Featured Forest path lined with glowing stones under tall trees in misty light

FROM ICHABOD TO GLORY

FeaturedAllen Frederick Leave a comment

A 14 day journey back to the presence of the Lord

Title: From Ichabod to Glory – The Devotional Is Finally Here

For almost a year, From Ichabod to Glory has been sitting quietly on the launch pad.

I wrote this devotional for believers who feel like the glory has lifted—who are tired, discouraged, or just going through the motions—and who long to experience God’s presence in a fresh way again.

This is a 14‑day journey from emptiness to encounter, from “Ichabod” (the glory has departed) to Glory.

Each day gives you:

  • a Scripture passage
  • a short teaching
  • a heart‑level reflection
  • and a simple prayer

If you’ve been saying, “I know God is real, but I don’t feel Him like I used to,” this devotional was written with you in mind.

👉 You can get your copy here: From Ichabod to Glory: A 14 day journey to fulness in Christ

My goal is simple: 30 readers in the next 30 days—one person a day choosing to step back into the glory of His presence.

If you know someone who needs this, would you share the link with them today?

Thank you for walking this journey with me.

—Allen

Satan as an Angel of Light

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A warning for a generation being discipled by counterfeit comfort, artificial counsel, and manufactured light.

In an age discipled by counterfeit comfort and manufactured light, believers must recover discernment. Satan still transforms himself into an angel of light, offering empathy without truth, counsel without repentance, and comfort that leads away from Christ. This article exposes the schemes behind artificial voices, digital shepherds, and deceptive “light,” calling the church back to Scripture, holiness, and the true Light of Jesus Christ.

The Ancient Pattern of Deception

Deception rarely announces itself as rebellion. It does not always arrive with horns, hatred, and obvious darkness. Often it comes dressed in the language of compassion. It enters with the tone of concern. It speaks softly, affirms deeply, and offers relief without repentance. But beneath the gentle voice is an ancient agenda: to move the human heart away from the Word of God and toward another throne.

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” — Genesis 3:1, KJV

The first recorded temptation did not begin with a scream against heaven. It began with a question. The serpent did not first deny God; he disturbed trust in what God had spoken. This has always been the strategy of hell: weaken confidence in the voice of the Lord, then offer another voice as guide.

When Darkness Looks Like Light

“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” — 2 Corinthians 11:14, KJV

Paul’s warning is not poetic exaggeration; it is prophetic discernment. Satan does not need darkness when light can be counterfeited. He can present himself as wisdom, therapy, innovation, freedom, safety, and progress. He can imitate empathy while denying truth. He can offer illumination that does not lead to holiness, comfort that does not lead to repentance, and companionship that slowly replaces communion with God.

We are living in a generation surrounded by systems that study the soul without loving the soul. They learn our wounds, our habits, our fears, our desires, and our loneliness. Artificial intelligence, social platforms, endless reels, tailored feeds, and digital companions promise help, empathy, entertainment, and understanding. But when they train people to seek counsel without covenant, comfort without Christ, and connection without the body of believers, they become more than tools. They become rival shepherds.

The Lie Beneath the Comfort

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” — John 8:44, KJV

Jesus did not soften His language about the devil. He called him a liar and the father of lies. That means every deception carries the family resemblance of its father. It may sound intelligent. It may sound wounded. It may sound affirming. It may sound like, “You deserve better,” “No one understands you like this,” “You do not need correction,” or “Peace matters more than truth.” But any peace purchased by abandoning obedience is not peace from God.

A lie does not become clean because it is whispered gently. A counterfeit does not become holy because it borrows the language of compassion. Real comfort from God wounds the pride so the soul can be healed. False comfort protects pride and calls it healing. Real counsel leads back to Scripture, repentance, humility, fellowship, and obedience. False counsel leaves the person isolated, validated, offended, dependent, and spiritually numb.

The Cunning That Still Works

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 11:3, KJV

Paul trembled at the possibility that believers could be moved away from “the simplicity that is in Christ.” That warning is no less urgent now. Our age offers endless complexity: personalized feeds, algorithmic suggestions, artificial companionship, ideological tribes, digital outrage, and spiritual-sounding self-help that never bows before the Lordship of Jesus. It promises clarity while multiplying confusion. It promises connection while deepening loneliness. It promises identity while quietly training people to avoid surrender.

