“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13)
As I have recently been grieving and praying over the families of the Nashville Christian school shooting, my heart has been directed to these words time and time again. “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” At one time I even prayed them over those I was privileged to minister to as chaplain, and then for the little church I now call home – a church riddled with multiple failed pastorates and schisms.
The words in this sentence present us with a picture that is not readily conveyed in the English language. For when it says, “lead” us not, that word does not picture one with a lead rope directing someone or something, but rather, is a picture of one being carried or born up in someone’s arms. The word also has innate in itself the idea of motion. So one is being carried in a direction by someone to somewhere. In the case of this verse, it is in the direction of temptation.
Now in Scripture the word for temptation can be taken two different ways depending the one who is doing the tempting or testing. When God is doing it, it is a test, and it is ALWAYS for good. Even if one is being tried in God’s fiery trial it is for the sake of purifying not burning, edifying not destroying, strengthening not weakening. On the other hand, when the tempting is being done by the devil and his minions it is always for evil. His will is to steal, kill and destroy us, to cause us to fall, to fail, and to ultimately be ruined. Through temptation, he finds our weakness and preys upon it for the sake of our ultimate and complete annihilation.
But “deliver” us…the word deliver is a very descriptive word, one which our English words again do not capture well. It literally means “to snatch from danger,” and comes from a root word meaning, “to drag away along the ground.” Not only this, but the dragging away to safety is not all that is taking place, but the one doing the dragging is dragging the person to himself. In other words, when God delivers us, He is not just thrusting us out of harms way, He is drawing us into His arms of safety. However, let me be clear, this does not mean that we will be taken out of a trial or tribulation or testing. What it does mean is that that testing will not destroy us, but instead will prove the Lord’s strength in the metal and make of who He is in us, and will create a stronger bond between God and us.
And finally, according to various scholars, the passage actually reads, “deliver us from the Evil One,” not just “from evil” and in the Greek it does appear to say this.
So in effect, we are to pray that God not carry us into a trial that will end in our ultimate demise, but will instead snatch us, even drag us away and into His arms of love and away from the Evil One who would obliterate us.
I must admit that I was stymied, mystified by this passage. I had no idea what to do with it. I could not figure out how in James 1:13 it says that God does not tempt, and yet in the Lord’s prayer Jesus taught us to pray against God tempting us. I made no sense. And when I looked into other scholarship, I was disappointed with their feeble attempts to explain things.
I went through the entire prayer again and again and again, feeling that the explanation lay in its own structure. And then it hit me! Just like with the subject of math, I always made it more complicated that it is! It was so simple! In this prayer we are not praying for things that are contrary to what God wants. Rather, He is teaching us to pray in agreement with His own heart. God wants His name to be hallowed, and He wants us to want that too. God wants His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, and He wants us to want it too. God wants to give to us today exactly what we need, and He wants us to know that He is the source of all we need. God wants to forgive us and has and will, and He wants us to look like He does in our relationships with others and thus to have hearts filled with forgiveness. And finally, God does not want to carry us into the captivity of temptation but desires to deliver us from evil, and He wants us to agree that we need rescuing, that we need His strength, that we need Him to be our Jehovah Sabaoth, LORD of Hosts.
Kay Arthur wrote an incredible chapter in her booklet The Peace and Power of Knowing God’s Name” on the outstanding, omnipotent awesomeness of the name, Jehovah Sabaoth. She writes (all the following italicized material is a quote from her book:
“There are times when you look around you and your first response is despair. The odds against you seem overwhelming. The situation in which you find yourself seems unbearable. The forces arrayed against you seem overpowering. You’re overmatched, and you know it. You’re at the end of your strength, and you feel it. You’re in deep trouble, and you sense defeat and darkness closing in on all sides.
O Beloved, there is a name you may call upon in times of conflict and warfare. It is a name that makes the very pillars of the universe tremble. Jehovah-sabaoth – The LORD of Hosts.
When there seemed to be no other recourse for deliverance, the children of Israel came to know God as Jehovah-sabaoth. It is God’s name for man’s extremity. And it is not until we, as God’s redeemed people, find ourselves failing and powerless that we realize our need to run into the strong tower of His name.
The first two instances of this name in Scripture are in the opening chapter of 1 Samuel. It is in the final, decadent days of the judges, an era of great national stress and upheaval in Israel. In addition to the ever-present Philistines harassing and warring against her, the nation is about to endure a wrenching transition from theocracy to monarchy. This is a time of darkness. A day of distress. An hour of insecurity, change, and constant conflict. And it is in such a day as this that the name “the Lord of hosts” is first used…
Hannah found herself at the ragged end of endurance. Life seemed so bitter and unhappy that she didn’t see how she could go on. Her food seemed tasteless, all the joy was drained from her life, and it seemed as if all she could do was weep. Scripture tells us she was “greatly distressed,” “a woman oppressed in spirit.” She seemed so out of control in her anguish that Eli the priest scolded her for being drunk in the sanctuary!
But what did Hannah do? Run away? Try to kill herself? Turn to the bottle? Surrender to some kind of numb a look on the apathy? What does a harassed, powerless woman do when she comes to the utter end of herself and finds life’s conflicts unbearable?
She turns to the LORD of Hosts. She calls on the name of Jehovah-sabaoth.
And she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget Thy maidservant, but wilt give Thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11)
This is the name for those who, in the midst of a struggle find their resources inadequate. This is the name to run to when, from our perspective, there is no other help.
This name of God is a name that is yours to use in the time of conflict and warfare. And listen, Precious One, our warfare is going to get more and more open, more and more blatant, as the day draws near for our Lord’s return, and the Enemy realizes that his time is short. This is a day to shelter in His name Jehovah-sabaoth.
The name sabaoth means a “mass.” In this case, it refers to a mass of heavenly beings, a mass of angels, or an army of heavenly hosts. Jehovah-sabaoth rules over all the angelic hosts. He rules over all the armies of heaven. He is Lord over all powers, principalities, and rulers in high places.
It is the name David called upon as he stood all alone against the Philistine giant in 1 Samuel 17. Now, whatever you many have heard in Sunday school about the courage of this simple- hearted shepherd boy squaring off against Goliath, the stories just don’t do this moment justice. Here was an untrained young man fresh from the sheepfolds. And he found himself standing virtually unarmed in the shadow of a … [ten-foot], battle-hardened warrior who was armed to the teeth…
When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” (1 Samuel 17:42-44)
Listen to David’s reply to this godless bombast:
You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’s and He will give you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
“You may be a mighty warrior with all your fearsome weapons and your big army behind you,” David said, “but I come to you with something more powerful than sword or spear or javelin. I come to you in the name of Jehovah-sabaoth, God of numberless armies in heaven. The battle is not mine, O enemy, it is HIS. It is not David the shepherd boy with whom you must contend, it is the LORD of Hosts!”
Have you not learned that truth, Beloved? The battle is His! He’s the One who’s in charge, and you can trust Him. He is Jehovah-sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts…You do not face the enemy alone…The battle is His, and no on in heaven or earth – angels or demons or Satan himself – can stand against Him.
No, His name is not some sort of talisman or magic cure-all. It isn’t just repeating His name that brings deliverance. Scripture says clearly that it is the righteous who run into the strong tower of His name and find safety (Proverbs 18:10).
And for those who do run to Him, there is a refuge so strong and mighty it confounds the imagination. In this refuge “we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam” (Psalm 46:2-3)…
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Psalm 46:7)”
In 1529 Martin Luther had in his brief 46 years been disapproved of by his father, been tormented by the devil, hated himself, sought to save himself through good works, was radically saved through faith in Jesus, questioned the unScriptural behavior of the Roman Catholic church, was drug before princes and bishops and cardinals, threatened with death, kidnapped, hidden in a castle for years, translated the Bible into the German language, and had been a prolific writer of pamphlets, books, and hymns, one of which was A Mighty Fortress is our God. It is in this song that we encounter the God who does not lead us into trials and afflictions to destroy us. It is in this song that we come face to face with the Almighty, LORD of Hosts, Jehovah-sabaoth, who is our deliverer from the Evil One, the one who drags us out of harms way, who snatches us close to Himself.
Why? Why does God give us what we need for today? Why does God forgive us and call us to forgive? Why are we to pray in this manner? Why are we to want God’s will to be done, for His Kingdom to come? Why are we to depend on the benevolence of God to hold us close and protect us from the Evil One? Why? Because “Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever! Amen.” Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever! So be it! To God belongs all the power and the glory. It is His Kingdom that is coming, and He is returning for those who have faith: faith in Christ, faith that God will keep His word, faith to keep praying in agreement with His own heart, faith to allow God’s grace to empower us to do all things through Christ, even things uncomfortable, grievous, overwhelming, and even unto death.
