Focused on Going Home

 

“A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.”     Psalm 121

I had a conversation this past week, the subject being, just how focused Christians should be on the rapture of the Church.  As you might expect, I was solidly behind the position that our deliverance from this world should be of primary importance as we see the signs of that day all around us, not to mention the fact that Jesus commanded and expects us to do just that.  I shared the thought that as we watch the world, and this country as well, quickly going down, it’s a pretty good sign we as believers in the rapture of the Church should be looking up.  I make no apologies for being a watcher and in truth, liken myself and others who are to the lookouts on the Titanic.  Had they seen the iceberg approaching and shouted a warning sooner, more could have been saved.

Everyone has their own particular way of approaching their study of God’s Word, and to be truthful I appreciate learning from others who do things a little different than I do.  Much of the time the topical subjects I chose to study are the result of being led by the Holy Spirit while studying something completely different.  On one occasion, while studying the subject of faithfulness, I somehow ended up in the book of Psalms, particularly chapter 121 which is the second of fifteen chapters called the Songs of Ascents.  Now when I saw the word ascents, my thoughts immediately went to the rapture of the Church and the idea of singing as we go up, and to be truthful, if we examine the reason for these chapters we might see that the idea of singing praises as we go up is not all that farfetched.

In the Hebrew, the word for ascents is ma`alah, which when translated means; what comes up, thoughts, step, stair step, stair steps (of sundial), stories (of heaven), ascent, song of ascent to the three great pilgrim feasts.  Many are familiar with the feasts of Israel, but if not, simply explained there are seven celebrations ordained by God for the nation of Israel to observe every year.  You can find those listed in the Old Testament  book of Leviticus, chapter twenty three.  Of these seven feasts, three were to be celebrated in Jerusalem which required everyone travel there from wherever they lived.

If you are not familiar with the geography of Israel, the city of Jerusalem is basically higher in elevation than the surrounding country, with the temple itself built on Mount Moriah.  This means that to travel there resulted in having to climb, or “ascend” to the city.  These Psalms were songs that the people would sing as they traveled towards Jerusalem, praising God as they walked.  I can just imagine what it must have been like to hear hundreds of thousands of people singing these songs of God’s faithfulness to His people as they approached the city of Jerusalem.

How often do you reflect on God’s faithfulness to us?  Do you ever just sit and consider the statements made in this chapter about how faithful God is to us, and allow that knowledge to lift and encourage you?  It is unfortunate that many of us only think about the faithfulness of God towards us when we are in trouble or hurting, and allow the cares of this world to overshadow our thoughts when things are going well.  How different would our lives be if God had that same attitude towards us rather than the one we as His children are fortunate to enjoy?

As I considered that thought, I had to reflect upon my faithfulness to Him, and question my own commitment to being what God Himself has described as a “good and faithful servant”.  After all, if we look closely at how faithful God is towards us, is it too much to ask that we imitate that example in our faithfulness to Him?  With that in mind, I want to share a few thoughts I had about that question in light of what Jesus had to say about being faithful servants for Him.

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.”  Matthew 24:45-47  NKJV

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”                                   Matthew 25:21  NKJV

The Greek word for faithful is pistos, which is translated; of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties.  After reading that, I looked for passages that would illustrate those three responsibilities and possibly help us to become the faithful servants God desires us to be.

Transaction of business

“And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”  Luke 2:49  NKJV

“Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.”   Luke 2:46  NKJV

What is the “business” we as believers are in?  If we choose to use Jesus’ example then it becomes apparent our business is actually the Fathers’ business, which, if we understand this passage correctly entails studying the scriptures and doing all that we can to increase our knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Sharing that Gospel with others, especially as we see time running out, is what we are expected to do.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. “                       2 Timothy 2:15  KJV

Execution of commands

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  John 13:34  NKJV

“Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”                        1 John 2:8-10  NKJV

What are we as believers commanded to do?  Love one another just as Jesus loves us.  Seems simple enough until you meet someone you don’t especially like.  Yet isn’t that the worlds’ way?  Only love the ones you want and hate the rest?  By choosing to love everyone as the Father does, we demonstrate not only His love in us, we stand out as light in the darkness of this world because we are different from those around us. This in turn allows us the opportunity to share the good news before its too late.

