You can listen to the teaching of this article from the SHINE BRIGHT Church YouTube Channel here.
PROVERBS 23:23
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
When you buy something, you’re investing with your dollars the item you want or need. If someone tells you a story and you say, “I don’t buy it” –you’re not investing any credibility to that story.
To “buy truth” in this verse is to invest in the truth – to learn of it, esteem it as precious, depend on it, obey it, make it a part of our lives and not “sell[ing] it” that is, not abandoning it.
Every human being is a steward: a keeper and user of those things GOD has given to us all: a life, a mind, a conscience, time on this Earth, a certain degree of responsibility and power, our relationships. Truth is also among these gifts; so is freedom. GOD is watching to see if we’re taking our stewardship seriously. We’ll be called into account for our stewardship by GOD.
We Christians on top of what was already mentioned have been given His Holy Revelation, His Holy Spirit, New Life in Christ, His Great Commission of the Gospel, we’ve received ambassadorship: we’re His representatives! We also will be called into account at the Bema Seat for rewards.
We pastors will receive the strictest accounting before GOD – so please continue to pray for all the pastors you know!
When we show responsible care over our stewardship, GOD sees that we are being faithful, and will add to us more honor, privilege and a higher level of stewardship.
~ King David was faithful with his father’s sheep; GOD promoted him to be a shepherd over His people Israel.
~ Stephen was a faithful deacon, overseeing the needs of the church in ACTS 7 as was Philip; these two of seven men in this role. GOD promoted Stephen, a waiter of tables to be a witness before the Sanhedrin and one of GOD’s first martyrs. Philip, another table waiter was promoted to an evangelist. Has GOD promoted you in any way in life? If not – why not?
Consider the stewardship of truth that all of us have, whether Christian or not:
This world has obliterated the idea of truth as absolute, claiming that truth is relative or even non-existent. This belief is running rampant in the public school system, and those so-called “halls of higher learning” and everywhere else in this godless society.
About half of the evangelical church doesn’t believe in absolute truth while also claiming to believe in the Bible. Only 20% of Americans believe the Bible to be the Word of GOD and less than that believe in objective, absolute truth.
What are the consequences of this? Can we abandon the idea of truth and still maintain a society of peace, justice and order?
A hungry child at school hurries to get into line for lunch period. A bigger child cuts in front of him, which produces a shrill protest: "NO FAIR, I WAS FIRST!" The bigger child sneers and ignores the smaller one.
TRUTH is that child was first, and because of this, had JUSTICE been served, the bigger child should have been made to step behind him, giving the first his rightful place.
The bigger child ignored the truth and thereby also ignored justice. Instead the bigger child employed the "might is right principle”. The stronger forces his will on the smaller, the weaker, the disadvantaged. In such a society where TRUTH is demoted or even ignored altogether, can there be any hope for civilization? Can JUSTICE survive as we continue as a culture in denying truth?
Who then will make the rules? Not those with authority based on truth… but those who hold the most power based not on truth but on the ‘might makes right’ principle. Who holds the most power in any nation? Its government.
That’s the purpose of the Constitution: it grants government authority by the governed (you and I) and protects our freedoms while keeping the government from amassing too much power. I think it’s safe to say our Constitution is being ignored by what’s been called “the Shadow Government” which isn’t submitted at all to the Constitution!
But Federal government is increasing their power base with each passing year, ignoring our Constitution. With the abandonment of truth and justice we’re looking at an unjust system that will dominate all of our lives, contrary to our will – or in other words, tyranny.
Yet, there is never anything new under the sun; everything today is as it was long ago.
Nations throughout of history have followed a cyclical pattern that Alexander Tytler, a Scottish judge and historian of the 18th century observed:
And bondage of nations and people is exactly how the god of this world (Satan) likes it!
GOD Himself is a GOD of Truth; He determines what Truth is, for He is the only source of Truth. In Him there is no lie (1 JOHN 2:21). Pure truth, no additives, preservatives, no artificial colors or flavors! Knowing GOD’s truth brings freedom (JOHN 8:32). The Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, declared Himself to BE THE Truth (JOHN 14:6).
