The Scourge Of Racism
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Not only does the New Testament of the Bible trumpeting God’s New Covenant present the possibility of believers apostatizing from the Lord and the faith, but it foretells such falling away as a reality and major event of these latter days! Now, I am not unaware of what many in the churches teach concerning the believer’s eternal security and permanent salvation. Nonetheless, as a saved, aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ, I have chosen to take my stand with what “the whole counsel of God” is to include prophecy plainly displayed in His written Word preserved for us in the Bible and willingly suffer for it (Acts 20:27; 2 Corinthians 4:1-15; 1 Timothy 5:22).
‘“Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city…’” (Revelation 14:8, NKJV). The apostle John wrote what he saw looking into the future as He had been commanded by the risen, glorified Christ concerning what to him and the saints of his day was the mystery of “Babylon the great,” (Revelation 1:17-19, 16:17-19, 17:1-18:24). Alive now, in days nearly 2,000 years removed from those of which John wrote, I declare by the Holy Spirit, my own eyes and statistics Babylon the great is falling just as the apostle saw in advance!1 There is only one city that at once has ruled in history over kings, been the seat of Christianity the religion of men on earth and calls itself the “eternal city:” Rome, Italy.
God has made Jerusalem His chosen, eternal city; “the city of the great King,” (Psalm 48; Isaiah 65:17-19; Jeremiah 3:17; Zechariah 1:12-17, 2:1-5, 8:1-8, 14:1-4, 8-11, 16-21; Revelation 3:12, 21:1-2, 9-27, NKJV)! There is no place for a rival. Therefore, the city 1st century Christians code named, “Babylon” is coming down to the ground with those of every nation save Israel in the Day God pours out the fullness of His wrath upon the earth (Isaiah 13:9-13, 24:19-20, 40:4-5; Revelation 16:19)! As the Lord Almighty gloriously displayed His superior power over the gods of Egypt, Pharaoh and his armies, so, He will destroy all vestiges of the evil legacy of Rome, its Empire and Caesars (Exodus 15:1-12; Ezekiel 38:16-39:8; Revelation 6:12-17, 15:1-4, 19:11-21).
Before that Day, however, God will bring about the destruction of the part of Rome that is fully the focus of what John saw prophetically, even that sovereign city-state, Vatican City, where for seventeen centuries with few interruptions, the dominant, corrupt form of Christianity as a manmade invention has wielded power over men’s souls, kings and nations; a wealthy, arrogant queen who has defied all prophecies of her downfall. Nevertheless, she has only been preserved by God for this coming moment of fatal judgment like her ancient namesake and by the consummate representative of her cherished adulterous connection to Rome (Isaiah 47; Revelation 17:15-18:8).
As the Lord has led, I have sprinkled much about great Babylon throughout my blogs in writing about the historical origins and activities of Christianity the religion of men and certain events. Read for example, The Falling Away, February 2, 2014 under Bible Prophecy, Re-defining Sin, November 9, 2014 under Call To Repent and Worshipping God Without God, Pt. 3, the January 18, 2015 repost, under the same category. The fall of great Babylon is among the shining triumphs of the Antichrist. For God, however, it is the grand finale of the foretold judgment on His house which will have included every outward form and structure of Christianity on earth--as was the case with Israel’s Temple and for similar reasons--that is already underway (Matthew 23:37-24:2; 1 Peter 4:17-18).
Though His judgment has been painful to watch and experience all around me, I rejoice with the Lord, Heaven and all the saints to see in view the final end of great Babylon that persecuted the faithful to the death and destroyed so many souls through her many spiritual harlotries (Revelation 18:20-19:4). By the time her day comes, her many Protestant and other harlot daughters will have also drank deeply from the cup of God’s displeasure for the evil of their ways and refusal like ancient Israel to repent (Jeremiah 2-3:10)! Indeed, while I believe myself very blessed to have been alive to see the height of God’s use of faithful Christians in the Kingdom cause of the Gospel, I have also seen and endured much evil from among those professing to be Protestant Christians.
If there was a century left for scholars to debate the highest height of Christianity on earth from the 1st century coming of our Lord Jesus and His apostles that took the Gospel to the nations at His command until His glorious Second Coming, most would agree the global preaching and evangelistic crusades of Billy Graham in the 20th century was it! In the power of Christ, Dr. Graham also managed the miraculous feat of uniting cooperating churches to support, serve in and receive the millions of souls brought to the Lord in those evangelistic crusades. Though there are yet some faithful evangelists and churches laboring in the Lord, none will in the end reach the height of the Graham era. I thank God not only to have seen, but also to have once participated in that pinnacle work.