“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”  Matthew 7:20  NKJV

Discharge of official duties

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14  NKJV

Have you ever skipped to the back of a book to see how it all ends?  The book of Ecclesiastes is the last thing to be written by Solomon, described to us as the wisest man who ever lived.  As he sat and reflected on his life with all the good and all of the bad, victories and mistakes, he summed it all up in this passage.  The “whole” meaning of life is to “fear God and keep his commandments.”  Why?  Because the day will come when every man will stand before God and give an account of his life and the choices he has made, the most important being whether or not they have accepted God’s gift of eternal life.

The day of our call to go home is fast approaching and many who chose to watch are sounding the alarm. If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to become a believer in God, and accept the gift of eternal life with Him provided by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, I encourage you to do so right now.  Simply pray a prayer like this one and confess your need of salvation to God and He will welcome you into the body with open arms. 

Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against you, but I know you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins and then rise from the dead so that I may live forever with You. Lord forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to begin to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

As He has told us;

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9  NKJV

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The Line in the Sand?

 

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”  Matthew 18:1-6  NKJV

Today I want to share with you something that has been on my mind which, truthfully, is just a feeling but one I think others might share.  I’m sure we are all familiar with the adage “a line in the sand” denoting a point where consequences will follow if crossed.  Lately it has been modified somewhat by nations calling that point a “red line” referring to actions which will result in retaliation.  The main point here is that most everyone, individually or as nations, has lines which cannot be crossed without provoking some response.  My question for you today is do you believe God has lines in the sand as well?

The Word of God makes it perfectly clear that believers will suffer tribulation or persecution of some sort and I’m sure most of us could share examples of how that has played out in each of our lives.  The Bible also makes it clear that the Holy Spirit has equipped us with what is necessary to deal with the troubles we will face, but my question today is this; what about our defenseless children?  In the past few years it has become perfectly clear to me and many others that Satan has begun to shift his focus and to produce social agendas which target the most vulnerable of this world, our children.

While there are many examples to be found of parents speaking out against these attacks, the unfortunate truth is that there are those who have been deceived to the point where they see nothing wrong with teaching Satan’s lies to their children.  So who will defend those innocents who don’t have someone in their lives to expose the truth of this evil?  In the passage above from Matthew, I believe our answer to that is Jesus Himself.  These words from Him concerning little children shows clearly how He feels about them and the depth of His love for the young and defenseless.

As I thought about where we are right now in this world, and the evil being directed towards our children, I could not help but wonder if God’s answer to defeating this new direction from Satan will simply be the rapture?  If you believe as I do that all children under the age of accountability will be taken along with all believers into heaven when Jesus calls us home, I think it would be a perfect answer to our question, as well as an indication of just how close we may be to the rapture of the Church.  Does God have a line in the sand, which if crossed, prompts Him to tell Jesus to call us home?  I believe it is entirely possible and Satan’s attacks on our children might well be that line.

I also want to share with you today a commentary I came across which relates to the question of God judging this country for the evil we are seeing occur, and touches as well on our question today.

America in the Crosshairs by Jonathan Brentner

If I did not believe in the Rapture and the following seven-year tribulation, that would not deter me from anticipating God’s judgment on America at some point in the near future. Because Scripture teaches Jesus’ imminent appearing followed by the wrath of the day of the Lord, I am all the more certain that the U.S. now rests in God’s crosshairs.

After reviewing a chapter in her husband’s book on the evil in America at the time, Ruth Graham replied, “Billy, if God doesn't come soon and bring judgment upon the United States, He's going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!" Wickedness in the U.S. has grown exponentially in the decades since then.

The words Job spoke long ago still ring true today and certainly apply to God’s sovereignty over all nations:

He makes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and leads them away. (Job 12:23)

With these things in mind, let’s look at a couple Old Testament passages regarding ancient Judah that we can apply to the U.S. and other nations across the globe as well.

Signs That God’s Judgment Has Already Begun

Has the Lord already begun to take action against the U.S.? Yes, I believe He has.

One passage that speaks to me in this regard is Isaiah 3:4-5, a passage of warning to ancient Judah and Jerusalem:

And I will make boys their princes, / and infants shall rule over them. / And the people will oppress one another, / everyone his fellow / and every one his neighbor; / the youth will be insolent to the elder, / and the despised to the honorable.

Let’s examine how these verses might apply to the United States.

