It is important for us as believers to know the tools that the enemy uses against us.  In light of this, we wanted to share the following illustration: 

The devil decided to have a garage sale. He laid all of his well-used tools, each with its own price tag, out on the table. All of those he used regularly against humanity were there: lust, malice, greed, hatred, envy, pride, deceit, and so on. But there was one tool that had its own table. This tool looked the most worn from use of all the other tools. Those walking by the table were astonished at the exorbitant price the devil was asking for it.  The tool was discouragement.  People were puzzled and wanted to know why this one tool surpassed the others in use and value. Satan snidely replied: “This tool is the one which I can hide behind the most. I can enter my victims’ minds and so convince them of their worthlessness, stupidity, and fear that they don’t even realize it’s me who is planting those thoughts. Those thoughts become the truth to them, even though they are lies.  Before any major damage can happen to my kingdom, I can thwart the best God-given plan before it ever has time to become a reality. Discouragement affects all human beings, no matter how close to God they are. I can convince almost anyone that he or she is not in a close relationship with Him through this one tool.

When the devil was asked why this particular tool was the most expensive, he said, “Because this is my sharpest and the most useful tool; it is called discouragement. With discouragement I can do anything I want with anybody regardless of their education, religion, wealth or fame. It always works; never fails."

Discouragement is the Devil’s most powerful tool. It brings along with it a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that leads to overwhelming and crushing sadness. Discouragement doesn’t happen all at once. It usually starts with a trigger and then builds up. It starts with anger, disappointment, frustration, anxiety, guilt, or some such thing that makes us feel uneasy and sad.

These are normal emotions and we have them from time to time. "I could have done better. I am not as smart as she is or he is. I should have studied more, etc.".   Discouragement can happen to anyone at any point of time. Regardless of your. health, wealth, fame or power, none of us is immune to this assault.

Along with discouragement comes depression. Consider these names: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Robert. Schumann, Ludwig von Beethoven, Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain. They are very. well-known politicians, musicians, and writers. These incredibly talented. individuals had their expertise in different fields. But they had one common. experience. They all battled the debilitating disease of severe depression.

Listen to this man and guess who this might be. He wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel was equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. To remain as I am is impossible. I must die or get better.” Do you sense a severe depression in this man? Do you know who wrote it? It was Abraham Lincoln.

Consider another man. During the World War II the Prime Minister of England, Winston Churchill told his people, “Never give up, never, never, never, never give up!”  He was one of the most courageous and positive-thinking people in history. But he called depression a “black dog” that followed him all his life. He was affected by depression again and again throughout his life.

Even spiritual giants that we read about in the Bible, were not protected from depression. Moses, for example, was once so deeply depressed that he asked God to end his life. After the Israelites came out of Egypt, they had a difficult life in the wilderness. Yes, the Lord provided manna and water., but still it was a harsh life in the wasteland, no doubt. After a couple of years in the wilderness they really missed meat in their meals. They wanted to eat meat and they demanded Moses to provide some meat for them. Moses couldn’t do that for the huge crowd. There was no way he could provide them meat. So, Moses cried out to the Lord. He said to the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble to me? Why did you pick me to lead these people? God did provide meat for them.

What about Elijah? Elijah was a great prophet of the Old Testament.  In 1 Kings, chapter 18, we are told that after defeating and killing 450 prophets of baal on Mt. Carmel, Jezebel (the queen and a baal worshipper herself) was furious.    She sent a message to Elijah saying that she would surely kill Elijah just the way he killed those prophets. We are then told that Elijah ran away and hid himself and fell into a deep depression. And he said to the Lord, “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors. I cannot live like this. It is better for me to die than to live. Elijah was severely depressed and very discouraged - even though he had just won an amazing victory! 

Did you know that King David also battled depression? In Psalm 42:5 we read, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted in me? King David was asking himself this rhetorical question. He was basically saying, “I am really depressed. I know I need to trust the Lord and I am trying. But I don’t have peace. I don’t have comfort. I don’t have assurance that God is with me. What I have is anxiety and fear. I don’t feel the presence of God.” David was desperately trying to escape from his depression. But he had not been able to. So David confessed in verse 3. “My tears have been my food day and night.” All day long, I weep and cry."

I want you to know that we all do get depressed and discouraged from time to time. And there is nothing sinful with getting depressed or being discouraged.. But that doesn't mean we should just stay depressed.

