On the Other Hand, the United States Deserves Such "Leadership!"

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

It is a lesson rarely ever learned -- what you earnestly desire may not be the best thing for you. In fact it may prove to be a disaster later on down the road. The ancient Israelites found out the hard way as they made their journey from Egypt to the land of promise in Canaan.

God had intervened through a series of miracles and set them free from centuries of slavery in Egypt. He had promised a land which was described as one flowing with "milk and honey!" It was a land where they would prosper, be wonderfully blessed, and be used to reveal to a heathen world Who God is, how he loves all people, and the fact that He has a wonderful plan for each person as they journey through life in this world.

But things did not go well at times on that journey from Egypt to the promised land. There were murmurings and frequent complaints in spite of the fact that God was providing daily food and drink for them. Their clothes were not wearing out from the wear and tear of daily traveling. They were not content with manna from heaven but wanted meat instead.

When God brought in a bunch of quail and the people hastily prepared and started to eat the meat, then they experienced God's wrath in judgment! But even worse, as Scripture reveals, God not only gave them their request for meat, but he sent leanness into their souls! There is nothing worse than to be poverty stricken in one's spirit -- in a strict sense, to be out of touch with God.

There has been a battle raging within the United States for decades. It intensified in the '50's and got worse as time moved on. Supreme Court decisions provided unmistakable evidence that the republic was on a path leading eventually to disaster and at some time in the future, ultimate collapse!

A first major decision, the results of which cannot be even a bit comprehended, was the banning of prayer and Bible reading in the public schools. It has been and continues to be hotly debated with even pastors and church leaders saying it was a good thing to ban such practices -- after all, we need to have "separation of church and state" you know! It is interesting to draw a comparison as to how it was in the schools before the decision and how it is now some time after such a decision in terms of behavior and relationships!

The second major disaster in terms of the Supreme Court causing our republic to revert to a heathen culture was the decision that it is a "constitutional right" for a female to choose to have her unborn child mutilated and murdered, even if that choice should be made just a few days before the scheduled birth is to take place!

Millions of unborn children have been destroyed since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. God has not yet made His full response to this, but the series of calamities being visited upon our nation and the fact that intensity and frequency of the same are increasing indicate that the time may be much closer than any of us are willing to admit!

We are on the eve of an election as of the day of this posting (Nov 3, 2012) and an examination of values espoused by the candidates who want to be president starting at the third week of January 2013 would reveal a contrast in certain critical areas.

Due to the prevailing mood and dominant desires of the country at the present time, it would be fitting for the Obamas to continue in their present position which they have had for the past four years! The Obamas are vehemently supportive of the destruction of unborn children, always using a logic very similar to that of the Nazis of WW II era as to why some should live and others be exterminated before birth. That seems to be the preferred choice of a majority of U.S. citizens. Even professed "pro-life" members of Congress prefer to do nothing on this issue, showing no aggression whatsoever! And if Mitt Romney, who claims to be pro-life, should be elected, it is doubtful he will do much if anything about protecting the lives of the unborn -- it will likely be business as usual - the continued destruction of about 25,000 unborn children every week!

The Obamas are now very supportive of marriage between same-gender couples -- that is, they support sodomites marrying each other and lesbians marrying each other. In spite of God revealing clearly that marriage is a special convenant relationship between a male and a female, the Obamas have fully accepted the new "definition" of marriage that has been widely adopted throughout our culture in recent years! Mainstream media for the most part is quite positive on this issue. The entertainment industry is constantly throwing subject matter at us telling us what a good thing it is for people of the same gender to be married. And of course there is the growing practice of labeling anybody who does not accept this in the most negative terms possible, starting with them being "homophobic!" Pressure has been mounting for more states to permit persons of the same gender to legally marry.

The Obamas at best are quite indifferent to the church and its profession of faith that is centered in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and only attend a worship service on an extremely rare occasion. Less than half of the United States' population of over 300 million people is able to find its way to a worship service on Sunday. There may be a few more in attendance on Easter Sunday and on the Sunday preceding Christmas. For over half of our population Sunday should be renamed Funday because it is a day of pursuing amusements, sports events, entertainment, or just about anything that will not remind people that there is an Almighty God to Whom we will give an account as to what we have done with the lives He made possible and which the vast majority have utterly wasted!

Further, under Mr. Obama's "leadership" (term used carelessly) our national debt is now in excess of 16 trillion dollars with nearly 1/3 of that accumulated during his term in office. Since this nation insists on spending money it does not have, it is appropriate that Mr. Obama continue as president and be "in charge" when the country goes belly up financially!

In spite of the fact that God has been faithfully issuing the call for personal and collective repentance, the response has been negative -- some may even dare to suggest, "What have we done that is so wrong?" That in itself is an indication of the deplorable spiritual, moral and ethical condition of our republic!

It behooves those who know and practice the experience of daily prayer to adopt the prayer of Daniel in the 9th chapter of the book that bears his name. It is highly likely that in the not too distant future we shall know whether enough persons have prayed and mercy has been granted or we will experience judgment and devastation unlike anything this nation has ever experienced in its entire history!

But for the moment the prevailing spirit of this republic is saying, "Give us Obama!"

Remember at the beginning there was a quote that ended, "....He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul."

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

"....if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. --- 2 Chronicles 7:14

To What Extent Will God Permit the Heathen to Attack Us?

"Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." --- Isaiah 10:5,6

As the celebrations continue over the death of Osama bin Laden it is time to consider an issue which only a few are willing to think about and/or discuss with others. That issue is God's use of heathen peoples as instruments in His purposes to judge those who claim to be His people but at the same time they play the hypocrite by rejecting His standards and principles for a sane, sensible, serene, stable, and secure nation with a positive hope for the future! Corruption in political and religious leadership is a major contributing factor in such a circumstance.

A lot of history reveals that God in times past used heathen peoples to chastise and in some cases ultimately judge those who claimed to be His people. The ancient Israelites were a people to whom God had revealed Himself and then were chosen to represent Him as the true God in a world engulfed in ungodly practices, even to the point of human sacrifices in worship rituals.

There were times that the Israelites adopted the practices of their heathen neighbors. In the Old Testament book of Judges we observe a "roller coaster" experience. For a time the people were obedient and under the blessing of God. But then they abandoned the way of obedience and God would respond in a very negative way. Terms used to describe these experiences are: "forsook God", "did evil", etc. God's actions are described as: "delivered them into the hands of...", "sold them into the hand of...", etc.

And so it went for centuries as kings came and went. Some were good kings who truly feared God and sought to be obedient, but many others were not and succumbed to evil influences and the worship of false gods. Often a part of this again involved human sacrifice, such as throwing an infant or young child into a roaring fire as an act of worship. It is actually reported that some kings who are clearly identified engaged in this horrendous practice!

But the time comes when evil, like an out of control cancer, reaches a terminal state. God no longer raises up prophets with an appeal to repent and come back to Him for mercy and forgiveness. The message of the prophets changes dramatically and basically warns of impending judgment.

The ancient northern kingdom of Israel was invaded and destroyed by the Assyrians in about the year 721 BC. The southern kingdom of Judah hung on a bit longer, but eventually time ran out for it and the Babylonians totally destroyed the proud city of Jerusalem in about 586 BC. In both cases God reveals that it was persistent disobedience and refusal to repent that led to these disasters.

In both cases God's "instruments" of judgment were the Assyrians and the Babylonians -- both were about as heathen as it is possible to get. It later turned out that these heathen kingdoms were judged by God with a lot of detail given as to what would happen before their respective judgments actually took place.

Now consider this: God does not change in His way of dealing with members of the human race and the nations which they establish through time. The United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and the Bible was quite prominent in the experiences of the founding fathers as well as successors in decades to follow.

The nation was identified with the Christian faith -- that is, most of the citizens professed to be Christian in their faith. From time to time there were some significant "awakenings" in which people in rather large numbers actively sought God's mercy and forgiveness, with faith centered in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

But as the republic entered the 20th Century something not good was happening. The seeds of doubt and skepticism were being sown within the ranks of Christianity. This new "trend" was eventually referred to as "liberalism" -- a "pseudo-intellectual" view and interpretation of the Scriptures! It was the "in thing" to question the information reported in Scripture concerning the works of God, the miracles, and of course, the Person of Jesus Christ and everything related to His life here on earth, including His sacrifice for the sins of the human race and His literal resurrection from the dead following His crucifixion.

The rebel seed has taken root over time and is producing "fruit!" The United States has taken on the characteristics of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The main difference is that we have technology that those people did not have and consequently we can sin quickly, massively, and in ways those people could not even have imagined! As a result we are ripe for judgment action on the part of the Creator of this mighty universe.

Could His instruments of judgment at a certain point involve heathen peoples set on revenge because of our involvement in, our bragging and our intense celebrating the death of one of their own who was world famous? Most will instantly reject this possibility and if for no other reason, in ignorance declare that God would never do such a thing or allow such a thing to happen to the United States. Oh, and on what basis does that bit of speculation rest -- any Biblical authority to confirm that as fact?

Almighty God has yet to make a full response to the ungodliness that permeates this nation from one end to the other. It will not be pleasant to be living within its borders when that response does come, and it may come sooner than any of us want to honestly recognize!

It remains a solid truth -- the only thing we learn from history is the fact that we fail to learn from history and as a result are doomed to repeat the tragedies of previous cultures whose ruins lie in the dust and rocks of the earth!

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

Big Brother Continues to Make His Move!

Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them.” --- Jeremiah 11:11

We’ve come to the place where a serious question needs to be raised – as President Obama in a state of blind ignorance signs executive order after executive order and has plans to push for legislation that will take this nation down a path to guaranteed disaster, which will be the action that is going to actually break the proverbial camel’s back?

It is obvious to the discerning person that the president is taking the “big brother” approach in government. He is very heady with power and wants to do everything possible to remind us that he is the “man” and in charge!

His greatest damage to our republic is not in the area of economic matters, as much of a debacle that this situation is proving to be. Rather it is in the area of morals related to human life that he is paving the way to sure and certain catastrophe in the future.

Ponder the implications of the following:

“Earlier this month, the President took the first step in rescinding a Bush administration moral conscience regulation which enforces existing legal protections against discrimination and intimidation for doctors and other healthcare professionals who invoke conscience by refusing to participate in medical procedures they believe immoral.

The rule, which was finalized last year placed no restriction upon any legal medical procedure; it simply brought the executive branch into compliance with several existing laws including:

• the 1973 "Church Amendments" which protect doctors and other healthcare professionals from discrimination due to religious belief or moral conviction;
  
  
• the 1996 “Public Health Service Act Amendment” which prohibits government from discriminating against individual and institutional healthcare providers who choose not to provide abortion services or receive abortion training; and
  
  
• the 2004 "Hyde-Weldon Amendment” which prohibits certain federal funds going to federal and state agencies and programs that discriminate against healthcare providers who decline to offer or refer abortion services.
  

