NOTES ON THE CRYING NEED FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP IN AMERICA: A STUDY OF PRO-TRUMP WOLVES AMONG THE SHEEP 0F GOD’S PASTURE PArt IV

PART IV: “THE SOLUTIONS”

SCRIPTURE. “But as for you, teach the things which are in agreement with sound doctrine [which produces men and women of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christians]. – TITUS 2:1, AMP

Selah.

QUOTATIONS

HERACLITUS. “Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character…Man’s character is his Destiny.” – HERACLITUS OF EPHESUS, “The Weeping Philosopher,” ‘Cosmic Fragments,’ 119, c. 500 BC; edited

BONHOEFFER. “Costly Grace is the Gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the Gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such Grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is Grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is Costly because it costs a man his life, and it is Grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is Costly because it condemns sin, and Grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is Costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ‘Ye were bought at a price’, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is Grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered Him up for us. Costly Grace is the Incarnation of God.” – DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, ‘The Cost of Discipleship (Nachfolge),’ 1937; edited

LEWIS. “In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them Virtue and Enterprise. We laugh at Honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” – C.S. LEWIS, ‘The Abolition of Man,’ 1943; edited

FIRST THOUGHTS

CHARACTER. “The peculiar qualities, impressed by nature or habit on a person, which Distinguish him from others; these constitute Real Character, and the qualities which he is supposed to possess, constitute his estimated character, or Reputation. Hence we say, a Character is not formed, when the person has not acquired stable and distinctive qualities…By way of eminence, distinguished or good qualities; those which are esteemed and respected; and those which are ascribed to a person in common estimation. We enquire whether a stranger is a Man of Character.” – NOAH WEBSTER, ‘American Dictionary of the English Language,’ 1828; edited

Selah.

I could pretty much hang up my spurs about now (as we used to say out West back in the day), and call it a day. Lesson taught. Lesson learned. Nighty night boys and girls. Or in the words of a thousand elites and commoners over the centuries:

“Character is everything.”

UNIVERSAL APHORISMS. From this rich root system regarding the importance of Good Character, have grown a thousand cultural trees and sayings about it. Here are just a few.

“Conduct is the best proof of character.” – Anonymous

“Nearly all men can stand Adversity, but if you want to test a man’s Character give him Power.” – Abraham Lincoln

“Character, not circumstances, makes the man.” – Booker T. Washington

“Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking.” – Anonymous

“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my Character and the quality of my life.” – Walter Anderson

“When the Character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.” – Japanese Proverb

“Character, like a photograph develops in darkness.” – Yousuf Karsh

“Worry about your Character, not your reputation.” – Anonymous

“Here’s something wrong with your Character if opportunity controls your loyalty.” – Sean Simmons

“Good Character is property. It is the noblest of all possessions.” – Samuel Smiles

THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW. And on and on it goes, beloved. Each aphorism to underscore the monumental Biblical Truth desperately needed for Our Time:

“He who walks in integrity and with moral character walks securely, but he who takes a crooked way will be discovered and punished.” – PROVERBS 10:9, AMP

INTEGRITY. From the Hebrew word, ‘Tom’ [תֹּם], meaning: “Completeness [of character]; derives from part of the high priest Aaron’s breastplate adorned with ‘Thummim,’ or precious stones [think of Lewis’s “chest” reference here]; full measure of innocence; perfection; uprightness; soundness; prosperity or strength; the opposite of mischief; the entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; Honesty; Integrity comprehends the whole Moral Character, especially in our dealings with others.”

WHY ALL THE FUSS? Simply because I too believe that ‘Character is everything’ – or at least the Beginning of everything. If I have someone before me with this priceless ingredient, but absent of Skill, I can layer on top of that any ability he or she might require for success, as God defines success.

But I cannot dispense or confer, ‘Character.’

And because America and her Church, beloved, are very nearly Bankrupt on this irreplaceable commodity, are therefore in danger of Perishing from the face of the earth. Selah.

THE ROAD BACK

It is neither rocket science nor political acumen to figure out what to do next. Simply put: To ENCOURAGE CHARACTER back into the Nation and her institutions, including especially the Church, as our first priority, in order to Recover from our precipitous Death Spiral.

The Challenge: How?

