Our Troubles Are Just Beginning!

"I will hand them over to trouble, to all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.” --- Jeremiah 15:4

There are certain acts on the part of the Creator of this universe that are to be avoided at all costs and some people at least, as they think through the issues, will agree. But the major problem is that we are at that stage in the history of our republic that God is not considered to be worthy of serious consideration by the majority.

And there is a rather popular heresy that has been adopted within the religious element of our country that refuses to acknowledge that God may be capable of doing some things that are rather negative in scope. For too many, God is a God Who would never do anything that is unpleasant and nasty in our way of thinking – after all, God is a God of love and we are all His children, right? To which a number of persons would give a hearty “Amen!” if not too worried as to what people might think if such an utterance came out of their mouth!

A nation that has its roots in the acknowledgment of God. serious attention to His Word and in its earlier years possessed a national spirit that sought to honor God on part of leaders and citizens will experience blessings as obedience is considered a priority and increased troubles as it lapses into a state of disobedience.

The history of a nation of long ago demonstrates clearly WHAT NOT TO DO in relationship to God. Eventually these people were informed that God was going to hand them over to trouble! Most will pay no attention to this lesson, so it is certain that we will repeat it as did they and learn the hard way that ignoring God is very costly and ultimately very deadly.

The troubles are a mix of many things – an unstable weather system, financial chaos, increased conflicts, military setbacks and defeat, diseases, and eventually overrun or coming under the control of foreign powers! It is a wise thing to review the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy from time to time -- that way when things begin to break loose some of us are not surprised.

Take a good honest look and see this drama being played out before your very eyes. There may be a day come when our leaders (political and religious) will issue an appeal that we should seek God and pray for His help – that is, when the troubles handed to us become so intense that we have come to the end of our rope and find out that we can’t solve all these problems by ourselves! And just what do you think God’s answer will be?

Here’s one possibility – “…. For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me," says the LORD. --- Jeremiah 2:27b-29

Face it -- our elected officials in Washington DC and at the state level haven't done a single thing to help move this nation toward a favorable relationship with Almighty God -- if anything, their attitudes, political shenanigans and lifestyles constitute giving God an obscene gesture! Our troubles are really just beginning!

But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations( he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.”…….. Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin with which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD. --- 2 Kings 21:9-12, 16

Obama Will Lose His “War!”

The Obama Administration and Fox News have started to become rivals, with the White House commenting that Fox was, “opinion journalism masquerading as news.” --- Internet news release, October 21, 2009

A long, long time ago God made as plain as it could be stated – leaders in governing authority and the citizens of the nation over which they govern who do not listen to Him are bound to fail. One shocking way that God has of revealing this is found in the book of Jeremiah:

“You have forsaken Me," says the LORD, "you have gone backward. Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting!” --- Jeremiah 15:6

"Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.’” --- Jeremiah 18:11

Much publicity has been generated over the “war” that has erupted between the Obama administration and Fox News network. Personally, I don’t watch Fox News that much – a little of Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the others goes a long way! And their parade of females makes one wonder if we are being exposed to a competitive beauty pageant masquerading as “intellectual expertise” in some area or other!

The hard fact of the matter is that Fox News, as has Obama and members of his administration, has not really dealt honestly with what the actual root problem of this republic is, which is spiritual and moral in nature. The Fox people and others claiming to be conservative continue to attack what are perceived to be the political “problems” and what they believe has to be done to cure them. This has aroused the wrath of Obama and his supporters. The tragedy is that among these warring parties is the omission of the first step that has to be taken in order to start a process of healing and restoration within our nation. It’s called repenting from sin (personal and collective) and calling on God for mercy and forgiveness.

Whatever degree of improvement might be made through political maneuvering at this stage would be like treating a patient who is suffering from a deadly melanoma with a couple of aspirin tablets! There might be a temporary form of relief from discomfit but the deadly cancer is still there doing its terminal work.

