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RECAP NEWSLETTER - 3/12/6 Issue 48 "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." Sudden fear - the world is full of it in our times. Weapons of mass destruction, fear of pestilence, natural calamities, sinking ships, a worldwide uncertainty describes our generation and time. What is the Christian's reaction to be? Christians are not immune from disasters and evils; yet, Christ tells us not to be afraid of sudden fear. How is it possible to not be afraid when evils strike? In the next verse He states that the LORD should be our confidence. Who is it that you immediately turn to when disaster strikes, when hard times come, when bad news falls? In Psalms 34:6-9, David says, "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him." Do you see what the world does not see? As a Christian, with Jesus Christ as your Redeemer and Saviour, you have not only a hope of a world and a future that the world does not have; but, you also should have a conscious understanding that the spiritual elements are just as real now as the physical world. Christ wants us to always have on our mind that there is much more to this world than what we see or experience. Christ is as real in your life right now as He is in eternity future. When David, acknowledging that he was nothing of himself, cried out to God, he was heard. Not only is our God one who hears our petitions; but He is ever ready to act and to save us out of our "troubles". God paints the word picture here that not only is He ready to answer and to save, but, He has already dispatched His angels to continually stand watch of His children. When evils and disasters come into your life, are you cognizant of that fact? Do you tell yourself that Christ is already in control and that you should put your trust in Him? This is not to say that events and trials will not take you for a wild spin; but, they should not shake your confidence in God. When a Christian's hope and confidence is in God, everything else becomes secondary. However, when we only mentally acknowledge God instead of relying on Him on a daily basis, with a fervent fellowship and communion with Him, He will not be the first option that pops into our mind when disaster strikes. Psalm 44:6-7 says, "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us." Unless God is the recipient of our cares and fears, we will trust in our own strength instead. Many times in the Old Testament, the children of Israel went out to fight armies greater and stronger than they. However, God promised them the victory and they relied on His Word. They still used implements to accomplish the deliverance; but it was through His power that they were completed. There are many people, even Christians, who look at the world's events and start fretting on what they will do. Preparation and prudence is clearly spelled out in the Scriptures. However, just like the children of Israel could not victoriously go into Canaan without God's presence, so the Christian cannot succeed in their efforts if God is not in front. Noah could have dreamed up the best boat design in the world; but it would have failed unless God was in it. Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." What is your refuge and strength? Is it your retirement fund? Is it supplies you have stashed up? Is is gold or silver? Is your refuge and strength resting in your abilities? While these things may help, ultimately they cannot match up with David's boast of God. He is a "very present help in trouble." Man cannot make that claim. Even you cannot make that claim. Only God can deliver from undeliverable circumstances and events. Psalms 55:16,17,22 reminds us, "As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ...Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. " In this passage, David clues us in on the necessary ingredient to trusting in God: prayer. He prayed in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. It was not some rote, thirty-second mealtime prayer. It was communion and fellowship with God. When a young child constantly talks with his earthly father, he has no hesitation about going to him for help. Likewise, when we keep in constant, daily, and even hourly communication with our Heavenly Father, even sudden fear will not shake us from instantly turning to Him. Even during trying times, young children still cling to their earthly fathers expecting help and consolation. We can expect much more from our Heavenly Father who is not limited to earthly circumstances. During times that man and his wisdom would normally fail or fall short, God can still sustain. Psalm 108:13 pleads, "Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man." Everyday when we read the news and signs of His coming, this should be on our lips and minds. As we watch and take heed, the events and chronicles should not turn us to our strength, but should make us more earnestly yearn for His deliverance and return. Isaiah 41:13 has a beautiful word picture: "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." When the LORD is our trust and refuge, when we have cast our burdens on Him, when we turn to Him for help, He does so in an amazing fashion. When we turn to Him, He asks for only one thing: "Give me your right hand." Our right hand, symbolic of strength and power, is acknowledged as not strong enough. We place our right hand into His left hand and rely on His strength, not ours. We are admitting not only that we are weak and He is strong; but that we cannot help ourselves. Jeremiah 17:5-7 warns, "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." When we hold onto our own right hand and strength to carry us through, we are turning our heart away from God. We know that our God is a constant and present help. Christ's hand was ready and willing when Peter began sinking into the water depths. It would have been beyond reason for Peter to reject Christ's outstretched hand. How many times have we turned away God from helping us? How many times have we turned to prayer as an afterthought and last resort? When we turn to our our strength and follies, we are confounded and fail miserably. Where is your heart? Is it close to God so that you can call on Him immediately; or has your heart leaned toward trusting in man and self? Those that rely on their own strength instead of refuge in God will have their troubles compounded by the turmoil inside as well. Christians, who find refuge and hope in Christ, will have strength and hope from the inside out. Jeremiah 17:16-17 records Jeremiah's thoughts. "As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee. Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil." Jeremiah was a prophet who was given dreadful news about the destruction and judgment that was coming on his nation. He knew that one day soon sudden fear would grip the hearts of his countrymen. While we find that he made prudent efforts to leave the area, he had a special request of God. Jeremiah was not wishing for the evil that was going to be visiting the land. He warned his people about the impending judgment. Yet, even though he knew God's judgment was coming, he asked that ("in the day of evil.") the Lord would be his hope and not a terror. You see, his countrymen would not hope in God, but would blame God. God would be a terror to them. Jeremiah knew that the Lord would be acting in righteous judgment. Even with his foreknowledge of events, Jeremiah needed to take care to trust in God. As we study current events, and especially the looming judgment on our nation and world, what is your prayer? Will you trust in your own strength without God? Is God your refuge and help at the present? Do you fellowship and pray constantly with your Heavenly Father? Are you willing to give God your right hand? Matthew 14:30 "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him..."
UPDATES
MISC QUOTES
"...When churches get into the condition of half-hearted faith, tolerating the gospel, but having a sweet tooth for error, they do far more mischief to their age than downright heretics. It is harder a great deal to work for Jesus with a church which is lukewarm than it would be to begin without a church. Give me a dozen earnest spirits and put me down anywhere in London, and by God's good help we will soon cause the wilderness and the solitary place to rejoice; but give me the whole lot of you, half-hearted, undecided, and unconcerned, what can I do? You will only be a drag upon a man's zeal and earnestness. Five thousand members of a church all lukewarm will be five thousand impediments, but a dozen earnest, passionate spirits, determined that Christ shall be glorified and souls won, must be more than conquerors; in their very weakness and fewness will reside capacities for being the more largely blessed of God. Better nothing than lukewarmness..." ("A Earnest Warning About Lukewarmness" by Charles H. Spurgeon)
CURRENT EVENT RECAP For those that watch and take heed to the events in our world, we know that our world is living in perilous times. For those who refuse to heed His signs and warnings, the world seems to be doing fairly well. Those who observe the moral temperature of our nation and world know that God's righteousness calls for judgment on a rebellious and sinful world. As we see weekly death tolls of diverse catastrophes, we are saddened, but not surprised. The birth pangs of the Antichrist signaling the end of the last days have already gripped our world. There is a collision course towards which many are going. Not only are tensions between nations arising, but also between the ethnic and religious groups. The world is heading for a clash unlike any other. This clash or war will not be limited to political or national indifferences. It will contain and be emboldened by a clash of faith, ethnicity, and culture. This impending collision will not be solved by diplomatic solutions or treaties. It will not be remedied by consolation of differing parties. Its solution will offered by one who goes beyond the average leader. He will not be just a diplomat, he will not just be a religious leader, he will not just be an ethnic leader - he will transcend all of them. When he steps into the limelight, he will accomplish what the world will see at the time to be impossible. He will be the Antichrist. In this RECAP, we will examine the road signs of this impending collision. We will examine the current "big picture" of our world, our nation's moral state, and the Middle East tinderbox.
Before events transpire that will dissolve away large vestiges of nation-states into a one-world governance, there must be a campaign to convince people beforehand of its necessity. In recent years we have seen global cooperation increase in rhetoric under the banner of environmentalism and 'global warming'. More recently we see increased cooperation with humanitarian efforts such as AIDS, earthquake and tsunami relief. However, this year it is being emphasized that economic cooperation under the guiding auspices of a UN body would address many of the world's humanitarian issues. They tout large numbers of money that would be generated if the Old World Order was done away with (in not so certain terms). The world is pushing towards globalization. Another means currently being employed is the Bird Flu situation. You will notice that there is always the emphasis that it could be a 'global' flu pandemic. It then goes without saying that if it is a 'global' problem, then it requires global cooperation. If and when such an engineering revision of the Spanish flu is released, then global cooperation will out of necessity be used. Whether or not nationalist's feathers will be ruffled is inconsequential. We are just observing the road signs. It is interesting to note, however, that the U.N.'s top influenza coordinator said that one of the most important considerations during a bird flu outbreak will be maintaining infrastructure - even more important than providing care to the sick. While obviously such a strategic point is made (and may be necessary), the loss of life (should there be an release, er, outbreak), is that it will accomplish planned population reduction. Already the world governments are working together in anticipation of this pandemic. Millions have already been pledged by various nations and groups to help fight the bird flu. Cooperation is the name of the game. Whether or not this potential pandemic will materialize is left to time. However, the various governments are now getting used to the concept of common coffers, common resources, common personnel, and even personnel without necessarily a nationality.