Simply put, these three venerable laws passed by Congress and signed by former Presidents protect doctors and nurses from being professionally threatened because they allow their conscience to dictate their professional actions.

By eliminating the enforcement of these legal protections, the Obama Administration is signaling that it intends to ignore the law and refuse to protect the civil liberties of healthcare professionals based upon religious or moral conscience. Without enforcement, healthcare personnel will have scant legal recourse for intimidation and bigotry rendering the laws intended to protect them meaningless.”

(SOURCE: Newt Gingrich and Rick Tyler writing for Newsmax.com – March 15, 2009)

Earlier we have seen the “big brother” move to change policy in which our tax dollars will support those organizations in foreign countries which do abortions as part of “family planning” and encourage the route of abortion in dealing with problem pregnancies.

And just recently “big brother” revealed that by a stroke of his pen that past restrictions regarding embryonic stem cell research have been lifted and it is now “open season” on humans in their earliest stages of development, just as he supports “open season” on humans in all stages of development in the womb so that for whatever insane reason any of them can be singled out, mutilated and murdered before birth!

It has been said repeatedly that these are highly explosive and divisive issues, and that is certainly so. The reason is that there is still a small minority of persons in this country that see human life in the light of what our Creator has plainly revealed about the subject. And so, for now, there will be a few voices crying out in the wilderness against this abomination of the “shedding of innocent blood” taking place under the full blessing of B. Hussein Obama, his administration, a majority of the members of the U. S. Congress, and those Supreme Court members who are in agreement with the president’s view of human life!

Unfortunately, B. Hussein Obama with his “big brother” approach to government along with his many enthusiastic supporters are blind as bats to the reality of what human life is all about as God defines it. Consequently, this nation is in for an awakening experience the likes of which it has never experienced before in its entire history! Since we as a nation have had full access to God’s revelation ever since our beginning, we are all the more accountable than a number of other nations which did not have access to such a revelation. Think of it -- more than 232 years of having the opportunity to learn Who God is, What He has done, how He has a special purpose for every conceived human life, where we fit into His plan and what He is going to be doing in the future as He brings His plan for His creation to a victorious conclusion!

But in regard to that "awakening experience" -- just remember, it’s not a question of whether it’s going to happen, but very simply WHEN!


A 56 day old human being!

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 21:16

And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. --- 2 Chronicles 36:15, 16

By the way, are you helping to sound the warning?

It’s Much More Than Praying, “God bless the President!”

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time…” --- 1 Timothy 2:1-6

In the midst of much criticism associated with the campaigns and the election process, there are those voices which here and there cry out that we need to get behind our newly elected president and pray for him and the members of his administration.

The appeal for prayer is a staple among those who claim to be “evangelical” in their faith. Often the prayers that are uttered are packed full of “bless him..her …this or that” expressions. It seems the “blessing” of God is the point of focus and that God is urged to just pour out blessing after blessing upon our nation, its leaders and its millions of citizens.

It is painfully obvious that we fail to realize that special blessings of God are conditional – they always have been and always will be. And there are those common benefits God grants to all individuals whether they be conscious of that or not, as noted when He gives rain which falls on the righteous as well as upon the wicked, etc.

Can God really bless the individual, for instance, who supports the destruction of large numbers of unborn children in the womb – children for which this same God has a high and holy purpose after they are born into the world?

And if such an individual rises to become the most powerful leader in the world, then what does one seek from God on behalf of that person? It can’t be a “blessing” or “special favor” but it can be something else. It can be a seeking that God in His infinite power will do whatever necessary to bring that leader to a state of repentance with a new understanding of God’s ways and purposes as it applies to the members of the human race.

It means also a seeking that God will confront such a leader with the fact that the nation he is attempting to lead has drifted far from the principles and standards as originally established by God at the beginning for a culture’s unity, health, strength, prosperity and ongoing survival!

The common problem as exhibited by elected officials over time is the attempt to address problems related to the economy, the environment, education of the young, health care, immigration, international crises, etc. But they will not address the ethical, moral and spiritual decay which is steering the nation on a course to sure and certain collapse! On second thought, perhaps the major reason for this is the fact that too many elected officials are a major part of those ethical, moral and spiritual problems!

So, pray for elected leaders – for the President, Vice President, Chief of Staff, members of the Cabinet, the members of the U.S. Congress and the leadership in that body, etc. But move far beyond the “bless so and so” prayer, seeking that God will do whatever necessary to bring this nation and its leaders (political and church) to repent of the massive wickedness of which the nation is guilty at the present time, forsaking all sin, and seeking His holy will in all activities and relationships – to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ, Who is Savior, Lord and our soon returning King!

It is also wise to keep in the back of the mind that God deals with nations which profess to believe in Him in two possible ways -- first, when a nation gets out of line He will bring various chastisements upon that nation -- a series of calamities of various kinds over time. If that does not eventually bring the people to seek Him in a true spirit of repentance then He will bring judgment upon the rebel nation. Chastising actions mean there is hope, if repentance quickly follows -- but judgment means there is no hope -- only disaster and devastation will take place once God initiates judgment against a nation. 2 Chronicles 36 clearly reveals the pattern!

