A Season to be Cautious

As we enter another season of mankind’s holidays, it is critical that we steel ourselves against the un-Godly attitudes that surround these festivities.  It’s obvious to us that Christians should forgo decorating our houses in the macabre for Halloween or the gaudiness that surrounds Christmas.  We must also be careful to keep the subtle yet insidious influences at bay as well. No matter how beautiful the trappings of the season are or the good intentions of those who celebrate them—these holidays are detested by God.

It was revealed to John where the influences of these holidays originate.  “And he (an angel) cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!’” (Revelation 18:2).  These holidays are inspired by and originate from Satan.

While this understanding is clear to those who have an ear to hear, the world is completely overwhelmed by Satan’s influence.  According to several retail websites, it is estimated that 157 million Americans will be celebrating Halloween this year, spending nearly 6.9 billion dollars.  “After a long summer, consumers are eager to embrace fall and all of the celebrations that come with it,” said National Retail Federation president and CEO Matthew Shay.  Our world is increasingly embracing these practices, when clear warning is given by God to remove ourselves from them.  John continues in Revelation 18:3, “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

Our retail economy has gradually become bound to the monetary gains of these holidays.  The world has vested so much that it is increasingly becoming more difficult, if not impossible, to turn away.  Satan’s bondage is growing stronger and mankind is reveling in it!  But this great deception will be shortlived.  God’s Judgment is at hand for a world that seeks their own will in lieu of God’s Will. John’s vision continues, “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

Everything about these holidays is contrary to God.  In order for us to come out of this deceitful season and not partake of it in any way, we must be spiritually focused on God’s Will.  It’s not by luck or our own strength that we overcome Satan, but by drawing close to God so that He in turn will draw close to us.

A Full Tank

When we travel to the ministerial conference and the Feast of Tabernacles in the United States, I fill up my van with gas and I know that it will get me to Goldendale in Washington, which is about 557 kilometers from our home.  We stop there, take a break and re-fill the gas tank.

As God’s people, we have had the opportunity at the Feast to fill up our spiritual tanks by drinking in the messages which had been prepared for us.  Our spiritual tanks have to take us through the long winter months up to the next Holy Days in the Spring.

In order to do that, we had to take full advantage of the blessings that God provides for us at the Feast.  One manner to maximize the effectiveness of the spiritual benefits was to ensure we remained in good health in order to attend all the services so we were able to benefit from the messages which we received.  This ensured our spiritual tanks were topped up in order to carry us to the Spring Feasts.

Another benefit was the fellowship we were able to enjoy with one another. Since some of us who are more remote and isolated only see each other once a year at the Fall Festival, this was a time to renew and refresh the friendships we have with one another. We had opportunities to eat in fine restaurants with one another and sharpen one another through good conversations while rejoicing of being together on this occasion.

So the Feast provided both spiritual and physical benefits. We drew closer to God and reached a better understanding of His plan and laws through the messages and we drew closer to each other via the fellowship we enjoyed with one another.

God knew through His plan of salvation, which incorporates all seven of His Holy Days, that there would be a long duration of time between the Fall and Spring Holy Days, and He expects of us to take full advantage of the Fall Festival to ensure that we will have enough spiritual fuel to take us to the Spring Festivals.

The question is, did we take full advantage of the blessings which God offered us? Or did we neglect to attend the Feast even though we could have done so? Did we neglect to listen carefully to the messages and to fellowship joyfully with brethren of like mind? If we did not do this, then we will have a much more difficult time to cope with the long winter months until the Spring Feast Days. In that case, perhaps heart-rending repentance and prayer to God for extra strength would be very important.

Those who will be able to look much more confidently in the future are those who faithfully obeyed God’s command to observe the Feast in the right way and with the right attitude; who will dwell and meditate on the messages that they have heard; and who will be diligent to practice what they were taught. We pray that you belong to that category.

“With Fervent Desire”

We—through the Holy Days of God—are able to get a sense of what God has done and will do in His dealings with mankind. I am struck by something Jesus said about His own anticipation in fulfilling the Passover meal with His disciples:

“Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…’” (Luke 22:15).

Knowing explicitly that He would suffer during the hours following this Passover and die, Jesus nonetheless focused on the bigger picture, for He understood that His actions would open up salvation to the world. This had been His message from the start of His earthly ministry:

“‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved’” (John 3:15-17).

But there is more to what Jesus revealed, and this has to do very directly with the Feast of Tabernacles—a time that pictures His return and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. Recall that Jesus taught that we should pray, “‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven’” (Matthew 6:10).

