Jesus' Prophecy for Today

It's not God's solution for sin to "vote in" righteousness: and when men believe so, they vote in their own idea of what is "righteousness."

When men believe so, satan's children deceive Christian voters with political "issues" that pretend to God's righteousness.

Politics is not God's way of enacting righteousness.  But politics is a Spiritual battlefield, and on it Christians show what spirit they desire to follow.

So I'm remindng friends of Matthew 24:5, where Jesus warns His people that in the last days "...many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many."

We see His prophecy fulfilled in this time, so we know these are the last days.

    (at 0.48  in this news-video, note the significant glance and gesture toward heaven:)

    https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-49429661

and

     https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-tweets-claim-israelis-love-him-like-he-is-the-second-coming-of-god/

I'm reminding friends that scripture promises blessing to "...he who does not condemn himself in what he approves."  May all who "approve" false Christs repent, and turn back from destruction.

AMEN !!

Patrick Hawthorne's "Has the Separation Begun ?"

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Sometimes it takes me a loooooong time to see simple things.  Sometimes I even need some help.

Patrick Hawthorne, a blogger in Shreveport whom I sometimes read, helped me with this one in his post "Has the Separation Begun ?" (https://servinggrace.com/2017/10/13/has-the-separation-begun/)

Even so, I had to read it twice to get it: once last year when he posted it, and then this week, when God again (after He'd given me  a year's more instruction) highlighted it again.

Patrick's scripture was Ephesians 5:27: “…that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

Actually, I should say Patrick's mom helped me, as she helped him, to an understanding.  When he was discussing that scripture with her, she (paraphrased) asked him, “Did you know that the spots and blemishes of the Church are people?" and directed him to II Peter 2:12-13:

“But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you..."

When the Church is presented to Jesus as His Bride, she will have no spots or wrinkles: the corrupt and deceived people who had attached themselves to the Church will have been removed.

I can't think of any scriptures that more clearly point to the "dividing" of the Church that God's had me meditating on.  The spots and blemishes are people currently in the Church, who will be removed from the Church.  The people of the Church will be divided: some will stay, and some will go.

In his graciousness, I doubt God will drive out those who leave, anymore than He condemns people to hell.  As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Great Divorce, "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it."

I have to think the "spots and blemishes" God removes from the Church will similarly choose it for themselves.  I have to think the evil-speaking, corrupt, carousers and deceivers, the unrighteous who presently infest the Church will...by God's will, and with His affirmation...willfully separate themselves from the Church.

So it was in Jesus' earthly ministry: He had to deal with people who were "spots and blemishes" among those "who had believed Him" (John 8:31-59).  There was no angry command that they "Get out!!," and no need for the whip He had used earlier on the money-changers in the Temple.  He simply revealed what was in their own hearts, for that was what made them "spots and blemishes."

Jesus said their hearts showed satan was their father: that their love of lies and murder was proof they were satan's own  (v. 44).  By the end of the conversation, they had angrily rejected Him, rained insults on Him, and were ready to kill Him...which was exactly what He'd said was in their hearts.

Ideally, those who who are the "spots and blemishes" on the Church today would similarly find themselves uncomfortable (at the very the least) among people who follow Jesus because they love Him and want to hear His words.  When He says that satan is "the father of lies" and "the murderer," and that those who are satan's children show it by their love satan's ways, how could they not realize He sees, and is revealing, their hearts ?  Doesn't Jesus' word, like His sight, still pierce to men's hearts ?

But the "spots and blemishes" among us feel entirely comfortable in today's political "Church."  Why should they leave ? Their love for lies and murder (which Jesus defines in Matthew 5:21-2 as angry contempt for others) are acceptable among many: are indeed laudable marks of loyalty to the liars and murderers whom the political "Church" follows.

The people whom Jesus recognized as "spots and blemishes" will be cleansed from the Church of which He is the Head.  I can only expect...and hope...that a "Church" like today's in America, so completely turned from Christ that it embraces the ways of the enemy, is due a very great cleansing.

