8 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1)
The United States of America will be spared God's wrath? Israel wasn't. And Jesus the Christ had foretold it.
Matt 24: 1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
God's chosen people through the blood line, those who denied the Christ, who didn't listen to his words, suffered for their disobedience. Today we have a form of what I call "Escapism Christianity." A "Rapture will catch up believers when Christ returns secretly for His church. It's not really a second coming. That will come later. This is a secret one...it's a quiet one.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thess 4)
Doesn't sound quiet to me.
People of faith suffered for their faith.
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted,[f] were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
I fear an ill wind is blowing across our land. Eyes are blinded to God's truth. The payment for our transgressions has come due. God has given us over...the unbeliever and many so called believers alike.....to their own evil hearts and to a wishy washy, namby pamby, type of feel good, God loves everybody form of Christianity. All are children of God's wrath. (Eph 2) And the truth is God is angry with the wicked everyday. (Ps 7:11)
Many of the New Testament Apostles were martyred..Peter crucified upside down. His request, not feeling he was worthy to be crucified as was Jesus. Andrew was crucified at Patrae in Achaia. Matthrew died a martyr in Ethiopia.James son of Alpheus was thrown down from the temple by the scribes and Pharisees; he was then stoned, and his brains dashed out with a fuller’s club. James the brother of John was beheaded by Herod. (Acts 12:2) Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed in present-day Turkey and was martyred for his preaching in Armenia, being flayed to death by a whip. The apostle Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church there. Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded. The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero in Rome in A.D. 67.
And the thousands upon thousands who were burned at the stake and persecuted during the first 300 years of Christianity.
Each person called of God has a role to play. God tells us to be like the ant who prepares for bad times. The ant stores up food. And the ant defends his home. Jesus likewise told his disciples in Luke 22:35 “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’[d] For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Jesus never prohibited self-defense.
Prepare for the worst. Pray for God's best. Jesus did not pray to take us out of the world but to keep us from the evil one. Great destruction of our way of life may take place in our lifetime in this country. Our form of government may crumble. The system of all things, food delivery, electricity, fuel, commerce, may collapse. Crazy you say to think such things? He will return but no one knows the day or the hour. And it may not be in our lifetime. Tribulation of a kind never seen in our nation may come upon us first. Are you prepared for the worst?
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man. (Proverbs 6)
It happened to God's chosen people 2000 years ago as written about in the works of Jospehus...
4. There was a certain woman that dwelt beyond Jordan, her name was Mary; her father was Eleazar, of the village Bethezob, which signifies the house of Hyssop. She was eminent for her family and her wealth, and had fled away to Jerusalem with the rest of the multitude, and was with them besieged therein at this time. it was now become impossible for her any way to find any more food, while the famine pierced through her very bowels and marrow, when also her passion was fired to a degree beyond the famine itself; nor did she consult with any thing but with her passion and the necessity she was in. She then attempted a most unnatural thing; and snatching up her son, who was a child sucking at her breast, she said, "O thou miserable infant! for whom shall I preserve thee in this war, this famine, and this sedition? As to the war with the Romans, if they preserve our lives, we must be slaves. This famine also will destroy us, even before that slavery comes upon us. Yet are these seditious rogues more terrible than both the other. Come on; be thou my food, and be thou a fury to these seditious varlets, and a by-word to the world, which is all that is now wanting to complete the calamities of us Jews." As soon as she had said this, she slew her son, and then roasted him, and eat the one half of him, and kept the other half by her concealed. Upon this the seditious came in presently, and smelling the horrid scent of this food, they threatened her that they would cut her throat immediately if she did not show them what food she had gotten ready. She replied that she had saved a very fine portion of it for them, and withal uncovered what was left of her son. Hereupon they were seized with a horror and amazement of mind, and stood astonished at the sight, when she said to them, "This is mine own son, and what hath been done was mine own doing! Come, eat of this food; for I have eaten of it myself! Do not you pretend to be either more tender than a woman, or more compassionate than a mother; but if you be so scrupulous, and do abominate this my sacrifice, as I have eaten the one half, let the rest be reserved for me also." After which those men went out trembling, being never so much aftrighted at any thing as they were at this, and with some difficulty they left the rest of that meat to the mother. Upon which the whole city was full of this horrid action immediately; and while every body laid this miserable case before their own eyes, they trembled, as if this unheard of action had been done by themselves. So those that were thus distressed by the famine were very desirous to die, and those already dead were esteemed happy, because they had not lived long enough either to hear or to see such miseries.
"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!" (Jesus The Christ Matt 24)
(Pictures from the film "The Road" a post- apolcalyptic look at a world thrown back into the stone age.)
