Deception & USA. "Return to God"

What do we need to do as a nation and a church?

Fred R. Coulter—July 3, 2021

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Greetings everyone, welcome to Sabbath services! Today we're going to hear from a man whose family has been in the Church for four generations.

Deception—Joe Sanchez

As we watch the news around us, it seems to continually get more and more alarming as time goes on, and not necessarily from the events themselves, but people's reaction to it, or lack of reaction to it is what seems alarming to me.

I myself on a regular basis become really concerned and flabbergasted by some of the positions that people are taking, or they're not taking. Some of the things that I'm really concerned about it seems like nobody seems to care. Then other things that people are all concerned and worked up about, I really don't understand why they're getting upset about it.

A lot of things that are taking place is really confusing. For instance, the way that our U.S. Federal Government, our law enforcement in Congress, have been so fixated on the Jan. 6th break-in that cost a couple of million dollars in damages, but at the same time they seem to be completely uninterested in the $2-billion in damages and the 25 people who died in the rioting last year.

What about all the money, time and effort that has been spent on the pandemic promoting masks, advertising to wear your masks? You see it on billboards all over the place, promoting the vaccine and paying people to take the vaccine. They're even having lotteries to try get people. You can win $1.5 million if you get the vaccine here in California, if you're lucky.

But at the same time these same people in the government seem to be completely uninterested in finding out what the cause of the pandemic was in the first place, and they don't seem to be interested in trying to prevent the next disease to come along.

You're really kind of perplexed by this, this is kind of odd, especially when it comes from a lot of the 'gain of function' research that was being done at the exact same lab where they were doing Coronavirus research. It's really odd that the same individuals that are completely afraid, and you see them driving down the road with two masks on and they're alone in their car. They seem to be completely uninterested in learning about this 'gain of function' research. A lot of it is really confusing, what people believe and don't believe, what's important to them and not important to them.

This other one where the same group of people who are pro abortion, pro homosexual, pro transsexual, pro feminist, at the same time are pro Islam and Palestinian. You know that if you demonstrated any of these views, or say you had a 'pride parade' in any of these locations, they would pretty much stone you on the spot and would given a medal from Allah for doing it.

When these people have these different positions or don't have these different positions, it's really confusing the way our nation is becoming. This mentality—when we see it in the news—where people are completely unconcerned about one thing, but they're overly concerned about something else that isn't a problem at all. Things that we feel aren't a 'big deal' are a huge deal, but things that people wish to be true now becomes reality, whether there is or not any proof behind it.

Much of the self-deception where people want to believe what they want to believe was prophesied long ago by Isaiah, by Christ, by Paul, by many of the prophets. And it's the first thing that Christ warns us about in the Olivet Prophecy:

Take heed lest anyone deceive you, many will come in My name saying that 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many!

So, there's going to be so many deceptions at the time of the end, if it were possible, they would deceive even the very elect. This is the end-time, a time of deception, where people believe things that completely not true! And the things that they should be worried about, they're completely oblivious to.

A passage that Fred brought up and explained is interesting, and I like the translation, which is different from the King James translation.

Revelation 12:9: "And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, who is deceiving the whole world…"

This is something that was currently happening at the time that John was having this vision. Satan was cast down and his angels were cast down, too.

The Greek word for deceiving is 'planao,' and it's in the present, active state. Meaning at the time of the end when all these deceptions are going around, Satan the devil's deception will be at their apex. In each of all these lives, Satan will at that time literally be deceiving the whole world, and we are approaching that time!

We see it all over the place. People that believe things that absolutely make no sense whatsoever. There was this L.A. Times article that came up not that long ago—a couple of years ago—was basically saying that STDs are skyrocketing and officials believe that racism to blame. The reason why there's all these STDs has nothing to do with people breaking God's Law and they're committing immorality. It's not because of that, it's because of racism. People believe this stuff! It's being published! This is a reputable mainstream newspaper. These are the deceptions that are just oft becoming and they're going to increase and be completely off the charts.

If you look in Scripture you see basically three types of deception:

• self-deception where you believe whatever you want to believe
• deception by Satan and his ministers

and one of the more unrecognized types of deception is where

• God Himself deceives you

What we're going to see is that most of the time it's usually a combination of all three!

• you really want to believe something that isn't really true
• Satan and his ministers make it very attractive for you to believe it
• then God does not give you the clarity of mind to come to your senses and realize that it isn't true. But, in fact, throws in His own delusions; He allows you to do it

A good example is in Isa. 30:9 one of Isaiah's prophecies about the Israelites and the end-time.

Isaiah 30:9: "That this is a rebellious people, lying children. They are children who will not hear the Law of the LORD; who say to the seers, 'See not,' and to the prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions…'" (vs 9-10).