1. Immature Leadership

The Hebrew word for “boys” in Isaiah 3:4 suggests a young lad or perhaps a servant. In this context, it denotes an immaturity of leadership that the Lord said would characterize those in charge of Judah ahead of His judgment falling on the nation.

One could translate “infants” in verse 4 as “malicious young men,” or even tyrants. This signifies the inexperience of a child or babe who rules by selfish inclinations or perhaps the whim of the moment. Its usage includes the evil motives of those in positions of authority.

These words aptly characterize those in charge of the United States at the present moment. President Biden’s dementia makes him appear childish as he stumbles through sentences that make no sense whatsoever, expresses fear of disappointing those who control him, and behaves in a bizarre manner (or talks about it). Other nations recognize his diminished mental capacity. Vice President Harris lacks any semblance of maturity; it would be an unmitigated disaster should she become president.

The executive orders that have come from the White House since Biden took office reflect an evil and totally unbiblical world view. In many ways they reflect the “malicious” intent that the Lord said would characterize the immature leaders of Judah as His judgment drew near.

2. Division

The picture in Isaiah 3:5 is that of a land where people fight against and oppress each other with the youth acting with brazen disrespect toward the older generation. It goes without saying that this describes America today. Just as with ancient Judah, I see this as an indication that the Lord’s judgment has begun.

Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand (Matthew 12:25). Does not this principle apply to such a splintered nation as we see in the United States? So many of those in high elected offices seem intent on using division as a means of destroying America.

The “perilous times” that the apostle Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3:1-5 denote selfish arrogant people living for themselves with no regard for others. The results of these traits automatically lead to much strife and disharmony, which sadly characterizes life both inside and outside the church today.

Wicked Behavior that God will Not Allow to Continue

In addition to the indicators that the Lord’s judgment on the United States has already begun, we also see evil behavior about which the Bible warns God will absolutely not allow to continue without at some point intervening to stop.

Habakkuk is a book that speaks to us today. The prophet’s complaint in Habakkuk 1:2-4 provides us with a list of items that possess a remarkable similarity to life in the United States.

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, / and you will not hear? / Or cry to you “Violence!” / and you will not save? / Why do you make me see iniquity, / and why do you idly look at wrong? / Destruction and violence are before me; / strife and contention arise. / So the law is paralyzed, / and justice never goes forth. / For the wicked surround the righteous; / so justice goes forth perverted.

Let’s examine how these things fit with our world.

1. Violence

In America, we now have the most pro-abortion administration in our history. The horrors of the senseless murder of our most vulnerable grieve my heart. Will not the Lord hold our nation accountable as we continue to elect Congressman and Senators who not only actively promote abortion, but also refuse to outlaw infanticide for babies who survive the horrors of abortion? He absolutely will.

The carnage in America extends far beyond the river of blood that flows from our abortion death mills. The violence propagated against children via sex trafficking is mind boggling, it’s horrific! The Lord will surely judge all those involved in this abomination, which the Biden administration has made far worse with their open border policy.

2. Destruction and Violence

Habakkuk reemphasized the “destruction and violence” that confronted him in ancient Judah.

In America, I see far more violence than that of the murder of the unborn or that propagated against our children in sex trafficking. The destruction and bloodshed in our major cities increase by the day. A few weeks ago in Chicago, thugs pulled a Hispanic couple from a car and shot them. Law and order have all but vanished from our major cities. Murder rates in large cities in the U.S. have skyrocketed due to efforts to defund our police, which have been propagated solely by the Democratic party.

3. Iniquity

The prophet Habakkuk also complained that the Lord caused him to see much wickedness with apparently no action to end it (v. 3). Why did He seemingly look the other way?

As for America in the twenty-first century, this almost needs no comment. I never thought I would see so much evil behavior and lawlessness before the rapture. The influence of the LBGTQ agenda on our children is beyond despicable. It begs this question: Why do we as a nation continue to elect men and women who wholly support the wicked agenda of the LBGTQ and openly promote transgenderism for seven-year-old children?

Behavior that would have outraged the majority of Americans sixty years ago has now become commonplace and accepted by many as normal. We see the words of Romans 1:18-32 springing to life. As God gives the wicked over to increased forms of depravity, many have reached the end that Paul talks about in verse 32, “Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” This is life among so many in the U.S. today.

