Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Declarations of Pilate (John 19)

1. Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 4
2. Behold the man! 5
3. Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 6
4. I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 10
5. Behold your King! 15
6. JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (What I have written I have written.) 19, 22

Telly Savalas was one of the consummate players of Pontius Pilate on the silver screen. He was of Greek Orthodox heritage. When his mother heard of his being cast for the part, she pleaded with her son, "Telly, please go easy on Jesus this time."

Indeed, Pilate did have the power to condemn or release Jesus, but because of his love for that same power, he acquiesced to the wishes of the vociferous crowd, spurred on by the religious leaders and had Jesus taken away to be crucified.

Never-the-less, his declarations were telling of a few things:

a. that he had an inkling that Jesus was no ordinary man.

b. that he needed to straddle the fence so as to try to please common sense, his conscience, his wife, the people, Caesar and whatever "Higher Power" there might be. Fact is, you have to choose whom you are going to please and go for it. Mugwampers always lose.
Definition: Mugwamper; one who has his mug on one side of the fence and his wamp on the other.

c. that there are some truths that cannot be suppressed. Jesus was "The Man," "The King," and there was no fault to be found in Him.

d. that self-preservation always takes the lead for those who are in the flesh.

Folks, you cannot please the Lord with your lips when your heart is far from Him.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Questions of Pilate: (John 18)


1. What accusation bring ye against this man? 29
2. Art thou the King of the Jews? 33
3. Am I a Jew? 35
4. What hast thou done? 35
5. Art thou a king then? 37
6. What is truth? 38
7. Will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 39

We know that answering questions with questions can sometimes be a very effective method of teaching and learning. Jesus employed this tactic to perfection. Pilate, on the other hand, used it to deflect responsibility. He had a responsibility to the truth, to himself, to God and to his subjects, yet he shunned it with whimsical questions designed to deflect and save face.

Some obvious things:
a. Pilate had more questions than answers.
b. He really didn't care about the answers.
c. He wasn't much of a leader.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Filling of the Holy Spirit vs Swimming in Peanut Butter

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.


All Christians are indwelt by the Spirit of the Lord. Romans tells us that if we don't have the Holy Spirit, then we are none of His.

However, being filled with the Spirit is another thing. There is ONE baptism of the Holy Ghost, but MANY fillings.

Few Christians that I know concern themselves much with being filled with the Spirit. They are content to swim in peanut butter rather than be empowered by God's Spirit. Have you ever driven an old vehicle without power steering? It was real work to turn that car or truck. But now, with power steering, one finger can easily turn the wheel. That is a decent analogy to living life without the Spirit or being filled with Him. Life is simply easier lived in the power of the Spirit.

I use the acronym C DAT U (imagine a Chicago mobster saying to one of his cohorts, "See dat you?" :<) to help people remember how to be filled with the Spirit.

C-Confess. God won't fill a dirty vessel. Get cleansing for your sins so that God can fill you up.
D-Desire. He that hungers and thirsts after righteousness shall be filled.
A-Ask. If a wordly father is glad to give good gifts to his children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask Him?
T-Thank. Thank God, as an acknowledgement, for the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. It is only decent to be grateful for such a wonderful gift.
U-Utilize. We are filled with the Spirit for many reasons, chiefly, to win others to Christ. Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me..."

What I have just written you is life-changing. I beg of you, right now, bow your head and get filled with the Holy Ghost of God. You won't believe the difference. Or...continue swimming in peanut butter.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Treading Water

Joh 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Joh 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
Joh 11:6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

How hard was it for Jesus to stay still in the same place for two days?

He loved Lazarus, who was dying. He had the power to bring him back from the brink. He knew that His best friends, Martha and Mary, would grieve terribly when their brother passed. He know that the disciples were antsy about their schedule because of the death threats to Jesus and His followers.

Several valid reasons could have moved Jesus to Lazarus' bedside.