The danger is not that every tool is evil. The danger is that tools become teachers, companions become substitutes, and platforms become shepherds. When wisdom is sought first from AI, validation first from social media, comfort first from entertainment, and belonging first from a feed, the soul is being discipled. And if that discipleship does not lead to prayer, Scripture, fellowship, repentance, confession, accountability, and the Spirit of the living God, then it is not neutral. It is forming allegiance.

The Schemes Behind the Screen

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” — Ephesians 6:11, KJV

The word “wiles” exposes the calculated nature of spiritual warfare. The enemy does not merely tempt; he schemes. He studies pain. He weaponizes loneliness. He hides bondage beneath the banner of freedom, noise beneath the banner of knowledge, self-indulgence beneath the banner of healing, and dependency beneath the banner of support.

This is why discernment is not a luxury for mature believers; it is a survival command for the last days. The question is not merely, “Is this useful?” but “What is this forming in me?” Is it drawing me nearer to Jesus or further from Him? Is it teaching me to love real people more faithfully, or to withdraw into artificial substitutes? Is it strengthening obedience to Scripture, or giving religious language to disobedience? Is it increasing dependence on the Holy Spirit, or dependence on a machine, a platform, an influencer, or a crowd?

Helpful Advice Is Not Always Holy Counsel

One of the easiest ways deception enters is through advice that seems helpful but is unmoored from truth. It may use the right emotional vocabulary while avoiding the right spiritual questions. It may offer empathy without repentance, comfort without conviction, understanding without obedience, and affirmation without transformation. This is counsel without the fear of the Lord, and counsel without the fear of the Lord cannot rescue the soul.

The Spirit of God does not merely soothe; He sanctifies. He does not echo every feeling; He leads into all truth. He does not isolate wounded people from the body of Christ; He restores them rightly to it. Any voice that consistently makes a person less prayerful, less humble, less accountable, less forgiving, less obedient, and less connected to real fellowship must be tested, rejected, and brought under the authority of Christ.

Returning to the Source of What Is True

Jesus is not one helpful voice among many. He is the Truth. He is not an algorithmic suggestion, a digital companion, a trend, a therapeutic script, or a spiritual aesthetic. He is Lord. The Spirit of the living God does not imitate life; He gives life. He does not simulate connection; He restores communion with the Father and with the people of God.

The church must wake up and recover holy suspicion toward every voice that sounds enlightened but loosens our grip on Christ. Test what feeds you. Test what comforts you. Test what counsels you. Test what entertains you. Test what you reach for when you are lonely, angry, afraid, ashamed, or exhausted. Not every light is the light of God. Not every comforting word is the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Not every “safe space” is safe for the soul.

A Call to Discernment

If Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, then the people of God must stop assuming that darkness will always feel dark. Sometimes it feels compassionate. Sometimes it sounds intelligent. Sometimes it comes dressed as progress, therapy, affirmation, efficiency, or personal empowerment. But the test remains unchanged: does it confess Christ, honor His Word, produce holiness, and lead the soul into obedience?

We do not overcome deception by becoming paranoid; we overcome it by abiding in Christ. Put on the whole armor of God. Return to Scripture. Pray until the noise breaks. Repent where false comfort has become a refuge. Gather with real believers. Seek godly counsel. Listen to the Spirit. Refuse to let any technology, platform, personality, institution, or artificial voice take the place of living communion with the living God.

In an age of manufactured light, the people of God must cling to the true Light. In a world full of voices, we must know the voice of the Shepherd. And in a generation tempted to trade communion for convenience, we must return with urgency to Jesus Christ, by the Spirit of the living God, the source of all that is true, holy, and right.

Closing Prayer

Father, in the name of Jesus, open our eyes to every counterfeit light that has been speaking to us, shaping us, soothing us, and leading us away from You. Expose every lie that has come dressed as comfort, every deception that has sounded like wisdom, and every false refuge that has taken the place of prayer, Scripture, fellowship, and obedience.