That LA Times article was an illusion! Racism does not cause STDs. They have lots of statistics, but it was really ludicrous! But that's what people want to hear. 'Do not prophesy what is the truth, speak to us smooth things; prophesy to us illusions.'

As long as it's what we want to hear, it doesn't make any difference if it makes absolutely no sense; just as long as it's what we want to hear.

Isaiah 29:9: "Be stunned and amazed! Blind your eyes and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink, for the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your rulers, and the seers" (vs 9-10).

When you put Isa. 29:9 and 30:19 together, what you see is God Himself sends a spirit of deception upon those who are already wanting to believe the lie. They won't hear His Law, they have no respect for Him. God says that 'they're lying children' and then on top of it He gives them a spirit of deception!

• Why does God do this?
• Why doesn't He open their eyes?

Here's a perfect example: intellectuals today have overwhelmingly believed and taught that there's no historical value to the Bible. If you look at some of these colleges and universities they teach this all the time. They were teaching this to my son in his comparative religion class, that there's no historical value to the Bible; it's simply a book of inaccurate folklores and legends that were passed around the campfire up until about the time of the 9th centuryB.C. when it was finally written down. Meaning that everything up to 1-Kings has no more credibility than Homer's Iliad, just a bunch of fables. This is overwhelmingly taught in the universities and colleges today.

However, since the mid 1800s—we're talking 170 years ago—archeologists have dug up over almost a half million clay tablets around the Middle East that go all the way back to 3500B.C.

This covers everything from the history of rulers to business transactions to a letter from a mom to a dad on how do we discipline Johnny. They were that commonly used. When they compare these tablets and the passages in them to the Bible, they find out that in an historical setting, the Bible is 100% accurate as far as it's historical accuracy. Does it represent the time of the day? And it does overwhelmingly to a tee!

But the intellectuals have decided amongst themselves that the Bible is just a book of fables and has no historical value whatsoever. They're just straight-up lying! It's a straight-up lie! But they get in their echo chamber and it's taught everywhere.

• Why would God give those same intellectuals sanity?
• Why would He give them the ability when they're completely filled with their own self-deception in one area?
• Why would He allow them to be completely rational in another area?
• Why would He do that?

Well, He wouldn't! He has no reason to! There are lots of examples of God doing this.

1-Thess 2 talks about the 'son of perdition' and when these days would be fulfilled.

2-Thessalonians 2:9: "Even the one whose coming is according to the inner working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are perishing because they did not receive the love of the Truth, so that they might be saved. And for this cause… [that if they want to believe the lie, they don't love the Truth, but love the lie] …God will send upon them a powerful deception that will cause them to believe the lie, so that all may be judged who did not believe the Truth, but who took pleasure in unrighteousness" (vs 9-12). In this passage you see all three methods of deception:

• Satan with his lying wonders
• people with their own self-deception who refuse to love the Truth and be saved; they want to believe the lie

then you have as a result of this:

• God sends upon them a powerful delusion so they will believe the lie

These powerful deceptions that God sends to people who refuse to love the Truth—that's their position—is really similar to when God hardened the Pharaoh's heart.

Remember that the Pharaoh wouldn't allow the Israelites to leave and he was in this deadlock with Moses; neither one of them were going to budge. Then at the last second Pharaoh says, 'Okay, I'll let you guys go.' Then God goes and hardens Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh changes his mind.

Why would God do that? Here Pharaoh is trying to do the right thing; he finally realized he was wrong and decided to change his position and let the people go.

God wasn't going allow the Pharaoh to make the smart play, the wise decision at the last second. I mean, think about it. The Pharaoh of Exodus had no respect for God! He had deceived the whole nation of Egypt that he, in fact, was a god.

Every time that the Pharaoh got up in the middle of the night he stubbed his pinky toe on his way to the bathroom, he knew he wasn't a god! But he, at the same time, wanted everyone to believe that he was, and he deceived an entire nation to believe that.

He didn't keep any of God's Laws, he had no respect for the Israelites or he wouldn't have killed all the Israelite boys. So, just because at a certain point in time the Pharaoh realized he was outmatched by Yahweh, and he realized the smart play at this point was to let the people go and then regroup to fight another day. God wasn't going to allow him to make that decision. He wasn't going to all him to make the smart play just because he had no other options to make.

My Uncle Glenn is kind of in that same position. He was raised in the Truth, taught the Truth from my Grandpa, just the same as we were. But as soon as he turned 18 he was done. He wanted to party with the ladies and work on the Sabbath, and do his own thing. It wasn't that he didn't necessarily believe it, he wanted to do his own thing and he liked to party, drink and have a good time, so he abandoned all of it. One time my brother and I were talking to him and we said:

Hey, Uncle Glenn, we've been reading the news lately and there's all this stuff in the news about a united Europe and the UK is leaving and people are going to and fro and knowledge is being increased.
Then we brought up a few other things!
This almost sounds like end-time Bible prophesy, all of this stuff that you abandoned. If it all comes to fruition what are you going to do?
His response was very interesting:
If this is true, I'll just repent at the last minute and start going back to church and just slide in there into the Kingdom at the last minute and everything will be good. God forgives everybody, right?

