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From the Berean Call Newsletter
written by T. A. McMahon
As was noted in part one of this series, prophecy is a very important ingredient in the Bible. In a general sense, the entire Bible is prophecy because God has given mankind His words through His prophets. It is also God foretelling what will take place in the future. That forecasting is what God presents to set Himself apart from the false gods that mankind is deceived into worshiping. God alone knows the future events, which He has declared hundreds and even thousands of years before they take place. Moreover, His foreknowledge of such events, revealed in more than a quarter of the Scriptures, is proof of the supernatural origin and nature of the Bible – that it is indeed God’s communication to mankind (Isaiah 42:9; 46:9-10; 48:5).
Prophecy is often a warning regarding what lies ahead so that believers can discern the times and take appropriate action. This gives unbelievers the opportunity to repent in order to avoid God’s judgment. Noah, a preacher of righteousness, was told by God that He would destroy everything that lived upon the earth by a flood (which didn’t come until about 120 years later) and that He would save Noah and his family; He told Abram that his descendants would remove the Canaanites from their land because of their wickedness, an event that took place four centuries later; Joseph was able to interpret the dream of Pharaoh warning of the famine to come upon Egypt in seven years, and then he was given a plan to keep the Egyptians from potential starvation; Jonah warned the Ninevites of God’s impending judgment unless they repented, which they did. Yet most of the Old Testament prophecies from Genesis 3:15 through Malachi 3:1 anticipated the first coming of Israel’s Messiah and have been fulfilled perfectly by Jesus Christ.
Prophecies in the New Testament primarily address events associated with the time period of the Second Coming of our Lord. Matthew 24 begins with Jesus characterizing that time with a warning of great deception, including false christs, false prophets, and lying signs and wonders. It then foretells “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (vv. 21-22). The book of Revelation supplies some of the Tribulation details as God pours out His wrath in judgment upon the earth. There will be a conquering army of the Antichrist, world war, worldwide famine, the death of half of the world’s inhabitants (Revelation 6:8, 9:15), the massive martyrdom of believers, worldwide physical catastrophes involving mountains moved out of their places, and mankind trying to hide itself from God’s judgment. Of those who turn to Christ and are martyred for their faith during the Great Tribulation, Scripture tells us, “the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).
So there is good news and bad news in biblical prophecy. The best of the good news was the first coming of Jesus in order to pay the full penalty for our sins and to reconcile us to God by our faith in Him alone. Having received the gift of eternal life, the next best prophetic good news for a believer is the first phase of Christ’s Second Coming, known as the Rapture. The Apostle Paul refers to that event as the believer’s “blessed hope,” which we are to anticipate with joy because Jesus is returning to take us, the bride of Christ, to Heaven for a wedding: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). “For our [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God” (Revelation 19:9). That is indeed good news.
Sadly, when a professing or true Christian sets a date for the Rapture to take place, an act that is contrary to what the Bible teaches (Matthew 24:36, 44; Mark 13:32; 1 Timothy 6:14-15), and that event fails to happen, people grow disillusioned and the good news becomes bad news. In some cases, the date setting arises out of a sincere desire for Christ to return for His bride. At other times, it comes from the pride of having an alleged insight into a biblical interpretation that no one has discovered before. Although both predictions may be sincere, they are sincerely wrong and have caused physical and/or spiritual problems among those who believed their erroneous teachings.
No matter who brings the false teachings, some experience disastrous consequences from them. In the 1980s, millions believed the calculations of former NASA scientist Edgar Whisenant regarding Christ’s return through his booklet 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988 and his other misfires in 1989, 1993, and 1994. Also in the ’80s, Southwest Radio Church published Apocalyptic Signs in the Heavens, which saw catastrophic consequences for the earth due to the “Jupiter Effect,” a planetary alignment that would purportedly alter our solar system. Just prior to that, Southwest Radio’s David Webber and Noah Hutchings co-authored Is This the Last Century? published by Thomas Nelson. Based in part on Hal Lindsey’s calculation that the Rapture would take place in 1981, they concluded that the seven-year Great Tribulation would begin soon after.