4. Injustice

The words of Habakkuk 1:4 perfectly portray life in the U.S., “So the law is paralyzed, / and justice never goes forth. / For the wicked surround the righteous; / so justice goes forth perverted.”

Although these words speak to conditions in ancient Judah, it’s as if the prophet was depicting life in the twenty-first century.

Due to the fact that thefts under $950 are no longer prosecuted in San Francisco, California, looting has become commonplace. Stores in the city no longer report stealing to the police and store clerks do not dare risk their lives to stop it. Many retailers are going out of business or closing shop as of the widespread stealing. Target recently reported that they are closing all stores in the area at 6 p.m. as a result.

In America, many of the guilty are set free or never charged for their crimes. On the other hand, people lose their jobs or face lawsuits for defending what the Bible says about marriage and sexuality. The rich and powerful never face the consequences for their criminal behavior for which less influential people spend years in jail for crimes that the elite commit with not repercussions.

The Seven-Year Tribulation is At Our Doorstep

The Lord’s response to what He sees in the U.S. would most likely be quite similar to what he told Habakkuk. Then, God assured His prophet that He indeed saw the wickedness and bloodshed and that judgment was already on the way in the form of the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) who would later destroy Jerusalem and the temple. This occurred a decade or two later, perhaps while the prophet was still alive.

Skipping ahead to the twenty-first century, the Lord indeed sees the bloodshed, deception, oppression, and vileness rampant in the U.S. And I believe He will intervene much sooner than most imagine; His answer is already on the way. He will not let wickedness of our day continue unchecked.

Scripture assures us that God will someday pour out His wrath on sinful humanity in what it refers to as the day of the Lord. The book of Revelation adds more detail to this time in what we refer to as the tribulation, a seven-year time of horror upon the earth.

The New Testament assures believers, however, that the Lord will take us home to heaven before the start of this time of wrath upon the earth. In 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 5:9-10, the apostle Paul confirms that Jesus will come for His Church before the onset of the terrible day of the Lord (see Isaiah 13:9-13; 24:3-20), which includes all of the tribulation period.

How much longer will the Lord’s patience endure in view of the senseless bloodshed and exceeding wickedness that grows worse by the day? How much more distress will we see before our departure from this world?

I do not know the answer to these questions.

I am certain, however, that judgment is coming. Evil people might enjoy success for a little while longer, but God will have the final word (Psalm 37:7-15). He always does.

Please know as believers, our hope rests in Jesus’ imminent appearing (Titus 2:11-14; John 14:1-3). As we see God’s judgment start to fall on the nations of the world, we rest in His promise to deliver us before He pours out His wrath on the Christ-rejecting world (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

It would be very wrong to set a date for the Rapture, but one would be equally mistaken to assume that it will not happen in the very near future.

https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2021/7/27/america-in-the-crosshairs

 

Time is short and if you have not made the decision to accept God’s gift of eternal life to all who believe, you are destined to experience the worst time this world has ever seen, and unspoken evil in which many will die.  Tell God today you admit you are a sinner, ask His forgiveness, and accept His gift of eternal life by believing that His Son, Jesus Christ, died and rose from the dead as payment for your sins.

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What in the World is Going On?

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”  2 Thessalonians 2:8-9  KJV 

"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."   2 Thessalonians 2:9-12  NKJV

 

Most believers who are familiar with what the Bible teaches about the tribulation period which is soon to come upon this earth, will recognize the passage above from Thessalonians as referring to the coming world leader, most often called the antichrist.  Yet many miss the one word which helps to explain exactly what we are seeing in the world today, and the reason for the discontent, fear, and increasing resistance to authority which seems to be evolving into an almost daily occurrence.  The word I am referring to is found in verse 9, and it is the word “after”.  It is the Greek word “kata” which, while translated by the King James as “after”, also means “throughout” or “all along”.  In other words, the coming antichrist appears “after the working of Satan” which has been going on all along.

 

You see, we as believers are told, and most are willing to accept, that the individual behind the evil we are seeing today is none other than Satan.  Of course, some might well ask the question why all of a sudden it appears to be increasing to the extent we are seeing, with signs of only getting worse and not better. Personally, I see a parallel between what Satan is doing, and what a conductor of a symphony does as he conducts an orchestra.  I have had the opportunity to watch performances by some of the world’s great conductors and it is always amazing to me to watch the intensity build as the conductor slowly leads the orchestra to where he wants them to go, the grand finale.

