America's " golden age."

 

U.S. President Donald Trump has promised a new "Golden Age" for America—a time of prosperity and pride, and a greatness such as we have never seen before. It sounds appealing, for who wouldn't want prosperity, especially after the inflation and high cost of living we have experienced over the last four years?

The Refining Process The first question we must ask ourselves is: How is a golden object made? The two primary gold refining methods are the Miller process and the Wohlwill process. The Miller process uses gaseous chlorine to extract impurities while the gold is at its melting point; the impurities then separate into a layer on the surface of the molten gold.

According to President Trump, illegal immigrants are among the "impurities" that must be purged to "Make America Great Again." He once remarked that immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country." While America is a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures, and religions, he suggests a purification process is required for this restoration.

A Time of Trouble For many, this promised "Golden Age" has begun with fear and anxiety. The prospect of mass deportations is creating distress in the hearts of many who fled their countries of origin due to various hardships. To many undocumented immigrants, the acronym ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has become synonymous with the Gestapo—the secret police of Nazi Germany.

Blaming immigrants for a country's economic woes is nothing new, but it historically leads to the persecution of marginalized groups. While nations must protect their borders and citizens from criminal elements, that desire can lead to harmful consequences for those simply seeking a better life. We must remember that America was largely founded by those who arrived without "legal authorization" from the indigenous people, who initially helped them thrive. The Scriptures call us to be merciful toward the stranger, for we were once strangers ourselves.

Who is a True American? The questions being asked today are evolving. Is a person born in the U.S. to undocumented parents truly American? Soon, the question may shift toward religious groups or those who oppose popular government measures. It would not be surprising if, in the future, dissenters are classified as "enemies of the people"—impurities to be purged from society, stripped of legal rights, and jailed. Today the "internal enemy" may be the immigrant, but tomorrow it may be you or me.

Prophetic Parallels Bible prophecy suggests the United States may become a power that unites church and state in persecution. This "Golden Age" could be a revelation of the dragon-like power of the second beast described in Revelation 13. It resembles the golden image built by King Nebuchadnezzar, which led to the persecution of the three Hebrew boys in the time of Daniel. This era may also involve a "financial purification" that leads to economic hardship, where many lose their purchasing power and are unable to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17).

A Golden Faith Creating gold requires intense heat. Navigating this promised "Golden Age" will require us to have a "golden faith"—gold tried in the fire (Revelation 3:18). We are entering an era unlike any we have seen before. Let us be prayerful and watchful. Let us remain merciful toward the marginalized and ask God to refine our characters. May He give us a faith tried in the fire to prepare us for the true Golden Age: the New Jerusalem with its streets of gold.

Source : how is pure gold made and refined ?

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The Divorce Pandemic

"For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." — Matthew 24:38–39

Jesus said that in the last days, marriage would consume the minds of many. To many, marriage has become a sort of idol. Many believe that marriage will solve all of life's problems, yet as this idolatry has increased, so have divorces. Many are getting married only to end up divorced.

Divorce is on the rise because people do not understand what marriage truly is. In order to understand something, we must understand the mind of its Author. God created marriage, and marriage is about God. Because God is love, marriage is designed for the development of the love of God within our hearts.

True love is other-centered; it is the desire to please someone else. Marriage is about pleasing another as they please you. However, many rush into marriage hoping the other person will make them the center of their universe while they sit back and "enjoy" being loved.

Marriage is a graveyard; it is where selfishness goes to die. Divorces are increasing because many enter a marriage and refuse to allow the "self" to die. They insist on "my way or the highway," and they soon find themselves on the highway of divorce. Selfishness destroys marriage.

What is another cause for divorce? A hardened heart. A hardened heart is a heart without the love or the Spirit of God. Divorce becomes an option only when our hearts are hardened by coldness, selfishness, and an unforgiving spirit.

When the Pharisees asked Jesus if a man could divorce his wife for any reason, Jesus answered, "No." They then asked why Moses commanded a writing of divorcement. Jesus replied in Matthew 19:8: "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." Because Moses knew the capacity for human evil, he permitted divorce so that spouses would not end up destroying one another in the home.

How does God feel about divorce? Malachi 2:16 says: "'For I hate divorce,' says the Lord, the God of Israel. 'He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,' says the Lord of hosts. 'So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not break faith.'" In short, God hates divorce. It is viewed as an act of violence. To make a public vow—"until death do us part"—and then break it is a grave matter in the eyes of the Lord.

What about remarriage? In Matthew 19:9, Jesus says: "And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Jesus allows only one exception: sexual immorality. Even then, the Bible requires solid proof—two or three witnesses—not mere assumptions.

Adultery is rampant today, both in the world and in the church. People marry today and divorce tomorrow, blaming each other and justifying their causes. But the Bible shows us that divorce is the result of a hardened heart. The widespread nature of divorce in the church reveals that many hearts have grown cold and are deprived of the Spirit of God. We rush into these unions without understanding, counsel, or the guidance of God.

The Solution to the Divorce Pandemic:

1. Understand that marriage is about God’s glory, not just our happiness.

2. Do not make marriage an idol.

3. Choose a spouse wisely and through much prayer.

4. Allow the "self" to die daily.

5. Ask God to transform your hardened heart.

6. Pray for a heart of love, compassion, and forbearance.

7. Commit to doing whatever it takes to stay married.

8. Pray together and seek godly counseling.

9. Remove the word "divorce" from your vocabulary entirely.

Divorce is violence. Pray that the Lord transforms our hearts, removing the heart of stone and giving us a heart of love. Pray that the character of Christ is revealed in your home. Let the husband crucify his "self" for his wife, and the wife crucify her "self" for her husband. As we see the coming of the Son of Man approaching, let our only "divorce" be a divorce from selfishness.