The Lord does not want us to remain in the condition of depression or discouragement all the time.

So, what can we do to come out of depression and the spirit of constantly being discouraged? I have a few suggestions:
Don’t isolate yourself, but go out and serve others.  Someone once asked Karl Menninger, the famous American psychiatrist, for some advice. He said: Don’t isolate yourself, but go out and serve others. Actually the person who asked the question was expecting to hear, "Go see a psychiatrist.” But that is not what he said. Instead, he said, “If you are really severely depressed, do this: Lock the door behind you, go across the street, find somebody that’s in need, and do something to help them.”   He knew that we find meaning in life when we do something that positively affects other people. We find joy when we see value in our lives. We see value in our lives when we make a difference in other people’s lives, even in a small way. And when we find joy in life, we come out of depression.

Put your hope in God.  In Psalm 43, verse 5, King David says: “Put your hope in GOD, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my GOD.”   David took his eyes off of himself. Instead of looking at his circumstances, he looked up to the Lord.  Let me give you another example: Horatio G. Spafford was an American Lawyer and businessman in Chicago with a lovely family - a wife, Anna, and five children. However, in 1871 their only son died of pneumonia. And in that same year, much of their business was lost in the great Chicago fire.  But, by God’s mercy and kindness the business recovered quickly. Two years later, in November 1873, he and his family wanted to spend a winter vacation in England. However, Horatio still needed to take care of a few things so Anna and their four daughters left first on a ship to England.  Unfortunately, that ship collided with another ship as it was crossing the Atlantic and sank quickly. There were 313 passengers on board and 226 people died among them the Spafford daughters.  As soon as Anna reached land, she telegraphed to her husband: “Saved alone. Children lost. What shall I do?” Horatio was on the next available ship and left to join his grieving wife. On that ship, near the place where the tragedy had occurred, he wrote the words to the song: It Is Well With My Soul When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrow like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say. It is well, it is well with my soul.  Wow!  What is an admirable faith.  “Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you disquieted in me? Put your hope in the LORD and praise Him for He is your help and your salvation, your hope for the future.

Turn to CHRIST for Help.  Remember in HIS word, JESUS said, "Come to me all who are tired and weary, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Paul also confirms for us, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13).  Jesus Christ who gave His life for us on that Cross on Calvary can really make a difference!

Let’s face it discouragement, depression can get into our minds and color our actions and our belief systems. It can even take control of our health producing anxiety and blood pressure issues and incorrect reasoning.  Most of us can fill in the blanks on how we are affected.    The legend in the illustration says that the devil's price for discouragement was so high that it was never sold. He still owns it and is still using it.

Are you experiencing, depression and discouragement today?  Let me encourage you to: Turn to Christ for Help,  Put your Hope in GOD and then GO OUT and Impact others for Christ!    Yes, the devil hasn't gone out of business and is seemingly working overtime to discourage many today.   However, be encouraged, because the devil is a defeated enemy and his tools are powerless over JESUS.  Keep your eyes on the LORD and remember what we are told in 1 John 4:4 "...greater is HE who is in you than he who is in the world."

​The title of this blog was inspired by a question I was asked many times as a Pastor - "Does satan know my thoughts?".  My direct answer is that it is "unlikely Satan knows your thoughts".

In Daniel 10:12-14, there is a spiritual warfare due to Daniel's "words," but not his thoughts.  Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.” 

This passage tells us that from the first day Daniel prayed and his words were heard by God.  We read that God commissioned Gabriel to come to him.  Now…who is this prince of the kingdom of Persia?  This refers to an evil angel appointed by satan to control the Persian Government, which was done of course, without the knowledge of its earthly king.   So, this passage appears to reveal that satan places an agent in charge of every nation - that is a fallen, evil angel.  This explains why we see and read so much of national hatreds and national movements. 

Scripture is clear that God has His Angelic Angels operating in opposition to satan’s evil angels.  Also, the Bible is clear that only God is ever mentioned as knowing the thoughts of man.  Consider what the Bible says in 1 Chronicles 28:9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever."  See also Psalm 139:23, Isaiah 66:18, Ezekiel 11:5.

Satan certainly can hear you, and he knows your sin nature as he is your natural "father" (before conversion).   Remember John 8:44 tells us "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."    In this capacity, satan knows where to tempt you and he knows where you are weak.

