This article really should be two articles but since the topics relate to the same problem of repentance in America I will try to integrate them. The question is, would Christian repentance in America heal the land or will national repentance be required to heal the land? Too often I hear teachers and preachers say that if Christians will humble themselves and pray God will heal our nation. Is that really true? We will look at this presumption later but first I want to deal with a related issue.

Often you will hear the slogan that “We must take America back” It sounds good but who do “we” take America back from and to whom do we give America to? The usual answer is that we give America back to “we the people”. Have we the people of America really lost America or did the American people actually create the America that we live in today? I think it is the latter. The American government today really reflects what most Americans wanted from our government over time.

It was the American people that elected the people that took much moral law and God out of the affairs of our nation. Now some people say they want morality back but they will not deal with the sins in their own lives. So how is morality even possible when the majority of people in this nation want evils absolutely identified in the Bible to be allowed in society? They even permit evils to be openly promoted to their own children and expect some moral outcome?

Most Americans could not even agree on what it is that God requires from a people and a nation. Only four percent of Americans have a Christian worldview. So any god brought back into America today would just be an empty suit anyway. He would be somewhat like many of our political leaders and even some of the clergy that claim to believe in God or claim to do His work but display by their actions and words that their god is not God.

It was most of the American people that wanted big government social welfare programs. People in this nation want cradle to grave security provide to them by a government as flawed as themselves. In fact, people in this nation demand so many things to be provided for them by government that the government is continually spending more than they have to give it to them.

Now some have been shocked by the economic downturn and realized that if the nation continually overspends there will be consequences so they are rebelling against the consequences instead of dealing with their own avariciousness and lack of responsibility that helped create a government made in their own image. Now Americans are pointing fingers at the politicians they elected claiming that they have been framed by the image made in their likeness.

Many Americans were living beyond their means and gambling on the come line believing their winning streak would never end. When the dice came up craps they could not believe it and like the spoiled boomer generation they are, they wanted and still want the government they created to bail them out and restore their fortunes.

Many do not even care that the bailouts mean that their children and grandchildren will have to pay the cost for them to continue to live beyond their means. The future generations of Americans will pay for this spoiled boomer generation either through inflation or a systemic collapse of the economic system and a great depression.

Now that many have been hit in the pocketbook they want to stop paying the bills period. That really is the main reason for the rise of the Tea Party Movement. There really is no common agreement among the people in The Tea Party Movement other than they want less spending and lower taxes. But in the spending area don’t dare touch any program like Social Security or Medicare because it impacts the old people that make up most of the movement and don’t cut defense because this movement is make up of American patriots so we need to continue to spend more than the whole rest of the world combined on the military.

The real theme coming from the majority of people in this nation is to tell government to stop spending more than they are going to take in, but don’t cut nothing that I want, and do not tax me to pay for it, and don’t borrow the money to pay for it either?

This entertaining article was written by someone who was at the Tea Party convention. The article should make it clear that the Tea Party Movement is no more united on the issues than are most Americans. It seems the main thing they have in common is that they are fed up with the politicians that most of them elected.

Does anyone really think that electing Sarah Palin or anyone else is going to fix America without a change in Americans? Can evangelical Christians (whatever that means today) actually take over a hedonistic America? Would non Word Faith evangelicals even support Palin when they find out that Rick Joiner would be her prophet Czar giving her direct messages from God? (think about it.) I bring that up because even the Christian evangelicals would not be united against the most popular right wing figures.

Heck, if you could even elect someone from the right wing in America (which is highly doubtful in today’s America with all its government dependents) it will just spawn a new movement from the left to oppose what you are trying to force down their throats. So I think the Tea Party movement is going nowhere because it is going to splinter into factions and even if it succeeds to be sucked into the Republican elephant it will not bring significant change until the majority of people in America actually want that kind of change.

As long as the spoiled Spock babies of the baby boomer generation (that showed their real stuff during the Hippie Movement) are now in the majority change for the better in America is not going to happen.

Let’s say the majority of the country moved conservative and elected conservative leaders would that change the lack of morals of the American people? Would the American people then just negligent the poor dependents that they created in prior administrations? They would do so at the risk of massive riots followed by a police state. So no, you cannot just change all the rules in the middle of the ball game or take the ball and go home and act as if the home team had no part in the nation’s past fiscal irresponsibility when the government has always been the government that the people elected.

Any nation anywhere on the political spectrum is doomed to judgment if evil people prevail. It is more a moral and immoral issue than a Left or Right issue. We should throw both parties out and have a moral and immoral party. One would be based on the truths of the Bible and the other would oppose them. That would make the lines clear to all Americans. Yet, I think when people found out how it will impact their own lives the majority in America would willfully elect the immoral party into power, for we Gentiles living in the flesh are just as rebellious as the people of ancient Israel.

America is a secular country. America in general is using natural means to deal with a world actually controlled by the supernatural. America does not in general try to use spiritual means to war against spiritual forces that have control over the natural world. America does not even acknowledge that these forces exist. So America is powerless when spiritual forces in high places come against her. This nation is only going to bankrupt itself by trying to police evils everywhere else in the world when by our own natural strength we cannot even police the evils going on in our own cities at home. The American empire will soon go into the dustbin of world history like all the empires before it unless there is national repentance and spiritual intercession.

If all  Americas would repent like the people of Nineveh there could be a delay in judgment but that can only come if God sends America a prophet and the people listen.  How about the ongoing message from the Spirit filled Church in America, does it qualify as a prophetic message to this Gentile nation? Are the people of America listening to God’s people and repenting? I think not.

Christians ought to know that our weapons are not carnal. We should not believe that Americans that are still living in the natural could live morally as if they had the Spirit. We Christians need to fight the spiritual war against wickedness in high places through the method outlined by Paul:

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

True Christians in America are only a small majority of the population. We are not going to make America Christian or make Americans less worldly through natural means. The only way we can actually change America at all is by spiritual warfare. There is no reason for God to cure natural problems of a nation that are the result of the sinfulness of the people of that nation unless they repent of their sins.

This brings me to the other issue I first spoke of when I started this article. I know there are many true Christians that think that if true Christians in a nation repent and pray that God will heal the nation. That is false presumption based on a verse ripped out of proper context.

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God was not saying what many well meaning Christians imply. He was talking about the nation of Israel. “My people” at that time was Israel and the statement implies that if the nation of Israel repents God would heal their land. It was not saying that He was going to heal the land of Gentile nations if some Christians in their nations repented. If you read the text in full context God also pronounces judgment on His people and claims that His people will worship other gods and be exiled. If you are going to apply this verse to Christians then apply the rest of the passage to Christians as well.

This really is a prophetic covenant promise to the Nation of Israel at the establishment of the Temple of God in Israel. Most of what is described in the passage occurred to Israel in the history of Israel but the need for repentance before Israel can be restored still applies to Israel today.

God judges nations based on the actions of the people in the nations. Christians can be salt and light in a nation and be spiritual intercessors so the leaders of this nation will make the right decisions for the sake of God’s purposes on earth. But, even in intercession our prayers need to be within God’s will for the nation. Also remember that are real home is in Heaven not here. God certainly is not bound to answer prayers that really amount to being selfish prosperity presumptions for the nation.

If Christians really wanted repentance in America they now would have to be praying for the opposite of prosperity blessings for America. There is no history of repentance coming through more prosperity. That is about as valid a thought as the thought that prosperity comes from spending more and going further in debt.

