Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of the LORD has entered are holy.” (2 Chronicles 8:11).
Ohhh, Solomon /smh/. But aren’t we all like Solomon? Dancing with a bit of sin over here, rationalizing that because we’re doing such and such correctly over there, this little bit over here will be OK. Petting a bit of sin, forgetting that it is a lion that will bite us in the end. Let’s go back a bit for context:
Freedom can be defined in different ways and has been, at different times in history. But as we celebrate our freedom today, 4th of July Independence Day here in the US, we celebrate the fact that on July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson, says History.com. We declared our separation from Great Britain, and from the oppressive taxes and micromanagement of the King’s governing of us. We wanted to be a free people.
For 246 years we have been enjoying the civic and political freedoms our Constitution has afforded us. But Christians know that the only true freedom is in Christ. Non-believers are slaves to their sin, there is no escaping the bondage to which they are joined. Believers are freed from our past sins, and freed from the power of sun as we progressively become sanctified, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus’ life, who died on the cross.
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25)
Christ freed us!
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1).
Slavery to sin is the worst slavery of all. But you do not have to be subject to its laws and its oppression. Repent, believe on the Son, and be free today!
When I was a kid I liked to do science experiments. Once, my parents got me a microscope kit with slides containing amoebas and stuff. Another time I took a pill from one of the prescription bottles in the bathroom and put it in the sink with water to see if it would melt. I had no idea that the capsule contained the medicine powder inside. THAT would have been fun to break apart and see.
Mamas. They are beloved in the south. I’m sure they are beloved elsewhere of course, but daughters here in the south call their mothers ‘mama’ and they set a great store by them.
Mamas here also seem to live a long time. 90, 100 years lifespan is common. These women are active into their 80s and 90s too. They can shoot a deer, process a pig, bake a pie, clean the house, and host the family reunion all in one day.
“I’ll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time.”
That is one of my all-time favorite movie lines. It comes from the 1987 Rom-Com movie “Broadcast News”, starring Holly Hunter and Albert Brooks. The line was spoken by Albert Brooks as character Aaron Altman, to Holly Hunter’s character Jane Craig. The two were colleagues at a broadcast news station, she was the producer and he was the reporter. They were close friends, who not only worked together but went out platonically (though Aaron wanted more. That was the ‘Rom’).
Has any marriage in the Bible based on murder and trickery ever gone well? Has any marriage not based on a mutual love for God gone well? I think no. The hot flush of infatuation wanes and then all the spouse is left with is scorn and disdain. The roots of the marriage, if not based on God, will wither and die and all sorts of misbehavior will influx and overwhelm the once passionate heart.
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were brought to light by the Law, were at work in the parts of our body to bear fruit for death. (Romans 7:5)
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7).
Whattttt…? Romans is hard. Let’s look at an example that might make it easier.
I watch the TV program Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. In that reality TV show (a genre which is now called ‘factual television’ lol) different border control agents stationed in various locations of the Australian border detect illegal items being smuggled into the country. Banned are certain organic products that could introduce disease to Australia’s crops. So are weapons, and of course drugs.
The agents who are shown on the program work on the high seas, at shipping ports of entry, mailrooms, and in airports.
When the agents spot a piece of luggage, a nervous immigrant, or a package they suspect contains some contraband, based on certain indicators, they take the person, package, or luggage aside and give it a closer inspection.
The liquid shows the powder was indeed a rug. It changed color.
When they open the item they suspect contains drugs, and it could be anything from a small statue to an engine piston to a picture frame, sometimes they discover a white powder. Is it drugs? Likely, but they have to test it to be sure. And it has to be an on-the-spot test so they know instantly whether to proceed to the next level.
They produce something called a NIK test. This is a Narcotics Identification Kit (NIK). It’s a field presumptive test kit, part of a drug identification system that is designed to rapidly identify substances of being illegal, or controlled substances.
They take some of the white powder, put it into a pouch that also contains some liquid in a separate chamber, and they break the chambers inside so the suspicious powder and the liquid will mix. If the liquid turns colors, it means the powder is presumptively a drug. Whatever color it turns is whatever drug it likely is. The agents then send the actual powder off to a scientific lab to determine its exact composition, but the NIK test was enough to arrest and hold the smuggler. Guilty!
