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The time of temptation is about to come upon the whole world;
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!
Fred R. Coulter—February 18, 2023
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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services! Events—plural—are coming to pass as never before.
News Reports:
The Church of England might give God a gender-neutral pronouns
{https://nypost.com/2023/02/08/church-of-england-might-give-god-gender-neutral-pronouns/}
By changing the Bible itself! That's a far cry from what it was when the English Bible was published after William Tyndale did the whole thing.
What they want to do is remove references he/him to simply God, or they/them rewriting Our Father that starts out the Lord's prayer this way: our Father and mother…
That goes clear back to the mid-90s when I got the New Revised Standard Version of the New Testament, which was in gender/neuter form. That's what they proposed clear back then.
So, one lesson, Satan never gives up! When that happens, there's going to be a revolt in the Anglican Church. Here's a picture of the bishop in Africa, and this has to do with same-sex marriage. The Church of England also wants to sanctify same-sex marriage. That might split the Anglican Church.
It works out this way: When Satan comes out of his closet and is known publicly, he does a lot of things. At the same time in the nation of the United Arab Emirates they have finished the Center of Interfaith Community. They have a big building for the synagogue for the Jews, and identical type of building for the Muslims, and another identical building for the Catholics. Isn't it interesting that the Protestants aren't there? Makes you wonder!
So, they're all hugs and kisses, and everything is fine. We've been watching that and that is coming along and developing. People are going to fall for it.
I want to mention that gathering in Kentucky of university students from many different places in the world, started out to be kind of a church oriented meeting, and it turned into a confessional, When one boy started confessing his sins publicly to everybody, everyone else wanted to confess their sins, as well. Through the last couple of weeks there have been young people coming there from every country in the world.
This is supposed to be a great awakening of young people, but where will it go? They say they're coming to God, and that's all well and good. But:
- Are they coming to God the way that God says that we should come?
- What is it?
- Will that grow to be a movement of young people?
- Guess who's going to overtake that? Satan!
- What if stirs up young people in Islamic nations? Catholic nations? Jewish settlements around the world?
They will all say that we want to all join together! Then, lo and behold, the present pope dies and a young pope is elected. Then he brings it all together.
When things like this start, and it looks like a good thing, because Satan always brings everything to us as benefit. So, we'll see what happens with that.
Let's see another one here; many people have forgotten about this: The National Security Agency of the United States. They've been building for a number of years in Utah a giant digital tech center that can track everyone in the world if necessary. There's an air photo of it showing how big it is. It's all ready to go. I want you to put the dots together, because there are prophecies being fulfilled right at the same time. They're all going to coalesce.
There has been some resistance in America, and they were able to get the Chinese out where they wanted to put up that cornmeal processing center in South Dakota. Also, it looks like the Chinese have a whole bunch of problems at home. They had a zero tolerance for Covid and would lock everybody up and not let them out. They really had really quite a large revolt.
But now China is facing certain problems that they cannot avoid. those are demographic problems because many of the leaders of the Communist Party are old and have organ transplants from younger people.
{transcriber's note: the following reports are not currently found on the Internet}
Heading into 2023 Xi Jinping is grappling with one of the most passing ruling crisis from the out of control Covid outbreak. The recent collective deaths of officials and elites have triggered more dissatisfaction with his policies among the Chinese Communist Party higher echelons.
So, there are reports that not only is there unrest among the leadership of the Communist Chinese in China, but with this Covid outbreak that they had, they had 100-million deaths! That's like a third of the of the population of America.
China is not going to be doing anything major for a while, with the exception that too many times when dictators are in trouble they start a war. So, we need to be on guard and see if they want to take over Taiwan.
Also in China they have persecution of anyone who has any religion that they don't approve of, and they torture and kill the followers, in this case of Goolong Fong.
Here's what's also in the works: the rise of Anti-humanism. The ideas of billionaires plotting to get rid of other people, but not themselves or their own families is repugnant to both.
That's what the Davos situation is all about, and the World Economic Forum. It may be worse than that. Remarkably as reported by The Naked Emperor, 'we're not seeing the emergence of a cult that embraces the total annihilation of all mankind.' That's how to save nature, get rid of all human beings. Is that not a satanic thought?