Yet, He abode unflinching in the place where He was for two excruciating days. He was content to tread water. Bethany was where the action was, where He could do a miracle, see His friends. Bethany means “House of dates.” It seemed He had a date there, but He was content to tread water.

I find myself in a situation where I pray for the Lord to move mightily to remedy the issue. But, it seems He is content to let me tread water.

I know several people who face similar circumstances. Health, finances, family issues, etc., could use the Lord's immediate attention.

Yet, the Lord remains silent in heaven.

But, when all seems lost, Lazarus passes away, multitudes grieve, people question, "why?" It is then that the Lord shows up, He weeps over the plight of His loved ones and then does the greatest, unimaginable miracle of all. He raises Lazarus from the dead! How is that for a grand turn-around?

Can you relate to Martha and Mary? You trust God, you believe that Jesus is the Resurrection and the life, but….

Maybe you can relate to poor Lazarus! You are the sick one! And the sickness drags on and on. All you need is some relief, and frankly, death would be a relief.

The thing is, child of God, that you are also one of His dear loved ones. He holds you very near and dear. He is, in no way, unconcerned about your plight. He is just treading water, awaiting just the right time to show up and do something beyond your wildest imagination.

There is a song that says of this situation with Lazarus, "Even when He is four days late, He is right on time."

The key thing we need to remember is what Jesus said at the very beginning of this miraculous ordeal, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

The Lord has a plan for you. That plan contains all the elements of what is best for you and what will bring glory to Him. You remember what He said to Jeremiah? Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

And how could we ignore what Paul says in Rom 8:28? And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose.

So, I am trusting my Lord in the status quo (the fix I's in) and I beseech you to do the same. Just keep doing what you are supposed to do, keep trusting, be faithful as He seems to be treading water.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Unbelieving Brothers

Joh 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
Joh 7:2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
Joh 7:3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
Joh 7:4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
Joh 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Jesus' own brothers, after knowing Him for over 20 years, did not believe in Him at this time. Thankfully, at least 2 of them would later. What a heartbreak this must have been to His mother.

You have to wonder if this caused some serious sibling rivalry problems in their home. They had already been witness to a number of things:

1. His character - sterling, impeccable. His light probably showed up the darkness that was in them, therefore, it may have caused some resentment. Can you imagine how many times the younger siblings must have heard, "Why don't you act more like your older brother?"

2. His miracles. They were at the wedding in Cana also. They saw empty water pots miraculously fill to the brim with the best wine ever tasted.

3. His dedication. They were among the caravan that had to go back to Jerusalem, only to find their 12 year old brother about His Father's business in the temple.

These and many other things did Jesus' little brothers witness of Him. Yet, they were still blinded by unbelief.

It causes me to shudder when I think about all those raised in Jesus' house, the church, who will never believe. Their 1st hand witness of changed lives, reunited families, saved souls, incredible miracles and powerful, God anointed services have put them off rather than turned them on.

They really have no one or nothing to point at, not the hypocrites, not the preacher, who is just as human as they are, not the "rules" laid down by the church - no one or nothing to point at but their own unbelief.

May God allow the scales to fall from their eyes so that their eternal souls may find rest in the Christ Who has been there for them their entire lives.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Whose House?

Jn 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
Jn 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

There are to be 4 temples: Those of Solomon, Cyrus, Herod and the Beast. Imagine that, 3 of the temples are built by the ungodly. Yet, Jesus cleanses Herod's temple and calls it His father's house! Isn’t that thought provoking? A temple refurbished by that wicked Herod, who slew all those innocent Bethlehemite children, who sought to slay Jesus, who forced his family into exile in Egypt, Jesus call, “My Father’s house!”

Fast forward a couple of millennia and try to imagine some IFB preacher even deigning to look upon such a place as a legitimate church. Perish the thought!!!

I think of the preacher who resigned from a good church because he became aware that it was started by a preacher who had been divorced and remarried. He thought, therefore, that it was not a legitimate church. Strange, this same pastor who judged a predecessor so harshly could not meet several of the bishop qualifications himself, yet he deemed this church "illegitimate."