Our world is waiting with bated breath for the coming conflagration of the Middle East tinderbox. The Bible foretells of nations moving against Israel, and destruction in the Middle East area. It also talks of the man of sin who will emerge in the midst of Israel's darkest hours to secure 'peace'. Already, the pieces are moving about, getting the stage ready for the final acts. Israel is actively working to separate herself from the Palestinians. They know that eventually war is coming, so they are tightening their border of control instead of being intermingled as much. Under the guise of following a peace road map, they are in reality preparing for war - a war on many fronts. Not only are they focused on the Palestinians, but their eye is also on Iran. With Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying that Israel should be wiped off of the map, and the world's Muslim population increasing in tension against America and Israel, the broad-front conflict is sure. Rallies and protests that erupted from the cartoons only highlighted simmering hatred in the Muslim communities. Add to that the resentment from the prison torture photos. Their hatred is largely at America because of our foreign policy (invasion) of Afghanistan and Iraq, who they see as their Muslim brothers. The war in Afghanistan and Iraq was not because of the war on terror, it was to ultimately inflame the Middle East tinderbox to create a war of terror - a war that would shake the world.
With Hamas taking the reins of the Palestinian government, more virulent and vocal opposition against Israel and America is showing its face in the Middle East. It is giving impetus to a growing group-think of the Muslim communities. Now that the US, EU and others are apprehensive about giving aid to the Hamas' Palestinian government, they are turning to their 'Muslim brothers' for aid and support. What should be troubling to America is Russia's involvement alongside Middle East events. Bolstering the Hamas legitimacy and working to secure Iran's access to nuclear technology, Russia is placing itself in opposition to America's foreign policy. This should not be too surprising since Russia was against the invasion of Iraq. Now that America has lost respect in the Muslim and Middle Eastern communities and nations, Russia is edging into the gap to take our place. Not only Russia, but China, too, is coming to the aid of Iran. Russia and China have various lucrative energy trade relations with Iran. Iran supplies over thirteen percent of energy-hungry China's oil needs. Russia was able to throw its weight around this winter with the EU when it withheld natural gas from several nations for several days. Quiet Russia is a superpower in energy, and she knows it. She also knows that she is quickly becoming the number three energy exporter to the United States. She can pull our strings as well. According to George Soros, "...the country [Russia] produces one of every 10 barrels of oil in the world. It is the world's No. 2 crude exporter after Saudi Arabia, with supplies going mainly to Europe. Russia's crude exports of up to 5 million barrels per day cover more than a quarter of Europe's oil needs." Needless to say, the longer someone does not attack Iran, the longer and more intense the Muslim communities are enflamed against Israel and America. If/when America/Israel attacks Iran, it will be a horrible mess. With Iraq already on the verge of complete civil war and chaos, the US does not have many forces to take over and hold another charged Muslim country. Not only would we be spread out over the Middle East, we will also be thoroughly mixed in a region that hates our meddling. On top of that, there is no such thing as a quick-strike solution with Iran. There are dozens of sites that need to be hit, submarines to take care of, straits to secure, and make sure that none of their long-range missiles are launches against Israel or our forces. Of course, even if we have a good plan of executing a quick attack, who is to say that one or more of the other Arab nations might not take advantage of the situation to attack our forces from behind?
Irregardless of the outcome or execution, the Middle East is already set on course. The conflict which started with Afghanistan, and then Iraq, is now ballooning toward Iran involving Russia and China. Israel and the other Middle Eastern countries are also set on edge. The stage is set to erase national concepts. A war which will eradicate large vestiges of the Old World Order and set the beginning stages of the New World Order. A world that no longer thinks nationally but globally.