Truth seems to have suffered an early death in our world. But in reality, it’s impossible to destroy truth because truth is not just a concept – Truth is a Person seated in the heavenlies at the right hand of the Father. He’s not within the grasp of fallen humanity! Even if He were, He would (and one day will!) laugh at their foolishness (PSA 2)!
But when a society ignores truth, intentionally seeks to remove truth from the people – that’s dangerous for society!
Turn to ISAIAH 59 with me and let’s discover what the WORD of GOD says about the abandonment of truth, and its Siamese twin, justice. How abandoning truth effects a culture such as Israel back in their day, or our own American culture today.
ISAIAH 59:1-2
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
God's hand can indeed save; generally speaking no one, no matter how far gone they may be is beyond God's reach. He is able to hear the cry of any who would call upon His Name.
Yet our iniquities and our sins have severed us from Him (the Only Source of Life; ROM 6:23). He is hidden from us. He cannot LOOK upon us in our sin, but He can HEAR us when we call to Him!
He will not hear. . . as long as we remain in unrepentant sin and iniquity. We can have no relationship with the eternal Holy God! Nor will we value the truth found exclusively in the Bible. And without truth, how can there be justice? Without justice how can there be peace, order and tranquility in society? What can be expected instead?
ISAIAH 59:3-4
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. 4 No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
God declares of Israel (and any who turn their backs on God) that "your hands are defiled with blood" – murder… "…your fingers [are filthy] with iniquity, your tongue has spoken lies “perverseness”. Not submitting to the Word of Truth will allow immorality, strife, violence, hatred, deception to run rampantly out of control – are we seeing this today?
"No one calls for justice..." This verse suggests that none cried out to God for justice. Israel had deteriorated so badly, that it never even occurred to them or even that they REFUSED to call on God because of their sinful rebellion!
“None pleads for truth” in the Hebrew this is an actual term for litigation, as in a court of law. How astounding that even in a court of law that truth would not be sought! That bribes, deceit and lawlessness would prevail! No truth, no justice!
Is this looking familiar? Think about the liberal judges we have today, and how many GUILTY people such as child molesters and rapists, even murderers have been released or incarcerated but then get an early parole!!
Just off the top of my head I can think of several court cases both here in the States and abroad where parents, especially fathers sexually abused their own children, even ritually abused their children in occult practices. Their mothers attempted to rescue them and fled. They were caught and arrested; the cases went to court and the decisions went to the abusers who were granted custody of these innocents while their protectors were sentenced with trumped up charges.
Now in verses 3 and 4, observe the change of the pronouns: from "you" (the people) to "they" (who are they?). The nation Israel fell into a terrible state of immorality because they departed from God. This corruption affected certain people more than others. I'm convinced that the one's this spiritual condition effected the most were “they” who were in power, the governing authorities.
"They" are guilty of such things as Isaiah wrote about:
"They trust in vanity, empty words . . ." tohuw in the Hebrew - "to lie in waste, desolation, worthless things, confusion [iniquity, lawlessness]."
"...they conceive, bring forth mischief..." – harah - "to become pregnant, to “breed mischief” – amal - "misery, travail, trouble, iniquity, perverseness, wickedness."
ISAIAH 59:5-6
5 They hatch vipers' eggs and weave the spider's web; he who eats of their eggs dies, and from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. 6 Their webs will not become garments, nor will they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
The idea of 'hatching a plot' is very much like a hatching egg; something previously hidden, under cover, yet fully conceived and matured, and then finally released into open view. I call that “conspiracy”. Something conceived in secret, then revealed once fully formed. Anyone know of any conspiracies?
"....and weave the spiders web..." or to put simply, “the creation of a network in which to entangle others”; snare set to trap others. “Networking” is a key word in political and economic globalism that’s opposed to sovereignty (or freedom) of nations.
"Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works..."