Actually, if the Church of God repents it will produce works of the Spirit and that indirectly might help a nation to be blessed materially but let’s not get the cart before the horse. The only effective way that Christians can heal and change America is to be used by God to convert unbelievers. It is not the Christians that need to repent to save America. It is the whole nation that needs to repent and believe God. Christians in America need to tell them that.

Most people in the world claim to have a religion and they think that keeping the religion offers some reward for them after death. I do not think anyone explains the fallacy of such thinking any better than Mike Gendron in this article, Exchanging Religion for an Eternal Relationship with God. The article is found in his newsletter and it is in PDF format. There are better formats for reading on Internet reposting sites and if you Google that title you will find them. I believe in giving credit to the site of the author so that is why I linked to Gendron’s site rather than a reposting site.

By the way, if you click on the link on his name in the upper right side of the newsletter it will take you to his website homepage. Mike Gendron has written many excellent articles. His ministry is primarily toward reaching Roman Catholics. This article also focus mainly on the practices of Roman Catholics but the message is relevant to all people in the world that are trusting in their religion. That includes Protestants and even Evangelicals

I grew up much like Mike Gendron. I was a Roman Catholic but I really had to fall away from their religious system of bondage to find the only doctrine that will free and save anyone. That doctrine is simply that God’s salvation comes through God’s grace and His grace to mankind was given in His Son. What you have to do is believe in God’s righteousness and trust in the Savior God gave to pay for sin and bridge the gap between God and man. When you do believe (trust) in God Savior; He will raise you to eternal life. Salvation does not come through religion it comes from trusting in God’s promises.

I know, that you know, that you religious people trusting in your own religion to save you, will fail to keep it all anyway. But, if you think you actually did keep all the rules, regulations and traditions of your own religion you would become too self righteous to dwell among those saved by God’s grace anyway. Then God would have to create a special place for all the self righteous beings in the universe. I have news. He did. He named it The Lake of Fire.

No one will ever be saved through their own righteous works or by keeping a religion. For more understanding read the article above and also read my article on salvation through trusting in Jesus Christ.

Jesus asked this question, “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8).

Here is the full parable.

1   And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Jesus was saying that  God would speedily avenge the elect that call out to God day and night but the parable also gives us the reason for God’s delay in not immediately answering their cries. The answer is that God is longsuffering over the vessels of wrath not willing that any of His vessels of mercy should perish (Ro 9:22, 2 Pe 3:9).

There is another passage in Revelation chapter 6 that sheds further light on this passage.

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

The wording and context of the parable in Luke and the prophecy in Revelation tells me they correlate and say much the same thing. By correlating these two passages with the wheat and tare parable of Mt 13-25-30 we see that the elect in the Revelation prophecy are the same as the widow and the same as the wheat in those parables. The adversary is likewise the satanic people or the tares dwelling on the earth.

We know from the scriptures that after thousands of years of God bearing with the tares on earth that God’s judgment will come on the vessels of wrath. The major mystery that remains in this passage is why does Jesus ask if  there will be faith on the earth when He comes? Obviously the widow (the elect) is the one praying to God to be avenged so she cannot be among the faithless.

One then might wonder why Jesus even asked if there would be faith on the earth at His coming? Jesus certainly knows there will be believers on the earth when He comes or there would be little point of His coming for His own at all. You cannot be one of the elect crying out to God if you have no faith. The answer to the riddle is that Jesus was talking to those left behind after the Rapture in Lk 18:8. The acceptable year of the Lord ended at the Rapture so those that remain are under the day of vengeance (Isa 61:2) until the arrival of the Kingdom age. Those left on earth after the Rapture of the Spirit indwelt Church will have to endure a fiery trial to determine if they will believe God and obtain faith and salvation (Rev 3:10 – 2Th 2: 7-12). During this tribulation period works will be required to demonstrate faith Mt 10:41-42, Rev 14:13. All on earth will have knowledge of God and Jesus Christ before the end comes (Mt 24:14). So all on earth will either accept the truth or they will believe a Satanic lie (2 Th 2:10). Those that accept Jesus Christ and do works fitting of a believer will be saved.

Some also might wonder exactly where the elect will be while this trial is taking place on earth? They will be guests or wards of the heavenly court. While the adversary is being avenged on earth and the righteous Judge of the earth is looking for faith on the earth, the Spirit indwelt elect of the acceptable year of the Lord will have been taken out of harms way and will be adorned and prepared to become the Lamb’s wife.

Now I know that raises certain questions in the minds of those who do not believe in a pre-wrath rapture. They think we are talking about two comings of Jesus but actually we are only saying that the second coming of Jesus is accomplished in two stages. First Jesus comes in the heavens and sends for His faithful elect on earth and they are taken up to the Holy City that will be coming down from the third heaven to orbit the earth over Jerusalem (hardly science fiction). While the elect bride is being prepared for the wedding to the Lamb in Heaven the adversary is being dealt with on earth.  After the tribulation of those days every eye will see Jesus coming in great power and glory with all His angels and saints and all living will appear before Jesus to determine if they are found worthy to go into the Kingdom Age.

So the answer to the question will Jesus find faith on earth is yes, no and then yes? When Jesus comes for His elect there will be no others with true faith on the earth left but when Jesus comes in glory there will be many tribulation saints present that obtained faith in Jesus Christ during their tribulation trial.

Some wonder why Bible prophecy is so cryptic? The answer is that understanding of  both parables and Bible prophecy are only for the astute elect. Jesus taught in parables at His first coming so that those wise in their own understanding would not understand the things of God. The Scribes and the Pharisees did know the scriptures but they lacked understanding and could not properly discern the scriptures they knew. They would not see that Jesus was clearly taught in the scriptures because in their own self righteous religious understanding, the Messiah would enable them and not correct them.

It was also obvious from what we have been told in scripture that even the disciples of Jesus did not understand many of the parables. Jesus had to explain them privately to his disciples.  After Jesus rose from the dead one of the first things that Jesus did was to open the understanding of His disciples by showing them the scriptures that taught about Himself (Lk24 25-27). Take note that Jesus taught them from the scriptures rather than just revealing Himself to them in special revelation. It is important that people know the scriptures rather than look for the things of God in some special Revelation. Only in the breaking of the Bread did they finally recognize that the risen Savior had been among them teaching them all this time.

The parables at first were given for the astute elect of Israel that were hungry to know the truths of God. The parables were explained to them by Jesus. When the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost the door was opened for all believers to understand the things of God. But nevertheless, not all seek, and not all ask for understanding, and not all hear what the Spirit is saying. Many do not meditate on the words of God because they do not know the word of God.

Furthermore, nobody is really going to understand scripture without the Holy Spirit. So being Baptized into Christ comes before any real understanding. Many remain blinded to the meaning of parables and also Bible prophecy because they either do not know the scriptures or for various reasons they never got understanding from the Holy Spirit.

Those in Christianity blinded by things of the world and dull of hearing about the Lord’s second coming will not see or understand the scriptures where Jesus fulfills future Bible prophecy. Those dull of hearing as it relates to Bible prophecy are those that in practice have given up on any literal future fulfillment of Bible prophecy on earth. Instead of seeking understanding in the scriptures they substitute theories of theology that make prophetic passages conform to their religion.

Satan and all the world blinded by him do not know the future. The best they can do is guess or try to manipulate world events to try to make it come about. Nevertheless, God is in control of all future events not Satan. Those without understanding of Bible prophecy cannot know the future so they often dabble in occult practices to try to figure the future out. We see that happening today.  Those today that mix paganism and Bible prophecy are doing it because they are still blind and they think they found answers about the timing of the second coming of Jesus through pagan methods and theories.  They try to make Bible prophecy conform to the latest pagan theory but one originates from God and the other originates from Satan. You cannot get understanding of what God said about the future by mixing truth and lies.

