pray together with friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Bedtime is a great time for families to quiet hearts before God’s throne in prayer and supplication.
• If you feel led, pray about fasting during the next 40 days on behalf of our nation.

Joining Together To Pray For Our Nation

• 40 DAYS OF PRAYER before our 2012 National Election:  Sep 28 – Nov 6
• 40 PRAYER LEADERS — 40 PRAYER TOPICS of national concern
• 40 5-minute VIDEO ePRAYERS
• Daily distribution via Facebook, Twitter, Mobile Apps, YouTube, and eMail   
• Sign up now.  Help us spread the word about IF MY PEOPLE 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, centre right, and French President Francois Hollande, left, during a welcoming ceremony in Paris Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (photo credit: Jacques Brinon/Associated Press)

In a startling and very positive new twist to the intense drama unfolding in the Middle East, the prospect for an all-out Israeli-Iranian war now appears to have been pushed back by eight to ten months. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak was interviewed by a British newspaper this week. Barak indicated that while events could change yet again, it would now appear that the likelihood of a major war with Iran before next fall has been significantly reduced. Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently in France. He told the Paris-Match that an Israeli first strike on Iran would be welcomed by the Arab world, which fears the Persians getting the Bomb. Still, he, too, is telling French President Francois Hollande and senior officials in Paris that war isn’t imminent and is asking them to press forward with even tougher economic sanctions on Iran. This is a welcome relief and a huge answer to prayer. With the prospect of war seeming imminent just a few weeks ago — for reasons I explain in the new ebook, Israel At War: Inside The Nuclear Showdown With Iran — Christians all over the world have been praying for peace, according to Psalm 122:6, which commands believers to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” Iran’s decision to step back from the brink of building the Bomb has, for now, relieved tensions with the Obama administration. It has enabled Netanyahu to feel comfortable to call for new Israeli national elections in February. It is encouraging Jewish and Christian tourists to continue visiting Israel. Indeed, The Joshua Fund tour of Israel and 2013 Epicenter Conference remains on track for next June. Please get details here and sign up to join us. We would be honored to have you with us.What I find intriguing is that Barak indicates that war was increasingly likely this fall. The Israelis were preparing to hit Iran before the U.S. elections. But by the grace of God, something happened in Iran that unexpectedly changed the dynamic.

Here’s the story as we know it so far.

“Iran temporarily pulled back from its nuclear weapons drive this summer, and converted over a third of its enriched uranium to civilian use, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in an interview published Tuesday, intimating that this shift pushed off a decision by Israel and its allies about striking at Iran’s nuclear facilities,” reports the Times of Israel. “Barak told The Telegraph that Tehran’s move to transfer 38 percent of its enriched uranium stockpile into fuel rods for civilian use ‘allows contemplating delaying the moment of truth by eight to 10 months.’ Were it not for this Iranian move, he said, the situation would likely have ‘peaked’ before the US presidential election. Talk of an Israeli or American strike against Iran’s nuclear program has indeed died down since being raised to a zenith over the summer, with the US publicly opposing an Israeli resort to force and refusing Israel’s call to set ‘red lines’ that, if crossed by Iran, would trigger military action. The US maintains that time remains for diplomacy and sanctions to work, while Israel at the time said Iran was closing in fast on the ability to create a nuclear weapon. Asked whether, had they not made the move to reduce their uranium stockpile, the Iranians would likely be reaching the point of no return, necessitating military action ‘about now,’ Barak replied: ‘Probably, yes.’ He added that Iran could still reconvert the rods back into weapons-grade uranium, though this would take time and resources.”

“There could be at least three explanations,” Barak told The Telegraph.

1. “One is the public discourse about a possible Israeli or American operation deterred them from trying to come closer.
2. “It could probably be a diplomatic gambit that they have launched in order to avoid this issue culminating before the American election, just to gain some time.
3. “It could be a way of telling the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] ‘oh we comply with our commitments.’”

Mr Barak added: “Maybe it’s a combination of all these three elements. I cannot tell you for sure.”

>> New e-book – Israel At War: Inside The Nuclear Showdown With Iran — now available on Kindle, Nook, other formats for $2,99 (includes sneak preview of material from forthcoming Damascus Countdown novel, as well)

>> Help The Joshua Fund care for the poor and needy in Israel, teach the Word of God in the epicenter, educate and mobilize Christians around the world to bless poor and needy Israelis, train pastors and ministry leaders in Egypt, strengthen the believers in Syria, and prepare for a possible major new war in the epicenter — please prayerfully consider a generous, tax deductible financial contribution to The Joshua Fund.

>> Come with The Joshua Fund and me to Israel for the 2013 “Prayer & Vision Tour” and the 2013 Epicenter Conference — click here for more details and to register

The Bible says the Lord will shake all the nations in the last days. “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations.” (Haggai 2:6-7) Why? To persuade people to let go of whatever they are holding onto ideologically, philosophically, financially, materially or otherwise for security, and turn to Jesus Christ who alone can save, forgive and provide eternal security.