CONTRITION. The First Step seems to be the hardest. This is an old-timey word for feeling remorseful and penitent over a great wrong done. It is different somewhat than guilt, in that it brings one to a place of deep desire ‘to set things right.’ To ‘come clean’ as we used to say it. This is what the Bible would refer to as:

“Sorrow unto Repentance.” Here is how PAUL THE APOSTLE describes its important distinctions.

“For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death].” – 2 CORINTHIANS 7:10, AMPC

THE AMERICAN CONDITION. Best I can read it after thousands of hours of studying, praying and writing about it, my conviction is that America and her Church don’t really believe they need to Repent. Whether by self-delusion or misled conviction, they cannot see their own Betrayal of God and the Canon.

EXAMPLE. Just had a lengthy exchange with an old Christian friend, Chief of Staff to one of America’s most notable Christian leaders, author in his own right, and by his nature, a gentle giant of a man, godly in all noticeable ways, and a true Christian gentleman.

But here is what he said about our Anti-Trump position, whose reach by his employer’s status is to millions of Christians in America, and overseas.

THE TRUMP DEFENSE. “I have zero appetite for opinions that are anti-Trump when far worse personalities have been president, with abominable agendas…It is a secular office filled by fallible humans. If a president stands for life and religious freedom, keeps my daughter safe in the school locker room locks the border, keeps terrorists off planes, and has sound economic policies, I am pretty good…And that photo you included [of Trump] standing at [St. John’s Church], just bad staff work. He was helpless in understanding how to relate to Christians. I would have sent the National Guard or someone over to clean out ‘the rioters’ the night before, not made a photo op…The crazies on the Right who voted for him, stormed the Capitol, how are they worse than the crazies on the Left who voted for Biden and stormed other cites for almost a year?…But even if all you write about Trump were true, Biden is worse.”

Thus, beloved, our major challenge is to overcome this prodigious Evangelical Mentality. What author BEN HOWE calls, ‘The Immoral Majority’ in his 2019 book of the same name. This New Biblical Framework that now prevails in over 80% of the Church.

I love what JOHN PIPER writes about the only way to overcome this Wall of Scriptural Illusion (or Delusion), is through what he calls, ‘SUPERNATUAL EXCAVATION.’

“If we are on the right track, the only hope for seeing the Glory of God in Scripture is that God might cut away the diamond-hard, idolatrous substitutes for the glory of God that are packed into the template of our heart.

The Bible speaks of this Supernatural Act in many ways. For example, it describes this Supernatural Inbreaking as a shining into our hearts of divine glory (2 Corinthians 4:6), and as a granting of truth and repentance (2 Timothy 2:25), and as the giving of faith (Philippians 1:29), and as raising us from the dead (Ephesians 2:5-6), and as new birth by the word (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18), and as the special revelation of the Father (Matthew 16:17) and the Son (Matthew 11:27), and as the enlightening of the eyes of the heart (Ephesians 1:18), and as being given the secret of the kingdom of God (Luke 8:10).

When this Miracle happens to us, the Glory of God cuts and burns and melts and removes from the template the suicidal cement of alien loves and takes its rightful place. We were made for this. And the Witness of this Glory to the authenticity of the Scriptures is overwhelming. Where we saw only foolishness before, we now see the all-satisfying Beauty of God. God has done this — Supernaturally.” – “How God Opens the Eyes of the Heart,” ‘Desiring God,’ May 23, 2017; edited

THE APPLICATION. The Remnant Church must organize itself around collective, sustained, Militant Prayer and Action for such ‘Supernatural Excavation’ to take place among those who have, for any number of reasons, ‘Departed from the Faith.’

The razor-sharp point being fully understood right up front: ONLY GOD’S SPIRIT can accomplish this, and the recipient must be at least minimally Willing. In other words, there are not guarantees; neither are there any reasons for not doing this.

Selah.

THE TEACHING

“But as for you, teach the things which are in agreement with sound doctrine [which produces men and women of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christians]. – TITUS 2:1, AMP

I have argued till the cows came home already, that the Singular Key to any hope of Return to health, strength and integrity in the Church, and consequently, the Nation, is a Return to Sound Doctrine, or to put it much more plainly: ‘TRUTH.’

Jesus said it as plainly while He was still on the earth.

“So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, ‘IF you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.’” – JOHN 8:31-32, AMPC; emphasis my own

THE BIBICAL ALGORITHM. So do Three Ideas from the Lord prescribe the beginning of The Solution to the Church and State Crisis.