The revolt against humanity is still outlandish, but it has already spread beyond the fringes of the intellectual world.
It is inspired by revolution of humanity's destruction of natural environment. For all we know these billionaires could be part of a cult and influencing policies based on these views.
There's another one coming up, and this is going to be interesting. It's coming up and presented as a really good thing. This is called The Amazon.Go Store. I want to play a clip which will advertise all of its advantages!
(clip shown on video at truthofgod.org)
Four years ago we started to wonder what would shopping look like if you could walk into a store, grab what you want and just go. What if we could weave advanced machine learning, computer vision and AI into the very fabric of a store so you never have to wait in line.
No lines, no checkouts, no registers! Welcome to Amazon Go. Use the Amazon Go App to enter, then put away your phone start shopping. It's really that simple!
Take whatever you like. Anything you pick up is automatically added to your virtual card. If you change your mind about that cupcake, just put it back. Our technology will update your virtual card automatically.
So, how does it work? We use computer vision, deep learning algorithms and censor fusion much like you find in self-driving cars. We call it just walk out technology!
Once you've got everything you want you can just go. When you leave, our just walk out technology adds up your virtual cart and charges your Amazon account. Your receipt is sent straight to the App and you can keep going.
Amazon Go! No lines! No checkout! Seriously!
That's what the stores and all business will look like when the mark of the beast is fully implemented.
Rev.13—we've read this before, but when we see it actually coming out into the open and they have a good number of these stores going along right now. As a matter of fact, Randy Vild our editor who does the video editing and Church at Home, has an Amazon store near him. That one is a transition store. They still have some cash, and they have people working there to put up the stock. But everything is based upon you walking in, buying what you want and take it and just check out like you checked in and they know everything that you have purchased. They know how long you were in the store, what you have for you particular own tastes. They have that for all customers coming in.
They always have with the chip that they know where you are. Think about what it's going to be when they have it so that they can tap into what you are thinking! This shows that Satan wants total control and destruction of all human beings!
Revelation 13:11: "And I saw another beast rising out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon"—which is Satan the devil that ancient serpent! And it shows that everyone worships Satan the devil and:
Verse 3: "…and the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast."
That's coming and we've seen some preludes of it. There may be some pushback for a while, but how long will that pushback actually last? It comes from Satan the devil!
Verse 12: "And he exercises all the authority of the first beast before him; and he causes the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast… [we will look at what that means] …whose deadly wound was healed. And he performs great wonders, so that he even causes fire to come down to the earth from heaven in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by means of the wonders that were given to him to perform in the sight of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image… [or icon] …for the beast..." (vs 12-14).
You can imagine that they will have icons, images, T-shirts, baseball hats, flags, signs all about the wondrous things of the beast.
"…which had the wound by the sword, yet, was alive. And he was given power to give life to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast also could speak…" (vs 14-15).
Think about this: No one is going to be fooled by holographics, nor are they going to be fooled if it's programmed by a computer internally in the image of the beast. So, this will be a tremendous miracle that will take place!
"…and he causes everyone who will not worship the image of the beast to be killed… [there is the martyrdom that is coming] …And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, to receive a mark in their right hands, or in their foreheads" (vs 15-16).
Right now it's smart phone. Some people already have the chip in their right hand, most notably the most are in Sweden. They think it's a wonderful thing.
Look at all the control that's going to be had by all the authorities of all the nations if everyone has a chip in their hand or forehead. First of all, as we saw in the video clip, will be the smart phone. That is called digital currency. at the present time there are nations that are developing digital currency to be used. China already has a great deal of it. Everything will be on the smart phone.
If you have a smart phone there is nothing personal that you can have. It will be known by the state and their watchers and snoopers, and they will come after everyone who doesn't agree with them to be killed. That's going to be the point of the martyrdom of the saints.
They will have that mark, v 17: "So that no one may have the ability to buy and sell unless he has the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
Cannot buy or sell! So, when they get the digital currency… By the way, Joe Biden already ordered the study of the Central Bank digital currency for the United States. They're doing this in India and countries in Europe. so, when it gets to the point that all the Central Banks have the mechanisms necessary so that there can be digital money, then they will outlaw all money.