Awakened by the smell of frying bacon and what I knew were the accompanying pancakes for the weekly Sunday breakfast cooked by my late grandfather, Richard Campbell, my siblings and I would later go off to Sunday School and church with our also now, departed grandmother, Eunice. Though this memory is sweet, attached to it is the reality that even in progressive California, the Protestant church we attended in the mid-sixties had only black members due to the evils of racism. I also remember being terrified by a deacon there who put the fear of him in us if we put anything down on the communion table as my introduction to manmade Christianity the religion, its rules, traditions and hypocrisies conducted by men out of their sinful flesh.
To this day both issues I have just raised still exist in Protestant churches along with all manner of carnality of the flesh to include divisions with political intrigue, factions and rivalries, greed and covetousness in idolatry (1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3:5), biblical compromises such as joining the confused rebellion against the divine order (Romans 1:18-2:11) and corrupt falsehoods made to pander after the world in order to fill seats and bank accounts in all apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 12-22). For nearly forty years I have been told that this is the way it is because the people will not mature spiritually. Never mind the men telling me this have been as carnal and spiritually immature as those they lead!
Unrepentant professing Protestant Christians and their churches in sin may be the way it is, but that does not mean the longsuffering God is pleased. Therefore, as the example and warning of Israel’s dealings with the immutable God plainly shows us in Scripture (1 Corinthians 10:1-11), so, judgment not rapture is the present and immediate future for unrepentant sinning professing Protestant and other Christians in their churches. And no one should foolishly ask, “What did we do,” (Jeremiah 5:20-31, 8:4-7; Luke 14:25-35)? Time is up; the end of God’s long forbearance has come (Ezekiel 7; Amos 8:1-3). Great Babylon is falling never to rise again as the Lord clearly warned in advance nearly 2,000 years ago.
1 Read the 2015 blog reposts for August 30th and September 6th respectively to learn more about my experience with and statistics on falling Babylon the great.
It is not supposed to happen in America. However, it has happened quite a bit in recent years and again this past week in a small Texas town where a gunman entered a church with a gun killing twenty-six and critically wounding others. While demonically instigated and hate-filled individuals just assume all that they seek to harm in a church are Christians, in secular settings such as Columbine in Colorado and Umpqua Community College here in Oregon, the assailants coldly asked some of those they would kill, “Are you a Christian?”1 Such targeting is the ultimate form of persecution and of course, martyrdom for the Christians that are slain for whose they are.
Professing American Christianity seems not to want to acknowledge that more and more in this still believed by many to be a “Christian nation” violent targeting of our numbers is occurring and intensifying. Once again for whatever all the reasons including the practice of Christianity the religion of men in all of its forms with various prosperity and escape doctrines, denial is easier. However, as the Lord led me to write in this edited 2010 Commentary, the foretold latter day persecution of Christians (Matthew 24:9) is a reality in many nations. It can no longer be out of mind here because of being out of sight. Hateful persecution of Christians is happening in America and the West too!
An obvious truth in all of this is that American and all other Christians are in fact, still on earth en masse while persecution and tribulation keeps rising. So, as we pray for the “Persecuted Church” on this special Sunday set aside for it, let the faithful realize though we yet have it relatively light here in America compared to our persecuted brethren in other lands, we are included among them. Let us also continue to pray for the surviving wounded and grieving families of the Texas church martyrs.
Originally Published November 2010
After recently reading an article on the current persecution of Chakma Christians by Buddhist extremists in Bangladesh, I was reminded that tribulation or suffering for Christ is quite the norm for many of His followers in many openly anti-Christian parts of the world. This month we remember persecuted Christians with prayer. I am also led by the Lord to again warn Western Christians our time to suffer in like manner is near. We do not want to hear this, of course, and have invented all manner of scenarios that will enable our escape as though fellow Christians in other parts of the world are somehow God's throwaways; people He does not care about as much as He does us.
