My wife and I were reading
Psalm 127 the other day and it got me to thinking along
the lines of where we
stand as a nation and a people before Almighty God. I was also reminded of a
book written nine years ago by Jonathan Cahn called The Harbinger. If you
haven’t read it, you should do so. It is eye opening to say the least, and the
Scripture passage he emphasized, Isaiah 9:10, runs parallel to Psalm 127.
The Honey Moon Is Over
Some of you may remember a
popular slogan in 1968 which said, “You’ve come a long way baby.” It was
created by the Leo Burnett Agency for Philip Morris Company, a tobacco company,
to advertise their cigarette brand, Virginia Slims. The idea, I suppose, was to
let women know they were gaining ground on their quest to be equal with men. Women and men have
always been equal. They just have different roles assigned to them by God.
Unfortunately these days, women are trying to be masculine and men are trying
to be feminine (generally speaking).
God said to Eve (applicable
to all women) in Genesis 3:16, “…Yet your desire will be for your husband, and
he will rule over you.” The Bible is clear that men and women have always been
equal. They each just have different roles in life. However, after the original
sin, there will be conflict in marriage. She will try to rule over him, instead
of submitting to him as God ordained. Is God saying the husband is free to be a
tyrant, dragging his wife by the hair to the matrimonial bed? Absolutely not!
He is to “love his own wife even as himself.”
“Nevertheless
let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the
wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33)
If that isn’t enough, the
Lord also said through the apostle Paul,
“Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
(Ephesians 5:25)
How much did Jesus love the
Church? He took our punishment, then died, was buried and rose again that we
might have life. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) That is how a husband is to love his
own wife.
The wife is to respect her
own husband, but how can anyone respect an abusive tyrant? They cannot.
Therefore, the marriage that God ordained is in trouble.
This is exactly why God says
that we are not to be unequally yoked. (2 Corinthians 6:14-16) How can a child of Satan and a child of God
ever truly have anything in common spiritually in a marriage? They can’t. (Now
don’t divorce your spouse if they are not a child of God. Instead, witness to
them by the life you live for Jesus, and pray for them.)
Satan has pulled out all the
stops in his attacks on the family, because he knows if he can destroy the
family, most everything else will fall into place. The family is the core of
society. Yet for years I have noticed women fulfilling Genesis 3:16 above and
men ignoring Ephesians 5:25, 33 above.
When women stop being women
and men stop being men nothing good can come from it but broken homes. Children
develop emotional problems, sexual identity issues, lack of respect for
authority, and many other issues. Is it any wonder there is so much murder
today, serial killers, rape, homosexuality, problems in school and with the
law?
When a wife submits to her
own husband and the husband loves his own wife as Jesus loves the Church, it
may not be a perfect marriage, but it will be the best possible while living in
a sin stained world.
Before going on, let me
emphasize that “submit” is not a bad word. Jesus submitted to the Father.
“He went away again the second
time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me,
except I drink it, thy will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
In the triune God-head, God
the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit each have different roles, just
as God has assigned women and men with different roles. All are equal, but with
different roles in life.
Children Gone Wild
I have already spoken of the
effects upon children, but I’ll repeat that the family unit is being attacked
from all sides, and our children are not exempt. Very young children today (generally
speaking) are running the streets using language that was once attributed to
sailors; i.e. “cuss like a sailor.” Little respect is shown to parents and
others in authority. Even the blood of violence stains their hands.
Is it possible that parents
have violated God’s message of Ephesians 6:1-4? Sure seems that way to me.
Occupational Hazards
Ephesians 6:5-9 speaks of
slaves and masters, but today we can equate that with employers and employees.
So many employees today work
harder at trying to get out of work than just faithfully doing their job. Not
only that, but millions of dollars are lost from employee theft which of course
raises prices for the customers.
The employers are not exempt
either by unfair dealings with their employees. All of this flies in the face
of God’s instructions in this Scripture passage.
Where Is The Church In America?
The true Church of America
remains, even though it has shrunk in size. It exists in places of worship where
Jesus Christ is worshipped as Savior and Lord. He is recognized as the ONLY way
to God the Father and is honored, respected and loved.
The Church exists in Bible
study gatherings of small groups in homes throughout this land. It exists in
those who are fed up with worldly churches and will follow only the teachings
of Jesus in His Word we call the Bible.
Is The United States of America a Christian Nation?
It has been stated that Obama
said to his Islamic buddies that America is not a Christian nation.
On June 28, 2006 Obama’s prepared remarks were: “Given the
increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have
never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian
nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a
Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.”
On that day (June 28, 2006)
he actually said: “Whatever we once
were, we are no longer a Christian nation – at least, not just. We are also a
Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a
nation of nonbelievers.”
I rarely have much to offer
in defense of Obama, but I wanted to show what he actually said. He did not say
we “are not a Christian nation,” but that we “are not just a Christian nation.”