One of many helpful guidelines for praying beyond the "bless so and so" level is found in the following -- that is, if we have not crossed that "line in the sand" which God has etched with His sword of judgment:

To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts. Give to them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give to them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up. Blessed be the LORD, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! --- Psalm 28:1-6

Oh, a PS on this one: Do you suppose that statement about certain persons failing to regard the works of the Lord and the operation of His hands could apply to God's activity in forming a human being in the womb? Want a little help on that? Read Psalm 139 -- it gets very interesting in discussing certain things that God does!

Only One Kind of Change Will Restore Our Republic!

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." --- Jonah 3:1, 2

B. Hussein Obama made “change” the key word and constant theme of his campaign for the presidency. Like the Pied Piper of olden times, he quickly gained a very large following with extensive help from many in the mass media and high profile celebrities such as Oprah, etc. Over time he was able to fill his campaign coffers with at least a half billion or more dollars. It’s still true – money talks and buys a lot of stuff!

But will the Obama formula for bringing about “change” really work? At least during the “honeymoon” period and glowing positive reports from most of the media, it will seem that this fellow does indeed have the answers the country has been searching for over many decades.

But there is only one change that will bring the nation to the place where it needs to be if it is to survive and have hope for the future. It is not a change involving the economy, the environment, the employment rate, national security, energy resources, or education. It is a change that must take place in the ethical, moral and spiritual realms of our culture – literally in the heart and soul of every person living in this nation. But that is something the overwhelming majority of citizens and their leaders (political and religious) do not want under any circumstance to seriously consider.

At the beginning was reference to a man called by God to go to a place called Nineveh. Jonah’s message was a warning of impending judgment within a few days' time – God’s wrath was going to be poured out upon the city for its wickedness. However, something most unusual happened – the people believed and began to change their wicked way of living – they actually sought to repent of all sin, and this included the king himself. Read the account for yourself:

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, "Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?" Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. --- Jonah 3:3-10

The wickedness found within the republic of the United States is excessive and manifested in countless ways, starting with the destruction of unborn children. But we also have our rampant sexual immorality which violates the numerous standards God has established for acceptable sexual behavior and relationships. Other ways we have defied God involve our idolatry, our profaning of the day of worship, and our feeble attempt to erect a fence to keep God confined so that He doesn’t interfere in areas of public life and education! We also are doing a first rate job at convincing the vast majority of our young that our “roots” go back to lower life forms – and that we have arrived at our present condition by means of a process of evolution, but we’re not finished yet!

Elected officials and church leaders are at a critical crossroad at this point in time – as God issues the call for repentance, personally and collectively, what will the response be? Will it be a correct change which results in turning from all that offends God, or will we as a nation give Him the all too familiar obscene gesture and suffer catastrophic consequences which we cannot begin to comprehend?

At this moment in time there is no recognition on the part of elected officials or on the part of church leaders that there is the urgent need to repent, call on God for mercy and commit to being an obedient people, seeking His will for our daily lives!

It appears more likely with the passing of each day that we will experience what ancient Judah experienced (the wrath of God) in spite of urgent appeals rather than what Nineveh experienced (the blessing and mercy of God) after heeding the message of a prophet by the name of Jonah!

Consider the record of what Judah experienced:

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

Is that a mighty voice thundering out of eternity shouting, “Now it’s your turn!”

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.’” --- 2 Kings 21:10-12

Do Those Claiming to Be “Servants” Need to Live in Mansions?

“Michele calls me and says, ‘I’m in. I love this house, but it’s more than we were talking about paying for, but I really think it’s a great house, you should go take a look at it.’” --- Barack Obama’s report of his wife’s assessment of the “house” they eventually bought in Chicago for $1.65 million dollars, which involved a $330,000 discount! Source: The Obama Nation by Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D.

It is a common claim made by elected officials, particularly at the federal level. Members of the U. S. Congress will often refer to their status of being a “servant” or “I work for you!” etc. when they are campaigning for reelection. These people are supposed to represent their constituents in D. C. and as such, ought not their personal lifestyles clearly reflect that status?

But if they insist on living in a house that costs in excess of a million dollars, send their kids to expensive private schools, and continually conspire to increase their salaries, perks and retirement benefits, how can they possibly have a genuine concern for the average citizen whom they claim to represent?

This has been a justifiable criticism in the realm of professing Christianity as well.

Those who head up mega churches and TV ministries have too often betrayed the people they claim to serve by indulging in worldly and lavish lifestyles. The days of “his & hers” Rolls Royce's (Jim & Tammy Faye Baker) or owning a very costly mansion (Jimmy Swaggert) have by no means ended!

It is all too easy when one moves into a position of power, influence and increased wealth to become infected with the spirit of this present world and “servant hood” fades away, becoming as dead as the many corpses buried in the local cemetery.

This is a tragic reality constantly repeated in both the political and the religious realms of human experience. And it is why you often find a lot scathing denunciations of political and religious leadership recorded in the holy Scriptures. Persons involved in political and religious leadership are regarded as being servants and are to discharge their responsibilities in obedience to Almighty God. Corruption setting in with a very negative influence on political and religious leaders will ultimately contribute to the downfall of a culture in time! The best summary where this pattern is demonstrated is revealed in 2 Chronicles 36 of the Old Testament Scriptures. The Old Testament prophets addressed this issue time and time again!