While it is not my intent to engage in a end time prophecy debate, I do want to point out a reality to all parties planning on the escape of Western Christians from the "great tribulation" spoken of by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:15-22 and Mark 13:14-20. That reality is the tribulation our persecuted brethren now endure in several hostile nations is of the same nature as the "great tribulation." Powerful anti-Christ's now kidnap and/or arrest, imprison, torture, maim and kill our brethren as well as destroy their property if they will not renounce faith in Christ. The Chakma Christians in Bangladesh are not even allowed to buy or sell crops unless they openly display Buddhist loyalty.2
Bible students should instantly recognize the buying and selling issue as one that will emerge in the days of the Antichrist as foretold in Revelation 13:16-17. The government of the coming Antichrist will also violently persecute Christians as do the many national governments, terrorist and religious groups today. The only difference in what takes place now and the foretold "great tribulation" under the Antichrist is one of scope and duration; then it will be global and last intensely three and one-half years (Daniel 7:19-25; Revelation 13:1-10).
If God allows His people to experience tribulation past, present and in a foretold future, where do we Westerners get off thinking we have a special exemption from Him who shows no partiality (Acts 10:34-35)? I suspect this expectation of escape in part is tied to the sin bred arrogance of accomplishment Western nations have enjoyed over the past 500 years. Another reason surely grows out of a popular false teaching that God does not let His people suffer. But those of my racial heritage especially that are sons of slaves know better or else are we God’s throwaways too having experienced the severest forms of brutality even after professing faith in Christ?
The call to His people at this hour to become strong men and great women of God is very strategic and biblically consistent. Indeed, all trials and tribulations have the ultimate divine end of testing our faith (Deuteronomy 8:1-6; Psalm 11:4-6; Hebrews 12:1-11; James 1:2-3, 5:10-11; 1 Peter 1:3-9). Judging by the lack of biblical knowledge, spiritual maturity and outright rebellion continuously reported in Christian media, professing Western Christians are not as ready to endure violent tribulation for the faith as our brethren in other parts of the world are doing--though in fairness, the Chakma Christians of Bangladesh are struggling and urgently need our prayers.
The strong man of God in the image of Christ is empowered with His strength and equipped to persevere in faith under the most severe of trials (Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 12:11). For this reason Strong Man Ministries through the Strong Man Institute is pleased to be part of God's strategic work to instruct Christians from His Word on the life of the strong man of God. As well, I do the same on the printed page as the Lord leads in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion resource, The Strong Man Of God Men's Group Study pastors, men's ministry and other Christian leaders can use to equip those they serve.3
At this hour we must pray for and support our persecuted brethren in non-Western nations while we recognize the increase of and prepare more deliberately for our own tribulation (which is even now at the door) because none of God's sons are throwaways! For the record, the "great tribulation" is not God's wrath that He has promised to deliver Christians from (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). It is Satan's permitted final expression of wrath that comes before God justly pours out His upon unrepentant, reprobate sinners sold out to evil (compare Revelation 12:7-17 and 16:1-21).
1 Oregon Gunman Singled Out Christians During Rampage, October 1, 2015, New York Post.
2 Buddhist Extremists Continue to Persecute Christians, SBC Life, October/November 2010, p. 22. The article can be read online at SBC Life.
3 Learn more about the Strong Man Institute on our Web Site. My book and companion men's group study resource are available through all major internet booksellers
and in the Strong Man Store.
Following up my November 8, 2020 post, the Lord would have me issue yet another warning to professed American Christians and the churches they assemble in that are guilty of allowing themselves to be easily deceived by “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” in these latter times as foretold (1 Timothy 4:1, NKJV).1 While I wrote in that post that Satan and his kingdom of darkness has operated mostly in the invisible spiritual shadows, Bible prophecy plainly asserts his revelation in the tangible evidence of unfolding world events, personages and open worship (his long held aspiration) in the wrap up of these times before the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Faithful, Bible believing Christians from the first century have seen and see the reality and working of Satan in the darkness.2 We see it in his never ending opposition to the Gospel and its spread as foretold (Mark 13:9-11; Acts 4:1-22, 13:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20). We see it in the foretold rebellion he foments against God, His Anointed and Word even from among those that profess to know Him (Psalm 2:1-3; John 16:1-4; Acts 4:23-31; 2 Timothy 3:1-9). We see it too, in the foretold hatred and persecution of Christians he stirs up that is taking place in many nations across the face of the earth (Matthew 10:22-26, 24:9; Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:17; John 15:18-25)!3
The Bible teaches lawlessness, persistent social conflict, civil unrest, rioting, strife, violence, murder (right down into the womb through abortion), terrorist acts and wars are instigated by Satan and his behind the scenes work carried out with Christ’s permission and continuing until His return (Genesis 4:1-8; Ezekiel 28:11-19; John 8:44, 13:1-2, 18-30; Ephesians 2:1-3, 6:10-12; 1 John 3:4-15; Revelation 6:1-8, 9:20-21). Through his deceiving work, the adversary also seduces many that profess allegiance to Christ to fall away in rebellion, betrayal and unbelief to their destruction while persecuting others to the death (Matthew 24:10; Hebrews 3:7-19; Revelation 2:8-11, 6:9-11).