The Law is a NIK test. It’s a mirror held up to the person’s thought, word, or deed, to determine what flavor of sin is lurking. It’s like a mirror.
The first purpose of the law is to be a mirror. On the one hand, the law of God reflects and mirrors the perfect righteousness of God. The law tells us much about who God is. Perhaps more important, the law illumines human sinfulness. Augustine wrote, “The law orders, that we, after attempting to do what is ordered, and so feeling our weakness under the law, may learn to implore the help of grace.”
Like a mirror revealing wrinkles, blemishes, age spots, the Law-mirror reveals our sin, our defects, our spiritual condition. Based on the fact that humans all have a sin-nature, the NIK test simply reveals what is already presumed to be there: sin.
Are Christians still under the Law like the Jews of Israel were? Yes, and no. No in that we New Testament believers are under a new covenant. We are released from the Jewish ceremonial laws such as the dietary restrictions, feasts, and ceremonies. The Law doesn’t justify. It never justified us.
nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified. (Galatians 2:16).
A mirror doesn’t make you prettier, it only reveals what is there. The law doesn’t justify, but only reveals what is already there, which is a totally depraved sin-nature. It reveals our helpless state.
The Galatians verse states that the Law can’t justify a person nor make anyone righteous. This is why God sent Jesus, for Him to completely fulfill the requirements of the Law for all those who would ever believe in Him.
Praise God for Jesus! Jesus is God’s mirror. When God looks at Jesus He sees His exact imprint (Hebrews 1:3). If we are saved, we are in Christ. So when God looks at us, He sees His Son.
He came to save us from the burden of our sin, to make us clean, to possess an imputed righteousness of Christ. We will be able to stand before God on the Day when we meet Him. If you have been saved by His grace then pray in thanks. If you have not yet been born again into new life, then pray to Him in repentance for your sins, sins which the Law reveals – to your condemnation. Then turn from them and trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25).
In 1970, a pregnant single woman pseudonymously named Jane Roe, brought a class action suit challenging the constitutionality of the Texas criminal abortion laws, which forbid procuring an abortion except on medical advice for the purpose of saving the mother’s life. The case, now known as Roe v. Wade, (Henry Wade was the district attorney) took three years of meandering up the ladder through various courts to reach the Supreme Court. Jane Roe is a pseudonym for the real woman named Norma Nelson McCorvey. The case is summarized at Cornell Law School:
Jane Roe, a single woman who was residing in Dallas County, Texas, instituted this federal action in March 1970 against the District Attorney of the county. She sought a declaratory judgment that the Texas criminal abortion statutes were unconstitutional on their face, and an injunction restraining the defendant from enforcing the statutes.
Roe alleged that she was unmarried and pregnant; that she wished to terminate her pregnancy by an abortion ‘performed by a competent, licensed physician, under safe, clinical conditions’; that she was unable to get a ‘legal’ abortion in Texas because her life did not appear to be threatened by the continuation of her pregnancy; and that she could not afford to travel to another jurisdiction in order to secure a legal abortion under safe conditions. She claimed that the Texas statutes were unconstitutionally vague and that they abridged her right of personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments. By an amendment to her complaint Roe purported to sue ‘on behalf of herself and all other women’ similarly situated.
The case made its way up the courts and was adjudicated by the Supreme Court in 1972-1973. The decision was handed down in January 1973. The Justices refused to rehear it in February 1973. The decision was that a woman’s right to an abortion was constitutionally protected.
Since that time, “The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nation’s oldest pro-life organization, estimates that 63,459,781 abortions have taken place since 1973. That estimate was gathered by tracking data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, which previously served as a research arm of the nation’s preeminent abortion provider, Planned Parenthood.” (Source).
They say ‘estimated’ because “An exact answer is hard to come by. Two organizations – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute – try to measure this, but they use different methods and publish different figures.” (Source)
Nevertheless, since that time abortions have been performed on women seeking them thinking they are just a simple procedure giving her and the father an opportunity to escape the consequence of their often immoral activity, which is sexual intercourse outside of marriage.