The Hebrew word for garments is beged – “treachery or theft that leaves the victim utterly poverty stricken, especially theft as in the 'prizes gained by war’.”
At one meeting decades ago at the CFR, the late Henry Kissinger suggested that they could “use food as a weapon”… in what war? against which enemy? Believe it or not, he was targeting the American people!
"...neither shall they cover themselves with their works..." or "they shall not [be able to] conceal themselves or their [evil] transactions, needlework, networking". The GOD of heaven sees all, nothing can be concealed from His eyes of flame.
ISAIAH 59:7-8
7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
"wasting and destruction are in their paths" translates to “violence, ruin, robbery, oppression, affliction, to disable.” And "crooked paths" means “to distort, pervert”. That is to distort and pervert the path of truth, justice and peace; that path which leads to righteousness, or the Way, that is Jesus Himself. The Way of Truth is distorted, perverted, corrupted! Can we say liberal churches?
In Marxist philosophy any revolution begins with destabilizing society until it’s so broken, so chaotic that people will agree to anything so long as order is restored – Marxists then bring in a new order under their rule.
When those in power cease to acknowledge God as the Supreme Authority they become the 'supreme authority' and govern whatever way they want, no matter how unjust or oppressive that may be.
When Communists take over a country their first mission to indoctrinate the people is not with Karl Marx, but Charles Darwin, using evolution to take GOD out. The State becomes the authority.
It’s a good thing our government isn’t trying to take GOD out of our nation isn’t it?
God created man under His authority, but when God is forsaken, man worships himself as a god (Humanism). Yet such 'godhood' is a twisted, ugly, reprehensible and monstrous.
Government ruling by power instead of truth and justice will prey upon those who still embrace the Truth – that’s us, saints!
ISAIAH 59:9-11
9 Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places. 11 We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us.
And here we switch nouns again, from "they" back to "us" and "we".
There are always evil effects for a people when truth and justice are trampled down and their leaders are not held accountable (but remember GOD holds them accountable!). Increasing power in a corrupt heart is like throwing kerosene on an open flame! The actions and deeds of corrupt and evil rulers inevitably effect the entire nation. Liberties and rights in politics and religion are then restricted and finally removed.
Check out the YouTube video by Frank Peretti called The Chair!
By Truth we are able to discern right from wrong, justice from injustice. But in the absence of truth, there’s no discernment, no moral absolutes, no moorings for safe security! There are no anchors to weigh in times of storm, no compass or light house to lead safely into harbor!
ISAIAH 59:12-15
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 Justice is turned back [removed, the act of forsaking], And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen [overthrown, to faint by weakness, or fallen by decay] in the street, And equity cannot enter. 15 So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice [just verdict].
Stewards that fail to value and esteem truth will have it taken from them, and they will be left with deceit and lawlessness. All they will have to look forward to, according to God's Word, is "oppression and rebellion”. People of the former Soviet Union, N. Korea and China understand this.
In a society wholly given over to these evils, any person will mark themselves ("make himself a prey") if they attempt to stand for righteousness. Those who will declare the truth and righteousness with unflinching resolve do so at the peril of their own lives! But we trust our lives in the nail-scarred hands of JESUS!
The LORD is not absent from His throne, neither is He unaware of what's become of our nation. He sees everything! Not just what's on the 6 o'clock news or the Internet! He sees of the corrupt courts and unjust verdicts, and He’s displeased! He sees these crossdresser transgressors reading to little children with parental consent and is displeased. Surgeries that are butchering the sexuality of our youth displeases Him. X-rated books in grade school health class, exposing children to perversion displeases Him! Our children and youth being trafficked and sold for as little as $200 apiece displeases Him! 70 million aborted babies displeases Him! In fact, He is full of wrath about such things and Judgment Day is coming!
Will we the saints of GOD be willing to intercede for these lost, blind souls? We may be few in number, but numbers never matter to our God! Hearts do!
