It was a shock to see the facts unfold before my eyes – even with advance warning.

The word that I had heard from the Lord sharply for several years was the word “famine.” Famines were coming here in my nation – in the United States – and around the world.

I had not dared to speak of this openly. Then on Sunday, I was visiting a Pentecostal Church of a denomination that takes seriously the gift of prophecy, both past and present (as well as future), and in Sunday School class, an older lady spoke up, saying the Lord had told her famine was coming as judgment because of the multitudes of abortions being performed.

It was a confirmation of what I had heard repeatedly.

Jesus Himself said of the signs of His Coming (in judgment), there will be signs in heavens and earth: earthquakes, pestilence, famine, disturbances in weather and wars.

Having had unprecedented flooding throughout our region and eastward along the Mississippi River, I went online to get the larger picture.

And I began to read with a sinking heart the devastating news of the effects of massive flooding throughout farm states as progressively Wisconsin, Nebraska and other states have been unable to plant.

Soybeans are down by nearly half. Corn by more than half. In Oklahoma, less and less wheat has been planted in the last several years.

I take no pleasure in the death of men, God said through the ancient prophets.

“Why will you die?” He asks.

Turn. Turn.

It’s not just abortion – it’s discrediting and discounting human life in general: refugees, immigrants, the human beings massed at our borders. It’s our greed, our fascination with ourselves and our own fantasies, movies and comfort. Our idols, forbidden from ancient times, our frauds and violence. “Do not murder” is only one of the Ten Commandments.

If we fail in the love of God (with all our mind, strength and soul), and love a neighbor, we offend the Prince of Peace and open ourselves to lust, covetousness, lies – every rottenness that seeps into us when we lose direct contact with obedience to and consciousness of God.

He never does anything, said the Prophet Amos, without advance warning.