When Did It Become Fashionable to Hate Our Country?

If I were trying to undermine a country, I would attempt to make its own citizens hate it. I would do this in a veiled way so that they would not realize what was happening. I believe that this is exactly what has taken place in our nation over the past many years. The deception has been so great that even many Christian leaders who pride themselves in their biblical knowledge and discernment have been taken in “hook, line, and sinker.”

During the lead up to the 2020 election, I was appalled to hear a much-beloved and respected Christian author justify supporting the party of abortion because Trump’s pride was even worse than killing unborn babies. The desire to disassociate with all things Trump and look “respectable” to the Left robbed this man of his judgment. Two years later we see clearly that the party of abortion is also the group attempting to destroy the entire nation along with its Judaeo-Christian values. Perhaps now in hindsight those who fell for this feeble attempt to justify voting against Trump realize that they voted for the devil instead. Those who were not taken in saw clearly at the time what was going on. This is an example of “nuanced” deception masquerading a Christian wisdom. It is never okay to vote avowed baby killers into office. If even the most educated and highly regarded can come under the sway of this sort of deception, none of us is immune.

“Wokeness” and critical race theory appeal to those who believe they have a deeper understanding of things than the “great unwashed” group of people who live in the “fly over” areas of the country and who generally vote conservative. (Is this an updated edition of Gnosticism?) Spiritual pride is likely behind this desire to avoid being identified with those  despise. It is like someone who is ashamed of his family, for whatever reason, and tries to distance himself in every way possible, not realizing that it makes him seem insecure, petty, and small. We should love our families because they are where we originate. It’s who we are, so to speak, but we may not choose to identify with its members’ worst characteristics. The same is true for our nation. Every family and every nation has something good for which we can be proud.

When we are ashamed of someone or something, we lose our power to influence things for good. It is impossible to help someone to whom we have shut the door of compassion.

It is easy to fall for the lie that all white people somehow share the responsibility for systemic racism, until we encounter racism coming from the other direction that is just as hateful and evil. We should repent for specific sins we commit, but it is quite impossible to repent for systemic sins of which we have no direct knowledge, choice, or responsibility.

The devil seeks to lock us into a permanent sense of shame and guilt for which their is no solution.

To accuse this country of systemic racism is like accusing it of systemic sin, which is another way of saying we are human. We are all sinners and prone to racism, but the beauty of the gospel is that Jesus sets us free and declares us “not guilty.” God only requires us to repent for known sins of which he convicts us, but he does not want us walking under a cloud of shame and guilt that can never be resolved. Instead, the Bible clearly says that Jesus removed all condemnation and judgment that was against us. (John 5:24) The devil never wants anyone to be free. He always accuses us. There is no solution, only retribution. This sounds very much like CRT. Anything that seeks to bring us under a cloud of permanent guilt is from the devil, pure and simple.

All people are sinners and inherently racist. Bigotry and racism of some sort are present in every society. It is not always provoked by the color of one’s skin however. The central issue may be what nation we come from, what language we speak, or what religion we follow. In some areas of Africa, it is related to what tribe one belongs. All of this points to our fallen sinful condition.

If we are going to be helpful, we must rise above the sinful attitudes and behaviors around us and model something far better. In other words, we are to be “salt and light” in a very dark world.

The devil and his agents espouse philosophies and belief systems that seek to drive wedges between various people groups. He wants us to suspect and fear one another, with the hope that it will escalate into hatred and violence.

These lies have so worked themselves into the national conversation that many, who should know better, now have a “root of bitterness” against their own country. (Hebrews 12:15)

When this happens, all we can see is what is wrong with it. We feel good about ourselves when we speak evil of it, thinking that somehow this makes us superior. All it really does is ally us with the Accuser of the Brethren. (Revelation 12:10)

In addition, many Christians also have adopted a Quaker-like isolationism and passivity when it comes to politics, believing that the political realm is “beneath” us and that we should focus instead solely on the business of the church and the gospel. This cedes the political arena to those who do not serve our Lord. This is a great victory for those who have worked hard to convince one of the largest voting blocks in the country, conservative-minded Christians, to disengage politically or deny our conservative Christian heritage in an attempt to make the Left like us, which they never will because they hate God.

A large part of the reason our nation is in the mess we are in today is because good people have gone AWOL from politics.

I understand completely. Even though I believe that many who serve our Lord Jesus should be involved politically, nothing about politics appeals to me. Nevertheless, we need men and women who have great courage and stamina to serve in that part of society. Likewise, we need God-fearing people serving in all the major areas of influence and power – government, finance, education, the arts, business, medicine, the military, and science. We cannot afford to continue to cede these areas to the devil.

People who have learned to despise our nation do not seem to mind very much that it is under assault by our political enemies, who operate in both major political parties, and that we are in danger of losing our republic and our freedoms entirely. I have heard people say that Christians should focus on the kingdom of God and basically ignore those who are doing their level best to collapse the country. What would our Christian forebears think about this? What would those who gave their lives and fortunes to secure the liberties of free speech, worship, and self-defense say to us today? I believe they would be appalled at the deception we have embraced.

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus came to set the captive free. (Luke 4:18) The Bible tells us that wherever the Spirit of God is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17) Whenever the devil gets involved in anything, freedom is lost and people become enslaved. (John 10:10)

I believe we can safely say that those nations that defend liberty promote that which is godly, and those which steal freedom from its citizens are of the devil. Government has been authorized by God to represent him as an enforcer of justice. (Romans 1:4) When a government abandons that mandate, it becomes illegitimate in the sense that it ceases to properly represent God.The framers of the US Constitution recognized that governments inherently progress or devolve into tyranny. That is why Benjamin Franklin said that we were given a republic, if we can keep it. Representative government requires constant vigilance against those who want to “play” the system and steal our liberties. That is why Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence the following.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

The biblical word “redemption” means to buy back from slavery and set free. Through faith in Christ and his shed blood, Father God grants us freedom to serve him. Freedom for freedom’s sake is never the goal, however. When we use our freedom to serve something besides God, we will eventually lose it. That is what has happened to us in the United States.

Those who braved the icy waters of the Atlantic in small wooden ships to bring their families to a wild “new world” did so in the hope of finding political and spiritual freedom. Most of them left rather tyrannical governments and wanted nothing more to do with anything like that. They were willing to risk everything in pursuit of freedom. Those who fought against Britain in the Revolution did so to a great extent because they were resisting what they viewed as tyranny. Sadly, our government today is more oppressive than Great Britain ever was, but many of us piously think that we are “above” being concerned with such matters.

I believe that our failure to address the peril we are in as a nation is proof that we have divorced our “religion” from real life. We have fallen for the devil’s ruse that we should “fort up” in our Christian ghettos (churches) and let the world go to the devil.

What will we do when our churches are closed down and those who profess Christ are hunted and persecuted? Although we know that God can and will use every situation for our good and his glory, how can anyone think that persecution would be a good thing?

The world in general is not coming to our churches. We must go to them. We must let our light shine in whatever area we can. And if we have no place to shine except in the church, maybe we should try to carve out some place else to be a witness. Maybe we should get involved with groups and causes which currently have little light shining. There are service clubs, political groups, school boards, etc. where a Bible believing person of moral courage could accomplish much.

But we will never do this if we are nursing a root of bitterness against our country and frankly do not much care if it is destroyed. May God deliver us and rekindle in us a love for the nation in which we live, despite its many failures and flaws. May God deliver us from a critical spirit that only sees what is wrong. May he open our eyes to what is good and worth saving. Then we can step forward to become part of the solution, with God’s help.

Is Jesus God?

Yuval Noah Harari is an Israeli-born World Economic Forum member and a lead advisor for Klaus Schwab. Klaus Schwab is the author of COVID-19 / The Great Reset and The Great Narrative. Schwab is founder of the World Economic Forum, which has a 666 logo. Yuval Noah Harari is an openly gay best-selling author who abstains from eating meat and who is celebrated by Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates. Yuval Noah Harari has been praised by the New York Times, Stanford, TED, MIT, Silicon Valley and TimesTalks. Yuval is a Hebrew first name which means “father of music,” stream, brook, or tributary.” In the Hebrew Bible, Yuval (also Jubal) was the son of Lamech and Adah and a descendant of Cain who is referenced in Genesis 4:20-21. To learn more about the mindset of Yuval Noah Harari read 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 2. In other words, he embodies the antichrist spirit. I am not saying that he is the Antichrist; rather, he expresses that spirit through his words and life. He stands in opposition to God’s truth and will and uses his position to defame the Lord.

Here is a collage of quotes from this man that I will examine in this article.

“Jesus Never Claimed to Be God, He Was Basically This Hippy Guru Who Wanted to Reform Judaism. Jesus Did Not Think He Was Yahweh. Decades After He Is Dead, People Say This Rabbi Who Had a Small Following Was Actually God.” 1

The Bible chapter I referenced above, which I hope you took time to read, contains this passage.

This man will...use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NLT) 

Many of us can easily discern that there is an abnormal level of deception being poured out on the earth today. Sadly, humans in general are not very good at identifying and rejecting what is false. This inability goes back to the Garden of Eden. Apparently God deliberately created us so that we need him to know what is necessary. If we look elsewhere, we will suffer for it. In his eyes, we are all children, and we know how gullible children tend to be. He wants us to freely believe him, without fear or doubt, but flatly refuse any other source of “truth” that contradicts what he tells us. Adam and Eve failed this test miserably. Today is our turn at passing it.

If what Harari said about Jesus is true, then Jesus was either a lunatic or a liar. Let me quote the great C.S. Lewis from this classic book, Mere Christianity:

Jesus [. . .] told people that their sins were forgiven. [. . .] This makes sense only if He really was the God whose laws are broken and whose love is wounded in every sin. [. . .] I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.”

That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus’ enemies knew that he claimed to be God. Let me give you two examples. The first is an encounter he had with his opposition, the Jewish religious leaders. They are the first to speak in the following passage.

"Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?" 54  Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; 55  and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56  "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." 57  So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 58  Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." 59  Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. John 8:53-59 (NASB) 

The name of God revealed to Moses was “I am who I am,” which is translated Yahweh in many Bibles. When Jesus declared to his enemies that he is the “I am,” he knew what he was doing, and so did they. That is why they immediately picked up stones to kill him.

