And the Rulers Take Counsel Together

“Why do the nations rage

    and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

    and the rulers take counsel together,

    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,

‘Let us burst their bonds apart

    and cast away their cords from us.’” (Psalms 2:1-3 ESV)

In what ways are the nations raging and the people plotting in vain in our world today? Well, one of the biggest ways in which the nations are raging today is via war with one another. But over the past 20 years that the Lord has been teaching me what is going on in the world and in our nations, one thing I have learned is that what is being reported may not match with what is actually taking place. We cannot trust our government heads nor our news media to tell us the truth of what is literally going on between nations.

But the murdering of innocents, the persecution of Christians, the moral and spiritual decline of “the church,” the altering of the character of God and of his gospel message, the conquering of nations, and the confiscation of properties and natural resources for political gain are definitely what are happening. For the rule of the beast (Revelation 13) is definitely in process. Thus, trickery, deception, manipulations, deliberate misimpressions, and lies and liars abound in the government, media, and in “the church.”

Anything can be faked and altered and manipulated to look one way while it is actually the opposite. So just because we see it in a picture or a video or in a live performance, it does not necessitate that what we think we are seeing is actually what is taking place. So we have to be very cautious so that we don’t end up believing lies and not the truth. We must pray through everything and seek the counsel of the Lord and his guidance so that we do not fall into the traps of the devil and end up believing the lies, instead.

For one of the biggest ways in which the nations are raging and the people are plotting in vain against the Lord, and against those who are following him with their lives, is via deception. And if we put on blinders, and we choose to believe everything at face value without inquiring of the Lord, and without testing the spirits, we are ripe for being deceived, too. And I believe that many who profess faith in Jesus Christ are now following “pied pipers” to their deaths because they are embracing the lies and not the truth.

“He who sits in the heavens laughs;

    the Lord holds them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

    and terrify them in his fury, saying,

‘As for me, I have set my King

    on Zion, my holy hill.’

“I will tell of the decree:

The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son;

    today I have begotten you.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

    and the ends of the earth your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron

    and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.’

“Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

    be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear,

    and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son,

    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

    for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalms 2:4-12 ESV)

So, what’s this saying? God is definitely not threatened by these liars and deceivers and manipulators of truth who think that they can outsmart God, and who think that they can overcome him and his gospel message and his plans and purposes and his sovereign will. And he isn’t laughing because he thinks that what they are doing is funny, but because they think that they can outsmart God. For God views with contempt and scorn man’s weak attempts at rebellion against him and his futile efforts to conquer God.

But it isn’t just God the Father whom they oppose, but they oppose God the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. And they oppose the true message of the gospel and all who follow Jesus Christ with wholehearted devotion to the Lord in seriousness of walks of faith and obedience to the Lord. And this opposition doesn’t have to be blatant and obvious. In fact, much of it is hidden and deceptive, which is the point. For Satan wants us to trust his messengers so that he can deceive us with his lies and false gospels.

But the warning here is first of all to all of these liars and deceivers who are conquering nations and peoples with their lies and with their trickery and with their wars and the murdering of innocents and the takeover of nations. And he is letting them know that he is God, and Jesus Christ is King, and God will have the final word in the matter, and he will judge them, and they will not escape his wrath. But he is also giving them a chance to change and to serve him with their lives if they would but submit to him as Lord.

But this warning also applies to all who profess the name of Jesus Christ, who are convinced that heaven is their eternal destiny, but who deny the Lord with their lifestyles. They honor him with their lips but not with their actions. For they have believed the liars and the lies which are telling them that a profession of faith in Jesus Christ “seals the deal” for them and that heaven is guaranteed them regardless of how they live. But Jesus said that to follow him we must deny self, die daily to sin, and obey his commands.

So, whether or not you are outwardly opposed to God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – and to his gospel message, this message is for you. Don’t take God lightly nor his warnings to all of us written down in the Scriptures. Don’t think that you can just live however you want and that nothing bad will happen to you or that God will still let you into his heaven. Jesus said that not everyone saying to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the ones DOING the will of God the Father.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

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.

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