Perhaps we are
witnessing a singular moment in history. With the ascent of
America as the unchallenged super power, some dubious
preconceived misconceptions have ascended also. It would
appear that this administration is claiming "manifest
destiny" again as its mandate to impose its will on the
world community. The last time this claim was made it
resulted in the enslavement of a race of people who were
denied the right of personhood and the inalienable rights of
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Now again
"manifest destiny" has emerged in doctrines such as
"pre-emptive war," "regime change," and the vague "national
security."
It would appear that the Bush administration and the
majority of America's citizens (if one is to believe the
polls) are content to use the name of the Lord to advance
their own agendas and to cloak their selfish and evil
intents behind a veil of 'religiosity'. We were told that
the main reasons for invading Iraq was the imminent threat
of that regime to use nuclear and biological weapons of mass
destruction and the connection of the government of Iraq to
the 9-11 attack.. Yet so far, not one trace of anything
biological or nuclear or any connection to 9-11 has been
discovered. We were told there was incontrovertible proof of
these weapons; yet nothing has materialized.
And the sad fact about all of this is that most Americans
are not alarmed as to the implications of these truths. Most
do not care whether they were lied to or not, all in the
name of "patriotism." Most Americans believe that God is on
our side and therefore whatever we do carries the divine
sanction. Hence comes the importance and import of our
devotional text. "For this reason God send them a powerful
delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all
will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have
delighted in wickedness."
Webster defines a Delusion as: a) "something that is falsely
or delusively believed or propagated"; b) "a persistent
false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or
objects outside the self."
Perhaps the
height of arrogance and the depths of depravity is to wrap
ourselves in a self-made cloak of superiority and moral
certitude. This pseudo-sensed perception of Americans being
better by nature than those Muslims or Arabs over there and
elsewhere in the world is cause for deep alarm and should
provoke from clergy all over this nation a call for
repentance before the Lord God Almighty. No nation or people
on this earth is better than any other! The mercy of God on
this nation so far as it relates to power, prosperity and
upward mobility is no indication of living under the grace
of God but attests to the unmerited goodness of God our
Creator. For He has mercy on whom He will have mercy.
"Strong
delusions" have been sent by God upon many of this nation
and they cannot help but to believe the lie rather than
receive the truth about ourselves, our morality and ethics
and our arrogant grasp for superiority. Many believed that
America has been destined by God to be NUMBER 1. But the
truth of the matter is that life is not a game to be played
by rules of our own making nor are the results of the
consequences of our evil actions to be edited out of the
record when they make us look bad. The truth of the matter
is that "all unrighteousness is sin" and God is not mocked.
"Strong
delusions" are surfacing in the photographs that have come
to light recently depicting a strategy by men in high places
to win at all costs. Delusions, when brought to the light of
truth, have a way of humiliating the proud and exposing our
wickedness to the world. For many have placed blind trust
and implicit faith in a government that is not the The
Christ, and now when confronted with their blind trust, most
act as though they are "shocked" and "appalled" and
"disgusted" and "sickened" by the consequences of their
beliefs.
"Strong
delusions" have been propagated by this government; "strong
delusions" have been the persistent false psychotic belief
of the masses regarding the rightness of the cause of the
War in Iraq and our supposedly God-given right to spread
democracy and freedom to "those folk over there." We have
been deluded into believing that we are the Liberators of
the world, that it is our "Manifest Destiny" to democratize
the world for the coming of Christ. OH what Arrogance and
Evil!!!
As I read the
Scriptures and human history, I find that God has only one
Liberator, one Chosen Ruler, only One Savior whom He has
deputized to act in His name to bring about the advent and
establishment of His Kingdom. And His kingdom is not called
America neither is His government denominated "Democracy,"
nor is His method of bringing about righteousness the use of
weapons of war and military might. I read somewhere that He
said, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith
the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).
"Strong
delusions" are the the product of so-called religious
leaders who think themselves to be fundamentally
moral individuals. Yet morality has absolutely nothing to do
with Righteousness and Regeneration. For history has taught
us that men and nations can be basically fair and yet evil
and wrong. Fairness is not the mark of righteousness and
market-theology is not the standard of justice. So-called
"men of faith" have palmed off on ignorant people the false
and destructive doctrines of pride-based religion and
race-conscious nationalistic morality. And in the wake of
this evil, policies and practices pursued over the past ten
years are now coming home to roost.
I detest
those who, in the name of Jesus Christ, speak lies from
their own evil imaginations and hide behind the Book called
the Holy Bible. I denounce those hypocrites who know nothing
of a saving relationship with the Christ of God proclaiming
"another gospel" in the name of decency and order. I am at
war against those false prophets of modernity who are in
league with "spiritual wickedness in high places." These are
enemies of the Cross of Christ!!!