Indeed, “the falling away” is a foretold mass event that looms; its trigger and full circumstances a mystery, though, if prophecy, historical and rising contemporary instances are any indication, the growing unpopularity of biblical Christianity in the world (to include among adversaries many false and manmade religious forms of it) with persecution will be the primary cause (2 Thessalonians 2:3a, NKJV).4 Interestingly, the apostle Paul’s prophetic declaration in the foregoing Scripture reference is preceded by the phrase, “Let no one deceive you by any means.” In God’s perfect timing, “the falling away” and what comes next in the same verse are sober, certain prophetic truth from Him!
The Lord uses the apostle Paul to yet again prophesy a staggering prophecy about one named by description in many ways who is foretold to come before the “Day” of the Lord. Paul calls him “the man of sin” and “son of perdition,” (2 Thessalonians 2:3b, NKJV). Daniel prophesies about him as does our Lord in His great prophetic discourse that warns of resulting “great tribulation” for the world and impacting God’s Jewish and Christian elect (Daniel 7:15-25, 8:23-25, 9:25-27; Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 7, NKJV). He “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped” and in God’s Temple asserts the lie “that he is God,” (2 Thessalonians 2:4, NKJV).
The unveiling of this “lawless one” that the apostle John also calls “the Antichrist” is now, held back from making his brief appearance leading to his eternal destruction only by the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:5-8; 1 John 2:18, NKJV).5 In agreement with Daniel, the apostle Paul further foretells the Antichrist does have a benefactor, Satan, that he is beholding to and who is allowed by God to fully display the powers granted angels to falsely authenticate his claim to be God and deceives many. The Antichrist with the aid of a major and many other false prophets in return favor will fulfill Satan’s ultimate purpose for him and that is to openly acknowledge the devil and call for his worship too (Daniel 11:36-39; Matthew 24:23-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 13)!
The Lord has led me to describe the fast approaching period of the Antichrist as His “final exam.”6 That being so, all other instances of Satan having so easily tempted many into deception throughout professing Western Christianity to this hour are failed tests that do not bode well for passing the final exam! With all that is in me in love for Christ and the Church I exhort all reading this to take the necessary measures to minimize Satan’s ability to tempt you into sin and deception. Recognize for example, disobedience to God’s Word cannot be justified or satisfactorily rationalized before Him (John 14:23-24, 31, 15:9-10). Only repentance now, is acceptable! If you do not prepare yourself appropriately and fail it, understand there is no make-up final exam (Revelation 14:9-13).
1 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
2 These are aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Jesus Christ! Learn more about them in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.
It is published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in the
footnotes. It is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ChristianBooks.com. These book sellers with Apple also have the digital
download of the book. Type the title into their search engines if necessary. You can also purchase the book and all related Strong Man Of God Brand Group Study
Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
3 See the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Read The Falling Away, posted on February 2, 2014, under the category Bible Prophecy.
5 See the February 23, 2014 post, The Man Of Sin, under the category, Bible Prophecy. If as the apostle John writes, “sin is lawlessness,” then, it is impossible that the
yet sin indwelt Church or their churches on earth could be the restrainer of lawlessness and the coming lawless one (1 John 3:4, NKJV). Truly, many that profess to
be Christians at this hour refuse to repent of their lawlessness! Only the Holy Spirit as God could restrain sin and its out breaking work to include wicked personalities
until He ceases restraining. Then, woe to the world! This “church as restrainer” doctrine tied to a pre-tribulation “rapture” is another false supposition imposed on
Scripture among many that are and will continue falling like dominoes in the face of reality during these latter times. Again, to avoid being deceived faithful Christians
with all else must know God’s Word as it is written, objectively read, interpreted and applied.