There will be attempts to justify the lavish lifestyles of politicians and those in the “higher ranks” of professing Christianity – if for no other reason than the fact that they deserve it for all the work they have done or they came out of very humble and poverty stricken backgrounds in younger and earlier years.

If one wants to get rich and live “high on the hog” then go into business, play the stock market (if you like to gamble), enter a profession, or become a trial lawyer! It’s wide open when it comes to opportunities to earn income and become rich, but even then one is still accountable to God for what you have done with your life. And if in the process you have become a billionaire many times over, then you really have a lot of accounting to do when you appear before God – and all of us will have that moment in which we answer to our Creator concerning what we have done with this most precious commodity called life.

But when it comes to involvement in something called government or a call to proclaim the Word of God, we then take on the role of “servants” and that means we are not to bathe in luxury in this present life. Keeping a proper focus is not at all easy due to a daily invasion of worldly distractions, but we can be greatly helped and challenged when we consider the example of One Who said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Matthew 8:20).

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” --- Matthew 16:24-26

Is the god of Pleasure Beginning to Take a Hit?

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be...... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God..." --- 2 Timothy 3:1, 2a, 4b

Our republic is really in a quandary of unprecedented proportions, is it not? There are just all kinds of things happening -- an election in the making with not a single candidate addressing the real issues that directly impact the future destiny of our nation -- a "war" that is hotly discussed and debated on a daily basis -- financial crises and a national debt that continues to escalate!

But the one thing that is beginning to dominate the thinking and decision making of most U. S. citizens every day is something called gasoline and related components such as diesel fuel and heating oil.

It makes headlines in newspapers and TV news reporters are positioned beside a gas station pointing to the recent increase in gas prices (as this is being written, I bought a few gallons yesterday at $3.99 per gallon in Nanty Glo PA) and use a growing favorite expression in their vocabulary -- "pain at the pump!"

There is a scramble to explain why and who is responsible for this growing expression of greed on the part of some very influential persons somewhere -- God alone knows who they are, where they are and what they are doing. The good news is that in due time He will return upon their heads the fruit of their doings -- no one has beaten the "law of sowing and reaping" yet and none ever will!

But maybe there is another factor to consider in all this chaos -- perhaps the "god" of Pleasure is beginning to be hammered a bit! God's actions at times are directed to the "deities" a nation forms for itself.

For decades we as a nation have been on a "pedal to the metal" pace in our pursuit of pleasures of every possible kind. It would take a long amount of space and a considerable amount of time to detail them all here.

It is evident to anyone who looks a bit and listens that we are a pleasure saturated country, and are constantly attempting to devise new ways of experiencing pleasure.

One obvious tragedy in this is the well established fact that we cannot get half of our population into a place of worship on Sunday morning to even go through the motions of worshipping the God Who brought this mighty universe into existence by simple spoken commands!

Sunday, as mentioned elsewhere on my website and blog, ought to be renamed Funday -- it is a day of zealous pursuit of pleasure from border to border and shore to shore.

Interesting, is it not, that now there is much talk not only about gas prices, but what heating costs will be this winter and the ripple impact from fuel prices in terms of groceries and various consumer goods.

Could it be that those guys I see gassing up at a gas pump (tanks on 4-wheelers on a trailer towed by a gas guzzling pick-up) on Sunday mornings may be forced to revise their pleasure agenda in the future? Many other examples could be cited as people deal with costly expenses related to the pursuit of pleasure to the neglect of giving time, attention, money and worship to the living God!

Stop and think for a minute -- a lot of decisions are going to be made and a lot of plans changed due to drastically changed financial spending -- we'll spend a lot more money on our gas, our heat, our groceries -- which means leas money for our pleasure pursuits than we've been used to having. And then there is the fact that many families are up to their eyeballs in debt because they made the deadly mistake of adopting the philosophy of "instant gratification" -- just have to have those things that enhance our fun times even if we have to go deeply into debt to get them.

Something we so easily forget -- the thing about God as He begins to deal with a culture and its rebellion is that He has many methods at His disposal and can keep turning the screws tighter and tighter as time progresses!

Of course we also have an abundance of information available that if the tactics do not bring about the desired results, then eventually judgment is employed and God has done that very thing a number of times, but somehow the dominant spirit in our republic right now is that we feel we are an exception -- besides, this is a "Christian" nation, isn't it?

What will be the next "god" or "goddess" on God's hit list? Now is the perfect time to review a portion of 2 Chronicles 36 -- see how one people fared who thought they could ignore God and get away with it -- start reading at about verse 11.

"For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD." --- Exodus 12:12

You Don't Like Bible Verses Thrown Your Way, Do You?

"The truth is you need to do more than spout off Bible verses to combat racism in the church." --- statement by "anonymous" of W. VA in response to my post on the scheduled W. PA Annual Conference mandatory training sessions on racism.

Actually I find myself agreeing with "anonymous" from W. VA who objected to my post about the forthcoming training session on racism in the W. PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church -- well, up to a point that is.

Note the phrase, "The truth is you need to do more than spout off Bible verses to combat racism in the church."