Whatever we are going through, God knows and cares and is calling on you to pray with understanding, “Oh, LORD of hosts, thank you that you do not carry me into afflictions that will destroy me and cause me to fall. Thank you for snatching me, even dragging me away from the Evil One, and for drawing me to Yourself that I might find that Your grace is sufficient and Your strength made perfect in weakness, that the trial will not destroy me but will conform me to the image and likeness of your dear Son. I cast my cares on you because You care for me! I believe that though you slay me, yet will I trust you. I believe that you take what the Enemy intends for evil and You turn it for good. Even so, do it, Jehovah-sabaoth, God of vast, heavenly armies, who upholds all by the word of Your power!”
Jesus has taught us through this prayer, that prayer is not about selfishness nor about what we think is most important and then trying to get God to do what we want. Rather, prayer is about coming into agreement with what God wants, and what God wants is always good – even if it hurts. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him…Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:12, 17). Though He may allow us to endure trials, even for ourselves or our loved ones to be martyred for Him, He will not allow the Evil One to eternally obliterate us or overcome us. Therefore, let’s stand in agreement with Jehovah-sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts, for the battle belongs to Him, the Kingdom belongs to Him, and all power and glory belong to Him!
A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing. Our helper He amid the flood, Of mortal ills prevailing For still our ancient foe, Doth seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right man on our side, The man of God’s own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He. Lord Sabaoth, his name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him. His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers Not thanks to them, abideth. The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also. The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever!
Though persecution is intensifying, though Christian martyrdom will increase, though evil appears undaunted as injustice swallows up the liberty of the world, though Christians are being shaken and the world is entering the Great Tribulation, though the night is far spent and we are weary from it all, though all that we’ve held dear is passing away, though the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still, and His kingdom is indeed FOREVER!! Even so, press on dear saints, press on, and do not look back in unbelief or doubt now. Our heavy trials are but light afflictions that last only a split second in the eternal scheme of things, but there is an eternal weight of glory that awaits us in the heavenly kingdom that will have no end! (2 Corinthians 4:17) Even so, press on.
“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:26
On March 27, 2023 at 10:27am, six people at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee (USA) were martyred for their faith. Three were in their early 60s. Three were age 9. And this is indeed why they were killed. The killer wrote it in a note as disclosed by Tucker Carlson’s program on March 29, 2023. Tucker stated, “Transgenderists hate Christians above all, because Christians refused to oin every other liar in our society and proclaim that transgenderists are gods with the power to change nature itself… for that refusal…that unwillingness to bow down and worship a false idol, in this case of transgenderism, they were murdered.” This quote has been recounted by Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Yahoo News, MSN, USSA News, and other news sources. In fact, they are abuzz with it.
But is there any surprise in this? Jesus said Christians would be hated by all nations for His name’s sake. In Matthew 24:9, Jesus says, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
All over the world persecution has intensified. How many millions of stories are there of fathers who went off to work and did not return home because he was martyred for his faith along the way? How many millions of stories are there of little children who would not deny Jesus? How many pastors and their congregations have been slaughtered simply because they are called by the name of Christ? How many have unexpectedly never come home again because of Jesus?
According to the World Watch List for 2021 as documented in Christianity Today, “every day, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. And every day 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned, and another 5 are abducted,” (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/january/christian-persecution-2021-countries-open-doors-watch-list.html) And according to a Christian research firm affiliated with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2017 as documented by Christian Post there have been “over 900,000 Christians martyred in the last 10 years,” and as many as 90,000 had died merely because they were Christian in year of 2016 alone. (https://www.christianpost.com/news/over-900000-christians-martyred-for-their-faith-in-last-10-years-report.html). And according to researcher David B Barrett, an estimated 70 million Christians have died for Jesus since the days of Acts and the early Church (https://christianitytoday.com/article/70-million-christians-martyred-faith-since-jesus-walked-earth/38403.htm) All of this has increased as reported by the World Watch List for 2023. There it is also stated that “5,621 Christians were killed for their faith last year. 90% of these were from Nigeria alone…Christians killed in 2023 numbered 80% more than 5 years ago…” (https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/persecution-trends/). Quoting from the same source, regarding China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Russia “The mere existence of Christian communities is a thorn in the flesh of the regimes in many of these countries…those who refuse to support the ruling party can be branded as “troublemakers”…or even terrorists.” In Middle Eastern nations “the church is losing hope, particularly for the young people…the Christian community is shrinking due to deprivation, discrimination and persecution.” Even South American countries such as Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico are driving persecution and repression. Indeed, “in the three decades since the religious liberty organization Open Doors has been compiling its World Watch List of the 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution for their faith, that persecution has never been worse. That is according to the 2023 World Watch List released Tuesday evening (Jan. 17)…” Truly “since 2010, the number of countries on the World Watch List reporting “high” levels of persecution has increased, nearly doubling since the first list was compiled in 1993. So has the intensity of that persecution…360 million Christians around the world reported…high levels of discrimination and persecution…” (https://religionnews.com/2023/01/17/christian-persecution-higher-than-ever-as-open-doors-world-watch-list-marks-30-years/)
How many have thought of these or even wept for these? How many have hurt over these? How many have prayed over these, for their strength and endurance, that they not give up in spite of sever and relentless persecution and loss?
And now it’s here. Yes, persecution. Here. In America. It’s jolting. It’s real.
But Jesus told us to expect it. Jesus even said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). There will even be those who think they are doing God a favor by killing Christians (John 16:2), but that we are not to fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). And Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35). And did not Jesus also say in Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried…be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” And this is a crown of life “which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him” (James 1:12), even those who love not their lives unto death (Revelation 12:10).
I believe this is a part of the Gospel that many American Christians have not been taught. I was not. It never crossed my mind, was never apart of my memory verses, and it was not included in Sunday school lessons or sermons. But it is real. Very real. And is integral to Christianity.
But this is not dark nor dismal. This is not to be feared. This is not to be worried about. This is not something to run from nor to hide your children nor your elderly relatives. No. Jesus said we are to rejoice. Jesus said we will received a crown of life. For do we not know that this life is not the end? No matter what age one may die for Jesus, they have an eternity that awaits them. No matter how horrendous the persecution, there is a crown of life that is just on the other side of all this when the torturous race is done.
And if Jesus’ words are not enough, be encouraged by those on the ground seeing persecuted Christians in living color and hearing stories in their own words and seeing them gather anyway to praise the Lord. “What we noticed is not just an increase of persecution, but also an increase in the size and strength of the body of Christ. Yes, a lot of atrocities, a lot of drama; at the same time, a lot of church growth as well…Partly it’s extraordinary – but incredibly encouraging and challenging – that in a number of countries in the world where it is hardest to live as a Christian, where the consequences are most grave, the church is continuing to grow.” (https://religionnews.com/2023/01/17/christian-persecution-higher-than-ever-as-open-doors-world-watch-list-marks-30-years/)
Truly as early church father Tertullian said in a work known as Apologeticus, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
But, though we rejoice in an eternal weight of glory and eternal crowns of life to come, let us not forget to grieve with those who grieve and mourn with those who mourn. For, “…if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26). For the Lord is the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolations also abounds through Christ.” Truly, may we mourn well. May we not grieve like the world grieves, who has no hope in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). For in this season of our Passover sacrifice, may we not lose site of the enduring promise of a resurrected Savior who holds the keys of death, hell and the grave (Revelation 1:18), who has promised that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), and who will one day resurrect these temporal, physical bodies transforming them in the twinkling of an eye to immortal, spiritual bodies that will never pass away (1 Corinthians 15).
And for most of us not close enough to comfort in person, pray. Pray that the peace of God which transcends all understand will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Pray that they will be comforted by the God of ALL comfort. Pray that others near them will gather nearer still and hold them in their love and in their arms. Pray that the grief will not take them from God but nearer to Him. Pray that they are not carried into temptation, but delivered from evil that is there to steal, kill and destroy them (Matthew 6:13; John 10:10), that in this fiery Titanic of a trial they will find God’s grace stronger than they ever thought possible, that His grace is truly sufficient and His strength made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Persecution has come to America and is already all over the world, but in this is the blessing of Christ. “That I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformable unto His death…” (Philippians 3:10). And who are we to fear, when the sovereign of our days holds the world together by the word of His great power? Who are we to question, when He Himself suffered and died? Who are we to wonder, when His ways are not our ways nor are our thoughts His thoughts? Who are we to doubt, when without faith it is impossible to please God?
The Lord is coming SOON. Let’s not be found wanting. Let’s not be found hiding. Let’s not be found attempting to preserve our lives. Instead, may we be found persevering and bold, people of unwavering faith, unashamed and unafraid to lay even our very lives down and to entrust the lives of our loved ones into the hands of the One who made them. God gave His Son to die and then raised Him back to life again. Will He not do that same for your children and those you love? Does God not know best? Indeed, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God! For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God!” Psalm 42:11.
Jesus, our sacrificed and resurrected Passover Lamb is at the door – Let’s be ready!