Obama is a loser and through his influence will cause this republic to lose in the most tragic fashion. He is the first president to take the lowest view of human life possible and to aggressively support the massive destruction of unborn children not only within the borders of the United States but has actively taken action so that tax money from our nation goes into foreign nations to support those organizations which provide services resulting in the brutal mutilation and murders of unborn children.

Anyone who believes God is going to bless this nation under such leadership as that is worse than an ostrich with its head stuck in the sand and unwilling to face reality as to where we as a nation are headed.

Obama doesn’t realize that he has had his 3 strikes, is out, and has lost. Three more years will only see things worsen as God continues to issue His warnings and employs those measures that should wake people up and make them aware of the need to repent. There is nothing to indicate at this stage that any significant changes are going to take place and so the foolish and very unprofitable “war” continues!

You see, when Almighty God is against you, you are always the loser!

Then they will cry to the LORD, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds. --- Micah 3:4

Glenn Beck Asks, “Why?”

“What has happened to us?” --- question posed by Glenn Beck on recent Fox News program

Glenn Beck gave considerable time and attention to the brutal beating and death of an honor student in Chicago recently. The student was not a member of a gang and went to the assistance of a friend caught in a melee involving a couple of gangs.

The episode was caught on video tape and Fox News played it repeatedly, including high exposure on Beck’s program.

Glenn asked why such a thing happened and then lamented how things have changed in our nation – at one point with intense emotion he asked, “What has happened to us?”

Sadly, he didn’t really get to the root of what has happened to us over past decades. Here is what we have going for us at the present time:

we have tallied nearly 51 million intentional mutilations and murders in the human womb and continue doing so at the rate of about 25,000 every week! Never forget that these are nothing less than deliberate acts of violence against defenseless and innocent human beings.

we have a deadly trio which spews out violence in many forms to which our young folk are exposed on a daily basis. The exposure begins in the early formative years of their lives. This trio consists of the movie, TV and gaming industries. They’ve been at it for a long time and the seeds they have sown are maturing and bringing forth fruit which makes people ask, “Why?” The result is that our young are literally being “programmed” to react violently when things don’t go their way – differences with others are to be settled in a violent manner.

sexual immorality in its many forms of expression is beyond the pandemic stage. Again, the movie and TV industries have made a significant contribution and the young are encouraged to see for themselves just how much fun it is to be engaged in sexual activity. And the internet is an excellent source of any and every kind of sexual activity which the young can easily access. One rather recent shocking statistic released by the CDC reveals that one out of every four teenaged females has at least one STD (sexually transmitted disease) and some have more than one! Our sex ed classes just haven’t gotten the little tykes to get that condom on the banana correctly, have they?

Our massive idolatry and rejection of God’s standards for a sane, sensible, serene, solid, and “steady as she goes” republic has brought us to the precipice of judgment at the hands of a holy God.

There are a number of other things that could be mentioned, but the preceding issues are more than enough to establish the fact as to why this republic is in hot water in relationship to the God it professes to be “under” and why its days are numbered.

Our basic problem is a spiritual one, not economic, social, political, or our domestic or foreign policies. The necessary cure is mass repentance from sin on the individual level as well as at the collective level. God has been calling and has been doing some things that should make people stop and think, but the response is mainly the same as it was in Noah’s time – in spite of calls and warnings, nobody was listening! And you know what happened don’t you?

So as Glenn asks “Why?” and struggles to find an answer, what do you say? Can you point out where the answer is found, even though the vast majority will reject it, and maybe even Glenn Beck will also reject it!

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” --- Jesus speaking in Luke 17:26-30

Chicago Loses Out on Olympic Bid -- Was It An Answer to Prayer?

Chicago had seemed to pick up momentum in the last few days, with many International Olympic Committee members seemingly charmed by Mrs. Obama. But when IOC president Jacques Rogge announced the results of the first vote, Chicago was the city that fell out.

It was one of the biggest upsets in IOC voting history, and will likely have ramifications throughout the U.S. Olympic Committee. USOC chairman Larry Probst was stone-faced as he and acting CEO Stephanie Streeter walked down a hallway.