Another example is when our Lord stood before his accusers during his nighttime mock trial before his crucifixion. The Sanhedrin’s false witnesses did not give them what they needed to condemn Jesus to death; so, as a last resort, they asked Jesus directly if he were indeed the Messiah. He did not simply affirm what they asked: he went much, much further, giving them grounds for declaring him a blasphemer. Here are our Lord’s words.

But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64  Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65  Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66  What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Matthew 26:63-66 (ESV) 

Now to those who do not know the Old Testament scriptures, this may not seem like much. But for those Jewish leaders, who did know the scriptures, what Jesus said was a claim to be God. The reference is to the writings of the prophet Daniel.

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14  And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (ESV) 

Even though many claim that Jesus’ self-identification as the “son of man” was a reference to his humanity, I believe first and foremost it is a reference to this passage in Daniel. This son of man is a heavenly being who has been given everlasting dominion and will judge all peoples. This fits perfectly with the Christian position that Jesus is the God-man who died as the Lamb of God for our sins and rose again as the Lord of Lords, who now sits at his Father’s right hand, waiting for his enemies to be completely subjugated, at which time he will return as the divine Son of Man to judge the living and the dead and rule over God’s kingdom forever.

It is obvious that Harari and his interviewers are ignorant of the Bible, since they make many false statements during the interview I footnoted. Or they may simply be spinning a deliberate lie to deceive the simple. They will account to God for their haughty dismissal of Jesus’ claims and the Bible. In either case, Harari is being used as an instrument of Satan to weave a web of deception to drag as many people to hell with him as possible.

There is still time for repentance, even for Harari. Until we stop breathing or the Lord returns, we all still have hope. Let’s be proclaimers of truth, not collaborators with deception. Are you ready to align yourself with the truth about Jesus? Here is how.

Prayer

Jesus, I have finally reached the point where I am ready to acknowledge that you are Lord of all. I surrender my life to you and ask you to use what time I have left on earth for your glory. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. I ask you to baptize me with the Holy Spirit and power and help me to be your faithful witness. Amen.

1 From interview at - https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/yuval-harari-returns-again - beginning at 1:00:46.

How to Identify and Escape from a Satanic Attack: Part 4 – Murder, Sickness, and Debt

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having the ability to distinguish good from evil in times of great deception is extremely important. Paul warned us that Satan has the ability to masquerade as an angel of light, and his lies can be very alluring. (2 Corinthians 11:3 and 2 Corinthians 11:14) That being said, once our eyes are opened to see the truth, it is quite easy to see the difference between what God provides and what Satan seeks to do to us.

Jesus described the enemy of our souls very succinctly.

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (NLT) 

In another place he added:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 (ESV) 

Putting all this together, we can state the following:

  1. Satan is a murderer, liar, thief, and destroyer.
  2. God is a life-giver, a truth speaker, generous, and a builder of what is good.

How do we practically apply these simple truths?

  • Any person or government that seeks the welfare of others is from God, but one that robs people is satanic. (repressive taxation, business suppressing policies)
  • A person or government that protects the sanctity of life and the unborn is from God, but one that encourages the murder of innocent children is from the devil. (abortion, increasing risk of death through forced vaccination, etc.)
  • A government that tells the truth to its people is from God, but one that lies continually is satanic. (censorship of the truth, misinformation, propaganda)
  • A government that ministers justice to its citizens, protects the innocent, and punishes evil doers is from God. One that promotes lawlessness and a two-tiered justice system to protect the rich and powerful but punish opposition is satanic.
  • A government that promotes peace and prosperity if from God, but one that promotes war and plunges its people into debt is from the devil.

Quite simply, life, truth, prosperity and freedom come from God, which sounds a lot like our Declaration of Independence, but death, lies, debt, and slavery come from the evil one.

You must serve only the LORD your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. 26  There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives. Exodus 23:25-26 (NLT) 

Health comes from God, but sickness and death come from sin and the devil. Blessings and prosperity come from God, but Satan wishes to curse and impoverish us. Children are a blessing from the Lord, but Satan wants us to be childless; hence, the emphasis on birth control, abortion, and population control. God wants us to be healthy and enjoy life, but Satan wants us sick and miserable; hence, the emphasis on medicines and vaccines that actually make us sicker and reduce childbirth and fertility. God wants us to be debt free, but Satan wants us crushed and impoverished by a mountain of debt; hence, his servants have spent our nation into a hopeless debt situation.

Is there any good news? Absolutely! The Bible tells us that Jesus came to set the captives free! He came to heal the sick, raise the dead, and pay back a hopeless debt!

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19  and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come. Luke 4:18-19 (NLT) 

Jesus said that he came that we might have an “abundant” life here on earth and live forever in heaven! He came to reveal to us just how incredible God’s love is. He came to change us on the inside so we can become more and more like God, loving others, telling the truth, and helping others find their freedom in God, too.

How can we experience what Jesus came to give us? It’s really very simple. All we have to do is recognize that we need help and turn to Jesus. God wants us to acknowledge that we are incapable of living without him. He wants us to return to the Author of Life so he can be our all in all – our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Hope.

If we give Jesus our trust and allegiance, he will give us all that he is. We will discover that he really is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and we will escape from the tyranny of the devil.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT) 

Why not make the exchange today? Give to God your sin and hopeless situation and receive all Jesus died to give to you. You might pray this simple prayer from your heart.

Jesus, I am weary of being subject to the devil. I have had enough of his lying, stealing, and murder. Forgive me for being allied to him and for the things I have done, thought, and said that have evidenced my rebellion against you, Lord. I ask you to forgive me for trying to live independently from you, Lord. I give you my life, and I receive your forgiveness. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me to overflowing. Live your life through me. Empower and equip me to be a proper follower of Christ and his witness to others. Amen.

Siren’s Song: Life without Responsibility

 

 

 

 

 

In Greek mythology siren’s were female-like creatures who lived on a rocky island. Their beautiful songs were irresistible and lured sailors too close to the island where they would wreck and perish. Homer wrote about them is the Odyssey.

Today we have another sort of siren calling out to our people inviting them to believe the lie that we can live without responsibility. Those who believe this deception will shipwreck their lives.

The United States began her journey as a nation following the hard fought war of independence. Its political leaders hammered out a Constitution and Bill of Rights that depended upon its people being resolute in their will to keep it intact. Our founders knew that it would only last as long as its people feared God and embraced personal responsibility. Once its citizens figured out that they could vote into office those who would use the government treasury for their constituents’ benefit, all would be lost. Once its people abandoned moral integrity, everything would fall apart. That is where we are today.

When God put Adam and Eve in the garden, he gave them two basic responsibilities – to be fruitful and multiply and to work and tend the garden. (Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 2:15) Having children is both pleasurable and painful. It carries with it the built in necessity of hard work to nurture, feed, protect, and train. Following God’s first command increases our responsibilities, but it also multiplies our joy and fulfillment. God’s blessings make us richer without adding any sorrow to our lives. There is no down side to embracing a life of responsibility. (Proverbs 10:22)

Today our government and conventional wisdom tell us that the planet is overpopulated, and we need to refrain from having more children. Does this sound like Satan to you?  He is always trying to negate God’s clear commands. To make this possible, many forms of contraception are available, and, when that is not used or fails, abortion is held out as the ultimate solution. That reminds me of Hitler’s ultimate solution – the gas chambers. Isn’t interesting that Satan’s solutions always involve killing innocent people? The deception is that we can defy Gods command to multiply and enjoy the pleasures of sex without any responsibility. Embracing such outright deception will crash our lives upon the rocks.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 14:12 (NLT) 

God meant sex to be enjoyed between a man and a woman who are committed to one another for life. Obviously sex was created to produce children. The associated pleasure is part of the inducement to bring new lives into the world, but the little ones carry with them their own pleasures, as every new parent discovers. Sure, children add to our work load, too, but over the long haul, the pleasures outweigh the negatives, especially if we attain to old age when adult children bring their own little ones into the world. The choice not to have children may provide an escape from the work of rearing them, but in the long run it has quite a bit of sorrow and loss attached to it.

Marriage was also instituted because God said it is not good for us to be alone. (Genesis 2:18) Married sex heightens our mutual love, enjoyment, and satisfaction with our spouses. Today, however, people often choose to “hook up” without any long-term commitment. This provides temporary pleasure but long-term pain. Experiencing old age is difficult enough with our life partner by our side. Alone it can be excruciating.

Violating God’s way of doing things always shipwrecks us. Doing things his way is always best and most satisfying.

Our government, for whatever reason, encourages people to embrace life without responsibility. During the covid lock down, we were given government checks not to work. Many seem to have come to the conclusion that a work free life is a good thing, but it is not. God instituted work in the beginning. A job well done brings us a lot of satisfaction. Laziness destroys. (Proverbs 18:9)

People also try to discard the responsibility of using our God given abilities, but that also is a dead end. God put abilities and potential in each of us that must be developed, if we are to experience life at its fullest. Modern society tells us that we do not even have to accept how God created us. We can even change our genders at will, pretending to be someone and something we are not, which is the height of deception and irresponsibility.

When we try not to be who we really are or try to be something we are not, it shipwrecks our lives.

Our government tells us that we can attend college without having to pay for it. We can break laws without suffering the consequences. We can even illegally enter the country and be rewarded for it. All of this is a deception. Borrowing money without paying it back is theft. Breaking the law invites God’s justice, even if man fails in this regard. Even though many seem to be getting away with murder, so to speak, a day of reckoning is certainly coming.

It is impossible to live irresponsibly without eventually paying the piper.

Perhaps you fell for the siren’s song and now have regrets. Is there anything we can do? The answer is “yes!” God provided a way for us to recover from shipwreck, but it requires us to adopt a whole new way of thinking.

When Jason piloted his ship called the Argo, he brought along a musician named Orpheus. When the ship got in range of the sirens, Orpheus sang loud enough to drown out their song.

God wants us to embrace the truth of the Bible to offset the lure of deception this world offers.

Once we surrender our lives to the Lord Jesus, we must let God’s Word transform how we think. This is our only safety.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT) 

Once we escape the deception of the world system, we should try to help others do the same. Sharing what Jesus did to set us free, the gospel, is the first thing. Next we should teach others to follow God’s ways, which lead to life, instead of the way of the world, which leads to sorrow and death. Politically we should vote for those whose positions most closely mirror God’s ways and against those who spread deception and rebellion against God. That is our responsibility.

