1984

George Orwell wrote a science fiction novel entitled 1984.  There was movie made starring Richard Burton based upon the novel.

It showed how Big Brother ruled the lives of those who lived in bleak Oceania.  They used extreme torture and mind control, listening devices and video observation in everyone's room and Big Brother was everywhere.

There was a scene in the movie where the torturer asked the tortured Winston Smith how many fingers he was holding up as he held up 4.  He was tortured until he saw 5 fingers being held up.  After the torture he was shone his ravaged visage in a mirror and told that it was his fault he looked that way.  He was convinced that it was his fault.  During the torture, he was told that eventually he would believe the way Big Brother wanted him to believe and he would love Big Brother.

Satan tried torture and the Church grew.  Every time Satan tortures believers and makes it difficult for them to worship, the Church grows.  What has decimated the Church and this country without the benefit of torture and war has been relativism.  Whatever feels good, do it.  I may not believe that way, but if it is good for someone else, it's okay.  That feeling works until it comes to Judeo-Christian beliefs.  Then it becomes intolerable to tolerate.

The United States has embarked on the slippery slope of legislating sin.  It taxes liquor and bars.  It taxes off track gambling.  It taxes casinos.  It taxes and it taxes and in at least one state, it taxes prostitution.   Sin of all sorts is becoming socially acceptable as long as it can be taxed, regulated by the government in order to protect the participants from the evils of the particular sin they engage in.  God is no longer allowed the authority of regulating sin, it has become a matter of the government.  The government will soon tell you what you can and cannot do as far as worship goes and what parts of the Bible you may or may not believe in and preach to the congregations.

The far left is making incremental strides.  It takes 2 steps forward, but only one step back.  They convince us that they did not get what they wanted when in reality, they are slowly getting everything the Devil wants them to get.  Slowly, we are losing freedoms under the guise of making us safe.  Or perhaps it is to make others safe.   We are gradually making evil the norm and making that which is Godly illegal.

I do not know if the Rapture is imminent.  I feel that this country is headed in the wrong direction and is in for a rude awakening.  We have spent ourselves into a deep chasm both morally and fiscally.  We no longer own our country.  We are so far in debt that there appears no way to solve it and if anyone does come up with a solution that requires sacrifice on the public's part, we will never go there.

I know what it is like to not have food to eat.  When I was in my early 20's I got myself into a situation where I had no job and no money except what I could find enough soda bottles on the street and turn them in for the deposit.  I did things then to eat that I would not do today.  We are so afraid that we might have to do without something that we refuse to cut back on our wants and desires.  We will soon find out that our inability to do without will cause us to do without necessities. 

The world is in chaos.  The French are freaking out because the government wants to raise the retirement age to 62.  English students are irate because college costs are rising.  War and unrest is everywhere.  We have estranged husbands and wives killing each other and themselves.  Crazy people open fire on unsuspecting citizens killing indiscriminately.  Egypt is in a state of unrest.  Israel remains the center hatred by most of the countries of the world.

Can we see a pattern here?  Did not Scripture tell us that perilous times will come?  That there will be wars and rumors of wars continuously?  And we ain't seen nothin' yet!

Pray and watch.

Shalom.  Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.