I think of pastors who disallow performance tracks for their singers because those tracks may have been produced by lost musicians. There are a host of other such inconsistencies that I have witnessed, no doubt, a few of my own.

But then I think of the Lord's words to His apostle who claimed, "I have never let anything unclean pass though my lips." The Lord said, "That which I have cleansed, let no man call unclean."

Let us be about the business of encouraging those trying to serve the Lord, a bit imperfectly, yet wholeheartedly, rather than nitpicking about our standards which are obviously higher than God's. Oh, the preacher’s general caveat? “It is better to err on the side of caution.” No, it is better to judge righteous judgment and not to err at all.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

He is Among You

Joh 1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
Joh 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Joh 1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
Joh 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Joh 1:37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Joh 1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
Joh 1:39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.


There are a few things contained in this passage that I find both comforting and exciting.

Apparently, Jesus was on hand as an observer before He came forth the next day to be baptized. As the messengers of the Pharisees asked John about his credentials, John told them he was the forerunner of One Who was standing among them Whom they knew not.

It was the next day in which Jesus came, once again, to the river to be baptized of John. This time, John made his official declaration, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

However, we see that, for the third consecutive day, Jesus came to John one more time. Again He was announced, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

Here is what I gather from this sequence:

1. Jesus is often involved in a preparatory work unbeknownst to us. He is among us, observing and working, yet unannounced. This ‘behind the scenes’ presence of our Lord is as important as His subsequent appearances, but without any fanfare or pretense. When you think He isn't, He is! He is here, He is working, He is building, He is active.

2. He then comes on the scene, properly announced. Angels bow and fold their wings. Saints acknowledge His Sovereign presence and worship Him in spirit and in truth. How wonderful it is to bow before Him, worshiping at His feet, glorying in the presence of the Holy Hero of Heaven.

3. He comes again, this time to call us to a specific service, as He did two of John's disciples. The second day was all goose bumps and liver-quivers, but now it is time to break the huddle and run the plays. God has work for us to do and it requires haste.

This is the cycle we go through time and again. We look for the unseen Saviour, even when He is already present. Then He shows Himself and we enjoy a time of worship. Finally, He appears and calls us to go to work.

Whichever part of the cycle you are experiencing today, know that He is present and will never leave nor forsake us.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

What's in it for Me?

Psa 103:1 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

It is all about the Lord, not us. However, seekers tend to wonder "what’s in it for them?"

Psalm 103 gives a pretty exhaustive list of the benefits of being a child of God.
1. Forgiveness
2. Healing
3. Redemption (anybody remember S&H Green Stamps?)
4. Lovingkindness
5. Tender Mercies
6. Satisfaction
7. Renewed Youth (a second chance at life)
8. Vindication
9. Mercy and grace
10. Heaven's patience 8-12
11. Heaven's pity 13
12. Consideration 14
13. A promise keeping God (as opposed to hell's imp who never delivers as promised) 18
14. A home in heaven 19
15. Pleasure in service 21

Compare that to what the world offers, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, and becoming a believer is an awfully good trade!

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa 1:18

Monday, September 20, 2010

The Way to Worship

Eze 46:9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.

Worship is all about God, but a little about us also. When we experience God-centered worship, we do come away spiritually refreshed, renewed and revived. Worship is a wonderfully fulfilling experience. Thank God that He has prescribed this beautiful expression for His glory and our edification.

I see in this verse a couple of important things about worship.

1) That we are all admonished to participate in worship. Ours is not to be a worship-optional relationship with the Lord. Individual and corporate worship is a requirement. The Lord did not say "if the people shall come before the Lord" but "when the people of the land come before the Lord. It is expected that God's people will worship as a natural outflow of their love, obedience and adoration of our Maker and Sustainer.