‘IF.’ Now this point is massive, though I have made it before. All of God’s Promises are CONDITIONAL – every single one of them depends on some minimal Obedience on our part. Even Salvation, in the sense that it too is Volitional, and based on a measure of Sincerity and Faith in Him and His Word. From the Greek, ‘Ean’ [ἐάν], rendered: “Foreasmuch as, provided that; referring to a Condition extending to its “spin-off” possibilities – i.e. that the thing promised will happen ‘If’ the Condition is actualized or is valid.” DK: This in dramatic contrast to the ‘Cheap Grace’ extended by most churches that require nothing on our part. – cf. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ‘Nachfolge,’ 1937

ABIDE. Now notice that the Jews there had already “believed,” so the first Condition was that they do this: ‘Menó’ [μένω]: “To remain with, abide, stay, wait; to sojourn or tarry; to [willingly] be kept; not to depart of leave, to continue to be (fully) present; to persevere or endure [trials]; refuse to become ‘another;’ to stand firm, steadfast; patience toward (changing) circumstances.”

WORD. This now the very Cornerstone or Mainstay for any individual, any family, any church, any nation – ‘Logos’ [λόγος]: “Intelligence, and the expression of that intelligence through words; articulate utterance of human language, both unspoken (thought) and spoken (verbal, nonverbal); as embodying an idea, a statement, a speech; a speech, Divine utterance, or [conceptual] analogy; a broad term meaning ‘reasoning expressed by words;’ i.e., the giving or sharing of the Meaning.”

TRUTH. My favorite Word of all time, as you all know by now. From the Greek, ‘Alétheia’ [ἀλήθεια]: “Truth; but not merely truth as spoken; truth of idea, reality, sincerity, truth in the moral sphere, divine truth revealed to man, straightforwardness; (as opposed to that which is feigned, fictitious or false, which God hates); that which is in agreement or accord with reality; appertaining to God and the duties of man; the essence of God’s true nature; absolute veracity; ‘the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of a matter [cf. Correspondence Theory].”

FREE. The final, priceless Consequence of all these Prerequisites is what Americans seem to love most. From the term, ‘Eleutheroó’ [ἐλευθερόω]: “To liberate, make free, fig. to exempt (from liability); properly, set free, release from bondage; independence, as in unconstrained, unfettered; the prefect Law of Freedom is Divine generosity [to grant it to all who believe and obey; it is not available to the unbelieving, disobedient]; a state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement; freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious.”

‘SOUND DOCTRINE.’ To put this entire framework for America’s RETURN TO ORDER into proper theological and historical perspective, all, I mean every single element of this vast and complex matter is overwhelmingly Dependent on this Central Idea.

Taken from two Greek terms: ‘Hugiainó’ [ὑγιαίνω], and ‘Didaskalia’ [‘διδασκαλία], when taken together mean: “Sound, healthy, pure and uncorrupted Teaching (of the Truth); instruction of unadulterated Judeo-Christian precepts; importantly, it refers not only to the ideas taught, but to the authority of the teacher, or ‘Didasko’ [or ‘Rabboni’ in Jewish culture for a scholar of the Text]; especially extends to its necessary lifestyle applications [thus imposing a command for obedience]; i.e., the teaching is no better or worse than the one delivering the teaching.”

Selah. Selah.

THE COMMENTARIES

Three Biblical Sages are cited below who further enrich our understanding of these crucial thoughts toward American Restoration, if it be possible at all at this late point. Let’s consider their interpretations – two from the Classical literature, then one from a more Contemporary view.

CHARLES ELLICOTT. “To introduce a regular Organisation and the principle of a central church government into the numerous but scattered Christian congregations in Crete was Titus’ first work. The second and equally weighty mission the Apostle Paul charged him to execute was the Refutation of a school of professed Christian teachers, who were promulgating doctrines at variance with the teaching of St. Paul and his brother Apostles, and were also, by their example and lives, fatally lowering the tone of Christian life. It was to the latter point—the evil moral influence of these teachers—that the attention of Titus was especially directed. False doctrinal teaching was bringing forth already its sure fruit, in the form of a life utterly unlike the pattern life of the Master.” – ‘Commentary on the Whole Bible for English Readers,’ 1878, 1897; edited