• Do you really think God is going to allow someone with that motivation to just 'slide into' the Kingdom at the last minute?
• Who has no respect for God and His way of life?
• Make the 'smart' decision just because they have no other options?

Of course not!

As we come near to the time of the end, these deceptions are only going to increase. They're going to be at a level that even almost the elect might be deceived. That's how high the level's of deceptions are going to be. Except for the righteous, most everybody out there is not going to be able to distinguish between head or tails, left or right, up or down. It's going to be all big fog to them!

Daniel 12:10: "Many shall be purified, and made white and refined. But the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand."

At the end-time only those who have overcome will understand. Only those who are completely:

• honest with themselves
• honest about their own sins
• honest about their own shortcomings
• honest about the changes they need to make

Who take good, honest when they look at themselves in the mirror everyday and realize that they need to change their lives according to the book that we've been given. Who didn't lie to themselves to try and justify what they have done.

Those are the individuals who are going to be wise and understand. But the wicked aren't going to understand anything.

If you look at the main thing that distinguished King Saul and King David, it wasn't necessarily that one of them committed worse sins. We could make the argument that David did some pretty bad things. The difference was that David didn't justify it and make excuses and lie to himself and say that 'it was that woman, she seduced me.' David owned up to his mistakes and was honest with himself, and that's why he was allowed to be king. Saul, you know, just made excuses every time.

As we near the time of the end, the deceptions are going to be at an all time high. If you think there's a lot of fake news out there now, we haven't seen anything, yet.

As these deceptions continue to get more and more, they're going to get completely out of control. It's imperative that we are completely honest with ourselves, that we yield ourselves to God's Spirit and allow it to lead us in the Truth and we continue to overcome on a daily basis. That we're honest toward God in our prayers, when we confess to Him.

Acts 28—this is where Paul is preaching to a group in Rome and they wouldn't listen to anything he had to say. We've had that situation before. He's once again quoting; I think it's Isaiah:

Acts 28:26: "Saying, 'Go to this people and say, "In hearing you shall hear, and in no way understand; and in seeing you shall see, but in no way perceive. For the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them"'" (vs 26-27).

The people's hearts had grown dull! They were hard of hearing; they wouldn't hear! They purposely closed their eyes, and that's the situation that we're going to see more and more of as we draw near to the return of Christ.

As the deceptions of this world continue to get worse and worse, we need to understand that a lot of their problems began with self-deception. Where they wouldn't believe the Truth!

We understand that the Bible nowhere says Sunday, but people want to believe it, because that's what they're comfortable with. We can't fall into that trap!

• we have to be completely honest with ourselves
• we have to be honest with God
• we have to look in that mirror everyday and rightly examine ourselves

IF we do this, we don't have to worry about these deceptions as they come up.

The righteous are going to understand! But none of the wicked shall understand. So, as long as we're honest with ourselves and honest with God, we don't have to worry about these deceptions!

*****

Fred Coulter:

Let's see where the world is today! Joe gave us part of it, and that's what you do with Scripture, you rightly divide or rightly put together the Word of God. When you do it's just like a puzzle.

Have you've ever tried to put a thousand piece puzzle together where every part looked the same? The Bible is like that! Here's what happens:

Isaiah 29:11: "And the vision of all has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed…"

That's what they think of the Bible. That's why they say it's full of lies, and the reason is because their minds are full of lies and they're not willing to look at the truth.

"…which they give to one who is learned saying, 'Please read this'…" (v 11).

Let's give it to the 'experts,' they ought to know. How many times have you heard that? Then 'follow the science' and wear six masks!

"…and he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.' And the book is delivered to him who is not learned, saying, 'Please read this,' and he says, 'I am not learned'" (vs 11-12)—I'm uneducated!

Verse 13: "And the LORD said, 'Because this people draws near Me with their mouth… [a lot of flattering words to God] …and with their lips honor Me, but their worship of Me is made up of the traditions of men learned by rote, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandments of men.'"

Notice what happens when that takes place! People in the world don't know about it. They could know! They could all know if they would choose.

Verse 14: "Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do again a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise ones shall perish…"

• Does that sound like the leaders of the world?
• Does that sound like the educators of the world?
• Does that sound like everything that goes on in the world?

Yes, indeed!

"…and the wisdom of their intelligent ones shall vanish" (v 14). That's what we're seeing happen! This is where we are with all of this.

Recently I've had an opportunity to watch Charles Stanley. I watched one that he did very recently, and you can tell he's getting older and it's hard for him to walk. He has to lean on the table when he speaks, but he's one of the few Protestants that really teaches from the Word of God; except the Passover, Sabbath and Holy Days.