The Lord has certainly been shaking the U.S. in recent days. Here’s the latest: “Superstorm Sandy will end up causing about $20 billion in property damages and  $10 billion to $30 billion more in lost business, according to IHS Global  Insight, a forecasting firm,” reports the Associated Press. “In the long run, the devastation the storm inflicted on New York City and other parts of the Northeast will barely nick the U.S. economy. That’s the view  of economists who say higher gas prices and a slightly slower economy in coming  weeks will likely be matched by reconstruction and repairs that will contribute  to growth over time. The short-term blow to the economy, though, could subtract about 0.6  percentage point from U.S. economic growth in the October-December quarter, IHS  says. Retailers, airlines and home construction firms will likely lose some business. The storm cut power to about 7 million homes, shut down 70 percent of East Coast oil refineries and inflicted worse-than-expected damage in the New York  metro area. That area produces about 10 percent of U.S. economic output.”

One picture is worth a thousand words about Hurricane Sandy. (photo credit: AP)

“Millions of people from Maine to the Carolinas awoke Tuesday without electricity, and an eerily quiet New York City was all but closed off by car, train and air as superstorm Sandy steamed inland, still delivering punishing wind and rain,” reports the Associated Press. “The U.S. death toll climbed to 34, many of the victims killed by falling trees. The full extent of the damage in New Jersey, where the storm roared ashore Monday night with hurricane force, was unclear. Police and fire officials, some with their own departments flooded, fanned out to rescue hundreds. ‘We are in the midst of urban search and rescue. Our teams are moving as fast as they can,’ Gov. Chris Christie said. ‘The devastation on the Jersey Shore is some of the worst we’ve ever seen. The cost of the storm is incalculable at this point.'”

“This is the most catastrophic event that we have faced and been able to plan for in any of our lifetimes,” said Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy on Monday night as Hurricane Sandy hit land with 80-90 mile an hour winds and terrible ferocity. “This is the largest storm-related outage in our history,” said Con Edison Senior Vice President for Electric Operations John Miksad.

And it’s not over yet. The superstorm will still have a destructive impact for the next 24 hours or so and millions of Americans are reeling at the effect of the last 24 hours. At least 18 people have died due to the massive storm. More than 8 million are without power. It may take days to get power restored, even as temperatures plummet. Some are experiencing blizzard conditions due to the storm. Economic losses will likely top the damages done during Hurricane Irene last year, which was enormously expensive.

It could have been much worse. Many cities and states that expected to be hit as hard as New York and New Jersey were seriously impacted, but not nearly as badly as they had expected. That was certainly true here in the D.C. area. “The Washington area escaped the worst of the devastation brought to the East Coast by Hurricane Sandy, although more than 150,000 households were without power Tuesday morning and at least two local deaths were being attributed to the storm,” reported the Washington Post. “Rain and winds had tapered off considerably in the Washington area by Tuesday morning, and temperatures had dropped to a chilly 40 or so degrees. Scattered flooding, downed trees and felled branches prompted another another day of shuttered schools and government offices , and officials warned that flooding could worsen as the tide rises and as storm-swollen rivers and creeks flow from the north and west into local waterways. But the predictions of near-apocalyptic destruction did not come true for the nation’s capital.”

Please be praying for the many who were terribly affected by the storm, and by those who have lost loved ones and property. Many narrowly escaped death, and are now wrestling with questions about why they were spared and what faces them in the afterlife. Pray, too, for government officials overseeing recovery operations, for wisdom and direction. Pray for the crews working around the clock to restore power, for safety and for their success. At the same time, please pray that millions of Americans would wake up to their need to repent of their sins and give their lives wholly and completely to the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that families are turning back to reading the Bible and praying, eager to know the Lord personally and ready to follow Him for the rest of their lives. God has used terrible storms throughout history to get people’s attention. Let’s pray that that is the result now, as well. As we pray for the Lord to show great mercy to people, let’s also pray that God would use this hurricane to set into motion a spiritual revival that will rescue our country from implosion.

“And when he [Jesus] got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?’” (Matthew 8:23-27, ESV)

Here’s a snapshot of the latest developments:

