Matthew 24: False Prophets

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Matthew 24 is Jesus' extended teaching about the end-times, in response to His disciples'
asking Him "...when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming,
and of the end of the age ?” (v. 3)

Derek Prince taught on that chapter several times, and always pointed out that Jesus
repeatedly warns there that His disciples must guard against being deceived.  Those are
indeed the first words of His reponse:

"And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you" (v. 4).
 
The primary "one"s He warns against as agents of deception are "...false Christs and
false prophets..." (v. 24).

Of "false Christs" He says that "...many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’
and will mislead many" (v. 5).  Again, Jesus says, "...if anyone says to you, ‘Behold,
here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him" (v. 23).

In these days when we've seen a particularly-vile politician claim (with a dramatic glance
at the sky) "I am the chosen one," we have some idea what a "false Christ" may look like.

 (Which is not to say that particular politician is THE anti-Christ; though claiming to be the
Messiah will be THE anti-Christ's signature deception .  Scripture's primary teaching about
anti-Christ, and the origin of that name, is in I John 2, where we are told that there are
"many anti-Christs" (v. 18, my emphasis).  In Jesus' words above we are likewise told that
there are multiple "false Christs," and that "many" will come forward claiming to be Christ.
The current deceiver claiming to be "the chosen one" is only one of many deceivers.)

 But what do we know of the "false prophets" Jesus warns us against in v. 11 and v. 24 ?

We know that "prophets" are pre-eminently religious personages.  We know that the
prophet's primary "job" is to speak God's words: not his own words, and not the words
his listeners want to hear.  Scripture is full of God's furious condemnation of those who
have the name and reputation of being prophets...His "spokesmen"...but falsify His word
in the latter ways.

There's also a hint in Jesus' warning jointly against "...false Christs and false prophets..."
Undoubtedly Jesus foresees the two of them working together.  (And certainly that's the
case with THE "false prophet" of Revelation 16, who serves "the beast" and "the dragon"
in deceiving the people of earth; and shares their fate in Revelation 19 and 20.)

If Jesus believes "false Christs" and "false prophets" work together, so should we.  And if
we take Jesus' hint, the events of this time may also give us some idea of what a "false
prophet" looks like.

The main way a "false prophet" deceives people is by backing up a "false Christ" that he...
not Jesus...is the Messiah.  The false prophet's reputation of speaking God's word puts a
deceptive glow of truth and holiness on the lies and unholiness of the "false Christ."

I'd certainly say that the current false "chosen one" has a gang of "false prophets" working
with him to deceive people.  The "Christian leaders" who've supported him all through his
sorry career have left no scripture untwisted in trying to convince Christians the current
president is the man God chose to rule us.

In their stretch for Biblical examples of pagan kings whom God used to bless Israel, some
"Christian leaders" compare the current president to Cyrus, others to Nebuchadnezzar.
Either way, both camps regularly cite Romans 13:1, that "...there is no authority except
from God, and those which exist are established by God:" that the current president is
the man God has chosen to rule us, so good Christians will support whatever he does.

I could say a lot more about their teachings, and a very great deal about that scripture.
I could say even more about the raw hypocrisy of these same "Christian leaders," whose
"Biblical" teaching was that Christians should hate, fear, despise, and disparage the
 previous president, whom they and their political allies hated.

But for now, I'll just say that whatever president we (think we) choose, God gives us who
He chooses...and that God does NOT always choose to bless His people.  My guess would
be that that assumption...which any Christian should know is simply bad theology...may
be from the "dominionist" heresy that seems to be prevalent in "Christian conservatism."

When God's people forsake His ways, we know He chastises them; in hopes they will re-
examine their ways and repent; by letting them fall into the hands of evil men,foreign
or domestic.  The current president's prophet-cheerleaders (perhaps willfully) seem to
have overlooked many such examples in Israel's history while searching the Old Testament 
for examples of ungodly rulers (for even his cheerleaders can't pretend this president is a
godly man)  through whom God blessed Israel.

Romans 13 leaves no doubt God placed the current president in the office he he doesn't
fill or merit.  The honest question is whether God did so to chastise us, or bless us ?  The
answer is vividly clear.