Have you ever wondered what revival really is? I actually have been wondering about that over the years. Is it a feeling? Are their signs and wonders? Extended worship? Fiery preachers? Or how about fire tunnels, angel feathers, gold dust, herky jerky movements, roaring like lions, oinking like pigs, trips to heaven, angelic visitations, or people screaming that they’re on fire? What is it exactly? And for what are people really hungering and thirsting?
Two things happened this past weekend, beginning Friday. While feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of deception’s far reaching tentacles within the Church, I interacted with a friend on the East Coast about their speaking engagement at a church. They had wanted to tie their message in with theme of Passover and Resurrection but it just wasn’t coming together. After asking a question about what God had been teaching them personally, my friend responded that the Holy Spirit had been leading them to exclusively focus upon Jesus. That of course became the message of this past Sunday in a church on the East Coast. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Focus on Jesus.
Then, after recently listening to a daring yet not very detailed message on the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, I began to dig. I began in 1 Corinthians 12-14 and looked also at Romans 12, Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:16, and Psalm 85. And truly what I found is astounding! I mean, it’s right there. It’s not as if I’d not read it time and again. But, this time, something clicked inside and a revelation light ignited and I realized that if the Church were living in this there would be no need for revival.
But to begin with what is revival, and why is there need of it?
This means that reviving is needed because something has gone into decline, is floundering, unhealthy, inoperative, ineffective, useless or dead.
Psalm 85 reads,
“4Restore us, O God of our salvation… 6Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? 7Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation.”
“Restore us” is Hebrew (#7725, shub) meaning, “to turn back, return.” It also carries the meaning of repentance and the importance of getting back closer to God. “Revive us” is Hebrew (#2421, chayah) meaning “live”, but in this form of the verb (Piel) it is a more forceful, intensified meaning. It is a cry for revival. It is a cry for God to breathe new life back into them, to even “restore” them.
What had happened to Judah that the sons of Korah who wrote this Psalm would write such emotionally charged words? Judah had just undergone 70+ years of captivity in Babylon and had recently returned. And thus they wrote,
“1Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. 2You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah”
Now the sons of Korah were likely descendants of Korah who was a Levite (Numbers 16:1) who contended against the Lord along with some leadership of the Reubenites (Leviticus 26:9) and wound up swallowed by the earth. But, it states in Leviticus 26:11 that the sons of Korah did not die. And indeed, they did not, but lived on in their service before the Lord, and had returned to Judah from the Babylonian captivity. And they of all people based on their familial history knew intimately the importance of both repentance and revival.
And so in Psalm 85 they cry out to God that yes, He had brought them back and forgiven them, but they did not want the remnant to “turn back to folly” (vs. 8). Furthermore, they longed for the glory of God to return to the land and remain among them as they cry out in verse 9, ““9Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.” But they also knew that God would only dwell among those who feared Him and thus, were holy as He is holy. And who would better know this then the Levitical priesthood? As Leviticus 11:44 says, “For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy…” and 2 Corinthians 6, ““Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”
So, what did these Levites pray? Restore us. Revive us.
And how is this done? How are we restored? How are we revived?
First “restore”. First turn us back. First repentance. First get our eyes back on Jesus. Focus on Jesus. First get us back to our first love.
Then comes revival, a restoration of life brought about only by the breath of God. After all, it is only God’s breath that can give this life-giving revival. “7And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) And thus, in John 20:22, Jesus “breathed on them [the disciples], and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” But this life-giving moment is not to be a one time thing, but rather, is to be continuous. For later on in Ephesians 5:18 it says, “do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” The verb “be filled” is not a one time moment in the past kind of verb, but actually means “to continually be filled”. Just as one has to continually drink in order to be drunk, one must be continually filled with the Spirit or else one will become “dry”.
What Jesus is Saying to the Churches
In Revelation 2-3 we read of the condition of the Church of Jesus Christ, not just back in John’s day nor just distributed through the ages, but the condition of the present day Church. And in Revelation 2-3 we view five churches that are in desperate need to repent and be revived. Each one has their specific strength and weakness, but specifically five of the seven need to repent. And Jesus calls to each gently yet firmly, to come back to Him, to hold fast, to strengthen what remains, to seek Him first, to awaken, to overcome, to be holy, “…to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3)
Revival is not about emotion or feeling or experience, although we will definitely emote and feel and experience. Revival, however, is all about repentance (which will bring emoting) and God breathing His life upon us and into us again (which will be experienced). It is all about turning our eyes upon Jesus. It is all about shifting our focus back upon our first love. It is all about longing for His glory to dwell in our midst. And then, once we get there to that revived state of usefulness and purpose and being alive and filled with God’s presence and power and holiness, we are not to go back.
The Living Church
So what does an active and alive Church look like? This can be seen in several passages. For one, they will abide in Christ their first love and obey Him in all things (John 15-16; Revelation 2; 1 John). They will be known by their love one for another (John 13:35). They will also be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. As it says in Ephesians 5, “18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Colossians 3 agrees with this perfectly when it states, “14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Furthermore, each revived and restored Christian will zealously seek for the Holy Spirit to manifest through him/her, not for the sake of the sensational but for the sake of edifying the body and drawing attention to Jesus. For, “…the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all (vs 7)… the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (vs 11)…earnestly desire the best gifts (vs. 31)…” And again in chapter 14 it says, “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts (vs 1)…since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel (vs. 12)…Let all things be done for edification (vs. 26b).
In other words, the living Church will first of all be alive with love for Jesus and each other, and secondly will be filled and refilled and filled again and again with the Holy Spirit. There will be manifestations of the Holy Spirit in their midst as a norm as each individual Christian earnestly seeks that God might use them to edify the Church – not competitively but out of love.
This is what a healthy church looks like. Do you know one like this? One in love with Jesus? One serving and submitting to each other? One seeking the manifestations of the Spirit in order to minister to others? There are a few. Very few. Probably mostly in other countries.
The Need for Revival Today
Thus, there is such need for “revival” and the “refilling” of the Holy Spirit is because the Church has become so dry and hardened and brittle… and dead. They have not only become worldly and sinful, calling conviction (if there is any!) offensive, and correction (if there is any!) judgmental, but there are no more manifestations of the Spirit among them anymore, and as in the days of Samuel the prophet “there was no widespread revelation. 2And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was…” There was no revelation, the priest’s eyes were nearly completely blind, and the lamp of God had gone out which was never to go out (Leviticus 24:1-4).
This defines the body of Christ today at the very end of days: no revelation, blindness, and darkness. Everyone is entertained by the band in the front singing repetitive often meaningless songs, or in a more traditional church they open their hymnals to page 246 and sing along without even considering the gravity of the words. And then they listen to announcements, and try to pay attention to their pastor speak for 30 minutes or longer. They maybe visit with one another briefly before and/or after the service. And then they get on with more important things like watching sports or getting back to work or family events. There is no moving of the Holy Spirit manifesting among them, speaking individually to people with words of knowledge or corporately in prophesy. There is no one speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. There is no communing together at church over a meal on the Lord’s day, or any day for that matter. There is no “continuous” filling of the Spirit. Our lamp has nearly gone out. Our hearts are dim and dull.
And this is why in Revelation 2-3 Jesus calls His Church and each individual person in the Church back to their first love and repentance and revival. Repent. Return to your first love. Zealously and earnestly seek Him that His Spirit might manifest in our midst for the edification of all (1 Corinthians 12 and 14). Do not quench the moving of the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Do not despise prophesying (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). For indeed, the moving of the Spirit in our midst is to be a usual thing, but is not to be merely about feelings or emotions or experiences. Rather, it is all about edification – the building up of the body that it might be a holy body, a holy Church, a holy Bride.
If… and Conclusion
Indeed, if we as the Church constantly and eagerly allowed for the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our midst, the Church would not need to repent. If each Christian instead of being spectators opened themselves to be instruments through whom the Holy Spirit could manifest, the Church would not be dry and brittle and full of sin and lifelessness. If we enthusiastically sought for God to use us however He wills out of love for one another, we would be full of life and power and would not be in need of restoration and revival.
The world is going mad. Deception in both the world and the Church is rampant. The Great Tribulation/Jacob’s Trouble is just around the corner. Therefore, let’s be the awake Church, the Spirit-filled Church, the Church in love with her bridegroom, the revived and living Church! And once revived let’s remain revived! Jesus is coming SOON! Let’s be ready!
The defining statement of the HolyLight4U website is deeply rooted in Luke 21:34-36:
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
The days in which we live are the LAST of the Last Days. Many things have already happened and are happening that readily exposes this as a fact. There has been a dramatic increase in earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, famines, wars, plagues, the tetrad of lunar eclipses from March of 2014-September of 2015 (also called blood moons), comets and meteorites, the rise of UFO activity around the world, solar eclipses and unusual signs and wonders, pestilence, persecution, etc. Jesus said clearly in Luke 21:9-11, 25 that “ye shall hear of wars and commotions,” but to not be “terrified: for these things must first come to pass…nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven…And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and waves roaring.”