I hope any readers who have been carried by their politics into satan's anti-Church will examine their hearts, and turn back to the Church God is preparing His Son, holy, and without blemish.

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.'  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
(Revelation 22:20.) 

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Letter to a Christian Friend

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

We've been friends for a long time, and we know each other very well.  I know you're not a perfect person, and you know I'm not.  But I know you're a good person.

You're a truthful person.  You look at things honestly, and you don't pretend to be anything but who you are.  You're authentic.

There's no meanness in you.  You try to treat people right, even people you don't know, just because you believe that's the right way to treat people.

I know those are your standards because you believe Jesus' teachings, and you want to live by them.  None of us totally live up to Jesus' standard; but you and your family are some of the most upright people I know.  Your live what you believe.

So I can't understand why you believe the politics and politicians you do.  Why do you excuse their lies, and repeat their lies, and want your friends to believe their lies ?  Do liars measure up to the standard of honesty you believe in ?

You believe in treating people right.  You don't believe it's right to treat people with hateful contempt.  Why do you follow politicians who do ?

When did Jesus teach that we should follow liars and evil-doers ?  Why do you believe people who say their politics are "Christian," when their deeds show it's a lie ?

If you still believe that Jesus taught us to be truthful and merciful, please measure your politicians and their beliefs and their deeds by Jesus' teachings.

Take this as a word from a friend.  Following unrighteous teachings and people will corrupt your righteousness.  If your politics teaches you to believe liars and trust deceivers, your politics are evil.

Please rethink your politics, and turn back from it.

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith: examine yourselves !  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test."  --  II Corinthians 13:5

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Re-Post: "5 Things Jesus Would Say to Conservatives"

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

I don't agree with all the points this brother's post makes: but "conservatives," who claim to politically represent Jesus' teachings, should expect to be thoroughly measured on how they manifest Jesus' teachings.  Even moreso, those who self-identify as "Conservative Christians."

"Conservatives" (like all of us) fall short.  This post seems an honest critique of some of those short-comings: which, if "conservatives" take correction in a Christian spirit, will give them fruitful thoughts for self-examination and repentance.
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There’s no question that conservatives are not solely to blame for this problem [of disunity]. So where do I get off calling them out? That’s a great question.

In the last thirty years, evangelicalism has come under the spell of the Republican party. Through an intentional effort to secure this enormous voting bloc—one that responded positively to Jimmy Carter’s “born again” talk—Republicans focused on painting themselves as God’s party. They were the only ones who cared about Christianity and moralism.

Today, Republicans need the evangelical vote. They’ve come to a place where they rely on this bloc to carry them through elections. By coloring themselves as the choice for God-fearing Christians, they guarantee that poor, white middle America will consistently vote Republican—often against their best interests.

Meanwhile, evangelical Christians are increasingly poisoned by this political association.  As Christians have conflated Christianity and conservative politics, they’ve ended up championing things that oppose Christ: nationalism, war, division, racism, hatred.

If conservatives and liberals simply represented two sides of a political divide, I wouldn’t particularly care. Politics are important insofar as they affect real people and for that reason, I try and vote as responsibly as possible. But the fact that people outside of the church are left thinking that American conservative politics and Christianity are synonymous is wrong—plain and simple.

This post isn’t intended to slam anyone with conservative viewpoints. There’s nothing wrong with having a political perspective that skews right. The problem occurs when you believe that your religious and political identity are synonymous. If you think that you’re a conservative because you’re a Christian, this post is for you.

And while this isn’t intended to be mean-spirited, it is pointed. The relationship between conservatism and the church is driving people away from the cross—and here’s what I think Jesus would say about it.

Read the full post at

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jaysondbradley/2017/11/jesus-would-say-conservatives/#WjlKpOj4YMQQbXOA.99