The Origin and Collapse of Freedom

Any student of history understands that the United States of America was birthed by the idea that governments should promote liberty and justice for all, rather than for the elites only. It bubbled up in the turmoil produced by oppressive taxation and unjust laws coming from a long established and powerful monarchy in Great Britain that was accustomed to forcing its will on its subjects. The idea of having personal liberty to worship according to one’s own conscience, the right to own property, and no taxation without proper representative government, inspired men and women to risk all, even their lives, in the quest to obtain it via a revolution. I have been inspired personally by reading of the heroism, perseverance, and faith of those men and women. One cannot help but conclude that they won only because of divine intervention.

The question before us is this: is personal freedom an idea birthed by the mind of man via the Enlightenment, or did it come from God?

When God created Adam and placed him in the garden, he gave him tremendous freedom. The only restriction put upon Adam and, by extension, Eve was to avoid eating from one tree, the one that would give him the knowledge of good and evil. The reason God prohibited that one is because it would kill him. In other words, God only forbade that which would destroy Adam. He was free to eat and enjoy everything else.

This is an eternal principle: God’s heart is to give us freedom in all things except that which will harm us.

Satan afterward planted the idea in Eve’s mind that God only banned the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to withhold something good from her.

This is a satanic principle: the devil tells us that the thing that will destroy us really is something wonderful that God is keeping from us, sowing in us a desire for it. He also tricks us into believing that God cannot be trusted.

The serpent began his questioning by misrepresenting God altogether.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (NLT) 

This deliberate falsification of God’s position was the first recorded instance of the use of misinformation or propaganda to deceive. Jesus called Satan the “father of lies” in whom there is no truth. (John 8:44) Adam and Eve were newly created beings who did not have any inherent bias toward believing lies with which we were born. Nevertheless, the serpent’s lie proved to be irresistible to Eve. Satan also accused God of deliberately withholding something wonderful from Adam and Eve, the ability to be like God by knowing good and evil for themselves.

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5  “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6  The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. Genesis 3:4-6 (NLT) 

Why is being like God so alluring to us?

God created us to be dependent beings who can enjoy God and his creation with unbridled joy as long as we are satisfied with remaining in the condition he made us.

The only thing that could destroy all that was the attempt to be something more, to be like God himself. That is what brought Satan down, and he used the same lie to destroy God’s most wonderful creation called humanity, plunging all of us into slavery to sin, death, disease, demons, and all sorts of destructive behaviors and addictions. Adam and Eve exchanged the life and freedom God graciously gave to them in a foolish pursuit of godhood status.

The lesson we learn from this is that freedom comes from God. Oppression and slavery come from the devil. Anything that promotes true freedom originates in God. Everything that enslaves emanates from the evil one. No matter how falsely it may be represented to us, the fruit will be sorrow, regret, loss, and death.

When Jesus announced his mission at the beginning of his three-year public ministry, he made it clear that his goal was to liberate humanity.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT) 

Jesus went about setting people free from sin, sickness, demonic oppression, and even death.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT) 

The Law, which previously had been put in place by God to reveal our need for a Savior, did its work by making it clear that no one could keep it. Anyone who seriously tries to keep God’s commands eventually concludes that doing so is impossible.

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Galatians 3:23 (NLT) 

Nevertheless, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day used to Law to bolster their position of power and prestige and keep those under them in bondage. When Jesus arrived on the scene, it became immediately clear that he posed a threat to the power of the Jewish leaders, which incited them to hatred and murder. Little did they know that God was using everything to break the bands of oppression off all those who eventually would put their faith and allegiance in the crucified and risen Lord.

After his ascension into heaven, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit upon his followers, enabling them to carry out the mission to take the wonderful news of freedom from sin, death, demons, sickness, and bondage to the ends of the earth. Paul understood that the core of the gospel message is that Christ gave his life to bring us back into proper alignment with the Creator, the source of freedom and life.

For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT) 

The gospel truly proclaimed and understood will always produce freedom in its hearers. Those who pervert the gospel always do so to bring us into bondage.

Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. Galatians 2:4 (NLT) 

Therefore, we are to resist any corruption of the gospel that promotes legalism and slavery. Satan has not stopped trying to pervert what is precious to God and us. He has not ceased telling lies. If he can corrupt our understanding of the most freeing message in the universe, he can bring us back into bondage.

Legalism is the attempt to be like God by thinking we are capable of earning our own way into God’s favor and blessing through our own efforts and establishing our own righteousness apart from God’s.

The gospel makes it clear that no one can do that. The way to freedom requires us to admit we are thoroughly dependent upon the graciousness of God, who freely gives us our right standing with him.

The issue at the heart of being free is whether or not we are willing to embrace our status as dependent beings who joyfully serve our Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer God. Freedom immediately collapses when we reject that status and pursue independence from him

The men and women who founded the United States would be astonished that we have allowed the government won through the spilling of their blood to become even more tyrannical than the British monarchy of the 18th century. How did this happen? I believe we got here by an incremental rejection of God’s rule in our individual lives and nationally. Every good thing is eventually corrupted, unless we steadfastly hold on to God and biblical truth. The idea of freedom to live according to God’s precepts was gradually turned into freedom to do whatever we might choose.

The paradox of liberty is that true freedom can only be experienced when we live as dependent beings in the pursuit of God’s glory. Anything else leads to bondage because it elevates self-will to godhood status.

Today our nation’s pledge of allegiance still affirms that we are one nation “under God,” and our money still declares, “In God We Trust;” but our leaders have enacted laws and policies that are thoroughly against God and contrary to his revealed will in the Bible.

The purpose of government, according the Bible, is to ensure justice and to promote the well-being of those who are governed.

For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4  The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. Romans 13:3-4 (NLT) 

Any government which perverts justice and works against the well-being of its citizens has moved outside of its God-given mandate. In a very real sense, it is illegitimate because it falsely represents God.

The laws and policies put into place in response to Covid revealed just how far we have fallen from the constitutional republic bequeathed to us. The government, against all sound reason and true science, mandated that its citizens take an experimental “vaccine,” which harmful side effects are still being discovered. Citizens were denied access to worship, public transportation, medical care, and employment depending on whether or not they would bow the knee to a government mandate. This is the height of tyranny and anti-God. Our soldiers and many in law enforcement and the medical profession were forced to take this experimental jab or be ejected from serving their country. This is oppression pure and simple. The government is never supposed to coerce its citizens to violate their consciences. Such a government has transgressed God’s purpose for it and attempted to “be like God.” It has become “beastly” in its pursuit of the power and the authority that belongs only to God. (Revelation 13:1)

The question then arises: what is our responsibility in the matter? When Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of government our founding fathers set up, he famously replied, “a republic, if you can keep it.” History will eventually record if we were successful. If we are to preserve political liberty, we must first do everything to maintain spiritual liberty. Loving God, embracing truth, and serving God with a good conscience are essential. We must also pray. Ultimately, the battle is the Lord’s. He is greater than all human governments, and he promised in the Bible that his glory will fill the earth. (Habakkuk 2:14) If we pray for God’s will to be done and his glory enhanced, we will always be centered in his will. 

Next, we must be practical. As good citizens of the United States, we must do everything possible to reform our government and elect representatives who will govern with the fear of the Lord. At the very least, we should stay informed and use the right to vote in the upcoming election. Those who are inspired to become more involved politically need our support.

But none of this will mean very much unless we first become servants of the Lord Jesus.

We cannot do much for freedom until we come into alignment with the source of freedom.

Having done all, we must stand in our confidence that God ultimately is in control.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10 (NLT) 

Why Everyone Needs to Be Disillusioned

Disillusionment is sometimes associated with betrayal. At other times it is connected with naivete. Whatever the immediate reason for our disillusionment, somewhere we had expectations that were dashed.

Humorous (for us, but painful for them) examples of disillusionment can be seen on old episodes of auditions for the TV show, American Idol. (Note the title, which itself is an illusion.) Every season people who thought they were great singers were unceremoniously told that they could not sing by the judges. Someone had led these contestants to believe that they had great voices, and they believed it. They suffered under the illusion that they were wonderful, when they were actually awful. The judges disillusioned them. They were forced to face the truth about their singing ability. Many of them became angry and lashed out at the judges, declaring they did not know what they were doing. It was funny in one way, but tragic in another. In the last analysis, it was very necessary. Now they could get on with their lives rather than waste their time in the pursuit of a fantasy.

Most of us serve illusions of one sort or another, about ourselves, others, marriage, work, God…  While counseling young couples who are preparing for marriage, I usually tell them that the man hopes his wife to be will never change, but the woman hopes to change her man. They both likely will be disappointed, or disillusioned. We try to put our best foot forward during the dating or courting process. After we tie the knot, we tend to relax into our “normal” way of doing things, which may be a surprise to the spouse. Sometimes young couples go into a marriage expecting that their spouses will be responsible for certain things, as they saw modeled in the home in which they grew up. I often ask the couple during counseling, “Who will clean the bathroom?” “Who will handle the finances?” “Who will wash the dishes?” “Who will do the cooking?” Where will you spend Christmas? Thanksgiving? Do you want children? How many? You get the point. These are things to talk about ahead of marriage to avoid unwelcome surprises.

We all tend to be deceptive and become deceived. Women wear make up to create an illusion of beauty that is not naturally there. We all tend to “put our best foot forward” in order to help (deceive?) people to like or accept us. But if we get people to like the illusion we project, do they really like us? We are afraid they will not like the real us, so we become hypocrites of the best (worst?) sort. I have always said that true friends know what we are really like, but love us anyway. What a relief to let go of pretenses! It is delightful to meet and relate to truly honest people, even if it makes us a little uncomfortable.

Many, if not all, of us, have illusions about God. It is popular today to imagine that God is all love – that he would never condemn anyone to hell. But that is not the God of the Bible, is it? When God revealed himself to Moses, he told him that his name is “I Am Who I Am.” Not “I Am Who You Want Me to Be.” This is very important, because, if we serve our illusion of God but not the real God, are we not idolators? Jesus is the Truth, not an illusion created by us to match what we want God to be. A big part of life, especially for the disciple, is coming to terms with who God really is and surrendering completely to him.

Many disciples have illusions about ministry, too. We receive a “call” from God to serve him, but we often imagine what that will look like based on what we have seen others do. We may end up pursuing God’s real call on our lives or our imagination of what that should be. As you have already guessed, if we pursue an illusion, eventually we will become disillusioned.