In the past, people have seen snippets of this passage being fulfilled: A famine here, an earthquake there. However, at the present time we are seeing ALL of these signs happening simultaneously every day. Even so, when ALL of these things together are witnessed coming to pass, Jesus encouraged us in Matthew 24:32-35 to “learn the parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
When Jesus speaks of the fig tree in this passage and in Luke 21:29-31, He was speaking to his disciples in a parable. The parable is about the fig tree and some other trees budding. The fig tree throughout Scripture has always referred to Israel. In 1948 Israel was declared a nation by the United Nations. But they were not the only nation birthed at that time. In the years surrounding 1948, other nations were born (granted independence) including modern day Egypt (1952), Syria (1946), Jordan (1946), Lebanon (1943), etc. Indeed, the fig tree and the other trees of Luke 21 began to bud in the years 1946-1952. And Jesus said that the generation who sees these trees (nations) begin to put forth leaves and who sees ALL of the other signs of disaster, famines, and war as well, is the generation who will not pass away until Jesus Himself returns and the Bible is fulfilled in its entirety.
Even so, there is one more thing that Jesus said will be prevalent among this generation that sees all of these events coming to pass: False Prophets and Lying Signs and Wonders. Many will come saying “I am christ/messiah” which means, “I am anointed”. But Jesus said, do not be deceived. Time and again, in parable after parable, Jesus emphatically taught His followers to be awake, be sober, be vigilant, be prayerful, be mindful and be alert. These words were not spoken to frighten nor were they spoken in vain. These words are still ours today and are to be enacted in everything that we say and do as the Body of Christ. For, indeed, the closer we get to the return of Christ, the more darkness will masquerade as light. According to 2 Corinthians 11:14, the devil and his minions appear as an angels of light and even are preaching another gospel (Galatians 1:8) and are prowling around like a lion (1 Peter 5:8) seeking those who are not being vigilant or alert in order to steal, kill and destroy them (John 10:10).
While people may agree that all the other signs of disasters around the world are multiplying by leaps and bounds, this one concerning lying signs and wonders and false prophets they merely shrug off and/or assign to men such as Jim Jones, Sun Myung Moon and David Koresh. However, not enough people are running after men such as this in order for it to be a fulfillment of what Jesus said. If all the other signs have increased dramatically, then this one too must have increased dramatically. And, indeed it has. But because of it being so deceiving, not many have detected it. Everywhere, there are those saying they are anointed. There are signs everywhere. There is light everywhere. There are miracles everywhere. There are prophecies everywhere. But the light is not God’s, and the signs and miracles and prophecies are not God’s though they are done in the name of Christ.
How can we not be deceived? Matthew 7:15-20 states, 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” How can we know what good fruit versus bad fruit is? By knowing God’s word and with the help of the Holy Spirit. Second Timothy 3:16-17 reads, “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” It is through His word that we are taught, reproved, corrected, and trained. Without it we are none of those things. Therefore, we don’t want to be “unskilled in the word of righteousness”, but skilled and able to consume the “solid food” of the Word which “is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). And it is the Holy Spirit who will “bring all things” to our “remembrance” (John 14:26).
Remember, not everything supernatural is of God. After all, didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 7:21-22, “21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” And indeed, will not antichrist and his false prophet perform lying signs and wonders to deceive many? “9The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2). And Revelation 13 goes on to say, “13And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. 14Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. 15The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.”
This Holy Light website is all about revealing what is really happening in the Church and world in these last of the Last Days, teaching what the Bible says about these things, and encouraging Christians to be discerning NOT deceived.It is important to view the world through the lens of the Bible and not the Bible through the lens of the world. Bible prophecy is coming to pass in living color. Let’s not miss it!
Jesus is coming SOON. Let’s be vigilant. Let’s be watchful unto prayer. Let’s keep looking up, for our redemption is drawing near!
There is an outspoken group of American Christians who really believe that Christians can and will make America great again, and reach the world via an incredible revival that they state has already begun. And yes, there are the rumblings of revival – including Asbury. And I want to make it clear from the outset of this article that this is not a paper against an end times revival nor revival in general. Quite the contrary. To get this website’s view of revival, please view this link: https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2023/02/28/asbury-a-note-to-the-vigilant-and-discerning-to-the-dead-american-church-and-for-christians-to-hear-what-the-spirit-is-saying/ After all, God is slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness and tender mercy, and is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and a knowledge of the truth.
This being said, there are those who believe that based on the prophecy of someone regarding the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl (source below), a billion souls will now be harvested and absorbed into Christ. Yes, absorbed. Added to this, they are firm believers that they will one day be the unstoppable Joel’s army that will sweep the earth. They also believe that what is happening now around the world is of the devil, and must be decreed and declared away. After all, they are the super apostles and prophets, the likes of which the world has never seen nor will ever see again. Things will get better when the Church takes authority over the world and brings it under their dominion, bringing the spiritual into the physical.
But is this biblical? And is this the state of the world today? The world is literally falling apart. America too. Politically. Legally. Financially. Educationally. But, there is more to it that – and it is something that has not been seen by most who are too busy working or being entertained, or even those who think of themselves as spiritual who are having visions and trips to heaven. What will be the state of the world just before Christ’s return? Will it be a world that has been beautified by a powerful, ecumenical Church unified with other religions that stand in unity with them, that will take over the world with the seven mountains mandate? Or will it be a chaotic world that has rejected Jesus, rotted to its core, inundated with a new world order and its mark of the beast, in which believers are slaughtered, and is coming under the judgment of God?
How Will the World Look Before Christ’s Return?
Let’s begin with what the Bible says about what the world will look like just before Jesus comes back for His Bride. In Matthew 24 we see a world shaken by countless earthquakes and other crazy natural disasters, food shortages otherwise known as famines, wars and rumors of wars, overwhelming fear, and a plethora of false prophets and an abundance of great deception among believers – not to mention the world. Furthermore, Christians will be hated in all nations for Jesus’ name sake. In 2 Timothy we see a world racked by complete crazy, mad insanity, for people will be narcissistic, lovers of money, riddled with unforgiveness, foul with unholiness, unthankful, devoid of love while being lovers of pleasure and not of God, and so on. Then in 2 Peter 3 it is revealed that there will be scoffers who mockingly question the promise of Christ’s coming, saying that things will continue on as usual, because they have willfully forgotten that God judged the world with a flood, and will do so again only this time with fire. And thus Jesus warned in Luke 21, “34“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” And He warns again in 1 Thessalonians 5, “2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” And indeed, as war will shake every continent, as well as the intensification of persecution of Christians worldwide, natural disasters everywhere, selfishness on steroids, famines in nation after nation, rampant deception and apostasy among believers, and all the other things listed in Scripture, the call for peace and security will be heard more and more among world leaders and the people protesting in the streets.
How Does the World Look Now?
So, is this the state of the world today? In one word, yes. Just look at your own grocery store shelves. Just look at the headlines about more coming food shortages and food insecurity and famine. Just look as the displacement of Ukrainians. Just look at the fearful, heartless lockdowns not long ago in China. Just look at the increase and amplification of the persecution of Christians worldwide, including in China where the Chinese president is calling for all to swear allegiance to him and even to worship him. Just look at the threat to Christians in India where they are looking to get rid of all minority religions and return to the old ways, and where recently in May 2023 burned upwards to 300 churches (update as of August 17, 2023). How about Pakistan wherein recently in August 2023 eight churches have been vandalized and/or burned? (update as of August 17, 2023). And how about the threat to eradicate Christianity in Tigray (the northern part of Ethiopia). And what of the somewhat unexpected and tyrannical persecution of Christians in the Ukraine? Just look at the threat of war from both China and Russia and Iran. Just look at the volcanic activity in Hawaii, and the huge earthquakes along the Turkey/Syria border. Just look at the serious talk of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. Just look at the horrific flooding worldwide, historic snowfalls and heatwaves in so many places, locust plagues around the world, raging wildfires in the U.S., Canada, Siberia, and Australia to name a few places. Look at the insane rise in crime in big cities, political upheaval in South American nations like Brazil and elsewhere like Myanmar and even Canada with the march of the truckers on the capital. Look at the world gone mad with vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, firing employees for not getting the vaccine and even preventing people from shopping in grocery stores if they did not have the vaccine and being arrested for not wearing masks. And there is so much more!
And…according to the Scriptures read above, things are not going to get better. It’s not that God couldn’t make it all better, and He will when He returns and sets up His Millennial kingdom. It’s that God predicted that things will get way worse just before His return. And here is the real reason why.
There is a sign not so readily or overtly known by the oblivious, preoccupied world populace, much less by Christians. And it is this. A majority of people the world over have rejected God.And worse than that, Christians – God’s own people – have forgotten Him, days without number (Jeremiah 2:32). The great falling away of 2 Thessalonians is here. Apostasy is alive and well, but most are too deceived to know it and too busy and self-absorbed to care.