Also clear is what the "false prophets" who back up the claims of this false "chosen one"
look like.  They look like the biggest-name "Christian leaders" in America and the world,
prostituting their name and reputation as God's spokesmen to persuade Christians that
the current president is indeed God's chosen ruler.

My one hope in this time is that God will not let this "false Christ" and his "false prophets"
continue deceiving His people.

It's a certain hope.  In His every word, His every act, in all times, God promises on His
Own Being that evil will NEVER stand, and will never triumph.

May today's false prophets repent, and proclaim God's hope is His greatest blessing.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Ragnarok's Valley

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

In a literature class one time, we were assigned to read selections of Norse myth.
The most vivid for me was the account of Ragnarok (which Richard Wagner translated
into German for the title of his opera Gotterdammerung, "The Twilight of the Gods").

Ragnarok was the great final battle that was the end of the world.  I can't remember
all the participants and their strange names, or the exact sequence of events: but the
entire world was inundated in water, and then burned with fire, the sun and the moon
disappeared, all living things died, and then all the gods and monsters fought to their
mutual deaths.

The next line of the story I remember as something like "After all the gods and the entire
earth had been destroyed, a man and a woman crept out of the valley where they had
been hiding."

Wait . . . WHAT !?!?...  We're expected to suspend our disbelief when we read mythology:
but should we also suspend logic, and commonsense ?  All living things, even the gods,
have been wiped out: the whole earth, and the heavens, were destroyed:.  Fortunate
man and woman, to have hidden in a valley where none of these events effected them
in the least !

I've gotten some replies to the e-mail I sent friends last week, about the question satan's
forced on the world whether Jesus is actually the Messiah, that I've had to react to with
the same incredulousness.  Replies about "spiritual struggles going on in my life right now,"
or that "I'm always trying to grow closer to the Lord:" even one that "I don't vote."

Wait . . . WHAT !?!?...the ultimate spiritual question of all time, for all the earth, is being
fought out, and the battle-lines of earth's final war are being drawn.  But all that has
nothing to do with my friends' personal spiritual struggles, or personal holiness...or voting ?!?

Fortunate friends !  to have found a personal "valley" where the approach of Armageddon
doesn't effect them in the least !

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Unforgivable Sin

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

On one day this past week, the current president was on all the world's media, claiming
that he is "the chosen one," "the King of Israel," and "the second coming of God."

For we who believe those titles belong to Jesus Christ ALONE, it was a manifest spiritual
attack.  An ultimate line has been crossed, now that the enemy has publicly forced the
question, on every hearing and seeing person in the world, who is the Messiah.

And it's the definitive question for Christians, whose entire identity is that they proclaim
Jesus Christ is the son of God, and Savior.

I e-mailed various friends and family, and posted on facebook, pointing this out: simply
because many Christians I know have been deceived to "approve" (Romans 14:22), for
political reasons, the current president's evil ravings and deeds; and deceived to believe
that criticism of him, even scriptural criticism, is only , really, about politics.

It would be spiritual blindness, and nothing else, to take his current blasphemies, and
scriptural criticism of them, as somehow political.

Praying for some of the people I wrote to, I was encouraged that most have the Biblical
background to know who Jesus is, so I greatly hope they will not make the wrong choice,
and believe this man's blasphemies.

But there's no guarantee.  Some have been so spiritually blinded, for so many years, by
satan's political manipulation of their thinking, that it may be they can not even perceive
"their" politician, or opposition to him, as anything but politics.  That's why I'm praying
for them.

I'm also certain my friends know scripture's teachings that we should all ask God's forgive-
ness of our many sins, bad choices, and foolishness.  I don't doubt all of them have at some
time felt the need to repent, have experienced God's forgiveness, and have been grateful
to Him for it.  All Christians have.

So I have great hope too that they will all repent having followed this liar and murderer,
whom Jesus warned us is a son of satan (John 8:44).  Hope  that his revealing himself as a
world-class blasphemer will be a shocking enough reality-check to make them all re-affirm
their confession that jesus is Lord, and the ONLY-begotten Son of God.

The enemy has now forced that ultimate issue: and it is an issue especially for Christians.