The main thing to understand and remember to encourage us today is that God, living powerfully in you, is much greater than Satan and your sin nature. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing to fear, even if you are praying out loud.. . . greater is He (Jesus) who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world. —1 John 4:4

​"If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14
 
 
If you are alive and have eyes to see and ears to hear you know that we as Americans are in trouble.  How do we get our country back on track?  How can we turn this nation back to God?  Can it even be done? Yes!  We can make a difference!  This verse is God’s wonderful promise to His people.  His hand of judgment could be stopped.   Let's take a look at this scripture in detail!
 
I. IF MY PEOPLE WHICH ARE CALLED BY MY NAME...
There can be no “finger-pointing” when returning to God. He’s talking to us, individually.  The Bible tells us that Judgment always begins at the House of God.  We Believers, we Christians must confess Him.
 
II. ...WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE…
It is good to be a proud American as long as we can bow to God.  Prayer is never obsolete, outdated or too late. We must ALL do the three things listed in this verse: HUMBLE OURSELVES, PRAY, and SEEK GOD's Face.   The prayer referenced here is not just a "quick, cute little, bless-me, prayer", but an "old fashioned, revival seeking, faith filled"  prayer, much like the one that Daniel prayed as recorded in Daniel chapter 9.
 
III. ...AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS...
We are notorious for repenting but not turning. Repentance means to turn.   A real 180 degree turn.   Most times it seems that we love evil too much to turn from it.  This scripture is reminding us that we must pray and seek Him.
 
IV. ...THEN I (GOD) WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN...
God is waiting to hear from us.  God longs for America to return to Him.  Our Father wants to hear from us.  Then the results will be forgiveness and the healing of our land!
 
V. ...AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND HEAL THEIR LAND!
Forgiveness awaits all who will turn.  Healing awaits all who turn.  Can America return to God?  If America wants to –  YES.
 
But the question is:  Do we want to change?
 
God has given us a great blessing in our country. It is a blessing worth preserving through prayer and devotion to God in the face of those who would want to tear it down.  Unless we serve God we will live in bondage.  I know many say alcoholism, drug addiction, all other kinds of addictions keep people in bondage BUT the Bible reminds us that pride, greed, envy, jealousy, gossip, life-style choices also keeps us in bondage.
 
Christianity and patriotism have much in common.  It is significant to note that:  Our patriotic hymn  "My County, ’Tis of Thee", was written by a Baptist clergyman, Samuel Francis Smith.
 
The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was written in 1892 by a Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy.  Do you even remember the Pledge of Allegiance?????  Can you recite it?
 
The words, "In God We Trust," carried on all of our coins, are traced to the efforts of the Rev. W.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania.   His letter of concern, addressed to the Hon. S.P. Chase, was dated November 13, 1861. Seven days later Mr. Chase wrote to James Pollock, Director of the U.S. Mint as follows:
 
"No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense.  The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.  Will you cause a device to be prepared without delay with a motto expressing in the finest and tersest words possible this national recognition."
 
The president of the College of New Jersey, the Reverend John Witherspoon (Presbyterian) was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence.   He is too much forgotten in our history books: John Witherspoon had a far-reaching influence on democracy. He had personally taught several of the signers of the document, and nine of them were graduates of the little college over which he presided at Princeton.  When he took up his pen to put his name to the document, Witherspoon declared:  "There is a tide in the affairs of men, a spark.  We perceive it now before us.  To hesitate is to consent to our own slavery.”
 
Have you ever asked yourself the question why did God make me? 

We were created to know and serve the Lord, to walk with him, to enjoy him, and to work for him and to have a relationship with Him.  But as a people we have chosen instead to go our own way, looking to find satisfaction and fulfillment in:  Money, Drugs, Achievements,  Food, Sex, Education,  Sports,  Music, Family, Work, Religion- the list is almost endless. But still there is a gaping hole in our spirits, still there is a wound that cannot be healed, still there is a heart cry that cannot be answered. Only God can fill that hole, that emptiness that we all experience! Only God can mend that wound! Only God can heal and fill that emptiness.  Only God can answer that heart cry!
 
If we obey God, we will receive the blessing of God.  If we disobey God, the hand of God’s chastisement and judgment will fall upon us.  From the beginning of time we have had the choice to choose whom we would worship.