Although many conservative Christians considered the “rapture and doom” prognosticators to be sensationalists, attitudes changed as the turn of the century drew near. The increasing talk of a worldwide computer meltdown was too much for many Christians to brush off, especially when Y2K concerns were being raised by respected evangelicals such as James Dobson, Gary North, Jerry Falwell, Jack Van Impe, Chuck Missler, and many others. The year 2000 made its debut in grand fashion when the world, rather than hunkering down, began celebrating the new century with spectacular fireworks. On the other hand, many of those who were misled by church leaders suffered “survival” consequences: losses from selling their homes, quitting their jobs, and relocating to the country, along with the expenditure of large amounts of money for stockpiles of survival food, firearms, generators, and other survival equipment. Many were overtaken by fear, and some succumbed to suicide over their financial losses.
Fast-forward to 2012 and the Mayan Calendar scare, another “prophesied” end-of-the-world apocalyptic nightmare that turned out to be wrong. Fear is often the response of those who have no hope, not having put their trust in Jesus, the only One who can make us eternally secure. Sadly, even many of those who claim to have a personal relationship with Christ by faith alone demonstrate by their actions that their trust is elsewhere.
Of course, we are not saying that we shouldn’t be prudent in making preparations for potential disasters whether they are natural, technological, or financial. Having a one- or two-week supply of food and water on hand could be very helpful, especially if one lives in an area that is prone to weather-related catastrophes. A reasonable amount of accessible cash may also be practical. In most cases, however, to go much beyond this may lead to a self-oriented “survivalist” mentality, which is at odds with the examples and instructions of the Word of God. Stockpiling food or turning to gold for survival could create an attitude of selfishness, especially when others in the disaster are without and in great need. To share, or not to share, that is the biblical question. Does one protect his goods at all cost? Scripture tells us, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:21). Who would deny that they would want someone to share their food with them if they and their families were hungry? Furthermore, the Bible tells us how we are to treat our neighbors and even our enemies: “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink” (Romans 12:20).
Believers need to think such things through in the light of Scripture, particularly since our days are loaded with fearmongering false prophets and some “survival food” con men preaching certain doom. The latest to conjure up forthcoming dark clouds on the horizon are those who promote the teaching that there may well be a combination of two prophetic events taking place in the year 2015 that could result in unprecedented physical cataclysms and financial crashes. The use of italics for “may well be” and “could” is given to note that those purveyors of disasters have used such language in order to cover themselves from being accused of false prophecy. Even so, those “disclaimer” terms are lost in the hyperbole of their fear mongering.
The two leaders in this alleged confluence of biblical tribulations are Jonathan Cahn (The Mystery of Shemitah) and Mark Biltz (The Blood Moons). They are supported by a cast of false teachers and sensationalists and their associated organizations that include Jim Bakker, Sid Roth, John Hagee, Pat Robertson of the 700 Club, and Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily, to name but a few.
What then of the biblical significance of the so-called mystery of shemitah and blood moons? There is none in the context in which Cahn and Biltz present them. Cahn promotes shemitah as a universal principle that applies to all nations and “their financial and economic realms.” No. Shemitah was given exclusively to Israel as a blessing should God’s chosen people follow His commandment. It involved obeying the seventh day of the week as a day of rest and every seventh year as a year of rest. God promised to make provision on the sixth day and year to supply the Israelites’ needs during their day/year of rest. Also, during the seventh year there was to be a “release” of all the debts of the Israelites. Jonathan Cahn further compounds the central error that he taught in his book The Harbinger by applying a law of God to America – a law that applies only to God’s exclusive covenant people: the Jews. This is false prophecy in the sense that it seriously misrepresents the Scriptures. Cahn is heavily promoted by WorldNetDaily, which heralds him as a modern-day prophet and revealer of “The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America’s Future.” Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily’s chief, is the producer of Cahn’s documentary Isaiah 9:10 Judgment, and the website is a chief supporter of Cahn’s books.
