The World has changed dramatically in the last few years. Food, fuel and other shortages appear ever closer, as conflicts rage and pandemics threaten. Like Alice down the rabbit hole, we can be excused for wondering what’s going on. The question is where we go from here, and does the Bible have an answer to our present woes in this time of uncertainty.
History has seen numerous events caused by bacterium, viruses, wars and social unrest. Some have been dreadful. The Black Death plague took 200 million from the face of the Earth; it altered societies and many religious views, as did two World Wars claiming over 90 million dead. Many were of the belief it was Providence at work; sickness war and famine, punishment for our sins. We have, it seems, moved on to a more enlightened place free of such old superstitions; a world where everything is possible and anything goes.
Desexualizing humanity, which any sensible person must see as tampering with the natural order, is gaining momentum. We are born male and female for the express function of procreation; 7.8 billion of us confirm this fact. What is not right is the idea children can decide for themselves which gender they prefer to be. We are not changelings; our God-given genetic code makes that decision. That a socio-political bloc has arisen to defile creation, by targeting the most vulnerable for no valid reason, can only result in misery and tears as the obvious increase in self-harm and suicide in those affected, now bears witness.
We are also seeing many authorities targeting freedom of speech; right of assembly, right of access, family governance and religious expression and observance. These values slowly stripped away in the guise of fairness for all. Delight in one’s country is now deemed errant optimism; globalism, apparently, the only way forward for peaceful coexistence. Free thinking has become undesirable; Governments the only source of truth, backed by compliant media with no voice of their own.
The Church too has become a law unto itself, especially silent on matters of State. It is no wonder Governments legislate contrary to God’s will when we have placed Him back on the shelf, no longer a keystone in the decisions we make. Recent legislation has centred on our personal rights to life and death. Abortion Law Reforms in countries like New Zealand are simply horrific, but positive signs are beginning to emerge elsewhere. Assisted dying (euthanasia) is now legal in a growing number of countries; it seems God is no longer the arbiter of our time, or span on Earth. We are now rudderless on an open sea at the caprice of wind and wave.
And the Church is again in conflict, seen in the recent war of words between the Vatican and the Synodal Path of German reformers; instructed by Rome they have no authority to prepare bishops on moral or doctrinal matters. The reformers recently called upon the Vatican to allow priests to marry, women to become deacons, and same-sex couples to receive the Church’s blessing. While the great reformer, Martin Luther may have agreed with their first point, I doubt he would have cared for the others. But if it was okay for Rome’s assumed first bishop to be a husband and father, then the same must apply to Peter’s alleged clerical lineage one would think.
However, this friction is not restricted to the Roman Church; many congregations are struggling to maintain their flocks as numbers are tumbling; in Rome’s case, due in no small measure to the abuse of minors in its care, leading to a departure of the faithful in search of greener and cleaner pastures. Yet, across all denominations, support for abortion has grown steadily in recent years; as surveys show less than 20% of parishioners oppose it. Along with same-sex civil unions and clergy of either gender, or orientation, now acceptable to most.
Regular reporting of suspect church behaviour; including staff abuse, financial misdoings and the lavish lifestyles of some pastors, has parishioners throwing up their hands in despair. For anyone seeking to learn about God and His Gospel, denominational churches are no longer an attractive option. But don’t be concerned, Jesus has that covered.
Traditional Churches and their progeny are imploding. They have not only discarded the teachings of Jesus, the Apostles and Paul, but have erected their own Gods and Gospel. It is a very strange path they have chosen; when set before us all is the correct one to follow. In setting their own schedule opposed to Scripture, not to mention denying the truth of the one whose name they use, they have opened the door to rebuke. One wonders if there will be enough millstones to go round.
But the reason people are leaving in great numbers is due, not only to church failings; but timing. When Jesus (the Spirit of Prophesy) was with the Prophets, Peter and Paul, He foresaw this age and moved them to write about it. He knew corruption would ensue from the abandonment of His Word and the misery it would cause. Jesus planned an exit for sincere believers to aid their leaving the church system when the environment had become untenable, as it has. He put the first part in place when He said … where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)
A further call is found in Revelation, describing a Church that had completely abandoned its first love, and turned to impiety. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues – for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (Rev 18:4-5)
These plagues are not physical (bacteria or virus) but spiritual. The contamination of God’s Word, seen in the examples of trinity, rapture and the replacement of water baptism, will bring the LORD’s wrath. The plagues are a result of spiritual pollution, which cause stumbling and blindness, and a bit more besides. The belief the advent of Jesus produced a triune godhead when He is the Everlasting Father and the Mighty God, is an abomination; a defilement of the Spirit of Prophesy, and why, Trinitarians can’t see Jesus as Father, Son and Spirit, but only as the Son. They are blinded to the truth; they have been ‘plagued.’ God willing, I will share further on this in my next letter, the Road to New Jerusalem, but assure you these plagues can be removed.
