Since the inception of Christ’s Church, Christians have suffered for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Satan has always hated the message that God, in Jesus, came down to man and died, was buried and rose again that all who would come to Jesus in true repentance and belief would be saved from Satan’s clutches and be rewarded with a home in Heaven.

Any who have ever read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs by John Foxe can attest to the persecution that was foisted upon the Church in the early days. It is unbelievable what diabolical torture man can impose upon other men simply because they don’t like what they believe. We can also travel through the pages of the Old Testament, reaching all the way back to Cain and Abel, and see the hate one man can have toward another, simply because of their obedience to Almighty God.

Reaching forward through the pages of time to our day, nothing has changed. Those who love Jesus are hated by Satan, and misery of every form is being dealt out as punishment. Those of us who live in the United States of America have been very fortunate to be able to worship our Lord in peace without worry of retribution, but we are quickly losing that luxury.

Jesus’ soon return is advancing closer and closer, and Satan is boiling mad. Why is this so? It is so because he knows his time is quickly running out, and hell is his destination and will be his place of residence throughout eternity. He lost the battle with God before it even started, and his eyes were opened to that reality at the cross and the empty tomb. He thought he had won when the Son of God hung upon that tree, but he was soon shown there is no power like the power of Almighty God. So, he continues today in attempting to cause as much misery and havoc upon those who claim the name of Jesus Christ … Christians, the bride of Christ.

In this country, which was founded upon the holy Word of God, we Christians are starting to get a taste of Satan’s relentless evil, and it is worsening by the day. More and more, the rats are climbing out of the sewers and invading the land that God initiated to be a light to the world and a defender of the apple of His eye … Israel.

Who would have believed that, just in my lifetime, we would see such evil in this once great country?

IN MY LIFETIME

Bible

The Bible was once respected as the Word of God and shown due respect even by non-believers. Today it is mocked and hated. The ACLU and other entities have worked zealously in having it and its message removed from every corner of life.

Jesus

Jesus, the author and person of God’s holy Word, was once at least respected, again, even by non-believers, but today His precious name is used daily as a curse word. Think about it; no other person’s name has ever been used as a curse word, except the name of Jesus. He provides the one and only lifeline to God and eternal life, and it is cursed and ridiculed.

Abortion

The murder of babies was once illegal in this country, but today is afforded respectability by calling it pro-choice, a woman’s right. Israel and Judah were judged very harshly by God for offering their babies as a sacrifice to false gods. They murdered thousands. We have murdered millions. Do we really think God is just going to look the other way?

Sexual Perversion

Homosexuality, previously a “closet” sin, was once illegal and frowned upon by most everyone, even non-believers. Today, homosexuality has been elevated to normalcy by our Supreme Court and accepted as so by society in general. Even some churches ordain homosexuals and call them pastors.

Transgenderism is another affront to our Creator God who made mankind male and female. I have stated in a previous article, “The Bible makes it clear that we are born male or female. We are either one or the other. Science agrees. Males are born with one Y chromosome and one X chromosome. Females are born with two X chromosomes. If you have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome, you are a male. If you have two X chromosomes, you are a female. We are either male or female when we are born. That cannot be debated.”

Sexual promiscuity is running rampant in our society. I can remember a time when it was a disgrace to have sex outside of marriage.

Entertainment

Satan’s influence has so affected the entertainment fields (Hollywood, music, sports, etc.), respectability has plunged to the depths of the open sewers of men’s minds.

Churches

The Word of God was once preached from most pulpits in America, but now there is mostly just liberal false gospel, opinions of mindless minions of Satan.

Political

Our political field has grown so corrupt they would be most comfortable in the decadent era of Rome.

SO, WHERE AM I GOING WITH THIS?

First of all, for true believers, it is disheartening when we behold the evil all around us, especially for those of us who are old enough to know that it hasn’t always been like this. There was a time, even though sin was evident, Jesus, His message, and His people were respected. Yes, today that is gone, but listen to what Jesus says in the following two Scripture passages.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).

In the days we are living, the insane are running the asylum, but don’t be discouraged; this earthly life is but a fleeting second. Our eternal home is with Jesus, and nothing impure will ever be in our presence again.

“and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

Yes, we are aliens in a strange land, but the journey is short. In the meantime, even though we are hated as Christians because we love God and His Word, let us not faint.

“For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).

“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

This country and the world will soon be judged by Jesus personally. Currently, the Devil’s crowd is having a rip-roaring celebration since they seemingly have thrown off the yoke of God’s Word, but soon those who love Jesus will be ecstatic with joy … and not just for a few short years, but for eternity. Those who are celebrating now will face His wrath. They need our prayers and our witness to them.