JOSEPH BENSON. “[Paul the Apostle having] ordered him to ‘rebuke them sharply’, he now proceeds to give him a short view of the duties of his office as superintendent both of the teachers and of the people in that island. ‘But speak thou, &c.’ — As if he had said, ‘Though false teachers dwell upon fables, traditions, and the commandments of men, which disorder and poison the souls of the hearers, do thou inculcate the things which become’ — or agree with; Sound, wholesome, salutary Doctrine — Calculated to restore and preserve spiritual health; to invigorate all the faculties of the soul, and keep them in a healthy state.” – ‘Notes on the Holy Bible,’ 2^nd edition, 1811-1818; edited

WILLIAM MACDONALD. “The lives of the False Teachers were a ‘libel’ rather than a ‘Bible.’ By their conduct they denied the great truths of the Faith. Who can measure the damage to the Christian Testimony by those who professed great sanctity but lived a lie? The task assigned to Titus (and to all true servants of the Lord) was to teach what is ‘proper for sound doctrine.’ He was to close the awful Chasm between the lips of God’s people and their lives. Actually, this is the Keynote of the Epistle – the practical Outliving of healthy doctrine in good works.” – ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, p. 2139; edited

THE LESSON. The searing, and I expect extremely passionate point being made by Paul here was this: False Teachers and Leaders were destroying the sacrosanct ‘Christian Testimony’ for all believer in the Region by their ‘Living a lie.’ According to the Scriptures in both Testaments, their PENALTY IS SEVERE.

Is to be put to death. – Deuteronomy 18:20

Are to be kept from the Promised Land. – Ezekiel 13:9

Would be better that they had never known God. – 2 Peter 2:21

If anyone teach ‘another gospel,’ he is under God’s curse. – Galatians 1:8

They are marked out by God for condemnation. – Jude 1:4

Harsh? Roger that. Should any pastor, teacher, evangelist or Christian leader dispute this, he fights not with any of us, but with Christ Himself and His – wait for it – Doctrines!

THE “SPURIOUS” GENERATION

Without trying to sound like some kind of seer, I must relate to you what took place this past Sunday February 7, as I began to prepare for my morning time with study and prayer. Every now and then, the Lord will drop ‘a Word’ (‘Rhema’ [ῥῆμα], a Word of Life directly from God’s Spirit to us) into my mind, and this day it was:

“Spurious.”

DEFINITION. Now I have a pretty decent vocabulary, but I did not immediately know the definition of this term. And you know me and definitions – my ‘Magnificent Obsession’ to be sure.

NOAH WEBSTER (1828). “Not genuine; not proceeding from the true source, or from the source pretended; counterfeit; false; adulterate. ‘Spurious’ writings are such as are not composed by the authors to whom they are ascribed. Not legitimate; bastard; as spurious issue. A disease not of the genuine type, but bearing a resemblance in its symptoms.”

JAMES STRONG (1890). “A false prophet; one who in God’s name teaches what is not true; someone pretending to speak the Word of the Lord, but in fact is phony (an imposter); acting as ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing;’ specializes in the act of misimpression; in fact, they operate by self and for self (gain); they must be exposed for what they are – religious imposters.” – cf. Matthew 7:15; 24;11; 24:24; Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26; Acts 13:6; 1 John 4:1; Revelation 16:13; 20:10.

GOD’S COMMAND. Come away of them! Do not go near them for fellowship nor, God forbid, for instruction of any kind. Depart from among them, beloved, and find Christian company fit for Sound Doctrine and healthy conversation and fellowship. This is no longer taught in our churches, but you MUST comply with the Wisdom of the Scriptures.

The Apostle once again makes this indelibly, indisputably clear.

“Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose and reprove and convict them. For it is a shame even to speak of or mention the things that [such people] practice in secret. But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light.” – EPHESIANS 5:11-13, AMPC

No Commentary needed here, beloved. The Scripture teaches itself, leaving no room for any reasonable resistance to it. Selah.

NATION OF UNFAVORED STATUS

GOD is the only Solution to America’s Crisis, beloved – or I should say, ‘Multiple Crises’ – as we are now starting to experience God’s Judgment, not unlike the TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT in the Old Testament Story.

