Tag Archives: Christ’s return

COVID Corruption and God’s Call

Posted on by Standard 38

As the US opens up and the urgency of pandemic ebbs away here, more and more evidence is surfacing that the virus was created in the Wuhan Lab. Even left leaning media is reporting that yes, it is plausible and likely. Geri Ungurean’s blog, ‘Absolute Truth From the Word of God’ embeds a brief but succinct podcast by Dinesh D’Souza and a significant exposé by left leaning Vanity Fair, ‘The Lab Leak Theory: Inside the Fight to Uncover COVID-19’s Origins’. You can see the post here

Is this a gargantuan crime scene? The epicenter of global calamity?

The great phenonemon here, aside from the virus itself, is the global capacity to coordinate media conglomerates and mass communication networks to censor research, evidence, and even input from involved scientists and researchers. As a result of F.O.I.L., evidence now implicates high ranking authorities to major search engines such as Google, effectively converting them into “spin engines”, giving falsehood a firm foundation and widespread credibility. Newscasters and government leaders promoted testimony and commentary from scientists who reinforced scenarios. Conveniently, dissenters were bullied, threatened, and ostracized.

After more than a year of COVID preoccupation, does anyone care about this surfacing truth? Many conservatives and believers challenged the strategic deception and now, as truth begins to surface, Christians are wise step back and contemplate our times.

If worldly corrupt, professional, powerful and wealthy men and women can fabricate an entirely false narrative to globally manipulate and deceive, imagine what supernatural powers can accomplish through such vessels. This ‘cover-up’ was the best of human effort. That fact alone should jump start believers, not toward the Republican party, or to rally around charismatic whistleblowers or gather in protests. The powerful, collaborative abuse of authority and position should compel us, as the Apostle Peter urges, to “prepare our minds for action”.

In previous verses, Peter pointed to the prophets who sought with great intent the “times and circumstances” of Christ’s arrival. “Therefore”, Peter exhorts, “prepare your minds for action”, calling us to holiness, self-control, and a lifestyle detached from this world, “…live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear…”

The COVID virus, scandal, widespread betrayal of authorities and media control presents a most formidable temptation for Christians to seek justice and some kind of political empowerment. But ultimately it is a temptation that would derail us from God’s high call. For the believer, all this should propel us further from worldly dynamics and deeper into God’s word. Above all, we need spiritual discernment. As the prophets before us, we must “search intently and with greatest care” to be the lamposts and beacons for Christ in our generation.

The great deception and calamity which took root and spread will be laughable compared to the rise of supernatural deception. It will not be Republican/Democrat, Conservative/Liberal. All are worldly alliances will prove to be a fatal choice for believers to trust.

We might not be here when the antichrist arises but we might. In any case, we want our hearts aligned with God’s. Now is the time to gird up our loins, “prepare our minds for action”, and grow in intimacy with our Lord. The “road is narrow” and the “gate is small” -it is single file. We won’t make it unless our eyes fixed upon Jesus alone – He’s finished His journey but still goes before us.

May we all prepare our minds to discern the times, to know the call of our Father in heaven and fulfill those works “prepared for us in advance” by Him. Only through Him can we bear fruit with eternal value.

Don’t Get Onboard!

Posted on by Standard 33

lusitania sinking

Few people today remember or care to recall the sinking of luxury liner RMS Lusitania, destroyed by German submarine torpedoes in May 1915. It was a catalyst to USA entry into WWI. The 1,198 victims included millionaires and commoners and carried works of art by Monet, Rembrandt, and Rubens. But what may be lesser known is that all who boarded had been warned of enemy attacks on that specific ship. The warnings came from the Germans themselves, posted in major newspapers….

Lusitania_warning

Reporters investigating those who perished and the survivors found that all aboard had scoffed at these wartime warnings. They fully believed that the Lusitania was “too big and too strong” to destroy.

Why should we care about this demolished sinking ship today? It seems that many American Christians are investing emotional and spiritual time and resources into saving the luxurious traditions and lifestyle of the USA. Even though this country is sinking, many root their loyalties onboard a ship that God Himself declares destined to sink into darkness.

Increasingly worldliness – not gross sinfulness – stealthily contaminates our faith and deafens our ears to God’s call.

God warns and exhorts His people throughout scripture to separate themselves from unbelievers, living apart from mainstream world culture and values. We are not to get onboard with the world….

“…friendship with the world is hatred toward God…Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God” James 4:4

In his book, Love Not The World, Watchman Nee expounds upon God’s ongoing cry for His people to separate from this world. I highly recommend this easy to read book as every line holds liberating truth for the believer…

“Separation to God, separation from the world, is the first principle of Christian living.”