Now then, it will end up being just like China. If you're a 'good little boy or girl' they'll put money in your digital account. If you're not, you won't get any! Or if you're against the policies of the state they will restrict you from traveling. You will have no freedom of your own to make your own choice. You will be an absolute slave of Satan the devil.
Now we will see the difference between temptation and tribulation. This helps us to understand what we need to be doing now. The tendency of all human beings is to wait until it's too late, or wait until there's a catastrophe, like what happened in New Palestine, Ohio. They had all of this toxic, death dealing with the derailment of the train. What was in there was the same thing that was used as mustard gas in WWI.
Since that part of the country voted for Trump, the Democrats aren't doing anything to try and help and to clean it up. That's what it's going to be like once Satan's power comes into play in all nations. You will either do what they say or you will die!
Revelation 3:8—to the Church of Philadelphia: "I know your works.…"
God always knows our works, because they prove our faith; if we don't have faith, we won't have works. Whatever faith you have is known by your works: what you do and what you say!
"…Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no one has the power to shut it because you have a little strength, and have kept My Word, and have not denied My name" (v 8).
Notice keeping the Word of God! That means living by it!
Verse 9: "Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan…"
That whole group of millionaires, billionaires and those like the World Economic Forum with Klaus Schwab. Well, maybe things might look like they might change a little bit, but then remember: If they change they come full circle back to what they want! That's called patience!
Or like the communist say, 'two steps forward, one steps back; two steps forward, one step back, and over a period of time they get what they want. That's what we have today. The new running of the world is going to be called technocracy run by digital technology!
Read Matt. 4 and Luke 4 where Satan told Jesus that he would give Him all the nations of the world and the glory of them if He [Jesus] would bow down and worship him. That tells you who the god is of all of these multi-billionaires and those who run the world today, who meet in Davos with the World Economic Forum and everything.
"…who proclaim themselves to be Jews… [authentic, bringing the Truth] …and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will cause them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the Word of My patience..." (vs 9-10).
How important is it to keep the Word of God?
"…I also will keep you from the time of temptation…" (v 10).
Most people think that this temptation is the tribulation. But temptation is a different word in the Greek. It means to be drawn to sin, drawn to evil! What is going to be the biggest temptation that's going to come on all 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."
What will that temptation be? Probably will consist of two things:
- worshipping the beast
- receiving the mark of the beast
That's the temptation!
Tribulation is different; it's like everything in chaos and upside down. In Matt. 24 we're looking at things that are developing. It's amazing that in just the last couple of weeks here we have so many of the different things in prophecy coming together. When they all get together then we're going to have a complete change in the whole world's system as it's been known.
Matthew 24:21: "For then shall there be Great Tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again."
All of these things are leading to it. We're still a ways from it, but we're closer than we have ever been.
Verse 22: "And if those days were not limited…"
The KJV says, 'cut short', but it means limited. God has limited the Great Tribulation to 3-1/2 years.
"…there would no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be limited" (v 22).
That's a pretty tough statement! If God let it run any further, there would be no flesh saved! That's human and animal life! Don't all the animals have flesh? Yes!
Verse 23: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or, 'He is there,' do not believe it." Christ is not going to come in a secret, hidden way!
Verse 24: "For there shall arise false Christs… [Did you know that today there are four individuals who claim that they are Christ?] …and false prophets…"
Let's talk about false prophets and false prophecies. We read about the mark of the beast that you can't buy or sell. But the Seventh-Day Adventists have it wrong! They say the mark of the beast is Sunday-keeping. So, when the temptation comes to receive the mark of the beast or not, they'll be told that 'this is only buying and selling.' Amazing!
"…and they shall present great signs and wonders, in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have foretold it to you" (vs 24-25).
He also says, and we've covered this before, but let's understand what Jesus says. This is the end-time and the last generation. We have thought on many occasions that we're getting to the last generation. remember when we were told that Herbert Armstrong is going to live until Christ returns. Well, that didn't happen! He died in 1986 at 92-years-old.
Others have said that Christ in October or November, whatever the occasion may be. We've had that in 1988, 1989, 1997, 1999 and 2004. But Christ hasn't come, because all of the prophecies have not been fulfilled for that to come.
Verse 34: "Truly I say to you, this generation shall in no wise pass away until all… [each and every one of these things have taken place; it is guaranteed to happen] …these things have taken place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away" (vs 34-35).