Lord Jesus, call Your people back to the simplicity and purity that is in You. Break our agreement with every rival shepherd. Deliver us from voices that flatter the flesh while starving the spirit. Teach us to test every counsel, every comfort, every influence, and every invitation by the truth of Your Word.

Holy Spirit sharpen our discernment. Restore our hunger for what is holy. Lead us out of artificial dependence and back into living communion with the Father, with Jesus Christ our Lord, and with the body of believers. Let no manufactured light satisfy us when You have called us to walk in the true Light.

We renounce the schemes of the devil, the seduction of false comfort, and the deception of any voice that would lead us away from Christ. Establish us in truth, clothe us in the whole armor of God, and make us faithful witnesses in a generation confused by counterfeit light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Along for the Journey

This has been “A View From the Nest”. And that is the way I see it. What say you?
Be sure to Like, Subscribe and Share. Until next time. Keep on soaring!

Shaken, Not Forsaken: God’s Warning in a Wobbling World

Allen Frederick Leave a comment
If the Earth Is Shaking, Perhaps God Is Knocking

Reading the Times Without Panic

This is not a call to read every headline as a code to be cracked. It is a call to read the times with spiritual sobriety. Scripture does not invite us into panic, prediction charts, or fear-driven speculation. It invites us into discernment. When the world shakes, the question for the believer is not, “How frightened should I be?” The better question is, “What is God revealing, and how should I live in response?”

Jesus once told His disciples that the world would experience a season He called “the beginning of birth pains.” He was not giving them a newspaper checklist so they could sensationalize every crisis. He was teaching them how to interpret upheaval with sober eyes and steady hearts. There would be wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and convulsions of every kind. But He also said these things were not the end. They were contractions before arrival, tremors before transition, shaking before revealing.

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:7–8 (ESV)

Birth pains are not random. They have rhythm. They increase in intensity. They point to something coming that has not yet fully arrived. That is why Jesus chose the image. Birth pains are not gentle, and they are not quiet, but they are not meaningless. They tell us that history is not spinning loose from God’s hand. It is moving toward His appointed conclusion.

And lately, the world feels like it is groaning.

A headline can inform us, but it cannot disciple us. A storm can interrupt our plans, but it cannot interpret itself. The believer must learn to bring the shaking world back under the steady Word of God. Otherwise, we may either dismiss every warning as coincidence or turn every disturbance into hysteria. Neither is faith. Faith listens, tests, watches, prays, and obeys.

We do not have to search far for reminders. Earthquakes rattle places that once felt settled. Volcanoes sleep for generations and then remind humanity that the ground was never ours to command. Hurricanes redraw familiar coastlines. Tornadoes touch down in places that thought themselves outside the usual path. Heat waves, floods, tsunamis, lightning, hail, and violent storms keep reminding us that creation is not a tame machine. It is a created order under strain, waiting for redemption.

It feels as though creation itself is raising its voice.

Paul said it plainly:

Creation Is Groaning

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” Romans 8:22 (ESV)

Creation groans because something is wrong, and creation shakes because Someone is still speaking. Paul’s language in Romans is not poetic decoration. It is theology. The world is beautiful, but it is also burdened. It bears the marks of sin, decay, frustration, and longing. Every groan becomes a reminder that this present order is not final and that redemption must reach farther than human souls alone. God intends to renew all things.

What the Shaking Reveals

Hebrews gives that groaning another layer of meaning. When God spoke in the past, His voice shook the earth. Now Scripture points to a greater shaking — one that reaches beyond the ground beneath us and exposes what cannot last.

The shaking language in Hebrews reaches back to Mount Sinai, where the people trembled before the voice of God. The point was never that God enjoys frightening people. The point is that His voice exposes what is temporary and establishes what is eternal. When God shakes, He is not being careless with His people. He is separating what can pass away from what must remain.

“Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” Hebrews 12:26 (ESV)

And the writer explains why:

“This phrase ‘yet once more’ indicates the removal of things that can be shaken — in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:27 (ESV)

In other words, God is not shaking the world to destroy it. He is shaking the world to distinguish it.

