Romans 13:8-10 ESV
What is the situation in America right now? I don’t have all the information, but from what I have read, the protests have continued, and the protesters are still demanding justice (revenge) and peace (world peace). Some or many of them have taken the law into their own hands, it would seem, and they are meting out their own justice, and it is anything but peaceful.
What I do know, from observing these types of things over the course of many years, is that they tend to follow the same modus operandi. If that is true in this case, which I believe everything points to it being true, next would be the overthrow of our government, and in place of them will be a transitional government of the New World Order. For, someone must come in to “save the day” and to save us from destroying ourselves.
The other thing I have observed about these types of situations in other nations over the course of many years, is that not everything is as it appears to be. Some things are faked, or if they are real, they are blamed on other people other than the perpetrators themselves. Deception abounds, people and nations are being taken advantage of, and they are being conquered.
We who are followers of Jesus Christ, thus, should not participate in such things as this. Certainly, we can appeal for justice (fairness), as Paul certainly appealed to Caesar. But he still submitted to the authorities, and he didn’t take matters into his own hands. He committed his life into the hands of God, and thus he spent many years in prison, even though he was innocent. But God used him to write letters to the churches during that time.
So, how should we respond to what we believe is injustice? We are to love our enemies, pray for them, do good to them, and say what is beneficial for them. We are not to do anything which would cause them harm or anyone harm. We are not to hate anyone or treat others badly because they are different from us, either. And, we are to pray for God to intervene in our lives on our behalf, and then entrust our lives to him.
Romans 13:11-12 ESV
The Bible told us that times like these would come before Jesus comes back to take us to be with him forever. In fact, the Scriptures teach that Jesus will not return to gather us to himself until the time of rebellion comes first, and until the man of lawlessness has been revealed (2 Thess. 2:1-3).
We are certainly experiencing a time of rebellion in our nation, and in other nations, it would seem, unlike anything we have ever seen before in our lifetimes. And, from what our leaders are saying, and the people are saying, it seems ripe for that man of lawlessness to come on the scene. For, they are looking for someone to “save the day,” which I believe was intended.
So, the Lord Jesus gave me an interesting and appropriate illustration of this coming of the lawless one. He put the song “Silver Bells” in my mind, and he pointed me to the chorus, which says, “Soon it will be Christmas Day.” But the song also says, “This is Santa’s big day.”
So, who is Santa? He is an aberration, he is not real, but he is a creation in the minds of his creators. But he is given all the qualities of Almighty God, as one who is all knowing, all powerful, and present everywhere at the same time.
For, he knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you are awake. He can ride through the sky and deliver presents to children all over the world in a single night, which means he must be many places all at the same time for that to happen. And, who wanted to be God? Satan (Santa).
Also, on Christmas Day, Jesus is pictured as a helpless baby in a manger, while all mighty and all-powerful Santa is flying through the air delivering presents to the boys and girls of the world. And, children are encouraged to write letters to Santa with their requests (like prayers), and they look forward to Santa’s return each year (like awaiting Christ’s return), and he gives good gifts to the children (like Jesus gave his life up for us).
Basically, Santa is an imitation of God/Jesus, and he is a replacement (supplanter) for Jesus Christ, too. And, this man of lawlessness will come on the scene as our “savior,” too, to set up his kingdom on the earth, and he will have a “plan of salvation” for us, too, to save us from the evils of hatred and prejudice and bigotry. And, he will have a message of peace.
But that peace has a bite to it. For, to have everyone in the world in unity and harmony with one another, there can’t be differences. We must all be the same. We must all think alike and look alike, and talk like each other.
So, Christianity will have to go, at least the real Christianity will. We won’t be allowed to share the gospel with others, especially the parts which say that Jesus is the only way to God and to heaven, and that we must repent of our sins and obey the Lord if we want eternal life with God (Eph. 4:17-24).
So, seeing the times in which we now live, and how they fulfill the prophecies of Scripture regarding these last days before Jesus returns, we must realize that it is time that we all wake up from spiritual apathy, if that is where we are, for the time is drawing near for our Lord’s return.
Romans 13:12-14 ESV
This is how we should live all the time, if we are true followers of Jesus Christ, but especially as we witness what is going on in our nations, and in the world, and as we see how it is all pointing to the need to have someone arrive on the scene to save us from ourselves.
If we listen carefully to what is being said, and to what is not being said, but is maybe being implied or hinted at, we can get a pretty good picture of where this is all headed, which was the plan all along. And, if we do so prayerfully, seeking the counsel of the Lord, I believe our eyes should be opened to the reality of where we are in the progress of time.
So, if you have just been kind of drifting along, doing what you want to do, taking God’s grace for granted, fulfilling the lusts of your flesh and your sinful desires, then this is the time to cast off those works of darkness and to walk now according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh.
For, the Scriptures teach that if we proclaim that we are in fellowship with God, but we are still walking in darkness, that we are liars. We don’t have the hope of eternal life with God, but a fearful expectation of God’s wrath. So, surrender your life to Jesus today.
Master, The Tempest is Raging!
Lyrics by Mary A. Baker, 1874
Music by Horatio R. Palmer, 1874
Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,
No shelter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?
Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today;
The depths of my sad heart are troubled—
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul;
And I perish! I perish! dear Master—
Oh, hasten, and take control.
Master, the terror is over,
The elements sweetly rest;
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
And heaven’s within my breast;
Linger, O blessed Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more;
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,
And rest on the blissful shore.
The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
Or demons or men, or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, peace, be still!