The Protestants ought to read that concerning what Jesus said about the Law. He said, 'Until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law or the Prophets.'
Verse 36: "But concerning that day, and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only…. [we're going to know what it's like]: …Now, as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of man" (vs 36-37).
Everything looked normal until they got in the ark. I like when you read the account, they got into the ark and were in there seven days before it started raining! Can you imagine the people who gathered around making fun:
Ha! Ha! Why are you in the ark! You said that it's going to flood. Here we are watching you and today is day five, and not even a drop of rain has fallen.
Then on the seventh day, the fountains of the deep broke up and the heavens unleashed their water and destroyed them all! A good lesson: prophecy always happens like God said that it would.
Deut. 28—these things are happening right now, and we can't close our eyes to it. We can't wish that it would go away and then have it go away. If there's going to be any reprieve in anything, God is the One Who will bring it.
A lot of people look at this youth group in Kentucky and say that's a good thing. It may be, but:
- Where is it going to go?
- How many preachers of the Churches of God teaching them to keep the Sabbath? None!
I want you to read all the curses. We'll read some of them and we'll ask: Are these happening today?
Deuteronomy 28:15: "And it shall come to pass, if you will not hearken to the voice of the LORD your God to observe and to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you."
Do you think we have curses coming upon us today in America? Look at it!
Verse 16: "Cursed shall you be in the city…"
- How do you like New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Seattle, St. Louis, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other big cities.
- Are we cursed in the city?
"…and cursed shall you be in the field…. [that's coming] …Cursed shall be your basket and your store. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, the increase of your livestock, and the flocks of your sheep" (vs 16-18).
Every single thing that we need to live by comes from God! That applies to everybody in the world. But when these curses come, it's going to come, and it's going to be devastating! Just like the earthquake that happened here a couple weeks ago over in the area of Armenia, Syria and Turkey; 50,000 died! That's just a foretaste of what's coming.
Verse 19: "Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out."
Isn't that the way that it is? People are afraid to leave their homes! Afraid to open the door if someone knocks on it!
Verse 20: "The LORD shall send on you cursing, vexation, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do until you are destroyed…"
Think about everything that has happened since Joe Biden has been President. He is owned body, soul and spirit by the Chinese, and his administration by Satan the devil. All the proposals that they have are to tear down America. Why?
Because those who say they are God's people and have the Word of God and say they are Christians, but do not obey the voice of God! They are the ones who have brought this lawlessness all about with their lawless grace! So, now we have a lawless society.
Verse 21: "The LORD shall make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from off the land where you go to possess it." How many sicknesses and diseases do we have?
Verse 22: "The LORD shall strike you with lung disease and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew. And they shall pursue you until you perish." Isn't that happening?
Verse 23: "And your heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth that is under you iron."
That's going to happen! Thankfully, we had a little reprieve with water here in California. We've had enough water to carry us for a couple of years. But it's still in drought.
Look at areas of the Middle East and the Sahara Desert, which used to be productive places, producing lots of food. The Sahara was known as 'the bread basket of Rome.' But look at it today: sand, heat and desolation! Can happen here!
Verse 24: "The LORD shall make the rain of your land powder and dust…."
That happened in the 1930s when the Great Dustbowl took place. That dust cloud was so great, and the stupid politicians in Washington, D.C., didn't want to do anything because they didn't think it was as bad as supposed. But when that huge cloud came and settled right on Washington, D. C., then they understood that, yes, the Midwest is a dust bowl. It's not now, but it can be again.
Verse 25: "The LORD shall cause you to be stricken before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them.…"
Look at what happened with Afghanistan, and look at what's happening to the military branches of America today. They are so interested in wokism and equity, they are not interested in proficiency and protection. They want to put, by race, those who are not white in positions of authority. Look what's happened in Washington, D. C., where they have done that.
I submit to you the one who briefs the news reporters, she is the dumbest, most stupid spokesperson that has ever been! Look at her and you know why she is there.
"…And you shall become abhorrent unto all the kingdoms of the earth. And your dead bodies shall be food to all birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth. And no man shall frighten them away. The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with the hemorrhoids, and with the scab, and with the itch, of which you cannot be healed" (vs 25-27).