But it is not one alternative among many. It is not just a simple procedure. It is murder. God says Thou Shall Not Kill. (Exodus 20:13).
Pro-life activists have been working hard ever since to combat the ruling, in various ways. Some stand outside abortion clinics and plead for the baby with the mother. Others try in the legislature. Little traction seemed to be making way until finally, a conservative president was elected who had the opportunity to appoint three Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). That was President Donald J. Trump, who appointed Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
The decision yesterday ran along conservative lines. It was 6-3 with Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan dissenting. Justice Alito wrote the majority opinion, saying,
“We end this opinion where we began. Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives,” source
Elections matter:
Chief Justice John Roberts. Bush appointee Clarence Thomas. Bush appointee Samuel Alito. Bush Appointee Neil Gorsuch. Trump Appointee Brett Kavanaugh. Trump Appointee Amy Coney Barrett Trump Appointee Stephen Breyer. Clinton Appointee Sonia Sotomayor. Clinton Appointee Elena Kagan. Obama Appointee BREYER, SOTOMAYOR, and KAGAN, JJ., dissenting
Al Mohler has a 30 minute rush segment on The Briefing. He noted not only the wonderful news of the decision itself, but he also put the decision in a larger legal context. He explained that based on statements in the Opinion, the justices seem to be intent on stripping away the unconstitutional precedent bloat. The justices maintained in the Opinion they are not to legislate from the bench, as many past decisions have done, and then used as precedents for further unconstitutional decisions, effectively making a house of cards. It was stated that they are merely to interpret the law, specifically the Constitution. It was hinted that other decisions could be overturned whose legal arguments the Justices deem unconstitutionally based, including Obergefell v. Hodges. This was a 2015 decision which ruled that the fundamental right to marry is Constitutionally guaranteed to same-sex couples.
Back to yesterday’s Roe decision. Many Christians and others rejoiced at this decision. Almost immediately many states closed their abortion clinics. Others swiftly passed prepared legislation outlawing abortion. Many praised the Lord, prayed in thanks, and shared encouragements online.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see behind the veil as the spiritual battle rages. The Lord gave Elisha’s servant a peek. What he saw were God’s holy angels in formation in chariots waiting for the battle signal. (2 Kings 6:15-17). If we could see the second heaven now, we’d see such a pitched battle that would horrify us with its evilness and drive us to our knees in thanks for our own holy regeneration. For remember, once we were as evil as the abortionists and the hordes of women who clamor to kill their babies.
But…Satan doesn’t take his apparent defeats well. He always comes back with opposition, 7X worse than before. (Luke 11:24-26; Revelation 12:13). He waits for opportune time. (Luke 4:13).
So while we rightly rejoice, praise, and sing hallelujahs this is not a time to relax our vigilance. It is a time to be extra wary.
Though onlookers suspected Roe would be struck down given the conservative majority on the Court, people became almost sure of it when, in a terrible breach, a draft of the upcoming decision was leaked to the public. The liberals went bananas. The humans that satan energizes for his evil plots reared into violent anger.
James White, ever the master wordsmith, said the day before the Decision was to be handed down: “I assume tomorrow we will see the servants of death in an orgy of anger at the disrespect of their central sacrament. Stand back and consider how far the hand of restraint has been lifted.”
Now that the decision has been finally ruled upon, the liberals are, as expected, going bananas. Here are some examples of why we must maintain vigilance-
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “While Republicans seek to punish and control women, Democrats will keep fighting ferociously to enshrine Roe v. Wade into the law of the land. This cruel ruling is outrageous and heart-wrenching…”
“Enshrine”. Dr. White used the word sacrament and isn’t it interesting Speaker Pelosi said “enshrine.” Don’t you find her use of the word ‘enshrined’ interesting? The false god Molech would enjoy that.
Moloch; (also Molech or Molek) is a name or a term which appears in the Hebrew Bible several times, primarily in the book of Leviticus. The Bible strongly condemns practices which are associated with Moloch, practices which appear to have included child sacrifice. Wikipedia
In another example, Sen. Manchin (D-WV) who voted for two of the Justices’ appointments, said: “I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent and I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided.”