The sons of Satan continually attempt to make the world system conform to the teaching of their own false prophets who get their message from devils. In recent times we have seen examples of  attempts to bring about a world under the oppression of Satan. There are religions like Islam founded on false prophets. There are the philosophies and worldviews of Fascism, Marxism, Secular humanism and New Age/New Spirituality, they are all founded on false prophets.  With most worldviews outside of Christianity the driving force behind them is the antichrist spirit found in paganism and pantheism.  All of the founders of these world philosophies or worldviews dabbled in the occult. We have seen many attempts of Satanically inspired people trying to bring in a world system that will conform to the teaching of their own false prophets but they all fail in the end. They will continue to fail until God removes the restrainer in His people.

So I think that those that tell me about some Satanic plan to establish a Satanic New world order really miss the whole point. What else is new under the sun? God is still in control of the earth and Satan can do nothing that God does not allow. Satan has been trying to discourage and defeat the Sons of light and bring in his own kingdom for six millenniums but only in God’s timing will Satan be given the power to bring  his counterfeit kingdom on earth. Even then, it is only granted for a very short period in order to deceive those on earth that rejected the love of the truth (2Th 2 7-12).

Jesus taught in Parables to help illustrate spiritual truths to those that have the eyes to see and ears to hear and understand these things.  Why Jesus taught in parables is explained in several passages but I have one that I want you to ponder on. That is the Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:18).  The sower is Jesus. The seed is the word of the Kingdom. The ground are the people that the word falls on. The people that can hear the word and that allow the word to take deep root in themselves will produce for the Kingdom. Those that produce much will be given more authority and responsibility as a reward. Those that produce little will have the authority and responsibility they had taken away and the rewards they should have received will be given to those that produced.  Further light on rewards and the taking away of rewards can be found in the Parable of the Pounds in Luke Chapter 19.

Another reason why Jesus taught in parables was so those that sought out the mysteries of the parables would understand (the wise – the astute elect). Bible prophecy is much the same. The world and even some Christians are not looking for the second Coming of Jesus by searching the scriptures. Instead, they are looking for the end of the world through the teachings of false prophets. They will never understand Bible prophecy or know the time of His coming by believing the false prophets of the world. Nevertheless, the wise will understand in the end time (Dan 12:10, Mat 25: 4)

Those Christians with preconceived presumptuous theologies like replacement and supersession theology will not understand Bible prophecy. The religious leaders of Jesus time thought they would recognize the Messiah when the Messiah came and fulfilled there preconceived theology but He came as scripture said He would and the religious leaders did not even know Him. The builders of Judaism rejected the chief cornerstone of their own religion. Had they really understood the scriptures it should have been quite clear to them that Jesus was the Messiah but they were more worried about keeping up religious appearances and lording over men.

Many of the religious leaders today are cut from the same cloth. They do not know or teach anything about Bible prophecy and the second coming of Jesus Christ. They have become blinded by worldly worldviews. Since they have little or no understanding of Bible prophecy they just make it allegory. As allegory they can redefine Bible prophecy to say whatever they want. Many today also just make sin and hell and judgment on this evil world allegory as well. They redefine scripture so that God becomes a politically correct being that must obey human reason.

Nobody can understand the true meanings of parables, Bible prophecy, or the deep things of God by human reasoning or through human preconceived theologies. Deep spiritual truths are given to those who can chew the meat of God’s word and build upon it by taking Bible passages and correlating  them with all other scriptures to try to find true understanding. All is done by serious study of scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit. Those that still suck milk are not going to get parables or Bible prophecy correct and those who think they will get enlightenment on Bible prophecy from pagan sources are totally deceived.

As Issiah said:

Isa 28:9   Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

I have found one absolute truth in every evangelical Bible believing church. (I have attended many churches with all the moves that I have made over the years). That absolute truth is that most people that attend these churches have never read through the Bible even once in their entire Christian lives. How do they really know a biblical Jesus without reading the Bible? Apparently some Christians think they know all about  Jesus but they do not know or care that the Bible is the only infallible source that accurately speaks of Him?

I realize that there is Christian teaching in many of these churches where you can find out things about Jesus without reading the Bible for yourself. Nevertheless, how about a little self motivation to read all that God has given us about the Jesus of the Bible rather than waiting for the pastor or teacher to dig something up for you?

I also know that in these churches there always is a core group that do read the Bible but they are most often just a small minority of the membership. Christians might wonder why it is that they have no motivation to learn about the things of Jesus and what that says about them?

I really do not understand Christians that are not driven to find out the words of God. When I first believed I was driven to read the Bible several times in the first couple of years and I also spent many hours listening to many radio teachers and tapes. I was always finding out new things that I did not fully understand before. I Still do. By the time I first attended a church (a few years later) I had more understanding of  the Bible than most people that were attending the church all of their lives. I just do not understand Christians that are not motivated to read the words of God and learn.

How can one really know Jesus without reading the Bible? How can anyone live a fruitful Christian life without knowing the Bible? How do you know you are even saved without reading the Bible?  The Bible is all about the work of Jesus in His creation so if you believe Jesus is God and expect Him to save you why do Christians not want to read what God has to say to them?  How does a Christian even defend their faith without reading the Bible? Obviously they cannot and cults are well aware of this.

Most Pastors and teachers know what I am saying is true. The Bible illiteracy in our Bible churches is deplorable. One of the things I like about Calvary Chapels is that they teach book by book through the Bible. So if you attend regularly in a Calvary Chapel and stay long enough your going to hear the whole Bible and get the pastors educated commentary on the Bible to boot. However, most churches do not teach through the Bible and I am not saying that they should.  The pastors should do what God is telling them to do in the congregation they lead. The ultimate responsibility to know the Bible rests with you alone.

Christians follow “Christian” TV hucksters and book peddlers that tickle their ears with promises of a prosperous life in the flesh because they do not read the Bible. Christians get confused by cults because they do not read the Bible. Christians get sucked into the latest New Age doctrine or successful living fad book because they do not read the Bible. Christians look for answers in pagan theories about the end times because they are not reading the Bible

From the comments on this Christian blog it is clear to me that many people commenting here have never read through or understood the Bible. Don’t take me wrong. Many of the people that come here are the cream of the crop in Christian knowledge and they stand out like a light against the darkness. But how can the biblically illiterate “Christian” come here and discuss Christian topics or claim that I am wrong if they do not even know what God has to say? First read the Bible and see what God says before you tell me I am wrong.

You have “Christians” trying to find a Jesus made up in their own mind through contemplation because they will not read the Bible. You have “Christians” that go to barns on Sunday that have entertainment services because they do not want to hear the truth from a real Bible teacher. You have “Christians” that think that people can be saved outside of Jesus because they do not know the Bible. Every latest heresy of the week is popular with Christians that are not reading the Bible.

I remember listening to a well known Bible commentator that had been commenting on the Bible and Christian topics for years admit that he never had read through the Bible. It took a lot of guts for him to admit that and I am happy to hear that he finally did, but I have to wonder why a Christian radio commentator had not read through the Bible even once. How many others teachers like him are still out there?

Today we have translations of the Bible that are written so anyone can read them yet people were more Bible literate when all we had was the Bible in King James English. The membership of Christian churches are not only dumbed down and apathetic they are caught up with everything in the world but God’s own word. “Christians” find time for the Internet, for talking or texting on cell phones all day, and for watching endless TV but they cannot  find time to read God’s word.