Then I saw one that he gave when he was younger; this followed one after the other. So, I watched that, and he uses the same verse in the Old Testament that all the Protestant ministers love and they use it. Can you tell me which verse you think that is? It's not John 3:16;the verse is in the Old Testament. And which part of that do they really believe? Yet, they won't believe the Passover or the Sabbath. What is the part that they believe and preach? Charles Stanley did it with conviction and very good speaking!

Malachi 3:7: "From the days of your fathers, you have gone away from My statutes…"

Think of this: A Protestant minister reading this, he'd been there for decades and a lot of people follow him. I'm sure he's helped a lot of people keep their lives from a lot of evil in the preaching of the Word of God that was true. We'll give him that much.

"'…and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,' says the LORD of hosts. 'But you say. "In what way shall we return?" Will a man rob God?….'" (vs 7-8). Boy, Stanley got real eloquent here!

On the same TBN that they've been running for two weeks, it's all been soliciting money, money, money! The program is entitled For Heaven!

Don't you want to go to heaven? If you send us a little money maybe we'll make sure that you get there.

Verse 8: "Will a man rob God? Yet, you are robbing Me…."—and they talk back!

Sidebar: What Church of the seven in Revelation is the only one that talks back to God? Actually talks back to God! What do they say? I'm rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing! So, God, why are You after me? You blessed me with all of these things!

"…But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings!" (v 8).

Then Stanley went on and gave a very good message.

You ought to tithe. What do you do if you're in debt? How are you going to handle it? You'll be surprised what God will do for you, and all of this sort of thing.

They love this section of the Old Testament, but the don't love the Ten Commandments, though they say they follow them.

The first part that I covered for the elder's conference, I said, 'What is it like living in a nation that is declining and going down?' Ties in with all the deception that Joe talked about! It's everywhere!

Look at that violence that's going on. What violence is going on that they're showing on television, but they're not naming what it really is? And it's really bad! They don't dare name it, because it's not woke! Do you know what it is? Terrible violence against innocent people walking on the sidewalks! I'll say it: It's black against white and Asians! But if a white goes against a black it's big news! What about the black on black in Chicago? Last week 78 people were shot! They run about 50 per week! Don't say anything!

That's because people don't want to listen to God! So, as you listen to what's happening in the nation, and you see it going down and down:

• Will there be a respite?
• Will there be a turn around for a time?

A lot of people are pinning their hopes on Donald Trump. He did some good things, and he did them right. He gave honor to God for all children made in the Holy image of God. He gave God credit for this nation, in God we trust on the back of all of our dollars.

I had a person write me an e-mail and say, 'Why did God allow Biden to get in as President?' I e-mailed back and said, 'God did not allow it, He caused it!' When the good times were rolling… You think about it: when things are going nice and smooth for you, how much is your mind on God? It's easy to stray! But when there's trouble and difficulties you go to God! Well, for the nation there were the good times, full employment, least amount of unemployment, the border was secure and everybody was making money, but no one returned to God!

It's kind of like in the book of Job. Satan came to God and what did he say? God said to Satan, 'Where are you going?' Oh, to and fro in the earth! God says, 'Well, look at My servant Job and how righteous he is.' Yeah, but you let him be in my hands and he'll curse You to your face!

Why did God let that happen? There was Job, everything was fine; he was even praying for his own sons, offering offerings so they wouldn't be held accountable for their sins. Why would God do that to one of the most righteous men in the Bible?

Every time I talk about Job I remember the first time I read the whole thing through. I thought that God is wrong. Look how miserable I am compared to what Job was, and he went through it!

So, why did God do that? The long and short is, Job—in the name of God—was worshipping himself!You can read all the things:

• I did this
• I did that
• I did the other thing
• oh that God would come down and talk to me, I would tell Him a thing or two
• wished we had an umpire between us and He would know that I was righteous

If God does that on one man, what do you think He's going to do to the children of Israel. God gave us this beautiful land, everything from sea to shining sea!

Jer. 2—if this doesn't describe what we have before us today, I don't know!

Jeremiah 2:7: "And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled My land and made My inheritance an abomination." How did that happen?

Verse 8[transcriber's correction]: "The priests did not say, "Where is the LORD?" And they who handle the Law did not know Me…"

In watching some other Protestants, like Jim Baker and Jonathan Cahn. Cahn knows a lot, but he comes right up to that 95th percentile and turns. So, in discussing this with different one from time to time, the question is: What's going to happen to Jonathan Cahn? I do not know! That's going to be between him and God!

They "…did not know Me…" (v 8).

In watching Jim Baker, he knows very little about the Bible, yet, he's been on there for years.

"…the rulers also rebelled against Me…" (v 8).