 

"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."  2 Thessalonians 2:7  NKJV

 

Did you notice Paul’s comment, “already at work”?  Of course, Satan has been working against our Father since the Garden of Eden, but in the context of the preparation for the appearing of his minion the antichrist, Satan is now creating the conditions which will allow the antichrist to take power as easily as he will.  It seems a simple premise, but many miss the fact that in order for one man to become the world’s “Mr. Fixit”, the world has to be broken.  What we are seeing now with such an increase in events is Satan leading the world to the finale which will usher in the reign of his chosen one.

 

I have had conversations lately with many who wonder why God is allowing the evil we see all around us to proceed as it has in the past year, with persecution towards believers getting worse by the day.  I want to share an article with you today written by Jack Kelley which addresses this question much better than I ever could.  My prayer is that you will find help and comfort from the truths he shares about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, along with the knowledge that as believers, we are not of this world.

 

 

Is God in Total Control of Everything?

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

There’s a theory, only hinted at in Scripture, that Planet Earth had been the domain of Satan prior to his rebellion. Although he was only a created being, Satan was an enormously powerful dignitary in God’s Universe (Jude 1:9). He was the overseer of the Cherubim (the guardians of God’s Throne) and a leader of the angelic host. He was God’s most impressive creation (Ezekiel 28:12-15). Because of his position, his power, and his beauty he became proud and rebelled (Ezekiel 28:17, Isaiah 14:13-14), bringing about a judgment that destroyed planet Earth.

All this seems to have happened between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. Hints of this in Scripture are

1. an alternate (and some say more literal) rendering of Genesis 1:2 reads, “But the Earth became formless and void”, rather than “and the Earth was formless and void.”

2. In Isaiah 45:18 the Lord said He didn’t create the Earth that way, using the same Hebrew word that’s translated formless in Genesis 1:2, but formed it to be inhabited. Putting these two points together hints at a judgment sometime after Earth’s original creation.

3. The angels already existed at the time of the Genesis creation account. They shouted and sang for joy when the Lord laid the foundations of Earth (Job 38:4-7) so they must have been created earlier. If so, then Satan must have been created earlier was as well.

4. The serpent seems to appear out of nowhere in Genesis 3:1 although there’s no mention of him in the creation account. Also the Hebrew word translated serpent comes from a root meaning enchanter, which could mean it was not an ordinary animal. And Eve didn’t seem to be reluctant to converse with him, indicating she might have recognized him for who he really was.

Let me hasten to add that I don’t believe in a pre-Adamite civilization. The Bible clearly calls Adam the first man (1 Cor. 15:45). It also says the animals were created on the same day as Adam (Genesis 1:24-26) so I don’t believe dinosaurs or any other animals preceded Adam’s creation.

After Earth sat submerged in ruin and darkness for who knows how long, God said “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) and the six-day Genesis creation process began. It helps to remember that the Bible is not a book about eternity, it’s about the age of man. As such it begins with the creation of the first man and ends when the Millennium ends seven thousand years later. It gives only vague hints about what happened before the Age of Man began and what will come after it ends. All we really know is that there was an eternity past and there will be an eternity future.

God’s first instruction to Adam and Eve was to give them dominion over Planet Earth, telling them to subdue it and populate it (Genesis 1:28).  Satan, whose domain Earth had formerly been, responded by causing them to sin (Genesis 3:1-13).  As a result of their sin, Adam and Eve fell from immortality to being mortal, carrying all their descendants with them (Romans 5:12). The creation was also placed in bondage to sin (Romans 8:18-21), and Satan snatched control of Earth back from Adam Eve and has held it from then until now (1 John 5:19). This is why Jesus referred to Satan as the prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11) and Paul called him the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:3-4).

Jesus redeemed the creation (bought it back) with His own blood at the same time He redeemed us, but He won’t move to actually assert His claim to it until just before the beginning of the Great Tribulation at the sound of the seventh Trumpet.

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

And in Rev. 12:10 we read,

“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”

In the meantime, the Bible tells us Satan is in charge here, and there are numerous references to demonic powers influencing life on Earth to confirm this.