I remember when we first launched what was then called Liberty Church here in Burlington, NC, I had my five and ten year plans. I had been taught to treat the church somewhat like a business in that regard. (We did not start that way, but over time as the home church in Greensboro grew, we resorted to worldly ideas. That was serving an illusion for sure because the church is not a business.) I had the illusion that we would quickly grow to the 400 number and would need a building to accommodate that crowd. Thirty-four years later I now realize that in reality I have grace to be a small church pastor because that is what I have always been.

Whatever grace is upon our lives will produce fruit in keeping with that grace, not in keeping with some illusion we have.

I am much happier now just being who God created and gifted me to be, instead of reaching for an illusion that was always just beyond my grasp.

Illusions can work just the opposite, too. Some people labor under the illusion of inability and incompetence instead of believing that God can and will use them to do his work. Moses was just such a man. Early in life, Moses felt called or sensed the inner desire to help the Israelites. He tried doing it in his own way, but was quickly thwarted and disillusioned. He fled to the desert where he spent decades tending sheep for this father-in-law on the back side of the desert. Then one day God appeared to him and commissioned him to go back to Egypt and liberate a nation. Moses came up with excuse after excuse. He had been so disillusioned in himself that he had lost faith in God.

We are never to allow our disillusionment to spill over into unbelief.

God wants disillusionment to spur us on to pursue him and the truth. We want to move from self-confidence to God confidence.

Illusions are a type of lie that the Bible calls a “stronghold.”

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV) 

Beginning with Adam and Eve, mankind has shown a propensity for believing lies. Satan knows this and is a master deceiver. Jesus identified him as the “father of lies.”

In general, people accept lies more easily then they do the truth.

One salacious slander is usually more easily believed than a hundred truthful protestations of innocence. Knowing this, politicians use smear campaigns to “dirty up” their opponents.  People remember the dirt, even if it is later refuted. Sadly, once people make up their minds, it can be very difficult or impossible to change them. Delaware Senator Joe Biden and company pulled this ugly trick on Clarence Thomas during his Supreme Court nomination. Everyone should read Judge Thomas’ biography to see what this man had to overcome on the road to greatness.

To be blunt, illusions are lies. If we believe a lie, we need to be disillusioned.

Disillusionment takes place when it becomes evident to us that the lie we once believed is not true.

This can be very traumatic. Some people never recover; while others are able to learn from their mistakes and move forward. Can you imagine how difficult and it would be for a college professor who built his or her entire career on promoting Darwinism and evolution to come to terms with the truth of intelligent design and specific creation?

There are perils and benefits to being disillusioned. Jesus’ disciples, like us, needed to be disillusioned in certain areas. They had false ideas about Jesus’ mission and their roles in God’s kingdom. Despite the fact that Jesus repeatedly warned them that he would be crucified and rise again, his disciples were not able or willing to process that reality and expected him to lead a glorious revolution against Roman oppression. When the truth finally dawned on them, it was very painful. In their pain and confusion, all of them except John deserted the Lord at least temporarily.

When we are afraid to confront truth, it makes it probable that we will adopt a convenient illusion.

The Benefits of Peter’s Disillusionment

Just before his passion, Jesus told his followers that they would be scattered when he embraced his assigned destiny to die as God’s Lamb.

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32  But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33  Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34  Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35  Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. Matthew 26:31-35 (ESV) 

Peter believed a lie about Jesus’ destiny, and he held on to false beliefs about himself, too. He imagined that he was much stronger and more faithful to Jesus than he actually was. His confidence was based on trust in his own strength and convictions. He was proud and due for a fall, and he was not alone. The other disciples said the same thing, but Jesus chose Peter to be an example to us all.

When Jesus was first taken captive in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter sprang into action, just as he promised Jesus that he would. He took his sword and attacked those who came to arrest Jesus, cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus commanded him to put away his sword and healed the wounded man. (Matthew 26:52-56)

It was one thing to die defending Jesus, but quite another to find out that Jesus had no intention of resisting those who came to kill him. Peter was ready to die fighting, but apparently not prepared to die without a fight, as Jesus did. Peter was disillusioned: he learned that following Jesus was not what he thought. His confusion led to his denying the Lord three times.

Why did Jesus call Peter out on this earlier, when he prophesied that before the rooster crowed he would deny him three times? I believe it was to help Peter hang on by faith after the denial. Knowing that Jesus knew in advance about his coming failure must have given Peter hope. Jesus did not reject Peter for his faithlessness under fire. Luke’s account of the incident adds some important details.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32  but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33  Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34  Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:31-34 (ESV)  

Knowing that God selected us to belong to him, despite knowing all about our sins and weaknesses in advance, should give us all great hope, just as it did Peter.

Peter needed to be disillusioned. He needed to find out that he was not everything he thought he was. He needed to discover that God loved him despite his sins and weaknesses. Disillusionment brought humility.

I feel sure that Peter was never the same afterward. His faith in himself was less, but his faith in the grace and mercy of God was far greater.

The Peril of Judas’ Disillusionment

Judas was another disciple who became disillusioned, but he did not benefit from it. His idea of who Jesus was (and is) and what it meant to be his follower was overthrown. He gradually realized that Jesus was not on a trajectory to acquire wealth, power, and fame (of which he would be sure to share). Rather, he apparently became offended at Jesus’ disregard for money, when Mary anointed him with expensive oil prior to his death. It was just after that pivotal event that Judas agreed to betray Jesus for a fee. The sad part is that Judas never found room for repentance. His disillusionment led to his destruction.

What we do when we are confronted with the truth makes all the difference.

Principles for Handling Disillusionment

Following these principles can help us to profit during the times when we become disillusioned. Otherwise, we may become permanently embittered and disabled by disillusionment.

  • Decide to follow Jesus, no matter what. Following Christ means we surrender ourselves to his Lordship. This means we give up control over our lives, choices, and destinies. If we live a surrendered life, it will help us to hang on faithfully to Jesus, even should things get painful and confusing to us. Disillusionment will not rock the world of a surrendered person. We know we are serving a person who ultimately controls everything and is working all things for our good and his glory. (Romans 8:28)
  • Become well acquainted with the Bible. Disillusionment becomes necessary when we believe a lie. We can insulate ourselves from deception by embracing the truth of God’s Word. If we value truth above all else, we will be thankful when God delivers us from believing a lie.
  • Develop the habit of being thankful. Thankfulness reveals a heart that is humble and surrendered. The Bible teaches us that thankfulness glorifies God. (Ephesians 5:20) God works in and through disillusionment for our benefit, if we keep our eyes on the Lord. Thank God for any area in which you are struggling. You will experience a new measure of God’s grace when you do.
  • Expect to encounter suffering and tribulation in life. One of the greatest illusions many Christians face is that following Christ should be trouble free. Quite the contrary, God uses suffering and pressure to make us more like Jesus. Those who are ready for such things will find it much easier when suffering arrives on the scene. (1 Thessalonians 3:3)

Prayer

Jesus, you are the Truth. Thank you that you are leading me into more and more truth. Please deliver me from any area in my life in which I believe a lie. Help me to pass through every period of disillusionment and come out on the other side a stronger and more devoted follower. Help my faith not to fail, Lord. I give you thanks for how you are working all things together for good in my life. May I bring glory to your name. Amen

The Character and Doom of the Sluggard by Pastor David Caldwell

The Reverend David Caldwell (1725-1824) was born in Lancaster, PA. He moved to NC where he became a Presbyterian minister over two congregations, a physician, an educator, and a farmer. He was a Regulator and was present at the Battle of Alamance as a peace negotiator. He ardently supported the Revolution; although, he served mainly as a doctor for the wounded. The British hated and feared his influence so much that they put out a bounty of two hundred pounds on him. When General Cornwallis seized his home before the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, Caldwell was with Greene’s army in Virginia. The British burned all his sermons, but two escaped the flames, one of which is printed below.

The Character and Doom of the Sluggard

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. Proverbs 12:24 (KJV)

The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will become a slave. 
Proverbs 12:24 (NET1)

Paying tribute or tax is an acknowledgement of subjection and dependence; and is opprobrious or not, according to the circumstances under which it is paid. When we pay a tax to the support of a government whose constitution we approve and in whose measures we have a voice, it is paid cheerfully; and then we are more than compensated by the personal security and by the facilities for improvement which it affords; but still it is an acknowledgement of dependence upon, or of subjection to, that government.

When it is paid to a foreign government; and especially, if it be paid from compulsion, and not from choice, it is always considered as degrading. Thus, the Jews considered the tribute which they paid at different periods of their history to the surrounding nations; and finally, to the Roman government. So all nations in all ages have viewed the payment of tribute by compulsion, whether it be paid to their own rulers, or to those of another nation; and this arises from that innate love of liberty which belongs to all men, as well as to their sense of justice and propriety; for the exaction from a people of a tribute more than they themselves, when properly informed, admit to be necessary to enable the government to give adequate protection to their persons and property, no matter by whom it is done, is felt to be a violation of justice; and the government which will make such exactions from downright avarice, or for ambitious purposes, is not guided by a fair appreciation of the rights of mankind, or by those benign principles which alone can render its operation acceptable and salutary to the governed.

When an individual is said to be under tribute, as in the text, the meaning is that he is in a degraded state of subjection to, and dependence upon, those around him; and such, we are here told, will be the condition of the sluggard. We are so constituted that vigorous and well directed exertion is necessary to the attainment of anything that is valuable; and all the powers we possess, bodily and mental, ought to be employed assiduously in pursuance of the end for which they were given. The powers with which we are endowed are various; but the employments for which they are required are also various; and it is not important in what way we are employed, provided it be at something that is right and useful. If we refuse to exercise these powers in the way in which it was designed we should exercise them, we must remain destitute of that which would be obtained by a proper industry; and this neglect, and the consequent destitution, may be either partial or total.

For example: a certain degree of bodily exercise is necessary to health; but, if we neglect that exercise, we must want the health and vigor which might otherwise be enjoyed. The acquisition of knowledge depends upon a diligent use of the means and the due exercise of our mental faculties; but, if we refuse to take this course, we must remain in ignorance. Industry, as to the things of this world, is necessary to obtain the means of subsistence and the comforts of life; but, if we refuse to labor, we must remain in poverty and wretchedness. We are surrounded by enemies and dangers of various kinds; and to avoid being overcome, both vigilance and efforts are necessary; but if we refuse to watch and to take the proper precautions, or to defend ourselves when attacked, captivity or ruin will be the certain consequence.