Our own nation is not only following the same path, but is leading in many areas. It was surprising that in his State of the Union address, President Bush made the statement, "sometimes it can seem that history is turning in a wide arc, toward an unknown shore. Yet the destination of history is determined by human action, and every great movement of history comes to a point of choosing." Most people probably took it at an ideological face value. However, we know that events and foundations are being laid for a future one-world governance. He was speaking truthfully when he stated that history is an orchestrated chain of events, and not random occurrences that happen to have coincidental endings. Pastor Chuck Baldwin also pointed out that his speech was about America leading a "world economy". Even our nation is being changed on a mental and ideological level. Rights and freedoms deemed most critical to our founding fathers are now seen as outdated and not needed. It has been correctly observed that our founding fathers took up arms over matters that seem light compared to today's travesties of justice.
America has left her God. The god we turned to was self. When we turned to wanting our own ways, we turned our back on God's standards of right and wrong. We acted presumptuously is spite of what we knew to be right. Our nation has now butchered 47 million human beings - children, made in God's likeness. For what reason? Eighty-six percent of the women said they were for the "sake of convenience". Over one million more children are butchered, burned, and mutilated each year to the god self. Our morally spineless President is so unwilling to stop the murder that he becomes complicit. His address to the March for Life group in January even went so far as to ignore the superior ground of Biblical precedent for preserving life. He stooped to basing his arguments on the Declaration of Independence as the basis of the 'right-to-life' principles. His ambiguous speech gave no clear direction, goal, or sense of urgency. Unfortunately, when pro-life groups try to fight against abortion without having the founding principles of the sanctity of God-given life as defined in the Bible as their basis, they start arguing about the particulars. It is good that they are fighting against abortion, but the majority of them are not doing it for the real reason, and thus get into heated arguments about particulars instead of dealing with the spiritual matters. Focusing only on the pain that abortion causes women is way off focus. That deep turmoil and emotional pain that the women will go through is secondary to the fact that they murdered someone. Taking the focus off of God and His Word makes room for laws to be enacted that do not address that point - because nobody else is. When pro-life groups start arguing points aside from the real reason, then it is easier to make laws skirting those issues. Reasons of health are now the norm for abortions. It is sadly ironic that the butchering continue under the guise of giving one (false) mental 'health' while taking the physical and mental health from the unborn child. Our nation's judicial system is now working overtime to throw off the remaining restraints to aborting children. Satan wants this presumptuous sin to be so prevalent as to be available in every pharmacy and even Walmarts! While our president makes a pretense at addressing abortion, he tires very easily trying to lift his little finger to try to stop anything. Court after court are attacking abortion bans and restrictions. Satan, in his thirst for blood, is getting courts to keep secret from parents when teenagers have abortion. To him, not only will secret abortions go up, but also fornication.
Jeremiah 4:22 "For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish [silly] children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."
It is undeniable today that our nation is obsessed with sex. TV shows, movies, commercials, books, magazines, and radio feed our nation's lust for fornication. Billions are spent each year in our nation on pornography. Even AOL is now coming out with a gay music channel. To top it all off, our nation was abuzz with two major movies in 2005 about fornication. "Transamerica" and "Brokeback Mountain" brought the readily-accepted topic of sodomy to the average water cooler conversation. It did not just broach the subject of two sodomites, but it went beyond it to make their sexual exploits the subject of conversation. I have not seen the movie, not will I ever. "Brokeback Mountain" was not just a happenstance movie - it was a carefully and purposely-made movie to remove any large vestiges of resistance to sodomy. Not only did the director of the movie get "Filmmaker of the Year" for such a blatant foist of fornication, but he used every comment and speech he could to gush over how it would help people "accept" sodomy. Whilst the movie statically has fewer scenes of nudity than others, he pushes the envelope to leave little to the imagination to create a piece of sodomite pornography. His movie, following Satan's script used throughout the ages, portrays sin and abomination as desirable, and without consequence. Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, warns that the film completely ignores the desperation, devastation, and heartache that is rife with homosexuals. The movie makes such a lifestyle of sin seen desirable, normal, and (by comparison to heterosexual) more 'normal'. Young people, already awash with sex-ed filth, will see this movie as a liberation. The movie portrays those against sodomy as bigots and not understanding of 'true love'. Satan is lying to them. Not only does he lie to them that fornication is normal and blissful, but when he entraps them in the sin, he then lies to them again that they cannot get out. Alan Chambers' ministry and others work with men and women to help them realize the sin of their fornication and repent, and turn their life around.