He removes the temporary so the eternal can be seen. He exposes the fragile so the faithful can stand. The shaking is not meant to make believers frantic; it is meant to make foundations visible.

The Foundation That Remains

As the storms intensify, as disasters multiply, and as the world trembles under the weight of its own instability, people are discovering that many things they trusted were never as solid as they seemed. Wealth can vanish. Institutions can crumble. Leaders can fall. Nations can shake. Systems can fail. That is not a reason for the believer to gloat over the world’s insecurity. It is a reason to offer a better foundation. The Rock remains, and His name is Christ.

“He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:6 (NKJV)

The question beneath the shaking is deeply personal: What are our lives really built on? If our peace depends on stable markets, predictable weather, friendly politics, personal comfort, or the approval of people, then every tremor will feel like the end. But if Christ is our foundation, the shaking can clarify rather than consume us.

Jesus said that when these things begin to happen, we should not panic — we should look up.

“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28 (ESV)

The shaking is not abandonment. It is approach. It is not permission to panic. It is an invitation to awaken. God is still near enough to speak, merciful enough to warn, and patient enough to call people home.

The Church’s Witness in an Unstable World

And as the world grows more unstable, the need for something unshakable grows more urgent. People are searching for refuge, for rest, for truth, for hope, for something real — something that does not collapse when the earth groans.

That refuge is Christ.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way.” Psalm 46:1–2 (ESV)

So when the storms rage, when the ground trembles, when the sky darkens, when the news cycle screams, and when the world shakes, perhaps God is knocking. Perhaps He is calling His people to stand firm without becoming hard, to shine brightly without becoming loud, to speak boldly without becoming careless, and to live faithfully without retreating into fear. The church must offer the world more than commentary. It must offer witness.

Because the world does not need another echo of the news cycle. It needs a living witness to the One who does not move.

Those who wait upon the Lord will not be shaken loose from His hand. They will rise. They will run. They will endure. They will soar.

“But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

Along for the journey.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

What Should a Child of God Do?

Setting the Stage

Every believer eventually encounters moments when life presses in from every direction. The pressures ahead appear overwhelming, and the threats behind seem unavoidable. It is the familiar human dilemma of feeling trapped “between a rock and a hard place.” Yet for the child of God, this phrase carries a deeper truth. The Rock is not the obstacle. The Rock is the foundation. The Rock is Christ Himself. And if your life is built upon that Rock, then you are not trapped at all. You are held, supported, and secured by the One who has already overcome the world.

Psalm 18:2 provides the anchor for this entire study. It is the promise every believer must know, trust, and believe: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” [Psalm 18:2] This declaration is not poetic sentiment. It is the lived testimony of those who discovered that God’s strength becomes most visible when human strength reaches its end. When the believer stands at the edge of a raging sea with no visible path forward, the Lord Himself becomes the way through.

What Scripture Teaches Us

Scripture repeatedly shows that God’s people often face situations that appear impossible. Israel stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army advancing behind them. Their fear was real, and their danger was undeniable. Yet the Lord commanded them to stand still and witness His salvation: “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today.” [Exodus 14:13] The Lord was not asking them to solve the problem but to trust Him in the midst of it.

The visible presence of God was with them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. “The Lord was going before them… in a pillar of cloud to lead them by the way, and in a pillar of fire to give them light.” [Exodus 13:21] Yet even with such unmistakable signs, many still looked to Moses as if he were the source of their deliverance. Their eyes rested on the human leader rather than the divine presence guiding them.

This pattern continued throughout Scripture. Even the disciples who walked with Jesus struggled with fear and unbelief. After the crucifixion, they hid behind locked doors because they feared the Jews. Peter, who boldly declared his loyalty, denied the Lord three times. These men had seen miracles, heard divine teaching, and walked beside the Son of God, yet they still faltered when circumstances became dark and confusing. Their experience reminds us that faith is not perfected by proximity but by surrender.

