It's Worse Than You Think

       Whether you love him or hate him, One of the most important aspects of Donald Trump's presidency is that he revealed the corruption, and insideous, perverse nature of what has become known as "the Swamp." That is the inner workings of what is much of our government and how vile, vicious, pernicious, encompassing and that many within its ranks will do all they can to get their way. Even creating  false scenarios to accomplish a desired conclusion and the truth be damned. Donald Trump threw a giant stick into the spokes of this secretive wheel of vain, conceded power hungry reprobates and they plotted in every way possible to halt his zeal for returning the country to the basic freedom of each individual citizen to the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

Without the God who so loved the world, the only true God  who spoke all things into existence, and sustains all matter and your every breath, heartbeat and abilities, your very life itself, there would be as it was before the beginning. Nothingness. Just God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Existing in perfect unity, harmony and love. 

 It is because of this love that God the Father (who originates all things) sent His eternal Son (who reveals all things) to save his people from their sin. (through the Holy Spirit who animates or brings to life Titus 3:5) The sin of disbelieving what God had said and believing the lie of the wicked one who promised "you shall be like God." 

Because of the disobedience of God's first humans, created in His imagine, God subjected all things to futility and every child of adam, every single one of us is tainted through and through with the propensity to do what is vile, cruel, perverse, perverted and evil in his sight.

The main problem I see with this is, the majority of people just don't believe it. They believe they may have sinned a little bit, but that's OK and God will give them a slap on the wrist and happily forgive their transgression. Open the gates of heaven and escort them in because they would be such a wonderful addition to God's kingdom and God would be privileged to have such delightful specimens inhabit His domain.

That is if they have any conscience at all to believing there is a creator of all this around them. And this  goes for a large portion  of Christians (so called)  as well. Those who believe God is their divine sugar daddy to give them wealth, health and success no matter what.  That God would never call us sinners or  want us to suffer.  Many believe as long as they plant a seed (toss a large monetary gift to some slick talking carnival barking preacher) they're on God's side. 

But whether they believe, or not this truth applies to a large portion of people. They compare themselves with others. Oh they may have told a lie or two but they haven't murdered anyone.   In the book of James we see "He (God) who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law."  For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2)   

Jesus said, to the people gathered around Him, "you being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children" and "You must be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect."  That perfection is only attained through the One who was and is perfect. The Son of God.  The Word who was in the beginning with God and was God. 

When you honor the Son, you honor the Father who sent him. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He came to save us from the wrath of God.  He paid the price that without Him we would have to pay. For there is no one righteous, no not one. And Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and No One comes to the Father except through Him. 

Paul,  the apostle to the gentiles (everyone not born a Jew)  said 'If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,  you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)  Saved from that wrath of God that is coming on the whole world. Saved from the wrath of hell that God created for the devil and His messengers. Jesus Himself said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matt 7:13-14)

Not only after you confess, repent, believe and in the sanctification process (the process of being made more like Christ....being made holy) are you saved from God's wrath. Eternal destruction from the presence of God and the glory of His power. 

But you are given eternal life. A citizenship in heaven. "those who have the Son have Life. Those who do not have the Son do not have life. But the wrath of God abides on them."

Jesus is coming again. Whether in our lifetime or not. It will happen. 

All the host of heaven shall be dissolved,

And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll;

All their host shall fall down

As the leaf falls from the vine,

And as fruit falling from a fig tree. (Is 34 The Old Testament)

I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.  And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.  Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.  And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,  and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”(Rev 6:12-15 New Testament)

Whether you are here for this momentous occasion or not we all have to stand before the judgement seat of Christ...."for the Father judges no one but has committed all judgement to the Son. That all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." (John 5:22-23)

Yes by grace are you saved through faith and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. But this gift did not come cheaply. The One in eternity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Took it upon himself to cloth Himself in human flesh (John 1:14)  Humble Himself...

He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed. (Is. 53... 750 years before the Messiah's birth)

And become obedient to death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:5-11)

Christ accomplished our redemption through his obedience. (This is my beloved Son in whom I am well please. HEAR HIM!)

He always did what the Father commanded. And He is at His right hand interceding for His people. Those born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

God's grace is available to all who believe, confess, and repent. 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke (subjection to Jesus Christ)  is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matt 11:28-30 NLT)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Phil 5:5-11)

He cared enough to die for you. Do you care enough to live for Him? 

All But A Mist A Vapor That Vanishes Away

The years mount up in a heap, a drop in the river of time. Turning as the spokes in a wheel, life's bumpy, turbulent ride. How fleeting the years they pass, memories fade to black. The curtin descends on all fallen man,and the grave is all they lack.

But God has provided a way, out of this meaningless, morbid abyss. and Hope the anchor of your soul, Truth revealed, God's precious gift,

the WORD became flesh.

For those who trust and obey, unto the only name by which one is saved. Confess with your mouth, believe in your heart,

God raised Jesus Christ from the grave.

Then a citizenship in heaven be yours, Jesus the only door. By which anyone is saved, from hell's burning rage, when you hear Him say, enter in, faithful servant, the joy of the Lord, this day. (AD)

Scripture rendered

(Ps. 89:4 Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man!

James 4:14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Ps. 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. John 16:33 In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 10:9-10 Then Jesus said to them I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.....I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Matt. 13:41-42 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. 1 John 5:11-12 God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life... John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

The Second Coming In Judgement and Deliverance

  

I looked when He opened the sixth seal, (Rev 6:12)

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matt 24:29)

 and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.  And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.  Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. (Rev 6:12-14))

and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Luke 21:27) 

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,  and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! (Rev 6:15-16)

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.  Even so, Amen (Rev 1:7)

For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”(Rev 6:17)

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.  For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.  For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them , as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. (1 Thess 5:1-3)

the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)

 And they shall not escape. (1 Thess 5:3)

 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We (Believers) shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  (1 Cor. 15:51-52) 

For our  citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phil 3:20-21)

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. (1 Thess 4:16)

And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matt 24:29-31)

the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:15-16)

But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Rev 22:5)

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,  (catamites, those submitting to homosexuals)  nor sodomites, (male homosexuals)  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor 6:9-11)

And Jesus the Christ said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, (porneía -the root of the English terms "pornography, pornographic"; any sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant between a male and female ) murders,  thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Mark 7:20-23)

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

 we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness,( “unbridled lust, without shame, living without restraint) lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.  They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:3-5)

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.(Rev 20)

 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is

destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27 the oldest Old Testament book in the Bible)