“Do not let us think for a moment that Satan opposes God only be means of sin and carnality in men’s hearts; he opposes God by means of every worldly thing.”

“…everything belonging to the world is under the sentence of death. We still go on living in the world and using the things of the world, but we can build no future with them…”

“…there is a mind behind the system…an ordered system, ‘the world’ which is governed from behind the scenes by a ruler, Satan.”

“Indeed, unless we look at the unseen powers behind the material things we may be readily deceived.”

“How watchful we need to be lest at any time we be found helping Satan in the construction of (his) ill-fated kingdom.”

“The essential character of the world is Satanic; it is at enmity with God. To see this is to find deliverance.”

As Americans, we are at critical junctures in our country, much like watching a slow train crash with precious cargo. The greatest temptation for many of us is to join in the foray, fight for ‘upright morals’ and make a stand for…for what?

We are called to ‘stand’, steadfast in our faith, trusting in Jesus and His word, even upon loss of all and life itself. “He who stands firm to the end will be saved”.

Those souls boarding the Lusitania foolishly denied posted warnings of destruction. With God’s unchangeable and trustworthy ‘warnings of destruction’, we have no excuse to get onboard the world’s course. We cannot and are not called to change it nor can we delay the promised culmination of all nations under the rule of the antichrist.

I press these truths into my own heart, that I may not get onboard the wrong ship and later mourn a missed call, a neglected task or intended purpose for my life from our Heavenly Father.

As the Body of Christ in the world, our choices have eternal value and consequences.

Press on brothers and sisters!

Days of Noah? Days of Sodom?

Posted on by Standard 25

There are less than 100 days left until the US presidential election.  This is of great concern to nearly everyone, regardless of party affiliation.  But should those days preoccupy the hearts and minds of Christ’s Body?  Every heart, including mine, longs for safety and normalcy, but is safety really ‘normal’ in a fallen dark world?

Under the guise of ‘free love’ and ‘peace’, the sexual revolution of the 1960’s swung open the gates of fornication, homosexuality, and promiscuity, leading to a harvest of broken families, infidelities, abortions, and single parent homes.  More than ‘normalized’, we have pridefully displayed our sexual deviances with boisterous parades and youth indoctrinations.  Yet, as in the ‘days of Lot’ in Sodom, we are “eating and drinking, selling and planting…” living our lives normally but oblivious to the ominous judgment looming overhead.

Now, under the guise of ‘peaceful protest’ and ‘racial equality’ we have, increasingly, a “world filled with violence”.  Might God determine of us as with Noah’s violent generation,  “…that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”?  Ongoing wanton and pointless rioting with ‘leaders’ nodding with tacit approval, swings open the gates of man’s lust for violence – gates not easily or even possible to close.

And yet Jesus said that in the ‘Days of Noah’ as with Sodom, “People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage…” – all good things, even things ordained by God but with one caveat:  They were so intertwined with the world, they were oblivious to the warnings of sure and horrific judgment.   

Perhaps most American believers, like myself, are not tempted to be promiscuous or violent but the temptation to enter into political forays is almost irresistible.  Like ‘eating and drinking and marrying’, it seems normal, if not good and necessary, to champion the cause of what is right, lawful, and moral.

But, I believe, the challenge for the godly in these days is this:  Will we view our world through the platform of Republican/Democrat or through the lens of God’s unchanging word?  Are our hearts gripped with urgency to restore a prosperous and ‘normal’ society or are we gripped with an urgency, as Noah had, to preach the Gospel and warn of sure and horrific judgment?

We have saturated our culture with a shallow and benign “God is love”, “Jesus loves you” message that served only to squelch the fear of God that we so desperately need.

Less than 100 days left for election?  That’s 100 days to commit to God’s word, to dive into end times scriptures that Jesus, who does love you, proclaimed to warn and prepare whomever will heed, that He is returning as Judge as the world ripens for God’s wrath.

Don’t resist but dive into scriptural study of end time prophecies and, I urge myself, commit again to studying Revelation.  Read and re-read, call upon the Holy Spirit – our Teacher and Counselor.  Refer to reliable commentaries.  As beloved Pastor Ben Crandall always exhorted, “Get into this Book and get this Book into you!”

We don’t know who will win elections but omnipotent and sovereign God proclaims the truth of what is happening and what will surely happen.  For the prayful and hungry heart, He will reveal these truths and root them deep enough for us to bear fruit as His ambassadors.  With convicted hearts, not campaign flags, we’ll proclaim the next big event – Christ’s return as Judge and the outpour of God’s wrath upon a rebellious, unbelieving world.

Help us Lord, to resist the pull to ‘normalize’ our tumultuous world.  Give our hearts a hunger and understanding of Your word – let it sink in and overflow to those around us that we may fulfill Your call upon us in this world.