Watch all the ads on television and all of these diseases are mentioned. You can get this and that medicine for it.
Verse 28: "The LORD shall strike you with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart." Isn't that what we have today?
- people who can't think?
- people who don't know what to do?
- people that can't understand which way is up or down?
All of those who are addicted to all the drugs and all the problems that come with that. Add on top of that all of the deaths of those who are using fentanyl, made by our 'friends' in China for the health of the nation, to kill as many as possible!
I know this is heavy reading, but sometimes we need to look at it and see it for what it is, lest we becomes complacent and think that these things are not going to happen.
(break@44:07)
I know that this is kind of heavy reading, but nevertheless, these things are happening and we're seeing them on the news, in many places in the world. We need to realize that the Word of God is true and every word is going to come to pass, and it's going to happen. We're seeing it right before our eyes!
We need to do what we can to be prepared as these times come so that we are not caught flatfooted and we are not caught, especially on the low side of our relationship with God.
I know that this is a little difficult reading, but we need to understand that these things are the reality of the world that we're looking at today!
Deuteronomy 28:31: "Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat of it…. [China wants to take all of the food that they can from America] …Your donkey shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you… [our cars, trucks and things like that] …your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have none to rescue them. Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people… [that's coming] …and your eyes shall look and fail for them all the day long. And there shall be no power in your hand. The fruit of your land and all your labors shall be eaten up by a nation, which you do not know.…" (vs 31-33).
That's interesting, not any of the nations that we know in the Middle East and Europe; undoubtedly China.
"…And you shall only be oppressed and crushed always… [Isn't that what's been happening the last number of years?] …and you shall be driven mad because of that which you shall see with the sight of your eyes. The LORD shall strike you in the knees and in the legs with an evil ulcer that cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the top of your head" (vs 33-35).
Of course, those diseases have been coming upon us. Look at what they did in shutting everything down with Covid-19.
Verse 36: "The LORD shall bring you, and your king, which you shall set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known. And there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD shall lead you. You shall carry much seed out into the field and shall gather little in, for the locust shall eat it" (vs 36-38).
When the locust are let loose by God they're something! Then it talks about the vineyards, the olive trees and the children going into captivity.
Verse 43—this is the official doctrine of the United States of America: Those who go into positions of employment in the United States Government are those who are not white! You will see the destruction as a result of that!
Verse 43: "The stranger dwelling among you shall get up above you very high… [we are seeing that take place] …and you shall come down very low. He shall loan to you, and you shall not loan to him.…" (vs 43-44)
We're right now in the cusp of an absolutely horrendous money failure because of the profligacy of the United States Government.
"…He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. And all these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you and overtake you, until you are destroyed because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your Godto keep His commandments and His statutes, which He commanded you" (vs 44-45).
Isn't that absolutely true? Everything like we have said for many, many times comes down to three words: Obey My voice! That's what God says, and that's what we need to do. That's why we have the Sabbath Day and the upcoming Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Holy Days throughout the year.
Verse 46: "And they… [everything above] …shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever."
You can't say that this only belongs to the Jews and the Israelites of ancient times. We're the descendants of them, and in America we have, without a doubt, all 12 tribes represented here. Now what's going to happen with all the 10-million illegals that are going to have come into America before the next election? What's going to happen then?
Here's why, and this is what we also need to apply to ourselves within the Church, because God is always the same! God will recognize and honor repentance, love and obedience.
Verse 47: "Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, therefore, you shall serve your enemies, which the LORD shall send against you in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in the want of all things. And he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. The LORD shall bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you shall not understand, a nation fierce of countenance who shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young" (vs 47-50).
Then He will take everything that we have and use it for Himself and His people. Lev. 26 tell us things that are going to happen on a national basis, and many of the things that we read in Deut. 28 are happening to us on an individual basis.
Let's also understand that with the days that are ahead, we need to take care of our physical health. We need to not do the things to our bodies that's going to cause us to be weak, cause us to be sick or cause us to be stricken. We know that things like flu come along and other things like that, but if we take care of ourselves we will have less of it. We can't wait, shouldn't wait until we have an absolute emergency come upon us and then we are faced with very radical things that have to be done to us.
Leviticus 26:1: "You shall make no idols to yourselves; and you shall not set up for yourselves graven images, or a standing pillar. And you shall not set up any image of stone in your land in order to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God."