Did you know that the majority of the people of 25 major nations of the world are self-proclaimed atheists? Did you know that most other nations, major or otherwise, are predominantly made up of a non-Christian majority? And did you also know that of those in the U.S. who call themselves Christians, only a single-digit minority actually believe in and apply the Bible to their daily lives?
According to the Win-Gallup study for 2023, atheism has a stronghold in many nations of the world today, and in the nations not atheist, religions based on works and not Christ are predominant. Here are some percentages. China is 91% atheist. Japan is 86% atheist. Sweden is 78% while the Czech Republic is 75%. They are followed by the United Kingdom, Belgium and Estonia all at 72%, and Australia and Norway both at 70%. Denmark, Vietnam, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Spain, Canada, Finland, Latvia, Israel, and Ireland are all in the 60+ percentile, and Slovenia, France, Iceland, Lithuania, Bulgaria are all in the 50+ percentile. In the 40+ percentile are Ukraine, Albania, the U.S., Indonesia, and Portugal. (“Most Atheist Countries 2023,” WIN-Gallop Studies for 2023, https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-atheist-countries).
Look at those names. Israel – the very land in which Christ walked is mostly atheist at 61%, and those who are not atheist in Israel are involved in various forms of Jewish Mysticism, including the Orthodox and Chabad Lubavitch sects of Judaism. In other words, those who experienced Christ firsthand in the annals of history would rather seek the pagan, supernatural experiences of Kabbalah and its plethora of false gods/angels and lying spirits as opposed to their own risen Messiah. And yes, the texts of Kabbalah are taught in rabbinic schools (such as the Zohar), and thus all rabbis have been influenced by Kabbalah. Having rejected Christ, Kabbalah (Babylonian mysticism at its core) is now the only way to experience God, and is called the “soul of Judaism” according to the chabad.org website (source below).
And how about England, now known as the United Kingdom? They were the home of the 18th century hymn writers Isaac Watts (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross), Charles Wesley (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing), and John Newton (Amazing Grace), the movement of Methodism and the revival preaching of John Wesley and George Whitefield; home of the 19th century Great Awakening involving evangelists D. L. Moody (1837-1899), William Booth (1829-1912) founder of the Salvation army, and Charles Finney (1792-1875) that “…brought millions to Christ and triggered off global mission to impact the lives of countless more millions for Christ…” are now 72% atheist – questioning to the point of denying the very existence of God. (“The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Revivals in Britain,”https://www.christianheritageedinburgh.org.uk/2016/08/20/the-eighteenth-nineteenth-century-revivals-in-britain/)
Do we still wonder why the Great Tribulation is just around the corner? These nations are not ignorant of God. They are defiant of Him. Indeed they are those spoken of in Romans 1, “18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20For 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, 21because, 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…24Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness…25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie…26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions…28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind…”
Truly Romans 1 is not just for now, but has been applicable since the fall of mankind. That being said, it has increasingly gotten worse at present because now they are rejecting the revelation of His Son Jesus Christ. Even so, 2 Thessalonians 2 calls them, “those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
The world is on the verge of this right now, for they have rejected God. They may love freedom. They may love family. They may enjoy good things. They may indeed be good people. But they heard the Gospel and have rejected the one true God and His Son. This is the state of the world right now.
America and American Christians
And what of America – land of the free and home of the brave, one nation under God? 43% are atheists. But, does this mean that the 57% remaining are born-again Christians? What is the state of the United States of America in 2023?
Horrifically, there is an atrocious flood of child trafficking happening at the U.S./Mexico boarder with the unidentified, undocumented child immigrants. Indeed, “According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, “All smuggling of children, and a significant proportion of child trafficking, occurs in the context of child migration.”” And this is not taking place on foreign soil. This is on American soil, under the watchful, lustful eye of our leaders. And this is a stench to Almighty God. Remember the outcry against Sodom was very great, so great that God came down in judgment. What of the outcry against America at this point? (For more on this refer to these articles: “Whistleblower Tells Congress that Govt is Delivering Migrant Children to Human Traffickers,” April 26, 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/whistleblower-tells-congress-that-govt-delivering-migrant-children-human-traffickers; “What is Really Going on: An Atrocity at the U.S.. Border and Beyond,” October 26, 2022, https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2022/10/26/what-is-really-going-on-atrocity-at-the-u-s-border-and-beyond/).
And regarding the stat of 43%, if you think that is good because it is below half, the stats get even worse when we turn to the research of Probe Ministries and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. To begin with, in 2021 it was found that Syncretism and ‘Moralistic Therapeutic Deism’ are the most popular worldviews among Americans in the U.S. So, Syncretism, Deism, and Atheism are very dominant in American culture.
What is Syncretism? It is the collection of an eclectic mix of beliefs from here and there and everywhere. Basically, in Old Testament biblical terms, it is everyone doing what is right in their own eyes, and in New Testament terms it is Nicolaitanism, and known also as Gnosticism in early church history. They may call themselves a Christian, but they also believe some of the same things as Catholics and New Agers and a smattering of other forms of Spiritism or Mysticism – because it sounds good to them.
What is Moralistic Therapeutic Deism? I believe Karen Jones of the Lifeway Kids website said it best when she wrote in December of 2014 (link below), “The term moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD for short) has been tossed around the Christian blogosphere for a few years now, but what is it? Where did it come from? And why do you need to know it as a kids ministry leader?
In 2005, Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton released a book called Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. In their book, Smith and Denton coined the term moralistic therapeutic deism to describe the “defacto dominate religion among contemporary teenagers.” MTD is a heretical system of thought that has infiltrated evangelicalism and Christianity as a whole. It is subtle and dangerous.
Let’s break it down:
Moralistic – God wants people to behave.
Therapeutic – God wants people to be happy and well-adjusted.
Deism – There is a God, but He made the world and then left it alone. God isn’t personally involved in the everyday lives of people.”
But, according to the Bible, being good is not good enough, or else Jesus would not have had to die for the sins of the world including our own personal sins. Our happiness is not our ultimate purpose here, or else the prophets of the Old Testament such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Daniel and Elijah and Elisha went through hell for nothing! And a distant, unknowable God is an unbiblical God, for in the pages of Scripture we constantly and without fail see a God who perpetually longs to dwell among us, calls His people to repentance and holiness that He might remain among them, intervenes on their behalf when they call upon Him, sends His only begotten Son Jesus to die for the sins of the world, now dwells in believers via His Holy Spirit, and is coming back again soon to obliterate evil and to establish His eternal Kingdom among us. Thus, this Moralistic Therepeutic Deism is unbiblical and heretical and is leading many far from the living God.
And this is all just the tip of the iceberg that is sinking the American Titanic right now.
For, what of the American Church? It was found by Probe Ministries that “Nearly 70% of born-again Christians disagree with the biblical position that Jesus is the only way to God…The survey also found that among the top reasons given by born-again Christians for not telling others about their faith is the acceptance of pluralism. When asked why they don’t share their beliefs with others, born-again respondents chose “They can get to Heaven through their different religious belief,” “We shouldn’t impose our ideas on others,” and “The Bible tells us not to judge others” as their top three responses, respectively.” (“Nearly 70% of Born-Again Christians Say Other Religions Can Lead to Heaven: Study,” October 21, 2021, https://www.christianpost.com/news/nearly-70-percent-of-born-again-christians-dont-see-jesus-as-only-way.html)
Their responses define what pluralism is, in case you were wondering. And to make it a little more clear, pluralism is just another way of saying that they are syncretistic and Nicolaitan and doing/believing what is right in their own eyes.
The Cultural Research Center in 2020 found that of “…an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them were actually found to hold a biblical worldview.” (“American Worldview Inventory 2023 Release #1: Incidence of Biblical Worldview Shows Significant Change Since the Start of the Pandemic,” February 28, 2023, https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CRC_AWVI2023_Release1.pdf)
Think about that a minute. Only 6% of American Christians held a biblical worldview in 2020. It was also found by this same research center that, “58% of Americans believe “there is no absolute moral truth”; and 77% believe “right and wrong is determined by factors other than the Bible.” Furthermore, it was determined that “A majority of Americans who describe themselves as Christian (52 percent) also accept a “works-oriented” means to God’s acceptance—even those associated with churches whose official doctrine says eternal salvation comes only from embracing Jesus Christ as savior. Almost half of all adults associated with Pentecostal (46 percent), mainline Protestant (44 percent), and evangelical (41 percent) churches, as well as nearly two-thirds of Catholics (70 percent), hold that view.” (“Survey: Majority of American Christians Don’t Believe the Gospel,” August 9, 2020, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/survey-a-majority-of-american-christians-dont-believe-the-gospel/). In other words according to this, a large number of Christians don’t really know if they are saved or not because they feel they have to earn it.