The Plague of Blood. – Exodus 7:14-24
The Plague of Frogs. – Exodus 8:1-15
The Plague of Gnats. – Exodus 8:16-19
The Plague of Flies. – Exodus 18:20-32
The Plagues of Livestock. – Exodus 9:1-7
The Plague of Boils. – Exodus 9:8-12
The Plague of Hail. – Exodus 9:13-35
The Plague of Locusts. – Exodus 10:1-20
The Plague of Darkness. – Exodus 10:21-29
The Plague on the Firstborn. – Exodus 11, 12:1-30

THE APPLICATION. While I would never claim that each of these Plagues will replicate themselves in America in the days ahead – though some may – I propose something even more troubling:

America, once ‘Blessed’ of God among the nations, indisputable Leader of the Free World, has now placed herself under the ‘Curses’ of God for her sustained Rebellion for the last 120 Years.

The Form of the Judgments to descend upon us, without Repentance, is what the Law and the Prophets, the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation describe in great and agonizing detail.

THE REALITY. A quick rundown of Three Statistics pretty much tell the Story of American Descent, demanding God’s Judgment, is breathtaking.

56% of the American populace believe that Trump should be convicted in the Second Impeachment Trial now going on, and barred from holding federal office ever again. – QUINN SCANLON, ABC News, February 7, 2021

78% of Evangelical (and Pentecostal, Charismatic) Christians still believe Trump is God’s best choice for president, even after January 6. – JASON LEMON, ‘Newsweek,’ February 7, 2021

99% of Congressional Republicans are against Impeachment and by default, for the QAnon Wave that is continuing to infect large groups of Americans. – H. CAYGLE & S. FERRIS, ‘Politico,’ 199 of 210 Republicans opposed removing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from committee assignments, February 4, 2021

A FAIT ACCOMPLIS. Unless these numbers (and hearts) change in that second category especially, God has no alternative than to rain down Justice on America in the days just ahead.

But here’s the Good News: There is still a little time left to Change Course – though I quickly confess the likelihood is not great. But let’s begin to close on that brighter outlook.

LAST THOUGHTS

As I pondered this last section, I kept thinking of CAPTAIN CHESLEY BURNETT “SULLY” SULLENBERGER, who courageously and successfully ditched his US Airways Airbus 320 in the Hudson River after his aircraft sustained a bird strike, saving all 155 passengers aboard.

I am not sure of his Christian Faith, though as a Texas boy he was raised in the Methodist Church, qualified for MENSA by his early adult years, graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1973 with distinction. Of all his many admirable qualities, HONOR was among the chief description of him by many.

Of all American leaders that demonstrate the all too rare, “Soundness of Mind” under pressure that Paul wrote of to Timothy in another Letter to his young charge, Sully may be our very best contemporary example.

OF SOUND MIND. From the Greek, ‘Sóphronismos’ [σωφρονισμός]: “Self-control; disciplined; sane; temperate; to be in one’s right mind; a person who limits his own freedom and ability, with proper thinking (for the good of others); it is the antithesis of hubris.” Thus, a Principle Characteristic of The Good Leader is and actually begins with: HUMILITY:

“Standing between two extremes, getting angry for the wrong reasons, and not getting angry at all. [Thus] Getting angry at the right time in the right measure and for the right reason; a condition of mind and heart which demonstrates gentleness not in weakness but in power. It is a virtue born in strength of character.” – SPIROS ZODIATES, ‘Lexical Aids to the New Testament,’ 1990; edited

Selah.

GETTING AMERICA BACK. If it even be possible, accomplishing this will be hard, really, truly hard, and the odds are frankly not good. Yet do the Scriptures call us to ‘Work while it is still Day, for Night comes when no man can work’ (John 9:4).

THE FIRST STEP. For the CHURCH to Return to Sound Doctrine, post haste, now, this coming Sunday, if not sooner! That requires of course that Pastors must admit and publicly Confess there error, their grievous sin of Betrayal of the Truth, and beg God for that Piper’s ‘Supernatural Excavation.’

THE SECOND STEP. In addition to our Pastors needing as a crucial First Step in getting back (‘Teach Sound Doctrine’), each and every one of us, as INIDIVIDUALS, have the sacred duty before God to find it on our own, should our Pastors fail to do so once again.

THE CHARGE. This therefore, to every one of us in these treacherous Last Days.