Note how Jesus also emphasized another event during that Passover with His disciples and this one will take place in the future:

“‘[F]or I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God’” (Luke 22:16); “‘for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes’” (Luke 22:18).

There is a time ahead when the reality of what we are about to observe at the Feast of Tabernacles will come! Indeed, all that Jesus Christ spoke of will be fulfilled!

As we keep this year’s Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day, let us also do so with fervent desire for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s marvelous plan—eternal life in the Family of God!

A Willing Attitude

During my children’s summer vacation I’ve had the opportunity to spend a little more time than usual doing things together with them. Usually that means running an errand or doing something that’s just a little bit out of the ordinary. None of those activities are very noteworthy, but what stands out to me is their willing attitude to join me in the activity. Most of the time, these activities are very new to my kids and involve the risk of doing something differently. I usually present the opportunity to be my companion without requiring them to join me, so I’m pleased when they demonstrate the willingness to try something new and tag along with me. Their willing attitude is what pleases me the most.

This kind of willing attitude is something that God requires of us too. As human beings, we have free will to choose how we will behave, whether to follow God, or not. While the choice is freely ours to make, the Bible is very clear about what the right choice is. The decisions we make about obeying God or following other competing desires have drastically different rewards and consequences. There may be a short-term benefit of worldly satisfaction by following our own desires, but the ultimate consequence of not following God is death. Just as a parent is pleased when his children heed instruction, God is pleased when we follow Him. On top of that, He offers an eternal reward!

Our attitude is very important to God. We’ve heard this before, but it is good to be reminded. Even when our actions have the appearance of obedience and righteousness, it is our attitude that is judged. Proverbs 21:2 describes this in elegant terms, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.”  God is not going to be fooled by the mere appearance of our behavior, but our intentions and willingness to submit will be judged.

With the Fall Holy Days upon us, we will undoubtedly find ourselves under all kinds of pressure, putting our attitudes to the test. Knowing that our hearts will be judged under such pressure, now is the time to make sure that we are willing to follow God with joy and gladness. If we follow God begrudgingly or bitterly, it will be plain to Him and the consequence will be severe.

There may be unpleasant consequences for obeying God as well, but those consequences are worldly and temporary. Paul served jail time and was physically beaten for standing up for the Truth. Jesus Christ laid down His whole life in the ultimate act of obedience. How severe are these “bad” consequences relative to the good things that we face? I think that it’s clear that the vast majority of difficulties that we may encounter pale in comparison. When we read about Paul’s or Christ’s examples, we see how courageous and how willing they were to fulfill their purpose. This is the kind of willing attitude that we must have.

We need to be encouraged, especially as we enter the Fall Holy Day season, knowing that we can trust in God and that the worldly consequences that we may face are relatively insignificant. David reflects on this when he writes, “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Are we willing to put our trust in God and stand up firmly for the Truth? We must!

The Scourge of Cancer Beaten at Last!

A while ago when I was musing on the prayer requests that we have, I thought particularly of someone who had cancer.   It is not a new disease to me and my family.   My maternal grandmother died of cancer; my mother died of liver cancer; and my wife had ovarian cancer twenty-five years ago from which she has fully recovered.  We have known a number of church members and personal friends who have been hit by this dreadful disease.

One report on the internet stated that “Each year nearly 300,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK.  It has been estimated that more than 1 in 3 people (33%) will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime.  Cancers can occur at any age, but the risk of developing cancer increases with age.”

At this time I was reading a book which wrote about chemicals and their effect on health.  It said: “We typically assume that somebody else is minding the shop, making sure all these chemicals are safe.   Yet the truth is that out of 75,000 chemicals now in common commercial use, only about 1,200 to 1,500 have been tested for carcinogenicity.   Dr Sandra Steingraber writes in her book ‘Living Downstream’ that ‘the vast majority of commercially used chemicals were brought to market before 1979, when federal legislation mandated the review of new chemicals.   Thus many carcinogenic environmental contaminants likely remain unidentified, unmonitored, and unregulated.’”

The book also pointed out that the average American hosts up to 500 different chemicals in his or her body.

All of this reminded me of an article that was printed in “The Millennial Times” – a magazine in full color for the Feast of Tabernacles that we produced and published a couple of years ago, where brief articles were written about how it will be after the return of Christ in the Kingdom of God.   One article was entitled “Chemical Companies Out of Business” by Phyllis Bourque, which stated the following (amongst other comments):

“At last, the chemical companies have permanently met their demise!   After being destroyed in the last great war, the facilities that produced such deadly poisons will NOT be rebuilt!   In the meantime, the ruling God Family has effectively neutralized the effects of thousands of years of poisoning the air, the water, the land, the vegetation, and all living creatures.

