Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

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September 2011 Issue

America the Beautiful, America the Blessed and America the Powerful.
Sep 1st, 2011
Art Sadlier
Uncategorized

Several months ago a picture was published which showed a bolt of lightning hitting the Whitehouse. More recently an earthquake shook the Washington monument and put a crack in the top of the monument which caused it to be closed to the public for safety reasons. At the same time damage was also done to the National Cathedral in Washington.

For some time the US dollar has been losing credibility as the world’s reserve currency. The US dollar is under attack and is in danger of collapse.

These four things are symbols of America as the world’s most powerful and influential nation. It seems improbable that these events are anything less than a warning from God of impending judgment on America.

What has brought such a disastrous change in America and its position in the world?

I believe that America is repeating the mistakes made by Israel 2,500-3,000 years ago. Those mistakes brought the judgment of God down upon Israel.

“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13).

God blessed Israel and prospered and protected her. Israel made two tragic mistakes. She turned away from God and turned to the world. Israel made alliances with the nations around her. Those alliances were intended to bring protection and prosperity to the nation. Those alliances proclaimed that Israel was no longer trusting in God to protect her and to prosper her, “They have forsaken me.”

 Israel not only forsook the Lord, they turned to other gods. They worshipped the gods of the nations around them. They set their hearts to seek their satisfaction in everything but the Lord.

America has made the same two mistakes. At one time a significant portion of the nation professed faith in Christ and gave indication of commitment to Him. At one time many in America, a significant minority, were committed to Christ and held the things of this world rather lightly.

In the last fifty years we have witnessed a dramatic change. First, many Evangelicals forsook their commitment and devotion to Christ. They did not forsake their profession, but their hearts were turned away from Christ as they fell in love with the things of this world. Material things, entertainment, sports, worldliness, approval of the world, pride of life, compromise and the encroachment of sensuality have deeply intruded into their lives.  Love of the world and the things of the world have crowded Christ out of his rightful first place in their lives.

At the same time the average American was caught in a downdraft, a free fall of moral decline and self indulgence. We might add that Canadians have participated in this same tragic decline.

Jeremiah dramatically describes this departure of Israel from the lord in Jeremiah 2:17-19, “Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.”

What a dramatic change has taken place among those who claim to be a part of the body of Christ over the last few decades! The generation of believers that has preceded us would not accept us as a part of the body of Christ if they were to stand on the earth today and behold the changes that have taken place among us.

The toleration of the sensual and provocative dress styles of professing believers; the toleration of compromise with the world and the love of the things of the world; the acceptance of the world’s rude and sensual music that fills the places of worship in the name of Christ; the acceptance of a worship style that turns the house of God into a scene that was found only in a nightclub a few short years ago. All of this takes place without any seeming realization of what they are doing.

We are reminded of the cry of the Psalmist in Psalm 79, “O god, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled...”

We have watched as the Evangelical Church has slipped into apostasy and now we are watching the Fundamentalist Church slipping into the very same decline, all the while resting in the confidence that we are the people of God.

Immediately prior to the Old Testament Day of the Lord Israel boasted confidently that they were the people of God. After the Day of the Lord had passed there was not a living Jew remaining in the land. Those Nebuchadnezzar had left fled into Egypt where they were destroyed.

After the trumpet sounds and the tribulation period begins there will not be a living believer left on the earth, though multitudes will be saved during the tribulation. After the tribulation period is over and Christ comes to judge and reign there will not be a living unbeliever left on the earth. If the world could only know and understand what awaits it, perhaps in the very near future!

One of the nagging themes of the message of Christ is the repeated reference to the fact that only a few will be saved. “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24).  “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14).

Christ repeatedly called for a total commitment and denied that anything less was acceptable to Him. In a church of such compromise and self centeredness and worldly lifestyle our hearts are filled with fear as we listen to so much shallow profession of faith and activity in the name of Christ.

“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23).

God hates sin and apostasy and He will utterly judge and destroy it where there is no repentance. God has judged sin in the person of His Son on the cross of Calvary. If that substitutionary atonement is applied to you through faith in Christ, you stand before God in the righteousness of Christ. If the atonement of Christ has not been applied to you by faith in Christ, you will bear the eternal judgment of God in hell.

No one has ever been saved tomorrow; you can only be saved today. Now is the accepted time. 

Dark Clouds
Sep 1st, 2011
Art Sadlier
Uncategorized

As the ark floated on the waters that covered the earth, Noah could not see the waters as the window looked toward the sky. But at some point it dawned upon Noah, that there was not a living soul left alive on the face of the whole earth.

One morning Abraham came out of his tent and as he looked toward the east he saw a great cloud of sulfur that filled the eastern horizon. Abraham came to the realization that all the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his two daughters, had perished in the judgment of God.

