April 28, 2020
Fernando Cabrera has proudly served as the NYC Council Member representing the 14th district in the Bronx since January 2010. He is also senior pastor of New Life Outreach International in the Bronx. He is a former program director for the Mental Health and Counseling program at Mercy College, where he also taught for 12 years. Council Member Cabrera earned a B.A. in Religion from Southern California College, M.A. in Counseling from Liberty University and a Doctorate in Counseling from Argosy University. He is married to Elvia Cabrera, and is a father of two and grandfather of five.
Transcript
During this time, people are asking, "What is God saying?" I think that is one of the most significant questions that we should be asking ourselves. What is God saying? I'll tell you what I hear God saying at this moment—there is a shutdown. There is a shutdown. If you notice in the Word, whenever there were plagues that came upon the land, often—not always, but often—it had to do with a direct intervention from God to deal with idols in the land.
Remember in Egypt, when Moses was called of God to go upon the land and to say, "Let my people go"? There were 10 plagues that came upon the land. And each of those plagues, if you check them—I don't have time to show it to you right now, but if you just take a moment to Google it, you'll find it—each of those plagues was a direct attack to one of the idols in Egypt.
And I have to ask myself, what is the American "idol"? And I have to say, it's the golden calf. It's the golden calf. Have you noticed our economy right now? I have never, ever seen anything like this in our generation. And the reason, when God begins to shut things down, is because we have made things too big. Too big. Literally too big before God. Well, Proverbs 17:3 says, "The Lord tests the hearts." I believe that during this time, the Lord is testing our hearts. To do what? And here's the challenge. And we see this all throughout, especially in the old Testament, that when God allows something of this magnitude to take place, it is because God wants our hearts to turn back to Him.
So, "If my people," 2 Chronicles 7:14, "who are called by my name, will turn away from their wicked ways and pray, then I will hear from heaven." It means that there are times where there is just a shut down, even when God says, "I'm not going to hear anymore, because they have allowed the idols of the land to govern and to have dominion."
But I believe that this is the day for us to take the sledgehammer, which is the Word of God, and begin to bash every idol in our lives. I want to challenge you ... Listen to me, this is one of the most important things that you could do right now, because if you're not growing right now in your life, then you've got to check your heart. And I want to encourage you ... I want you to grow through this time, and I want you to take that sledgehammer of the Word of God as you begin to delve into the Word of God and ask God, which idols have I been having and nurturing secretly in my heart? And I'm telling you, the moment you do that, God will hear from heaven and He will begin to heal you, He will begin to restore you and He will begin to turn the lights up. He will turn the lights on—the light of hope, the light of faith, and the light of love.
May the Lord bless you during this season, amen. God, shut down everything that needs to be shut down in your life, and may you awaken in revival, make you awaken in the Word, make you awaken in prayer, make you awaken in fasting, make you awaken in seeking God and running to God like never before. God bless you.
