Friday, January 28, 2011

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.

Think Again

I remember saying it.  I have heard a lot of people say it.   I guess at this point you have no idea what I am referring to.

"I am going to wait until just before I die and make things right with the Lord."  I heard that quite a bit when I was younger, much younger.  I think it is probably because many younger people think that it won't happen to them for many years.  None of us are guaranteed another breath. 

December 17, 1992 (I think that is the correct day) was a Thursday.  I was on my way home from work.  I had plans for the evening.  I would drive to my friend's house and pick her up and go to prayer meeting.  It was a weekly ritual and I rarely gave it any thought.  As I neared home, I had to pass an intersection that was know for it's accidents.  As I neared that intersection I noticed a car start to pull out, but it stopped.  In spite of the fact that they had a stop sign and I did not, the car started out into the intersection in my path.  I had time to utter only one syllable before the impact.  You would think that there would be more time.  You would think that a person would have time for even a short prayer of pleading for help or repentance or something.

But that is not how it works.  My one syllable word was shouted from my lips and lasted as long as it took to feel the impact.  I shouted, "NO!" as if by yelling loud enough I could stop him from pulling into my path.

When I opened my eyes, I was facing 45 degrees to my left.  The hood was partially blocking my view and my chest felt like it was going to fall out of my skin.  It felt like the seat had moved and I was fortunate to be alive.

The man who pulled out in front of me after stopping at his stop sign was uninjured.  The passenger in the car he was driving acted as his cushion.  He was not wearing his seat belt.  He also did not have his driver's license nor did he have insurance on the borrowed car.  The passenger was injured but not badly.  Things could have been much worse.  I was going about 55 miles per hour when I hit the car.  Either one or all of us could have been killed or permanently disabled. 

It happened in mere seconds.  We could all have been facing God with no time to repent.  Fortunately for me, if it had been my time, it would have been a good time to die.  My salvation experience and my relationship with The Messiah, Jesus Christ Almighty had already been solidified.

I was in intensive care for a couple of days and within the week I was home and able to go on with my life.  It was a frightening experience, but it taught me that we have the time that is now.  We have no guarantee that HE will call for us again.  If we hear HIS voice, we need to heed it NOW.  There may be no second chance.  Now is the time for Salvation.  Even the next moment may be too late.





Shalom.  Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.