Is it then any wonder why most of America claims to be Christian but hedonism, debauchery, pride and corruption of all sorts reigns in our land.

We recently moved to a very conservative “Christian” area of the United States but I have been told by other Christians here not to trust most “Christian” real estate agents in this area. I should not trust most of the local Bank owners. I am told not to trust many of the “Christian” builders and handymen. I am told not to trust most “Christians” that provided services. My wife has already been defrauded by a “Christian”  con artist running the “Christian” youth center. I am told and am inclined to believe that the “Christian” politicians and prosecutors in this county will take the easy way out. Drugs and all sorts of sex sins and perversion reign in this “Christian” area.

Few “Christians” attend Sunday evening and mid week service in the best of Churches. “Christian” people lie to your face and tell you what they think you want to hear. Pathological liars in this “Christian” area are a plague. I do not know what Bible all these “Christians” are reading that makes them think they can act like heathen and call themselves Christians. But hey! This is “heartland “Christian” America”!

Judgment is coming on “Christians” and on America because  “Christians” obviously lack knowledge about the things of God and what He requires of His people. We should take heed to what God said to Israel as an example for us. All Christians should learn what God says and take heed before this passage happens to the Bible illiterate “Christians” of America.

Hos 4:6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7  As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

Certain Bible prophecy teachers are saying certain things that can only be labeled as dangerous theology.

The dangerous theology I am talking about comes from subjective interpretations of the Parable of the Fig Tree mentioned in three gospels. The problem is that they teach their conjecture as truth and that is what makes it dangerous theology. When they say the Rapture has to occur before the end of next year based on their own subjective interpretation of the Parable of the Fig Tree they are teaching dangerous theology.

I am speaking of  those that say the Rapture has to occur by next year because of their conjecture that the Parable of the Fig Tree has to be talking about Israel’s rebirth in1948 and their conjecture that a generation or a lifespan is seventy years. They go on to say the Rapture would have to occur at least seven years before the seventy years are up so they say the Rapture has to occur by the end of 2011. Even worse are the ones who tie in pagan hype to come up with a 2012 tribulation. When once credible Bible prophecy teachers dogmatically set the final date for the Rapture or the tribulation they are on dangerous ground theologically.

If Christians actually believed what they are teaching as fact, the Church should do no planning for anything after next year. So if you believe them don’t build that church or start that Bible college. Why even go on with your Bible translating since you will never will get it done before next year? Everyone might as well just quit college and stop future planning for anything. Just go wait on a mountain top. Do you get the picture?  This date setting from a flimsy interpretation of the Fig Tree Parable is very dangerous theology. Thank God that most of the Church have not and will not buy into Rapture date setters.

What are those that are saying these things going to do when 2011 comes and goes and there is no Rapture? I already know. They will just change a lifespan or generation to mean 80 years and say the Rapture has to happen by 2021.

It is no skin off their nose because many already claim that a lifespan can be 80 years according to the Bible. But what about the people that actually believed your dogmatic teaching that the Rapture would occur before 2012? What about all those that will give up on Bible prophecy teachers because they once again prove to be wrong. Is it any wonder why in the last days some will mock and say where is the promise of His coming (2 Pt 3:4)? Every time some Bible prophecy teacher cries “Lion” and Jesus does not come at their call the skeptics of Bible prophecy grow in number.

I also have to ask the people that claim to believe these subject interpretations a question? Do you really dogmatically believe that the Rapture has to occur by next year? If you really do I certainly do not see any indication of that. There is no increased activity from Christians to get things completed by next year. Many of the Christians I am in contact with seem to be worrying more about an economic collapse in the United States, and for good reason. Why worry about that if you actually believe the Rapture will happen by next year? If you really believe the Rapture is coming by next year just send me your money you will not be needing it.

So, obviously such conjecture by Bible prophecy teachers do not really impact the lives of Christians anyway. So what is the point for giving gullible people false hope of an early escape? On some Bible prophecy forums all troubled people do all day is talk about their hope of escaping in the Rapture by next year. The need for escape even borders on faithlessness in my opinion.

Anyone see a parallel here with 88 reasons why the Rapture will occur in 1988? That well meaning but very wrong Bible prophecy teacher thought a generation was forty years. The fact of the matter is that we do not know that Jesus was talking about the birth of secular Israel in 1948 in the Parable of the Fig Tree .

A word to the wise should be sufficient, but will it be?

Do your realize that most that identify with Christianity still believe in Amillennial Theology? One of the problems with Amillennial Theology is that it allegorizes or spiritualizes just about all future Bible prophecy and robs the prophets of their real message and often replaces what they literally said with a man made allegory and then the allegory also varies with the views of different commentators.

I am not sure how many of you are aware of it but I have a rather lengthy article that gives many arguments against Amillennial Theology. I also have a lengthy article that argues for Premillennial Pretribulation Rapture Theology.

This is posted to make you aware of my articles on these subjects. There won’t be any comments allowed on this particular post because from prior experience I know people with other theologies will come here and want to start an endless argument on theologies that have been already argued to ad nauseam, as if  their arguments will resolve differences in theology in the limited comments section of a blog post.

If you look on my blog side bar you will see by far the post that is being hit on the most frequently is The Book of Enoch and Bible prophecy. That fact probably has more to do with keyword rankings in Google then it does with the interests of the readers of this Blog, but even so, the account in Genesis of the Son’s of God taking the daughters of men as wife’s and producing an offspring called the Nephilim seems to be of great interest to a whole lot of people. Perhaps that is because people sense that there is more to the story than what they were taught in Sunday school on this topic.

The usual view taught on this is the Sons of Seth theory, but that theory just does not answers the many questions it raises. So instead of believing doctrines of well meaning but wrong teachers. I really have to take what the Bible says on this subject literally. I can also confirm through other ancient books such as The Book of Enoch and the writing of Josephus and others that the ancients also took quite literally the account of angels taking women and producing a mighty race called the Nephilim.

It then seems to me that if you take what is said literally these offspring of angels and humans corrupted the world and all air breathing flesh. They were the reason why God had to destroy the world to preserve the pure Adamic race through Noah so that a Kinsman Redeemer of Adam could come and pay the price and redeem the Adamic race from their bondage to sin.

In other words, this corrupting of human genetics was an attempt by Satan’s angels to literally short-circuit God’s divine plan of redemption to save the human race.

I will not get into all the details because  Jack Kelly already says it better than I can or anyone else I have read in his article called, The Nephilim.

By the way, Jack Kelly is a very astute Bible prophecy teacher that writes about many topics that you are not likely to get very clear or correct answers to in Sunday School. On a scale of one to ten among Bible Prophecy discernment Jack Kelly is a ten. He is not afraid to disagree with other teachers that teach a more classical view on Bible prophecy if that is where his own study leads him. His website is gracethrufaith.com but don’t go there unless you want a lot of food for thought on Bible prophecy and other biblical topics of interest.

On the Nephilim subject and Jack’s article, I will just add a couple of my own thoughts here. I think that one or more of the wife’s of the sons of Noah carried the Nephilim gene and that is why they began reappearing some time after the flood and why God told Israel to kill everyone in Canaan. I do not think the angels that sinned and were chained after the flood were replace by more angels that did it all over again like I have heard some teachers say.  I think there had to be a genetic mop up operation after the populations of Canaan had become genetically corrupted again and that is why God directed that all the people occupying Canaan had to be totally wiped out.