I say "ultimate," because I don't believe there is forgiveness for a wrong, or bad, or foolish
choice on that question.  God forgives us all those things solely because of Jesus.  If we do
not affirm that Jesus IS God's "chosen one"...on what other basis could God forgive us ?

Jesus clearly identified unforgivable sin as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:10,
Matthew 12:31-2, and Mark 3:28-9).  I'm not directly addressing here what Jesus means
by "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit"...and that would be the only way to understand
what He says is unforgivable sin.

But the spiritual attack on Him this past week may throw some light on understanding
how a sin can be unforgivable.

So I'm praying that none of my friends fall into satan's very manifest snare...that all will
repent they have followed satan's deception, and turn away from following it one step
further.  I'm afraid that one further step may be the one that crosses the line from which
no one can return.

God, give all Your people wisdom today !  God, forgive us and lead us back to You !!

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Why Do We Pray for Authorities ?

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              


Russell Young is a Christian writer, and evidently a pastor and blogger.  I'm not familiar
with him except that his writing appears frequently on a Canadian blog I follow called
"Christianity 201."

He recently wrote a piece there about I Timothy 1:2-3's admonition that we pray for those
in authority.  His comment about God's intent in that prayer seems particularly relevant.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I urge you, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful
and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

 "Our authorities are part of our national body and have been put in place by God for the
achievement of his agenda. Prayers and petitions for authorities need not be directed for
partisan political purposes but for enhancement of the Lord’s kingdom within our own nations.
Through the affirmation of his rule believers can enjoy peace and a godly state."



I find Young's comment spot-on: our prayers are in support of God's rule in our nation, not in
support of our nation's ruler.

I'd invite readers to consider if that scripture's use by Franklin Graham and other Christian
"leaders," urging us to pray that God will uphold the current president against his political
"enemies," is in line with God's intent.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Richard Nixon: Corruption and Anti-Semitism

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

NPR's "Marketplace" does an amazing job of making sense of today's economics
and business.  They are even able to make those complexities understandable
to someone, like me, totally ignorant of how "the market" works.

A recent question they dealt with was whether government economic statistics
can be manipulated by politicians, to their purposes.

One historical example they cited was Richard Nixon's successful "cleansing" of
Jews from the Bureau of Labor Statistics after BLS released monthly reports that
he felt made him look bad in the run-up to his 1972 re-election.

The Oval Office tapes he was forced to release during the Watergate investigation
included a July 1971 meeting where Nixon railed to his Chief-of-Staff H. R. Haldeman
against the "Jewish cabal" in BLS he believed was conspiring against him with Jewish
Federal Reserve Chairman Arthur Burns.

Nixon ordered Haldeman to "count how many Jews" were in the BLS, and the Bureau
was re-organized soon afterwards, with two of its top Jewish economists transferred
to other offices.

Fortunately, safeguards were put in place after Watergate to protect the integrity and
independence of BLS data-gathering and reporting.

But I find it interesting that the previously most-corrupt American President, who was
for political purposes a "friend of Israel;" was personally a ranting anti-Semite.

That could well be the character of  the end-time ruler whom we consider (and here
I emphasize "we consider") is anti-Christ.  One of scripture's signal prophecies about
that ruler is that he will make a 7-year covenant with Israel, and break it after three-
and-a-half years (Daniel 9:27).

https://www.marketplace.org/2019/07/03/possible-manipulate-government-statistics/


                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

my Bible Study class

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

About a month ago, our church suspended Sunday School classes for the summer.

A few people in our class, which goes in-depth through a book of the Bible, wanted to continue
through the summer.  (Though one lady's reasoning for it amazed me; it wouldn't be burdensome
to continue Bible study, she said, since you really don't have to spend time reading or studying in
preparation.)

Over the past few weeks, the class has gotten smaller and smaller.  Yesterday it was the teacher,
my wife, and myself.  The teacher told us he was going to be traveling for the next four weeks.
We had a short prayer together, and left.

I don't say it in censure.  There are always people who show up sporadically.  They miss the
blessing (and the purpose) of following straight through, in order, what God says: but it's certainly
better to hear some, than none, of what He says.