And it gets worse. In 2022 the same research group in a nationwide study “…found that just 37% of Christian pastors in the United States have a biblical worldview…The majority (62%) possess a hybrid worldview known as Syncretism. The study, released Thursday, showed that 41% of senior pastors — as compared to 28% of associate pastors — have a biblical worldview. Further, only 13% of teaching pastors and 12% of children’s and youth pastors have a biblical worldview. The lowest level of biblical worldview was among executive pastors, with only 4% of them holding consistently biblical beliefs and behaviors…” (“Study finds 37% of pastors have biblical worldview: Spiritual awakening ‘needed in our pulpits’,” May 16, 2022,
From this study we see that American Syncretism is not just a youthful belief system but is also a predominant view even among Christian pastors! I mean, look at those stats! And these pastors are teaching you, your children, and your youth. And they don’t even have a biblical worldview!!!!! Did the pastors start this or the people in the pews or the professors in the seminaries? One way or the other, the people are perishing for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4).
So, what about 2023? Have things improved at all? While in lock down, did pastors and their followers finally have time to read the word and be changed by it? Did they repent? Did they weep before the Lord under His Holy Spirit’s conviction? Did they fall silent in the presence of an awesome God? Though Jonathan Cahn did lead many in repenting at “the Return” of 2020, were a majority of Christian’s worldview actually affected by this?
This is the beyond the saddest information yet. I’ve been weeping over it. I am going to quote a long piece from the researcher George Barna. Here it is, freshly published on February 28, 2023.
“The COVID-19 lockdowns and lifestyle changes that began in early 2020 provided Americans with an opportunity to spend more time doing things their hectic, on-the-go lives precluded, such as reading the Bible. But it appears that as people’s lives were substantially altered by the virus and government policies, Americans were not spending the extra time devoting energy to spiritual matters and worldview enhancement.
In fact, the first national study of Americans’ worldview in the post-lockdown era found that the incidence of biblical worldview declined to a mere 4%—down one-third from the 6% recorded just months before the pandemic started in 2020. New research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University shows that the benchmark worldview measure of American adults taken in January 2020 may prove to be the high-water mark for the foreseeable future. Americans tinkered with many things during the three lockdown years—from home-improvement projects to baking sourdough bread—but improving their worldview apparently was not one of them.” (“American Worldview Inventory 2023 Release #1: Incidence of Biblical Worldview Shows Significant Change Since the Start of the Pandemic,” February 28, 2023, https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CRC_AWVI2023_Release1.pdf)
Now, only 4% of American Christians have a biblical worldview. 4%.
Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’?
32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.” (Jeremiah 2:31-32)
“6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7“The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. 8They eat up the sin of My people; They set their heart on their iniquity. 9And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, And reward them for their deeds. 10For they shall eat, but not have enough; They shall commit harlotry, but not increase; Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.””(Hosea 4:6-10)
Two Sides of the Same Coin
So, let’s get this all straight. 25 nations of the world are composed of an atheist majority, and those that are not atheist are led by false religions. Christian persecution has intensified in all nations of the world, including China, North Korea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Canada, etc. – and Ukraine of all places! There are threats of immanent famine and war in every nation. Horrific natural disasters and wild weather everywhere (some caused by geoengineering). Banks and national monetary systems are undergoing a controlled demolition. Violence is plaguing large cities, divorce is still rampant, the destruction of the family is still active, and all out war for the souls of children rages like wildfire as depraved people seek the destruction of their God-given gender and innocence. A new world order is rising from the ash heap that the leaders of this world created, and all is ripe for the arrival of antichrist on the world stage. And then to top things off like a poisonous cherry on top of the already poisoned ice cream sundae, the America Church does not look like the Biblical Church.
Interestingly enough, on Sunday March 19th, Pastor J.D. Farag of Calvary Chapel church of Kaneohe, Hawaii, revealed in his Bible prophecy update that there is a two sided coin at play here (source below). On the one side, there is the overtly evil team composed of the World Economic Forum, Bill Gates, Klaus Schwab, climate change and geoengineering, the implosion of the world banks in order to establish a one world, digital currency, vaccine mandates/passports, etc.
However, on the other side of the coin is that which is perceived as good, and is dressed in red, white and blue. But, it is not just about America, for this can be seen garbed in the colors of every individual nation of the world wherein people are rising up against their governmental tyranny – such as Myanmar, Brazil, Canada and Australia. The people want their liberty back, and are willing to protest and take up arms to get it. And Christians are joining forces with those who are non-Christian in an attempt to take their nations back, and make them great again. In America they are holding large conferences every month this year dubbed “the great reawakening”, and Christian and non-Christian speakers are scheduled to speak to already “sold out” patriotic, nationalistic crowds (sources below). This is a syncretistic mix, a Nicolaitan group, an ecumenical gathering, an eclectic mix all brightly dressed in the goodness of patriotic Americanism. And then there are the “prophets” of the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) that have been saying for years that it is God’s will to “save America”, which is remarkably similar to what the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day were saying about Judah. Indeed, it is also more akin to Isaiah 9 which states regarding the rebellion of Israel and their leaders who cause them to err.
“9All the people will know— Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria— Who say in pride and arrogance of heart: 10“The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.” 11Therefore the Lord shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on, 12The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.
13For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them,
Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.
14Therefore the Lord will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush in one day. 15The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail. 16For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.” (emphasis mine)
For, no one is repentant. No one is weeping with deep, heart-rending remorse. No one is falling on their faces before Jesus in penitent and complete surrender. No one is turning away from their unholy lifestyles or movies or entertainment or pursuit of pleasure or greedy desires or pornography or vacations or violence or ignorance of the word of God or their rebellion. There is no sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, no conviction, no revelation of how grave their sin is before a holy God. Truly, both sides of the coin have rejected God. One side may be violent “black magic” taking on the world with tyrannical force and occult power, and the other side non-violent, freedom loving “white magic”, but both are rebellious, both are occult, and thus both are evil. That is why, according to Pastor J.D. they are two sides to the same coin.
An Unholy Alliance
What are Christians doing? What does light have in common with darkness? Are they really in agreement with those who do not know Jesus? Can they truly walk together in sync, side by side with New Agers and Atheists and Catholics and Satanists and Jewish Mystics all in the name of making America great again? What are they doing?
At the 2016 GOP convention this nonsense was everywhere. Did anyone see it? Was anyone else appalled? Many born-again believers, well-known or otherwise, were looking to a political candidate to make America great again. Thousands believing just that gathered at the Republican National Convention dressed in colorful suits and dresses and hats, pledging allegiance to the flag and singing the national anthem. These were genuine, hard-working, hopeful Americans.
But something was different at the 2016 convention. It appeared to be more related to the ecumenical gathering of Pope John Paul II at Assissi in October of 1986 (wherein he joined with the leaders of other world religions as equals and partners in the pursuit of peace), only this time mingled with political correctness and American pride. http://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/catholicchurch/anti-pope-john-paul-ii-photos-apostasy/#.V5F76aLoCM8.
The cherry on top of this politically correct, ecumenical sundae was the praise of Christian conservatives, whether present at the GOP convention or not – from Tony Perkins (Family Research Council), to L.A. Marzulli (Watchers), to Mike Huckabee, to Paula White, to well-known Southern Baptist minister Robert Jeffress. Indeed, Christian Conservatives gathered together in unison with Sikhs, Mormons, Muslims and homosexuals….and said, “amen”?!!!!!
When else in the history of the United States of America has this abomination happened? Since when has standing in unity with the ungodly saved a nation? When did being led in prayer to a Sikh entity save a people? When did God Almighty call Christians to unite with Mormons in prayer or that it was okay to allow men in women’s bathrooms in the name of freedom? When were Christians called to believe that their salvation is wrapped up in a human politician or a king or a leader or in any other entity for that matter other than Christ and Him crucified?!!!!!
Did Jesus say in Matthew 24 that when all the signs of the end times are coming to pass, that we as Christians are to gathered together at political rallies with non-Christians to make our nations great again? Did Jesus tell us to quote our founding fathers, wave our flags, chant “U.S.A”, and stand against tyranny? Did Jesus form an army and march on Rome to take back the Senate for Jehovah? Just look at the Bible, read what Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elijah, Joel and the other prophets said, what Paul and Peter wrote, and even what Jesus told us. The answer is unequivocally and in no uncertain terms, absolutely – NO!
But, then…only 4% have a Biblical worldview. So, how would they know this?! And even if told, they’d say something like, “that’s for you, not for me,” because everything is relative.
The Curses and 4 Fold Judgment of God
Indeed, is this attitude not the reason that the world is in trouble? In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 it is clear that God told Israel they would be blessed if they obeyed Him and cursed if they did not, and He got specific regarding both the blessings and the curses. Yes, this was regarding Israel – a nation called into covenant with God.