I wrote my own article on this topic about ten years ago, I called it Aliens. So what does UFO Alien conjecture have to do with what happened in Genesis? I guess you need to read the articles to get the full picture on that.

It Seems to me that when Satan is cast out of heaven unto the earth just prior to the 3 1/2 year great tribulation, that this attempt by Satan’s angels to corrupt all flesh is going to get new legs. I do not know how it will all play out but I think it has something to do with the Mark of the Beast. Perhaps the Mark is more than just an identification chip to buy and sell. Perhaps if you take it, it will actually modify your genetics and you will no longer be a pure human, you will be transhuman or even superhuman.  It may be the great evolutionary leap forward for mankind that is being promised by “New Age” and “New Spiritually” teachers.

So could you resist this temptation, deception or delusion to become superhuman if only you took the Mark? Most will not, I think most will be eager to take the Mark that will initiate them into the collective spiritual body of Satan. My conjecture is that Satan will promise people very long life or even eternal life while people are still in their bodies of  flesh and still in their sin. All they need to do is take upon themselves the Mark that somehow gives them human angel hybrid genetics.

The Antichrist or False Prophet wont tell them that those who had corrupted genetics before the flood became wandering spirits after their bodies were destroyed in the flood (the demons) and he won’t tell them that they also will be tormented forever and they will not find rest. However, God’s angels will warn all mankind not to take the Mark so none will be without excuse. Thus those who seek to save their mortal lives by taking the Mark will lose their eternal soul.

It is also silly for anyone to even think they can physically fight against Satan and his angels with human weapons. Those that are arming for this war are on the wrong page in the wrong book. Will you really try to fight against angels with bullets? Your weapons used against them would do nothing but get yourself killed. Nobody will be able to stand against them, not even the two prophets of God. However, Jesus Christ will defeat all those that follow Satan at his second coming.

King James only and Gail Riplinger’s “New Age Bible Versions” has more than once been brought up on this Blog and elsewhere. I find it incredible that a woman with degrees in Interior design, with no formal training on the Bible, a woman that cannot even read Hebrew or Greek can set herself up as some authority over the best trained Bible translators in the world. I find it dumbfounding that Christians and even some “discernment ministries” would actually take what she says seriously without even reading what the experts say about her bazaar claims.

I can only surmise that her distortions of the truth appeal to those with a wooden head that somehow became a treasure chest full of conspiracy theories. They want to believe  conspiracy theories so bad that they grasp at anything at all if it seems to support their conspiracy concepts. Nevermind, that Gail Riplinger’s sad works have divided Christians and churches for no reason and discredited good Bible translations and translators. Nevermind, that she would not be allowed to teach a Sunday school to the men in most of the churches where she is held in highest esteem. However, in their wooden minds her books support their King James Only beliefs, so she gets a free pass from them to twist the truth in front of the whole world. 

I think all that are promoting Gail Riplingers books should take what James White said below very seriously. It is understandable that certain people like Riplinger would write books on topics that they really do not have the qualification to write, but why are some Christians, churches and forums promoting her? Where is is thy discernment that many doing this claim to have??

I think James White says it best in this summery from his review and his debates on Riplinger’s book and claims. If you want to know why Gail Riplinger views are deceptive, silly and lack discernment read the full article.

Why Respond to Gail Riplinger? | Bible.org | Home of NET Bible on-line, Bible Study tools, Free Bible

Gail Riplinger’s works have been reviewed, and rejected, by numerous Christian leaders and scholars. For most, it’s a waste of time to even discuss the issue, since it’s so obvious that she is a troubler of the brethren, a woman who is out of control, setting herself up as an expert on topics about which she knows nothing at all. Her inability to function as a scholar is plain to anyone who wishes to see. The impact she has had in disrupting churches, damaging missions work, and in generally causing trouble, is hers to answer for.

In closing, though, we should actually be more troubled about what Gail Riplinger’s work says about the church as a whole. Where has discernment gone? Why didn’t someone sit her down a long time ago and try to straighten her out? And what is worse, why are men to this day letting her go on her merry way, spreading falsehoods, and even encouraging her in such activities? I have been informed (but have not taken the time to verify) that Mrs. Riplinger was recently granted an honorary doctorate by Jack Hyles for her work, New Age Bible Versions. Can someone explain how a person who doesn’t even have the first bit of undergraduate training in any of the fields relating to Bible translation can be given an honorary doctorate for having produced the most error-filled volume on the topic ever to grace the planet? Is “acrostic algebra” the stuff of doctorates? One may well forgive Gail, for she is obviously deceived; but what of the many others who encourage her to continue on in her path of disturbing the work of the Church? Might not they be even more liable? It would seem so.

Full article

Halloween is coming do you want to see some real scary stuff???

This first article is real scary stuff! It tells us what America’s high school children did not learn while in the tentacles of our scary “teachers” in our real scary public school system.

Alex Jones’ Prison Planet.com » Only 28% Of High School Students Are Familiar With The Constitution
The questions, posed by national research firm, Strategic Vision, are taken from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services exam, the test that all candidates to become U.S. citizens must take.

As noted by the OCPA in their write up of the survey results, while around 92% of the people who take the citizenship test pass on their first attempt, only 2.8% of the students surveyed would have passed the citizenship test.

The results of the survey are displayed below, for further breakdown see the write up:

Question Answer  % of Students Who Answered Correctly

What is the supreme law of the land? ……………..The Constitution– 28%
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? The Bill of Rights– 26%
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? The House and the Senate– 27%
How many justices are there on the Supreme Court? Nine– 10%
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson– 14%
What ocean is on the east coast of the United States? Atlantic– 61%
What are the two major political parities in the United States? Democratic and Republican– 43%
We elect a U.S. senator for how many years? Six– 11%
Who was the first President of the United States? George Washington– 23%
Who is in charge of the executive branch? The President– 29%

Out of 1000 students surveyed, only 6 of them got more than 7 questions correct, and only 108 got more than half of the questions correct.
Full article

Keep in mind that over 90 percent of those wanting to becoming citizens of this country passed the test but only about 3 percent of our high school kids passed. If that does not scare you, you might be a product of the public school system. But, now knowing that our kids do not know anything about American stuff, what kind of scary system of government would you expect to evolve out of the Department of “Education” Beast running the public schools of America? Or should I really say Department of Indoctrination Beast?

But Heck, ignorance about our nation did not just start in 2009 or we would not already have real scary big government socialist control freaks called “Czars” running the nation. Anyone want to be a Obama Czar for Halloween?? They are very scary people! They will kill the checks and balances of our Constitution for sure but the brain dead zombies coming out of our public indoctrination system know nothing about the law of our land.

People in Europe and America have let real scary socialist big government control freaks czars take control so these real scary control freaks are developing a real scary computerized system that will monitor and control everyone and everything on the planet. You can read about the development of such real scary stuff in this second article.

EU Plans Massive Surveillance Panopticon That Would Monitor “Abnormal Behavior”

The European Union is developing a 21st century panopticon, a beast surveillance system that critics describe as “Orwellian,” “sinister,” and “positively chilling,” that would collate data from numerous sources, including surveillance cameras and personal computers, in order to detect “abnormal behavior” across the entire continent.

The surveillance system, known as Project Indect, promises to collect information by way of “continuous monitoring” of “web sites, discussion forums, usenet groups, file servers, p2p networks [and] individual computer systems”. It will also use CCTV feeds and other surveillance methods to develop models of “suspicious behavior” by analyzing the pitch of people’s voices (suggesting that private conversations will be recorded) as well as “the way their bodies move”.