6 See Man Of Sin.
Truly, every prophecy of Scripture concerning and from Christ, the living Word, will be fulfilled (Luke 21:33, 24:44)! Thus, the hate-filled global persecution of Christians is coming to America! Judging by the spiritual energy presently being expended to relieve fear among an obviously large number of professed Christians during His Coronavirus judgment, clearly, many are not ready for the coming “fiery trial” God is allowing to “try” us in judgment (1 Peter 4:12-19, NKJV).5 As a result, the people need to be warned, taught and prepared to faithfully persevere trusting in the Lord as He has led me to write in many previous posts and my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.6
The current state of fear pervading much of American Christianity is on every pastor and Bible teacher that has failed until now to biblically warn, teach and equip those they serve in the church building and by way of media in the basics of the faith and “the whole counsel of God”--His grace that saves and holiness that demands His foretold wrath upon sinners (Isaiah 13:9; Acts 20:26-27, NKJV). Imagine how much more fruitful the response of our unsaved fellow citizens could be if in the background of the solid preaching of the Gospel now, going forth, there wasn’t also the steady drone of exhortation not to fear going out to those that already profess to be Christians weak in faith!7
Faithful Christian Americans are just one anti-Christian spark and/or national election to the political far left away from legal persecution through arrest, trial and incarceration for standing on the Word of God as it is written.8 The Lord Jesus Christ warns His first century disciples and us about this reality and instructs not to worry about what to say at that time, but to speak what the Holy Spirit puts in our mouths giving testimony about Him (Matthew 10:16-20; Mark 13:11; Luke 21:12-15; John 15:26-27). Besides that kind of tribulation, verbal and physical assault for being a Christian easily follows in a nation where the majority hates Christ and the Bible He is faithfully portrayed in!
Too, as in other nations whose governments now, look the other way when mobs and terrorists murder Christians identified by their unwavering testimony of faith, it will happen here as it has and does for example, with black and other Americans profiled by our skin color. The Lord Jesus teaches that the hatred behind Christian persecution stems from apostasy, falsehood, love grown cold in abounding lawlessness, His works and exposure of the persecutors’ “sin.” This persecution comes well before the “great tribulation” and gives rise to open conflict among professed Christian religionists and apostates who “betray” and “hate” each other along with the faithful (Matthew 24:10-12, 15-21; John 15:18-25, 16:1-4, NKJV).9
Indeed, the coming global persecution is a major factor in “the falling away” the apostle Paul foretells (2 Thessalonians 2:3, NKJV).10 Falling away and betrayal among the disciples of Christ whether in times of persecution or not has occurred from His time on earth (Matthew 26:20-25, 47-49; Luke 22:48; 2 Timothy 4:9-10; 1 John 2:18-19). However, for many professed Christian Americans that barely distinguishes between being a Christian and an American, the Lord’s warning of extensive betrayal to the death by family and friends in a nation that hates Christians as a coming reality is very hard to accept. Yet, Christ says so (Matthew 10:21; Mark 13:12; Luke 21:16)!
Moreover, church history and current events among our persecuted brethren in other nations shows how Christians are betrayed by hating family and friends.11 Most Americans--Christian or not--place a high value on family and other mortal relationships. The Lord Jesus though, quoting from the prophet Micah as historic and ongoing spiritual reality, not only foretold division over Him in families, but made it plain He expects our love and loyalty to Him above all including self (Micah 7:5-7; Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 14:25-27)! Regardless of who is doing the persecuting, hating or betraying, He also expects His faithful to patiently endure to the end--our lives or His coming--not retaliating or taking vengeance (Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:18-19; Romans 12:17-21).12
Therefore, pastors and ministry leaders: do you really plan to go back to business as usual? The Lord calls you to recognize the times have changed in front of your very eyes and to repent from every way it was before the Coronavirus judgment that is sin in His sight to include allowing women to corruptly defy His Word in falsehood (1 Timothy 2:11-14); deceiving many and leading to their equal judgment (Ezekiel 13:17-23; Revelation 2:18-23)! Too, snap out of denial and get His people ready for all of what the Lord Jesus said is coming in the face of God’s Coronavirus judgment which is demonstrated proof the judgments and events He foretold would precede His return are underway! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
5 This unpreparedness for His sudden judgments in the earth is just as the Lord led me to warn would be the case in the September 29, 2019 post, God Almighty In A
21st Century World, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
6 Read the following posts under the category, Instruction: May 22, 2016, The Peculiar People, May 29, 2016, Preparing For The Final Battle and the two-part, Lined
Up Behind Jesus beginning on August 18, 2019. Get a print copy or digital download of my book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
7 Having previously written transparently about my own 2014 failure to trust God in a business situation, I did not write this statement out of some high-handed, self-
righteous place. See my March 2, 2014, The Testing Of Our Faith, under the category, Instruction. I understand and empathize with those of my spiritually maturing
brethren that fail the test of faith as a matter of momentary weakness in sin. What I am writing of here, is ongoing unbelief in weakness sustained by longstanding
spiritual immaturity through lack of instruction and practice especially prevalent in the many forms of empty, powerless manmade Christianity the religion. Read the
two-part post beginning August 21, 2016, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction followed by the two-part post beginning September 11,
2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent.
