Good morning,
When
I was a young child the world was confronted by a ruler and a country
that were determined to purify it’s people to create a super race. The
lust for power and control began to spread until we found ourselves
involved in what was called World War II. Before the war was over
millions of people had lost their lives in trying to gain control, or
stop the controllers from making slaves of all those who opposed them.
Now seventy years later we are confronted with the same kind of
challenge again. ISIS has done a wonderful job of showing the world
that the radicals in their religion intend to someday conquer and
control the whole world in the name of their religious faith. They have
a holy book that they believe was given to them by their god. They
have a clear set of rules that require them to follow their messianic
leader in conquering and controlling the world by whatever means
necessary. At this point in time they have a clearly outlined plan to
destroy the people of the Little Satan, Israel, and the Great Satan, the
USA, and have developed a clear theology of heavenly blessing for
anyone of their followers who is willing to kill or be killed in this
fight.
This approach to world control is new to our present
generation but has appeared again and again over the course of history.
Jesus explained that what these hate filled leaders are determined to
do is to get the people that followed God to abandon their faith in the
God of the Bible. He told us that his followers could expect rejection,
threats and even death in the name of the God of the Bible. The people
who now claim to be followers of the god Allah are certain that the
killing of God’s people is their holy service and will bring them a
great reward. These hateful people have no genuine relationship with the
God of the Bible, or the Savior he sent to bring salvation to those
controlled by sin and rebellion. The goal of God’s enemies is to get us
to live in fear of the death and pain that they promise to any who will
not follow them in their rebellion. What they don’t know is that our God
will be with us in life and in death. The God who planned every day of
our lives will be with us from the moment of conception until we are
safely welcomed into our eternal home. These followers of their false
god expect to be met with rewards and honors, but will discover only
eternal darkness and pain when they meet with the only genuine judge,
Jesus. Thankfully, those of us who are children of God, who refuse to
abandon our faith, will find grace to live and grace to die as our
eternal reward.
John 16:1 “I have told you these things
so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from
the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will
think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have
never known the Father or me.
Roy Wisner