ISAIAH 59:16-17
16 He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. 17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
We the Philadelphia church have “a little strength, [and] have not denied [His] Name”. An open door (of escape) that no one can shut is provided for us, while the professing lukewarm Laodicean church will continue to 'apostatize' until it mutates into the Mother of Harlots (REV 17 & REV 18) – the global religion that will be drunk on the blood of the saints as this ‘Mother’ worships the Beast!
During the reign of anti-Christ, there will be unparalleled rejection of the truth, a complete embrace of deception (2 THESS 2; see the TTUF study on this text of Scripture) and at it’s climax, the LORD Himself will make war against anti-Christ and vanquish all those forces aligned with him. And then the good news:
ISAIAH 59:18-21
18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay. 19 So shall they fear the Name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. 20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," says the LORD. 21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, from this time and forevermore.
The Coming Judgment of Christ Jesus upon the whole human race will bring an end of oppression, an end to the lies and deceptions, violence and wars and of all governments, movements, laws, false religions and all their intolerance of the Truth.
This is why its vitally important for us saints to preach the Gospel now (don’t wait for “an opportune time” to witness to your loved ones). We need to fulfill this Great Commission for our generation prior to this time of impending Judgment. Now is the time to receive salvation through Christ Jesus, Who bore our sins and its resulting judgment FOR US!
In the meanwhile, even though the situation grows worse and worse in today's world where the Truth is under enemy fire, though the enemy has come in like a flood of wickedness, perversion, hostility, and injustice, the LORD Himself will raise up His Standard! May those of us who love the TRUTH find shelter under that standard, even at the expense of making ourselves a marked target!
Remember this: whatever injustice and oppression we may endure in the days ahead – There is NO SUCH THING AS ETERNAL INJUSTICE!
PROVERBS 23:23
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
When you buy something, you’re investing with your dollars the item you want or need. If someone tells you a story and you say, “I don’t buy it” –you’re not investing any credibility to that story.
To “buy truth” in this verse is to invest in the truth – to learn of it, esteem it as precious, depend on it, obey it, make it a part of our lives and not “sell[ing] it” that is, not abandoning it.
We Christians on top of what was already mentioned have been given His Holy Revelation, His Holy Spirit, New Life in Christ, His Great Commission of the Gospel, we’ve received ambassadorship: we’re His representatives! We also will be called into account at the Bema Seat for rewards.
We pastors will receive the strictest accounting before GOD – so please continue to pray for all the pastors you know!
When we show responsible care over our stewardship, GOD sees that we are being faithful, and will add to us more honor, privilege and a higher level of stewardship.
~ King David was faithful with his father’s sheep; GOD promoted him to be a shepherd over His people Israel.
~ Stephen was a faithful deacon, overseeing the needs of the church in ACTS 7 as was Philip; these two of seven men in this role. GOD promoted Stephen, a waiter of tables to be a witness before the Sanhedrin and one of GOD’s first martyrs. Philip, another table waiter was promoted to an evangelist. Has GOD promoted you in any way in life? If not – why not?
Consider the stewardship of truth that all of us have, whether Christian or not:
This world has obliterated the idea of truth as absolute, claiming that truth is relative or even non-existent. This belief is running rampant in the public school system, and those so-called “halls of higher learning” and everywhere else in this godless society.
About half of the evangelical church doesn’t believe in absolute truth while also claiming to believe in the Bible. Only 20% of Americans believe the Bible to be the Word of GOD and less than that believe in objective, absolute truth.
What are the consequences of this? Can we abandon the idea of truth and still maintain a society of peace, justice and order?
A hungry child at school hurries to get into line for lunch period. A bigger child cuts in front of him, which produces a shrill protest: "NO FAIR, I WAS FIRST!" The bigger child sneers and ignores the smaller one.
TRUTH is that child was first, and because of this, had JUSTICE been served, the bigger child should have been made to step behind him, giving the first his rightful place.
