If This Isn't That...."Falling Away"....Then It's A Good Imitation

                    It is a different church than it was thirty and forty years ago. You could tell back then who the Christians were. You can't tell that today....as they have been swallowed up by patriotism....so everybody says that they are Christian. The world would shy away from us back then because we would always talk about Christ. They stay away from us today because we always talk about Trump.

                  Even though our country was nowhere near in rebellion to God as we are today...we had the fear of God in us. Our youth were Christian youth back then. They are republican youth today. We just knew that Jesus was about to come back soon. Today....a genuine biblical false prophet leads our nation....and we put him there. We are right now on the very precipice....and this man shows every sign....of every tyrant in the past....and just like in the past....that tyrant has a people who believe every lie that he says. It is nothing less than astonishing.

                  We knew what cults were at one time. We might read a book now and then on any one of them. The charismatic leader had complete control....using mind-altering methods of the members....where they only read what they were told to read....and were shunned or purged in they didn't toe the line. We don't even know or care who those cults are today....and there is a very strong likelihood that that we have been taken in by a new one.
                  God has judged His church first. He has put blinders on us....which is the only explanation on how someone as empty and as bloodthirsty as Donald Trump....could successfully bind and lead away most of evangelicalism.
                  God's Word says that there will be a falling away. If this isn't it....then it's a good imitation. The Bible talks about last days/end times false signs and wonders....and delusion....and deception. We've been taken in to believe that what Trump has done in a few short weeks is marvelous! We actually think that what this man is doing....will bring peace and safety....and we are oblivious to that being exactly what God's Word tells us we will think! Benjamin Netanyahu....this surprised me anyway....was taken in also by Trump's promises and rhetoric....but then so has Ted Cruz and so many others.
                  We are in the midst of a winnowing. A strong wind is passing over the threshing floor....as we are being tossed up....again and again....trying to breath through the dust...vexed....and landing hard time after time. Whether the Lord gathers us up....or replants us to sprout new wheat....it will be His perfect will.....may He give us the strength and wisdom and discernment necessary to wait upon the Lord....and to endure to the end.

"Truly....truly.....I say to you....unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." John 12:24

Update: This morning....just as I sat down to write the post above this one....the landline telephone rang. It was a Christian friend that I had not seen or talked to in twenty-nine years.....since the day that he and about a hundred others were laid-off from where we worked. I didn't ask what put me in his mind....but I told him that I have thought of him often....for when we drive by a local college....fifty miles away....which is fairly often....I think of him....because I had long ago heard that he now had a good job at that college. I was pleased in that I remembered little things to bring up....a shoulder problem that he had....the day his small son was kicked by a horse....and his favorite music.....the Moody Blues....but the real joy in the conversation was in our talking about our faith in Jesus Christ....which we shared back then....and still share today. Praise God for that....for it is He who keeps us! One thing that I mentioned to him was that....as I remained at that workplace for twenty years after he left....was that it was never quite like those early days when there were born again believers all over the place....when we were sharing Christ at every opportunity that we had. We talked for about thirty minutes....and there was not an inkling of politics....just like the old days....for back then we were more likely to talk about the nearness of our Lord's return.