Fairy Tale—NOT!

In the last few weeks I’ve found myself doing even more reading, studying, and listening than normal to the thoughts of many others with expertise in different areas of interest to me.  As a result, I have spent much less time than normal writing.  The availability of crucial information is nothing less than overwhelming.  But, I have never felt so much exhilaration and strong expectancy for the unfolding of GOD’s plan as now in our unique time period.  In spite of the fact that things seem to be spinning out of control on many fronts, we dare not forget that GOD is still in the driver’s seat.  What He said through His prophets long ago is happening before our eyes—and in intricate detail.

We also can’t afford to ignore what is happening.  Many say that the fulfillment of an item which was spoken long ago is really only by chance.  Not so!  There are so many people that have been blessed with extraordinary minds and yet fail to see the mathematical improbability of even a handful of Biblical prophecies coming to pass as they have, especially with the detail left for us to read and verify.  There is no other book on this earth like the Bible!  It’s a gold mine of information that you can’t find anywhere else.  It becomes a true treasure hunt once time is taken to explore it.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to spend some time with folks that follow all kinds of different belief systems.  I had one of those opportunities a couple nights ago when three nicely dressed men came by in response to a previously arranged appointment.  We had spoken once before and so this was a follow-up.  I won’t go into the detailed discussion at this point other than to say that there really is no good answer anyone can give, no matter how dedicated or indoctrinated, to support or follow anyone claiming to be a prophet of GOD—especially with the claim of being the very first one in about 1800 years since the original apostles died, if it can be shown that he did not live up to what GOD requires of a person with this very rare calling.  If the leader / prophet / originator of any religious organization has a record which is questionable at best, as well as major failed predictions which were supposed to have come from GOD Himself, and written “holy” and “inspired” materials that GOD had to provide the interpretation for, but experts in the field later exposing as a total fraud, there is a huge problem!  There is NO good answer that will transform it into something legitimate.

It is amazing how many major religious organizations have come into being since the early 1800’s that make the claim that GOD sent them to complete, add to, or correct what has always been recognized as the original inspired Word of GOD.  The result of following any of these “new updated” religious belief systems carries an eternal judgment with it because GOD never has, nor will He ever compromise what He has already said and set into stone, nor will He ever negotiate the terms.  It will never happen!  Yet, millions of people are duped into thinking He does.  Scripture says that GOD is All-knowing, All Powerful, and Present Everywhere. This means that He never needs to correct Himself, nor does He ever need to add to His inspired Word.  There are many “additions” these days, but only one genuine inspired Word of GOD.  ONLY ONE!

People say that GOD is “unfair” in His dealings with mankind.  GOD never promised “fairness”, because our view of fairness is always limited in what we know and the very little we are able to see.  He is “just” though.  That is also based on His complete knowledge and view of everything.  GOD is also not bound by time which means that He views all of the past, present, and future simultaneously.  That is also why He is the only One that can accurately foretell the future with 100% accuracy—not a thing that anyone else can claim.  If we really want a good hold on what life is all about, we need to pay attention to every word spoken by the only true “Almighty GOD”.  There are plenty of phonies out there.  Some of them even perform miracles.  Many have great numbers of people following them.

There has always been a “delusion” available for people to fall into, and it certainly took an uptick in the early 1800’s.  It steady got worse as history unfolded.  What we saw come out of the social revolution starting in the 1960’s though, along with everything that came along with it, brought more change into the thinking process of society than ever before, and it was not good!  I happen to be old enough to have watched it in process, and now can easily see the long-term effects.

What has happened in the last ten years though will prove to have prepared mankind for the Apocalypse.  It’s interesting to note that when Jesus was asked by His disciples when to expect the events of the end days, the first thing He made a point to emphasize was for His followers to be careful not to be deceived by anyone.  He continued by adding that there would be many coming in His name, actually claiming to be the Messiah in person.  Throughout history there have always been one or two in each generation making this absurd claim, but today we have several well known men who are making this very claim, and they are backing it with at least some of the miraculous as well as well crafted deception bringing great delusion to those that have rejected the truth.  Unfortunately this also includes many that have decided not to pursue their relationship with Jesus that they had once been introduced to.  That’s a hard concept to accept for many, but the great Apostle Paul who by inspiration of the Spirit of God wrote about 2/3 of the New Testament said this, “Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly,.  I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (I Corinthians 9: 26 NIV).

Paul here is speaking of real discipline.  In the Christian world of today, at least the “educated” western version of it, we are so distracted with everything else that we have become casual Christians at best.  That’s sad and a bit damning.  I appreciate the comments made by one of the readers who submitted a post which I put on the site as a “Guest Posting”.  She wrote some good thoughts along this line in her posting just previous to this one.

We have been overwhelmed with materialism, technology, entertainment, and everything imaginable.  Our priority list has changed and unfortunately GOD is way down the list of importance in our lives—if on there at all.  If the Apostle Paul was concerned about not becoming a reject, shouldn’t that be our attitude as well?  Do you think?  Not only  is the direction of our very short stay on earth affected by how we arrange our priorities, but so is eternity.  That is a very, very long time.  Believe me, when we start our lives as immortal beings—and we will, what we have done with our stay here will be of great importance.  Please hear my pleading on this.  This dispensation of mankind’s stay on this troubled planet is in process of being wrapped up and things have shifted into high speed.  I hope to do a substantial news update this weekend.  I’m way overdue.