The bigger child ignored the truth and thereby also ignored justice. Instead the bigger child employed the "might is right principle”. The stronger forces his will on the smaller, the weaker, the disadvantaged. In such a society where TRUTH is demoted or even ignored altogether, can there be any hope for civilization? Can JUSTICE survive as we continue as a culture in denying truth?
Who then will make the rules? Not those with authority based on truth… but those who hold the most power based not on truth but on the ‘might makes right’ principle. Who holds the most power in any nation? Its government.
That’s the purpose of the Constitution: it grants government authority by the governed (you and I) and protects our freedoms while keeping the government from amassing too much power. I think it’s safe to say our Constitution is being ignored by what’s been called “the Shadow Government” which isn’t submitted at all to the Constitution!
But Federal government is increasing their power base with each passing year, ignoring our Constitution. With the abandonment of truth and justice we’re looking at an unjust system that will dominate all of our lives, contrary to our will – or in other words, tyranny.
Yet, there is never anything new under the sun; everything today is as it was long ago.
Nations throughout of history have followed a cyclical pattern that Alexander Tytler, a Scottish judge and historian of the 18th century observed:
Nations go from bondage, to faith and to courage, then to liberty, to abundance, then to selfishness, and complacency, then to apathy, dependence and finally back to bondage.Where do you think America is in this cycle?
And bondage of nations and people is exactly how the god of this world (Satan) likes it!
GOD Himself is a GOD of Truth; He determines what Truth is, for He is the only source of Truth. In Him there is no lie (1 JOHN 2:21). Pure truth, no additives, preservatives, no artificial colors or flavors! Knowing GOD’s truth brings freedom (JOHN 8:32). The Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, declared Himself to BE THE Truth (JOHN 14:6).
DEUTERONOMY 32:4What happens as a result of denying the truth? Post-modernism is in full swing (they hold to the idea that absolute truth is unobtainable and incomprehensible). Ruin from relativism isn’t just in our society, but even in the professing church. Truth is no longer seen as objective and resolute, but relative and as individual as the people are who reject absolute truth.
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.
PSALM 25:5
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.
Truth seems to have suffered an early death in our world. But in reality, it’s impossible to destroy truth because truth is not just a concept – Truth is a Person seated in the heavenlies at the right hand of the Father. He’s not within the grasp of fallen humanity! Even if He were, He would (and one day will!) laugh at their foolishness (PSA 2)!
But when a society ignores truth, intentionally seeks to remove truth from the people – that’s dangerous for society!
Turn to ISAIAH 59 with me and let’s discover what the WORD of GOD says about the abandonment of truth, and its Siamese twin, justice. How abandoning truth effects a culture such as Israel back in their day, or our own American culture today.
ISAIAH 59:1-2
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
God's hand can indeed save; generally speaking no one, no matter how far gone they may be is beyond God's reach. He is able to hear the cry of any who would call upon His Name.
Yet our iniquities and our sins have severed us from Him (the Only Source of Life; ROM 6:23). He is hidden from us. He cannot LOOK upon us in our sin, but He can HEAR us when we call to Him!
He will not hear. . . as long as we remain in unrepentant sin and iniquity. We can have no relationship with the eternal Holy God! Nor will we value the truth found exclusively in the Bible. And without truth, how can there be justice? Without justice how can there be peace, order and tranquility in society? What can be expected instead?
ISAIAH 59:3-4
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. 4 No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
God declares of Israel (and any who turn their backs on God) that "your hands are defiled with blood" – murder… "…your fingers [are filthy] with iniquity, your tongue has spoken lies “perverseness”. Not submitting to the Word of Truth will allow immorality, strife, violence, hatred, deception to run rampantly out of control – are we seeing this today?
"No one calls for justice..." This verse suggests that none cried out to God for justice. Israel had deteriorated so badly, that it never even occurred to them or even that they REFUSED to call on God because of their sinful rebellion!
“None pleads for truth” in the Hebrew this is an actual term for litigation, as in a court of law. How astounding that even in a court of law that truth would not be sought! That bribes, deceit and lawlessness would prevail! No truth, no justice!