Two things are most essential in experiencing the transforming power of God's Word:

First, there has to be a determination as to what this Bible, containing lots and lots of "verses," really is. The testimony, as given in the Bible, makes statements such as the following:

"Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" --- Jeremiah 23:29

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." --- Jesus in Matthew 24:35

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. --- 2 Timothy 3:16, 17

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. --- Hebrews 4:12

However, the Scriptures have not only been viciously assailed outside the church, but within as well. One survey among protestant pastors a few years back determined that only about 51 percent of those pastors have a Biblical world view! And among United Methodist pastors that number dropped to 27 percent! But little wonder -- in the latter years of the 19th Century a deadly "virus" was imported from Europe -- in the disguise of "scholarship" it infected people with the view that the Bible is not trustworthy and as that expanded the end result was that many things as reported throughout the Bible simply did not take place and were not true!

So it really comes down to this -- a decision as to whether the Bible is nothing more than a "rag sheet" and we really can't be sure of much of anything by way of its contents, OR we are dealing with a volume of information brought together over time by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. If the latter view is taken then there is also recognition that where there is faithful witness to that Word and it is received by persons who are open in mind and heart, then miracles of change will take place!

Second, however, there must be a willingness to receive it -- both the Old and the New Testaments record numerous incidents in which God's Word was rejected. God's Word is light -- it is truth -- it explicitly reveals Jesus Christ to be God in human form and exclusively the only way of salvation and hope for human beings -- it rebukes and challenges -- it enhances growth in the Christian faith -- it enables the believer to discern right and wrong -- it often calls for decisions to be made in order for one to be conformed to the will of God -- and it provides absolute assurance for the future in terms of time as well as eternity! I am tempted to "spout off" a number of Bible verses in support of all this but I won't at the present time.

Ooops! I forgot -- when one does such a thing you are guilty of "proof-texting" are you not? It is quite interesting what people do to avoid being exposed to God's Word -- how their "defense system" automatically kicks into high gear when one of us "Bible thumpers" has made reference to something God has revealed for His people's benefit. If I quoted from the latest issue of Newsweek magazine or an ancient mold-covered issue for that matter, the Bible resisters would likely accept that without objection.

Yes, "anonymous" from W. VA, it does take more than "spouting" Bible verses as you put it to combat racism in the church -- there has to be a recognition of what it is you are dealing with when you confront the Bible, and whether or not you are willing to receive the contents of said Book which have the power to bring about desired and very positive changes in human life and relationships!

Since our culture finds itself in about the same identical position as that of the ancient kingdom of Judah in its latter years just prior to invasion and destruction by King Nebuchadnezzar and his army, our response to God's Word is also identical to theirs as well. Consequently racism, which is but one of the many spiritual, moral and ethical maladies infecting our nation, will continue!

I close with one more "spout off:"

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

How Long Before the BIG QUESTION Is Asked?

"And it will be when you say, 'Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?' then you shall answer them, 'Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.' Declare this in the house of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah, saying, 'Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not: do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; they have revolted and departed. They do not say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.' Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have withheld good things from you." --- Jeremiah 5:19-25

A gigantic host of questions has been asked over the centuries as human history has run its course. These have come from persons of all ages and involve many subjects under a wide range of circumstances. Today is no different than a hundred or a thousand years ago -- questions in one form or another continue to be asked of someone somewhere in this world of despair.

For us in a republic known as the United States the time has not yet arrived when the BIG QUESTION will be asked -- but rest assured, there is a time coming when it will be asked and that time may be much closer than any of us would want to admit!

Oh, you are wondering what the BIG QUESTION is, that a huge majority will be asking? Well, it will be worded something like this:

"Why is God doing all these things to us?"

There may be a slight variation in the way it is worded, but it will be in reference to the same concern -- God is doing some most unpleasant things and people from all walks of life -- powerful politicians -- prestigious church leaders -- high and mighty persons of wealth and far reaching influence -- and a multitude in what is considered the insignificant and lower class of persons. All in a frantic chorus of high pitched voices calling out, "Why is God doing these things to us?"

It's not the first time it has happened -- centuries ago it happened in what is known as the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah. After years and years of appeal to repent, turn from their idolatrous and immoral ways, and come back to God the response of the vast majority was one of rejection coupled with very negative reaction to the few issuing that call to return to God!

And so, after a series of chastising actions inflicted on the kingdom in an effort to wake it up to its perilous condition and the people crying out and asking the BIG QUESTION of their day (while refusing to repent), God brought a devastating judgment upon them -- it was total destruction and the end of the kingdom! The people were in such a hopeless condition spiritually and blind to truth that they no longer saw sin for the horrible and deadly thing it is! In a previous post I cited a reference to 2 Chronicles 36 -- I refer to it again and urge all who read this to take time to go to the Old Testament of the Bible and slowly read this account -- it summarizes in a very few words the basic formula as to how a culture comes to a devastating end and the clear reason for such an end!

Now then, since the nation of the United States is presently walking down the same road as did the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah, and since we have always had access to God's special revelation of light and truth as did they, and since we insist on living our lives in constant defiance against God as did they, then we can expect a similar outcome, can we not? The big difference between us and those people of centuries ago is the fact that we have the total revelation which they did not at the time. So we, in a sense, are in far bigger trouble because of having that total revelation God has made available through His Spirit!

But even as the frantic question was asked, God was looking for a few persons who were sensitive to what was really happening and willing to "stand in the gap" -- read of His search and what He found in the latter part of Ezekiel 22. Are you willing to be one of the kind for which God was searching, or will you be among the BIG CROWD asking the BIG QUESTION at some point in the future?

By the way, just how long do YOU think it will be before that B. Q. is asked?