Whom do you choose to serve today?  Will you turn to the LORD in Humble repentance today?  Will you let HIM fill every empty corner of your life with HIS love and joy.  Accept HIM as your Savior and have HIM lead you in His paths of righteousness and you will never be alone or feel empty again.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:3-4
 
The coming of Jesus Christ and the end of the world are what are discussed in this final section of the book of Second Peter.  This is a subject that has fascinated tens of thousands of people for years.  Let me tell you that fascination is not what God is looking for by discussing the return of His Son to earth and the end
of the world.  All the date guessing for the end of the age is a total waste of time.
 
Growing up in the church I have heard people ask this question all my life.  “Oh, we have heard that the end of time is coming soon but it has been many, many years and we are all still here. “

Well, what does God want to tell us and what do these verses mean?
 
He wants us to be prepared. You see if we are prepared for Christ’s return we will be ready; but if we are not ready then we will be doomed.  Peter is telling us that the first thing to know is that scoffers shall come.  Peter uses the term scoffers, or a more up to date word is mockers; they will ridicule the return of Christ and they are willingly ignorant.  Know that the mockers shall come in the last days.  (We can see many of them today and some are in our families).
 
Remember the first coming of Jesus Christ to the earth was the vital point of human history.  The time between Christ’s first coming and His second coming is called the age of grace, the age when God’s mercy, love and grace are flowing out to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.
 
How do I know Jesus is coming again? 
Because, I believe the Bible! The Bible has shown itself to be the Word of God, and repeatedly the Bible mentions the Second Coming of Jesus. Now the new birth is important, but a new birth is mentioned only nine times in the Bible.  Baptism is important, but it’s only mentioned 20 times in the Bible. Repentance is wonderfully important—it is only mentioned 70 times in the New Testament. BUT the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned 380 times in the New Testament alone!
 
In our passage, Peter said that some will ask, “Where is this promise of his coming?” There is that scoffing, ridiculing, mocking, arrogant doubter spitting in the face of Jesus, but the Word of God establishes it as a Truth through out the entirety of the Bible. He has promised, and He cannot lie.
 
If you look at the Bible as one entire passage, instead of 66 separate books, the whole Bible, one out of every twenty-five verses speak of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus has said He will return, and He won’t break that promise.
 
The final chapter of human history is now being written.  Soon Jesus will return to earth and time will be no more.  When? Jesus said that no man can know…. ONLY GOD.
 
So as always the choice is ours and ours alone.  Are we going to attach ourselves to the world and be destroyed with it OR attach our selves to Jesus Christ and enter into the glory of the new world that is coming soon.  The choice is always ours.  We either follow the trends of the world that are doomed to destruction and hell or else we follow Jesus Christ and enter the new world promised by Him.
 
Peter tells us that scoffers or mockers walk after their own lusts.  They live like they want and they do their own thing.  They want everything the world has to offer, and this group of people are unwilling to change their lives, they do not want to repent and they do not want to allow Christ to control their lives.  They believe themselves to be little “gods”.  That whatever they believe is true has to be true.  After all it is in their thoughts.
 
The mockers ridicule the return of Jesus Christ.  They scoff because it has been two thousand years since Jesus came to earth the first time BUT the Bible also says that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord.
 
They scoff because they say, the world continues on just as it always has so why get so excited and become concerned about the world ending?  They believe that the world will continue to go on as it has. The laws of nature will continue to run the universe and keep it stable.  The Bible tells us that God is working out HIS plan.  The Bible says that no person knows the day or time. even the angels do not know.  Not even the Son of God Himself  knows (Matthew 24:36)  God the Father has the timing planned out to the minute, but He is keeping it close to His chest, so they say.  But as I look at the world through the eyes of 2022, I firmly believe that the day of Jesus’ return is rapidly approaching.
 
Well, what do you believe?
 

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you."  Acts 17:22-23 (KJV)

Paul stood in the middle of Mars Hill ready to preach.  He stood where so many of the  world’s greatest philosophers had stood.   Philosophers,  such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  They had explained the great thoughts of their philosophies; now Paul was about to proclaim the great Truths of God. 