8 Roman Caesar, Nero, had only to blame Christians for the fire that destroyed much of Rome to persecute many to the death, while a later Caesar, Diocletian (and
government tyrants from many nations that followed), used no excuse except to be rid of them! Without endorsing as completely accurate or any specific sects men-
tioned, an online overview source to explore the history of Christian persecution is Wikipedia.
9 See the December 9, 2018 post, The Peril Of Religious Men, under the category, Instruction.
10 Read the February 2, 2014 post, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
11 This Ministry supports Open Doors USA, a Ministry serving our persecuted brethren in many places and invites you to read some of their stories that include be-
trayal and violence against them by family, former neighbors and friends.
12 Read my June 5, 2016 post, The Day Of Vengeance, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
I concluded the June 3, 2018 two-part post, Feminism’s Entry Into The Churches warning as I have soberly and repeatedly over the last several years especially that a dramatic intensification of God’s judgment upon His house in America was imminent. Having used me in accord with 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 to biblically demolish feminism as one of many strongholds of deceit in His house, this day the Lord has me declaring the time for His intensified judgment in punishing the unrepentant disobedient individually and collectively has come (2 Corinthians 10:6)! He does so in total consistency with His judgment of ancient Israel for their rebellion against Him also.
It is absurd to the extreme for professed Christians and those that lead them that are guilty to assert what God did in judgments upon willfully disobedient Israel is of no concern for them today since Christians have a different and more intimate relationship with Him. However, the apostle Paul specifically directs Christians to examine and be warned by what happened to Israel “as examples,” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11, NKJV). Why would he do this if in fact, what happened between God and Israel has no serious implications for Christians? As history and present-day reality prove, professed Christians in the sinful flesh and denial are exactly like the Israelites of old (Jeremiah 2:35, 5:12-13)!
This idea that from God’s perspective the relational bond with Christians is thicker than with ancient Israel is false. Just casually reading through the Old Testament it quickly becomes apparent God saw Himself as a Husband and Father to Israel as in The Book Of Jeremiah where from the first seven chapters the Lord has caused me to anchor this discourse. God loves Israel and will yet completely fulfill His promise of the nation’s restoration after severe judgment for sin over millennia ends (Jeremiah 2:1-3, 3:4, 14-20). If you are a Christian you have been saved and brought near to God by grace through faith in Israel’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus (Romans 9:1-5; Ephesians 2:11-22).
And yes, we are born again and marked out by the Holy Spirit as belonging to God according to His New Covenant with Israel first after they broke the old one (John 1:12-13, 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Hebrews 8:7-13). But as many willfully refuse to accept, our new life, relationship with God and promise of eternally dwelling with Him is conditioned on continuing faith in (trust, confidence and reliance upon) Him and demonstrated by love motivated obedience to the end the same as Israel of old (Matthew 24:13; John 14:15-24; Romans 11:11-22; Hebrews 3:7-19). As Israel is the manifest example, ‘“The Lord will judge His people,’” (Hebrews 6:4-8, 10:26-31, 35-39, 11:6, NKJV).
As He had done from the Exodus in sending prophets to His rebel people, so, God called Jeremiah before conception in his mother’s womb to bear what turned out to be His final call to repentance and warning of impending judgment for disobedience and apostasy to Judah (Jeremiah 1, 7:21-26). Later, the prophet Ezekiel--a contemporary taken to Babylon in the second wave of captives, also brought God’s message to His rebellious people there (Ezekiel 1:28-3:11). Similarly, in these latter days I have been gifted and called a watchman/prophet to the Lord’s churches in accord with Ezekiel 33:1-9 and have consciously served as such since 1986; warning the Lord’s sword was drawing near.
Now--in what should be to no one’s surprise, the sword of the Lord in judgment upon His house in disobedience and apostasy has fully arrived in America. His charges are spiritually exactly the same as He brought against ancient Israel. Though outwardly many professed Christians claim to know and love Jesus, their hearts are engrossed with the idols of this world to include fellow, fallen human beings and self, success, material things, wealth, power--moving far away from the Lord and changing “their Glory for what does not profit,” (Jeremiah 2:4-13, NKJV). Brazenly, they sin and commit iniquity embracing this world’s ways such as feminism taught by demons and sexual immorality. Claiming innocence in deceit, they are unwilling to “receive correction,” (Jeremiah 2:14-3:5, 5:1-9, 7:27-28, NKJV).