Just like it is today. They're all rebelling against God! There are some trying not to. You look at all the things that Donald Trump did that were good, they were very good and the whole country profited from it. What happened? The people didn't respond to God, and the ministers didn't respond to God!

"…and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit" (v 8).

That's what happens! It's like this: Here you have a combination lock and you have a certain sequence of numbers to open it. You must do it correctly, otherwise you can't open it. You know there's a lot of gold in there and you want to get it. You know that the safe is so strong you can't get dynamite and blow it up.

The only way you're going to get it is the right combination. What if the one who gave you the combination left off one number? Or maybe two? You couldn't open it!

It's the same way with the Bible! They don't know how to teach the people. They will teach the people the good things about God. They will lament about the bad things that are happening. Even one minister says that you have to repent from dead works.

I hope in his book that he says that repentance is toward God! Dead works is breaking the commandments of God. But, we'll have to wait and see.

(break@40:25)

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*****

What do we need to do as a nation and a church? We'll talk a little bit about the Church when we get toward the end. What is it that we need to do? We've seen the indictment of God by sin, so ask it of yourself: What do I need to do?

There's a level for the people in the world coming back to God; those of the children of Israel. There is a level for us of staying right with God, because we know the Truth. Those run parallel.

We're going to see in Jeremiah that all the way through until you get about a little over halfway past the middle, and there he says—because they didn't turn—and remember he was preaching for 40 years. So, after a couple of other events God tells Jeremiah, 'Do not pray for this people, because I will not hear you!'

When it comes to that point, it's going to be very bad everywhere!

Jeremiah 4:1: "'If you will return, O Israel'…"

We know where Israel is in prophecy. We know that we are a country based upon the principles in the Bible, and some parts literally of the Bible. More people used to believe in God than in any nation on earth. That's the true God of the Bible! But today not so!

God says, v 1: "'If you will return, O Israel,' says the LORD, 'Return to Me….'"

• not an idea of Who God is
• not what a preacher may say God is

But what the Scriptures say Who God is, and you come to Him!

"…And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight…" (v 1). What are the abominations?

• abortion

That's causing the immigration problem!

• drugs
• religion and education

Tie them together because what they're teaching in the schools is a satanic religion! So, religion and schools, universities.

• government
• the individual, whoever you are, wherever you are

Because God know you, and whether you like it or not, whether you know it or not, your life is totally dependent upon God!

Just exactly as God inspired Paul to tell those at Mars Hill, which is where all the philosophers were. They were the smartest, the brightest; but they were actually the dumbest! So, Paul said:

I see that you're reverent to demons. I saw this little placard over here—a little make up for you just in case your brains didn't figure this one out; that was the implication—that said, To the Unknown God! I'm here to tell you about the 'Unknown God.'

He's made the heavens, the earth and everything there is in it. He put the nations in the boundaries where they should be. And every individual, every human being on earth, lives, moves and has their being in Him.

A few repented! So, here we have it.

"…if you will put away your abominations… [that's going to be a lot to do] …out of My sight then you shall not be removed, and will swear, 'As the LORD lives,' in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; then the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him they shall glory" (vs 1-2). That's the alternative, but they wouldn't do it!

God gives them a space of remission from all of the troubles going on; notice what it comes down to, one man has to do it. A lot of people thought that was Donald Trump. Maybe he did for a while; we don't know how it's going to be going down the road in the future. But we can't wait and see, but here's the truth.

Jeremiah 5:1—God tells Jeremiah: "Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in her open places, if… [this is how bad it is]: ….you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks the Truth; I will pardon her."

We don't know how much of a revival there's going to be among the Protestants and people. There also has to be that with the Churches of God, when you look at the Churches of God, as well. It comes on an individual level.

Jeremiah 19:1: "Thus says the LORD, 'Go and get a potter's earthen jar, and assemble some of the elders of the people and of the elders of the priests.'"

Why would God do that? Because these are the ones who are responsible for all the abominations going on! Look at it today; we have a President who can't tell the truth. So, the whole nation is filled with lies, stupidity and crime. The leaders need to know, because the leaders can stop it. You and I can't do it. You and I can take care of our lives. Whatever I do to serve the brethren, if I don't take care of my life before God the way it should be, I can't help any of you. That's just the way it is.

Verse 2: "And go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom by the entry of Potsherd Gate. And there declare the words that I shall tell you. And say, 'Hear the Word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and people of Jerusalem….'" (vs 2-3).

Look at what's happening in Jerusalem today. They're trying to get every device to try and save the Jews in the area of Jerusalem and Palestine. But they're leaving out God. I imagine that there are some among the Jews who are trying to include God, but they're leaving Him out.

Same way with here in America. How many Protestant ministers are saying, 'Let's have a day of fasting and prayer and all confess our sins'? There may be some here and there!

"…Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will bring evil upon this place…" (v 3).

We can see it already forming! There may be a respite, because of Jer. 5:1, but as we go down in time if not we're looking at it right here. Same thing!