Chicago was eliminated in the first ballot of voting for the 2016 Olympics on Friday, a stunning defeat for the city that was expected to be one of the two finalists. Not even the presence of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama — nor a long list of celebrities — was enough to help the United States' third-largest city. --- news releases Friday, October 2, 2009

Taking two planes (Air Force One for him, and a smaller Boeing machine for her) plus some high profile people including the high and mighty Oprah Winfrey, the Obama camp descended on Copenhagen like vultures going after a dead animal decomposing in 95 degree temperatures!

Their mission? To convince the IOC that Chicago was the only decent place to hold the 2016 Olympic games. The other three cities being considered are not worthy of the honor of hosting the games – that is, if you talk to anyone connected with Chicago politics.

Then a shock wave struck – comparable, if not greater in intensity, than the shakeups taking place in certain areas of the Pacific Ocean in recent days, only in the lobbying sense where the “lobbyist” is arrogant with the attitude, “Because I am who I am, I will get what I’m after!” Chicago was the first one of the four to be kicked out of the competition! Having been in both Rio and Chicago years ago, there is no comparison between the two. Once you’ve been in Rio, Chicago has no attraction whatsoever! Sort of like standing a guy with a fresh haircut and shave dressed up in a brand new tuxedo along side a hobo in rags who hasn't taken a bath in six months!

Was it an answer to prayer? Maybe someone did pray to the effect that until the rampant corruption is purged from that city, may such a blessing as the privilege to host the Olympic Games be withheld!

Preposterous? Yes, many would say so. But stop and think seriously for a moment. Chicago politics is the measuring stick when it comes to how low politics can sink in our republic – so low in fact, that at that level you have to use a high powered telescope to look up in order to see the navel of a blacksnake!

We in Pennsylvania have to put up with the rottenness of Philadelphia politics such as a governor (Ed Rendell) whose roots are in that quagmire and a turncoat senator named Arlen Specter. But these are rank amateurs compared to the pros in Chicago from which there comes forth “The One” named Barack Obama.

This one thing we can be assured of – the bid for the 2016 Olympics disaster is but one of many he will experience. The reason is clear – here is a man who cares not a bit about the will of God for himself and the country he is supposed to lead. Proof of that is clear to anyone who has a sensitivity to God’s view of human life at all stages of existence and the fact that if governing leaders are to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, then the work has to be done in consultation with God on a daily basis!

The prophet Isaiah hit the nail on the head and explains why things are the way they are politically speaking when he said, “For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.” (Isaiah 9:16).

It will be interesting to see what God does in the times ahead so far as the elected officials of our republic are concerned. More answers to prayer as God deals with the self-centered corruption that has brought our system of government to the precipice of unprecedented disaster?

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” --- Jeremiah 33:3

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. --- 1 John 5:14, 15

Is God Beginning to Make His Move?

PADANG, Indonesia - A powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia Wednesday, trapping thousands under collapsed buildings — including two hospitals — and triggering landslides. At least 75 people were killed on Sumatra island and the death toll was expected to climb sharply.....

APIA, Samoa - A massive tsunami hurled by a powerful earthquake flattened Samoan villages and swept cars and people out to sea, killing at least 99 and leaving dozens missing Wednesday. The toll was expected to rise.

Survivors fled the fast-churning water for higher ground on the South Pacific islands and remained huddled there hours after the quake, with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3, struck around dawn Tuesday.... --- Internet news releases on September 30, 2009

Two days in a row deadly earthquakes have struck in the Pacific area of our world. There has been loss of life with the death tolls expected to increase. Property damage will be extensive as well. We have been having earthquakes and tsunamis for a time. A number do not grab news headlines because little damage is done and injuries to humans are minor in scope.

But when the big ones hit, then the whole world sits up and takes notice. Perhaps it is time to ask a question that is bound to trigger vehement denials as well as a measure of elevation in the blood pressure readings of some persons – especially those who do not want to face the distinct possibility of the reason behind these literal earth shaking events!

