Indefensible!

When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you not discern the signs of the times?     Matthew 16:2,3

               It is hard for me to believe that the leaders of our country cannot discern the signs of the times. For decades they have poured hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into the deathly coffers of the Planned Parenthood organization. Currently $528 million per year, despite the pleas and cries of millions of Americans who oppose crushing the heads of infants, and ripping them from their mothers’ wombs, only to learn now that the organization’s trade policies include “harvesting”the cells and body parts of the same exterminated children. Nothing personal, of course, just business. And when they are caught haggling over the prices of these body parts some of our national leaders, instead of puking and then rebuking Planned Parenthood, attack the people who allowed us to hear the literal words spoken by Planned Parenthood operatives. These are the actual words spoken by the PP doctors, they said it, there is no doubt. Perhaps, like those shouting “Death to America,” Planned Parenthood doesn’t really mean what they say. I find it hard to believe our Congressmen and Senators cannot see how red and lowring the sky is this morning. What Planned Parenthood does is indefensible, and by continuing financial support our leaders show what they think of babies near term anticipating their upcoming birth, they show what they think of millions upon millions of American taxpayers who plead not to have their taxes given to this horrific business, and they show what they think of our nation itself refusing to see the consequences for our country’s future.

                The profiteering re: abortion in this nation is a sign of the times, indicating that the moral storm is not merely coming, it is already here, and the consequences for a nation without the moral base God has established are enormous. Repent America!

God’s Description Of The Blessed City In Zechariah's Prophecy

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women, dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.     Zechariah 8:4,5

After His punishment of His ancient people because of their religious adultery and other sins, God says He is back with them, I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. When that happens, He says Jerusalem will be a city of truth (Zechariah 8:3). I’m sure that includes religious truth as God declares it, and moral truth as God defines it. Then God describes what His presence, His truth, and His morality do for a city. It is very picturesque. He says that old men and women, even those so old they must use staffs or canes to hold themselves up with and to walk, will be on the streets and boys and girls will be playing in the streets. Now think of it: the two most vulnerable parts of the population, those who cannot protect themselves from bullies and criminals will be seen everywhere in the city. They won’t be afraid to be outside, as they are in many places in our world. They will not be sleeping in bath tubs to protect them from stray bullets. They will not have the fear of kidnap, rape, mugging, or assault. This wonderful experience will happen because God has reached people with His goodness and truth and changed their lives and outlook. There will be no more criminals in the city they will have refocused their lives or being law abiding. There will be no immoral ones in the city, they will have refocused their lives on what God directs is proper living. With the refocusing of lives by God’s power the city will be safe. It will be a happy city, a bright and beautiful city, a city of peace, the city of God. There is a lesson here for us.

A Devotional Thought From Zephaniah

This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.     Zephaniah 2:15

     There was a time when David’s city, the capital city of God’s people, felt like this: I am the great city, strong, protected, prosperous, impregnable, eternal. She felt God would protect her no matter how carelessly her people dwelt. They mixed the false religion of others with their supposed acknowledgment of the God of Israel, they mixed evil deeds with their good deeds, and instead of being protected they became a city under judgment. And, a terrible judgment it was! The city was sacked, destroyed, its people taken away captive, it became a place where animals made their dens, and when travelers passed by they made gestures denigrating this place that was God’s city, mocking the city that was once great. And, note this, that city, judged and desolated was the dwelling of the people whom God calls “the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8). Privilege and relationship require the responsibility of a life of faith and obedience.

     Is this not a warning to us moderns? A city, or nation, cannot remain great and live carelessly. A city cannot remain great if its leaders do not lead in righteousness seeking righteousness. A city cannot remain great if its people do not work and become a dependent class, or if they turn to crime. A city cannot remain great if it allows the younger generation to turn to drugs and ignore education. A city cannot remain great if it rejects the true God’s expectations. The city cannot be great if its people do not believe all lives matter. Privilege and relationship require the responsibility of a life of faith and obedience.