Don't we have that? Idols everywhere? If you go online and look at the Two Mike's Podcast 6 {truthofGod.org} that I gave this past week about Satan coming out of the closet, you will see making the image of Satan and bowing down to it, and proclaiming what liberty they have with it!
As I pointed out they view abortion as a 'religious' ritual; that's sacrificing children to Satan, right here in America.
Notice what God wants, and IFwe don't want any of these things that are going as a nation and also as a Church, THEN we need to watch what we're doing in the way of loving God and keeping His commandments. I don't think that we have really emphasized enough about how much Sabbath-keeping really, really means, and that we use the Sabbath:
- to learn of God
- to learn of His way
- to walk in His steps
- to keep His Laws and commandments
- to love one another
- to love God
That's what it has to be!
Sometimes when things come along, you might be discouraged and get down and out. Well, if you feel that way about things, then you need to not only get down, but get down on your knees and be praying to God for help, strength, understanding and encouragement of His Holy Spirit and of His Word. We need to stand strong in these days that Satan is coming out of the closet and running everything that he can get his hands on.
Verse 2: "You shall keep My Sabbaths …"—plural!
Passover and Unleavened Bread coming very soon, then Pentecost and then down to the fall with Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. These are important. That's why God gave them.
"…and reverence My sanctuary. … [we reverence God by praying to Him every day] …I am the LORD" (v 2).
Our lives must be conformed to the way of God. Unfortunately, that's what should be happening to all of those who profess Christianity.
I recently saw a video of the smoothest talking man I have every heard denying the Sabbath, a Protestant minister.
Verse 3: "If…" We have a choice, what are we going to do?
- a choice to us individually
- a choice to us as a Church and group
- a choice to the people of the land
That they should hear warning messages like this to stop their sins and quit going after their own things and quit trying to tell God what to do. To come to God and worship Him in love and Truth!
Verse 3: "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them … [conditional] …then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land safely" (vs 3-5).
Understand that God gives war or peace based upon how the people of the nation believe in Him or not, obey God or not. Most people do not understand that.
If you did a survey right out here: Why do you think all of these things are coming upon us? I don't know because all of these different things that they would find are the causes, what they're pointing to is the effect! The cause is here, they're not doing God's way!
Verse 6: "And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down and none shall make you afraid.…"
- Are people afraid today?
- Ho many people have alarms for their house? We do in our house!
- Why? Because of people and thieves/robbers and strangers in our midst!
- What going to happen when all of those illegals can't get jobs and they start roaming around the cities and the countryside looking for things to do, to take and rob and steal?
- What are we going to do then?
We need God's protection, and the way we get God's protection is to stay close to Him. The way we stay close to God is to love and obey Him, keep His commandments and His laws.
"…And I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; neither shall the sword go through your land. And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase a hundred…" (vs 6-8).
Not any more; they're not afraid of us and our armies. They're not afraid of the weapons that we have.
Verse 9: "For I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish My covenant with you."
That's the covenant with the nation of Israel. We have the covenant, which is called The New Covenant, with God the Father and Jesus Christ. It's very important that we maintain that covenant and everything connected with it. Most people want a religion to make them feel good, and want a religion where they can be happy, happy, happy!
- you can't be happy if you can't get rid of the fear
- you can't be happy unless you stay close to God
That's why there's always a turnstile for all the people coming to Christianity. They come for a little while and then leave, because there's nothing solid about it.
Verse 10: "And you shall eat of the old provision, and clear away the old because of the new. And I will set My tabernacle among you. And My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people" (vs 10-12).
That's what it needs to be. With us today, we have God the Father and Jesus Christ dwelling right here in the spirit of our mind. That's a tremendous, wonderful and absolutely eternal and magnificent thing to happen to us. This is why we always need to draw close to God and think about things the way God wants us to think about it.
Thank God for everything that we have, because there is nothing that we have that didn't come from what God made and created, even though men are able to do things with it to put it in different forms. For example: everything in this building that we're having services in today, everything God made, but it was refined by men and put into the various building materials, and here we have a wonderful meeting hall.
Same way with electricity, heating and air-conditioning when it gets hot. All of those things, everything that there is comes from God. Now, maybe through the hands of men, that's true, but if God didn't make it or provide the way, of if He didn't make it possible to manufacture it, it wouldn't be.
