God's Anger is Kindled

Jeremiah 17:1-4 NIV

 

“Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,

    inscribed with a flint point,

on the tablets of their hearts

    and on the horns of their altars.

Even their children remember

    their altars and Asherah poles

beside the spreading trees

    and on the high hills.

My mountain in the land

    and your wealth and all your treasures

I will give away as plunder,

    together with your high places,

    because of sin throughout your country.

Through your own fault you will lose

    the inheritance I gave you.

I will enslave you to your enemies

    in a land you do not know,

for you have kindled my anger,

    and it will burn forever.”

 

What sins are engraved on the tablets of the hearts of a large majority of the church here in America in 2020? Idolatry? Yes!! Immorality? Yes!! Rebellion? Yes!! Hypocrisy? Yes!! Pride? Yes!! Disobedience? Yes!! No fear of God? Yes!! False accusations? Yes!! Worship of man? Yes!!

 

Sexual idolatry and immorality are high up there. Porn use among Christians is astounding! Statistics have it that as much as 75% of Christian men view porn regularly, and as much as 50% of pastors. The numbers are high among male children, too, with the number of females increasing.

 

But it isn’t just porn use. It is extra-marital affairs, flirtations, sex-texting, private chats, homosexuality, prostitution, pedophilia, rapes, masturbation, sexual fantasies, crude humor, sexual remarks, and TV shows, movies, music, and video games which contain sexual immorality in them, too.

 

And then all of this (and more) is excused away under the teaching of a false cheapened (diluted, altered) grace gospel of man. This false gospel is disguised to look like the true gospel for it is a half-truth gospel, but an intentional half-truth is still a lie, especially if the other half is a lie.

 

This false gospel of man teaches that one can believe in Jesus by a mere public confession, or by repeating words after someone in a prayer, or by a mere acknowledgment of what Jesus did for us in dying on the cross for us sinners. It may even include acknowledgment of being a sinner in need of Jesus to save them from their sins.

 

But mere acknowledgments don’t save us. Neither do words we repeat after someone in a prayer. Even public confessions do not save us if they are lip service only. And human faith, of man, and not of God, does not save, either. We must be born again of the Spirit of God.

 

And how do we do that? Scripture teaches that, by faith in Jesus, we die with Christ to sin and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. The old self must die with Christ so that we can be reborn of the Spirit of God.

 

[Lu 9:23-26; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn 1:5-9]

 

And then we must walk (conduct our lives) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. We must walk by the Spirit so that we do not gratify the sinful cravings of the flesh. For, if we walk according to the flesh, we will die in our sins, not have eternal life with God (Rom 6:16-23; Rom 8:1-17; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 2 Co 5:10; Lu 9:23-26).

 

But the vast majority of the church today is rejecting the true gospel of our salvation in favor of a lie – the lie which tells them that a mere profession of faith or words said or acknowledgments made are enough to secure them salvation from sin and heaven as their eternal destiny.

 

No requirements are made for repentance, obedience, or submission to Christ. In fact, many are now saying God does not require anything of us other than to “believe,” which is not really explained, which then gives free license for the adherents to continue living in their sin, now without guilt.

 

And because so much of today’s church has bought into this cheap grace gospel, sin is now rampant in the church and in the home and in our communities and lawlessness is not only increasing but it is being encouraged by the church when they teach we don’t have to obey God.

 

So, God is now judging his rebellious, adulterous, and idolatrous church, and that is why the things that are now taking place in America, and in many other nations, are happening. God is cleansing his temple once again. He is purifying his people to prepare them for the consummation of their marriage to him as their husband. The book of Revelation speaks of this.

 

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NIV

 

This is what the Lord says:

 

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

    who draws strength from mere flesh

    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;

    they will not see prosperity when it comes.

They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,

    in a salt land where no one lives.

 

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

    whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water

    that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

    its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

    and never fails to bear fruit.”

 

Many Christians in America, even though they are seeing all these things take place which fulfill what the Scriptures predicted would happen in these last days, are putting their hope and trust in a man to save them from this evil, rather than them looking to God to rescue them from evil.

 

They are believing this man, and many are worshipping him, too, thinking he is their savior and that he is the promised one of God, as though he is their Messiah instead of Jesus being their only Messiah and Lord. And they are putting forth enormous energy to fight for this man to remain in power rather than invest that time sharing the gospel of Jesus that many would be saved before our Lord returns for us, his bride.

 

But we are not to put our hope in men to save us, no matter who they are. We are not to have undying loyalty and faith in any human, either, for humans are sinners by nature. They are not gods, although many are treating them as though they are gods.

 

But we are to put our hope and trust only in the Lord Jesus (in God) to save us from evil, and we are to be investing our hearts, our minds, our bodies, our time, and our passion in following Jesus and in doing the work of the ministry to which he has called us, which is not to be involved in civilian affairs, but which is to be co-laboring in God’s eternal kingdom.

 

Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV

 

“The heart is deceitful above all things

    and beyond cure.

    Who can understand it?

 

“’I the Lord search the heart

    and examine the mind,

to reward each person according to their conduct,

    according to what their deeds deserve.’”

 

Those who are putting their trust in man to save them need to realize that the human heart is deceitful above all things. The man you may see as your savior, thus, could turn right around and betray you and turn out to be of the antichrist, for all who deny Jesus as Lord are antichrist.

 

And know this, too. We are all going to be judged one day by our deeds. That is correct. The New Testament teaches that, too. And Paul taught it. So, please take that to heart (Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 2 Co 5:10).

 

For Our Nation  

 

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

 

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

 

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

 

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

 

Men deceiving: we’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

 

https://vimeo.com/379406352