The question is this – is Almighty God beginning to make His move? Yes, it is risky to entertain such a thought and worse to make it known publicly. This is not intended to make a “prediction” or set a time table as to when God is going to do what.

We do have considerable witness in Scripture as to some things to expect in the final stages of human history before Jesus Christ makes His return visit to this world. Everything is rather negative as to the unfolding of events, including mention of earthquakes. While earthquakes have been around for a long time there is the record that the frequency is picking up as time passes. Some have described it in this way -- that the earth's crust is like Jello and is now constantly quivering somewhere around the clock.

God does indicate that there will be a time when He is going to shake this world in a way such as never before. And when that happens there will be no “emergency” United Nations sessions – no world leaders addressing the U. N. Security Council as to what should be done – the whole gang will be on the run trying to save their own skins! See how Isaiah graphically describes it:

The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, but the idols He shall utterly abolish. They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made, each for himself to worship, to the moles and bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. --- Isaiah 2:17-21

The subject is further discussed later in the prophet’s writings as he details why things have come to the point of world wide destruction – massive rebellion against the Creator of the universe always results in a devastating response:

The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again. It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth. --- Isaiah 24:19-21

Note earlier in Isaiah 24 that three distinct things are mentioned as to why God is doing the things that He is – that is, literally shaking the world such as never before – it is said in verse 5 “The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant.”

There is absolutely no hope when there is mass agreement to defy God’s laws, attempt to alter His ordinances, and reject His covenant established through His own Son, Jesus Christ. But that is what the majority of the human race is determined to do!

So, is God beginning to make His move? What say YOU?

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” --- Jesus speaking in Matthew 24:6-8

Is Iran Now Shaking in It Boots Because of Obama’s “Warning?”

"Iran is on notice that when we meet with them on Oct. 1 they are going to have to come clean and they are going to have to make a choice" between international isolation and giving up any aspirations to becoming a nuclear power, he (Obama) said. If they refuse to give ground, they will stay on "a path that is going to lead to confrontation." --- Statements by President Obama on Iran, September 25, 2009 in Pittsburgh PA

Did Iranian President Ahmadinejad and his people instantly snap to attention, salute the president of the United States, and loudly respond, “Yes, sir! Yes, sir! Whatever you say, sir! We’ll do it right away, sir! Please don’t hurt us!”

If anything the Iranian response was as some put it, “a thumbing of the nose” kind of attitude and Ahmadinejad’s claim that they had done nothing wrong and further, Obama would regret the accusations made against Iran. So it hardly looks like Iran is running scared, does it not?

Consider why “tough” talk coming from the United States is no longer intimidating.

First, the president has never shown even a trace of concern about how this country stands in relation to the God it claims to be “under” as mentioned in the Pledge of Allegiance. But then, he has lots of company in that regard with the U. S. Congress and the Supreme Court, which rules more against God than in His favor.

Since this nation historically has its roots in the public recognition of God and the truths having to do with the practicing of faith which is centered in God, it is most important to determine just what our present relationship as a nation is to God. The best place to see how we stand is to check out Deuteronomy 28 in the Old Testament – God says He will bless the nation that obeys Him and respects His standards, but on the other hand if the nation chooses the way of disobedience, then unprecedented calamities will be that nation’s fate, leading to eventual collapse! Who would be so idiotic as to claim we are an obedient nation in the sight of God and presently in an acceptable relationship to Him?

Second, it is clear after rejecting repeated warnings and appeals that we as a nation are no longer under the favor and blessing of God. Even worse is the fact that God states that He makes the people who have rejected Him a mockery in the sight of other nations. What could be plainer than the following statements made by the Creator of the heavens and the earth:

"You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult. Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you. In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths….” --- Ezekiel 22:4-8

So, when Obama speaks and warns, is he taken seriously? Ask Ahmadinejad and the people of Iran if their tremors have settled down after the president of the United States has taken them to task and issued a stern warning!