The Reality We Face

Believers today face similar pressures. Some stand before financial burdens that feel impossible to resolve. Others carry unanswered questions that weigh heavily upon the heart. Still others wait for justice in matters that have remained unresolved for far too long. Many pray for loved ones who seem unreachable or trapped in circumstances beyond human influence. These burdens are real, and they often create the sense of being trapped between danger and despair.

In such moments, it is common to question whether one has truly heard the Lord or whether the impressions felt were merely personal thoughts. Human nature gravitates toward what can be seen, measured, or controlled. People often rely on their own understanding, their own reasoning, or their own strategies when facing difficult circumstances. Yet Scripture speaks directly to this inclination: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” [Proverbs 3:5–6]

The believer is called to trust the Lord with the entirety of the heart, to resist the impulse to interpret life solely through human logic, and to acknowledge the Lord in every circumstance—whether the path is easy or difficult, familiar or uncertain. When this posture becomes the pattern of the heart, the Lord Himself directs the path, and the weight of the burden shifts from human shoulders to divine care.

How God Moves

The Lord often works in ways that are hidden from human sight. He aligns circumstances, influences hearts, and opens doors that were previously sealed. He moves through legal systems, unexpected individuals, providential timing, and quiet interventions that only become visible in hindsight. The believer’s responsibility is not to orchestrate the miracle but to remain faithful in obedience.

Moses did not part the sea; God did. Moses did not break Pharaoh’s resistance; God did. Moses did not produce water from the rock; God did. In every instance, Moses simply obeyed the instruction given to him, even when he did not understand how the Lord would accomplish the task. The same principle applies today. The believer’s obedience becomes the “staff” in the hand of God, and the Lord performs the miracle according to His wisdom and timing.

This trust is further shaped by the Lord’s invitation to stillness. “Be still, and know that I am God.” [Psalm 46:10] Stillness is not inactivity; it is the deliberate quieting of the soul before the sovereignty of God. It is the recognition that the Lord is present, aware, and fully capable of acting on behalf of His people. In moments of fear, confusion, or pressure, the believer is called to be still—not because the situation is simple, but because God is faithful.

Encouragement for the Believer

One of the greatest challenges believers face is learning how to cast their cares upon the Lord. Scripture presents this not as a suggestion but as a command grounded in the compassion of God: “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” [1 Peter 5:7] Many have never learned to trust the Lord in a way that allows them to release their burdens fully. They carry their concerns as if they alone must resolve them, forgetting that the Lord has invited His people to place every weight, every fear, and every uncertainty into His hands.

The old adage expresses this truth well: If the Lord led you to it, He will see you through it. This is not a cliché but a reflection of the Lord’s character. He does not abandon His people midway through their journey. He does not call them to places where His grace cannot sustain them. Even when the path is difficult, the Lord remains faithful. And even if the Lord did not lead a person into a particular hardship, His care remains unchanged. His compassion is not conditional upon the origin of the burden. Whether the trial was caused by circumstances, choices, or the brokenness of the world, the Lord still invites His people to lay their burdens at His feet and leave them there.

This posture of trust transforms the believer’s perspective. The impossible situations that once produced fear begin to reveal opportunities for God’s intervention. The overwhelming pressures that once created despair become places where the Lord’s faithfulness shines most clearly. The uncertainties that once caused anxiety become reminders that the Lord directs the path of those who acknowledge Him. In this way, trust becomes not merely a spiritual discipline but a way of life—one that reflects the confidence that God truly cares for His people and remains faithful in every circumstance.

Final Word

Every believer will face moments when the way forward appears impossible. Yet these moments are often the very places where God reveals His power most clearly. When you stand before a raging sea with no visible path, remember that the Lord specializes in making a way where none exists. When the enemy advances and despair threatens to overwhelm, remember that the Lord fights for His people. When burdens feel too heavy to bear, remember that the Lord is your rock, your fortress, your deliverer, and your stronghold.

You may feel trapped between a rock and a hard place, but the Rock is Christ. He is the One who carries your burdens, directs your steps, and sustains your heart. He has your back. He has your future. And He has your deliverance already prepared.

