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Today we are a nation still drunk on the wine of past glory. Like Israel, Rome and other world powers of yesteryear, we can not see that, "the day is past - the evening draws upon us - and soon it will be night, when no man can see!"
3:17 You say, "I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing", but you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, 3:18 take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see! **** Revelation
Allow me to make this one point clearly -- I AM NOT here preaching "end times" NOR " Antichrist". I feel that those are both matters better left to God's wisdom to be revealed in His own good time. What I AM endeavoring to clarify is a point that the Nation of Israel NEVER really got, despite lesson after lesson from their God -- to which much of the so-called "Christian Church" today renders mere lip service -- and which this nation as a whole has TOTALLY forgotten. It is summed up in the following three scripture passages:
20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God. 20:8 They will fall down, but we will stand firm. **** Psalm 20
Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt's many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the Lord. **** Isaiah 31:1
32:7 "Be strong and brave! Don't be afraid and don't panic because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him. 32:8 He has with him mere human strength (arm of flesh), but the Lord our God is with us to help us and fight our battles!" **** 2 Chronicles It is not enough that as a nation AND as individuals we have become blind and deaf to the reality about us, but we do so WILLINGLY and INTENTIONALLY, choosing, as did Israel, to ignore the signs and voices that would steer us away from the precipice ahead. Instead, like the proverbial "herd of lemmings", we rush madly toward the cliff's edge. As did Israel even in the day that Jesus walked among them, WE still believe that we are a great power. We can not or WILL NOT see that we are enslaved by our own arrogance and corruption !! Over its lifetime, Israel had been in slavery to Egypt, Persia, Babylon and then to Rome. Yet they replied to a remark by Jesus:
8:31 Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, "If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 8:33 "We are descendants of Abraham," they replied, "and have never been anyone's slaves! How can you say, 'You will become free'?" 8:34 Jesus answered them, "I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin." **** John Those who would seek to remind us that God's Word can NOT be ignored without consequence are branded as fanatics, divisive, intolerant, bigots, etc. The masses would prefer the message of "unity for all", of worldwide ecumenical accord, of God's supposed plan for all of mankind to live under one banner of love and togetherness -- all raising their voices in unison to tear rendering strains of "Cum bay ah".
6:7 Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool (not be mocked). For a person will reap what he sows, 6:8 the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 6:9 So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. **** Galatians
There are others who SAY they are seeking council and direction - that they truly WANT "guidance and wisdom from above" - but they will ONLY receive it insofar as it is in agreement with what they have already decided beforehand is "true, acceptable and EXPEDIENT".
5:31 The prophets prophesy lies. The priests exercise power by their own authority. And my people love to have it this way. But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes! **** Jeremiah
33:30 As for you, son of man, your people say to one another, "Come hear the word that comes from the Lord." 33:31 They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully and their heart is set on their own advantage. 33:32 Realize that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician. They hear your words, but they do not obey them. 33:33 When all this comes true -- and it certainly will -- then they will know that a prophet was among them. **** Ezekiel God has built His wisdom and His principles into His creation. If we can not discern them, it is because we are NOT willing to see and take heed. If they do not function in our lives, it is because we have failed to put them into practice. Lip service and mental assent ARE NOT the same as believing and DOING.
Imagine the fool who went to school for years to study food and nutrition. He traveled around the world visiting the finest restaurants and learning from the great chefs. He has degrees in all of the culinary arts. When asked one day by a reporter as to what his favorite meal was, he replied with shock and indignation, "Do you mean to infer that I would actually EAT of the food which I prepare. It is purely for 'spiritual enjoyment'. Do you think that I am some kind of fundamentalist fanatic that believes in bodily indulgence and participation ???" 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. 6:37 Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away. 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 6:39 Now this is the will of the one who sent me -- that I should not lose one person of every one he has given me, but raise them all up at the last day." 6:52 Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 6:53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. 6:55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 6:56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him. 6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever." **** John 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter into the kingdom of heaven -- only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 7:22 On that day, many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?" 7:23 Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!" 7:24 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 7:25 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. 7:26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 7:27 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!" **** Matthew
1:20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas; 1:21 at the head of the noisy streets she calls, in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words: 1:22 "How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 1:23 If only you will respond to my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to you and I will make my words known to you. 1:24 However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention, 1:25 because you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke, 1:26 so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes, 1:27 when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you. 1:28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me. 1:29 Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord, 1:30 they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. 1:31 Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel. 1:32 For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them. 1:33 But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm. **** Proverbs I am coming to believe that the common (MIS)conception regarding God RARELY giving us what we really want is quite false. I am finding that more often than not, God (Life, Spirit) will give us EXACTLY that which we really want. The problem is (for us) that we do not realize what we are really asking for. Our lips may say one thing, but the hidden desire of our heart is something quite else !! Click [ HERE ] for a great deal of material dealing with this issue.
If God's children are NOT willing to hearken to His good council and be led by Him, then He will give them the leader that they think that they want (actually, the one they REALLY deserve). In the beginning, God Himself was Israel's leader. In time, they wanted a human leader - "Like ALL of the other nations". So God gave them King Saul, a very impressive man after the flesh, but totally devoid of a heart after God (unlike King David, who came later, God's ACTUAL choice for Israel's ruler).
I granted you a king in my anger, and I will take him away in my wrath! **** Hosea 13:11
8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. 8:5 They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons don't follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have." 8:7 The Lord said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8:8 Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. 8:9 So now do as they say. But seriously warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them." 8:10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 8:18 "In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won't answer you in that day". 8:19 But the people refused to heed Samuel's warning. Instead they said, "No! There will be a king over us! 8:20 We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles." **** 1 Samuel |
 If men INSIST upon uniting under ONE godless ruler, He says that He WILL see that they get their way. As a matter of scripture, He warns that if, despite clear revelation of Himself, men choose to reject Him, He Himself will help them by sending upon them a "Spirit of Delusion". 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, 1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, 1:27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 1:29 They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 1:31 senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. 1:32 Although they fully know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. **** Romans
2:7 For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way, 2:8 and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival. 2:9 The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan's working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, 2:10 and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved. 2:11 Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. 2:12 And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned. **** 2 Thessalonians
13:1 Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name. 13:2 The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule. 13:3 The whole world followed the beast in amazement; 13:4 they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: "Who is like the beast and Who is able to make war against him?" 13:5 The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months. 13:6 So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God -- to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 13:7 The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, 13:8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. 13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like a dragon. 13:12 He exercised all the ruling authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed. 13:13 He performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people 13:14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived. 13:15 The second beast was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 13:16 He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. 13:17 Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast -- that is, his name or his number. 13:18 This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast's number, for it is man's number, and his number is 666. **** Revelation The small inner voice in men's hearts does, in fact, speak correctly, though we misunderstand and misinterpret it. There is indeed, a "Hope of Glory" !! Rest assured that it WILL NOT, however, arise from THIS Creation (age) or from or by the effort or "wisdom" of man (or woman). It will NOT come forth from the hand or the heart or the mind of man.
2:6 Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing. 2:7 Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 2:9 But just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him." 2:10 God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. **** 1 Corinthians
8:18 For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. 8:19 For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility -- not willingly, but because of God who subjected it -- in hope 8:21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God�s children. 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. 8:23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. **** Romans
 Click [ Here ] to read an excellent article by C.S. Lewis entitled, "The Weight of Glory"
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