"…which shall cause the ears of him who hears it to tingle. Because they have forsaken Me…" (vs 3-4). All the way through he says, 'Return to Me!'

"…and have profaned this place and have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents" (v 4).

How about 62-million!? How's that? I have a picture coming called, The Tiniest Crucifixion,and it shows a baby boy aborted and killed at about six months in the womb. And there's quiet a little story underneath it. Think of that; 3,000 abortions a day! This nation has sold it's soul to sex and perversion!

God knows, because God gave the spirit of man to every one of the 62-million when each one was conceived.

Verse 5: "They have also built the high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal…"

What are the teaching the children in California? The chants of the Mayans who sacrificed children and adults! One of the greatest sacrifices was upon that pyramid that they have. It was to cut the heart out while it was still beating and offer it up to Satan! Those same descendants of that evil are crossing our borders now uninhibited. It will be 2-million this year. Think about what's going to happen!

Verse 5: "They have also built the high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I never commanded nor spoke, nor did it come into My mind. Therefore, behold, the days come,' says the LORD, 'that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but The Valley of Slaughter" (vs 5-6).

Jeremiah 23:10: "For the land is full of adulterers…. "—everywhere, everything!

Sidebar: the more sin there is, the more demons are let loose! You watch the advertisement for a coming Disney World movie. Look at all those hideous things that they have drawn. Those are all depictions of demons. Every one of them. That's for the kids!

"…Because of swearing the land mourns…" (v 10).

• What happens?
• Why do we have drought?

Near where Joe lives, they have the Shasta Dam and they're worried that the water level is going to go so low that they can't run the hydroelectric generators.

• What are they going to do then?
• What are all the 'greenie weenies' going to do with their electric cars?

They can't charge them up! We ought to go into horse and buggy and chariot business and give them some relief.

"…the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and they wield power unjustly. 'For both prophet and priest are ungodly; yea, in My house I have found their evil,' says the LORD…." (vs 10-11). Think about that!

In the Protestant churches—and we'll include the Churches of God, as well—there are some who are trying to do good. How much will the assuage what God is going to do? We don't know! But it would be great if they would take the final step and really come back to God.

Will the ones who do somewhat good and go into captivity be part of the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude? Could be, I don't know! We don't know!

Verse 11: "'For both prophet and priest are ungodly; yea, in My house I have found their evil,' says the LORD 'So their way shall be to them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be driven on, and fall in their way; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their judgment,' says the LORD" (vs 11-12).

Notice how this is switched. The first part of it, 20 years earlier, if you repent God will accept it. Here it is, not much repentance here.

Verse 13: "And I have seen repulsive things in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal and caused My people Israel to go astray. I have also seen in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in lies. They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that none returns from his evil; they are all of them like Sodom to Me, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah" (vs 13-14).

That's what they're trying to teach all the children today! Why all of these kinds of teachings in the schools? To legalize pedophilia and incest! If they legalize it, there won't be any criminals. But in the eyes of God, that's worse.

Sidebar: Did you hear what Justice Clarence Thomas said recently? We ought to legalize marijuana!

Have you ever dealt with someone who has had marijuana, that high powered marijuana and smoked it heavily. The THC gets right into the brain. It causes schizophrenia, hallucinations, voices in the head and wrong thinking. That's strong stuff!

Why Justice Thomas would say that, I don't know! But it does destroy the brain. Here in one situation that I'm aware of, we had to deal with a young man who got heavy into marijuana, and it's 20 times stronger than what it was 50 years ago. He got his brain so messed up, absolutely twisted around. It was hard and it took five years to come back to normal. Five years! Think about that!

Anybody out there thinking they will try marijuana. You get hooked on it and then you want stronger, and you get hooked on that. Then you want something stronger, and then you get on some of these other drugs and they absolutely destroy you!

Go on Church at Home—churchathome.org—and watch the segment that I did on The Deception of Drugs! You will see those poor young people out there, wiped out, crazy on their knees and hands screaming, yelling because of the drugs and the power of the marijuana that they have.

God looks down and sees that! How is that going to be changed?

Verse 14: "I have also seen in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in lies. They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that none returns from his evil; they are all of them like Sodom to Me, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets, 'Behold, I will feed them wormwood, and make them drink poisonous water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone forth into all the land.' Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you vain; they speak a vision from their own heart, not out of the mouth of the LORD. They still say to those who despise Me.' The LORD has said, 'You shall have peace!' And they say to everyone who walks after the imagination of his own heart, 'No evil shall come upon you!' For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD to see and hear His Word?…." (vs 14-18).

That's where it is today. Are the Churches of God really standing in the counsel of the Lord? Look at how bad it is! Look at what is happening! Would you like to live in Portland? Think about that! Every place else could become like Portland overnight and 'defund the police.'