However, the Lord is a witness against the unrepentant who will be punished! For besides sounding the trumpet of warning for His approaching sword, all of the Lord’s true prophets cry out against the sins of His people He has seen.1 But as ancient Judah would not give heed except superficially nor learn from sister Israel’s experience, neither have guilty professed American Christians given heed or learned from all Israel; insulated in falsely crafted doctrines of security (Jeremiah 3:6-13, 21-4:4, 5:20-31, 6:16-17, 7:1-11)! Though these doctrines of ‘“peace’” come from some well meaning teachers, they are still false! Otherwise, the teachers are false just like Judah’s false prophets proven wrong by God’s judgment that fell as foretold (Jeremiah 4:5-31, 5:10-19, 6:1-15, 18-30, 7:12-20, 29-34; 2 Peter 2, NKJV).
Too, as in ancient Israel, the prophets of ‘“peace’” today outnumber those of judgment in truth. But He comforts us that are true as He did Jeremiah (Jeremiah 14:10-16, NKJV). Thus, His judgment will be as the storm the Lord Jesus describes in Luke 6:46-49. Testing by way of severe persecution that tries every professed Christian soul to reveal faith and love in the faithful2 or impostors and rebels that fall away along with the withdrawal of the almost universal protection from calamity church and parachurch property graciously enjoyed has come as foretold (Matthew 24:9-28; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-2:4; 1 Peter 1:3-9, 4:12-19; Revelation 17:16-18:8).3 Hear His word to me the morning of May 31, 2018: “I will burn away the chaff in the fire of judgment until only a remnant is left ready to receive the Lord!”
1 All of my posts under the category, Call To Repent, are a starting point for how the Lord has used me to cry out against the sins of His people in love, grace, mercy and
with sober exhortation to repent to avert punishment!
2 The earlier reference to Ezekiel as among the first captives taken to Babylon should encourage faithful Christians--every aspiring strong man and great woman of God
in the image of Christ--now facing God’s intensified judgment upon His house. For with Ezekiel was also Daniel who though both were impacted by the adversities of
God’s judgment upon all Judah, they were still used mightily by Him and brought forth two of the Bible’s most significant prophetic books! So, let us be as they and all
of the faithful saints used of God in history to witness Christ and stand true to Him until He comes (Daniel 11:32-35; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14).
3 See among other posts The Falling Away, February 2, 2014, The Man Of Sin, February 23, 2014, The Prayers Of The Saints parts 1 and 2, March 16-23, 2014 and
Babylon Is Falling, August 23, 2015, all under the category, Bible Prophecy. Also, read Praise For The Lord God Almighty!, September 13, 2015 under the category,
Glory To God! and Willful And De Facto Apostates, March 20, 2016 under the category, The Faith.
The march to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the end of this world as we have known it under the dominion of evil is moving just as it has been foretold in the ‘“Scripture of Truth,’” (Daniel 10:18-21, NKJV). As part of this march, I stand in awe of the sovereign God who in wisdom has given men the knowledge to develop technologically at a faster pace in the last 200 years than at any time in all of the millennia before. The telegraph to computers and cell phones, the first automobile to space flight, modern appliances and robotics; all attest to this truth in serving the divine end time purposes and proving that still--regardless of technological progress, man’s chief problem is sin since its works through him have not abated, but only intensified (Joel 2:1-11; Revelation 9:13-21).
With the merciful heart of God, we do not rejoice at the foretold troubles coming upon this world because of sin. However, Christians are not supposed to be falling apart either. Indeed, many professing Christians and their leaders are even in denial and behave as if everything is going (and should continue) as it always has. They fear the future and do not by faith “look up” (Luke 21:28, NKJV) as God intends--having given us His prophetic Word as advance knowledge--because they in disobedience love this present world and their carefully laid plans and dreams rooted in it (Luke 9:23). As I present in this edited 2013 blog repost, God has raised up this Ministry among others to call the weak to His strength as those alone that will endure to receive the promised salvation.
Originally Posted October 6, 2013
It is so very heart breaking to see people all over our nation and world coming unhinged at the slightest provocation; unglued and falling apart at the seams leading to acts of rage and violence in these times of stress. It appears that the natural self-control and fear of consequences resident in most human beings that serve as a restraint to injury to self and others is dissipating and the Bible gives us an important reason why. I do sympathize with the provocations and stresses of life in this world that can lead to the mental and emotional states of mind persons get to that cause them to become unhinged and unglued.