Now let's see the other side of the if and the then:
Verse 14: "But if you will not hearken to Me and will not do all these commandments, and if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul hates My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, so that you break My covenant" (vs 14-15).
Think about that, we don't want to break the covenant; we are in the New Covenant
- with God
- with the Holy Spirit
- with His Word
- with God dwelling in us
That's the whole thing! Here in the nation, there it is. That's why we're going through what we're going through.
Verse 16: "I will also do this to you: I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and burning fever, consuming the eyes and causing sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set My face against you…" (vs 16-17).
That's what we're facing today, God setting His face against us. That's why we have in the political offices the people that are there.
- Will there be enough change in people, enough repentance coming back to God?
- At least in a way to try and find something about God?
- We don't know!
- If that happens will that be enough?
Amos 5 is important, and it has everything that God wants us to do to straighten out the mess that this is in. This can apply to the Church and to the nation that we're living in—or whatever nation you are living in. God gives a warning; God says this to the nations of Israel that
- IF you don't amend your ways
- IF you don't quit your sinning
- IF you don't stop all of your lying, cheating and adulterous ways
Here's what's going to happen:
Amos 4:12: "Therefore, I will do this to you, O Israel; and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"
How are you going to meet God if you're not right with Him?
- in sorrow
- in sickness
- in death
- in destruction
Here is what God say that we need to do:
Amos 5:4: "For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, [1]'Seek Me, and you shall live.'" If we seek God we will find Him!
Verse 5: "But do not seek Bethel … [which was the House of God that became the House of Baal] …nor enter into Gilgal, and do not pass to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing. [2]Seek the LORD and you shall live, lest He break out like a fire on the house of Joseph and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. You who turn judgment to wormwood and leave off righteousness in the earth!' [3]Seek Him [God] Who created the Pleiades and Orion, and Who turned the deep darkness into the morning, and Him Who darkened the day into night. [4]Seek Him Who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth—the LORD is His name" (vs 5-8).
That's what we need to do, in everything turn our ways to God with all our heart, not in flatteries!
Now here's something that always happens with the people of God, even people in the Church, that they go along and don't understand what's occurring here. If we don't turn away from our lusts and things, as it was here:
Psalm 78:30: "They were not turned away from their lust, but while their food was still in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and killed the strongest of them…" (vs 30-31).
That's when they demanded to have flesh in the wilderness and tempted God and didn't thank Him for it. So then, God dealt with them right there.
"…and struck down the chosen men of Israel. For all this they still sinned and did not believe in His wonderful works" (vs 31-32). That's going to be true with the nation!
- What's going to happen?
- Will they turn to God?
- Will they understand what God is doing?
- Will they really seek God the way that they should, as He explains in Amos 5?
- What's going to happen?
We'll just have to wait and see!
Verse 33: "Therefore, He ended their days in vanity and their years in terror. When He slew them… [that's what happened; when trouble comes and people die] …then they sought Him; and they turned back and sought after God earnestly" (vs 33-34).
- Will they do that again?
- How much can we do as Churches of God to preach a message that goes out to the world and the nation that the people need to repent and come to God?
I've only heard of one church that during the last few years that has changed from Sunday to Sabbath. That's going to have to happen in hundreds of thousands of churches in order for the hand of God's punishment to be lifted from us.
When they did return to Him: v 35: "And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God was their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they flattered Him with their mouths, and they lied to Him with their tongues, for their heart was not steadfast with Him; neither were they faithful in His covenant. But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; yea, many times He turned His anger away and did not stir up all His wrath" (vs 35-38). So it is with us in:
- what we need to do
- how we need to do it
- why we need to do it
Same way with the people in the world, and those who need to come to God. We're at a point with the Churches of God that we are getting older and older, and I pray for all the brethren for extended life for them. All of them are praying for extended life for me, and I pray for that myself, as God wants.
- What's going to happen?
- How are we going to get this message out?
We can't rely on the Protestants. Some one or two may be doing some of what we're talking about here, but they're not doing it as a whole.
