Worship the King!

     Jesus came to us as a helpless baby, and when he grew up he increased in favor with God and men. He walked the countryside, blessing children, preaching uplifting sermons, healing the sick. He called his followers friends. He explained that he had come to lay down his life for us. He welcomes all who will come to him in humility, and his presence is a great comfort to the believer in times of trouble, grief, and sorrow.
Remember, also, that people tried to kill him several times for claiming to be God. Remember his violence in the temple. This same man who is meek and lowly is mighty and holy. Things are not right in this world, and he WILL fix them. I would like to share a few things Jesus said in hopes that you will see him in a different light and give pause to think.
     Remember that John the Baptist introduced Jesus by saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Jesus himself said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." MT 7:13-14
     In MT 11:20-24, Jesus tells that the day of judgment will be terrible, even worse than it was for Sodom, for the cities of his time because they wouldn't repent at his teaching.
     MT 12:29-42 talks more of judgment for blasphemy and careless words. V.30: "He who is not with me is against me...."
     MT 24;38,9,44 warn us that we will be caught by surprise when Jesus returns, and it won't be a pleasant surprise for everyone.
     When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, escaping their murderous pursuers, they sang, "Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea."
     When Peter and John were persecuted, the believers prayed Psalm 2.
     REV 11:17-18 "We give thanks to you, Lord Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come."
     Look at the parable of the sheep and the goats in Mt 25 this way: the sheep didn't know what they were doing right while the goats didn't know they were doing anything wrong. I sure hope my conscience never breaks down so far I no longer know when I am doing wrong!
     Jesus is asking you a very pointed question. "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."  LK 12:51   He gets just a bit harsher in 13:5: "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." I don't know about you, but I would rather avoid eternal punishment, fire that is never quenched, and the whole weeping and gnashing of teeth thing. I don't think he was kidding.
     In MT 12:43-45, Jesus describes the spiritual state of Israel. He had come to preach repentance and salvation, and by his power had caused demons to flee. These demons not only fled people, but the land. "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." See, Jesus did the people a favor: while they were powerless to resist the devil, emptied the house of Israel of demons, put it in order and swept it clean, but the people rejected him. The demons came back with a vengeance. Wonder why things are so bad in our own nation? We kicked God out of most of our society, and guess who takes his place?
     Please read LK 20:16 and 21:17.

My prayer is that you will see that Jesus taught many things that we don't hear anymore pertaining to nations, particularly the USA. He came to save sinners, but he also rules over the affairs of men, and this includes nations. After all, in the end he will rule the whole earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Nations rise and fall according to his will. Please continue to follow my blog at http://revelationblog18.blogspot.com/

I have brought some heavy news to your heart. Remember that no matter what happens to the world around you, "we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf." HEB 6:18-19 Right there, seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, is where I want to stay and where I want to invite others so that they can flee the coming wrath.
     Revelation 22:20 " Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

The British are coming!

Remember that famous warning cry? Paul Revere hurtled through the countryside at midnight, the moon and a torch dimly lighting his way. He charged on, desperate to gain an extra moment's warning for his compatriots of the impending battle.
Moments of courage like that built victory in the Revolutionary War and were the foundation of our great nation.
Ezekiel chapter 33 begins like this: "The word of the Lord came to me: 'Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, ...."
Yes, that's right - the Lord brings a sword against a land, a sword of punishment. It may hurt; it may kill. We don't like to think about that anymore. We'd prefer to think that Jesus makes us healthy, wealthy and wise and happy, forgives and loves and heals. Sweet baby Jesus! He also disciplines and punishes. Today. If you read Revelations, you realize we ain't seen nothin' yet!
This is the real purpose of my blog as well as the heavy burden upon my heart I shall carry the rest of my life. O how thankful I am that the Holy Spirit provides joy in the midst of pain! God hasn't put down his gavel. He sees the affairs of men and guides them for his glory that men might turn to him and be saved.
For my beloved country perilous times are on the horizon. Who will make the perilous climb to the watchtower and shout the warning? This task is vital as you will read in Ezekiel 33 and further. I say to you, be sure that you are seated with Christ in heavenly places and that you warn of the coming wrath upon this disobedient nation. God is patient, but he cannot ignore evil forever.

When in the course of human events...

On the hallowed occasion of Independence Day, I wish to remind all of us that the United States of America was founded a nation upon the bedrock of faith in the Christian God and Scriptures. From her Declaration of Independence I have excerpted certain statements to that effect which shall clearly demonstrate the legal contract which the Founders had established before Almighty God.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary,
            the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle us to establish a new nation upon certain truths.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,

under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

[of King George]
He has refused his Assent to Laws,
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly,
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone
 He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
For abolishing the free System of English Laws

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens ...[ ]to bear Arms against their Country

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms

a Tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in general Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

The American colonists at one time declared, "We have no king but King Jesus!" The King of England was usurping God's place as ruler over men. This free people were compelled to return things to God's order, for they were doing his bidding and would receive his protection. It is their right, it is their duty- rights, as well as duty, come from God and therefore We, the People of the United States of America were and continue to be bound by this Declaration to uphold our rights and duties.

Signed, this 4th of July, 2012 in the year of our Lord,

James W. England, Jr.