However, the Word of God plainly teaches that these things are so in these latter days because He is allowing mankind in the main--that has spent much of nearly the last two millennia rejecting the Gospel--to now have it their way in the face of His coming wrath (Romans 1:18-32). God (who alone has been evil’s Restrainer) is permitting lawlessness through the venting of humanity’s natural sinful impulses and the instigating, pressuring work of demons to steadily increase and eventually commonly “abound” out of control because this is the kind of kingdom men as sinners choose when they reject the righteous Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; 1 John 3:4, NKJV).
To add to the misery of the God haters and rebels in these latter days, the God of creation that created it for man, is causing it to convulse violently against its fallen rulers in anticipatory birth pains of its restoration in peace under the immortal sons of God (Mark 13:8; Luke 21:10-11; Romans 8:19-22)! As a result, anxious fear about what is coming upon the earth will also be added to the life stresses that are causing people to now fall apart and soon, to die from mass heart failures (Luke 21:25-26). Sadly, among such persons are many professing to be Christians.
It is in this context of the present stresses and those foretold still to come that God has called forth our strong man of God cause. We are not just about a book and brand. Jesus Christ is the Strong Man of God demonstrated by His life, death and resurrection to immortality! Men from Adam’s son, Seth, have known the strength and blessing that comes from calling “on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:25-26, NKJV) and the Lord Himself has commanded men to “be strong” from ancient times (Deuteronomy 31:23, NKJV).
Now, though, it is at “the ends of the ages” that calling on the name of the Lord and being strong in the strength He supplies to His faithful and obedient ones is of the utmost prophetic urgency and absolutely imperative (1 Corinthians 10:11, NKJV). For as I have written previously (in blogs and my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics) and will continue to proclaim with Scripture in the face of the world’s escalating stresses as well as hatred and persecution of Christians, only the strong in Christ will persevere to the end and eternal glory (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13)!1
The strength supplied to His aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ is nothing short of divine power through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:14-16)! Thus, God’s strength is not a human emotion or moment of euphoria. God’s power is of the real, continuing spiritual substance of His eternal being that created and upholds the universe! And so, the great apostle writes again, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,” the source Scripture for the slogan of Strong Man Ministries: Making Men Eternally Strong (Ephesians 6:10, NKJV)!
In His strength combined with the whole armor of God which includes the “shield of faith,” aspiring strong men and great women of God are expected to stand against all manner of adversity as well as “the wiles” and attacks of the devil and his “spiritual hosts” working through willing human agencies in these evil days just as our Lord Jesus did (John 16:32-33; Ephesians 6:11-18; 1 John 5:4-5, NKJV). Christians from a biblical perspective, then, are not supposed to become unhinged, unglued or panicked to the death during the course of what we see happening in nor defect from Christ seeking escape from suffering to the world.
We stand firm in our trust in Christ and the very real supernatural strength our God supplies to us as aspiring strong men and great women of God. We also continue to act as a moral people walking in the righteousness of Christ and to the bitter end proclaim and witness the Gospel about Him and His coming Kingdom. Unless, therefore, there is a Holy Ghost fired movement such as ours to help men and women professing to be Christians become aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ, many will perish in the swift rolling tide of increasing lawlessness, troubles, demonic activity and the violent convulsions of creation coming upon this world with divine permission. In spite of this, a “falling away” is foretold (2 Thessalonians, 2:3, NKJV).2
Nevertheless, in the meantime, if we restore many men, their families and communities for even a short season before the darkest days arrive, it has all been worth it. So, we preach the Gospel compelling men to come to Christ and in coming to Him, become strong men of God in His image (Romans 8:29)! Pastors and churches that are guilty this is your cue: get out of the way; stop resisting us in this mission clinging to your comfy lives supported by the mindset of manmade Christianity the religion in the old paradigm of God’s permitted temporary existence. Repent if you will and in this new paradigm where Christianity the religion of men in their own strength is plainly revealed to be marked out for divine destruction (Isaiah 47:8-15; Revelation 18:1-8), stand with and welcome our cause, Ministry and biblically rooted message (Acts 4:23-31; Romans 8:31-39; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17; 3 John 5-8). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord's side?”
1 Purchase my book at any major internet bookseller or the Strong Man Store on our Web Site, www.thestrongmanofgod.org.
2 See the February 2, 2014 blog, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy to learn more about this coming event.
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