But America too was called into covenant with God. Those who first landed here in 1620 stated in the Mayflower Compact that they had come here for “the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith” (http://www.ushistory.org/documents/mayflower.htm). Later the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution carefully states in Amendment 1, that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” According to many a founding father, America was founded upon Biblical principles, even the 10 Commandments, and those who first landed upon our shores covenanted with God to abide by His statues, and that if we did not we would be answerable to Him just like Israel. And according to Jonathan Cahn in the book The Harbinger there has been no other nation like America who entered into such a covenant with God. Thus, just as the blessing and the cursing applied to Israel when they rejected God, they also apply to America.
What are those curses?
Ezekiel actually says it the most succinctly and agrees completely with both Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. So, here is Ezekiel 14.
“12The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 13“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it;
I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God.
15“If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16eventhough these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19“Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.” (emphasis mine).
What are the curses? Famine, beasts, sword and pestilence.
It is also clear from the passage of Ezekiel 14 that the cursing applies to A LAND that is persistently unfaithful. In other words, not just Israel or Judah. Isaiah 24 agrees with this when it says,
“4The earth mourns and fades away, The world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish. 5The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, And those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, And few men are left.”
In other words, even those who are not like America and Israel are still held accountable for breaking God’s covenant and transgressing His laws. Indeed, God tells Israel in Leviticus 18 that the nations being driven out before them were being vomited out of the land because of their abominations.
“24‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. 25For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants.26You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you 27(for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), 28lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you.” And Leviticus 20 goes on, “22‘You shall therefore keep all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out. 23And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them…26And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” (emphasis mine).
Furthermore, it can be seen in Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Nahum, etc. that nations like Egypt, Sidon, Tyre, Edom, Moab, Philistia, etc., were all judged for having rejected and forsaken God, and for abusing God’s people. And their land spewed them out – meaning, God sent in the sword, pestilence, beasts and famine.
Thus, whether a nation has covenanted with God or not, they will be judged for their rejection of Him and cruelty to believers called by God’s name. In short, the point, is this, that the whole world is ripe for judgment, and the Great Tribulation is about to unfold, ready or not, because the nations have rejected God, they are abusing Christians who are God’s people, and the land is ready to spew them out. The land of America is ready to spew Americans out. The land of Canada is ready to spew out Canadians. The land of Australia is ready to spew out the Australians. The land of China is ready to spew out the Chinese. And the list goes on indefinitely.
It’s Time to Repent
That’s where we are…right now. The whole Earth is ready to spew out its inhabitants that have rebelliously rejected God, and the four judgments of God (famine, pestilence, the sword and beasts) are already touching the nations of the world. This is not the time to make any nation great again, but is rather, a time for nations to fall upon their faces before the living God in repentance before it is too late. That is the message the Church ought to be preaching. For indeed, it also is time for the Church to quit listening to the lullaby lies of false prophets and teachers saying good things and causing their eyes to be fixed on the here and now, as if we are to establish God’s kingdom on earth! It is also time to discontinue yoking up with unbelievers at political rallies while looking for a physical, political savior for a temporal, earthly kingdom. Indeed, it is not time to rally. It is time to repent. It is not time to regroup, but repent. It is not time to have a reawakening, but to repent. It is not time to vote or campaign or fight or protest or go to the Supreme Court. It is time to repent. It is not time to decree and declare, but to repent. This is the revival that all nations are being called to – right now.
Those who are ruling over us hate us, not just in America but in nation after nation. Do you really think they are in positions of power because they were elected or voted in? Do you really think that the devil put them there? No! It is God who is sovereign. It is God who appoints. It is God who builds up, and God who tears down (Daniel 2). Rather, the very fact that this is happening in nation after nation is proof that part of the curse of Leviticus has fall upon us (Leviticus 26:17).
Peter wrote about this generation of scoffers. Paul informed us of these perilous times. John portrayed in living color the state of the Church and the world at the end of days, and called them to repentance. Daniel related the state of the Jews during the time of Jacob’s Trouble also known as the Great Tribulation. Jesus told us these days would come, and that at the time when all hell is breaking loose that we should be vigilant and not weighed down with the cares of this life (Luke 21:34-35); that we would “watch therefore and pray always that we might be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:36); and that we would get up and lift up our heads for our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28).
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus! The Spirit and the Bride say “Come!”
Quote: “The North Korean government recently stepped up its suppression of the Bible and increased its raids on small gatherings of Christians. Those who profess to be followers of Jesus or carry a Bible are regularly beaten and jailed…A newly published report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom states that North Korea tortures and executes Christians and that the country’s citizens are denied the right to religious freedom from birth. Our silence makes their suffering possible.”
“…new AI-powered surveillance software, a serious escalation in the Chinese technology-driven blueprint of persecution. Dozens of Chinese firms are working on programs to monitor the behavior of everyday people… This information is used to target, censor and punish Christians and other religious minorities who are perceived as threats to the state.Worse, China is actively exporting its blueprint to emerging authoritarian states. If you thought Russia was the only totalitarian threat the world is facing, think again.”
“…in Eritrea, gatherings of believers are raided, with believers sent to prison and subjected to inhumane conditions. Some pastors are facing solitary confinement of more than 10 years.”
“Today, more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country — and their attackers are expanding their territory further into sub-Saharan Africa.”
“At No. 10 on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List, the world’s largest democracy has become one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians in a few short years. An extremist strain of Hindu nationalism is emerging, fueling a change in attitudes across India… 64% of Hindus surveyed say it’s important to be Hindu to be “truly Indian.” The result is that Indians have become more accepting of systematic oppression of Christians and other religious minorities…While Article 25 of India’s Constitution promises freedom of religion and conscience, the situation for Christians and religious minorities in the country is deteriorating considerably.”
Quote: “Transcript From Mike Bickle’s Tape Ref’Bob Jones Discipline’ (This is NOT a word-for-word transcript A only covers the first side of the taPe)…
Bob made very clear admission of sin in the presence of 13 men…Thirdly the sexual misconduct…Fondling it involves disrobing…
Bob Jones’ response. He has been denial in terms of the gravity…Bob is in denial. He is minimizing his present condition…it is an alarming sign of deception…there is a pollution in his spirit.”
Quote: ““Bob Jones was told that the general level of prophetic revelation in the church was about 65% accurate at this time. Some are only about 10% accurate, a very few of the most mature prophets are approaching 85% to 95% accuracy. Prophecy is increasing in purity, but there is a still a long way to go for those who walk in this ministry. This is actually grace for the church now, because 100% accuracy in this ministry would bring a level of accountability to the church which she is too immature to bear at this time. It would result in too many Annaniases and Sapphiras” (The Prophetic Ministry” Rick Joyner. Morningstar Prophetic Newsletter. Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 2).
So we are too immature to have prophets be right all the time? Does this make sense or is it more correct that these prophets are not 100% right because they are not speaking for God who is ALWAYS 100% right. God was always right with his prophets in the Old Testament and New Testament, but in their ministry, they are not always right, they are not even half right; they are not as accurate as a skilled psychic.
Mike Bickle is not anymore reassuring: “Now, obviously, probably about 80% of what’s in the Body of Christ that’s called prophecy is fleshiness. And so we’re in a day when we’re in such an immature stage of this. So much of what is called prophecy is not truly prophecy. So we realize that; so what’s our reaction to that? We don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. We say, “Lord, we don’t throw out prophecy. We ask You to mature it.” We don’t take it as serious in the early days as we will in the days to come” (Media Spotlight- THE RESTORATION OF APOSTLES AND PROPHETS AND THE KANSAS CITY‑ VINEYARD CONNECTION by Albert James Dager).
NOTE: Jones was at one time in a mental institution where he had many conversations with demons, and at some point in his lifetime was told by the devil that if he discontinued speaking against abortion that he’d walk in powerful miracles again.
Jones also taught that the Church would put death under their own feet, would become god-men, and “come into the divine nature of Jesus Christ” as the perfect Melchisedekian priesthood. Furthermore, he taught that “the prophetic movement was started by an angel named Emma who is androgynous and appeared as female. This angel is supposedly at work with freshfires revival meetings. For the first time in history we have a woman angel working inside the church bringing signs…”
He also believed that when his hands turned purple that God was answering prayers, which goes along with the New Age belief of Alice Bailey that colors are important when it comes to healing, especially a violet light or violet flame. His hands would turn red for different reasons and would feel prickly if there was witchcraft in the room.
Does this really sound like someone we should trust?
Quote: These are the “Nicolaitans”. Halley’s Bible Handbook tells us of them, “Sexual vice was actually a part of heathen worship, and recognized as a proper thing in heathen festivals. Priestesses of Diana and kindred deities were public prostitutes. The thing had been a troublesome question for Gentile churches from the start. . . Meantime great multitudes of heathen had become Christians, and had carried some of their old ideas into their new religion. . . Naturally there were all sorts of attempts to harmonize these heathen practices with the Christian religion. Many professing Christian teachers, claiming inspiration from God, were advocating the right to free participation in heathen immoralities. In Ephesus, the Christian pastors, as a body, excluded such teachers. But in Pergamum and Thyatira, while we are not to think that the main body of pastors held such teachings, yet they tolerated within their ranks those who did” (p.694).