Let us get the full picture here.  The official court sat before him and a large crowd of interested philosophers and poets and citizens surrounded him.  There they were:  some stood, all heathens, completely unaware of any knowledge of the living and true God.  The most momentous moment of their lives was about to take place.  They were about to hear the most glorious news ever proclaimed to a human being.  Paul is telling them that God had revealed Himself and made Himself known to man.  He had sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to earth to save man from sin, death and judgment to come.  God was very concerned with the welfare of man.

You must realize that this was a little different approach than normal for Paul.  The Apostle Paul had an interesting style of ministry. Paul would travel to a city, get to know a few people, plant a church, then stay around as long as it took (usually a couple years) until the church was self-sufficient. Then he would pack up and move to a new city and start the process all over again.  

But here he goes out of his comfort zone!

On one of Paul’s journey’s he arrived in the city of Athens. Athens was a great center of philosophy, architecture, art, and religion. We learn in Acts 17:16 that Paul became concerned at how many idols they had lying around the city. So Paul begins to reason with the people in that city about the One True God. In his opening statement to the group assembled at the Areopagus, Paul says, Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.¨ (Acts 17:22)

In Paul’s day, there was no shortage of religion. Not much different from our society today. We live in a culture where the supply of religion certainly meets the demand. But the truth that Paul knew in his day is the same truth we must know today: We do not need more religion, what we need is a relationship with Jesus Christ!

The message of the entire Bible could be summed up in saying that God is trying to establish a relationship with us. Jesus Himself said, These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.¨ (Matthew 15:8) God is not interested in lip service. God is interested in your heart. God wants a relationship with you, His Child.

Paul goes on to say you are very superstitious or very religious.  When we humans are very religious and superstitious that reveals that we are searching for God.  Men worship because they are seeking for God.  Their hearts are restless, searching for peace and life with God.  They are hungry, seeking to have God’s care and provision.  They are fearful, seeking to have God’s protection.  The good news is that God is not hidden and He is not unknown.  As Paul walked through the great city of Athens, he had read many of the
inscriptions written on the monuments and idols.  And as the verse states one in particular caught his attention:  the altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD”.   So the people were acknowledging that there was an unknown god, and they worshipped him.  But they did not know Him.  The restlessness, the hunger and the fear were still in their hearts and minds, especially in lonely moments.  All they did was worship an unknown god, they knew nothing about him, yet they worshipped him. 

Then what did Paul do? 

He declared that he knew the unknown God.  He personally knew Him, and it was He whom Paul was giving them the lesson about so they would know and get their questions answered.

Are we focusing more on our religion or on our relationship with Christ?  That will let you know how far you are on your Christian journey.  It is not about me BUT it is about HIM.  As another year comes to an end let's take a moment to reflect on our relationship with JESUS!  We pray that HE is not "UNKNOWN" to you nor you to HIM!   If you haven't done so already, take this time to get your relationship with CHRIST right...then go out and share the good news of JESUS CHRIST to all whom GOD puts in your path.   Be like Paul and tell others about the "UNKNOWN GOD"!

Many times we hear phrases thrown around and one of those phrases is Freedom of Religion.  But what does it really mean when we say--FREEDOM OF RELIGION? 

Perhaps a good definition comes from our Founding Fathers.  They believed that religious freedom was most vital to the functioning of a moral free society.  Religion was an essential part of everyday life in the United States. The Founding Fathers did not believe in having a national church.  These rights are referred to as unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to pursue a course in life that will bring happiness.  Our Supreme Court has stated many times that freedom
of religion is the most precious rights next to life itself.
 
We can believe or worship anybody or anything we want with no one to tell us differently.  People have said over the years that there is freedom of religion in China.   Yes, only if you are willing to do, say, live and worship exactly as the government instructs to do so.  You do know that many thousands of Christians around the world die for true freedom of religion each and every year.
 
BUT  in America--a country established for that very right—for that very reason many will not give God the time of day, much less their lives.
 
What has happened that made millions now celebrate  "Freedom from Religion" instead of the "Freedom of Religion"?
 
Many have tried and succeeded in getting God kicked out of our schools, sporting events, public places and work places? Almost every week someone is offended by God and tries their best to stop Him.  You do notice it is not the god of the Hindu, or the Muslims, it’s not the philosophy of reincarnation or the New Age, it’s not homosexuality or condom distribution they want out:  It is Jehovah God that they want out!
 