“The land , which had been drenched with poison in the form of ‘pesticides’ and ‘fertilizers,’ has been decontaminated and restored to the Creator’s specifications so that it can sustain all life – plant, animal and human.”

There will be no more cancer and other diseases, caused by man’s misuse of the earth and him ignoring the instruction that was given in Genesis 2:15: “The LORD God placed the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”   Down through the last 6,000 years, man has generally, with few exceptions, ignored that instruction and greatly to his detriment.

We will be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles soon, which pictures the coming Kingdom of God.   And we can rejoice that in the Kingdom, there will no longer be any chemicals or contaminants that, today, cause so much pain and suffering through cancer and other illnesses.   We will be able to look forward to a time when man will no longer have dominion over the earth under the sway of Satan.

What a joy it will be when God—His ruling Family—hold sway!

Compose Ourselves with Self-Control

When we lack self-control, negative consequences are often times the result. Have we been victimized and/or reciprocated in kind by being too quick to respond; quick to raise the fist; seeking revenge; quick to anger; losing control of our emotions; giving in to sin; not thinking before we act; acting on assumption rather than reality; falsely accused when put on the spot for our mistakes or even our beliefs; and questioned by the things that we do?

Taking control of our actions in the way we respond requires composure, which is the state of feeling or being calm and in control of oneself. We are supposed to be peacemakers, having self-control (Matthew 5:9).  We can’t let ourselves fall apart, but need to stay intact when we are faced with adversity.

How did Christ react when He was constantly put on the spot and tested to see how He would respond? Notice some of the things which He said in a given situation:

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone… first” (John 8:7).  “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).  And after He was mocked, beaten and crucified, His response was to forgive, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

We are to imitate Christ.  When He was accused many times, He showed tremendous self-control, and in all the pressures with which He was faced and the demands of the ministry, He managed to maintain His composure to do the Will of His Father.  Are we not supposed to do the same?  We have the gift of the Holy Spirit within us to help us, and it is through God’s power and grace in our lives that we are able to respond to pressures with the same composure and self-control that Jesus showed in similar situations.  As Christ walked through the storms of life, keeping His composure, we are to do the same.  This is what God expects of us—that we are to conduct ourselves both inwardly and outwardly with the same character and grace that Jesus showed when He was on this earth.  Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He shares His compassion with us, because He has experienced the same trials and temptations that we go through.

How do we show our self-control?  “… let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).  Prayer helps us in this regard and is a valuable tool that we should never be without and that can most certainly help us in any given situation. Prayer can be applied at any time; at any moment; in any environment; whenever we need help for even the quickest and simplest things, like when we are put on the spot and need to give a quick response.  So instead of seeking to respond in a way which is typically our initial reaction, if we are not careful, let us try another approach—that of self-control and composure.

Do You Recognize the Doctrines of Demons?

This Update (No. 702) includes several warnings against demonic teaching and activities. This is no coincidence. The Bible warns us that in these last days, Satan and his demons will launch a massive attack against mankind with the ultimate goal of wiping out all human life from the face of this earth.

Satan—the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)—has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9), and nominal Christianity is not exempt. Neither are true Christians; quite to the contrary, they are the biggest targets in Satan’s devilish plan. It is therefore critical for God’s disciples to be very circumspect as to what they watch, listen to and read; what they allow their minds to embrace; and what they do. They are warned not to participate in false religious worship services (1 Corinthians 10:14-22); not to welcome or engage in doctrinal debates with those of a different persuasion (2 John 10); and not to delve into doctrinal confusion–the “depths of Satan” (Revelation 2:24).

The Holy Scriptures speak of “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).  Satan is a liar (John 8:44), and his teachings are opposed to the truth. The biggest lie is the belief that he and his abominable hordes of evil spirits do not even exist. The first lie, which was recorded in the Bible, is the false doctrine that humans are immortal. You will recall that the serpent lied to Eve when he told her that she would not surely die; in other words, that she could not die, because she had or was an immortal soul. But the Bible is consistent from beginning to end: The soul which sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20).

Rightly understood, every human teaching is a teaching of demons when it is opposed to God and His doctrines (Matthew 15:1-9; 16:12).