Its main objective will be the “automatic detection of threats and abnormal behavior or violence”.

According to Danish Institute for Human Rights researcher Peter Scharff, the Panopticon was intended to promote “self-regulation that was to be provoked by the constant surveillance”. The concept was eventually incorporated into many prisons that continue today as “podular” designs, which also maximizes the amount of people that can be controlled by one person. The fact that authorities are building societal prisons around us all today using the same basic methods of control is enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine and remind us once again that freedom is a myth.

This has nothing to do with catching criminals – as recent figures in the UK have proven, CCTV cameras have virtually no impact on crime whatsoever. This is all about letting the slaves know who their bosses are, it’s a psychological mind game set up to distinguish and reinforce the master-servant relationship between the state and the individual.

The endgame is to convince the individual that to express their freedom in public, to engage in any kind of protest or merely to question the power structure that surrounds them, is a “suspicious” act detrimental to society and that negative consequences will follow for any slave who dares to step outside of this invisible yet oppressive jail cell.

Full Article

Now, after reading that you might want to know the real scary stuff on how the Czars will eventually hook everyone up to the Beast? I think this next article will give you the general scary idea. They plan to have direct neural links from your brain to the web and all other inventory on earth will also be linked to the web as well (yes, people will just become another part of the inventory of this Beast). That concept should really scare you because this is the 666 Beast buy sell system of Revelation.

Beware, a day is coming when you will not be able to buy or sell unless you take the neural chip that connects you to the world wide web and the top Czar Beast that is controlling everyone through his system. It is not fully developed yet but the real scary stuff is that it is now under development and it will become a real scary reality in just a decade or two probably just in time for celebration of some future Halloween. Meanwhile, all the Czars  are moving all the brain dead zombies coming out of the state indoctrination systems toward that real scary dead end.

Google ‘evangelist’ sees web, brain implant link | Stuff.co.nz

Vint Cerf, vice-president and “chief internet evangelist” of tech giant Google, foresees the introduction of internet capability to existing neural interface technology such as cochlear implants, allowing, as an example, web radio played direct from computer to brain.

He is also involved in work to send internet infrastructure into space to create “a communications backbone between space-faring nations”.

Cerf predicts the falling cost and rising sophistication of programmable devices will allow the internet to be widely embedded in inanimate objects, leading to revolutions in automated shipping and inventory control.

Full article

Think the 2012 date setters are not having a negative effect on many in the Church? Obviously this speculation based mostly on Mayan ages and a Mahdi coming out of well is attracting many followers. Some such as the “Gospel Tract Society” now take the position that we are already in the tribulation. H E L L O… what tribulation? I will say it as gently as I can, those who think we are already in the tribulation have lost their marbles.

I do not see a good end result coming from all this date setting nonsense. By 2013 Bible prophecy teachers will be mocked. It is as if there is a Satanic deception (there is) to destroy the message of the soon coming of Jesus through the promotion of those crying wolf based on pagan crap – not the Bible. This 2012 date setting speculation is not coming from God.

I think I understand why people promote their crap and pet theories in books, it is profitable for them. But, why do Christians buy it and suck it up like it was profound biblical truth. Some of us warned that the 88 reason why Jesus would come in 1988 was unfounded but people bought the books anyway and Bible prophecy teaching in the Church took a huge hit because of that. Now we have to endure the 2012 end of the world books and movies based on pagan fantasy and those who only know enough about Bible eschatology to twist it to fit their theories.

The world is not going to end in 2012 and we are not in the tribulation. Like Nathan Jones said in this article “take a chill pill”

The Christ in Prophecy Journal: Gospel Tract Society Abandons Pre-Trib Heritage

The Gospel Tract Society has changed their longstanding view in the last month. Lamb & Lion Ministries was first alerted to the change when the ministry’s successor, Tom Buttram, asked founder Dr. David Reagan to change the wording in his tract “Living for Christ in the End Times” (based on the article) from “Rapture” to “Second Coming.” The second alert came when a friend of Lamb & Lion Ministries contacted the Gospel Tract Society for copies of that tract, only to be told the remaining 6,000 in inventory were going to be destroyed.

Upon inquiry as to why the Gospel Tract Society would desire to change the wording and destroy the existing inventory, Tom Buttram responded with a very startling revelation. “As though someone reprinted my Bible overnight,” Tom Buttram now believes humanity has already entered into the Tribulation and the Church will not be raptured until the Seventh Trumpet Judgment has sounded mid-way through the Tribulation.

after over 80 years of the Gospel Tract Society proclaiming the imminent return of Jesus Christ, they will now refocus their attention on printing materials “needed for all to escape delusion and attack” by the Man of Lawlessness (the Antichrist) and a Mid-Tribulation rescue by Jesus.

the esteemed Gospel Tract Society after 80 years of preaching the Rapture of believers before world judgment has just declared that they got it all wrong, that we are actually living in the Tribulation, and that we will all be attacked (means “massacred,” folks) by the coming world leader — and that is supposed to be a source of calm!?! Just how much “calm” are they now going to spread with their newest batch of tracts?

Secular movies like “Knowing” and “2012″ and books and commentaries and pundits (and the list goes on) are very interested in End Time speculation. Only the overall Church seems to be sleeping on this subject. But, for those believers who are anticipating Christ’s return, a certain hysteria has begun to set in. The people are getting very antsy and have begun chasing after every new theory and speculation that rises to the scene.

Secondly, as Dr. Ron Rhodes once said, we are filtering God’s Word through our human antennae and our fallen nature is putting static in our reception.

Every person believes God is giving them a particular revelation or insight into the Bible that is different than what they once believed — but they all conflict! I get hundreds of emails a week from people all over the world, and many writers purport to have discovered some special insight from God. For example, could the Pope, Javier Solana, Prince Hassan, Tony Blair, Barack Obama, the Mahdi and the entire United States of America all be the Antichrist at the same time? Saved believers in Christ each have a candidate God has “revealed” to them in Scripture. Or, could the Tribulation be seven years long, World War II, the Papal years, only for Israel, for the entire world, and it’s just the conflict in our hearts all at same time? Saved believers each have a position. But, only one answer can possibly be correct.

To use an 80’s term, we all need to “take a chill pill.

Full article

I think one of the reasons why people get way off on Bible prophecy is that they do not understand the nature of the Bride of Christ. The Church is the betrothed Bride of Jesus Christ. Even those who do seem to understand that concept often completely miss how God showed us the future of His blood bought Church in the process of obtaining a wife in the culture of the ancient past. I think Jack Kelly explains this as good as anyone I know in this article. I hope it will help you understand that God has a unique role for the Church apart from Israel and that the bride of a soon coming King would rule with the King but would not replace the King’s Kingdom. Apart from ancient customs there are also stories and “types” in the Bible that convey similar concepts. Kelly points out such a “type” in the details surrounding the obtaining of a bride for Abraham’s son, Isaac.

Keep in mind that after the price was agreed on and the Bride agrees to become the wife she does not know when the Groom will come for her. She also cannot disown the groom and the groom cannot disown her except if there is clear proof of adultery. We do have eternal security if we remain faithful to Jesus.

The Bride | GraceThruFaith

by Jack Kelley

This is an update of an article originally published in March 2004. While it’s based on the Bible, it also includes Jewish wedding traditions from Biblical times. Some of these traditions go all the way back to Abraham’s time and are described in Genesis 24.

the young woman was to watch and wait at her parents’ home. She and her bridesmaids had to maintain a constant state of preparedness, since the wedding date would not be revealed to her until the bridegroom actually appeared at her door to take her to their new home.
Surprise, Surprise

For his part, the groom would try to show up unexpectedly to surprise her, carrying her off suddenly “like a thief in the night” when no one would see them. The only advance warning she would get was the sound of his voice shouting her name and the blast of a ram’s horn.