He then includes Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and nonbelievers. Guess
what? He is still wrong. We are a Christian nation … period.
That being said, we are also
a Christian nation in rebellion against God. This Christian nation has allowed
Satan’s representatives to take the reins, and we are being led away from our
Christian heritage to face the judgment of God.
Any honest student of
American history has to admit that we were founded on the principles of God’s
Word and many of our founders were Christians. Because the majority of this
country’s founders submitted to God and established our country upon the Word
of God (the Bible), we have been blessed as no other nation in the history of
the world.
We should have been defeated
by England in the War of Independence, but we were not. God was with us. He
gave us men like George Washington, who was a strong believer, and gave us
victory over the King of England.
We should have been defeated
at Pearl Harbor, but God lifted us up and gave us victory. After World War II
something changed. We, even more than before, began taking credit for the
success that God provided.
So What Is My Point?
As a nation we have rebelled
and are rebelling against the One and Only True Almighty God. In marriage, through
our children, at the workplace, in the churches, and as a nation we have turned
our backs on God. (Obviously there are many who remain faithful to God, but the
majority wants nothing to do with Him.)
Immediately after September
11, 2001 the churches were filled to capacity. However, shortly thereafter, the
few who remained in the pews were asking, “Where did they go.” Most everyone
had left and gone back to their previous routines.
In every situation I’ve
mentioned, the majority has decided they have a better plan than God, and
they’re going to do things their way.
The message we are
proclaiming to Heaven is loud and clear, “I don’t need God. I can overcome
anything.” At the beginning of this article I mentioned Jonathan Cahn’s book,
“The Harbinger.” I do so again because I feel he did a very good job explaining
what I am saying here, but in much more depth.
I will be closing with three
Scripture passages of which I totally understand were written for Israel. I
also understand that the underlying principle from God is speaking to us, the
United States of America. God created (if I may) the nation of Israel. They
were and are His people. God also laid the foundation for us as a nation and
gave us guidelines to follow. Israel has suffered mightily for their rebellion,
but they will be brought back to God during the Tribulation, even with more
suffering.
As a nation, we are a fallen
Christian nation that is very proud of our many successes. We are drunk with
egotism, thinking that our power and wealth came from our own hands. Our
narcissistic attitude will pop like a balloon once the true Church is called
home (Rapture) by Jesus Himself. At that time this great nation will be taught
the lesson of Nebuchadnezzar. It will be driven to the fields to eat grass with
the cattle while drenched with the dew of heaven (Daniel 4:25).
In our families, our
occupations, our government, even in our so-called worship centers we have
mocked God and taken credit for what He has provided. In every disaster we have
faced, 9-11 being one example, we have taken credit for our recovery. As Israel
said, we have also echoed.
“The
bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with smooth stones; The sycamores
have been cut down, But we will replace them with cedars” (Isaiah 9:10)
Notice that there is no
credit given to God, but God says,
“…Unless
the LORD builds the house,
They
labor in vain who build it;
Unless
the LORD guards the city,
The
watchman keeps awake in vain.
It
is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire
late,
To
eat the bread of painful labors;
For
He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Behold,
children are a gift of the LORD,
The
fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like
arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So
are the children of one’s youth.
How
blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They
will not be ashamed
When
they speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:1-5)
Notice that God reminds us of
our vanity. It is He who supplies, not us. Notice further our contempt for His
most precious gift to mankind … children. What do we do with His gift? We
murder them (abortion) by the millions. How do we think God feels about that?
Finally, what does God have
to say to the educated, the powerful and the rich?
“Thus
says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty
man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who
boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who
exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in
these things,” declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Do we boast of God today, or
do we boast of our own accomplishments? Do we follow His laws today, or do we
“do our own thing?”
This once great Christian
nation is living on borrowed time. We have allowed Satan to invade us, and it
has resulted in our families, the workplace, our churches, our government and
all else in our society to be eaten away by sin. Our entertainment industries
would make the demons of hell blush. Our politicians are expected to lie, and
so they do.
There is no truth in us.
There is no shame. There is no remorse. There is no yearning for God, except by
a few. We desperately need a national revival, but I personally see no signs of
that ever happening (Jesus said we would only get worse at the end). We were a
committed Christian nation, but now it can only be said that we have become a very
idolatrous nation.
I praise God that there are
still many in this country who do love the Lord Jesus, but they are so few
among the 330 million plus Americans. It is my opinion that millions will be
instantaneously removed by Jesus from our land at the Rapture. Sadly, in my
opinion, it will be a small minority. Ten percent (only for an example) would
leave close to 300 million to endure the Tribulation. I don’t know when Jesus
will return for His bride (Rapture), but I do know He told us to be ready at
all times. Are you ready?
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