2) That worship is to be an altering altar experience for us each and every time. The verse tells us that if we enter into worship one way, we are to leave another way. The thing is, when we come into the presence of the Holy, there is no way we can come away the same. I think of Isaiah's encounter in the 6th chapter of his prophecy. It was life changing. I am reminded of Moses at the burning bush which changed him from the most humble man on the planet to a leader of millions. Even the wise men presented their gifts to the Christ child and returned "another way." How can we come into the presence of the Almighty, worship at His feet and come away unfazed?

Again, thank God for the enrichment of worship, the opportunity to adore Him and a chance to go out another way.

Friday, September 17, 2010

The Glory of the Lord

Eze 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. 3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

In my dailies, I had just read three very tedious chapters about Ezekiel's vision of a new temple in Jerusalem a full 50 years before the end of the captivity. I have to confess, reading chapters 40, 41 and 42 were like swimming in peanut butter. Honestly, I was longing for the excitement of I Chronicles were 5 sons did Milcah bare. :<)

But in chapter 43, the glory of the Lord sweeps in and fills the place, and the prophet, and the chapter, and me!

It got me to thinking, no matter how ornate or costly the building, without the presence of the Lord, it is just brick and mortar.

How many churches dot our landscape where "same ol', same ol'" is the service du jour? Song, song, prayer, song moves into a homily as the tune to "Beautiful Dreamer" occupies the heads of not a few of the congregants.

What the churches need is precious reviving showers of the blessing of the presence of God in demonstration of power!

Oh, God of heaven, sweep into our services. May every meeting evidence your powerful presence. May the prophet behind the pulpit give forth a revelation from thee. Amen!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Great Balls of Fire


Eze 38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

See also vss 14-23, 39:1-13

There is a time coming in the latter days, before or after the rapture, we are not sure, when a league of anti-Semitic nations will attack Israel and will be slain upon the northern mountains by God Himself. He will employ fiery hailstones to incapacitate this anti-Israeli horde. So great will be the slaughter that Israel will spend vast amounts of time just burying the enemy dead.

Why the attack? I believe the nations which will unite against Palestine; Russia, some of the former Soviet Bloc nations, some EU countries, Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia and Libya will do so for several reasons.

Israel has been provoked mercilessly by the Muslim kingdom. It is only when they act, in self defense, that the world sees them as the aggressor. Europe, and even our own president find no fault with the Islamic aggressors, but are quick to blame the tiny nation of Israel every time.

Perhaps a preemptive attack against Iran's nuclear efforts, or the building of settlements in Arab occupied Israel, or incursions into Syria or Lebanon, or even Jordan, to extinguish missile sites or anti-Israeli terrorists will be the event or combination thereof which will set off the invasion of Israel by her aggressors.

According to the Word, it will happen, touching off cataclysmic events across the globe. In our present political climate, I am not so sure our nation will line up on God's side of these events. Our president has warned that if it comes to it, he will side with the Muslims. In context, his quote had to do with internment of Muslims should the winds take an ugly direction. However, this gives us some insight into his prevailing views and the soft spot he has for his original faith. (page 261, Audacity of Hope")

IF we end up on the wrong side of such a scenario, we are toast, according to the Abrahamic Covenant.

The question is, are you spiritually prepared for the last days?
1) Trust in Christ today. He is our Ark of safety from world turmoil.
2) Win others to Jesus, while there is opportunity. The cometh when no man can work.
3) Support Israel! We are promised that God would bless him that blesses Israel and will curse him that curses Israel.
4) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
5) Get ready for the trumpet. We that hope for the coming of the Lord are told to prepare ourselves by purifying our lives. Get right and stay right with God. Live for Him, learn of Him, long for Him.


Friend, Jesus is coming soon. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Lead, Feed and Take Heed to the Flock of God


Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

The Lord was against the shepherds, the pastors of Israel because of the selfish neglect of the flock, His people. As they wandered from the fold to the dangerous places, the shepherds busied themselves with self-serving pursuits. This didn't mean that they were beyond killing a fat, neglected sheep when it served their purpose.