Full article

If you are one of those pastors who willfully allow yourself to be used as an agent by some hypothetical tyrannical government to enable an illegal government to carry out their tyranny against the American people you will be guilty of treason. If you take part in the subversion of the rights guaranteed to Americans under the second Amendment to our Constitution or any of the other rights guaranteed by our Constitution given to us for the protection of “We the People” of the United States of America from such tyranny, you might rightfully be tried for treason during or after the second American Revolution.

That might seem like a harsh statement to those who think Romans 13 tells us to obey government without question. Tell that to the Christian leaders in Germany who told Germans to submit to the Nazis or the Christian leaders in Russia and China who obeyed the Communists.

Romans 13 does not tell us to obey unlawful orders of government and if the orders are against the law of our land (the Constitution) they are unlawful. The whole Bible tells us to obey God first. After we do that we obey lawful orders of God given government. We do not obey unlawful orders of tyrants any more than we would obey the orders of murders and thieves and enable them to continue their murders and thief’s on others.

Dr. David Berman explains what Romans 13 really means to Christians in this article. But I warn you, if you read the full article you can no longer use ignorance as an excuse. If you take part in a government clergy response team you better be on the right side of the Constitution.

Can A Christian Righteously Rebel against Government? (Romans 13)

Dr. David M. Berman www.wakeupandsmellthetruth.com

Let me start by saying that you must read this entire article to understand my position on this question. The following passage has been used by many to teach that Christians must submit to all government. In fact during the Katrina disaster many Pastors worked with FEMA in what they call “Clergy Response Teams.” If Marshall law is declared, this team is to be used by government to keep the people from rebellion (Source K.S.L.A news). It is interesting how the government decries Christian involvement in public policy while at the same time they want to use pastors to facilitate tyranny. I would take time to write about these pastors who would cooperate with government tyranny but that is for another article.

The question is; “Can a Christian righteously rebel?” The answer is no! It is never acceptable for a Christian to rebel. First Samuel chapter fifteen says “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.”Having said that, in order to really answer this question we must first define rebellion. What is Rebellion? Is it simply disobedience of an authority? The answer is this; Rebellion is the disobedience of a lawful order and a lawful authority. That is what rebellion is. Two examples would be:

1) Refusing to stop when a police car is behind you with lights on.

2) Refusing to answer a question when testifying in court (not including 5th amendment).

What is rebellion not? Rebellion is not disobedience of an unlawful authority or an unlawful order. No government has the right to give unlawful or ungodly orders. Those who believe that Romans 13 somehow gives a right to government to give ungodly and unlawful orders to its citizens are terribly mistaken. Pastors that help the government disarm the citizenry, are acting against the Constitution and the natural law of self defense. Government is not given a right to tyrannical despotic rule.

It is impossible to be in rebellion against an unlawful or ungodly order. If the order is ungodly we are obligated to disobey it. We are only in rebellion if the order is lawful and comes from proper authority. God does not contradict himself. He did not command us to obey him and at the same time command us to obey things that men tell us to do which oppose his moral law. For example we are given the right and responsibility to raise our own children in the Lord. We have every right to disobey any action of government that seeks to indoctrinate our children with ungodly teachings!

Our founders realized the people have rights and that government can’t use Romans 13 as an excuse for despotism. Christians must:

1) Resist tyranny

2) Not allow the government to indoctrinate our children.

3) Stand against any attempt to infringe of the second amendment.

4) Work to establish a government of the people for the people by the people.

5) Disobey any law that is ungodly.

6) Preach the gospel and all Biblical truth no matter what the law says.

7) Uphold the covenant of the Constitution above all attempts to make it relative to modern liberal/socialist/statist thinking.

Never put personal money gain above the principles of Constitutional government.

9) Be willing to speak out in the face of persecution.

10) Be able to articulate the Christian world view.

11) Protect babies from the slaughter of abortion.

12) Stand for what marriage is; a man and a woman.

Remember this; The Constitution is a covenant. The states were set up under this covenant. The rules of the covenant are what we agreed to. When the federal government violates the covenant, they have no right to expect to be obeyed and we must not obey them. There is no difference between the federal government violating the lawful contract (Constitution) and a common thief who commits fraud and breach of contract.

I have said this before and now I will say it again:

“One must never put his trust in the government for his own safety, nor the safety of his family. It is not in the nature of government to regard its citizens as more important that itself. Government when limited by the original Constitution of the United States of American can be a blessing. However, without the principled citizenry taking responsibility for itself all government leads to tyranny!”

What Obama, the Democrats, and the willing weak Republicans are doing is the same as many of the things the King of England was doing. They are enemies of the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A final word – Resistance against tyranny is not rebellion. It is righteous!

Full article

This is another good teaching by Jack Kelley on the seven dispensations and why mankind fails in all of them. Dispensationalism is sometimes misunderstood. Dispensationalism is not different ways to find salvation; it is different rules for living in each dispensation for those who can be saved on the basis of their faith in God. Man is saved by God’s grace through man’s faith in all seven dispensations.

These seven different ways of God dealing with man on earth are probably demonstrations to man, angels and all creation about the sin nature of man and Satan. No matter how God deals with man on earth Satanic deception comes and most of mankind rejects God. However, in each dispensation God has His own elect on earth who overcome Satan and the world through their belief and trust in God.

Yes, even the dispensation of Grace (The Church age) is also a failure for mankind. The promise of a free gift of salvation for those who confess Jesus as God’s sacrifice for man’s sins will be rejected by the overwhelming majority on earth. Even the seventh dispensation, the Kingdom Age, will end in mankind’s failure because Satan will deceive those living in this restored paradise on earth and lead them to rebel against God’s elect. In all dispensations man will prove that in his fallen sinful flesh he cannot fellowship with God. The only way to eternal salvation is through a spiritual rebirth from God’s Son. There is no other name given in which man must be saved (Act 4:12).

I will add this, The dispensations all end in failure for those unbelievers following Satan but all seven dispensations successfully reach those who believe God.

Read the full article to get a complete picture of what Jack Kelley is teaching and to get a description of the seven different dispensations on earth.

Life On Earth In The Millennium | GraceThruFaith

by Jack Kelley

Hal Lindsey once speculated that at his judgment Satan hurled two accusations at God. “You’re not just and You have no love.” In our last study we saw how God demonstrated His perfect justice with Israel and His perfect love with the Church. Israel lived under an absolutely just system of law. It was clear and concise, made no exceptions, and showed no favoritism. There was blessing for obedience and punishment for disobedience in an obvious cause and effect relationship. What they did determined what they got. God said to them, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6)

The Church was shown the incomparable riches of God’s grace. We’re the most blessed of any group of humanity and the only thing asked of us is that we accept by faith the free gift of salvation, purchased in advance for us with God’s own life. Yes, God is pleased if we live our lives in a manner that expresses our gratitude to Him, but the only thing He requires is that we believe in the one He has sent. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

In the Kingdom Age believers will be saved by faith, like the Church, but will be required to keep the Law as evidence of their belief, like Israel. Perfect justice, perfect love. This will be God’s final answer to Satan and His final attempt to dwell among His people in peace. Will it work, or like Israel and the Church before it, will the Kingdom Age end in failure?