Whether they
be white, black, brown, red or yellow makes no difference
with me. These individuals are haters of the Christ of God and
are heralds and forerunners of the Antichrist who is yet to
be revealed. Any so-called man of God who preaches the
equality of God and country is an enemy of God. Any
so-called prophet who tries to equate Almighty God with any
other creature or institution is a false prophet! And
delusional people have come to hold God and country on
an equal footing. They believe patriotism to be of equal
importance to allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. STRONG
DELUSIONS, I TELL YOU!!!
But to return
to our text. The scary part about this text is the fact that
moral people, religious people, so-called fundamentally
sound people can and do pray to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ AND HE ANSWERS THEIR PRAYERS WITH STRONG
DELUSIONS!!! To be Moral yet not Merciful Is Scary. To be
religious and yet not righteous Is Scary! To be patriotic
yet not Persuaded of the Truth of God Is Scary! To be a
Christian and yet Not Saved Is Scary!!! And yet for that
cause God shall send them strong delusions.
Not just
delusions but Strong Delusions! That implies that the dye is
cast and there is no possibility of redemption. That's
Scary! Thus, Truth is not an objective reality to be
determined by individuals, systems, societies or nations.
Truth is not the contrivance of one set of people who have
cornered the market on reality as it is. Truth is not a
conceptual exercise of the intelligent or the people of
power and means and might. Truth is not a product of a
people's deliberation or judgment. Truth is the subjective
reality of the real nature of things as it is in The Mind
and Mover of the Universe, who is God over all, blessed
forever!!!
Truth is not
determined by the person who declares that he/she believes
the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God and yet interprets
those truths independently of the Spirit of Truth. Truth is
not prescribed by a people who draw near God with their lips
but whose hearts are far from Him. Truth is not a commodity
whose value is determined by the market price. Truth is not
possessed by those who are "shocked, appalled, disturbed and
saddened" by acts of the depraved nature of man, as though
they are surprised to learn of what is in every man. Truth
is the integral and internal character of the God who is
light and in Him is no darkness at all.
Truth is not
an option to be chosen by fallible creatures but the
standard and measurement by which we shall all be judged.
The truth of
the matter is that right is not determined by might or the
ability to persuade or dissuade others. It is not predicated
upon technology or economic policies or national security.
For the coming of the Antichrist is characterized as that of
"the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders." The "shock and awe" of military might is a
precursor of something altogether deadlier. Deception and
lies are the marks of Satan and his antichrist and his false
prophets.
The truth of
the matter is that we are not saved by race nor by religious
beliefs nor by national security. We are saved totally
by Grace through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is
God's standard of righteousness. And "Repentance" is a work
of grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God and not by
the agency of man. Repentance is God turning the individual
from his/her back being turned to Him to looking Him
contritely in the face and in that glorious light seeing the
holiness of God and the wretchedness of the individual. It
is a change in one's viewing of oneself and one's
environment. It is being turned from "the lie" to "the truth
as it is in Jesus Christ."
Repentance
toward God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are the twin
gifts of grace given by the Spirit of God that result in the
actualization of a right relationship with God through
Christ Jesus the Lord. Deep heart work or soul work is not a
product of morality or upbringing or status or social
standing. It is the Work of God and God Alone!!!
Thus, I call
into question any person's claim of saving faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ who has not denied self, taken up his/her cross
to follow the Lord daily in crucifying "the lie." I call
into question the authenticity of those who profess to be
Christian and yet who deny the Christ as Sovereign. I call
into question the claim of any person who tries to equate
God Almighty with anybody or anything else. God is God all
by Himself, and as Grandpa used to say, "He don't need
nobody else!"
The essence
of "wickedness" is open rebellion and defiance of the
Sovereignty of God. And those who shout the loudest of
freedom and liberty are those who deny the sovereign right
of God to rule their very lives!!! This false notion of
their "freedom of choice" is used to deflect their open
rebellion of the rule of God in their own lives.
As we
continue this dialogue on Delusional People, I desire the
Elect of God to yield to the leadership of the Holy Spirit
and stay clear of the arguments of the flesh and the pull of
emotions as God sets the stage for His eternal plan and
purposes to be revealed in this last of days. I plead with
the People of God to let their ears try words in these
deceitful times. I implore the people of God to be on guard
against being caught up in the frenzy of the moment and to
be still while the salvation of the Lord is being revealed.
Let no man or
institution or organization call into question your
patriotism. This is not an issue of nationalistic pride.
This is the Lord's Battle!!! Recall please, that the test of
one faithfulness to the Lord is not whether or not an
individual was loyal to Ceasar or not. Tribulations, as it
relates to believers, come as the result of our faithfulness
to the Lord, not denying His name and holding fast His
doctrine!!!
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