The blood moons teaching of Mark Biltz is also false prophecy because, as with Cahn’s abuse of Scripture, Biltz forces the biblical term into his own agenda. The Bible clearly applies the conditions and the consequences of a blood moon (singular) to the seven-year Tribulation period: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matthew 24:29); “I beheld when he had broken the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth” (Revelation 6:12-13). If Biltz concurs that the “blood moon” verses take place during the Great Tribulation, then 2015 must occur in the latter part of the Tribulation. What does that indicate for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture? It either took place in 2008 and was a partial Rapture, or it will be a Post-Tribulation Rapture, neither of which is biblical.
If Cahn’s and Biltz’s beliefs were merely a matter of false teachings that are of the faith-wrecking kind among the multitudes of those who buy into their unbiblical assertions, it would be tragic enough. They have, however, become the latest tool of the evangelical fearmongers as they apply their prophetic distortions to alleged soon-coming financial crashes and physical catastrophes worse than any thus experienced on the earth. Their promotional appearances with Jim Bakker, as just one example, would give credibility to the snake oil pitchmen of yesteryear (2 Peter 2:3). After Biltz declares, “I think we have one year to really prepare for what God [has] coming,” Bakker responds, “It’s time to get ready. That’s why God has called me to tell you to store food…you don’t have to order from us to hear the Word of the Lord. But you should have food….What are you gonna do when the stock market crashes?….We have the Morningside recipes….We have the Year of Food for $550 dollars….One of these days it will all be gone. One more event…I’m telling you, if we have a big earthquake on the West Coast or say a volcano going on, or something major, there will not be any food left for months and months….We have…’The Time of Trouble’ offer, and that’s a seven-year food offer, and that’s for a donation of $3,000…[that’s] 7,700 meals.” Biltz adds that what’s ahead is the “Super Bowl of human history and people need to get ready and that’s what I believe these are signs of” (http://jimbakkershow.com/video/mystery-sevens/). Joining the false signs-and-wonders teacher Rodney Howard-Browne for his Celebrate America Conference, Jonathan Cahn told the audience, “The financial collapse of the US dollar may happen on Sunday the 13th of September 2015 corresponding to the 29 of Elul 5775 on the Hebrew calendar, the next shemitah of the 7 year cycle.”
WorldNetDaily devotes numerous pages to selling survival food as well as self-defense and preparedness gear. Thomas Horn, author of Nephilim Stargates, is another distorter of biblical prophecy who claims that the Nephilim have returned and who also sees blood moons as a foreboding of things to come. As CEO of SurvivorMall.com, his website features hundreds of supplies to supposedly help Christians to be prepared for the last days.
What’s wrong with the present conjured-up scenarios that relate to pending catastrophes? Will there be a time of utter devastation that the world hasn’t experienced since Noah’s worldwide flood? Yes. However, it will happen according to God’s chronology and not according to man’s ideas about when it will happen and how to prepare for and survive it. The timeline is given in the Scriptures, beginning with Christ’s returning for His bride (believers in Him) to take them to Heaven prior to the time of Jacob’s trouble, the Great Tribulation, during which God pours out His wrath upon the entire world. Even a cursory reading of what takes place as presented in the Book of Revelation clearly shows the futility and folly of imagined survival tactics. No, survival during the Great Tribulation will be only by God’s miraculous intervention for those who come to Christ during that time period. Prior to the Tribulation, believers are “to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come,” keeping in mind that “God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9-10).
Our living together with Him involves pleasing Him in every way, and our waiting involves opportunities by His grace to be fruitful and productive with joy as we look for our “blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
TBC
Part one can be found HERE
This is one of the most important series I have ever read. Please carefully read all this information. Spiritual deception is at an all time high.