We’ve only talked about Law and Grace but there were actually four other attempts at peaceful coexistence between God and man leading up to them. For a complete understanding of man’s history with his Creator, we’ll need to review these others as well. They’re called dispensations, or administrations, and all together there are seven of them.

The 7 Dispensations

Throughout history God has dealt with His people in different ways as part of the process of revealing His character. Each of these dispensations has has begun with an agreement between God and man that man subsequently violated, ending the relationship in failure and requiring a judgment from God.

Innocence:
Conscience:
Human Government:
Promise:
Law:
Grace:
Kingdom:

Some in the Church might question the view that the Age of Grace has been a failure, but that’s because we’re among the few who have accepted the Lord’s free gift of pardon and will therefore enjoy its benefits. Remember, God’s desire is to reconcile us to Himself (Colossians 1:19-20). He doesn’t want for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). And yet over the last 2,000 years most people have turned down His gift and gone their own way. After doing everything He could, short of violating man’s free will and forcing him to accept the pardon He offered, most of mankind will have rejected Him. Can you blame Him for being so angry as to unleash the full fury of His wrath against them?

Even in the Church the response to God’s gift of eternal Life has been more apathy than adoration. When less than 10% of people who claim to be born again have adopted a Christian world view, it’s clear that there’s been a serious disconnect between His gift and our gratitude. When compared to the desired goal the Age of Grace has been a failure.

None of this is any more of a surprise to God than the outcome of His previous attempts. He doesn’t do things so He can see how we’ll respond. He already knows that. He does things so we can see how we’ll respond. Paul said every thing that was written in the past was written to teach us. (Romans 15:4) So far the lesson has been that no matter what God has done to draw us near, man is untrustworthy and rebellious, pushing God away and bringing judgment upon himself.
Now For The Kingdom

OK, so what about the Kingdom Age, will it be a failure too?

In an event that was later modeled in the Biblical adoption ceremony (Galatians 4:4-7), the Father formally named His Son heir of His estate and bequeathed His inheritance to Him. All the nations are His, and He has the authority to rule them as He pleases. Man’s choice will be to obey or suffer the consequences. Obedience will be rewarded with blessing, but rebellion will bring swift destruction.

We’re neither told how many will be saved during the Millennium, nor what their destiny will be. What we are told is at the end of the 1000 year Kingdom Age Satan will be freed and will have no trouble recruiting a large army for one last attempt to regain his lost empire. He’ll find a ready audience for his deception and his army will soon be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. From all over the world they’ll come to surround God’s people and His Holy City. But in one sudden burst of flame from Heaven they’ll be devoured and Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. (Rev. 20:7-10) Once again, man rebels, God judges and another Age ends in failure.

God’s response to Satan’s accusations will be complete. Satan’s judgment will be final. Heaven and Earth will be purified. Eternity will begin. And God will reign supreme. Hallelujah! 05-30-09

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This is an astute article by Jack Kelly on Pentecost and rapture of the Church. Like Kelly, I also believe that the parables of Matthew 13 describe the Church on earth and would also say each parable is linked to what Jesus also said to the seven different Church types in Revelation.

*Chuck Missler gives us a small taste of this design and correlation in his teaching on Revelation:

The Seven Kingdom parables:

The Sower ……………   Ephesus: The apostolic Church

The Tares …………….   Smyrna: The persecuted Church

Mustard Seed…………..Pergamos: Marriage to the World

Women/Leaven ……….Thyatira: The Papacy in the Medieval World

The Field………………. Sardis: Denominational/Dead Orthodoxy

The Pearl ………………Philadelphia: The rebirth of the Missionary

The Dragnet …………..Laodicea: The apostate Church

* The Book of Revelation , supplemental notes page 60, Koinonia House Inc., 1995

I believe that it is very possible that the Church will be taken alive to Heaven on Pentecost on the very same feast day when the Bride of Christ was born. The Church like Enoch was born on Pentecost and tradition tells us Enoch was taken on Pentecost. Enoch was taken because he walked with God before the judgment of the flood. The bride of Christ will also not reap the coming judgment of God because she is the Bride of Christ. Only after Jesus takes his rightful role as King of Israel and takes a Gentile bride can Israel’s promised restoration come.

I know many want to believe the Rapture is on the Feast of Trumpets but remember the Feast of Trumpets will be another fulfillment through Jesus for Israel. The Feast of Trumpets starts the last week for Israel foretold by Daniel and it ends it seven years later with the second coming of Christ. Some like to think the Rapture will occur on the same date that God deals with Israel again. However, scripture really gives no indication that the Rapture has to occur precisely seven years before the second coming of Christ. The Rapture could occur months or even a few years before the final seven years for the Jews.

One thing is certain in my mind. The 70th week and the lifting of the blindness of Israel cannot even take place until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in (Ro 11:25). In this passage Paul was speaking of the grafting in of a Gentile Bride into the Commonwealth of Israel. This Bride born from above is born of the Spirit she is not born of any flesh, be it Jew or Gentile. However, anyone not Jewish by natural birth (she is spiritual) is typed as a Gentile by definition. Therefore, the Bride is not Jewish even though there are people who were natural Jews within the Bride. This Bride gives no sin offering of her own as required by the law. Her sins are covered by the blood of God’s Jewish sacrificial Lamb. That is the reason why Pentecost is celebrated with leavened bread (leaven represents sin), the Church is full of sinners covered by the blood of Christ.

Anyway, this article by Jack Kelly is well worth the read and it is timely, being right before the Feast of Pentecost.

Pentecost and the Rapture of the Church | GraceThruFaith

Pentecost and the Rapture of the Church

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Pentecost comes in the early summer (May-June). This year it’s May 31. It’s the only Holy Day between the 3 Spring Feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits) and the 3 in the fall (Rosh Hashanna, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles). Its Hebrew name is Shavuot. Pentecost is a Greek word and translates “50 days” since it comes 50 days after the Feast of First Fruits, the day we should know as Resurrection Morning . The Feast of First Fruits is celebrated on the day following the first Sabbath after Passover and Pentecost on the day after the Sabbath seven weeks later, (Lev. 23:15-16) giving rise to its nickname “Feast of Weeks.” Since the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday, both these Holy days are Sundays.
What’s a Pentecost?

Jews celebrate Pentecost (I’ll just use its Greek name to avoid any more confusion than necessary) as the day Moses received the Law on Mt. Sinai in the wilderness and the nation Israel was born. (Exodus 19-20) Christians celebrate it as the day the Holy Spirit fell on the Disciples in Jerusalem and the Church was born (Acts 2). If you agree with my view that the parables of Matthew 13 describe the church on Earth and that the parable of the yeast predicts there will be sin in the church, you’ll be interested in the fact that unlike all the other Jewish Feasts that call for unleavened bread, Pentecost requires bread baked with yeast (Lev. 23:17). Pentecost also began the annual wheat harvest, perhaps pointing to another of Matthew’s Kingdom parables, the Wheat and the Tares.

By tradition Enoch, one of the patriarchs from Genesis 5, was born on the day later to be known as Pentecost. Enoch’s name means “teaching”, a primary function of the Church. For this reason many scholars see him as a “type” of the church as well. Genesis 5:21-23 indicates that Enoch was very close to God and was actually taken live (raptured) into Heaven before the Great Flood. Pre-Trib scholars see this event as hinting of a yet future disappearance of the Church before the Great Tribulation. These same traditions also hold that Enoch disappeared from Earth on his birthday. So here’s a model in Genesis 5 of a man identified with the church being born and raptured on the day that would become Pentecost, the day the church was born.

Full article.