Breaking down the door of decency:Paris 2024 last supper mockery ( days of Lot )

 

In the Bible, we read the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God had sent two angels to rescue Lot, the nephew of Abraham. The angels appeared as men, and Lot, who was sitting at the gates of Sodom, saw the strangers coming and offered them hospitality. Though the strangers initially resisted, claiming they would rather sleep in the streets, Lot’s persistent concern eventually persuaded them to accept his offer.

"But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly." — Genesis 19:4–7

Because the angels had delayed in accepting Lot’s offer, they were noticed by the men of the city. Immorality was rampant in Sodom, and the men soon made their way to Lot’s house with the intent to gang-rape the two visitors, whom they believed to be mere humans. The Bible specifies that men "both old and young, from every quarter" came to the house, meaning this lifestyle had infected every generation of the city. Does this not sound like our society today? Immorality is spreading like a deadly virus, affecting both the young and the old.

 When Lot begged them to stop, offering his daughters in a desperate attempt to protect his guests, the men of Sodom became even more aggressive.

"And they said, 'Stand back.' And they said again, 'This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now we will deal worse with you, than with them.' And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door." — Genesis 19:9

Those who practice evil are often the quickest to accuse those who reprove them of being "judgmental." Just like the men of Sodom, many today use the phrase "Don't judge me" as a shield for their actions. However, a person seeking to live right is not afraid of being reproved; they recognize their shortcomings and go to God in prayer for correction and victory. As the Psalmist said: "Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity..." (Psalm 26:1).

The men of Sodom tried to break down Lot’s door. This is a crucial point: a movement of immorality is never satisfied until it has broken down every door of decency. We see this today as agendas are pushed into schools and even into the pulpits of many churches. This "breaking down of doors" was on full display at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, where many were offended by a display that appeared to mock the Last Supper of Jesus and His disciples.

As Christians studying the Bible, we should not be surprised. Jesus told us in Luke 17 that His second coming would occur when society looked exactly like it did in the days of Lot:

"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot... the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained down fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus it will be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." — Luke 17:28–30

 When we see these behaviors becoming more bold and daring, we must realize we are in the last days. God is about to destroy not just specific cities known for their lifestyles—be it San Francisco, Atlanta, or Fort Lauderdale—but the whole world with fire.

In the story, the angels pulled Lot inside, closed the door, and struck the men outside with blindness. They then revealed their true mission: they were messengers sent to destroy the city. They urged Lot to gather his family and escape. Today, the message is the same. As sexual immorality increases, do not get angry, but seek shelter in the "secret place of the Almighty."

Escape for your life by praying for victory over sin. Do not look back at the pleasures or comforts of this world. Let us spread the word of salvation to our families so they may find shelter in the Lord Jesus Christ before the fire falls.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxnews.com/politics/us-world-leaders-denounce-paris-olympics-opening-ceremonys-mocking-last-supper.amp

Who is to blame for the world's misery? My part in human suffering.

 When we look at the world, we see immense suffering. Everywhere, the cry of a suffering humanity is ascending to heaven. But who is to be blamed for all of this misery? Do I personally play a part in the world's distress? In this post, we will take a brief look at how misery spreads and our individual role in it.

The Origin of Suffering In the beginning, God made humanity perfect; male and female He created them and placed them in a perfect garden. He gave them a simple commandment: do not eat from the forbidden tree. But the serpent came into the garden and tempted the woman. She was seduced, and after being overcome, she went on to tempt her husband to follow her into sin. The man ate of the forbidden fruit, and the rest is history—suffering is now widespread.

The Blame Game After sin came the "blame game." The man and the woman both blamed others for their own actions. The man blamed his wife, the wife blamed the serpent, and God judged them all. From that point on, misery became the norm in our world.

So, why is the world so evil? Why is there such misery in our homes, our workplaces, and our society? Is this suffering merely the result of "other" evil people doing bad things, or do I play a part? The truth is: I do.

How I Contribute to Human Misery I play a part in human misery whenever I allow myself to be overcome by evil individually and then pass that misery onto the life of another. Consider these examples:

1.  Let’s say I had a stressful day at work; customers and co-workers made my day difficult. That is a temptation. If I come home and yell at my wife or speak unkind words to her, she feels hurt. I have just made the world a worse place. I allowed the burden of work to overcome me, and I was too weak to protect my wife from my frustration. Evil spreads when we are too weak to resist it.

2.  If I am a parent who was disrespected or emotionally abused by my own parents, I know how much that hurts. But if I turn around and do the same to my child—yelling at them or abusing them emotionally—I have become a tool in the hands of the enemy to spread more misery. If I am not healed from my own wounds, I will use those wounds to hurt others.

3. Perhaps you were betrayed by someone you loved in the past. If your heart has hardened and you vow to hurt others in return—seducing and abandoning people—you are now an agent of evil. Whether it is a man using women for lust or a woman using men for money, these actions destroy lives and spread the devil's work.

 Evil thrives when I am personally overcome. The devil knows that if he can defeat me, he can use me to lead someone else down with me. If I struggle with lust, anger, or addiction and do not go to God for the strength to overcome it, those very things will be used to bring misery into the lives of others.

There is no neutral ground. I am either a tool in the hand of God for good or a tool in the hand of the devil for evil. To make a positive impact, I must, by the grace of God, overcome the evils in my own heart. A truly strong person is one who allows himself to "suffer" the weight of his own emotions or urges so that others can be safe.