"…Who has attended to His Word and heard it? Behold, the tempest of the LORD has gone forth in fury…" (vs 18-19).

We're not quite there, yet. So, can that be put back for a while? We'll have to wait and see.

"…a whirling tempest. It shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked" (v 19).

Know this: IF we're right with God, you can claim Psa. 91. There can even fall at your right hand and your left hand. It will be miserable to see and watch, but it won't come near you.

Verse 20: "The anger of the LORD shall not return, until He has executed and until He has performed the purposes of His heart; in the latter days you shall understand it perfectly."

Now, let's come to Rev. 2 & 3 and here we are in the latter days. We have a lot to consider. One of my hopes is that there will be at least some of the Protestant ministers really repent and say that they are going to start keeping the Sabbath. That would be revolutionary. If I had an opportunity to speak to them, I would say:

Do you know that there's one important thing that you're missing in your message? You talk about Christ and the forgiveness of sin!. That's all well and good, but:

• Do you really remove them from sin?
• What is the one thing that you all have agreed upon, which keeps everybody locked into sin? It's in the Bible!

But

• Are you willing to do what God says?
• Do you love God?

You say you're working for God; you say you're a minister for God. You have this television show and this church over here.

• What is that one thing?
• What do you think you need to do to change it?

You claim the Ten Commandments. You say that you keep the Ten Commandments. All right:

• Why don't you keep the 4th one?
• Why don't you teach your people to keep it?

God says to remember it! But you have forgotten it! That's why the evil is coming!

That's what they would have to do! They can say repent all they want, but unless they say that repentance is the transgression of the Law; and that's what they've been doing. Same way with the Churches of God! Let's look at something with the Churches of God.

REVELATION 2:

Ephesus:

They had a lot of things going for them because they started out with all the original apostles and they were able to fight off all the false apostles and everything like that.

What happened to them? The got tired and lazy, and they lost their first love! That was their great sin! Jesus says, 'Repent!'

Smyrna:

Of all the Churches of God that I've heard of… Dolores said that she heard of one church in Oklahoma called the Smyrna Church. You know why they don't want to be called the Smyrna Church? Because they're going to persecuted and thrown in jail! But God says that because you're faithful, you're rich.

Pergamos:

Revelation 2:13: "…where the throne of Satan is…"

So, they picked up some of the doctrines of Satan; eating things sacrificed to idols and committing fornication. That is spiritual and probably as well as physical fornication.

Who is the woman in Rev. 17 that the whole world is drinking out of the cup of the wine? Babylon the Great! So, here is what God says, and He means it for His Church, too.

Verse 16: "Repent! For if you do not repent, I will come to you quickly, and will make war against them with the sword of My mouth."

In other words, He's going to bring to pass everything that He has said for those who are in the Church of God, who lie and bring in Satan's way. That judgment is going to come upon them!

Thyatira:

Look at how bad that is. I would also say to the Protestant minister, 'Did you know that because you don't keep the Sabbath you're following Rome? That you're really another brand of Catholicism? Ever thought of that?

There are a lot of things wrong with the Church of Thyatira. It had a lot of commendable things, but:

Verse 20: "But I have a few things against you, because you allow the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants into committing fornication and eating things sacrificed to idols." That is the Sacrifice of the Mass!

That is doing away with the Passover! Always remember the two most important things that God will honor:

• Sabbath
• Passover

We'll see in a minute that that is probably the minimum that God will accept as being part of the Body of Christ.

Joe and I could have a discussion about some his relatives and how they did. But I imagine those two things were paramount going back four generations.

Verse 21: "And I gave her time to repent of her fornication, but she did not repent."

Here is the point, and this applies to all of us; v 23: "And I will kill her children with death…"

If you kill, they're dead. Can you kill them with life? No, that's a oxymoron! Kill them with death is the second death!He's warning them that they're so bad to be careful or you're going to have the second death.

"…and all the churches shall know that I am He…" (v 23).

Now, listen to this. Never can we sit up here and say that 'we are perfect, but look at them over there, they're not.' No, that's not true!

"…Who searches the reins and hearts; and I will give to each of you according to your works" (v 23). Each one! That's how important you are to God!

• He will help you
• He will direct you
• He will guide you
• He will bless you
• He will try you
• He will test you

All of those things to perfect your faith!

Verse 24: "But to you I say, and to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan…"

How far down did they go? We don't know! Sound's like some of the things that Jeremiah was talking about to the people back there. How far did they go?

"…as they speak; I will not cast upon you any other burden, but hold fast what you have until I come. And to the one who overcomes" (vs 24-26).

Everyone of these says to overcome!

REVELATION 3:

Sardis:

Who has few doctrines. I think, as you look at it, they kept the Passover and the Sabbath.