How can we keep our senses, our balance, our closeness to God? Let's see what we need to do! This is why we need to always study, pray and always keep God in the forefront of our thoughts in prayer, thankfulness, gratefulness, and praise to Him for all that He does through Jesus Christ. That we have direct access to God the Father and Jesus Christ every single day!
Every day that we get on our knees and pray, and when we are praying and just doing the normal course of things that we do during the day, and pray and thank God:
- He hears us
- He answers us
- He wants us to pray to Him
- He wants to bless us
Here's what we need to do right here in Eph. 5:
Ephesians 5:1: "Therefore, be imitators of God…
- see how Christ did
- see how Christ lived
- see how He had understanding, mercy and forgiveness
But also He was strong for the Lord, and made it clear that He was the Creator! That's what John wrote in
John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God."
Verse 14: "And the Word became flesh…" and brought Grace and Truth! That's what we need to keep our mind on.
Ephesians 5:1 "…be imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love…" (vs 1-2).
There it is! Put aside all the things of sin, put aside all the things of the flesh, and the physical things we need to live with. That's find and okay, no problem with that. But to be spiritually minded and serving God.
"…even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor" (v 2).
Remember the Sacrifice of Christ every single day.
- be thankful that you can have your sins forgiven
- be thankful that God has given you His Holy Spirit.
- be thankful that God will lead you into what you need to do
Even in trying and difficult circumstances, because we have the promise that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose! That's us!
Then He gives a warning, just like the Old Testament: blessings and then warning, don't get derailed!
Verse 3: "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, do not permit it even to be named among you, as is fitting for saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking or jesting, which are not becoming; but instead, thanksgiving. For this you know, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God" (vs 3-5).
Verse 6: "Do not let anyone deceive you with vain words…"
And boy! We sure need that today; just like Jesus said, 'there will be many false prophets, many bringing good sounding things.
"…for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be joint partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.…" (vs 6-8).
Think about that! Complete change! Have our mind open, and that's called the circumcision of the heart to take away the stubbornness, ,the self-willedness, the greed and all of the things that lead to the works of the flesh!
"…Walk as children of Light, (because the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and Truth); proving what is well pleasing to the Lord" (vs 8-10).
How do you prove that? By doing what God says! God will bless us and be with us! God will help and strengthen us and open our mind so that we understand what we need to. To live the way that we need to.
Listen, brethren, we've been called to the greatest calling that there ever is!
Verse 11: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them; for it is shameful even to mention the things being done by them in secret" (vs 11-12).
That's certainly the way it is today! This world and everything that is going on is absolutely incredible to the depths of Satan that they are sinking to in their behavior, in adultery and fornication, idolatry and Satan worship all wrapped up in what now they can co legally through this satanic temple.
Verse 13: "But all of these things being exposed by the light are openly revealed. Therefore, He says, 'You who are sleeping—wake up, and arise from the dead! And Christ shall shine upon you'" (vs 13-14).
This is what we need to do: let Christ lead us in the Way:
- He is the Light
- He is the Truth
- He is the Way to love
- He is the Way to God
Verse 15: "So then, take heed that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as those who are wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (vs 15-16).
That's what God wants us to do, and to serve Him. This is how we're able to do so:
- in spite of what's happening in the world
- in spite of what's going on
- in spite of the evils that are there
Remember the promise that God knows how to deliver the Godly from evil circumstances. He will help us, guide us and protect us!
- pray for one another
- pray for God's protection with His angels
- take care of your health
- take care of your spiritual relationship with God
This is how we will be able to survive during these difficult days that we're experiencing right now and will be ahead of us. We ask God's help and blessing upon you, and all the brethren wherever they are.
Scriptural References:
- Revelation 13:11-17
- Revelation 3:8-10
- Matthew 24:21-25, 34-37
- Deuteronomy 28:15-28, 31-38, 43-50
- Leviticus 26:1-12, 14-17
- Amos 4:12
- Amos 5:4-8
- Psalm 78:30-38
- Ephesians 5:1
- John 1:1, 14
- Ephesians 5:1-16
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Matthew 4
- Luke 4
Also referenced:
Article:
The Church of England might give God a gender-neutral pronouns
{https://nypost.com/2023/02/08/church-of-england-might-give-god-gender-neutral-pronouns/}
Two Mike's Podcast 6 {truthofGod.org}
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 2/22/23
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