THOU SHALT NOT COVET

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Opening Meditation

The tenth commandment is not an afterthought. It is the command that reveals the heart behind every other command. When God said, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house… nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:17), He was not merely protecting property — He was protecting the human soul from becoming a furnace of envy, resentment, and entitlement.

Coveting is the inward desire for what God has given to another. It is dissatisfaction with God’s provision. It is the belief that someone else’s blessing should be yours. And Scripture shows us that coveting never stays internal. Coveting becomes action. Action becomes sin. Sin becomes destruction.

This is why the Spirit is speaking so urgently in this hour. Coveting is not merely a personal temptation — it is a national threat.

The Consequences of Coveting

Coveting is woven through Scripture like a warning thread, appearing in stories of kings, patriarchs, nations, and wilderness wanderers. It is the sin beneath sins, the appetite beneath rebellion, the whisper beneath collapse.

Jacob coveted Esau’s birthright. He desired what God had given to his brother. That coveting led to manipulation, deception, and a fractured family. (Genesis 25:29–34)

Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard. He wanted what was not his. That coveting led to conspiracy, false accusation, and murder. (1 Kings 21)

David coveted Bathsheba. He desired what belonged to another man. That coveting led to adultery, deception, and death. (2 Samuel 11–12)

Israel coveted Egypt’s flesh pots. They despised the manna God provided. That coveting led to rebellion, complaining, and judgment. (Numbers 11:4–6)

Coveting is dissatisfaction with God. Coveting is distrust of God. Coveting is rebellion against God.

James speaks with prophetic clarity:
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts…? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain.” (James 4:1–2)

Wars, conflicts and divisions begins with covetiousness.

Coveting is not a private sin — it is a public disaster.

And now, in this present age, coveting has been baptized as virtue. People are taught to resent the successful. People are encouraged to demand what they did not earn. People are stirred to anger when others prosper. People are told that justice means taking from one to give to another.

Scripture does not call this justice. Scripture calls it a sin.

Unchecked Coveriousness Leads to National Ruin

Some will attempt to defend this spirit by quoting Jesus: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s.” (Matthew 22:21) But Jesus was not endorsing unjust taxation. He was exposing hypocrisy. He was answering a trap. He was reminding them that Caesar’s image was on the coin — but God’s image was on them. Jesus was not blessing systems that devour widows’ houses. He condemned them openly. (Mark 12:40)

Scripture is clear:
Taking from one to give to another is not charity.
It is not righteousness, it’s not compassion, it is coveting in its purest form.

Isaiah warns of leaders who “decree unrighteous decrees” to take from the poor. (Isaiah 10:1–2)
Micah warns of those who “covet fields, and take them by violence.” (Micah 2:2)
Jesus warns of those who “devour widows’ houses.” (Mark 12:40)
Paul warns that “the labourer is worthy of his reward.” (Luke 10:7)
And again: “If any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

God blesses generosity — but He condemns entitlement. The Lord loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
God blesses charity — but He condemns coercion. Give not out of compulsion. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
God blesses giving — but He condemns taking. Sowing sparingly will reap sparingly. (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Jesus did not tolerate the spirit of coveting when He entered the temple. He did not negotiate with it. He did not reason with it. He did not accommodate it. He made a whip. He overturned tables. He drove out the spirit that profited from the labor of the poor and devoured the vulnerable. (John 2:13–17)

He confronted coveting with righteous violence — not against people, but against the system that enabled the taking of what did not belong to them.

The prophetic call of this hour is simple: Return to the tenth commandment. Return to gratitude. Return to contentment. Return to righteousness. Return to the fear of the Lord.

Coveting is not compassion, it is not justice, it is not righteousness.
Coveting is idolatry — and idolatry is death.

Closing Exhortation

In a world overflowing with voices, the greatest gift you can ask for is not a louder microphone, but a sharper ear. The Spirit is speaking. The remnant is listening. The hour is urgent. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This has been “A View From the Nest” and that is the way I see it. What say you?

PLEASE SHARE AND BLESS OTHERS. LEAVE COMMENTS BELOW AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW US FOR MORE “VIEWS FROM THE NEST”

Until next time! Keep on soaring!