As you read and hear people talk we hear the word "Spiritualism" taking the place of Christianity.  You especially hear this from Hollywood and others as they pontificate on Talk Shows.  Spiritualism puts itself on the throne and religion in general.  You can clearly see that Christianity--the founding guide for America--is under attack.
 
In the April 1994 edition of Reader’s Digest, an article written by former Secretary of Education William Bennett entitled: "What Really Ails America" had this to say....
 
"Today, much of society ridicules and mocks those who are serious about their faith. America’s only respectable form of bigotry is bigotry against religious people. And the only reason for hatred of religion is that it forces us to confront matters many would prefer to ignore."
 
Well boys and girls our society has gotten what it always wanted since Genesis 3: A society without God.  But my question to you is what good has it done?
 
Bennett goes on to say in his article...

"Last year I compiled The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, a statistical portrait of American behavioral trends of the past three decades. Among the findings:
 
“Since 1960, while the gross domestic product has nearly tripled, violent crime has increased at least 560 percent.  Divorces have more than doubled.  The percentage of children in single-parent homes has tripled. And by the end of the decade 40 percent of all American births and 80 percent of minority births will occur out of wedlock.  These are not good things to get used to. But we have gotten used to them.  We have adjusted ourselves to the cultural trends.  We have accepted things that were once not bragged about to accepting all
things.”
 
Do you know that The United States leads the industrialized world in murder, rape and violent crime?  At the same time, our elementary-school students rank at or near the bottom in tests of math and science skills. Since 1960, average SAT scores in our high schools has dropped 75 points.
 
In 1940, teachers identified the top problems in America’s schools as: talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise and running in the hall. 

In 1990, teachers listed the top problems as drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, suicide, rape and assault. 

Today we can add abortions for all, mutilation of children’s bodies, drag queens reading to kindergartners in schools and libraries, even mutilation of bodies.  We have come a long way, baby!!!!!!!!

What is culture? It is the ways of thinking, living, and behaving that define a people and underlie its achievements. It is a nation’s collective mind, its sense of right and wrong, the way it perceives reality, and its definition of self. Culture is the morals and habits a mother strives to instill in her children. It is the obligations we acknowledge toward our neighbors, our community, and our government. It is the worker’s dedication to craftsmanship and the owner’s acceptance of the responsibilities of stewardship. It is the standards we set and enforce for ourselves and for others: our definitions of duty, honor, and character. It is our collective conscience. 

It's kind of depressing to see how our American society has decreased in values and morals, and how this decrease has affected everything in life. Crimes, births, marriage, divorce, education, youth, popular culture, and even religion.
 
These are not good things to get used to, either. We have become hardened and trained to the cultural rot that is setting in. People are losing their capacity for shock, disgust and outrage.  What is the answer? 

Today we must carry on a new struggle for the country we love.  We must push hard against an age that is
pushing hard against us.  If we have full employment and greater economic growth-if we have cities of gold and alabaster -but our children have not learned  to walk in goodness, justice and mercy, then the American experiment, no matter how good it looks on paper or on the outside, - it  will have failed.
 
Do not surrender of just get angry, instead, "Get in the fight."  This is battle that is not fought with weapons of warfare, but on our knees praying to the One who has all the authority and power.  The only One who can help us - the ONE TRUE GOD, JEHOVAH!

Let's continue from where we left off last time....

JOHN 2:15-17
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

What is this scourge of cords and what does it mean?  It tells us that Jesus had the right to cleanse the temple.  There are several things that confirm this for us. A scourge - A whip.  Of small cords ...the original word implies that these "cords" were made of twisted "rushes" or "reeds" - probably the ancient material for making ropes."

In other words, Jesus seems to have stopped in the courtyard -- in the midst of all the noise and chaos of the surging crowds, looking to change money and purchase sacrifices, and surrounded by the cacophony of lowing cattle and bleating sheep --and painstakingly makes a scourge, a whip, from the materials that were at hand...rushes that formed the animals' beds and ropes used to tether them.

This obviously took no small amount of time and shouts deliberate determination and a mature focus.
This scourge of cords was a symbol of Jesus’ righteous anger, of His right to be obeyed, of His right to enforce obedience within the temple.   The scourge was a symbol of the power and cleansing judgment of God-the kind of power and cleansing judgment that causes men to tremble before God (Phil.2:9-11)
 
Jesus went through the temple and you see three things that He did.  First he chased out ALL who were buying and selling.  Then He threw over the tables of the moneychangers.  Lastly, He threw over the chairs of the dove dealers.
 