It has been said that the word, which is rendered slothful, in the text, ought to be rendered deceitful, or fraudulent; but we need not detain you with any critical remarks in order to settle that point, as the two characters are very much alike; for we generally find that the deceitful and fraudulent are indolent too; and there are certainly some of the same elements in both. As it stands, it answers better also to the antithesis in the first part of the verse. The hand of the Diligent shall Bear Rule; but the Slothful shall be under tribute. Besides there are many other passages, both in the Old aid New Testament, and especially in the book of Proverbs, of the same import, and about which there is no dispute.

A man may be so intent upon gain, or so absorbed in scientific or literary pursuits, or so engaged in something else that is lawful and even important in its nature, as to neglect his health, and, not only become the subject of debility and disease, but go down to a premature grave. The effect in this case is owing, not to indolence, but an imprudent or a too eager pursuit of the object; yet indolence will be followed by the same result; for in both cases the laws of our physical nature are violated in a similar way. We need not enquire whether there is any culpability in the former case; for that depends on circumstances and is not necessary to our purpose. It is with the sluggard we have to do at present; and about him there is no apology. While he is impairing his health and shortening his days by his inactivity and sloth, he is gaining nothing in any other way, and must therefore be chargeable with his own ruin. To say nothing of the injury to his health from inattention to cleanliness and from the want of fresh and wholesome air, which is very great, the laws of our physical existence require frequent and regular exercise; and without it the vitality of the system will languish, and its energies become impaired. As the door upon his hinges, so doth the sluggard upon his bed— turning from one side to the other, but still remaining in the same place. The slothful hides his hand in his bosom: It troubles him to bring it again to his mouth— that is, the slightest exertion is irksome to him; and he neglects, not only the muscular exertion necessary to health, but also to make suitable provision for his nourishment. Such a man cannot enjoy the health and vigor of other people; nor have the same number of days to live; for, as a matter of fact, we always find that those who live long upon the earth are people of regular and active habits.

If the sluggard commences in poverty, he will remain poor; and, if he commences rich, he will become poor. He may desire wealth and comfort, but his desire kills him; for ” his hands refuse to labor.” He may ” covet greedily all the day long;” but, while “the righteous have enough and to spare,” he is in want. While many a man, who began life poor, has become rich by honest and persevering industry, many a fine estate has been wasted by sloth and inattention. The slothful man saith there is a lion in the way: a lion is in the streets,— that is, in the very places where he ought to be at work, or attending to his business; and the amount of it is that he is ready to make any excuse, and will indulge his sloth upon any terms. The consequence is that, if he has a farm, it is in disorder, and becoming waste. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding. And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. To an observing and reflecting man this was a source of instruction. Then I saw and considered it well: I looked upon it and received instruction. The amount of it was, that while the man was saying to himself, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, his poverty was seen coming as one that travelled, and his want as an armed man. If he is a tradesman, or a merchant, and neglects his business, his customers, his debts, or anything belonging to his occupation, the same result will follow.

Sloth is usually at the bottom of all negligence, disorder, or bad management in business; and there is more sloth among us, and more of the evils resulting from it, probably, than many of you have ever supposed. But these are not all the evils, nor the worst evils to which the sluggard is subject; for those of a mental and moral kind are much more serious in their nature and their consequences. A certain amount of knowledge is necessary to a man’s welfare, here and hereafter; and the more knowledge he has the better, if he makes a right use of it; for then his satisfaction and his usefulness will be in the same proportion. But even that amount of intelligence which will enable him to understand his own interest and make him acquainted with the duties which he owes to God his Maker, and to his fellow beings, a diligent use of the means of knowledge, and much reflection on what he reads or acquires in any way. He may be very positive or dogmatic all in his opinions, without being able to tell why he entertains them; and is positive just because he is ignorant. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. Seven was considered as the number of perfection among the Jews, and being in common use it was employed by the inspired writers, as it was by the people to whom they wrote, to express the whole class of persons or objects lo which it was applied; and by “seven wise men” was therefore meant all the wise men in the world. The sluggard thinks he is wiser than anybody else; and this state of mind, in addition to his aversion to any proper exercise of his mental powers, keeps him in ignorance.

While the due exercise of all our powers, mental and physical, is the only condition on which our present and future welfare can be secured, of which we are expressly informed by the great and good Being who gave us existence, and the proof of which is manifest everywhere around us; he who will not comply with the laws of his being and fulfil the only condition on which his welfare is attainable, must become a certain prey to “all the ills that flesh is heir to;” for if he is not aware of these evils how can he escape them! It he is ignorant, how can he know in what they consist, or in what direction they will come, or if he does not know the things that make for his peace, how can he seek them, though ever so anxious!

Knowledge, like everything else that is good, is the reward of industry; and if we or anybody else, is as really an object of reprobation as the miser, the spendthrift, or the highway robber; and the blessings which he foregoes and the evils which he brings upon himself, here, are but forerunners of the heavier losses which he will sustain, and the more insufferable woes which he will bring upon himself hereafter; for the unprofitable servant will be bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness where no ray of comfort can ever cast even a momentary radiance over the gloom, and where there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth forever. The evils which he is bringing upon himself here are those of privation and of suffering: they are physical, intellectual, and moral; and increasing, as they are, from day to day, both in number and degree, they can be regarded only as the beginning of sorrows.

We have seen that while the sluggard is impairing his health and shortening his days, he is wasting his estate, or depriving himself of blessings and privileges which he might otherwise enjoy; and is not only acting in a manner very similar to that of the most prodigal spendthrift, but is pursuing towards himself, and perhaps others also who may be dependent on him, a perfectly suicidal course. God hath declared that “he is brother to him that is a great waster;” and that he “who sleeps in summer shall beg in harvest,” exposing himself to poverty, shame, and misery. As he will not disturb his ease that he may become acquainted with his duty to God or learn upon what terms the divine favor may be obtained, and what will be the consequence of neglecting to comply with those terms, neither will he take the trouble to ascertain what is due to him from his fellowmen, or what he owes to them. Hence being deficient in his duty to his God, his kin, and his country, he not only becomes an easy prey to every bold intruder who is either desirous of gain or greedy of power, but is exposed to all the evils, of whatever kind, that can come upon him from those towards whom he has violated his obligations.

While he is spending or losing, by his ignorance and sloth, the inheritance that has been handed down from his predecessors, perhaps through a number of generations, with all the temporal comforts which it might have afforded, or is neglecting to acquire the means of comfort and respectability which a kind Providence has placed within the reach of his industry, the ambitious and the covetous, those tyrants of the human race and pests of society, view him as an object fit for their purposes, and mark him for their prey, believing that his ignorance will screen them from his notice, and that his indolence will make him perfectly submissive, or prevent that vigilance and exertion on his part which are necessary to his safety.

Thus, they are encouraged to make the experiment, and they too often succeed. Here your own memories may easily suggest examples, both in public and in private life, in which the weak, the ignorant, and the slothful were outwitted and imposed on, defrauded and subjugated, by some unprincipled villain or other, who was destitute alike of honor, humanity, and everything else that could entitle him to the respect and affections of his fellow men; and of such the world is full.

But if the sluggard is so reckless as to destroy his soul, body, and estate, it is almost a matter of course that he will so undervalue his civil and religious liberties as to lose them in the same way.

Were he careful to examine into the rights of society and to ascertain what each individual parts with, for the sake of the government, the aggregate of which is the royal prerogative, and is committed into the hands of the supreme magistrate to be exercised for the public good, he would easily see when his civil liberties were secure, or when endangered by the attempts of ambitious and designing men; but he does not consider that the king, as such, is created, protected, cud supported by the State; and that all his acts should therefore promote the public good. While the sluggard continues ignorant of these leading principles, no wonder if he is easily awed into slavery, stoops his shoulders to the burden, becomes a servant to tribute, and yields to all the unjust demands of usurped prerogative.

In acting thus, however, he is an enemy, not only to himself, but also to his children. Can this be possible, you will say. Can he divest himself of such inanity! Can he lay aside the tender feelings of a parent! Can he forget the civil interests of his children! Can he expose his helpless infants to the lawless demands of tyranny, and to all the cruelties of despotism! Can he be so infatuated as to ruin his tender offspring by surrendering their liberty and property into the hands of those who exercise usurped prerogative!— I would say it was impossible, if incontestable facts did not prove the contrary.

Who are capable of such blackened crimes? who can deliberately ruin himself and his children at once? the sluggard; and whoever else may do the same thing from other principles or in other ways, the sluggard is sure to do it, in whom ignorance, disregard of moral obligation, and a supreme love of ease are inseparably united.

Should such a monster of human society appear at a time when the royal prerogative is extended beyond the bounds of reason, or the just limits of the constitution, would he act the champion in the cause of liberty, bravely withstand the shocks of an arbitrary and tyrannical government and bid defiance to all the illicit requirements of despotism! Would he vindicate the cause of political truth, and firmly resolve to transmit to his infant sons the fair inheritance of liberty! The answers to these questions I beseech you to conceal. Let not the friends of the constitution, or the “Sons of Liberty,” know that such an enemy to the common interests of mankind anywhere exists, lest their patriotic zeal should raise undue resentment and cause it to burst upon his devoted head— conceal, I pray you, conceal it from his unoffending family— add not infamy and disgrace to their bondage and oppression. It will be enough, and more than enough, for them to answer the demands of tyranny, and the lawless requisitions of an unprincipled minister, if, for lack of courage and firmness, the chains of slavery should be now fastened upon us. Alas, they must groan out their days in lamentation and wretchedness, suffering whatever a corrupt minister, or ministerial tools, can invent; and tamely surrender all that is most dear and valuable to the demands of avarice and the menaces of power.

Let them not know that their bondage and degradation must be ascribed to the ignorance and indolence of their progenitors, who, from cowardice or the love of ease, tamely surrendered all that was their own and all that should have been their children’s, into the hands of a minister or an infatuated senate. This would sink their sinking spirits still lower and add infamy and shame to poverty and oppression. Let oblivion spread her dark veil over their ignoble principles and unmanly conduct, who, for a little ease, or the hope of securing a trifling estate, or some mere selfish advantage of comparatively small value and short duration, would resign their own and their children’s liberty, overturn the constitution, and expose themselves, with their posterity, born or unborn, to the groping paw of arbitrary power.