And if you say in your heart, "Why have these things come upon me?" For the greatness of your iniquity your skirts have been uncovered, your heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. "Therefore I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness. This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me," says the LORD, "Because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood." --- Jeremiah 13:22-25

The One Statement Most Avoided in Any Man's Language!

I listened and heard, but they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD. How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; so what wisdom do they have? --- Jeremiah 8:6-9

There is a statement which a majority of persons in all walks of life adamantly refuse to say. The whole world is in chaos because of such refusal to say just a few words and really mean what is said! This refusal not only impacts individual lives but families, communities, cities, and entire nations.

And just what is that statement which has such far reaching influence, you may ask?

Here it is -- read slowly and carefully:

"I/We have sinned against Almighty God!"

What is behind the refusal to say those words with meaning? There are a number of possibilities -- here are some:

• just plain old pride -- we refuse to admit we are guilty before God, and usually we are quick to look around and point to someone who has done worse things than we have done!
  
  
• self-righteousness by which we make the stupid claim that we haven't really done any "sinning" -- we have a "clean slate" so we don't have to admit to any wrong doing!
  
  
• there is no such thing as right or wrong, so we just do what we think is the best thing for us and that settles it!
  
  
• there is no God and therefore there is no accountability -- the damnable doctrine and misleading teaching of evolutionary theory suggests to our young folk that there is no God, so therefore the statement "I/We have sinned against Almighty God" is totally irrelevant and without meaning whatsoever!
  
  
• it's a religious issue and we ought not to air our "dirty linen" in public -- keep it private and out of public scrutiny!
  
  
• sin has become so common place and so accepted as well as widely practiced that it is the "norm" by which people live, therefore the word itself simply doesn't register as something offensive to a holy God!
  

There was a culture many centuries ago in which the people claimed they were God's people, but they had drifted off course over time and through compromise came to the place where God's Word was no longer a priority matter in their daily lives and in all relationships. When a few "radicals" drew attention to this and said there was a need to repent of all sins, individually and collectively, the response was, "What have we done?" It is noted that no one was really willing to repent of sin and get things squared away in relationship to the God in Whom they professed to have faith! That culture eventually collapsed and the city which was the capitol and the center of worship was totally destroyed -- all because they would not say, "I/We have sinned against Almighty God" and then follow through by turning from all that was detestable in the sight of this God! (Read 2 Chronicles 36 in the Bible for testimony of this event).

How often throughout the United States do you hear the above statement about sinning being made? And to what extent is there evidence being produced that the statement is being made individually and collectively with a desire to abandon sinful conduct, manner of speech, lifestyles and desires? And that is followed by a fervent desire to seek holiness of heart, obey God, and honor His Son, Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and our soon returning King?

We all know the answer to that, do we not?

Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot's forehead; you refuse to be ashamed. --- Jeremiah 3:3

God Doing Bad Things? Surely Not!

"Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. and lack of bread in all your places; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered. So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, but they were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, your vineyards, your fig trees, and your olive trees, The locust devoured them; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt; your young men I killed with a sword, along with your captive horses; I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" --- Amos 4:6-12

“God is a God of love – He would never do anything bad and He certainly would never send anyone to Hell – how could He be a God of love and do bad things that would bring pain and suffering into the lives of people?”

And so the reasoning goes on in broken record fashion. From theologians, seminary professors, influential church leaders and pastors all the way into church pews occupied by the laity, increased numbers are buying into a multifaceted heresy which boils down to one simple statement – “God would never do anything that would bring pain and suffering of any kind to humans because He is a God of unconditional love!”

This perverted view takes place due to:

• the acceptance of the apostate position that the Bible is simply a human production of writings which are contradictory and subject to a wide variety of interpretations.
  
  
• the idea that past cultures were victimized by superstitious practices and ideas about deities and these are reflected at times in the Scriptures. You know, the God of the Old Testament is a raging maniac who is mad all the time at somebody!
  
  
• the fact that there has not been a serious effort to examine the total revelation given to us in order to more fully identify the God Who brought a mighty universe into existence by mere spoken command. God is revealed to be a God of love and compassion which the human mind cannot begin to comprehend. However, He is also a God of chastising actions and ultimately a God of wrath and judgment if His chastising actions do not bring a people to full repentance and reconciliation with Him!
  

In this age of the Gospel it means personal and corporate repentance of all sin, the receiving of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and ongoing commitment to serve Him as Lord over all the affairs and relationships of life, personally and corporately!

Our republic is going through a lot of calamities of many kinds – military operations in confusion, financial uncertainty with a national debt in excess of 8 trillion dollars, environmental and weather instability, many diseases out of control, and social unrest of unprecedented proportions, to mention just a few.
Review carefully the conditions for blessing and warning of what will happen for persistent disobedience to God in Deuteronomy 28. Also notice the pattern which leads to God doing some very “bad things” as outlined in 2 Chronicles 36:11-21.

It's rather obvious that God has been speaking and calling for some time, but there has been no real desire to turn from our rebellion as a nation and seek His mercy and forgiveness, has there? How long do you think it will be before He drops the "other shoe?"

And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. --- 2 Chronicles 36:15-17

More on Issue of God and His Judgmental Wrath!

"But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me." --- Deuteronomy 28:15-20

Roland in his comment on the post just below this one mentioned one reason why God should not bring judgment and that is love.

God's love is far beyond our limited minds to comprehend. Heavy is the emphasis on His love and mercy throughout the Scriptures. Perhaps that is one reason why things have gotten badly out of balance over time -- the focus has been totally on and emphasis given to God's "love" to the point in some cases of denying the reality of Hell as a place of everlasting torment.