A Devotional Thought From Habakkuk

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.     Habakkuk 2:3

     Babylon was the 800 lb. gorilla in the room and Habakkuk’s prophecy compliments others in the Old Testament declaring that God’s people will be judged by this great nation. Habakkuk wondered how God could judge His people by a nation (Babylon) that was even worse as far as their sins were concerned, and God gives Habakkuk this word that Babylon’s comeuppance will come up one day. It will surely come, He says.

     The people of Babylon, if they learned of Habakkuk’s prophecy probably wouldn’t believe it. How could a nation that has been the big dog of the block for years, that had invincibility in every war and incursion they fought, who put fear in the hearts of the peoples of the world, how could it fall? How could it lose? How could it be defeated by God? Neither would any nation that the been conquered by Babylon believe it, it didn’t seem possible to human minds.

     At that point Habakkuk makes it clear: believe it or not the prophecy will come true; take it or leave it; deny what you don’t like it doesn’t matter, it will happen. Don’t let the days, weeks, months, and even years that it doesn’t happen fool you, the prophecy will come true. It is sure, it is God’s pronouncement, judgment for Babylon is on the way.

     This truth from Habakkuk reminds me of the prophecy of Christ’s coming again. Skeptics doubt it, nonbelievers nonbelieve it, and rejectors reject it, but as surely as Babylonia invaded Israel, and conquered Israel, and ruled over Israel, and deported Israel, and was finally defeated and dissolved herself, Jesus will come again.

     Those who don’t believe in Christ do not want to hear this, but one day the prophecy will be fulfilled. One day every knee shall bow to Jesus. Every person will admit He is Savior and God, and Lord. Every person will give Him glory. He will enforce righteousness. He will enforce truth, and no one will be able to say, “You think Jesus is God, and we think there’s another God, so let’s just agree to disagree,” because the truth will have been revealed so clearly, powerfully, and gloriously that no one in the world will be able to stand against it. Just as Habakkuk said of the Babylonian destruction; wait for it; because it will surely come, so I tell you about Jesus’ return; wait for it because it will surely come, it is certain. To be prepared for that day, whenever it may happen, put your personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He came for us and died for us, and He is coming again!

A Devotional Thought From Amos And Jonah

All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. Amos 9:10

          The self-proclaimed enemies of our nation are crying “Death to America!” Yet there are those among us who tell us they don’t mean it. There is no threat. The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. Eat, drink, and be merry, because tomorrow you will be able to eat, drink, and be merry, all over again. The only real danger to America are those who want us to observe the moral values which are America’s old fashioned, out of date, tradition; those who want religious thought and action to be allowed and tolerated in the public square; those who have heard the proverb in a different way: eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you will die. The prophet, Amos, would be with this latter faction. If  people deny punishment for decadence and sins is coming, if they ignore the danger, according to Amos they will be among those who die by the sword when the enemy comes.

          Moral behavior, the traditional American work ethic, and a vibrant life of faith will keep our nation on the alert and prepared for any violent efforts against us. This is true for any Western nation. Tragically some of these nations have traded the moral high ground for a spirit of license which leaves them vulnerable. The solution to this vulnerability is found in of all places, ancient Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire at the height of her power. Decadent and wicked Nineveh was ripe for the judgment of God. A prophet, Jonah, was sent to announce Nineveh’s destruction and something amazing happened. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them: and he did it not (Jonah 3:10).

          The people of Nineveh saw that they had to make a choice between sin or righteousness; between sin or their country; between sin or their loved ones; because all were in danger because of their sin. Does it not follow that any country dispensing with moral truth and biblical faith is in the same position as Nineveh. Especially when their sins are as a stench before God. These two prophets show two sides of the coin: on one side sin brings death/on the other side repentance leads to life.

          Here’s how the apostle Paul lists the sins of the last days (2 Timothy 3:2-5a), sins that preachers and prophets, and any wise ethicist, should call the nation to repent of for her own good: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:

          Remember sin brings death, repentance leads to life. I read a quote years ago, supposedly from the graffiti in a major city, that said: “Evil spelled backwards is live.”

A Devotional Thought From Amos

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:     Amos 8:11

When one thinks of famine and thirst he/she recognizes the terror, agony, and death that such a condition brings. Without food and water life is impossible, and people will be reduced to skeletons grasping at life, literally waiting to die. In this passage God is announcing not a famine of food and water, but of the word of God. In Israel, a nation called into existence by God, maintained by the word of God, there shall be a scarcity of the word of God. The word of God was paramount in their birth as a people, in building the structure of their society, in their revivals of faith and goodness, in their hope for the future.