When men of this character, ambitious and unprincipled, are a majority in the State, or have the control of public affairs, what unjust prosecutions, what shipwrecks of property, what fines, confiscations, and imprisonments, the black history of some former inauspicious reigns fully manifest, I refer to the time when a set of slothful and unprincipled wretches disgraced the British Senate, suffering the Council Table, Star Chamber, and High Commissioners to engross almost the whole power of making and executing the laws— at which time they enforced their loans, benevolences, and ship-money, by illegal prosecutions, intolerable fines, and long imprisonments, to the ruin or serious injury of the nation; for vast multitudes of the most industrious, upright, and valuable citizens left the country; and with all classes there was a want of confidence in the government;— while the disregard of moral honesty and good faith manifested by the men in power, and the temptations held out to the ambitious and covetous to stifle conscience and trample on the rights and justice and humanity, produced a general deterioration of moral principle.

The sin and danger of sloth, in relation to our civil liberty, or of yielding to the unjust demands of arbitrary power, is further evident from the fact that those in high life, or who administer the government, have all the allurements by which to turn the active spirits of the age, and cause them to act in concert with themselves. Some they bring over by promoting them to high stations; some by pains and penalties; some are influenced by the apprehension of not being able to obtain justice and of losing what little they have; some are brought into subjection and held fast through a kind of depravity in their understanding, not distinguishing between reasonable taxation and oppression; while others seem to have so much infidelity in their make that they will not believe what all mankind assert, and will hardly believe the testimony of their own senses.

But the sluggard from mere indolence, or from an aversion to exerting himself in any way, will not observe these matters, nor inquire into what is conducive to his own and his children’s safety and happiness. He would rather stoop his shoulders and take on him the whole load of oppression and slavery, with all their train of privations and hardships.

Were these evils confined to the persons and families of such indolent wretches, it would be more tolerable; but, alas! posterity, in all its extent and in its distant generations, may fuel the burden, made more insupportable by repeated additions.— France and Spain, yea, all the enslaved nations Europe, can bear witness that it was the sluggish disposition of their remote predecessors, and the inactivity of succeeding ages, which introduced, increased, and perfected their present bondage— a bondage which makes them to this day groan under a load that it is not likely they or their children will be able to throw off.

Had our forefathers in England given up the cause of liberty and indulged in sloth, or inglorious ease, when recreants, assisted by the French, and headed by an angry and disappointed Prince, attempted our subjugation and ruin, we should have been under the domination of popery, and exposed to all its persecuting tenets, to slavery, and all its poverty. Attempts have been often made, since the reformation, to introduce popery and slavery into the British nation; but they were always resolutely and successfully withstood. Charles I, prompted and sustained by his alliance with France, the depravity of his understanding, and his uxorious obedience to his queen, encouraged popery in his kingdom; and those who professed the protestant religion were both oppressed and persecuted. At this time, the British parliament was adorned by men of honesty, zeal, and activity, who effected such prodigious revolutions in church and state, as were the surprise and wonder of all Europe.

When James II abdicated the throne of England, and raised an army of papists and confederate French, to establish popery and slavery, the British nation did not betray their religion or their liberty by an inglorious submission, nor did they desert the mighty cause of truth and freedom through sloth or cowardice. They valiantly repelled the force and fury of his attacks and fearlessly proclaimed the prince and princess of Orange to be the king and queen of Great Britain. Thus our forefathers, or many of them, sacrificed their lives at Londonderry that they might hand down to us the fair inheritance of liberty and the protestant religion; and in the whole course of their conduct in the support and defense of their rights, they have set us an example which ought not to be disregarded.— But the sluggard gives up his all: all that is his own, and all that should he his children’s and their children’s under them, into the hands of ambitious, arbitrary, and wicked men,— in consequence of which, he and they, so far as he is at all concerned to prevent it, are exposed to unremitted slavery, poverty, and distress.

If the sluggard be thus an enemy to all above him, to all around him, and to all that will come after him, as well as to himself, in soul, body, and estate, he ought to be well observed in every well-regulated community; for he despises and tramples upon the laws of God and the most salutary institutions of men— institutions that have been handed down, as invaluable and sacred, from father to son, through many generations. Among these we may mention that of trial by juries, which is a very ancient institution or usage in Great Britain; for it seems to have been known to the first Britons, was practiced by the Saxons, and has been confirmed since the invasion of the Normans by the Magna Carta and by continual usage. Trial by juries, however, is not only of great antiquity but is essential to the safety and happiness of every British subject, and, in fact, of all mankind. Juries are England’s Euphoria and Tribute; and are the living bulwark of the laws and the liberties of the people. If we look at those nations that are destitute of this constitutional or essential safeguard, we find the condition of the inhabitants is miserable, being either entirely subjected to the arbitrary will of tyrants who plunder, dismember, or slay them from mere caprice, according to their humor, often without any provocation, and merely to gratify a savage cruelty; or at least we find them under such laws as render their lives, liberties, and estates liable to be disposed of at the discretion of men acting as judges, who are perfect strangers, whether mercenary than otherwise, and the mere creatures of the prerogative; sometimes malicious and oppressive and frequently partial and corrupt.

But such has been the patriotism, prudence, and activity of our ancestors, that they have never suffered the most evil prince, or princes, that ever swayed the British scepter, to destroy this invaluable privilege; nor can it ever be destroyed until the constitution, and the liberties of the people, which are now secured by it, are wrested from them and trampled underfoot, which can never be done, except from their own supineness or mismanagement. If Britons, when under the influence of heathen superstition, or in the ignorance and thralldom of popery, were thus jealous of their rights, and maintained the privilege of being tried by their peers, or by a jury of the wisest and best men to be found in the vicinity, as the only means of securing their lives and fortunes against the arbitrary, partial, and corrupt judges, would it not be a blot on the escutcheon of Britons or the descendants of Britons, professing the protestant religion, and enjoying so much light, now to give up, from sloth or cowardice, a privilege so valuable that every other of merely a civil kind can hardly be brought into the comparison.

The sluggard who gives up such an important branch of the constitution is worse than a thief or a robber; for the one takes from you only what he needs, or can take away at present, but the other undermines the constitution; opens door for tyranny and oppression; and exposes all around him and all that will come after him as well to the paw of arbitrary and despotic power. The consequences of sloth are therefore most pernicious; and the sluggard, being a perfect nuisance to society, must be under the eye of his Maker, and despised by all good men; for he will not unite with the people of God and the friends of humanity, either to procure or defend their common rights and privileges.

This seems to have been the case with the inhabitants of the city Meroz; and God expressed in the most forcible manner his displeasure at their indolence and cowardice. When Jab in, one of the kings of Canaan, who reigned in Razor, had subjugated Israel, and mightily oppressed them for the space of twenty years, Deborah, a prophetess, being influenced by the spirit of the Lord, called for Barak out of Kedesh-Naphiali; and ordered him to go to Mount Tabor, and take with him ten thousand men out of the tribes of Naphtali and Accordingly Bark issued a general proclamation for these two tribes to meet him at and they obeyed, except the inhabitants of this city Meroz, who, it seems, chose rather to be under the tyranny and oppression of that cruel prince, Jabin, than to join with God and his people in vindicating their rights and maintaining their common privileges. God, that he might shew his indignation against those sluggish or timid wretches who would not join in the common cause of liberty, nor unite in defending those rights which he hid originally given them, and which, though lost by their pusillanimity, he was about to restore, provided they shewed themselves worthy of such a favor, inspired the prophetess Deborah, and Barak, the chief commander of the expedition, with that celebrated song, recorded by the divine historian, in which there is this remarkable passage.

“Curse Meroz,” said the angel of the LORD, “Utterly curse its inhabitants; Because they did not come to the help of the LORD, To the help of the LORD against the warriors.” Judges 5:23 (NASB)

There seems to be a dreadful similarity between our sluggard and the inhabitants of this devoted city, both in the measure and in the manner of sinning. They regarded neither the command of God, nor their own or their children’s happiness; and preferred their present ease to the good of the community, the cause of truth, and the welfare of posterity. They seemed to despise, or disregard, all that was above them, all that was around them, and all that might come after them, just like the person mentioned in our text, who shall be under tribute.

If this be so, may we not say, without any violence to the sacred text, curse ye the sluggard, saith the angel of the Lord, curse him bitterly, because he will not come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against those mighty oppressors who break down the sacred enclosures of the constitution, and make inroads upon the life, liberty, and property of the subject; who take away or mutilate our charters that have been solemnly ratified by British sovereigns and guaranteed by the plighted faith of government; who take away or deprive us of the right of trial by juries, which is indeed the palladium of English liberty; who tax us and take our money, without our consent; and who extend the courts of admiralty and vice-admiralty beyond their ancient and proper limits.— Thus the sluggard is an object of execration everywhere, and at all times; and the evils of his conduct attend him in all his interests and relations, in public and in private; yes, in every circumstance or situation of life, his way is as a hedge of thorns, he is cursed in his relations, as being numbered among the profligate and profane, and nearly connected with the most abandoned spendthrift; for he is brother to him that is a great waster. He shall be cursed with groundless fears and apprehensions, when called to the discharge of any necessary or important duty: There is a lion without: I shall be slain in the streets.— He shall be cursed in his possessions; for it is manifest to everyone who takes a view of the sluggard’s field, and of the vineyard of the man void of understanding, when he sees its whole surface covered with thorns and nettles, and its wall broken down, that poverty shall overtake the owner as one that travelled, and that famine shall seize him as an armed man. He shall be cursed in his dwelling; for, by much sloth the building decays. He shall be cursed as a felon-de-se, a person who is deliberately guilty of suicide, because he neglects the ordinary means of preserving his life and securing his best interest. The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labor. He shall be cursed of God forever: Thou wicked, slothful, and unprofitable servant— you must take up your everlasting abode in the blackness of darkness, where the excruciating pain inflicted upon you by divine vengeance, will be productive of eternal weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

But why need we attempt to mention in detail the numberless evils— the poverty, shame, and remorse— the contempt, misery, and despair— that he shall suffer in his person and character, here and hereafter? All the curses in the book of God are levelled against him; and they will, ere long, break upon him like a bursting cloud. The united execrations of the present, and of coming ages, will render him truly contemptible; and the gnawing reflections of a guilty conscience, will make him completely and forever miserable.