One of these days the trumpet of God will sound and the Lord’s people will be caught up to the Father’s house. Just as Noah was caught up above the earth on the waters of the flood, and just as Lot and his two daughters were in the mountains above valley of judgment below, so the church will be caught up to the safety of heaven. There will not be a living believer alive on the earth at that moment. When the seven years of the tribulation period is over and the Lord comes back to the earth in judgment there will not be a living unbeliever left alive on the face of the earth.

As we stand on the threshold of that awful time our hearts are grieved over the fate of the unsaved around us. If men could only understand what awaits them, at least they would have opportunity to repent and be delivered from the coming wrath of God.

Today our world is seething in rebellion against a loving, gracious God who is offering mercy and grace to all who will respond to His offer of salvation through faith in His Son.

We are told that in the last fifty years as many as one billion babies have been murdered in their mother’s wombs. Men and women inherently know better than to commit such atrocities. We read in Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” That verse literally says that the wrath of God is reserved in heaven, waiting the day when it will be poured out on those who knew better but sinned against that knowledge.

God has laid out in His Word and in the hearts of men His plan for the family and for propagating the human race. That plan involves one man and one woman being joined together by God Himself in a union which is not to be broken. Adultery and homosexuality are rebellion against God. Today that plan and purpose of God is under universal attack. Man is defiantly rejecting God and His Word in this whole matter. That age long rebellion is now coming to great crescendo of defiance against God.

We are now reading about the first steps in a movement to desensitize society’s feelings toward pedophilia. Fox News posted the following item, “Mental Health Group Looks to Remove Stigma from Pedophilia.” The article went on to say, “A group of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals say it's time to change the way society views individuals who have physical attractions to children.”

The article concluded, “Critics of the effort also note that the movement likens its fight for pedophilia acceptance to society's more recent embrace of homosexuality. They warn of a slippery slope to a time when pedophilia is "just another lifestyle choice" that won't warrant criminal charges—and will leave young children at risk.

What better definition of depravity can we have?

We have been shocked to the very depth of our souls as we have discovered that we are standing on the very threshold of the era of trans-humanism. Without public awareness scientist, with government funding, have been secretly working for some time to mix the genes of animals and men to create post human creatures. Some scientists believe that endless life is attainable. Some of this experimentation is being conducted in laboratories beyond the borders of the countries in order to circumvent the laws of the land.

It has been reported that studies have been done concerning how democracy would be affected and how post-human rights would be arrived at.

The military have determined that enemy countries are working on using the DNA of animals to create super soldiers. They have taken the position that they have no alternative but to develop these post-humans in order to survive in future warfare. All of this has been carried on without public knowledge and they are now debating how to, and how much they can reveal to the public.

We are aware of the fact that in the end times the Bible indicates that the sins and issues of the early days of man will be revisited. With that thought in mind we refer you to Genesis 3:22, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” Perhaps the greatest tragedy that could have happened for the human race would have been for man to eat of the tree of life and live forever in his fallen state. That would have doomed him to live in sin forever without hope of salvation. The tree of life would perhaps seem to be the human genome system?

Today, it would seem that men are on the verge of doing what God prevented Adam from doing. Today some men believe that they are on the verge of creating post humans that can live forever. Man’s rebellion against God is coming to great climax in the immediate future.

We suspect that there two possible scenarios that could play out.

First God will intervene and terminate the present age through the judgment of the tribulation period.

Second God will allow men to introduce post humans and destroy them in the coming tribulation period.

I must admit that I have no idea which of these scenarios will play out. What God has not revealed to us we gladly leave in His hands. We ought not to be preoccupied with vain speculations; we have enough revealed truth to occupy our undivided attention.

Perhaps the greatest area of rebellion that we see in the present hour is the rebellion of the whole world in seeking to eliminate God’s chosen people Israel. Perhaps never in all of the history of mankind has the world so come together in unity of purpose such as it has concerning Israel today.

The UN is about to vote on the establishment of a Palestinian State on Israel’s God Promised Land. It seems that there may be a few nations that will abstain or support Israel. We know that ultimately all the nations will turn against Israel at the end of the tribulation period. Today it seems to me that the world is like a symphony orchestra which is tuning up for the ultimate attempt to destroy Israel.

Our world is now in a state of rage against God and His Word and His requirements for mankind. Everywhere you look you see this rebellion against God.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 we are told of a day when all restraints to sin will be removed from the earth. “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”The word “let” means to hinder or prevent. The Holy Spirit is now indwelling the church and is carrying on a restraining ministry through the church. That ministry is a ministry of hindering evil in the world. We are salt and light in this present evil world, through our lives and testimonies the Holy Spirit is restraining evil. When the church is caught up out of the world the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit will come to an end. Evil will be totally unrestrained. The cover will be taken off of sin and it will be seen in all of its true essence. What a terrible time that will be! It seems to me that as we draw near to that time we are seeing Satan restless to fill the earth with an avalanche of iniquity. We are seeing an exponential increase in evil in this very hour, which is a sign of the times.

We are grieved as we see a holy, loving God being so dishonoured and blasphemed by a wicked society. How should we respond in these grievous days? I believe Peter gives us the answer in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Now is the time to proclaim the truth of the gospel such as we never have before. We can stand between some precious souls and hell.         