Satan and his demons will influence the leaders of this world to fight against the returning Christ (Revelation 16:13-14), and most people will follow their lead. Without perhaps knowing it, they will actively worship demons and embrace their demonic teaching (Revelation 9:20). Demons are anxious to pervert the straight ways of God (Acts 13:10), and even though it might not appear that way to the carnal human mind, God says that the wisdom of this world is sensual and demonic (James 3:15).

True Christians are exhorted not to give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27) and to his distorted teachings (Ephesians 6:11). Rather, they are to “test the spirits, whether they are of God,” because many false prophets and ministers “have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Some came to or arose within the Church of God, pretending to be ministers of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:4, 15). However, only those who are of God and stay loyal to Him will be able to “know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). They will understand that those who claim that Christ did away with the Law and that we do not have to keep His commandments are of the devil, and the truth is not in them (1 John 2:4; 3:8).

The Bible teaches that in these end times, just prior to the return of Christ, a falling away from the truth will occur in the Church of God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). Those who do not receive the LOVE of the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, will become victims of “strong delusion, that they should believe the lie” (verses 10-12). False christs and prophets will arise and attempt to deceive the elect (Matthew 24:24). And because lawlessness will abound, godly love of many in God’s Church will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). They will become followers of demonic doctrines and practices.

You have been warned! Are you one of the very few who recognize the doctrines of demons?

“A Great Place To Be”

Fort Collins, Colorado, has consistently been ranked one of the top places to live in the United States.  I would agree!  Having lived here for over 30 years, I have witnessed a lot of growth as many others have flocked to this city and surrounding area.  With this influx of people, I have also seen a recent skyrocket of property costs, an increase in traffic congestion and many other problems that plague “Big” cities.  Once a hidden gem, Fort Collins is drawing to itself more people than its infrastructure can handle.  If these growth pains aren’t addressed, the reasons that drew people to move to Fort Collins will fade away.

Christ spoke a parable about a master who gave a great supper (starting in Luke 14:15) in which many were invited and few of those actually came. The master told his servants to go out and pull anyone that was around into the house for the supper so, as Christ said, “that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23).  This speaks to the Will of God the Father who “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). After Christ spoke that parable, Luke recounts that great multitudes followed after Christ (Luke 14:25).  It’s to this great multitude that was flocking to Him that Christ gives another important parable.  Christ states, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Luke 14:27-28).

Each of us has heard the call, by God’s Will and inspiration, to seek and desire His Truth.  Our minds have been opened to see THE greatest gem the creation has known—Christ.  Isaiah understood this and also was inspired to give us a warning.  “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily’” (Isaiah 28:16).  Simply desiring to follow after Christ is not enough to keep us retaining this knowledge.  Many in this world call upon the name of Christ, but few are doing what it takes to be heard by Him.

Christ finished the parable in Luke stating, in simple terms, the requirements in following Him, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).  Do we have that mindset, that willingness?  We all agree how great it is to live with this knowledge, to have our minds opened by God and to retain His Spirit.  But do we show our gratitude in everything we do—as examples of those with God’s Spirit?

In front of another great multitude that was following Christ, He spoke a parable of a sower (starting in Luke 8:4).  He explained to His disciples that while many would be drawn to the Word of God, some would not have their hearts truly committed (verse 12), some would fall away because of temptation (verse 13), and others would be unwilling to give up worldly pursuits (verse 14).  Christ concludes the parable speaking to us! “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

We retain this wonderful spiritual understanding only as long as we are willing to sow spiritual fruits.  If we aren’t acting like Christ, then Christ isn’t part of our lives. Each of us carries the responsibility of laying a good foundation and maintaining it.  Only then can we expect the great treasure of God’s Knowledge to increase in our lives, and only then will our calling not fade away!

Gods Now

Have you ever wondered just how God now looks upon our current status? We know we received at baptism a small down-payment, as it were, of God’s Holy Spirit, and we have a responsibility to grow in grace and knowledge and to remain faithful to our calling until Christ returns or we die, ensuring our future in the Kingdom of God as the Father’s sons and daughters.

In God’s mind we are already in His Kingdom. Only we can prevent ourselves from entering  the Kingdom. Christ said He would never forsake us; that is, He would always be there for us through thick and thin. We are called upon to do what is necessary to “make it” into God’s Kingdom and His Family.  When the Kingdom is established on earth, we bear full responsibility if we are not in it.

Those of us who are fathers knew that when our spouse was pregnant, a child would be born into this world unless there was a miscarriage. Barring this, there was no question in our minds that our baby would be born.