Becoming a Blessing Through Resistance When you resist taking your frustration out on others, you make their lives better. When you break the cycle of how your parents treated you, you protect your children. When you refuse to take advantage of someone else just because you were once taken advantage of, you bring light into the world.

To resist personal evil is an act of love and strength. You are like a person holding back falling debris so that the vulnerable can flee to safety. Evil thrives where weakness exists, but true strength protects.

 We are all responsible for human suffering to some degree. As long as I keep my wounds and brokenness away from God, they can be weaponized against those I love. Eve was seduced and then unknowingly became an instrument for the ruin of her husband. If I allow the devil to tempt me into sin, I become his agent.

The only way to start making the world a better place is to "submit yourself unto God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Let us ask God for the strength to resist the evil within so that we may truly do good for those around us.

A new Constantine: Will Trump become more religious ?

On October 28, 312 AD, the Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius. Rome was in the midst of a civil war. Constantine won the battle, starting the path that led him to become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. But something significant happened before the fight: Constantine, a pagan at the time, claimed to have received a vision from God.

On October 27, with the armies preparing for battle, Constantine claimed a vision led him to fight under the protection of the Christian God. According to Eusebius of Caesarea, around noon, Constantine saw a luminous cross in the sky with the Greek inscription, "In this sign, thou shalt conquer." Constantine also claimed a dream in which Christ commanded him to use the sign of the cross against his enemies.

Constantine became the first emperor to convert to Christianity. He ended the policy of persecuting Christians and, in 313 AD, issued the Edict of Milan, proclaiming religious freedom. It sounded like a victory, but this nominal conversion allowed paganism to walk into the church. As noted in The Great Controversy:

"Paganism, while appearing to be vanquished, became the conqueror. Her spirit controlled the church. Her doctrines, ceremonies, and superstitions were incorporated into the faith and worship of the professed followers of Christ." (GC 49.2)

 This compromise led to the development of the "man of sin"—the papacy of Rome. In 321 AD, Constantine introduced the first civil legislation concerning Sunday, decreeing that all work should cease on that day (except for necessary farming). The emperor brought a Sunday law in opposition to the Bible Sabbath. Eventually, the church became the persecutor of those who opposed its false teachings. This brings us to the present day.

A Modern "Sign to Conquer"? By many definitions, Donald Trump has lived a secular or "pagan" life; his lifestyle has not historically reflected Christian values. However, he has been leading a fierce ideological civil war between the Left and the Right. He has been indicted and convicted, yet he continues to fight. On Saturday, July 13, 2024, he may have found his own "sign to conquer."

During a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a twenty-year-old assassin fired at Trump, grazing his right ear. A timely move of his head saved him from certain death. Trump and many evangelicals are calling this a miracle—a sign that he is ordained by the Lord. Trump has promised to give the church more power, and Christian Nationalism is now firmly in his camp.

History Repeats Itself Could this event be the "sign of the cross in the heavens" for Mr. Trump? Could it lead to a nominal conversion where he becomes more religious to unite Church and State? Bible prophecy teaches that in the last days, the United States will transform into a religious tyranny that sets up the "image of the beast," forcing worship just as the papacy did in the past.

While I cannot be certain if Mr. Trump will introduce a Sunday law like Constantine, he does look like a man of destiny fulfilling a mission. It would not be surprising if he continues to promote Christian Nationalism until a Sunday law is established, leading to the persecution of dissidents.

Conclusion We are living in perilous times. The ideological civil war in America is moving toward a final battle. Is it possible the attempted assassination was Trump’s signal to "go and conquer"? Time will tell, but it appears the triumph of apostate Christianity over godless secularism is near. The Sunday law, the Mark of the Beast, and the return of Christ are drawing ever closer. Let us find shelter in Jesus, lest we be found wanting in these final days.

May God help us stay true to Him.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/18/to-his-supporters-trump-is-a-martyred-messiah-resurrected-after-crucifixion

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/18/trump-rally-shooting-religious-right

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4998/t/the-usa-in-bible-prophecy

Freedom is not free

Today is the 4th of July, the day America celebrates its independence from the British Empire. It is a day marking freedom from the oppression of the British Crown—a day of great rejoicing. But friends, this freedom was not simply given; it was not free, because true freedom never is.

 The Founding Fathers of the United States had to fight for American independence. King George III of England would not simply allow the colonies to walk away. He sent soldiers to crush the rebellion, and much blood was shed for the liberty we enjoy today. It was a long and bitter struggle until the Americans prevailed and the British Empire retreated.

Similarly, in the spiritual struggle against sin, the world, and the devil, freedom is not free. The enemy will not allow his captives to walk away freely; he will fight to the bitter end to keep us in the chains of sin. If we want to be truly free, we must be willing to fight. We must be willing to "crucify" the sin in our lives and stand firm in the heat of the battle.

Jesus is our Great Captain. With Him leading the line, victory is guaranteed. However, that guarantee is only for those who actually take to the field of battle and engage the enemy. We must be willing to fight for the long haul and never grow weary in our struggle against sin. If sin defeats us in one skirmish, we must remember that losing a battle is not the end of the war. Let us get back up through the strength of Jesus and fight again today.

 Freedom is not free. But all those who are willing to endure the pain of the struggle—the "wilderness" of withdrawing from the things of this world, the loneliness of walking alone with Christ, and the heavy weight that comes with resisting temptation—will be free at last.

One day, on the Sea of Glass in Heaven, we will sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb—the ultimate song of victory. Let us fight for our spiritual freedom in prayer, always remembering that freedom is never free.