Quantum Mysticism Goes to Market
COSMS, CODES, AND CRYPTOLOGIES, Conclusion
The Discernment Research Group published this article series because we are deeply concerned that good saints have been captivated by these fanciful storytellers with their dramatic imagery. Some have told us that they can “handle” this sort of imaginative mixture. Maybe they can. But sadly, there are many new or fragile believers who could easily become lured into the occult world through exposure to these quantum teachings. This is unconscionable!
This article series was a massive project of the Discernment Research Group that took a year and a half to complete. [See Editor’s Note at the end.] In keeping with our mission, we focused primarily on the biblical truth versus the error. However, there are many other side issues that came up during our research that left us with lingering, disturbing questions about the quantum collaborators’ connections, activities and associations.[6]
Our heartfelt desire is to urge our friends and fellow discerners, researchers and readers, to please consider the evidence presented in this extensive 9-part series and weigh it in the light of Scripture. We plead with you to consider the admonition of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:4, when speaking of His imminent return: “Take heed that no man deceive you.”
Read HERE
Chuck Baldwin’s Blatant Appeal to Violence
In his most recent column, Remembering the Alamo, Pastor Chuck Baldwin extols the gallantry of the Alamo defenders and implies that Christians may soon be required to to take up arms against tyranny here in America.
Beyond that, how much longer do we have before it will become necessary for freedom-loving States such as Texas (and maybe Oklahoma, Montana, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Vermont or South Carolina) to declare their independence one more time? An argument could be made that Washington, D.C., is considerably more brutish and tyrannical than old Santa Anna ever was. I’m not so sure that it isn’t already time to again hoist the “Don’t Tread On Me” flags, shout “Remember The Alamo,” and renew the faith and courage of William Travis and Patrick Henry.
This is not the first time Baldwin has suggested that violence may be called for in defense of freedom in this country but it is certainly his most blatant appeal to rebellion. It is a direct invitation to discard the teachings of Christ and give heed to our carnal instincts. Pastor Baldwin is not the only one traveling the road to rebellion. Joseph Farah, editor of WorldNetDaily recently penned a column (Is It Time For A Revolt) in which he suggests we withhold our tax dollars to protest the administrations Middle East policies. Jesus said render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s but Farah says render unto Caesar only what you think Caesar rightfully deserves.
Let me begin by saying that I am a native Texan. I can trace my family roots back to the days of the Republic of Texas. I am directly related to one of the most famous figures in the history of Texas independence. I am also a student of history. I say this to let you know that I am not some Johnny-come-lately with a revisionist view of history. But neither am I swayed by the heroic and rather simplistic view of freedom loving Alamo defenders put forth by Mr. Baldwin.
The story of Texas independence is not as simple as is often portrayed by those on either side of the Rio Grande. After gaining independence from Spain, Mexico found that they had neither the resources nor the population to fully occupy and develop the territory of Texas. Many also felt they needed a buffer zone against westward US expansion. The solution was to allow people to come from the US and other nations to settle the land. In exchange for land rights, the settlers were required to swear allegiance to Mexico and become citizens. Becoming a citizen of Mexico at that time also required them to convert to Catholicism. This was all done under the Mexican Constitution of 1824.
When Antonio de Lopez de Santa Anna was elected President in 1833 he decided that Mexico was not ready for democracy. Nullifying the constitution, he named himself military dictator for life. As you can imagine this did not go over too well with a large percentage of the population and it was particularly distasteful to the men and women who had left the United States to become Mexican citizens in Texas. Eleven Mexican states went into open rebellion with several of them forming their own government. Texas was the only one to defeat Santa Anna and gain independence.
Many of those who fought for Texas independence felt they were fighting for a noble cause. They believed they were simply upholding the rights guaranteed them by the Constitution of 1824. Like some in the US today they saw the document to which they had sworn allegiance usurped by a tyrannical ruler.