If one takes the time to do the research, it is easy to see how much the church world has changed in the last few years.  One after the other of the mainline denominations are in process of sacrificing major beliefs at the religious negotiating table, in order to achieve unity.  There are doctrinal beliefs that we dare not ever compromise.  Some things don’t matter all that much, for example, whether a person decides to worship on Saturday or Sunday—or any other day for that matter.  There are people that argue many things, even the length of people’s hair and so on, but these have nothing to do with the basic belief requirements that GOD has made clear.  This is the reason the statement is made in the little book of Jude in the New Testament, “…I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” (Jude vs. 3b, NIV).  The exact opposite is happening in our day in most of the organized Christian world.

We are told that we need to provide a “seeker-friendly” atmosphere when people come to church.  We are encouraged to entertain them so that we can compete with what the world has to offer.  We are told that we need to be “relevant”.  IT HAS NOT WORKED!  I do believe in being relevant, but it must take the form of meeting the true needs of people around us, and it must be done without compromising GOD’s Word.  Yes, we have huge mega-churches, but they are few and far between that truly preach and teach the genuine and true, uncompromising Word of GOD.  As a result, millions of people are following manmade detours.  Actually they are birthed in hell to destroy as many of those that Jesus died on the cross for as possible.  These detours are following the delusion of the age.  Many say this is really hard-nosed and fanatical.  Yes, I suppose it is.  But this is what was said of John the Baptist.  Do you remember what Jesus said about him?  He said that among men that were born of women there was no one greater.  If you spend the time to read the Baptist’s messages, it sounds harsh and dogmatic.  When it comes to the basic doctrines of GOD, we had better take the same stand that John the Baptist took.  You won’t make as many friends, nor will you have as many followers, but GOD will approve of your message as you fulfill the Great Commission—and He will empower it.  And, in many cases, the closest ones to you will be the hardest and unappreciative of what GOD has called you to do.  Be of good cheer!  Even Jesus’ half-brothers and mother interrupted one of His engagements with a crowd by saying that they needed to take Him home because He was “besides Himself”.  They meant that they thought He had slipped a mental cog!  Amazing.

But, there has been an all-out unleashing of a “spirit of deception” on this world in the last handful of years.  I sincerely believe that this is one evidence of the White Horse and Rider of Revelation having been released on the earth already to go about conquering the minds and hearts of the masses.  The Apostle Paul said in II Timothy 3:1 (NIV):  “But mark this:  There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of GOD—having a form of godliness but denying its power…” He goes on to say in verses 12-16:  “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of GOD may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Those of us that do claim Christ as our Lord and Master have become soft.  We are not used to being a minority in American society.  Even though there is a greater percentage of Christians in this nation in comparison to its total population, we really are the minority now, and the tide is turning against the Judeo-Christian belief system with a great display of growing hatred of what the Bible says.  We may have to stand for WHO we believe in under very difficult circumstances.  For too many of us though, we are embarrassed to speak the name of Jesus around our peers.  How in the world are we going to stand under much worse circumstances?  Yet, our eternity depends on it.  Jesus said that if we are ashamed of Him before men, HE will be ashamed of us before the Almighty Father.  We can’t even imagine the horror of experiencing something like this.  Please take some time to think this through.

Here’s another statement made by Paul:  “In the presence of GOD and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His Kingdom, I give you this charge:  Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.  For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  But you, KEEP YOUR HEAD in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.  For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.”  (II Timothy 4: 1-8, NIV)

Most think that the remarks here about doing the work of an evangelist is only for men “of the cloth”.  Hardly!  More people are influenced into taking a serious look at Jesus by everyday people than all ministers combined.  That’s a fact.  Even myself, having been in one form of ministry or another for several decades, now in my waning and “slow” years wonder if there is any reason for me to open my mouth anymore.  I come to that place quite often.  I look back at life and I see many wonderful things that GOD has done, yet I then look back at all of the blunders scattered throughout my life and I find myself with tears in my old stoic German eyes, wondering how GOD could love me!  But, then He steps in and reminds me of the power of the mighty BLOOD of Jesus that ran down that cruel despicable death device—the cross, and I realize that I really am under His Blood.  King David was considered a “man after GOD’s own heart.  Why?  Because He always went running back to GOD to repent and ask for mercy!!  That’s the key for every single one of us, folks.  It takes HUMILITY, and a genuine recognition of WHO HE REALLY IS!  No one in hell, on earth, or above the earth can ever change “WHO” He is because we have our doubts, or even reject Him.  HE IS WHO HE IS, and it will always behoove me to remember that and fall on my face often, and in great tears of repentance if need be to keep my relationship with Him in tact.  It really matters…

I have come to the time in my life when I write all of my posts with the recognition that it could be my last.  Why would I say such a thing?  Because none of us has any guarantee at all of our next day on this earth, no matter how young.  It doesn’t matter.  If I dropped dead tomorrow, I would like to think that I delivered my soul in everything I posted for others to read.  I would also like to be able to also say that I have fought the good fight and have kept the faith.  Because of the Blood of Jesus, I can do so today.  I also want to desperately hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of your LORD that He has prepared for you.”  That trumps EVERYTHING else in this life!

Will you commit to live the same life yourself?  It’s important, because the “Greatest Story Ever Told” is not a fairy tale!

Until next time, God willing…

Jake