Imagine, no preachers shall be proclaiming God’s word to the multitudes, no Bible classes will be held in the houses of worship, no personal witnessing of the word or coffee klatch conversations about God's word will take place. The logical extension of this thought is, that instead people will be living with concerns about everything but God’s word, and that will bring about a society that grasps at life through material things, the occult, false religions, etc. because they do not have God’s true word in the Scriptures being set before them. Will it matter? The answer is that Where there is no vision (no revelation of God’s word) the people perish (Proverbs 29:18).

There is a famine, of sorts, in America re: the word of God. It’s not a total blackout, however. There are still many churches preaching God’s word as it is revealed in the Bible though society at large is not giving it much of a hearing while it goes after materialism, false religions, the occult, sexual license, and personal gratification no matter how it affects the nation. There are still t.v. preachers although the society has attached to them the somewhat pejorative title  “televangelists,” and regard them often as objects of ridicule, perhaps, not always undeserved. There are still personal witnesses who, many times, bear the ostracism faced by people who are bold enough to bring Jesus into the conversation. But for many who do not bow to the living God through His Son Jesus there is a virtual famine of the word of God. How long does the saltiness of word filled Christians’ present in our land preserve our nation before America loses what saltiness she has left?

What America needs is a revival of interest in reading, hearing, preaching and teaching, and sharing the Bible, God’s word, in the midst of her entire population.  In ancient days after a period of biblical famine a copy of the word of God (the book of the law) was found in the temple in Jerusalem, read before the king whose heart was moved, and he started a revival that set the nation on an upward path (2 Kings 22 & 23). America needs that! The word of God recognized and followed could restore her to her former place as a blest nation blessing the world.

A Devotional Thought From Hosea

I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.        

Hosea 7:12

The prophet, speaking for God, addresses His ancient people who have fallen into religious and moral sin, not unlike many modern western nations, and declares that God says He has given them His law, a law that would cleanse their lives and save their nation and would restore the individual’s relationship with God, and these sinful people have looked at it quizzically and suggested it was off the wall crazy, a strange thing. What? Men and women should not have sexual intimacy unless they are married; once married make it work for a lifetime; faithfully worship and raise the children to love the God of the Bible; keep your family from being dysfunctional; be honest and hardworking; don’t let murder enter your mind, heart, or actions; do not steal or betray your country; don’t lie about others; don’t always try to assert your superiority by hurting others; press your government by every legal means to do good, as God defines good, for the nation; encourage others to follow God’s word also.

Give those rules to people in our societies today, where do what you want to do without restraint is the standard of many, and they will count it as a strange set of rules. And, sadly for our national future, many have rejected them. Following the word of God is the way out and up!

A Devotional Thought From Daniel

And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing:     Daniel 5:15

The wise men of Babylon were called upon by Belshazzar on the fateful night that he saw God’s handwriting on the wall of his banquet hall in the palace. He had them examine the writing: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. They could read the words, but had no clue to its meaning for Belshazzar and his nation. They, like their blasphemous king himself, did not realize, and could not interpret the signs of destruction right in front of their eyes. That very night Belshazzar was killed and Babylon conquered.

Now here’s the thing, though God brought about this turn of events in response to Babylon’s national sins, there surely must have been signs of a national failing that were obvious to political and religious observers. There must’ve been members of the court who had the big picture, the country was not on the right track, but like the wise men could not get the meaning of MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN before it was written on the wall and interpreted by Daniel. The people of Babylon could not see how dangerous the situation was. Babylon was going to Gehenna in a golf cart.

Probably many thought Babylon was too big to fail, certainly too big to fall. What a dangerous belief for any nation to entertain. The nation that can’t interpret the signs of moral laxity, lack of spiritual vision, religious dissatisfaction, legal corruption, violence in the street, whatever, whose so-called “wise” can see them but not interpret them is in deep trouble. How can that country reverse course and save herself? Other than by honoring the God of the Bible?