At the same time there were others who came to Texas with not so noble intentions. Many had come from the US with the express intention of taking Texas from Mexico and making it a separate nation or bringing it into the United States. Some of these men wanted to extend the reach of slavery in North American. Others simply wanted land and treasure for themselves. Some were criminals fleeing from their past evil deeds.
The struggle for Texas independence involved many complex motives and agendas. Some of these motives were noble by human standards and some were not but none of them had anything to do with advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Baldwin writes some moving words in his homage to the Alamo defenders. I must admit that something within me is stirred when I think of heroic men standing against hopeless odds in the face of certain death for the principles of liberty and justice. The question though is this; are these principles of human liberty and justice the ones for which we are called to stand and die as Christians or are we called to proclaim a higher standard of liberty.
Nowhere in scripture are we encouraged or instructed to take up arms for or against any of the kingdoms of this world. Jesus said specifically that his kingdom was not of this world therefore his servants would not fight to prevent him from being persecuted and even crucified by a worldly kingdom.
John 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.
Paul was a citizen of Rome.
Acts 22:25-28
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”
He was imprisoned by Roman authorities on false charges brought by his Jewish adversaries. His rights as a Roman citizen were violated. Yet in all this he never suggested that the answer was to fight in the flesh against the Roman government. Paul did not imply that perhaps it was time to revolt against the wicked leaders of that day. He did not suggest to his followers that they form a political action committee to protest his imprisonment. In all the persecution endured by the apostles and early church fathers we never see any hint of fighting against human governments and kingdoms.
Too many Christian leaders have falsely equated patriotism with godliness. Patriotism is not something unique to the United States. Patriotism is common to every nation and culture. It appeals to mans fleshly sense of pride and sectarianism. It causes us as Christians to feel no connection or responsibility to our Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. Patriotism mixed with Christianity makes us think that just because someone is patriotic they are also Godly.
The founding fathers of this nation were great patriots but they were not all Godly men. Benjamin Franklin was an avowed atheist all his life. Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense which was instrumental in stoking the embers of revolution in America. But Paine was a radical Deist who compiled his own list of bible inconsistencies along with his advocacy of Deism in a tract called The Age of Reason. Thomas Jefferson believed in God but did not accept Jesus as Lord. He did not believe in the virgin birth and created his own version of the bible by editing out all references to miracles. John Adams was a Unitarian who, like Jefferson, denied the doctrine of the Trinity, the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection of Christ, and any other aspect of orthodox Christianity which could not be explained by human reason.
Today we see the same sort of carnal reasoning among many of our so called Christian leaders. Some, including Chuck Baldwin, have become quit adept at twisting Romans 13 into something other than what it says.
Romans 13:1-2
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
That seems pretty straight forward doesn’t it. All authority is ordained by God who is sovereign over the affairs of man. If you find yourself under the authority of a tyrannical government it is because God has ordained (or at least allowed) it. Even in these cases we are admonished not to resist the authority lest we bring judgment upon ourselves. This interpretation is entirely consistent with the actions of all the apostles in their dealings with human kingdoms. But Baldwin and others think they have found a loophole.
Rom 13:3-4
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
Now we are told that our obedience to authority is applicable only as long as that authority is doing good. And who decides when a government is doing good or doing evil? Why we do of course! With this simple stroke of human reasoning, we rather than God become sovereign over our affairs. By mixing our reasoning with the Word of God we make the Word of none effect.
This was the same mistake our founders made. They decided that taxes were too high and they weren’t being properly represented in London therefore they had the right to rebel. Remember they already had the right to the free exercise of religion. They had the right to own and carry firearms. They operated businesses and civic organizations. They were able to assemble and speak freely. Certainly there were other issues but the love of money was really at the root of all the unrest.
