Open your eyes to the devils tactics
A verse used several times on this blog is 1 Peter 5:8 ("Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour"). As BAC's we should be vigilant to two things: first, vigilant towards ourselves; second; vigilant towards what is going on around us.
If you read 1 Peter 5:8 you will see that the devil 'walks around like a roaring lion seeking WHOM he may devour'. We must be vigilant towards ourselves and our own personal battle with sin. We must seek God and be Holy, for God is Holy (1 Peter 1:16) and open our eyes to the temptation around us, staying away from it.
We must also be vigilant to what is going on around us. Matthew 5 tells us that 'we are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should lose its flavour what then is it good for but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men?' (Matthew 5:13) As BAC's we have a responsibility on this earth - to represent Christ behind enemy lines; to show others the love of Christ through emulating Him in the way we live and treat others, no matter what the circumstances. If we look to perilous times in history, we see valiant men and women of God standing up for what they believe, even to death; Bonhoeffer hung by the Nazi's; Richard Wurmbrand imprisoned by communist Russia; Corrie Ten Boom imprisoned by the Nazi's for hiding Jews, to name a few.
We have been fortunate over the last twenty years or so that the world has been relatively peaceful and free on a whole. On the one hand this has aloud the gospel message to flourish, on the other hand this has led to a generation of short-sighted liberal Christians. Rest assured, when the perilous times come, which they will, the sheep will be separated from the goats. Although many will be caught off guard and succumb to the world, just as many will stand up for what they believe in growing in strength through Christ. In 50 - 100 years time, if we are still here, our generation will have our very own Bonhoeffer's and Corrie Ten Boom's.
The point of this post is to urge you to be vigilant and wise to what is happening in the world today. To see things for what they really are and to prepare yourself for the perilous times to come.
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-4 "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come; 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."
The traits described in these 4 verses are familiar to men and women of today, however people have always behaved in such a way, going all the way back to Israel in the Old Testament. What is unique to today is the systematic and constant destruction of God, God's word, Godly practices and the church on a world-wide scale. The devil, especially over the past 50 years, has been chip chip chipping away at all of these things. He has accomplished an awful lot. His tactic is to disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14 "And no wonder! For satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.")
We must open our eyes to what is going on in the world today, looking at the bigger picture, and not stay quiet. We must stand up now and fight for our rights while we still have them, rather than wait until the separation of the sheep and the goats in life or death situations.
We must realise that everything is connected and nothing is harmless. The worst and most naive attitude to take is that 'it will not effect me'.
Let us take the very current issue of legalising same sex marriage as an example. On the face of it, although completely unbiblical, if somebody wants to be homosexual then that is up to them. In the same way, if two people of the same sex want to get married, then so be it that is their choice. However, this is a very naive view to take. In the bigger picture the legalisation of same sex marriage will lead to the complete destruction to marriage itself.
In countries where same-sex marriage is already legal, such as Mexico, Spain and Netherlands, they have had to remove the term 'husband and wife' from every legal document. Now two people in a marriage are known as 'party A' and 'Party B'. Due to the legalisation, birth certificates no longer include 'mother and father' but 'Progenitor A' and 'Progenitor B'. In 2009, Mexico decided that due to the nature of a typical homosexuals lifestyle and sexual activities, they would introduce 'temporary marriages' and proposals for 'two-year marriages' so that people can marry one another and move on after two years to a different person. Amazingly in Canada, there are now calls for polygamy (group marriage). The thinking is, that the legalisation of same sex marriage makes the legal definition of marriage ("the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others") void, therefore if marriage does not have to be limited to a man and a woman, why does it have to be limited to two people?
What at face value, seems like something that will not affect you, in fact has massive consequences. The legalisation of same-sex marriage will lead to the complete dissolution of marriage and the destruction of husband and wife. From this one issue; the two gifts of God that signify our heavenly relationship with our Father - marriage and sex - have been destroyed.
The issue of legalising same-sex marriage is not about allowing people to marry, it is about removing marriage. In Britain and many other countries, homosexuals are afforded all the same legal rights and exclusivity as hetrosexual couples through civil partnerships. This is not about a campaign to allow same sex couples to take part in the sanctity of marriage. It is a drive by the devil to destroy a gift given to us by God. This is backed up by statistics and common sense.