Philadelphia:

Everyone wants to be the Church of Philadelphia and even one Seventh Day Adventist Church up in San Francisco called itself The Seventh Day Adventist Philadelphia Church. Notice there's no correction.

• Why?
• What was the first thing Jesus told Satan? Man shall live by every Word of God!

The Philadelphians may not be one group. There may be Philadelphians in other Churches of God, individuals. Or maybe even alone in the world!

Verse 10: "Because you have kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you from the time of temptation, which is about to come upon the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth."

That's what we all need to do, keep the Word of God! Remember that what we do today builds for tomorrow! But if we come to tomorrow and we say, 'Oh, look what I did yesterday,' and then you slack off! You have to be consistent in it every day.

Laodicea:

Verse 14: "And to the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, write: These things says the Amen… [direct witness from Christ] …the faithful and true Witness, the Beginner of the creation of God. I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you be either cold or hot" (vs 14-15). That's pretty self-explanatory!

• to be hot means to be zealous
• to be cold means hohum

They're neither; they're lukewarm!

Verse 16: "So then, because you are lukewarm, and are neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth."

Look at the history of what we had with what was called the Worldwide Church of God.

• Remember what happened?
• Where is it?

Look at all the different churches that came out of it! If you're looking down from heaven and the vomit is spewing, what would you see? Some over here, some over there, some over here. So, all the churches that came out of Worldwide were a result of leaving for righteousness sake; you didn't wait for the vomit to happen or for the vomit.

Nevertheless, that was, at that time, the richest and largest Church of God that we knew of. Look at what we have today. Even when you compare Worldwide with the Protestant churches… Let's do a little comparison here:

Are any of the churches today that are rich and increased with goods? No! No we're not! Gerald Flurry calls all the rest of us Laodiceans. He better be careful, because when you point forward, you have three fingers point backward.

• Are we rich and increased with goods?
• How many Rolls Royces are park outside that you drove up in?
• Or a Cadillac?

Most of us have a Kia or a Nisan or a Toyota, all made in Japan! How much money do we take in each a year? You see the financial statement that goes out! We have a $1.3-5 million a year. That's not rich and increased with good.

Let's look at the Protestants:

• Are they rich and increased with goods? They're on all the television stations because they have all the money!
• Do they have colleges?
• Hospitals?
• Buildings?
• Do they take in lots of money? Yes, they do!

Speculation: Could some of the Protestants be included among the Laodiceans? Let's think about it.

Verse 17: "For you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'; and you do not understand that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire so that you may be rich… [in other words, the true riches of the Scriptures of God] …and white garments so that you may be clothed… [the righteousness of the saints; so they're missing both; they're blind] …and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and to anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see" (vs 17-18).

That eye salve is understanding the Word of God. In other words, get rid of the blinders that are there with the salve.

Verse 19: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten…."

Think about those who even during Jesus' day were casting out demons in His name but weren't a part of the Church. But they were still doing many things.

"…Therefore, be zealous and repent…. [here is the kicker]: …Behold, I stand at the door and knock…. [He's ready to return and also knocking on the door of their mind] …If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him…" (vs 19-20). That's receiving the Spirit of Christ!

What does this tell you? That the majority of those in Laodicea do not have the Spirit of God within them! They may have the Spirit of God with them, but not in them!

I want you to watch some of the Protestants and what they do and see if this doesn't fit. Let's see what happens to them as we get closer to the end.

"…and will sup with him, and he with Me" (v 20).

There you have it. So, whatever God is going to do, we pray that His will be done! We don't know how it's going to happen to some of these different ones that we just talked about here. But I wonder how much of our message should also be geared to those people so they can repent and receive God's Spirit.

They do good up to a certain point. They help people with a lot of things, but there's where it is. I ask you to think on it and watch and see what happens. It would be very profound if some things like that would occur.

I know of two Protestant churches where they have renounced Sunday-keeping and are keeping the Sabbath. I hope there are many more. Whatever we can do to help, if the occasion arises, we'll help them. I mean, after all they're not against Christ. They're for Him, aren't they? But they're blinded and they can't see.

So, in the day we have all the troubles and things we have to go through, let's see how it comes out.

Scriptural References:

Joe Sanchez:

• Revelation 12:9
• Isaiah 30:9-10
• Isaiah 29:9-10
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
• Daniel 12:10
• Acts 28:26-27

Fred Coulter:

• Isaiah 29:11-14
• Malachi 3:7-8
• Jeremiah 2:7-8
• Jeremiah 4:1-2
• Jeremiah 5:1
• Jeremiah 19:1-6
• Jeremiah 23:10-20
• Revelation 2:13, 16, 20-21, 23-26
• Revelation 3:10, 14-20

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• John 3:16
• Psalm 91
• Revelation 17

Also referenced:

• Book: God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days by Fred R. Coulter
• Church At Home {churchathome.org}

            The Deception of Drugs

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7/7/21

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