Other individuals who are usually in class, and voted to continue it through the summer, have
other understandable reasons they may be absent one week or another.  We live in a rural area,
and the week of the county fair is always one of intense activity for the 4-H members and leaders
in the congregation.  Another friend had family visiting from out of state last weekend.

One couple has young kids; and with no Sunday School class for the kids, it's hard for them to
attend.  (Though to their credit, they have managed to come most Sundays since the church went
to its summer schedule.)  Other people, I'm sure, have other good reasons they may be absent.
It's not my intent to evaluate their reasons.

But at some level and some point, a Bible study can only exist when people desire to hear God's
word and discuss it.  At some point, people must consider that what God says is more important
than anything else in their life.  At some point, we have to believe the Bible is not optional in our
schedule and our priorities.

I'd like to be in a Bible study with people like that.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

False "Leaders," Falsified Scripture, False Prayer

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Last week, Franklin Graham and 300 other “Christian leaders” declared
a national day of prayer for the current president.  They cited the scriptural
command in I Timothy 2:1-4:

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who
are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all
godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of
God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to
the knowledge of the truth.”

This command to pray is especially relevant regards the current president.
There’s never been a president that we more need to pray will use his God-
given authority to give us “…a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

And there’s never been a president that we more need to pray will “…come to
the knowledge of the truth.”

But Franklin Graham didn't urge his followers to pray those scriptural prayers.
His facebook page instead urged Christians to pray for the current president
because “[his] enemies continue to try everything to destroy him, his family,
and the presidency. In the history of our country, no president has been attacked
as he has.”

Undoubtedly the current president made thousands of “enemies” in his life-long
business career…bitter former business-partners, victims of his Trump University
scam, banks who lost billions of dollars on his defaulted loans, unpaid contractors
on his building projects.

But Franklin Graham and the other "Christian leaders" are obviously referencing
the current president’s political “enemies,” and urging Christians to pray God will
uphold the current president against them.

Everyone should read the scripture Franklin Graham cites, and see if it commands
Christians to pray what Graham says we should pray.  Everyone should read to the
end of that passage, where it says our prayers for our rulers should be "without wrath
and dissension” (v. 8)...and decide if praying against the current president's political
"enemies" is in line with scripture's command of prayer in which is no dissension . . . 
one of the "deeds of the flesh" listed in Galatians 5:20, right next to "factions."

In the meantime, all Christians who love God's word, and love the Body of Christ,
should pray fervently that Christians will not be deceived by “leaders” who falsify
scripture to mislead God’s people to destruction.

Amen.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Fools

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Honest . . . no, let's say real . . . Christians believe the Bible’s word is definitive: that what scripture says a thing is, it absolutely IS.

And scripture says “wisdom” and “foolishness” are moral qualities. In the Bible’s definition, a fool is a person too stupid to understand what is RIGHT: or someone who understands what’s right, but is so stupid they choose to do wrong.

One honest believer of what scripture says to another, the current president is a fool. Take it as mere political rhetoric if you wish: but it's true to scripture's definition.

He’s been a fool since he came on the scene. And since that day, he’s attacked anyone who ever tried to dissuade him from any of his foolish whims. Because, he’s told us many times, he’s a genius, and knows better what’s right for our country than anyone else.

We might be forgiven for thinking a congenital liar doesn’t really believe his own lies.  But the current president shows us every day he really DOES believe that he, and he alone, always knows the right thing to do.

The current president's proud foolishness has greatly destroyed, and is destroying, and left unchecked will further destroy our nation.

But his greatest foolishness is that he doesn’t understand what scripture says is God’s judgement on liars, on fools, and against the self-proud...or is too stupid to care.

Those of us who know and believe scripture might hope that someone would tell the current president he desperately needs to repent: for Jesus' power is sufficient to save even the worst fool-of-sin. Perhaps his great supporter Franklin Graham has attempted to tell him so ? Or has this president somewhere heard the message that Jesus Alone is the Way…and characteristically chosen his OWN way ?

What wisdom then are deluded “Christians” showing, who agree with this president that his way is only and always the right way ?

One believer of scripture's word to another, they are fools.