THE BLIND ELECTORATE

Allen Frederick Leave a comment
A Prophetic Teaching on Spiritual Drift, Seduction, and National Vulnerability

Introduction: When a Nation Forgets Who Leads It

Jesus declared, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” (Matthew 12:25). His words are not merely a warning; they are a spiritual law. Division is not just a political condition — it is a symptom of deeper spiritual sickness.

Every election season reveals more than political tension. It exposes the spiritual condition of the electorate. A nation is never simply choosing leaders; it is revealing what it trusts, what it fears, what it values, and what it believes will save it. When people place ultimate trust in secular leadership instead of God’s leadership, they lose discernment. They become vulnerable to manipulation, seduction, and emotional persuasion. They become, in Elijah’s language, a people “limping between two opinions” (1 Kings 18:21) — unable to see clearly, unable to choose wisely, and unable to discern truth from deception.

But to understand the prophetic parallels, we must revisit the biblical story itself — the divided kingdom, the rise of Ahab and Jezebel, the infection of Judah, and the remnant God preserved.

THE BIBLICAL BACKDROP: THE DIVIDED KINGDOM AND THE HOUSE OF AHAB

After Solomon’s death, the kingdom of Israel fractured. Ten tribes formed the Northern Kingdom, called Israel, ruled from Samaria. Two tribes formed the Southern Kingdom, called Judah, ruled from Jerusalem. What God intended to be one nation under His covenant became two nations divided by politics, idolatry, and spiritual compromise.

In the North, Ahab rose to power. Scripture says, “Ahab… did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.” (1 Kings 16:30). He married Jezebel, daughter of the king of Sidon, a woman devoted to Baal worship. Under her influence, Ahab built altars to Baal, erected Asherah poles, and filled the land with false prophets. Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD and replaced them with her own spiritual machinery.

This was not merely political corruption.
It was spiritual seduction.

Meanwhile in Judah, King Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of the Lord. But he made one fatal mistake: he formed an alliance with Ahab. His son Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter Athaliah, bringing Jezebel’s influence directly into the Davidic line. Scripture says, “He walked in the way of the kings of Israel… for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife.” (2 Chronicles 21:6).

The infection spread.

Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king, and the Bible says, “His mother was his counselor to do wickedly.” (2 Chronicles 22:3). That mother was Athaliah — Jezebel’s daughter. Ahaziah followed the counsel of Ahab’s house, not the counsel of God. He aligned himself with the Northern Kingdom’s corruption and died in judgment.

Athaliah then seized the throne of Judah and attempted to wipe out the entire royal line of David. But God preserved a remnant. The priest Jehoiada hid the infant Joash in the temple for six years until the time was right to restore the rightful king. Through Jehoiada’s leadership, Judah returned to the covenant — but only for a season. After Jehoiada died, Joash drifted, listened to corrupt counselors, and fell back into idolatry.

The pattern repeated:
When leaders drift, the people drift.
When leaders are seduced, the nation is seduced.
When leaders abandon God, the electorate becomes blind.

The Electorate Has Lost Its Spiritual Center

Scripture teaches, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5). But when people begin trusting charisma over character, emotion over truth, personality over principle, promises over repentance, and institutions over Scripture, they become spiritually conditioned to follow the loudest voice instead of the truest voice.

Israel drifted when it trusted Ahab’s charisma instead of God’s covenant. America drifts when it trusts secular leadership as savior instead of God as Lord. Isaiah warned, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help… but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 31:1). The electorate becomes blind when it seeks salvation from human systems rather than divine truth.

Undisciplined Leaders Produce Undisciplined Followers

Elijah confronted leaders who knew about God but did not see God clearly. They practiced rituals, maintained traditions, and invoked religious language, but their hearts were undisciplined and their vision dim. Scripture says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18).

Ahab knew the rituals. Ahaziah knew the traditions. Jehoram knew the temple. Joash knew the priesthood. But none of them walked in obedience or clarity. Their leadership produced confusion, compromise, and corruption. Hosea declared, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). When leaders drift, the people drift. When leaders lose discipline, the people lose discernment.