In Governments

Satan had representation in all the Gentile Empires of Biblical times. He was called the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14:4 and the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:11. An angel spoke to Daniel about being detained by the “prince of Persia” and requiring help from the Archangel Michael to get free (Daniel 10:13). He also said he would soon be doing battle against the “prince of Greece” (Daniel 10:20) although at that time the Greek Empire was still 2 centuries into the future. And the Roman Empire became so evil that many see the Roman Emperor Nero as one of history’s clearest models of the anti-Christ.

Does anyone believe things are different today? After all, Gentile Dominion won’t end until the 2nd Coming. Adolph Hitler was another model of the anti-Christ, and Nazi Germany showed how pervasive evil can become when a nation is under the influence of the occult. Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union an Evil Empire. George W. Bush referred to nations supporting international terrorism as an Axis of Evil. And since the United States entered its post-Christian era, who can deny that evil has had a much stronger influence here as well.

In The Church

As for evil in the Church, Paul said those who introduce false doctrine into the body are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

He said we would see this becoming more prevalent as the end times approach. In 1 Timothy 4:1 he wrote, The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

In Our Lives

On a personal level, the Bible warns us about the influence of evil in our lives. In Ephes. 6:12 Paul wrote,  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The fact is the world is an evil place where bad things happen without reason and it will be that way until the Lord comes to restore it (Matt. 19:28, Acts 3:21). It’s not because God created it that way or even because He wants it that way. It’s because when our first parents sinned they unleashed a force of evil on this world that has put all their descendants in bondage and contaminated even the creation itself.

History has shown that God only lets sin and rebellion go to a certain point before reigning it in. Even during the Great Tribulation, when He will remove His agency of restraint altogether (2 Thes. 2:7), He will put an end to evil’s reign before it can completely destroy mankind (Matt. 24:22).

Is God In Control?

This brings us back to the original question, and here’s my answer. I believe things will turn out exactly like God said they will because He’s already seen the end, and He saw it from the beginning. But does that mean I believe God is in total control of everything that happens in the meantime? No, I don’t, and I think I’ve shown above that the Bible supports my opinion.

I believe when we become Christians we become aliens behind enemy lines. I believe we can expect God’s help in surviving if we turn over control of our lives to Him. But I think there’s a lot more to that than most people understand.

When Jesus said to take up our cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23) He was calling us to do what He was doing.  And what was He doing?  Matt. 26:39 tells us He laid down His will in favor of His Father’s will.  Romans 12:1-2 explains that’s exactly what we’re called to do.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We’re to lay down our will for our life and embrace His will for our life instead.

In Ephesians 4:22-24 Paul put it this way.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

I’ve seen a lot of people who give lip service to this command, and a few who actually obey it. But even those who do obey realize the world remains an evil place, and bad things can still happen.

Jesus said that in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33),  but He also said He came so we can have an abundant life (John 10:10). We gain this blessing by laying down the life we have planned for ourselves and picking up the life He has planned for us.  In this way, we can experience a personal world where He is in total control no matter what is happening in the world around us, and where He is working even the bad things that happen together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Paul said our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). For that reason, he said, “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). This life is temporary. It’s the next one that’s permanent.

This is also why Paul told us to live by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), because even when we’re experiencing the adverse effects of this evil place, we can know that God has promised to work everything together for our good. Therefore, no matter how bad things might be, we can take heart in the fact that He has overcome the world, and through faith in Him we will too. Selah 10-20-12

https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/spiritual-life/is-god-in-total-control-of-everything/

 

Watching Satan do his evil work all around us can be upsetting and uncomfortable, yet we as believers understand that God has promised to give us the strength we need to endure until He comes. While the world yearns and hopes for a return to "normal", I would suggest that things are only going to get worse.  Paul refers to the rapture of the Church as "our blessed hope", (Titus 2:13), and as this world continues its descent into darkness we can rest in the assurance that we will be delivered. Of course, while the deliverance from the evil of this world is available to all, it’s guaranteed only to those who choose to accept it by believing on the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  If you are reading this today and have never made that decision, you can do it right now wherever you might be by simply praying a prayer like this; 

 

Jesus I know that I am a sinner, and have sinned against you.  I believe you loved me enough to send your Son Jesus to die for my sins, and that He rose from the dead so that I can live.  Forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to live for you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Romans 10:9-10  NKJV

 

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