After this description of the sluggard’s character, and of the complicated train of evils which will pursue him, in soul and body, through time and eternity, blasting his name and character here, and involving the ruin of his hopes hereafter, you are perhaps saying, if this picture be just or if the sluggard’s character be so odious and his punishment so terrible, we will not indulge in sloth ourselves, nor connive at it in others. These are good resolutions and may be a good beginning; but these distempered times call for more than resolutions.

You know that some years ago the British Parliament took a notion to be arbitrary; and proceeded to pass acts which were unknown to the constitution, alarming to the wise and prudent in Great Britain and oppressive to their American subjects. They sent out their odious Stamp Act; but it could find no entrance, although it was said there, that it would execute itself. It was repealed, but the design of taxing these colonies, without their consent, was not laid aside. Probably they saw that American virtue would not readily yield to such arbitrary measures; and that therefore more time and deliberation were necessary; but in the meantime there was laid up a decree of the Parliament for future use, viz: “That they can make laws to bind us in all cases whatsoever.” They seem to be maliciously zealous to obtain domination over us,— a proof of which was given in the case of New York, whose legislation was suspended by an act of Parliament, for a supposed offence against the crown. Thus, they officiously stepped in and stripped his majesty of his prerogative, that they might usurp authority over us. They proceeded to lay a tax on a variety of things, though, with respect to most of them, it was again repealed; but the duty on tea still remaining, they resolved that it should be paid; and sent large quantities of it into various parts of this continent. Some was sent back; some stored up; and some destroyed, as at Boston. But the tea being the property of the East India company, the destruction of it was a trespass; and the perpetrators of the act were liable by the common law. Those concerned in that riot, however, were not apprehended, nor was the town of Boston called upon to deliver up the offenders. The justice of Parliament was invoked in this trifling matter; and it will surprise the less civilized nations to learn that it was granted. Their armies and fleets were sent, in virtue of this inhuman law, bearing down after the trespass at Boston was committed, and exposing the innocent with the guilty, to the most complicated distress that ministerial vengeance could invent, or that a British Parliament, filled with rage and the insatiable thirst of power, could inflict.

The sense of the United Colonies was taken on this important matter.— We set forth our grievances: We petitioned his majesty in a most humble manner to intercede with the Parliament on our behalf. Our petitions were rejected, while our grievances were increased by acts still more oppressive and by schemes still more malicious, till we are reduced to the dreadful alternative either of immediate and unconditional submission, or of resistance by force of arms.

We have therefore come to that trying period in our history in which it is manifest that the Americans must either stoop under a load of the vilest slavery, or resist their imperious and haughty oppressors; but what will follow must be of the utmost importance to every individual of these United Colonies; and should be the hearty concern of every honest American.

— What will be recorded on the following page of our history must depend very on our conduct; for if we act like the sluggard, refuse, from the mere love of ease and self-indulgence, to make the sacrifices and efforts which the circumstances require, or, from cowardice and pusillanimity, shrink from dangers and hardships, we must continue in our present state of bondage and oppression, while that bondage and oppression may be increased until life itself will become a burden; but if we stand up manfully and unitedly in defense of our rights, appalled by no dangers and shrinking from no toils or privations, we shall do valiantly.

Our foes are powerful and determined on conquest; but our cause is good; and, in the strength of the Lord, who is mightier than all, we shall prevail. If we fail to do our duty in this momentous crisis, bondage and oppression, with all their unnumbered and interminable woes, will be entailed upon us, but if we act our part well, as men and as Christians, in defense of truth and righteousness, we may, with the help of the Lord, obtain a complete and final deliverance from the power that has oppressed us, or at least secure our rights, and attain a prosperity and happiness which no other nation has ever enjoyed, or even dared to hope; for then the consciences of men being unawed or unbiased by human authority, and the truth of God being unadulterated and unfettered, the gospel will have free course; and we may hope that truth and righteousness will prevail until the predictions of the inspired writers, however vivid and glowing, shall be all fulfilled.

If I could portray to you, in anything like their reality, the results of your conduct in this great crisis in your political destiny; or it I could describe with any tolerable degree of correctness, the feelings which you will have of self-approbation, joy, and thankfulness, or, of self-reproach, shame and regret, according to the part you act— whether as men and as patriots, or as cowards and traitors— I should have no difficulty in persuading you to shake off your sloth, and stand up manfully in a firm, united, and persevering defense of your liberties; but I would hope that enough has been said— enough in reason— enough for my purpose; and we expect that none of you will be wanting in the discharge your duty, or prove unworthy of a cause which is so important in itself, and which every patriot and every Christian should value more than wealth, and hold as dear as his life.

How do so many people end up being so deceived?

I have friends who attend United Methodist churches that are embroiled in the process of disengaging from that denomination because of their radical views regarding LGBTQIA+. (The list of letters gets longer as time goes by.) One has to admire the courage and passion that Charles Wesley, the founder of Methodism, possessed. I believe he would be appalled at what has happened to those who claim the name of Methodist today. Where did this once powerful force for the gospel of Jesus Christ go wrong?

The Babel principle is that every man-made organization always slides toward centralization, self-rule, and self-glorification.

This is true of denominations, individual churches, governments, businesses, clubs, etc. It is a human problem that is generated from the sin nature we receive from Adam at conception, which, by default, leads us to abandon God’s leadership and establish our own kingdom. Christ died and rose again to bring us back into the kingdom of God, but, until the resurrection from the dead, even we Christians still have conflicted souls and are plagued by tendencies to rebel against God. Therefore it should not surprise us at all that the Methodist denomination has corrupted itself and abandoned the truth.

How did it happen?

I believe the slide into deception begins for any group or individual when we abandon our faith and conviction that God’s Word is inspired and the gold standard for truth.

When I became a born again Christian in 1971, I began to talk with other believers who regarded the Bible as infallible and the highest authority in their lives. As you can imagine, I struggled a bit with this for a while, but I finally reasoned that if Jesus rose from the dead and believed the Bible was infallible (John 10:35); so should I. I have never looked back.

When we accept the Bible as the gold standard for faith and practice, it impacts our lives tremendously. If we refuse to let God’s Word change us where needed, we experience a certain internal tension between what we want to do and what God says. If the tension is great enough, it begs for us to do something about it – either repent (change our minds) and align with the Bible’s teaching or deny that the Bible is true and authoritative.

We are in great danger of deception when we choose to believe some parts of the Bible and reject others that do not agree with what we think is right or desirable.

Let us look at a couple of current day examples.

  • Evolution. The Bible clearly teaches that the earth was created in six days and is “young” by geologic standards. Since unregenerate man automatically rejects the idea of a Creator, to whom we would be accountable by default, alternate explanations are required, no matter how nonsensical or self-contradictory. Children are taught to believe in the Big Bang theory, without giving thought to where the original matter and energy came from. We are taught that highly complex life self-generated from chaos, which contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. We are taught that humans have been on the planet for millions of years, despite the fact that genetic entropy does not allow for this kind of time line. Once we abandon what God says, we go careening off course into wilder and wilder levels of error and deception. It is unavoidable and tragic. Professing ourselves to be wise, we become fools. (Romans 1:22)
  • Transgenderism. The Bible clearly teaches that God created humans as male and female. (Genesis 1:27) I have lived for seventy years, and it is only very recently that people have been confused about this order of things. It should not surprise us, however, that people would adopt such nonsensical thinking. When we abandon God’s Word, we have nothing upon which to base anything when it comes to the truth. Truth becomes subjective. No matter what chromosomes and genitalia I may have, I can be whatever I deem myself to be, which is deception pure and simple. It remains to be seen what kind of destruction results from this sort of thinking. Those who encourage children to abandon their God-given understanding of gender and embrace something different are engaging in child abuse. The rejection of our God-given gender is simply another form of rebellion against the Creator.
  • Judgment. It is currently fashionable to believe that since God is love, he will not condemn anyone to hell. This sort of universalism contradicts Christ’s clear teaching and negates God’s justice. It also denies the necessity of Christ’s death for our sins. If God does not condemn, why did Jesus have to die? Why did Jesus tell the Pharisees that they would die in their sins, if they did not believe in him? (John 8:24) Why did he say that we should fear him who will cast people into hell? (Luke 12:5) The desire to escape God’s judgment against sin cannot and will not negate his judgment against sin. It is deception. Those who teach such things misrepresent God and deny the truth.

Jesus said that his disciples would be lovers of truth who would be liberated by adherence to his words.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT) 

The opposite is also true. If we reject God’s Word, we will descend into deception and bondage. In fact, we cannot even be saved without having a love of the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

The choice is ours. What will we decide? If you are struggling whether or not to surrender your life to Jesus and be governed by the Bible, you are not alone.

The Holy Spirit was given to us to help us on our spiritual journey. You can turn to him and ask him to guide you into truth.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13a (NLT) 

You can trust him to show you the way. He did so for me.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I am at a crossroads in my life. I can live according to the Bible’s teachings or continue to try to figure things out on my own. I do not want to make a mistake on something this big. I am struggling to know if I can really trust that the Bible, in its entirety, can be fully trusted to guide me in life. Please help me in my search for truth. Open my eyes and understanding. Help me to believe more fully. Amen.

The Great Bait and Switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the oldest tricks in the book is the bait and switch. We get lured into talking to a sales person by responding to an amazing sounding deal only to find out midstream that that particular product is no longer available, but something more expensive is. Satan used something like that on humanity. He lured Adam and Eve into disobeying God by telling them they would not die, despite God’s warning to the contrary. Now that we have fallen victim to that lie, he continually uses the great switcheroo against us. Now the enemy of our souls uses the fear of death to enslave us and keep us from obeying the Creator. It would be like making a lot of money by doing one little thing for the mafia, only to find out later that there is no way out and the demands keep escalating. Is there any way out of this trap?

Jesus came as a human being to set us free from this most basic of fears.

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15  Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT) 

The only way for us to escape the enslaving power of the fear of death is to put our faith and allegiance in the only One who has actually conquered death. Anyone who can predict his own death and resurrection and pull it off, is someone worth following. He is the most important person who ever lived. His name is Jesus the Messiah. He is the Lord of life.