Ancient Pergamos was a city where the worship of Zeus and Asclepios were endemic, whose symbol was a serpent entwined around a rod or staff. It was a city where paganism and politics were closely entwined and allied. Nicolaitan pressures were very strong in this city where pressures to “compromise” would have been very heavy.
The Nicolaitans seduced God’s people to “eat things sacrificed to idols” – that is, participate in heathen, pagan festivals, including sexual immorality – in other words, to commit spiritual fornication and adultery – which is IDOLATRY! This convergence of Christianity with pagan beliefs and practices was sheer APOSTASY in the eyes of God!”
Quote: “Nearly 70% of born-again Christians disagree with the biblical position that Jesus is the only way to God, according to a new survey from Probe Ministries…The survey also found that among the top reasons given by born-again Christians for not telling others about their faith is the acceptance of pluralism. When asked why they don’t share their beliefs with others, born-again respondents chose “They can get to Heaven through their different religious belief,” “We shouldn’t impose our ideas on others,” and “The Bible tells us not to judge others” as their top three responses, respectively… This confusion among Christians and what they believe was also recently reflected in the American Worldview Inventory published last month by the Cultural Research Center of Arizona Christian University. Of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them were actually found to hold a biblical worldview. The study showed, in general, that while a majority of America’s self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelical, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit. Strong majorities were also found to errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities don’t believe in moral absolutes, consider feelings, experience or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance, and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue.”
“The COVID-19 lockdowns and lifestyle changes that began in early 2020 provided Americans with an opportunity to spend more time doing things their hectic, on-the-go lives precluded, such as reading the Bible. But it appears that as people’s lives were substantially altered by the virus and government policies, Americans were not spending the extra time devoting energy to spiritual matters and worldview enhancement.
In fact, the first national study of Americans’ worldview in the post-lockdown era found that the incidence of biblical worldview declined to a mere 4%—down one-third from the 6% recorded just months before the pandemic started in 2020. New research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University shows that the benchmark worldview measure of American adults taken in January 2020 may prove to be the high-water mark for the foreseeable future. Americans tinkered with many things during the three lockdown years—from home-improvement projects to baking sourdough bread—but improving their worldview apparently was not one of them.
Compared to 2020, almost every demographic subgroup experienced a small decline in the proportion of those possessing a biblical worldview, according to the American Worldview Inventory 2023. The most noteworthy declines across the three years were recorded among born-again Christians (down six percentage points) and people from households earning $60,000 to $100,000 (down five points)…”
“The 2023 incidence of biblical worldview is 4%, based on the tracking study of the worldview of adults across the nation. That is a seemingly small but noteworthy drop from 6% three years ago.”
“The subgroups of the nation that are most likely to possess a biblical worldview include: SAGE Cons (Spiritually Active Governance Engaged Conservative Christians), among whom one out of four (24%) have a biblical worldview; people whose beliefs qualify them as born-again Christians (13%); and those whose political ideology places them in the “consistently conservative” category. There were no other segments that reached double figures, according to the latest AWVI 2023 data. • Most Americans (68%) consider themselves to be Christians. Among these self-defined Christians, though, only 6% have a biblical worldview. Less than half of the self-defined Christians can be classified as born-again, defined as believing that they will go to Heaven after they die but only because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Within the born-again population (just 33% of the adult population), a shockingly small proportion (13%) hold a biblical worldview.”
“The results of the American Worldview Inventory are frightening for biblical Christians, according to George Barna, the creator of the American Worldview Inventory and director of the research for the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University… “When you put the data in perspective, the biblical worldview is shuffling toward the edge of the cliff,” Barna said. “As things stand today, biblical theism is much closer to extinction in America than it is to influencing the soul of the nation. The current incidence of adults with the biblical worldview is the lowest since I began measuring it in the early 1990s.”
“The data referred to in this report are taken from the American Worldview Inventory (AWVI), an annual survey that evaluates the worldview of the U.S. adult population (age 18 and over). Begun as an annual tracking study in 2020, the assessment is based on several dozen worldview-related questions that fall within eight categories of worldview application, measuring both beliefs and behavior.
The American Worldview Inventory is the first-ever national survey conducted in the United Statesmeasuring the incidence of both biblical and competing worldviews. The current wave of worldview research was undertaken in January 2023 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults, providing an estimated maximum sampling error of approximately plus or minus 2 percentage points, based on the 95% confidence interval. Additional levels of indeterminable error may occur in surveys based upon both sampling and non-sampling activity.”
“Last year, the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, under the direction of George Barna, conducted a national survey that found only six percent of American adults have a biblical worldview…
The Cultural Research Center previously released the results of three other worldview surveys conducted earlier this year:
The first of these concluded that America’s dominant worldview is Syncretism, which isn’t actually a worldview at all but rather “a disparate, irreconcilable collection of beliefs” that people paste together to suit themselves.
The second survey concluded that America’s most popular worldview is what can be called Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Components of this worldview include: “belief in a God who remains distant from people’s lives” and “the universal purpose of life of being happy and feeling good about oneself.”
The third survey found that Millennials are “substantially more likely” than previous American generations to “reject biblical principles in favor of more worldly spiritual perspectives and practices.”
As Barna noted, “Frankly, the culture is impacting the Christian church and the Christian faith more than the Christian church or Christian faith are impacting the culture.” Notably, increasing belief in reincarnation, declining belief in a literal hell, and the pervading belief that people are basically good are other indicators that Christianity is losing influence in America.”
“A majority of Americans who describe themselves as Christian (52 percent) also accept a “works-oriented” means to God’s acceptance—even those associated with churches whose official doctrine says eternal salvation comes only from embracing Jesus Christ as savior. Almost half of all adults associated with Pentecostal (46 percent), mainline Protestant (44 percent), and evangelical (41 percent) churches, as well as nearly two-thirds of Catholics (70 percent), hold that view.”
“58% of Americans believe “there is no absolute moral truth”; and 77% believe “right and wrong is determined by factors other than the Bible.”As for that book, 59% of Americans say that “the Bible is not the authoritative and true word of God.”…
Self-described “Christians” are even more relativistic than Americans as a whole: 68% agree that the content or object of the faith doesn’t matter. In terms of Christian denominations, 56% of Evangelicals, 62% of Pentecostals, 67% of mainline Protestants, and 77% of Roman Catholics agree that the content or object of faith doesn’t matter.”
“Study finds 37% of pastors have biblical worldview: Spiritual awakening ‘needed in our pulpits’,” May 16, 2022,
“A new study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University has found that just 37% of Christian pastors in the United States have a biblical worldview, demonstrating that spiritual awakening is “needed just as desperately in our pulpits as in the pews,” according to the pollster.
The nationwide study of about 1,000 Christian pastors found that just slightly more than a third (37%) of the U.S. pastors hold a biblical worldview. The majority (62%) possess a hybrid worldview known as Syncretism.The study, released Thursday, showed that 41% of senior pastors — as compared to 28% of associate pastors — have a biblical worldview. Further, only 13% of teaching pastors and 12% of children’s and youth pastors have a biblical worldview.
The lowest level of biblical worldview was among executive pastors, with only 4% of them holding consistently biblical beliefs and behaviors…
Another study released by the Barna Group last month showed that more pastors now say they considered quitting their jobs compared to a year ago, driven to despair by stress, loneliness, political divisions and other worries like their church being in decline.The share of pastors who have seriously considered quitting being in full-time ministry within the last year increased from 29% in 2021 to 42% in March of this year.”
“Barna surveyed 547 U.S. Protestant pastors and asked them which issues they believed were a major concern facing the U.S. Christian church.
Seven issues topped 50 percent: Watered-down gospel teachings, 72 percent; culture’s shift to a secular age, 66 percent; poor discipleship models, 63 percent; addressing complex social issues with biblical integrity, 58 percent; prosperity gospel teachings, 56 percent; reaching a younger audience, 56 percent and political polarization in the country, 51 percent…
Three issues topped 40 percent but failed to reach 50 percent: Negative perceptions of the church, 46 percent; the diminished influence of churches in the community, 45 percent and church leader burnout/exhaustion, 40 percent.”
Quote: “In ancient times, it took considerable time for the sins of individual empires and kingdoms to spread to other peoples. That was understandably due to low-technology. International travel and communications were very slow and limited. Trends and lifestyle behaviors, whether good or evil, could take centuries to spread very far. In today’s world, global digital connectivity is so instantaneous that sins and sinful attitudes that once would taken centuries to spread around then world can now infect the entire earth in a very short time. 2 Timothy 3’s prophecy includes a long list of the sins and degeneracies that would characterize mankind’s society in the latter days of our age. Romans 1:17-32 offers another list of sins that take hold in societies that “do not like to retain God in their knowledge” (verse 28). Does modern mankind choose to “not retain God in its knowledge?” We all know the answer is “yes.””