I think a valid paralell can be be drawn with church pastors who spend more time playing than praying. They do more preying on the sheep than praying for the sheep. Personal comfort trumps comforting the afflicted.

It is this self-serving attitude of pastors which will draw the angst of the Almighty if not repented of.

The calling of a shepherd is a calling "from" as well as a calling "to."

No doubt, the calling of God is a call to minister to others. But it also means a sacrifice of personal ambition, aggrandizement, agenda and amassing of worldly goods.

I am not saying that a preacher is not to enjoy life to its fullest, but he must keep ministry first and foremost. The man of God has a trust from God to lead, feed and pay close heed to the flock.

We are assured that there is a wonderful crown awaiting a faithful pastor at the judgment seat of Christ.

1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Sound the Trumpet


Eze 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

It is time that we stop believing that everything is unchanged and will continue as it always has.

It is obvious that our nation has been weighed in the balances and has been found wanting. The sword has come against us and our doom is assured unless the watchmen begin to sound the warning and those wise enough to respond take appropriate action.

You wouldn't know that God is displeased with this nation's iniquity by watching the smiling TV preacher out of Texas proclaiming God's love for anybody and anything.

You wouldn't have any idea that doom is imminent by hearing the shiesters peddle their Jordan RIver Holy Water, Holy Soap and Faith Prayer Cloths which will make the one who sends a substantial seed offering to their ministry healthy, wealthy and blessed.

If you view the blab it, grab it preachers with their assurances of manifold blessings, you wouldn't suspect that our nation needs a revival or she is going down.

You read it hear, my friend. This watchman is sounding the trumpet. The sword is coming, take warning. Repent of your wickedness and humble yourself before your God.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Ezekiel - A Living Object Lesson


Eze 24:15 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. 17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. 18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

So many times in the book named after him, Ezekiel, addressed by God as "son of man"
is ordered to provide a harsh object lesson to Israel and her neighbors. Other than Job, maybe Paul, Joseph and Jesus, I can’t think of anyone in the Bible more put upon, more called to suffer than Ezekiel.

An object lesson is a visual that a presenter employs to make a point that the people will forever remember. Ezekiel was a living object lesson.

Among the visuals he was to provide: Ezekiel was to lie on one side for months, and
then turn to lie on the other side for a lengthy period. In another instance, he was
ordered to bake a cake with excrement as one of the ingredients and eat it in front of the people. Here, in chapter 24, he is told that his sweetheart would die that day, but he was not to even shed a tear.

To me, that is some tough stuff. God has brought all of us, His children through some valleys, probably none as tough as what Ezekiel was called to travel.

God was using these bizarre deprivations and testings in the life of His servant to teach others a lesson.

Could it be, and I am sure it is, that every setback, every unusual circumstance we are called upon to bear, is an object lesson to others that they may learn the will of the Lord?

Friend, God does not waste pain. Your valleys are an opportunity to be used of God to help someone else.

Rather than trying shake off your troubles, embrace them for the possibilities they present to be a blessing to another.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

America, Wake up!

Lam 4:5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

The fall of America is imminent. In less than two short years, the current
Administration has done what previous administrations have only been able to
chip away at with limited success.

They (Dems AND Repubs) have robbed the coffers of the people and ravaged the societal fabric beyond belief. And the people have been helpless to defend themselves against the massive financial disasters, bailout, stimulus give-aways, health-care fiasco, the attrition of morality, the heavy "lefting" of the Supreme Court, the erosion of our nation's respect in the eyes of the nations and the capitulation to Islam on every hand.

We are in serious trouble, and I am not so sure the Lord hasn't allowed it so that His purpose for this once great nation might be accomplished.

The apostle speaks directly to us when he says in Romans 11:21, For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

The Lamentation verses previously read apply to Israel, God's chosen. How much sorer punishment and devastation can our nation expect for our apathy concerning the things of the Lord?

Get right America, humble yourself, pray, seek the Creator's face, turn from your wicked ways so that He might hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.

The time is short.