Israel's Land
Sep 1st, 2011
Art Sadlier
Uncategorized

God promised the Land of Canaan to Israel. Later the Romans would rename it Palestine. Those who now call themselves Palestinians have no claim to the Land of Israel. There never has been in all of history a Palestinian State. There has never been a Palestinian People or Government or a Palestinian language. There has never been a Palestinian culture or a Palestinian economy.

As late as the 1950’s Arabs refused to be called Palestinians. Now the Palestinians claim to be descendants from a Palestinian people who lived for thousands of years in a land called Palestine. That claim is a hoax. Yet the world accepts this lie as the basis of a false peace that they have attempted to force on Israel for some years now. The purpose is to force Israel off the land God has promised to her.

In Genesis 12:7 God promised the land to Abraham and his descendants. “And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.”  The land in which the Canaanites once dwelt in was given to Israel.

Genesis 13:15, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.” Though the Lord warned Israel that He would drive them off the land for a time because of unbelief and disobedience, yet He promised them the land forever. Jeremiah 30:11, “For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

The Land of Canaan belongs to Israel forever. In verse 17 we see the extent of the land God promised to Israel, “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” Notice that God promised all the land to Israel, not just a portion. Those who would divide the land will have to deal with God.

The same promise was repeated to Isaac and to Jacob. “And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.” (Genesis 35:12).

Despite the Arabs and the UN and the nations of the world, God’s promises cannot be broken. Jeremiah 31:35-36, “Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.”

There is a struggle going on today over God’s promises to Israel. The whole Muslim world is ready to die to remove Israel from her land. Many of them will someday get their wish. The nations of the world have joined with the enemies of God’s people to remove them from the Promised Land. This struggle is the climax of the war between God and Satan. God will have the last word, “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Jeremiah 32:37-38).

The legal foundation of the rights of modern Israel are traced back to the period right after WW1. At that time the great world powers, in conjunction with the League of Nations, decided what was going to happen to the Arab nations and the former enemy territories. The San Remo Resolution is the basic constitutional document of the State of Israel under international law. This resolution specified rights to the Jewish people to reconstitute their national home.

This is the place legal rights are given to both the Jewish and the Arab peoples. This international conference is the place where legal binding decisions were made with respect to the allotment of territories to both the Arabs and to the Jews. These were binding decisions as to who would get what lands. The result was 21 Arab States and 1 Jewish State.

Israel’s legitimacy is linked to a decision made at San Remo, April 25, 1920. Arab peoples were given rights to what is now Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Israel was given the whole Land of Palestine.

After Israel declared independence in 1948, they were invaded by five Arab armies with the stated purpose of destroying the Jewish State. When an armistice was signed Jordan occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The UN and the nations of the world never recognized Jordan’s right to that territory. In the 1967 defensive war Israel captured that land which had been previously granted to them.

Today the Arab nations and the Palestinians are committed to the removal of Israel from the Mideast.

On Saturday August 27, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas delivered a fiery speech to Islamic clerics in Ramallah during which he warned the international community not to demand that he recognize Israel as the "Jewish state."

The international community "cannot force us to recognize the nature of the Israeli state," declared Abbas. "Do not force us to recognize a Jewish state. We will not accept it."

Abbas stated once again that he will not accept absorbing millions of so-called "Palestinian refugees" into a new Palestinian state. Despite being labeled a "moderate," Abbas has been a champion of the hard-line position that Israel must open its borders to these millions of Arabs, thus demographically destroying the Jewish state.

The reason that the Palestinians will not negotiate is because of this clearly stated position that they will never accept a Jewish State.

Consequently they are going to the UN to have a Palestinian State declared on the 1967 borders. Though Abbas would prefer not to state it so boldly at this point, nevertheless Ahmadinejad said it for him.

Iranian president urges Palestinians not to settle for a 2-state solution but "to strive for complete return of their land." The creation of a universally-recognized Palestinian state would be just a first step towards wiping out Israel.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Saturday that a statement made by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier in the day that the Palestinians would not agree to recognize a Jewish state revealed the true nature of the Palestinian move for recognition of statehood in September.

'The real intention of the Palestinians is not to establish a state that will live in peace alongside Israel but rather the establishment of a state free of Jews in [the West Bank] and the hostile takeover of Israel from within," Lieberman said.

In another commentary we read, “Abbas' goal, and that of the Palestinians in general, is to cause Israel to disappear. Because Israel cannot be destroyed by force, as both conventional wars and terrorist wars have proved, they have embarked on a different sort of campaign: a global campaign (aided by more than a few Jews, both in Israel and abroad) to undermine the Jewish people's right to sovereignty in its homeland. Meanwhile, they are avoiding all negotiations until this goal is achieved.”

It seems this conflict may be coming to a head in September?

The actors on the stage of this world are perhaps unaware that they are pawns in contest of the ages which may soon enter its’ final stage.