Is this looking familiar? Think about the liberal judges we have today, and how many GUILTY people such as child molesters and rapists, even murderers have been released or incarcerated but then get an early parole!!
Just off the top of my head I can think of several court cases both here in the States and abroad where parents, especially fathers sexually abused their own children, even ritually abused their children in occult practices. Their mothers attempted to rescue them and fled. They were caught and arrested; the cases went to court and the decisions went to the abusers who were granted custody of these innocents while their protectors were sentenced with trumped up charges.
Now in verses 3 and 4, observe the change of the pronouns: from "you" (the people) to "they" (who are they?). The nation Israel fell into a terrible state of immorality because they departed from God. This corruption affected certain people more than others. I'm convinced that the one's this spiritual condition effected the most were “they” who were in power, the governing authorities.
"They" are guilty of such things as Isaiah wrote about:
"They trust in vanity, empty words . . ." tohuw in the Hebrew - "to lie in waste, desolation, worthless things, confusion [iniquity, lawlessness]."
"...they conceive, bring forth mischief..." – harah - "to become pregnant, to “breed mischief” – amal - "misery, travail, trouble, iniquity, perverseness, wickedness."
ISAIAH 59:5-6
5 They hatch vipers' eggs and weave the spider's web; he who eats of their eggs dies, and from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. 6 Their webs will not become garments, nor will they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
The idea of 'hatching a plot' is very much like a hatching egg; something previously hidden, under cover, yet fully conceived and matured, and then finally released into open view. I call that “conspiracy”. Something conceived in secret, then revealed once fully formed. Anyone know of any conspiracies?
"....and weave the spiders web..." or to put simply, “the creation of a network in which to entangle others”; snare set to trap others. “Networking” is a key word in political and economic globalism that’s opposed to sovereignty (or freedom) of nations.
"Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works..."
The Hebrew word for garments is beged – “treachery or theft that leaves the victim utterly poverty stricken, especially theft as in the 'prizes gained by war’.”
At one meeting decades ago at the CFR, the late Henry Kissinger suggested that they could “use food as a weapon”… in what war? against which enemy? Believe it or not, he was targeting the American people!
"...neither shall they cover themselves with their works..." or "they shall not [be able to] conceal themselves or their [evil] transactions, needlework, networking". The GOD of heaven sees all, nothing can be concealed from His eyes of flame.
ISAIAH 59:7-8
7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
"wasting and destruction are in their paths" translates to “violence, ruin, robbery, oppression, affliction, to disable.” And "crooked paths" means “to distort, pervert”. That is to distort and pervert the path of truth, justice and peace; that path which leads to righteousness, or the Way, that is Jesus Himself. The Way of Truth is distorted, perverted, corrupted! Can we say liberal churches?
In Marxist philosophy any revolution begins with destabilizing society until it’s so broken, so chaotic that people will agree to anything so long as order is restored – Marxists then bring in a new order under their rule.
When those in power cease to acknowledge God as the Supreme Authority they become the 'supreme authority' and govern whatever way they want, no matter how unjust or oppressive that may be.
When Communists take over a country their first mission to indoctrinate the people is not with Karl Marx, but Charles Darwin, using evolution to take GOD out. The State becomes the authority.
It’s a good thing our government isn’t trying to take GOD out of our nation isn’t it?
God created man under His authority, but when God is forsaken, man worships himself as a god (Humanism). Yet such 'godhood' is a twisted, ugly, reprehensible and monstrous.
Government ruling by power instead of truth and justice will prey upon those who still embrace the Truth – that’s us, saints!
ISAIAH 59:9-11
9 Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places. 11 We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us.
And here we switch nouns again, from "they" back to "us" and "we".
There are always evil effects for a people when truth and justice are trampled down and their leaders are not held accountable (but remember GOD holds them accountable!). Increasing power in a corrupt heart is like throwing kerosene on an open flame! The actions and deeds of corrupt and evil rulers inevitably effect the entire nation. Liberties and rights in politics and religion are then restricted and finally removed.