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Revelation 1:18 (NLT) 

The Lord of life is also master over death and the grave. He taught us that those who put their faith and allegiance in him actually will never die.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV) 

So, Satan told us we would not die, which was a lie. Now he tells people that obeying God will cause us to die. Is that not how he deceived the Israelites into rebelling against God’s command to conquer the Promised Land the first time around? Satan is still at his old game of telling us that God brings death, but he brings life. Despite the Bible’s clear teaching that the wages of sin is death, people overwhelming fall for Satan’s lie that sin does indeed bring fulfillment and life. Do you ever wonder why God has gone to such lengths to redeem people like us? I do.

Jesus told his disciples that the truth will set us free. (John 8:31-32) The truth is that Jesus and his teachings bring life. Faith in Jesus transfers us out of the kingdom of darkness, death,and slavery into the kingdom of light, life, and freedom.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12  always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13  For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:11-14 (NLT) 

Nevertheless, many, if not most, still actively choose satanic tyranny over God’s freedom.

Why is this? Simply put, we prefer to believe a lie than the truth. We would rather run our own lives, even if it leads to bondage and death, than serve the Creator.

The way out of this lunacy is to accept God’s amazing offer called the Gospel.

God sent his Son to pay the penalty for our rebellion against God. Jesus died for us so our sins against God and other people might be forgiven and we might be reconciled and restored to God the Father as his children. He died and rose again to liberate us from the tyranny of the devil and bring us into the glorious freedom of God’s children!

the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:21 (NLT) 

Isn’t it time for you to make the switch? Stop following the father of lies and declare allegiance to the Truth, our Lord Jesus the Messiah King. Start truly living!

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) 

 

Prayer

Creator God, I am amazed at how patient you have been with your rebellious creatures. Forgive me for my part in all this. I now realize that I have been trying to live independently from you. I believe that you raised your Son from the dead and I now accept that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive the forgiveness he died to provide for me. Thank you for reconciling me to yourself and making me your child. Holy Spirit, come live your life in and through me. I devote my life to you now, my God. Use me as you see fit. Help me to boldly tell others about this glorious good news. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and meant it, your life will never be the same! Now I encourage you to find a group of believers who can assist you on your discipleship journey. Get water baptized to make a public declaration of your allegiance to Christ. Receive the baptism in the Spirit to empower you to be a bold witness. Share your faith with others. Grace and peace be to you.

Satan’s Strategy to Legitimize and Normalize Perversion

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible forewarns us that every society that refuses to acknowledge and worship God will sink into the abyss of sexual perversion. (Romans 1:21-27) The definition of perversion is the turning away from what is right, proper, or good. Any time we stray from God’s intended purpose for anything in creation, it is a perversion and turns into something that dishonors God and hurts us. This is especially true regarding sex. What God intended for great good has been used to bring incredible harm.

Satan’s strategy in the garden of Eden was first to bring into question the truthfulness of God’s words. That remains one of his chief weapons of mass destruction.

He began by asking Eve a seemingly innocuous question.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (NLT) 

The serpent couched an accusation inside his question. The Bible calls the devil the “accuser of the brethren” for good reason. (Revelation 12:10) In fact, God generously permitted his first people to eat from any tree of the garden, except one. Satan twisted that into God’s saying they could not eat from any of the trees, which put Eve on the defensive immediately. The penalty for eating that fruit would be death. Eve quickly revealed that she did not fully understand God’s command, which was perhaps the purpose of the probing question. She thought the prohibition also included not touching the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Perhaps Adam added that extra bit when he passed on the commandment to Eve, thinking it would strengthen what God said and make the fruit seem even more “off limits”. Whatever the case, we can safely say that it is never a good idea to add to God’s words. That is where most legalism starts.

Next Satan escalated his attack by flatly contradicting God’s warning.

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5  “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6  The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7  At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:4-7 (NLT) 

What so quickly convinced Eve that God was a liar? Why did she so soon turn against her Creator and doubt his good intentions toward her and Adam? If we learn nothing else from this account, it is that humans are extremely susceptible to deception and more quickly accept lies than truth.

Humanity took a nose dive that day. God’s beautiful creation was perverted at its core, setting the course of history into a downward spiral which continues to this day. Only God can and will save us. In fact, that is just what he did when he sent his Son to live, die, and rise again. Jesus’ death and subsequent resurrection set in motion God’s great reclamation project which will culminate at Christ’s Second Coming, which will include the generation of a new heaven and earth. In the interim, we, the church, are engaged in a worldwide operation called the Great Commission by which God is offering to forgive us for our participation in the satanic rebellion. Those who accept his offer and put their trust and allegiance in Christ become part of God’s ever growing eternal family, those who will reign with Christ eternally.

For all practical purposes, the war was won and the final outcome determined when Jesus rose from the dead some 2000 years ago. Nevertheless, skirmishes and battles continue as human history moves toward the glorious return of God’s Son.

The Lord is working to increase his family through preaching the gospel and making disciples. Satan is likewise advocating a false gospel of humanism and  developing his own followers who will take his lie globally.

Yuval Noah Harari is often referred to as “the prophet.” He is an openly gay pro-transhumanist who is obsessed with rejecting the God of his fathers and turning humans into gods. He is the lead advisor to Klaus Schwab and has been praised by Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Silicon Valley, the New York Times, TED, Stanford, Harvard, and the World Economic Forum. He made the following statement.

“History began when humans invented gods, and will end when humans become gods.”

Let’s examine this lie. History did not begin when humans invented God. Rather, it started when God created humans. However, the last part may indeed be true. God may bring history to a close when men make their final attempt to throw off God’s rule by proclaiming themselves to be God. (Psalm 2) In the interim, Satan seeks to inflict as much damage to God’s creation as possible, dragging as many souls with him into the lake of fire as he can. One way he does this is by continually calling into question God’s Word. When we reject the Bible’s truth we have nothing upon which to stand.

In the realm of sexuality, he is especially active. The Bible says that God made us “male and female.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 (NLT) 

For most of human history this has been a “no brainer,” but no longer. A great number of people once again have fallen for the serpent’s lie.

Now, contrary to thousands of years of historical precedent, male and female are no longer an absolute thing.

One can declare oneself whatever one wishes and even use surgery and hormone therapy to make the change look somewhat real. However, the truth is that we can never alter our DNA. Men have X and Y chromosomes, and women possess a double X. As much as we may wish and as hard as we may try, how God made us is irreversible. Some things we must simply accept and play the hand we were dealt.

Behind the push to deny and pervert how God created us is an implacable rebellion against the sovereign choice of the Creator.

Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2  The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3  “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” Psalm 2:1-3 (NLT) 

Sexuality goes to the core of our identity. Today we see Satan’s hand at work in bringing confusion to gender and sexual identity. What was formerly obvious has now become complicated. The government, in an attempt to play God, increasingly demands that everyone accept and affirm the new politically correct order of things, even as we observe the obvious negative consequences. Little girls are put at risk when males self-identifying as females enter the women’s bathroom. Women are unfairly losing to men identifying as women in athletic competitions. Common people understand the insanity of these things, but governmental elites are forcing them down our collective throat.

This is a clear sign of the devil’s activity and his determination to corrupt God’s creation, demoralize the nation, and include as many as he can in his rebellion against the Creator.

Today this rebellion has escalated into a push for more laws to legitimize and normalize sexual and gender perversion and to punish those who will not accept and affirm the new order of things. Freedom be damned in the tyrannical push for new societal norms. As Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest investment firm with $10 trillion in assets, a firm that has at least a partial ownership of almost every major corporation in the world, including the big media and Big Tech companies, has said:

“Behaviors are going to have to change and this is one thing we are asking companies, you have to force behaviors and at BlackRock, we are forcing behaviors.”

Fink believes the government has the responsibility to force compliance with mandated thinking and behaviors with businesses assisting in the process.

This is a form of fascism, an anti-God tyranny of the mind and soul which we see playing out everyday at one level or another, whether it is in the realm of medicine, sexual identity, gender, or politics.

In addition, the education establishment now is actively grooming young people to accept and adopt such thinking and behavior, often against the knowledge and wishes of parents. This is why Florida recently passed an anti-grooming law, which prohibits schools from engaging in this sort of activity. None of this should surprise us, in light of biblical prophecy.

Bob Chapek, the CEO of the Walt Disney Company, opposes the new law, calling it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. (The Left always tries to capture the vocabulary and frame the argument to its advantage.) Here are his remarks.

“I called Gov. DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if legislation becomes law it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, nonbinary and transgender kids and families,” Chapek said. “The governor heard our concerns and agreed to meet with me and LGBTQ+ members of our senior team in Florida to discuss ways to address that… We are committed to support the community going forward.”

Satan always twists things. Rather than protecting God’s created order, the bill is framed as targeting people who do not accept or embrace God’s order for his creation.

The Left’s push is to affirm and normalize deviance from God’s intended purpose and function and to shame anyone who does not accept and affirm this perversion.

It is interesting that what formerly was called the LGBT community now has expanded to LGBTQIA+. A quick search for how many genders we currently recognize reveals that “experts” cannot agree. There are anywhere from 15 to 76, instead of just two. Where will this insanity eventually lead us?

Sin has twisted humanity. Yes, there is such a thing as gender dysphoria. Yes, plenty of people are confused regarding sexual identity and gender, but this does not mean that we abandon God’s original intention for his creation and affirm the confusion as being normal. We can affirm that we love people no matter what they think about sex or gender, but that does not include affirming their behavior.

When a society rejects God, it eventually descends into the kind of rebellion that actively recruits and encourages sinful behavior in others.

They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:32 (NLT) 

It is vital that we who know the truth stand up for what is right. We cannot afford to bow before the anti-God forces at work all around us.

We must teach our children to stand for truth and resist the efforts to enfold them into cultural acceptance of the current rebellion against God’s created order. If necessary, we must remove them from any school system, church, or other institution that works to groom adults and children to accept these blatant attacks against God’s truth. Let’s demonstrate to our children and others who may be watching how to make a stand for truth before it is too late. God wants us to openly and unashamedly declare our allegiance to our Lord Jesus and to the truth contained in the Bible.

Taking this stand will likely be costly, but if we are not willing to make a stand, who will? If we lose freedom of speech, which has already happened to a great extent, we will find out who is still courageous enough to speak anyway.

Loyalty to Jesus includes standing for biblical truth in the marketplace, not just when giving a gospel presentation in a church meeting.

Share this post...