We are seeing the fulfillment of prophecy on our TV screens on a daily basis.
We were all born into the 'great falling away,' and are seeing the fruits of a watered down, perverted gospel embraced by a self-centered people in America today. We also are seeing the Judgments of God against ungodliness, in the natural disasters striking this country in quick succession.
There is no shortage of false prophets... supported by the ruling 'religious elite.' Moral decadence is at an all-time high... people are driven by greed, lust, and covetousness. We have taken "God" out of our government, out of our courts, out of our schools, and out of our Churches, replacing HIM with Humanism, tolerance and compromise. We have exalted "self" above "God," and worship the almighty dollar.
Fear is the one motivating factor that people respond to. Fear is the tool that those in power are using to convince the population that it is in 'their best interest' to give up the freedoms we all have taken for granted. "This is just a result of global warming, we will rebuild" is the response to the hurricane's wreaking destruction on the Gulf coast.
"We," being the entire human race, are all
fallen man. We are no different than all the generations before us. We are cut off and separated from God, living in a world ruled by the "Prince of the power of the air."
"Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made" [Isaiah 2:7-8].
Exchange horses and chariots for automobiles and airplanes, and it could be said of us.
"And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth" [Isaiah 2:17-19].
We fear everything... but GOD. People today fear terror attacks, economic crashes, natural disasters, but the fear of God is not in them. We have had a steady diet of "God is only love," for so long that the concept of the fear of the Lord is foreign to our thinking.
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds); The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings (delusions) while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest: to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" [2 Peter Chapter 2].
The Apostle Peter sums up the conditions in the world that have existed in varying degrees down through the ages. We just happen to have born into the "fullness of time," when all things, both good and evil, are coming to a head.
With our lips we say "Jesus is the way, Jesus is the truth, Jesus is the life," but do we really believe it? Are we willing to lay aside all that we "think" we know, all that we have been taught? Are we willing to lay down our lives? To bear the reproach of going against the crowd? To be ridiculed, scorned, rejected and cast out? Do we comprehend that the choices we make today... will determine our eternal destiny? Can we even begin to grasp eternity?
Are we prepared to not only see with our eyes, but walk through the righteous judgments of God on this world? Many today talk of restoring the order of the "early Church," as if imitating the birth of the Church would somehow heal the Church. In doing so, they fail to understand that what we have today, is the cumulative result of all of man's best efforts to try to imitate spiritual things, and failing miserably.
God's truth is rejected and mocked... in today's climate of 'advanced enlightenment.' To actually believe that all of God's Word is true; that there is only one way to escape the wrath of a Holy God; that we must make the first begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Lord of our lives; that there is no other way for man to be brought into right standing with God; will make you at best a laughing stock, and at worst a martyr.
Acts 20:27-30 For I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
God's chosen Apostle's in the "early Church" repeatedly warned believers against false prophets; different gospel's; how much more should we take heed of their warnings today? Christ purchased us with His own blood. He walked the path and set the example He has called us to follow. There are many today who would try to convince you otherwise; they will tell you that "Jesus paid it all... we just have to say a sinner's prayer and our place in "heaven" is guaranteed; believer's will be whisked away to heaven before anything bad happens." This statement is a perfect example of mixture... some truth... mixed with error. "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" God will not tolerate mixture. HIS BRIDE must be pure... without spot or wrinkle... holy without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27)
Jesus bought the redemption of all mankind back into right relationship with God, by pouring out His own blood as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. We must follow in His footsteps. We must "crucify" our own flesh daily. We must bring our body and our mind into subjection to the Holy Spirit, who alone can lead us into all Truth, for He is the Spirit of Truth.
What do you think Jesus would do if HE walked into your Church on Sunday morning? Do you really believe that HE would tell you how much He appreciated your beautiful, expensive building and fixtures? Your state of the art sound system? Do you think HE would be impressed with all the trappings that impress other men? Would HE approve of and endorse the display of "books and tapes" for sale in your "ministry" section. Has anything changed that would somehow make HIM respond any differently today than HE responded when He was bodily on this earth?
"And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves. And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves." (Mark 11:15-17).
What "man" thinks and feels is acceptable is a far cry from what God has commanded.
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1Corinthians 6:19-20)
We (our lives) have been bought and paid for with Christ's own blood and suffering. How then do we equate from "follow my example"...with 'we don't have to suffer in this world, because Jesus paid it all for us?' How do we deduct from the lives of those believers recorded in God's Word that we are somehow different, that we can somehow expect only blessing and prosperity? Just whose voice are we listening to? The 'god of this world' or God ...the "I AM."
"For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. (1Cointhians 7:22-23)
Jesus voiced some pretty strong words on this subject..."And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him" (Luke 12:4-5).
We have been plainly told that "all that would live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). As we see the increased 'trouble' around the world, do we recognize the hand of God, or do we accept the explanations of men? Are we humbled before God? Are we stirred to seek Him in a greater measure? Do we 'accept' that God's judgment is just, and righteous, or will we argue against God?
"Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them" (Luke 12:37).
There has never been an hour in our lifetimes, when it was more critical that we be solidly standing on the Rock of ages. We must come into total agreement with God. He is the Potter, we are the clay. He is the LORD, we are the servants. There is only one way for us to be called "blessed servants." That is by living by the power of the Spirit, in a world where we are surrounded by the works of the flesh. By believing God's word to us, above and beyond our feelings, our desires, our limited understanding, and all that we see around us. We are called to be "lights" in the darkness. We are called to be "overcomers." "Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord."
"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God" (Romans 9:20-26).
All that we have been "promised" in this life... is suffering, tribulation and rejection. The same spirit that 'rejected' our LORD, will reject our Lord in us. Jesus made this clear to His disciples when He told them "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake" (Luke 6:22).
And... "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1Corinthians 6:19-20).
Yes, the days we are living in will test and try us to the limit. May we fully recognize that we have been purchased, that we belong to God. May we seek HIS WILL, and HIS pleasure, and not our own. May we all "press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. As disasters come and men's hearts fail them for fear, may we stand with our feet firmly planted on the solid Rock. May our lives be lights in the darkness. Wherever we are placed, whatever we are doing, may we boldly and confidently rest in the finished work of Calvary. "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Philippians 3:10-11).