^“Seek the Lord [inquire for Him, inquire of Him, and require Him as the foremost necessity of your life], all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility [inquire for them, require them as vital]. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.”- ZEPHANAIAH 2:3, AMPC

SEEK GOD. Without this effort FIRST, nothing else will matter that an individual may attempt. Nothing. From the Hebrew, ‘Baqash’ [בָּקַשׁ]: “To seek to find; search out by prayer and worship; to (eagerly) seek the face of a ruler; ask, beseech, beg or enquire; make inquisition, procure; to require [and answer from God].” – This is the ‘Requisite of Humility, without which there is only Prideful Rebellion.

ACT IN COMPLIANCE. Seeking and desiring is important as a first step, but to qualify as a true disciple of Christ, we must ACT on the Instructions we receive. From the Hebrew term, ‘Paal’ [פָעַל]: “To do or make [something happen]; a (faithful) workman; to commit or ordain; habitually practice; to urge, drive, lead, bring, do, perform, or in general to move, to exert force; to put in motion; to actuate; to regulate movements; o behave, demean, or conduct, as in morals, private duties, or public offices.” That is to say, to OBEY rather than pay mere lip service to one’s Faith. – This is the ‘Requisite of Courage,’ without which there is only Timidity, Cowardice and Self-Interest.

YOU ‘MAY’ BE HIDDEN. Notice here the Conditional, ‘May,’ clearly indicating that none of us ought take for granted the Royal Invitation to serve the Lord. From the Hebrew, ‘Ulay’ [אוּלַי], translated as: “Perhaps; peradventure, expressing a [blessed] hope; if so be [your compliance], then.” The Promise: ‘Sathar’ [סָתַר], or to be: “Concealed, undetected [from God’s Wrath]; (Divinely) withdrawn or made absent from.”

THE COMMENTARIES. In a Collective Admonition, the Biblical Sages strongly urged the following Responses to us from the Scriptures.

BENSON pointed out that The Promise was only for “The few pious.” HENRY focused the Great Purpose of such counsel from the Prophet was a “Call to national repentance.” GILL presciently reminded the reader that all this took place “in a time of Great Apostasy,” as with us today. Finally, MACDONALD concludes that only “a Remnant of righteous Jews… will be Hidden in the Day of His fierce Anger.”

Or, as I have often said to the upset and chagrin of many self-assured Christians who are Apostatizing every single day: “Not everyone gets to go!” Not without what God clearly labeled ‘Sustained Compliance.’

CODA. Now for those who are truly, fully ‘In Christ,’ but might be squeamish about what lies ahead, I feel you. But so does God apparently, for He instructed Paul to write this:

^“For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not ^[^a^]adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13, AMPC

WAY OF ESCAPE. In one of my favorite passages for perilous times and many tests, I have found this to be deliciously encouraging and inexorably true. From the Greek term, ‘Ekbasis’ [ἔκβασις], or: “An exit, way out; a means of egress; an end (of the trial); to obtain security from [the threat]; to escape danger without harm.”

PSALM 34:17-19 (AMPC). “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles. The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

REVELATION 3:10 (AMPC). “Because you have guarded and kept My word of patient endurance [have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth.” [NOTE: Joseph Barnes: “They would be kept from the temptation of Apostasy in calamity”].

BLESSED REASSURANCE. That phrase with which most of us are familiar may not have come to appreciate it accurately and deeply enough. It Means: “You need not ever be hopeless or in despair” of your circumstances, no matter how dire, I think it was Charles Ellicott who once wrote of this.

So there it is beloved: ‘Seek God’ aggressively, to search out, find and Learn Truth. Second, ‘Act in Compliance’ with all that He shows you, bar none, as they used to say it. And third, thereby moving ‘neath His Shelter, even ‘Hidden’ deep inside His Promises, safe from the fury of His Anger headed for America and the World.

TRIAL OF THE CENTURY. As I listen to the Second Senate Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump in the background, I am sobered by the prospect that the Senate’s Decision shall largely determine God’s Response.

One Last Rubicon, perhaps? I believe so, our Last Opportunity to get it right.

I pray we do not squander this Historic Test to do just that: Reset our Course for True North, that is Jesus the Christ, Master, Commander and Captain of our souls forever. That He might utter those timeless Words to each of us:

“Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the ^[^b^]blessedness) which your master enjoys.” – MATTHEW 25:23, AMPC

Ever your servant, DK

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