One of the things we learn from this passage is that the temple or the church can be abused by: forgetting what worship is all about.  We can misuse the facilities and buildings of God’s house.  We can ignore God’s holiness and forget our duty and reverence to God.  We can also abuse the church by approving questionable non-worshipful activities.
 
In this passage we see Jesus’ unique relationship to God. He called God “My Father” and called the temple “My Father’s house.”   

Jesus was continually calling God “My Father” and He said My Father’s house many times.  Jesus was saying that the temple was God’s so that meant it was to be a house of worship for all people.  Including the Gentiles as well as the Jews.  All people should be able to worship in quietness and peace within God’s temple.  No one should be barred, separated or discouraged from worshipping God in His temple.  Everyone is to be welcomed.
 
I want you to notice that the church or the temple was called a house of worship, not a house of sacrifices, offerings, teaching, prophesying , or preaching.  Everything done within the House of God is to lead to the worship of the Father and for having communion with the Father
 
You see, the temple was not to be used as a commercial center.  It is not to be a place for buying and selling, marketing and retailing, stealing and cheating where man gets the gain.
 
Jesus had a consuming zeal. His enthusiasm and zeal fulfilled Scripture and demonstrated that He was the Messiah.  The Messiah was bound to be zealous for God’s house and to react in anger at such corruption within the temple.  The Scripture had predicted that the Messiah was have such zeal (Psalm 69:9).
 
Jesus had the right to show zeal and anger against such desecration of the temple.  He was the Messiah and His act stirred the memory of the disciples. 
 
 

John 2:12-16(NKJV)
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
 
After reading these verses a question might arise.  Why did Jesus clean the Temple in such a harsh manner?  He turned over tables.  He made whips to beat the merchants, etc.
 
Jesus cleansed the temple of the money-changers and sellers of merchandise because of His disgust at what they had made of God’s house of prayer and His zeal, His passion to purify it from the abuse of ungodly men.
 
Well, some of you may say, "isn’t it true today that all the ministries advertise after they give a sermon that they will send you something in the mail or you can receive some kind of free gift just for giving a donation to their ministry.  Is that not what the Lord was annoyed with?"
 
No, that is not the case in this passage in the Bible.  In the Temple there was a place where the animals were to be brought in and watched for three days to make sure they were healthy and approved for sacrifice.  But, the problem that was happening was that the priests had become corrupt.
 
They were telling the people who brought animals sacrifices that your animal was NOT healthy.  Your animal is not clean so you have to buy an approved temple animal that has been tested for the necessary days and we have just the right one here for your family.
 
The priests were not telling the truth.  They were lying and forcing people to buy from their vendors whom they possibly were getting money from as part of a kick-back scheme they had devised.
 
The sellers were gouging or extorting the faithful by charging exorbitant or very high prices. There were other merchants selling cattle and sheep for the temple sacrifices as well. Because of these sellers who preyed on the poor and because of His passion for the purity of His Father’s house, Jesus was filled with righteous indignation. As He overturned the tables of the money-changers, He condemned them for having turned God’s house of prayer into “a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). As He did so, His disciples remembered Psalm 69:9, “Zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.”
 
These same moneychangers were associated with others who engaged in shady business practices in the temple courts.  Some sold sacrificial animals, overcharging people who did not bring their own. Others were in charge of examining the animals to be sacrificed, and it was a simple matter to declare an animal “unapproved” and force the worshiper to buy another animal—at an inflated price—from the temple vendors. Such goings-on, exploiting the poor and the foreigner, angered the Lord Jesus and was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34).
 
It is quite possible that others had felt “uncomfortable” about what was going on in the temple. However, Jesus was the only one on record who actually did something about it. In this case, “consuming zeal” may have a bit of a double meaning. Not only was Jesus’ zeal consuming in that it caused Him to take radical action, but it set Him on a collision course with the Jewish leadership that eventually ended in their delivering Him to Pilate for crucifixion.

The New Testament writers see many parallels between Jesus and David. Jesus’ zealous actions were rejected by His countrymen. David was also rejected, scorned, and mocked because of His zeal for God. This is simply one more line of evidence that Jesus really is the rightful heir of David—David’s Greater Son. Likewise, those who follow in the steps of Jesus may now face the same kind of rejection if they prove to be zealous for the things of God.