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“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
What is the situation in America right now? I don’t have all the information, but from what I have read, the protests have continued, and the protesters are still demanding justice (revenge) and peace (world peace). Some or many of them have taken the law into their own hands, it would seem, and they are meting out their own justice, and it is anything but peaceful.
What I do know, from observing these types of things over the course of many years, is that they tend to follow the same modus operandi. If that is true in this case, which I believe everything points to it being true, next would be the overthrow of our government, and in place of them will be a transitional government of the New World Order. For, someone must come in to “save the day” and to save us from destroying ourselves.
The other thing I have observed about these types of situations in other nations over the course of many years, is that not everything is as it appears to be. Some things are faked, or if they are real, they are blamed on other people other than the perpetrators themselves. Deception abounds, people and nations are being taken advantage of, and they are being conquered.
We who are followers of Jesus Christ, thus, should not participate in such things as this. Certainly, we can appeal for justice (fairness), as Paul certainly appealed to Caesar. But he still submitted to the authorities, and he didn’t take matters into his own hands. He committed his life into the hands of God, and thus he spent many years in prison, even though he was innocent. But God used him to write letters to the churches during that time.
So, how should we respond to what we believe is injustice? We are to love our enemies, pray for them, do good to them, and say what is beneficial for them. We are not to do anything which would cause them harm or anyone harm. We are not to hate anyone or treat others badly because they are different from us, either. And, we are to pray for God to intervene in our lives on our behalf, and then entrust our lives to him.
Romans 13:11-12 ESV
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand."
The Bible told us that times like these would come before Jesus comes back to take us to be with him forever. In fact, the Scriptures teach that Jesus will not return to gather us to himself until the time of rebellion comes first, and until the man of lawlessness has been revealed (2 Thess. 2:1-3).
We are certainly experiencing a time of rebellion in our nation, and in other nations, it would seem, unlike anything we have ever seen before in our lifetimes. And, from what our leaders are saying, and the people are saying, it seems ripe for that man of lawlessness to come on the scene. For, they are looking for someone to “save the day,” which I believe was intended.
So, the Lord Jesus gave me an interesting and appropriate illustration of this coming of the lawless one. He put the song “Silver Bells” in my mind, and he pointed me to the chorus, which says, “Soon it will be Christmas Day.” But the song also says, “This is Santa’s big day.”
So, who is Santa? He is an aberration, he is not real, but he is a creation in the minds of his creators. But he is given all the qualities of Almighty God, as one who is all knowing, all powerful, and present everywhere at the same time.
For, he knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you are awake. He can ride through the sky and deliver presents to children all over the world in a single night, which means he must be many places all at the same time for that to happen. And, who wanted to be God? Satan (Santa).
Also, on Christmas Day, Jesus is pictured as a helpless baby in a manger, while all mighty and all-powerful Santa is flying through the air delivering presents to the boys and girls of the world. And, children are encouraged to write letters to Santa with their requests (like prayers), and they look forward to Santa’s return each year (like awaiting Christ’s return), and he gives good gifts to the children (like Jesus gave his life up for us).
Basically, Santa is an imitation of God/Jesus, and he is a replacement (supplanter) for Jesus Christ, too. And, this man of lawlessness will come on the scene as our “savior,” too, to set up his kingdom on the earth, and he will have a “plan of salvation” for us, too, to save us from the evils of hatred and prejudice and bigotry. And, he will have a message of peace.
But that peace has a bite to it. For, to have everyone in the world in unity and harmony with one another, there can’t be differences. We must all be the same. We must all think alike and look alike, and talk like each other.
So, Christianity will have to go, at least the real Christianity will. We won’t be allowed to share the gospel with others, especially the parts which say that Jesus is the only way to God and to heaven, and that we must repent of our sins and obey the Lord if we want eternal life with God (Eph. 4:17-24).
So, seeing the times in which we now live, and how they fulfill the prophecies of Scripture regarding these last days before Jesus returns, we must realize that it is time that we all wake up from spiritual apathy, if that is where we are, for the time is drawing near for our Lord’s return.
Romans 13:12-14 ESV
"So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
This is how we should live all the time, if we are true followers of Jesus Christ, but especially as we witness what is going on in our nations, and in the world, and as we see how it is all pointing to the need to have someone arrive on the scene to save us from ourselves.
If we listen carefully to what is being said, and to what is not being said, but is maybe being implied or hinted at, we can get a pretty good picture of where this is all headed, which was the plan all along. And, if we do so prayerfully, seeking the counsel of the Lord, I believe our eyes should be opened to the reality of where we are in the progress of time.
So, if you have just been kind of drifting along, doing what you want to do, taking God’s grace for granted, fulfilling the lusts of your flesh and your sinful desires, then this is the time to cast off those works of darkness and to walk now according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh.
For, the Scriptures teach that if we proclaim that we are in fellowship with God, but we are still walking in darkness, that we are liars. We don’t have the hope of eternal life with God, but a fearful expectation of God’s wrath. So, surrender your life to Jesus today.
Master, The Tempest is Raging!
Lyrics by Mary A. Baker, 1874
Music by Horatio R. Palmer, 1874
Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,
No shelter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?
Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today;
The depths of my sad heart are troubled—
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul;
And I perish! I perish! dear Master—
Oh, hasten, and take control.
Master, the terror is over,
The elements sweetly rest;
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
And heaven’s within my breast;
Linger, O blessed Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more;
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,
And rest on the blissful shore.
The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
Or demons or men, or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, peace, be still!