The final Scripture I would like to share should also give us much joy. It really doesn’t matter what is going on around us if Jesus is the Savior of our soul and the Lord of our life. In Him we have everything and more.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

The Church at Pentecost started out strong, but quickly deception seeped in. They were initially strong because they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and all were in one accord. They were growing in leaps and bounds because they were in one accord in glorifying Jesus Christ. Their hearts were sold out to Jesus, and their desire was to worship Him and Him only.

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1:14, emphasis mine).

They were in one accord with God in their prayers and requests.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” Acts 2:1, emphasis mine).

They were in one accord with God in their meeting together.

“So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: ‘Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them'” (Acts 4:24, emphasis mine).

They were in one accord with God’s Word as they prayed and glorified Him.

“And through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch” (Acts 5:12, emphasis mine).

They were in one accord with God in one place.

They all were in one accord with God, and since they were all in one accord with God, they were also in one accord with each other. It is very important to understand that it is impossible for Christians to be in one accord with each other scripturally and spiritually unless we are first in one accord with God.

Satan, of course, hated this unity of the brotherhood, so he started out with Ananias and Sapphira to cause disruption among the saints. After that, he encouraged jealousy among the saints between the Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews in chapter six of Acts. He has actually gotten quite adept at this over the years. Today the Church looks nothing like it did at Pentecost with the apostles. Satan has been quite successful in many churches in breaking the bonds of being in one accord with God and with each other.

If you have ever been to a church business meeting, you understand where I’m coming from with being or not being in one accord. I’ve attended church business meetings since I was just a young pup. Some have been peaceful, and others have been knock-down-drag-out gatherings where the Spirit of God was over-ruled.

Before going any further, what does it mean to be “in one accord”? Simply put, it means “to be in agreement.” If a group is not in one accord, then, of course, they are in disagreement. Allow me to give one example. When an orchestra is tuning up, it is not in one accord. If you have ever heard an orchestra tuning up their instruments, you know what I mean. However, when they begin playing their musical selection, they are in one accord. They are in one accord because their instruments are in perfect tune, and they are following the conductor. They are in perfect harmony and provide beautiful music for those listening.

Are we going to agree on every little detail, like the color of the carpet, for example? No, but we should be gracious and loving to each other, following the Lord’s lead as the conductor of our lives.

Is it possible that the world is not listening to Christianity today because what they have been hearing is not the perfectly tuned instruments following the direction of the conductor but instead the tune-up session? Unfortunately, that is exactly what the world is hearing from Christianity today.

Instead of the churches today sounding like the beautiful waltzes of Chopin, we are sounding more like a nighttime catfight outside our bedroom window. We are not dancing to God’s tune but have chosen to dance to the Devil’s music. Why is that?

Going back to the book of Acts, we find that we are not all in one accord because we have taken our eyes off the conductor. Jesus is our conductor, and when we take our eyes off Him, we just make a lot of noise.

When churches fight and squabble, we’re like the Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews in Acts chapter six quarreling over their food portion. I have known many beautiful (beautiful of soul) Christians over the years, and I have also known many who are just plain cantankerous. I hate to say it, but some of the oneriest people I have met are in the church. Is it any wonder the world isn’t interested in what we say? They are watching what we do.

All churches are made up of sinners who have been saved by the blood of Jesus. It is through faith in Him and His grace toward us that we are His. We often fail in our church assemblies to glorify our Savior as we should because we are not in one accord with Him. So, what about outside the church walls?

My wife and I watched a movie the other day on Pure Flix called Power Of The Air. It is a 2018 movie starring Nicholas X. Parsons. Patty Duke is also in it. I rarely, if ever, recommend a movie, but I do recommend this one.

In watching Power Of The Air, it was impressed upon us just how much we Christians have allowed the world’s influences to guide our lives. We worship Jesus in our church assembles, but then, for example, watch movies that use our Savior’s name as a curse word and/or contain profanity and/or nudity. How can we even think we are in one accord with God when we support that which is against all our Lord stands for?

There is certainly nothing wrong with movies, television, radio, or even the internet, in and of themselves. The problem arises when what they provide dishonors our Lord … and unfortunately, that can be most all of them. We need to be very discerning with what we allow from these sources in our lives.

For example, we must admit that very few movies these days are exempt from using Jesus’ name as profanity, violence, nudity, and other profanity. Further, television is fine and can serve a good purpose, except for the same reasons. The internet is a great tool until one strays off into areas they should not.

We must remember that the world is not a friend of Jesus Christ.

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil” (John 7:7).

Neither is the world, and what it offers, our friend.

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19).

God has warned us.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

When we indulge ourselves in the world’s influences, we cannot be in one accord with God. How many in this country say we are Christian but “rub shoulders” with Satan’s entertainment? Is it any wonder the churches have become so corrupt?

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:7).

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

If we love what the world provides and refuse to turn our backs to it, how can we honestly say we are in one accord with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ?

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:19-20).

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html