Was it good that Paul was imprisoned on false charges? By our natural reasoning we would all say no. But God used it to advance His kingdom. The same applies to all the hardship and persecution endured by the saints. Even when governments are doing that which we see as evil, God can and often does use it for His own purpose. If we do what is right we have no reason to be afraid of authority even when we suffer by it because we know that in our suffering Gods sovereign plan is being carried out.
John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Now please do not misunderstand me. I have not said that our submission to human authority must be absolute. The whole counsel of God as well as evidence from church history demands that we resist human authority under two conditions.
1.) When any government compels Christians to commit sinful or immoral acts.
2.) When any government prohibits Christians from carrying out the instructions of our Lord such as proclaiming the gospel.
When either of these elements are present we must obey God rather than man. At this time however, with the exception of a few isolated and mostly correctable incidents, our government has forced neither of these conditions upon us.
Like many of you I can see a time, perhaps in the very near future when one or both of these conditions will be present. The threat of laws against “hate speech” are very real and I believe may soon be implemented in our country for the purpose of stifling the proclamation of the gospel. Rest assured when that time comes I am determined that I will continue to speak boldly as God commands. I will also be prepared to accept whatever consequences follow just as Paul, Peter, John, James, Thomas, and all the other persecuted saints of old endured.
We as Christians must stand for a greater liberty than that for which our human forefathers fought. Our liberty is true liberty that sustains us regardless of our temporal circumstances.
2Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Paul and Silas understood true liberty when they were imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:23-25) Beaten with many stripes for casting a devil out of a fortune telling woman, they were placed in chains and cast into prison. But at midnight they were singing and praising God while all the other prisoner listened. The Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of true liberty was there with them and sustained them.
Peter understood true liberty when he was in prison. Herod had already killed James the brother of John and had decided to kill Peter as well. He put Peter in prison and had four squads of soldiers guarding him. (Acts 12:1-7) But the Sprit of the Lord, the Spirit of true liberty was with Peter and he was found to be asleep, chained between two guards as an angel came to deliver him. Though he was chained yet he was free.
John 8:36
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Jesus was the living embodiment of liberty. By giving up his life to do the will of the father he had true liberty. Even so he never challenged any human kingdom or authority in the flesh. Though he could have destroyed his enemies single handedly he submitted to the will of his father.
Mat 26:52
But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”
As he stood before Pilate Jesus knew who wielded true power.
John 19:10-11
Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above…..
Jesus proclaimed the sovereignty of God and his own willingness to submit to that heavenly authority regardless of the personal cost. This is the liberty for which I am willing to stand and even to die if necessary. This is the freedom we are called to proclaim.
Human freedom is transitory and illusory. It is always based on the willingness of men to govern themselves and allow others to do the same. Unfortunately the sinful condition of the human heart will never allow that sort of freedom to last for long. That is why the freedom we have enjoyed in America is such a rare thing in human history.
It is obvious to me that the sins of America have brought Gods judgment upon us. A big part of that judgment will be the loss of many of the freedoms we have taken for granted. We will not stop this judgment with petitions, laws, constitutional conventions, or guns. Neither will we delay it with prayer. God has ordained this shaking and through it He will discover which of His people truly love Him and which love their lives in this world.
American Christians will soon begin to endure the kind of persecution that so many saints have endured down through history. This persecution will bring about a great separation between those who are willing to lay down their lives in this world and those who will not. America and all that it has stood for, both good and bad is and always has been a a part of the world system. Anyone who loves his life in this world more than Christ is not worthy of Him.
Mat 10:38-39
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
I encourage you by the Sprit of God not to be seduced by carnal reasoning and appeals to our fleshly notions of liberty and freedom. Stand fast in the freedom in which you’ve been called and do not be entangled with the yoke of bondage to human kingdoms and empires. Don’t sell your citizenship in the heavenly kingdom for a lesser citizenship in an earthly kingdom that is temporal and will soon pass away.
1John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Steve Lumbley 2009 http://www.apostasywatch.com
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