• At least 18 storm-related deaths in the U.S. (revised upwards from 16 a few hours ago)
• 8 million Americans without power (Weather Channel)
• “Losses May Exceed Those of 2011 Storm” (WSJ)
• “Superstorm Sandy to Cause at Least $20 Billion in Damage — and Possibly  Much More” (Time)
• “Sandy’s Economic Impact Could Exceed $10 Billion A Day” (CNBC)
• More than 14,600 flights canceled (WSJ)
• State-by-state impact (AP)
• New York: “A record storm surge that was higher than predicted along with high winds damaged the electrical system and plunged millions of people into darkness. Utilities say it could be up to a week before power is fully restored.” (AP)
• Superstorm Sandy causes flooding in New York City (AP)
• “Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey called the damage to his state ‘incalculable’ and said the Jersey Shore had been ‘devastated.’” (NYT)
• “The storm was the most destructive in the 108-year history of New York’s subway system, said Joseph J. Lhota, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.” (NYT)
• Photos of devastation in Point Pleasant, New Jersey
• Washington, D.C. escapes worst-case scenario, but still largely shut down (Washington Post)
• Sandy spawns heavy snow over Appalachia (Gannett)
• Superstorm Sandy dropping snow, closing schools in West North Carolina (News 4, North Carolina)
• Sandy sweeps snow showers into Indiana (WISH-TV 8, Indiana)

————————–

>> Listen to the two-hour podcast of the “Implosion Radio Special” with Joel C. Rosenberg and Janet Parshall discussing the major issues facing America, the danger we could soon face God’s judgment, and the hope of a major spiritual revival along the lines of a Third Great Awakening.

>> Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic & Spiritual Challenges In Time?

>> MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: How my parents & I came to faith in Jesus Christ.

Isn’t God trying to get our attention?

This is God’s “October Surprise.” Hurricane Sandy is a potentially historic, catastrophic, monstrous, devasting storm.

• * It is a “superstorm” that is 700 miles wide. * It has already killed 66 people. * It is carrying winds of 100 mph or more. * It threatens to knock out power for 60 million Americans or more for days on end. * It threatens to create blizzard conditions in parts of PA, MD, VA and WVA that could drop 2 feet of snow or more on rural communities. * More than 9,000 flights have been canceled. * Schools are closed. * The federal government is mostly closed.* Public transportation is not operating on the much of the East Coast.* The U.S. stock markets are closed.* Those of us in the Washington, D.C. area have been warned to finish last-minute errands by noon and not to go outside after that because conditions will be “life-threatening.”  Weather experts say poses the “worst case scenario” to the Eastern seaboard of the United States.  Isn’t God trying to get our attention? Just days before one of the most significant and momentous presidential and Congressional elections in American history, I believe God is reminding us that America’s fate lies not in the hands of the politicians, but in His hands. Will America listen? Will we realize how fragile our existence is, how desperately we need the Lord’s divine love and protection?Please pray for the Lord God Almighty to dissipate the intensity of the storm and to protect the lives of people and property. Pray, too, that the Lord uses this moment to motivate Americans to repent of our sins and turn to faith in Jesus Christ as our only hope of personal and national salvation and rescue. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

“The projected storm surge from Hurricane Sandy is a “worst case scenario” with devastating waves and tides predicted for the highly populated New York City metro area, government forecasters said Sunday,” reports the Associated Press. Excerpts from the story: 

• The more they observe it, the more the experts worry about the water — which usually kills and does more damage than winds in hurricanes. In this case, seas will be amped up by giant waves and full-moon-powered high tides. That will combine with drenching rains, triggering inland flooding as the hurricane merges with a winter storm system that will worsen it and hold it in place for days.
• Louis Uccellini, environmental prediction chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told The Associated Press that given Sandy’s due east-to-west track into New Jersey, that puts the worst of the storm surge just north in New York City, Long Island and northern New Jersey. “Yes, this is the worst case scenario,” he said.
• In a measurement of pure kinetic energy, NOAA’s hurricane research division on Sunday ranked the surge and wave “destruction potential” for Sandy — just the hurricane, not the hybrid storm it will eventually become — at 5.8 on a 0 to 6 scale. The damage expected from winds will be far less, experts said.
• Weather Underground meteorologist Jeff Masters says that surge destruction potential number is a record and it’s due to the storm’s massive size. The storm surge energy numbers are bigger than the deadly 2005 Hurricane Katrina, but that can be misleading. Katrina’s destruction was concentrated in a small area, making it much worse, Masters said. Sandy’s storm surge energy is spread over a wider area. Also, Katrina hit a city that is below sea level and had problems with levees.
• National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb said Hurricane Sandy’s size means some coastal parts of New York and New Jersey may see water rise from 6 to 11 feet from surge and waves. The rest of the coast north of Virginia can expect 4 to 8 feet of surge.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Up-to-the-minute information from The Weather Channel
• National Weather Service bulletin — “EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM”
• Washington Post coverage
• New York Times coverage
• CNN coverage — “Storm Threatens Catastrophe”
• Fox News coverage — East Coast braces for 11 foot wall of water

————————–

>> Listen to the two-hour podcast of the “Implosion Radio Special” with Joel C. Rosenberg and Janet Parshall discussing the major issues facing America, the danger we could soon face God’s judgment, and the hope of a major spiritual revival along the lines of a Third Great Awakening.

>> Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic & Spiritual Challenges In Time?

>> MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: How my parents & I came to faith in Jesus Christ.