Sadly, the damage from this movie and others of similar ilk is done. Soon it will be out on DVDs where many more people will watch it in the privacy of their own home. Homosexuals are already using the movie to soothe their conscience and justify their actions, many of them with their former spouses. Christians opposed to such fornication will be labeled with the stereotypes from the movie ingrained in people's mind. Our world is welcoming their fornication with open hearts and minds. There are many instances every day in the news of this fornication spreading across the world, not just in acceptance, but in defense. Gay civil right laws being enacted, memorials to WWII gays, and homophobia resolutions being passed in the EU point clearly to the fact that our world is quickly on the verge of all-out defiance of God. This should not surprise us, as Scripture tells us this mindset and lifestyle would be prevalent in our world. Luke 17:28-30 warns, "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."
Christian, brethren, and listening reader: The dangers of pornography,
materials, and all manners of fornication not only destroy our flesh and
our mind, but it is the driving wedge that will separate anyone from
fellowship with God. 1Peter 2:11 exhorts, "Dearly beloved, I beseech
you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul." You may think that you have a handle on it, and
that you can enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and still walk and
talk with God, but you are dead wrong. Every sight you see, every
thought you think, every action you take will stay in your mind forever.
Pornography is the most dangerous drug in the world. You cannot get
it out of your system like tangible drugs. Only through Christ and
the salvation that He offers can anyone find the grace and power to die to
self, and deny fleshly lusts. Homosexuality and fornication is not a
genetic predestination or genetic orientation - it is a choice.
Titus 2:11 says, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world." While you may not have a problem with homosexuality, yet if
you fall to fornication or lusts of any ilk, it is sin. Christians,
to know to do what is right and to do contrary is presumptuous sin.
We have a choice to love God; it requires His help. While we are in
this present world, especially as the end draws near, Satan will be
showcasing his temptations just as he did with Eve. Psalms 19:13
reminds us of our help in such a time: "Keep back thy servant also from
presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be
upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression."
Satan knows that fornication and rebellion against God go hand in hand. It worked with the Israelites, and it is working today. Just like the Israelites were turned away from God by intermarrying with the heathen nations around them and adopting the practices of licentious idol worship, so America and the world is turned away from God by sexual sins. Matthew Henry described it well when he said, "that whoredom and idolatry went together. They first defiled and debauched their consciences, by committing lewdness with the women, and then were easily drawn, in complaisance to them, and in contempt of the God of Israel, to bow down to their idols. And they were more likely to do so if, as it is commonly supposed, and seems probable by the joining of them together, the uncleanness committed was a part of the worship and service performed to Baal-peor. Those that have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety, and those that have dishonoured themselves by fleshly lusts will not scruple to dishonour God by idolatrous worships, and for this they are justly given up yet further to vile affections." (Matthew Henry, Numbers 25). A world that is willing to reject God's standards and embrace the vilest of sins will have no problem rejecting God before it is too late. They will be all to eager to accept the man of sin.
While our world awaits the soon return of Christ, it will grow darker as Satan draws the curtains closed over the hearts of people to Christ. It is in these hours that our light and testimony and witness to the world around us does not falter, does not dimish, does not compromise. We must guard against the temptations that Satan will bring before us. He knows that our flesh is weak, and will specifically target you, yourself, with what you are weakest in. Satan may use fear to shake your faith in God. When you get to thinking of yourself and relying on yourself, you are doubly weak and further open to his temptations. When our faith and refuge is first in Christ Jesus, relying on Him for strength and grace, we have an ally like none others, one willing to help and make a way out of temptation. 1Corinthians 10:12-13 warns, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Where is your heart? Is it close to God so that you can call on Him immediately; or has your heart leaned toward trusting in man and self? Those that rely on their own strength instead of refuge in God will have their troubles compounded by the turmoil inside as well. Christians, who find refuge and hope in Christ, will have strength and hope from the inside out. Matthew 14:30 "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him..."
REMINDERS & PRAYER REQUESTS
Pray for our President that if he is not saved, he will come to the true
knowledge of Jesus Christ. Pray that he will work to the protection
of the American people, and the punishment of the wicked.
Pray for the requests in PrayerList, and also in iChurches.
May God richly bless,
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