When Judgment Knocks

Lately, I’ve felt a deep stirring in my spirit—a warning I can’t shake. The Lord has impressed on my heart that we are standing at a precipice, much like in the days of Noah. Jesus said in Matthew 24:37-39, “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away…” People went about their daily lives, unaware that judgment was at the door. They dismissed Noah’s warnings, continuing in their routines—until it was too late.

Doesn’t that sound like today? People want life to continue as it always has. They crave normalcy, believing that if they ignore the signs, things will stay the same. But that’s a dangerous delusion. Only a few listen to the Spirit of God. Only a few recognize the urgency and make the necessary changes. The masses are blinded because the enemy works tirelessly to keep them in darkness—until the flood comes.

Evil is accelerating at an unimaginable pace. Why? Because there is little left to restrain it. 1 Peter 4:17 reminds us, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.” Yet, the Church—God’s chosen vessel to resist evil—has abandoned its post. We no longer stand as a beacon of righteousness. Instead, we’ve compromised, embraced the world’s values, and traded truth for comfort. Our culture glorifies rebellion, sacrifices the innocent, and perverts God’s design. And largely, the Church remains silent.

When Israel turned from God, He described it as a vineyard whose protective hedge had been broken down, leaving it vulnerable to destruction. America is in that same place. The hedge that once protected this nation has been torn down, and the enemy is flooding in. We’re witnessing the consequences of rebellion, and God is allowing us to experience the results of turning away from Him. We’ve killed the innocent, redefined morality, and turned worship into entertainment. The Church has stopped resisting evil and, instead, has accepted the enemy’s agenda.

The Lukewarm Church

Jesus was clear in Revelation 3:16: “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” That’s a strong statement. Yet, so many who call themselves Christians are living lukewarm lives—comfortable, complacent, and compromised. They go to church, speak the right words, but their hearts are far from God. They claim the benefits of grace while rejecting the cost of discipleship. Grace isn’t a license to live however we want. Grace transforms. Grace empowers us to live holy lives submitted to God’s will. Without that transformation, we’re deceived.

“The fear of the Lord,” Proverbs 9:10 says, “is the beginning of wisdom.” But where is that reverence today? To fear the Lord isn’t to cower in terror—it’s to stand in awe of His holiness, to submit our will to His, and to live with the knowledge that He is the final authority. It means honoring Him with our words, actions, and choices. Yet, I see so many professing believers speaking and living in ways that contradict God’s Word. Ephesians 4:29 warns us: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” But profanity, coarse joking, and worldly language have become normalized—even among believers.

Compromise in the Church

We’ve compromised in ways we don’t even recognize. Even our Bibles are being altered, stripping away reverence for God. I recently ordered a beautiful leather KJV Bible, only to open it and find that every pronoun for God had been changed to lowercase. Some might think that’s a small thing, but it’s not. It reflects a larger issue—a loss of reverence and awe for the Almighty. When we lower God, we also lower our standards of obedience and holiness.

The Church is no longer influencing the world. Instead, the world is influencing the Church. Matthew 5:14-16 reminds us that we are to be the light of the world, a city set on a hill. But too many churches have exchanged light for shadows, preferring to please the world rather than stand for righteousness. They water down the gospel to avoid offending anyone. They trade repentance for relevance, leaving people comfortable in their sin. This was prophesied for the last days, and we are seeing its fulfillment before our eyes.

True Belief Requires Obedience

Matthew 7:22-23 is one of the most sobering passages in scripture. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name… and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” It’s not enough to acknowledge Jesus. Even demons believe—and tremble. True belief leads to obedience. It transforms the heart and produces fruit. Yet, I see so few who share the gospel or live it out. Too many treat their faith like a secret to be kept, rather than a light to shine before men.

We’ve watered down salvation to a one-time prayer, ignoring that Jesus said to follow Him—to die to ourselves daily—to live out our new life in Christ. If our faith costs us nothing, then it’s not the faith Jesus spoke of. He gave everything for us—suffering unimaginable torture and death. Do we truly live in reverent awe of that sacrifice? Do we honor Him with our lives? Or do we treat grace like a safety net while continuing to live as we please?

Preparing for the Coming Storm

In Noah’s day, only those found righteous entered the ark. Everyone else was swept away by the flood. Another storm is coming—a judgment of unequaled force. Only those who walk in righteousness, who submit their lives fully to Jesus, will enter the ark of salvation. The choice is before us, and eternity hangs in the balance. Today is the necessary day to judge ourselves, so that we are not judged by a holy God and found lacking.

We don’t have the luxury of time. We can’t afford to be lukewarm, compromised, or complacent. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our salvation. Now, the question is: Will we live in obedience and reverence for that sacrifice? Will we be found ready when the storm hits?

The time to prepare is now.

With God, nothing is impossible!

God bless you,
Dale Black