A baby is protected in the womb. It is also nourished with a rich supply of blood which carries the oxygen required for cell growth and nourishment through the umbilical cord until the baby is full-term and born.  At that time the cord is cut and the baby is on its own, being separate from the mother, even though it still requires care and nourishment.

The Church is similar to a mother’s womb in that the members are protected, nourished and cared for. The Church’s responsibilities were laid out for us by Christ, when He admonished Peter in the book of John to “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). This is a way for the Church to demonstrate love for God and neighbor.

We also read in John 21:15: “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’” This would include younger and newer Church members of the flock.

Peter was also told to tend the sheep, which involves caring for and protecting the sheep: “He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep’” (John 21:16).

The ministerial responsibility towards God’s sheep and His lambs–the members of God’s Church–is plainly laid out for us in 2 Timothy 4:1-2:

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

This admonition was to Timothy, an Evangelist in God’s Church, and it must also be applied to the entire Church ministry today. Notice, Timothy was to “convince” by using the Scriptures to prove a biblical point. He was to “rebuke” when necessary—not that the sheep should be browbeaten, but on occasion, they would need correction just as a loving father would correct his children. He was to “exhort”; that is, encourage the members to stand firm and not compromise.

How was he to do this? With “all longsuffering”; that is, with Godly patience and love, and with continued “teaching” without wavering.

This is admonition to the ministry to help Church members in their growth and edification. Those who think they no longer need a true minister to teach them because they are spiritually mature and can just stay home and listen to a mixed bag of messages are making a grave mistake, which could lead to their disqualification from entering the Kingdom of God.

How long do you think a baby would survive if it would decide after four months in the womb that it does not need the mother anymore? And if it were to leave the womb and cut off the umbilical cord–the source of its food and nourishment? It would not survive for long. There is a lesson here for any of those independent Christians who have rejected true Church authority and feel they are perfectly fine in their “self-sufficiency” and that they no longer need God’s true and dedicated ministry.

The fact is: God works through His ministers to feed and take care of the Church members. Rejection of this fact is rejection of God’s government here on earth. If one cannot be subject to the Church now, how can God use one in His Kingdom?

As I mentioned earlier, in God’s mind we are already in the Kingdom, and failure to be there in the future would be totally our fault–not God’s. Let’s appreciate what God has established in regards to the Church which is to care for and feed the members, to ensure that they will be ready to meet Christ when He returns. We must individually fight against becoming a spiritual miscarriage, which could occur when we reject Church government which was established by Christ in the Church for the benefit of the flock.

Before It’s Too Late!

There are times in the march of biblical history when the actions of individuals, nations and even the world itself have brought about the direct intervention of God. Rather than receiving His blessings, people have suffered God’s punishment for their unrestrained and shameless rebellion against Him.

One such fateful instance culminated in the fall of the House of Judah and national captivity by the Chaldeans:

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

They went too far to escape their punishment!

Now, the modern descendants of the House of Israel—especially, the United Kingdom (Ephraim), the United States of America (Manasseh) and the State of Israel (Judah)—parade their defiance against the righteous laws of God, refuse to be governed by His precepts found in His written Word, the Bible, and day-by-day embrace every unspeakable evil!

Recently, in America, videos surfaced detailing the practices of abortion as sponsored by an organization called, “Planned Parenthood.” The vileness of what was revealed is shocking, but the cavalier statements about the murder and treatment of human fetuses represent an evil from the depths of darkness and depravity!

Violence brought about God’s punishment in the Flood; sexual depravity caused God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah; rebellion led to God’s rejection of the ten tribes of Israel and, subsequently, of Jerusalem and Judah; again, just a few decades following the appearance of Jesus Christ, Rome destroyed the nation of Judah and the City of Jerusalem!

Look around you—these sins are rampant, today! In fact, they are growing by leaps and bounds! There seems to be no turning away from evil, and the might and authority of God are not even considered as possible solutions!

America has been occupying the world stage as a world power—a leader among nations. Before, the United Kingdom held that position. In both cases, these nations bore responsibility to God for reflecting a biblical morality, but even though their conduct always fell “short of the glory of God,” it has reached an abominable level today. Our nations don’t even know the true God of the Bible!

It seems to be far too late for the nation of America to escape punishment from God! Indeed, the spiritual sun has set on the British Empire, and the State of Israel is repeating the sins that led to its destruction in times past!

Weighing the national sins of our people against those found in the biblical record, can we recognize the urgency we face? It is time for anyone who understands to repent, to turn to God and to seek His mercy and protection—before it is too late!

“‘I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible’” (Isaiah 13:11).

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