Stonewall, the British campaigners for homosexuals rights tell us that: 3.6 million people (out of 60m) are homosexual (this itself includes children therefore its authenticity is questionable as it is). Therefore, apparantly 6% of the British population are homosexual. Out of this 6%, only 3.1% of homosexuals have entered civil-partnerships. That is just a mere 93,244 out of a supposed 3.6 million.
A huge campaign is going on to allow homosexuals to marry, whist in reality the majority do not care for marriage or its sanctity at all. What seems to be a harmless act in modern day society is actually a push by the devil to destroy what is the Lords. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 "... in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." Half of this passage is coming true (regarding marriage). It will be interesting to see when the eating of foods will start to be monitored, and what this would entail (maybe the forbidding of taking communion?).
The amount of things that this principle can be applied to is unending: To name a few:
If you read 1 Peter 5:8 you will see that the devil 'walks around like a roaring lion seeking WHOM he may devour'. We must be vigilant towards ourselves and our own personal battle with sin. We must seek God and be Holy, for God is Holy (1 Peter 1:16) and open our eyes to the temptation around us, staying away from it.
We must also be vigilant to what is going on around us. Matthew 5 tells us that 'we are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should lose its flavour what then is it good for but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men?' (Matthew 5:13) As BAC's we have a responsibility on this earth - to represent Christ behind enemy lines; to show others the love of Christ through emulating Him in the way we live and treat others, no matter what the circumstances. If we look to perilous times in history, we see valiant men and women of God standing up for what they believe, even to death; Bonhoeffer hung by the Nazi's; Richard Wurmbrand imprisoned by communist Russia; Corrie Ten Boom imprisoned by the Nazi's for hiding Jews, to name a few.
We have been fortunate over the last twenty years or so that the world has been relatively peaceful and free on a whole. On the one hand this has aloud the gospel message to flourish, on the other hand this has led to a generation of short-sighted liberal Christians. Rest assured, when the perilous times come, which they will, the sheep will be separated from the goats. Although many will be caught off guard and succumb to the world, just as many will stand up for what they believe in growing in strength through Christ. In 50 - 100 years time, if we are still here, our generation will have our very own Bonhoeffer's and Corrie Ten Boom's.
The point of this post is to urge you to be vigilant and wise to what is happening in the world today. To see things for what they really are and to prepare yourself for the perilous times to come.
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-4 "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come; 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."
The traits described in these 4 verses are familiar to men and women of today, however people have always behaved in such a way, going all the way back to Israel in the Old Testament. What is unique to today is the systematic and constant destruction of God, God's word, Godly practices and the church on a world-wide scale. The devil, especially over the past 50 years, has been chip chip chipping away at all of these things. He has accomplished an awful lot. His tactic is to disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14 "And no wonder! For satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.")
We must open our eyes to what is going on in the world today, looking at the bigger picture, and not stay quiet. We must stand up now and fight for our rights while we still have them, rather than wait until the separation of the sheep and the goats in life or death situations.
We must realise that everything is connected and nothing is harmless. The worst and most naive attitude to take is that 'it will not effect me'.
Let us take the very current issue of legalising same sex marriage as an example. On the face of it, although completely unbiblical, if somebody wants to be homosexual then that is up to them. In the same way, if two people of the same sex want to get married, then so be it that is their choice. However, this is a very naive view to take. In the bigger picture the legalisation of same sex marriage will lead to the complete destruction to marriage itself.
In countries where same-sex marriage is already legal, such as Mexico, Spain and Netherlands, they have had to remove the term 'husband and wife' from every legal document. Now two people in a marriage are known as 'party A' and 'Party B'. Due to the legalisation, birth certificates no longer include 'mother and father' but 'Progenitor A' and 'Progenitor B'. In 2009, Mexico decided that due to the nature of a typical homosexuals lifestyle and sexual activities, they would introduce 'temporary marriages' and proposals for 'two-year marriages' so that people can marry one another and move on after two years to a different person. Amazingly in Canada, there are now calls for polygamy (group marriage). The thinking is, that the legalisation of same sex marriage makes the legal definition of marriage ("the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others") void, therefore if marriage does not have to be limited to a man and a woman, why does it have to be limited to two people?
What at face value, seems like something that will not affect you, in fact has massive consequences. The legalisation of same-sex marriage will lead to the complete dissolution of marriage and the destruction of husband and wife. From this one issue; the two gifts of God that signify our heavenly relationship with our Father - marriage and sex - have been destroyed.