Perhaps you have heard it in one form or another -- "God is a God of love and He would never send anyone to Hell!" Plus a heresy which is also a back door approach to denying the existence of Hell -- we're all going to end up in Heaven which is commonly known as universalism.

Truth demands that we look at this thing in the light of a coin with its "head" side and its "tail" side. God is a God of love beyond doubt and we are at that time of year when Christians review again the proof of His love in the giving of His Son, Jesus, for the sins of the entire human race -- His death on the cross was the perfect sacrifice for every sin you and I have ever committed in our lifetimes! And so mercy and forgiveness are offered on the condition of repentance and faith placed in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

But, God is also a God of judgment and wrath, and this too is clearly spelled out in the Scriptures, beginning with the "biggie" -- the flood at the time of Noah! What isn't realized is that mercy was offered for about 120 years before that devastating judgment took place. It is noted in 2 Peter that Noah, in addition to constructing the ark, was also a "preacher of righteousness." Except for his immediate family, no one else listened.

God's methods in dealing with cultures of people are mainly two -- when His Word is not heeded, He begins a series of chastising actions which may extend over quite a period of time. This is suggested in some of the Old Testament prophets. As long as there is chastising, there is hope for revival, healing and reconciliation. You see mention of God's efforts in this matter in the book of Amos.

However, if the chastising doesn't produce the desired results, then God's agenda changes and judgment is initiated. That means all hope is gone -- nothing but devastation and destruction will result -- God will not respond to the prayers that are uttered at such a time. Before you jump on that with "God always answers prayer!" thing, check Jeremiah 7, 11, and 14 for statements in which God explicitly says not to pray because He will not hear! Note again in the post before this one regarding the reference to 2 Chronicles 36 and the statement "till there was no more remedy!" That meant in no uncertain terms that they had crossed over the line -- no more chastising actions which offered hope of forgiveness and reconciliation with God -- now it was total destruction and NO HOPE!

I urge everyone who reads this to spend a lot of time with Jeremiah and Ezekiel (who was a contemporary of Jeremiah, but among the earlier captives) and see what was pointed out by way of spiritual, moral and ethical shortcomings. You will be amazed at how up to date these two are! But it's also a bit discomforting as well -- it might cause us to conclude as King Josiah did when words were read to him out of a long neglected dusty scroll -- "We're in a heap of trouble with God!" (that's a paraphrase, but that's precisely what he meant!).

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country...... --- Deuteronomy 28:1-3

Can You Come Up with Even One Good Reason?

"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down," says the LORD. Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.'" --- Jeremiah 6:15-17

In a previous post reference was made to this nation possibly experiencing the wrath of God in judgment. The subject has been discussed in certain areas of my web site, Circuit Rider's Range. In the right hand column of this BLOG you can scroll down to an area that provides some links to additional information on that rather unpleasant subject.

In my morning conversations with the Lord and mentioning the needs of our beloved republic, I can't come up with one solid reason as to why He shouldn't bring judgment upon this nation in that very moment in which I am talking to Him! I can only plead that He delay yet a while longer and increase the chastising actions and calamities upon this country as He sees fit in His infinite power and wisdom -- with the hope that just maybe our leaders (political and religious) and we citizens will see the urgent need to seek Him in a spirit of humility and true repentance.

And so I put the question to you -- what reason or reasons can you give as to why God should not bring judgment upon this nation without any further delay?

Because this is a Christian nation? Oh? On what basis? Because there are good people in this country and we have a lot of churches and a lot of good things are being done in many places. But there were a lot of good people in the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah in 586 BC -- they claimed to be God's people -- they did a lot of good things and they had the magnificent temple which had been built centuries before by the very famous King Solomon. And we can identify some of the very good people who lived at that time including one named Jeremiah who was in constant communication with God.

In spite of all the claims which the people of the kingdom of Judah might have made in 586 BC about being God's people etc. judgment still came after years of warning as well as pleading for them to repent of their sins and return to God.

The statistics related to our own rebellion against God and a prevailing national spirit of defiance are shockingly parallel to that which existed in the years in which Jeremiah lived.

We cannot even get half of our 300 million population into a place of worship on Sunday mornings. You know what goes on during Sundays, do you not? While the vast majority of U. S. citizens would claim to believe in God (another shallow reason for saying God ought not to bring judgment) they demonstrate that they are "practical atheists." A "practical atheist" is a person who claims to believe in God but lives each day as though God does not really exist!

On top of all that you have a 50 per cent or better casualty rate in marriages, with professing Christians having about the same failure -- all of which has contributed greatly to breakdown of the family and an ever growing number of problem children and youth!

Of course a lot of couples don't bother to marry -- they just set up house together in what has become known as a "relationship!" This arrangement doesn't have an impressive survival rate either.

Add to this mixture the bloody record of tens of millions of destroyed unborn children, entrenched idolatry, and pandemic sexual immorality and you have a formula for destruction at the hands of the One Who put this great universe together by spoken command!

Whatever appeal one feebly tries to make that God ought not to bring judgment on the United States, it has all been said before in years prior to 586 BC when a nation of people discovered too late that God keeps His promise when He says judgment will come if there is not universal repentance from all sin!

Want to read the best summary ever recorded as to how a culture finally crosses the line and experiences first hand the wrath of an angry God? Just read on -----

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19