A Strange Time
Never have we seen such a convergence affecting every one of us on such a global scale. The same happening in Europe and Britain is reflected in Australia and New Zealand. We have all felt its presence as the world comes to terms with a new age. The upsurge in mental health disorders, with murder and suicide rates at an all time high, is a clear sign something is seriously wrong; many will fall by the wayside a statistic soon forgotten. So it is not surprising people are looking for answers. But the hard truth is this. We have done this to ourselves and it started a very long time ago. It’s about a form of malevolent spirit. Here’s an example from the New Testament.
… Whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1John 4:3)
The Apostle, John made this statement when various factions were sowing seeds of doubt among the disciples and followers. Agnosticism had raised its ugly head. But we see the same spirit across all facets of society today. When we make and believe our own version of the truth, discord will inevitably follow. Many false prophets are gone out into the world; (1John 4:1) not only in the setting first meant, but in our everyday lives; modern phony seers and practitioners selling lies and confusion to an unsuspecting world. But of greater consequence, this spin is thriving throughout Christianity. We are told for good reason to check every spirit.
So it is a very strange journey churches embarked upon. And while an opposing spirit was afoot in the time of the Apostles, the journey began at Nicaea. Its first order of business was to tamper with the Prophets declaring a three part God to replace the One LORD of Scripture. The second was to re-order the Commandments given to Moses. Yet in these doings, prophesy was fulfilled, and a ‘mark’ placed in the hearts of men; the mark of the sinful man, which remains in us until we adopt Paul’s teaching on how to remove it. It is about belief.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2Thess 2:8)
What about the Bible
It is essentially silent as the Bible is primarily concerned with matters of the spirit;
it is a Spiritual Book.
It has very little to do with the things of the flesh (current world events) for as Paul tells us; “…flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.” (1Co 15:50)
More than ever, people are searching for something (or someone) to trust without fear. We all have misgivings but want to the heard; to know that we matter, to be free of worry and doubt. So, where do we find this peace of mind? The first of course is Jesus Christ, who said the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)
And who couldn’t do with some freedom and truth right now?
Paul put it this way: Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? – Unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2Cor 13:5) As the Spirit of Jesus is in us, we must ask ourselves why we are so easily distracted by the things going on around us, when Jesus promised He would not let a single one fall from His hand. He said; the flesh profits nothing: (John 6:63)
So the question is, where is faith?
The journey we should be taking has nothing whatsoever to do with the things of this world; socio-political engineering, the misunderstood mark of the beast or the assumed Second Coming. Why would Jesus need to return, when His Spirit came at Pentecost? He has already sent the Comforter to be a light and a beacon. But it has everything to do with believing the Prophets, Apostles, and knowing who Christ Jesus is, as Isaiah made plain.
Therefore, we have a matter to consider. Is Jesus Christ the LORD? Isaiah told us that Jesus is the Everlasting Father and the Mighty God. (Isaiah 9:6) Moses instructed that the Children of Israel will be saved under the Blood. Zephaniah said the king of Israel, the LORD, is in the midst of thee. (Zephaniah 3:15) Peter revealed Jesus is both LORD and Christ. Paul declared Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) John said; all things were made by Him. (John 1:3)
What we read and hear outside the Gospel and Prophets, we must take with a grain of salt, these days perhaps three or four. But Paul made it clear when he said; the mystery of iniquity is already working in us, and the LORD will keep it there until we cast it out. We see our sin when we begin to comprehend what we have done to His Word on our journey of doubt. Jesus will destroy our misdoings by the brightness of His coming when we see Him as both LORD and Christ..!
The Scriptures are full of testimony confirming who the Christ is, but sadly it is a stumbling stone to many. Due to unbelief, we are unable to see the truth in Scripture because the plagues deny it. Only when we begin to see, understand and believe, is our mark replaced by the mark of faith; the new Law under which we live by the faith of Jesus Christ. (Gal 2:16) We keep faith in Him by the faith He has given us. Salvation is through Jesus unaided; knowledge is given by His Comforting Spirit, and when we believe, our blindness is removed by His Grace.
And so
The current world narrative is in fact a grand illusion, designed by Godless men and women to pull you into their world. As a result, many are now asking some big questions about life, about God. People are now searching for something clean and uplifting in a world gone more than a little crazy. Perhaps to talk freely about those things we all hold dear, to explore the possibility, is there more to life than mere existence. There certainly appears to be a stirring, possibly some form of regret for time mislaid; a sense of loss for not hearing truth that matters when we turned away. Maybe, it’s just hoping for something better when in reality, it is time to wake from our sleep and listen…
The LORD’S Spirit is moving.
In love and Peace as always,
James