“Alarmed”.
The Department of Justice had some reactions too:
“Every tool”.
The heathen will redouble their efforts. Many have already said so.
My own opinion is, whether this decision is a temporary reprieve or a spark for a final showdown, only God knows… Personally I do not believe this is a reprieve but a catalyst. I believe it will spark an upcoming pitched battle that will lead to violence, and perhaps even the rapture. (? One can hope!)
Why do I think this? Too much evidence that America is under judgment. The Lord allowed tyrannical measures to oppress the people of this nation when COVID-19 appeared. He is allowing our economy to crash. Food is getting harder to come by, as well as many hard goods. I mean, baby formula??
The delusions of the liberal left were allowed to deepen. Rational thought departed. Men can be women and women can be men? We don’t know what a woman is? “I’m not a biologist“? Gay ‘pride’ everywhere? Even the discipline of medicine cratered. Organizations Americans thought were helping us turned out to be the enemy (US House of Representatives, Senate, CDC, Department of Justice, World Health Organization, the Media…)
Further, the Lord raised up a Pelosi, a Clinton, and especially a Biden. Our current leader is a mentally deficient cognitively impaired man with a finger on the nuclear trigger. When a nation is under judgment, he gives them wicked leaders.
Did the Church pray and seek to return to God in repentance? Not so much. Denominations, which are representatives of Christ in the global church, have allowed the world to infiltrate. Though there is a faithful remnant hidden in its folds, the visible church in America is largely weak, corrupt, and pitiful. Female preachers, plagiarism, prosperity Gospel, failure to call for repentance, divorce, adultery, … The church is one of the measures God uses to restrain sin, along with government and the family. And where are these three restraining mechanisms now? Corrupt, capitulating, and faltering.
How does one know that a nation is under judgment? And if it’s under judgment is it too late for them? John MacArthur preached on these questions in March 2021. He outlined the examples of Israel in Isaiah’s time and Israel in the Apostles’ time to show that God does have a final point of no return for nations. In Acts 14 we see that He allows nations to go their own way. In Romans 1 we see that God gives them over. In “Too Late for Grace: When a Nation Rejects God“, MacArthur said,
“So when you see a nation deep in sexual sin, pervasively affirming of homosexuality, and the insanity of a reprobate mind, where they make laws to criminalize righteousness and to legalize gross evil, you know that nation’s under judgment.”
As mentioned, the devil does not take his setbacks well. There will be severe pushback. I am celebrating, of course, but while I have my hands lifted in thanks and praise, I also have my eyes on the horizon, for what I think is coming.
If I had a motto for these days it would be, “Rejoice, but Remain Ready”. The battle will continue. The Department of Homeland Security has already warned about likely violence.
The Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence arm said in a memo on Friday that domestic violent extremism is “likely” in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Why it matters: Violence could take place in multiple locations for weeks as states make changes to their abortion laws, according to the memo, which was obtained by Axios. (Source)
What it means is, don’t let down your guard. Sometimes Christians are short sighted, taking one victory and relaxing their guard in thinking that it’s over. The devil never relaxes, ever. He is always prowling (1 Peter 5:8), walking up and down upon the earth. (Job 1:7). Of course I’m no prophet and I have no insight into God’s mind except for what I see in His word. Perhaps He will put His hand upon America again and turn us from the brink. I’ll celebrate that if it happens.
If I were to have another motto, it would be “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst”. But as Christians, what is ‘the worst”? The worst is already the best, because we have the best: Jesus. We have knowledge that no matter what happens, it is for our good of those who love Him and for His glory.
Before I was saved, the blood of Christ was the worst part of Christianity to me. I thought of the sticky blood on a rough cross and I’d go, “Ick! Who wants a religion like that? Not me!”
I could not understand why the blood was so important to those weird Christians.
I need a bath- of verses. I need to immerse myself in His holy word, for cleansing and for comfort.
There are some verses that when I read them no matter how many times I read them in my Bible reading life, they move me. Other verses, no matter how many times I read them, they strike fear into me. I don’t know why some verses over others move me, unless it’s proof that the verse is speaking to my soul in a way my mind can’t comprehend.
the-end-time.org 