Do you know that the Bible is one third prophecy?  Today, I want to remind you that Bible prophecy is not put in the Bible to frighten or scare us, but to prepare us.  It is also in the Bible to motivate us Christians to stay on our toes spiritually.  Why?  It keeps in the forefront of our minds that Jesus could come back at any moment as the Bible says “in the blink of an eye.”  It can motivate us Christians to live a godly life according to God’s Word-the Bible.  Unfortunately, Bible prophecy has been avoided by many pastors or many of the Pastors have played down the topic basically because they do not understand God’s words to His people.
 
Bible prophecy and the Greek word for prophecy represents two ideas.  One is forth-telling or speaking for God and the second is foretelling or predicting future events.  Both  aspects of the word are found in the New Testament.  The beginning of prophetic activity in early Christianity according to Acts coincided with the out pouring  of the Holy Spirit upon the earliest Christians on the day of Pentecost (Acts2:1-21)  Peter’s sermon  on the day of Pentecost indicates that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit fulfilled Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:4, 17-21, Joel 2:28-32)
 
According to Paul the main purpose for prophecy is to build up the church.  Paul also described the subject of spiritual gifts, particularly tongues speaking and prophecy.  If you read through the Bible you will get the picture that God has a divine purpose for the age in which we live and this purpose relates both to Israel and to the church-not the church building.
 
The Jews in Israel had wanted a relationship with God but they wanted a relationship with works.  So, they basically rejected the Messiah because they had a preconceived idea about who Jesus was and how He should come and what He was to do.

But because Jesus did not fit their preconceived ideas about their Messiah-they rejected Him.  Yes, Christ was crucified and since that time Gentiles who placed their faith in Jesus became members of God’s church.  This was also open to believing Jews for they also became members of God’s church.
 
The good news is that Israel’s hardening of their hearts and turning away from Christ in only temporary.  The Bible tells us that at the end of the tribulation  period, Israel will finally recognize their Messiah and turn to Him for rescue from the invading forces of the Antichrist (Zechariah  12:10)
 
According to the Bible we are living in the Church Age which is made up of born-again believers who make up the body of Christ.  We, all those who believe that Jesus died for their sins, are the body of Christ.  We are not a building but a body.
 
Bible prophecy is simply God’s plan revealed ahead of time.  Like a movie trailer, it is a sneak preview or peek of things to come.  It is not a fiction movie, prophecy tells us what is actually going to happen.  Sometimes we hear that prophecy is history written in advance.  Prophecy is a big deal because God does not want His children to be uninformed regarding the end times  (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5).
 
Let’s face it,  prophecy is important because of the times we are living in today. 

At no time since Jesus walked on the earth is end-times prophecy more likely to be fulfilled than it is right now.  All the signs are pointing to the truth that we are living in the last days.  But,  I do not know if this will happen in ten minutes or ten years from now, only God knows.
 
You see you can block your ears, close your eyes, yell and scream but we were hit with a devastating plague (Covid-19), our economy was hit with joblessness and businesses were unable to stay afloat.  Other businesses were physically destroyed by rioters.  We have an economy based on  indebtedness and we have high healthcare costs.  Then there is all the critical race theory  junk being pumped into our schools along with gender identities being questioned.  Then we have the really high gas prices so no one can really get around.  Then you have all the abortions even being done after a baby is born up to a month after birth.  People are going into depressions and paranoia.  Why are we so surprised to see kids killing kids?  Why are we so surprised at the people who are committing suicide?
 
Now can you see the need for prophecy? Prophecy really matters because it gives us clarity, confidence, faith, hope and love for Jesus. Christ, our Messiah, our savior and soon coming King. Prophecy leads straight to Jesus and gives us the peace to know that He has everything under control.  Well, what are you saying are you one of the naysayers saying:  “What difference does prophecy make?  remember, that is your choice.   Or will you be the one who says: we humble ourselves, pray, fast and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways (including our complacency) and live lives that emulate Jesus Christ and stand up for His values
 
The Bible tells us that the stage is being set and it amazes me to see that things are not falling apart, according to the Bible, they are all falling into place!   Are you ready for HIS RETURN?