The issue of legalising same-sex marriage is not about allowing people to marry, it is about removing marriage. In Britain and many other countries, homosexuals are afforded all the same legal rights and exclusivity as hetrosexual couples through civil partnerships. This is not about a campaign to allow same sex couples to take part in the sanctity of marriage. It is a drive by the devil to destroy a gift given to us by God. This is backed up by statistics and common sense.
Stonewall, the British campaigners for homosexuals rights tell us that: 3.6 million people (out of 60m) are homosexual (this itself includes children therefore its authenticity is questionable as it is). Therefore, apparantly 6% of the British population are homosexual. Out of this 6%, only 3.1% of homosexuals have entered civil-partnerships. That is just a mere 93,244 out of a supposed 3.6 million.
A huge campaign is going on to allow homosexuals to marry, whist in reality the majority do not care for marriage or its sanctity at all. What seems to be a harmless act in modern day society is actually a push by the devil to destroy what is the Lords. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 "... in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." Half of this passage is coming true (regarding marriage). It will be interesting to see when the eating of foods will start to be monitored, and what this would entail (maybe the forbidding of taking communion?).
The amount of things that this principle can be applied to is unending: To name a few:
- Human Rights: They are seen as wonderful things to promote harmony, peace and individual rights. Yet in reality human rights are a tool to marginalise and silence Christian opinions. To gain support, the human rights that will be used to remove freedom of speech are coupled with the rightful abolition and condemnation of torture, slavery and war. Through the promotion of Human Rights, soon it will be illegal to criticise others and their lifestyles. Already in Britain, Christians are being arrested and fined for voicing their biblical points of view.
- The Arab Spring: The recent riots and revolutions in Arab countries over the past 2 years have been marvelled at in the media and seen as a fight back against cruel dictators in the 21st century. In reality, the Arab Spring has allowed for militant Islamic regimes to gain control of countries that will attack the West and attack Israel. Already Egypt has said of its desire to make Jerusalem it's capital!
- Evolution: Evolution and Christianity do not mix. Whilst at conflict, the theories of evolution and creation have been side by side ever since Darwin's Origin of Species. However, today, utilising the tools at hand such as human rights and the public education system, Atheists are leading a campaign to pass evolution off as fact, despite no hard evidence, and put the whole Bible into disrepute.
- Technology: Whilst in some areas, this advancement is fantastic, in others it is scary. Already we can see the removal of paper money. Generally, cheques are no longer valid and technology now allows for monetary transactions to take place using mobile phones. How long before you scan your arm to pay for your groceries? If you European readers remember back to the introduction of the Euro currency, you will remember there were concerns over the closer development towards a one world currency. In light of technological advancement, arguably the global currency used in the end times may not be a physical currency at all, but rather an electronic currency. Mechanisms such as PayPal certainly make trading different currencies easier, however that is all it does. Going futher than this, there has actually been been attempts of launching virtual currencies themselves, for example 'bitcoin'.
With the fear of sounding like a conspiracy nut I will stop there! However, we must open our eyes to everything and see it for what it really is - a campaign to kill God. According to Friedrich Nietszhe, a philosoper greatly admired by Adolf Hitler, Germany managed to 'kill God'. That Godless society resulted in the murder of 6 million Jews. Do not be naive to the ways of man. Do not support the ways of man. Do not stay quiet. Do not neglect prayer for these issues.
Remain faithful to the Lord and take encouragement from the words in Psalm 6:9-10 "The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer. 10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly."
To those who think that the end times will come no matter what; that is no excuse to lay down our spiritual weapons. I am sure that those who lived during WW2 had similar thoughts. It is not our duty to know of God's timing, as said in 2 Corinthians 8:2 - 'we know only what we ought to know'. It is our duty to be salt and light to this world and to strive to make it a better and more Godly place.
Remain faithful to the Lord and take encouragement from the words in Psalm 6:9-10 "The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer. 10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly."
To those who think that the end times will come no matter what; that is no excuse to lay down our spiritual weapons. I am sure that those who lived during WW2 had similar thoughts. It is not our duty to know of God's timing, as said in 2 Corinthians 8:2 - 'we know only what we ought to know'. It is our duty to be salt and light to this world and to strive to make it a better and more Godly place.
1 Peter 1:16 "Be Holy, For I am Holy."
-BACChristian
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