PROVERBS 29:2When a people look for clarity in navigating troublesome times, hardships, deterioration, they are met with perplexity (in these end times: “distress of nations” LK 21:25 – “no way out of disaster”). They’re lost in spiritual darkness without solutions, without hope. This is America’s near future, saints! Not our eternal destiny – but the destiny of America that’s rejected GOD.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
PSALM 9:17They will yearn for a standard of some sort, a guide, some sort of "wall" that in their blindness, they could use it to guide them in a sure direction.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.
Check out the YouTube video by Frank Peretti called The Chair!
By Truth we are able to discern right from wrong, justice from injustice. But in the absence of truth, there’s no discernment, no moral absolutes, no moorings for safe security! There are no anchors to weigh in times of storm, no compass or light house to lead safely into harbor!
ISAIAH 59:12-15
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 Justice is turned back [removed, the act of forsaking], And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen [overthrown, to faint by weakness, or fallen by decay] in the street, And equity cannot enter. 15 So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice [just verdict].
Stewards that fail to value and esteem truth will have it taken from them, and they will be left with deceit and lawlessness. All they will have to look forward to, according to God's Word, is "oppression and rebellion”. People of the former Soviet Union, N. Korea and China understand this.
In a society wholly given over to these evils, any person will mark themselves ("make himself a prey") if they attempt to stand for righteousness. Those who will declare the truth and righteousness with unflinching resolve do so at the peril of their own lives! But we trust our lives in the nail-scarred hands of JESUS!
The LORD is not absent from His throne, neither is He unaware of what's become of our nation. He sees everything! Not just what's on the 6 o'clock news or the Internet! He sees of the corrupt courts and unjust verdicts, and He’s displeased! He sees these crossdresser transgressors reading to little children with parental consent and is displeased. Surgeries that are butchering the sexuality of our youth displeases Him. X-rated books in grade school health class, exposing children to perversion displeases Him! Our children and youth being trafficked and sold for as little as $200 apiece displeases Him! 70 million aborted babies displeases Him! In fact, He is full of wrath about such things and Judgment Day is coming!
Will we the saints of GOD be willing to intercede for these lost, blind souls? We may be few in number, but numbers never matter to our God! Hearts do!
ISAIAH 59:16-17
16 He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. 17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
We the Philadelphia church have “a little strength, [and] have not denied [His] Name”. An open door (of escape) that no one can shut is provided for us, while the professing lukewarm Laodicean church will continue to 'apostatize' until it mutates into the Mother of Harlots (REV 17 & REV 18) – the global religion that will be drunk on the blood of the saints as this ‘Mother’ worships the Beast!
During the reign of anti-Christ, there will be unparalleled rejection of the truth, a complete embrace of deception (2 THESS 2; see the TTUF study on this text of Scripture) and at it’s climax, the LORD Himself will make war against anti-Christ and vanquish all those forces aligned with him. And then the good news:
ISAIAH 59:18-21
18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay. 19 So shall they fear the Name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. 20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," says the LORD. 21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, from this time and forevermore.
The Coming Judgment of Christ Jesus upon the whole human race will bring an end of oppression, an end to the lies and deceptions, violence and wars and of all governments, movements, laws, false religions and all their intolerance of the Truth.
This is why its vitally important for us saints to preach the Gospel now (don’t wait for “an opportune time” to witness to your loved ones). We need to fulfill this Great Commission for our generation prior to this time of impending Judgment. Now is the time to receive salvation through Christ Jesus, Who bore our sins and its resulting judgment FOR US!
In the meanwhile, even though the situation grows worse and worse in today's world where the Truth is under enemy fire, though the enemy has come in like a flood of wickedness, perversion, hostility, and injustice, the LORD Himself will raise up His Standard! May those of us who love the TRUTH find shelter under that standard, even at the expense of making ourselves a marked target!
Remember this: whatever injustice and oppression we may endure in the days ahead – There is NO SUCH THING AS ETERNAL INJUSTICE!
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