Is there any hope for the future of this country and of this world? Sadly, the answer is no. But don’t despair. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
There are many passages in scripture, the Authorized King James Bible (the only one without error because God promised He would preserve His word throughout all generations) tells us that when a nation turns its back on god, or chooses to worship gods made of men’s hands, destruction will be the result.
There are also several places in scripture where God tells us that, because of our refusal to acknowledge Him as God, He will send plagues, pestilence, and famine. There are many scriptures where God says He will destroy the earth, some parts by the sword, some by fire, and some by and/or pestilence. One of them is Ezekiel 5:8-12—“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.
Eze 5:9-12 — “And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds. Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity. A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.“
Ezekiel was a prophet to the Jews. If God was this angry with His chosen people, Israel, how much more the rest of the world who refuse to acknowledge Him and His commandments, precepts, and statutes? Most of the world is filled with idol worship, whether of animals, plants, “mother nature”, sex, alcohol, drugs, or idols made with the hands of craftsmen.
The remedy is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we confess our sin, He (God) is faithful to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We are all sinners, whether we want to believe it or not. There are no perfect people. Jesus was the only one who was sinless. That’s why He was able to pay our penalty for sin. The payment for our sin required (and still requires) a perfect sacrifice, the sacrifice of someone who is HOLY and PURE, who knew no sin. Jesus willingly took our punishment when He allowed Himself to be tortured and then nailed to a wooden cross. God showed His acceptance of that sacrifice when He raised Jesus from the dead three days later, and gave Him a throne next to His own in heaven.
Romans 3:23—“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:10, 12b—“As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one: …there is none that doeth good, no not one.”
Romans 10:13—“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 6:23—“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
You can’t earn salvation. You can’t work your way to heaven. How can any mere human think he could ever be good enough for a just and holy, a perfect God? Why would a just God let anyone into his heaven that would have bragging rights? Think about all the missionaries around the world who have been tortured, burned at the stake, crucified upside down, or boiled in oil for the sake of telling people about Jesus. If they would not be able to brag about their good deeds when they get to heaven, how would any ordinary human being who has sacrificed nothing?
No, my friend. It is a free gift. Your choice is to accept or reject it. If you choose to accept this free gift, it is very simple. Even a little child can say a simple prayer as long as they have some understanding of what sin is (anything we do that doesn’t please God). When we admit to God that we are sinners, thank Him for sending His only begotten Son to take our punishment, and tell Him we accept His free gift of salvation, God sends His Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) to live in our hearts. We get a new conscience. We are saved. The next steps are to get an Authorized King James study Bible (there are many of them on the market) and find a local church that believes the King James Bible is God’s holy word, preserved for us today without errors. Then attend church regularly, including Sunday School, so you can learn to understand God’s principles and how to live according to His will.
There will be times you will stumble and fall. None of us will ever be perfect in this life, but when Jesus sends the angel Gabriel to blow the trumpet, and call our names, we will rise into the air, and meet Jesus face to face, and will spend eternity with Him. When He comes back to set up His kingdom there will be 1000 years of peace, and those who have put their trust in Him will be in His court.
The Encouragement Corner 