A Heart Healthy Word for America
Never let it be said that America is not mentioned in end time Bible prophecy. 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men [Americans] will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Yahweh, 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
The word perilous should give you a picture of difficult, dangerous, furious days that are coming upon us daily. Dr. Thayer says these times will be hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage. Does that not sound like Paul is writing for our daily newscasters? These perilous times are here, now, today. Paul had just told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Can you imagine that an inanimate object, money, can have a human lover? Does that sound strange to anyone besides me? Folks, that’s idolatry, and it is running rampant in America.
Look at the words listed in the verses above. Those are perfect descriptive words for just about anyone you hear about in the news these days. Because Americans have turned their backs on Yahweh, they have turned their hearts inward, to love themselves and their own pleasures instead of Yahweh. That is a recipe for personal, community and national disaster. America only has one problem, it’s a spiritual problem, a sin problem. Apart from Yahweh pouring out a spirit of repentance upon all Americans, I do not see how we will survive much longer as a nation. We must pray constantly and ask our Heavenly Father to pour out a spirit of repentance upon all of us. Short of a spiritual awakening, America is doomed.
America has no guarantee of perpetual existence. Since Yahweh has taken His hand of protection off this nation, we could collapse as a society at any moment. Nations throughout history, on average, only last about 200 years, and they all go through a similar cycle:
1. From bondage to spiritual faith [First Great Awakening, 1730s – 1740s]; 2. From spiritual faith to great courage [1750 – 1776]; 3. From courage to liberty [1776 – 1790]; 4. From liberty to abundance [1790 – 1973, Second Great Awakening from 1790 – 1840s, American economy peaked in 1973]; 5. From abundance to complacency [1973 – 1988]; 6. From complacency to apathy [1989 – 2008, the Bush, Clinton, Bush years]; 7. From apathy to dependence [2009 – 2016, the Obama years]; 8. From dependence back into bondage [2013 – 202?].
It’s a glorious ride on the way up to liberty and abundance, but the sinful slide back down to bondage is not so fun, as we’re finding out every day now. We don’t have to go back into spiritual and physical bondage, unless we continue to choose the world, the flesh, and the devil over Yahweh.
Do you realize that Yeshua wrote us a love letter, specifically to the end time church? Revelation 3:14-22, And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of Yahweh: 15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17Because you say, ‘I am [spiritually]rich, have become [materially]wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, [spiritually and monetarily] poor, blind, and naked—18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
I want to focus on verse 18 today. I’ve never really noticed that verse before. Yeshua doesn’t want us to buy refined physical gold. What’s He talking about? He’s talking about a refined character!! Notice that a holy, righteous character comes through fiery trials, tribulations, persecutions, and afflictions and sufferings. Yeshua doesn’t want you to go out and buy another white suit for attending church services. He’s talking about your blood-bought righteousness through faith in Yeshua HaMashiach!! The apostate church in America believes it is rich and has a perfectly acceptable Christian character, not realizing that it is spiritually naked, blind, and deceived! The election statistics are very telling. Millions upon millions of so-called evangelical Christians voted for our Yahweh and Israel-hating Muslim, communist, baby-killing, homosexual promoting, dumbed down president, not once, but twice!! The proof, or fruit, of a carnal character is in the actions and behavior of the individual. This election has given us a president that is in perfect alignment with the sinful character of the majority in America.
Look at Yeshua’s solution to our national and personal problem. Be zealous and repent, not just repent, but be zealous for Yahweh in your repentance! RUN to Yahweh as fast and hard as you can! He’s our only hope now and always. I fear America’s rebuke and chastening has only just begun. The carnal Laodicean church is the seventh and final church in human history. This last carnal apostate church does not deserve a pre-tribulation rapture. This deceived carnal apostate church will not receive a pre-tribulation rapture. This immature carnal apostate church needs and deserves rebuke and chastening through the fiery tribulation that is coming upon the earth. Our loving Heavenly Father knows how to raise up His children to prepare them for glory. It comes through the fire, not through the entertainment on Sunday morning, or Sunday afternoon and evening.
Did you really catch what Paul told Timothy? The perilous times in the last days are appointed times set by Yahweh for the most carnal, childish, backslidden church the world has ever seen. The tribulation won’t be pretty, but it will be effective and it will accomplish Yahweh’s will. A refined, purified, righteous character is Yahweh’s will for you and me. It should be our goal as well. Just remember, you will not be allowed into the Lamb’s marriage supper without the proper righteous attire. Righteousness and holiness was King David’s cry in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself also in Yahweh, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” It’s my cry also, Father give us our heart’s deepest desire: holiness, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!!
Be zealous and repent,
Gene Benjamin II
November 20, 2012 CE