Then they will cry to the LORD, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds. --- Micah 3:4

Playing the Devil’s Advocate for Just a Moment!

For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed. --- Isaiah 9:16

Ooooh! Howls of protest are intensifying as it has been learned that the Muslims are having a prayer time on Capitol Hill in Washington DC later today! There is a web site (http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com) which focuses on the event. The home page has a close up of the U. S. flag. Imposed over a part of the flag is a banner which says “Islam & America” and a graphic of two arms with a handshake taking place plus some other stuff on the banner. Another eye catcher on the page is, “IN THE NAME OF ALLAH…..”

Coinciding with this has been the news release with a lot of attention given by Fox News reports as well as on its web site to the incident of small children in a school in New Jersey singing the praises of President Obama. Here is just one stanza of what the little tykes were singing – “He said red, yellow, black or white, All are equal in his sight. Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama.” This is, of course, a take off on the Sunday School song titled, “Jesus Loves All the Children of the World!” But then it is not “legal” to mention Jesus in school and besides, Barack Obama rates much higher than Jesus by choice of a lot of U. S. citizens anyway!

Do we not claim to be a nation that is one of rich “diversity” and ought we not to honor our leaders – is that not a keystone in our democratic way of life? At least that is the sentiment we are often told by those in high and powerful places (both religious and political) in our republic these days. So if the Muslims want to have a prayer meeting on Capitol Hill and if a bunch of little kids with strong urging by their teacher want to sing lyrics that exalt Barack Obama to the status of a new “deity” in our nation, who is to say they shouldn’t?

Such developments should be of no surprise – this stuff has been in the making for decades. It started as we closed out the 19th Century and entered the 20th. Something subtle and sinister was taking place. It was the importing of theological garbage from the European continent and disseminated in a number of seminaries in our country. Basically this junk questioned the integrity of the Scriptures and information as reported therein. Reported miracles were questioned or outright denied as ever taking place. The Person and work of Jesus Christ were looked upon with great skepticism – especially His atoning death on the cross for the sins of the human race and His literal resurrection from the dead immediately following His crucifixion.

The opening years of the 20th Century witnessed a war of a kind erupting known as the “Modernist vs. Fundamentalist” controversy. As time dragged on the labels sometimes were changed and pastors became known as “liberal” or “conservative” or something sort of in between or maybe more extreme on one side or the other.

Seed was sown over the decades with skepticism gaining the upper hand and the whole culture was impacted. Our system of morals and values saw a major shift over time. Powerful influences further underscored the fact that the Bible no longer is to be taken seriously, except for a small minority that often is labeled in the most negative terms.

A recent survey not all that long ago came up with the fact that only about 51 per cent of Protestant pastors hold to a Biblical world view. That means that about 49 per cent have problems with believing what is revealed in the Scriptures! Don’t want to risk being called a “fundamentalist” you know! Added to this is the troubling fact that less than half of our population can make it to a place of worship on a Sunday morning. Sunday is now clearly established as a day of business, pleasure seeking and spectator sports events -- that is the priority, and horror of all horrors -- "pray" and hope it doesn't rain to spoil our fun!

No, in reality I am bothered by Muslims having a prayer meeting on Capitol Hill – you can see why in my earlier post on Christianity being the only TRUE faith and the only way to God’s Heaven.

And the little kids singing the praises of Obama brings to mind the effective tactic of indoctrination employed in Nazi Germany in the 30’s and early 40’s that resulted in something called the Hitler Youth. They were taught to sing the praises of their Fuehrer and that he was “The One” who would lead them to Germany’s Promised Land! They learned too late that Hitler led them to an indescribable hell.

There are moments as human history churns along that God will allow the rebel spirit of a culture to prevail for a time and permit certain people to influence that culture in way that is not good – that is, until He eventually intervenes and does something that makes the ears of all who hear the details tingle more than just a little.

It is becoming more obvious as time passes that we shall learn lessons in the same way as did the ancient Israelites of long ago!

They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. --- Psalm 106:13-15