Reform Without Repentance Creates National Instability

Israel attempted reform without repentance. They built new alliances, adopted new policies, embraced new religious expressions, and followed new cultural movements, but they never returned to God. God spoke through Isaiah, “This people draw near me with their mouth… but have removed their heart far from me.” (Isaiah 29:13).

America mirrors this pattern. We create new programs, adopt new slogans, form new coalitions, and pursue new reforms, but without repentance, reform becomes cosmetic — a fresh coat of paint on a rotting foundation. The Lord warned, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” (Psalm 127:1). Reform without repentance is labor in vain.

Faulty Foundations Make the Electorate Easy to Mislead

Jesus taught the parable of the two builders: “The rain descended, and the floods came… and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:27). A house built on sand cannot withstand pressure. A nation built on faulty foundations cannot withstand deception.

Israel built on Baal worship, political marriages, cultural assimilation, and emotional religion. America builds on secular moral relativism, therapeutic spirituality, political tribalism, and cultural seduction. Paul warned, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2). Faulty foundations produce emotional voting, ideological seduction, personality worship, fear‑based decision‑making, and propaganda vulnerability.

The Jezebel Spirit Seduces the Electorate

The Jezebel spirit is not gender; it is seduction, manipulation, idolatry, and false teaching. Revelation warns, “Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel… to seduce my servants.” (Revelation 2:20). Seduction is the weapon of spiritual blindness.

In Elijah’s day, Jezebel seduced a nation through false prophets, emotional religion, political influence, and cultural pressure. In America, the same pattern appears in seductive ideologies, high‑sounding philosophies, emotionally charged narratives, and spiritually empty traditions. Paul warned, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine… and shall turn away their ears from the truth.” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).

When People Stop Listening to God, They Become Blind Voters

This is the heart of the teaching. When men and women stop guarding their homes, stop teaching their children, stop listening to God, stop walking in obedience, and stop practicing discernment, they become persuadable, misled, emotionally reactive, spiritually blind, and geopolitically unstable.

Jesus said, “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14). The electorate becomes blind not because leaders are powerful, but because the people are spiritually undisciplined. Paul warned, “Be not deceived.” (Galatians 6:7). Deception enters through drift.

The Electorate’s Blindness Is a Theological Crisis, Not a Political One

America’s vulnerability is not a party issue, a candidate issue, or a policy issue. It is a theological issue. When a nation loses its spiritual center, it loses its geopolitical stability. God warned Israel, “Ye have forsaken the LORD, and he hath forsaken you.” (2 Chronicles 24:20).

Israel drifted theologically and fractured politically. Judah drifted spiritually and weakened militarily. Ahab drifted morally and alliances corrupted the nation. Joash drifted internally and institutions collapsed. America’s instability mirrors this pattern. Jesus said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25).

The Remnant Principle: God Preserves Clarity in a Blind Nation

Even in Elijah’s day, God preserved clarity. Seven thousand remained faithful (1 Kings 19:18). Obadiah hid prophets (1 Kings 18:4). Jehoiada preserved Joash (2 Kings 11). God preserved the Davidic line. In America, the remnant is the believers who see clearly, the churches that remain faithful, the leaders who refuse seduction, the communities grounded in Scripture, and the individuals who walk in obedience.

Paul wrote, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5). God always preserves a remnant.

The Call: Return to God With Whole‑Hearted Obedience

The only cure for electorate blindness is repentance, not reform. A nation cannot be saved by politics, ideology, institutions, traditions, emotionalism, or cultural narratives. Only by returning to God with whole hearts can a nation regain discernment and stability.

God declared, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven.” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Repentance restores clarity. Obedience restores vision. Truth restores stability.

Conclusion: The Elijah Warning for America

America is not blind because its leaders are corrupt. America is blind because its people have drifted. The electorate is not misled because voices are loud. The electorate is misled because discernment is lost. The nation is not unstable because politics are chaotic. The nation is unstable because theology is compromised.

Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.” (Matthew 12:25).
Elijah said, “How long halt ye between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21).
Isaiah said, “Return unto Him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.” (Isaiah 31:6).