As I consider all that is happening in our nation, I still have hope. Why do I have hope? I have hope only because of what God says in His Word, the Holy Bible. Is it any wonder why the devil and his cohorts are trying to discredit and remove the Word of God in our nation. My hope, and anyone's true hope can ONLY come from what God says and what Jesus promised. 

This morning in the Word of God, the prophet Hosea speaks to our nation even though God is speaking to Israel in this book of the Bible. America began its place in this world based on the Word of God, the faith of our founding fathers. Thus we have our good Constitution and Bill of Rights. But just like Israel, we have 'left' the right path of godliness. "A people without understanding WILL come to ruin." Hosea 4:14

To priests He speaks in the book of Hoseam but He is also speaking to any church leader as well who teaches others.  "And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds....A spirit of prostitution leads them astray when they are unfaithful to their God." Hosea 4:9,12

"My people are destoyed for lack of [true] knowledge." Hosea 4:6

How can there be a lack of the knowledge we need when there are churches on every corner and Bibles so available everywhere, even in most homes? Are we being destroyed as a nation? How do we know if we are? 

We know by all the unbelief in God, the chaos and destruction taking place. When God is hated and His Word rejected and despised, all starts to crumble that was righteous and just. If you have been watching current events you will see that America is under God's judgment by what and who He has allowed to attack from outside (with open borders) and from within our own government branches (arrogant and ignorant ideologies, and unrighteous dividing policies). Like a frog put in pan of cool water over a flame, unaware, we have been slowly dying as "one nation under God."  God says, "WOE to them, because they have strayed from Me....they are easily deceived and senseless." Hosea 7:11,13

So! What is the hope I have when the nation I live in is no longer feared by our enemies as before; when this next generation of leaders are clearly so very ignorant and hopelessly deceived; when the Jews in our nation are falsely hated and attacked in our own universities where so-called education takes place?  My hope is rooted in what God STILL says: "God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change - HE hears them and will humble them because they have NO fear of God." Psalm 55:19

"As for me, I call to God. I know He still saves. All day and night I cry out to Him and He hears my voice. So I cast my cares upon the LORD, for He will sustain me, HE WILL NEVER let the righteous be shaken. Yes, I can and will - trust the LORD." (Psalm 55:16-17, 22)

Psalm 33 is one of my favorite psalms.  This morning as I was reading it again, this part stuck out to me, and I began to mediate on it: “…He who forms the hearts of all…”  (in vs. 15)

The thought came to me about my heart, but not the physical organ of the heart, rather how God defines the life of the heart.  

The physical organ of the heart: The heart is the most crucial organ in our body, responsible for delivering blood circulation and nutrients to all parts of the body. It pumps the flow of blood by a network of blood vessels called arteries and veins. But the spiritual application of the heart which separates us from the animals, is

The Hebrew definition or spiritual meaning: the inner man: mind, soul, will, reflection, conscience, understanding, seat of appetites/emotions/passions/courage.

Ecclesiastes 8:11, 9:3, 10:2 talks about the human heart being filled with schemes to do wrong; that it is deceitful in nature, and full of evil intent. Every human being is born a sinner in heart and deed.

The heart is changed by God alone when we repent and ask Him to forgive us by what Jesus Christ did on the cross with His own blood and promise to those who believe in Him. God says,

“I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your hard, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart to Me.” Ezekiel 36:26

“For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” Romans 5:5

When I reflect on who I WAS before this “change of heart,” I hate that person who lived a sinful life. People like to think that they are “good” for whatever reason that comes from their own pride of false-awareness. God says in His Word that there is NO ONE good, but God.

God (Father, Son and Spirit) is the TRUE GOOD there is.  His righteousness and justice the only true righteousness and justice. We can each DO “good works,” but God says that “our good works are filthy rags” in His sight. Good works won’t save us, and they definitely won’t be to our credit in any way when we stand before our Judge at the end of our life on earth. My only salvation and eternal life - is IN CHRIST JESUS alone.   

With my new heart, I live a different life than before. I enjoy God's peace in me that surpasses my limited understanding of what is happening. I see people differently than I did before I received my NEW heart. I see clearly now that each and every person needs to personally know Jesus Christ. HE IS the LIFE, and the only life that will count is the life I lived with my NEW HEART.

That people reject His Life, only keeps them living out the old heart’s self-deceiving progressive ways, and with the complete loss of all that is GOOD and permanently fulfilling from GOD.  

True wisdom and understanding come from the Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 11:2) No one without Christ's indwelling Spirit has true wisdom and understanding 

As I was thinking about the ‘good’ that comes from my NEW heart when Christ poured His Holy Spirit in me, I began to thank God for HIS HEART; that He continually came after me - to make me His child forever!  

Romans 5:10-11 “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

The FRUIT of the Holy Spirit in me, my NEW HEART: is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22)

Therefore, we are commanded to walk by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit so that we do not gratify the desires of our fleshly lusts. This is the inner warring that we must fight till the Lord takes us home. The flesh craves what is contrary to the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to our flesh. They are opposed to each other.

The acts of our sinful flesh are sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft/sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. We are warned that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. That means that because God’s Holy Spirit lives in me I no longer want to live in disobedience to my Father God. I want to please Him out of love and thankfulness for all He has done for me through His Son and Spirit. And even when I sin, I feel guilty in a different way. I knew what I did back then was wrong, but I dismissed that guilt thinking I could keep secret what I was ashamed of.  Or, when I did what was wicked, and because I was with others doing the same, our acceptance of each other somehow eased our guilty consciences. Yet, the Bible warns us that if we keep doing this, our conscience will become hardened and seared, no longer feeling any guilt over what we do. That's a scarry thought!

“LORD, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below—You who keep Your covenant of love with Your servants who continue wholeheartedly in Your way.”  1Kings 8:23

If people only knew the TRUE history and truth about the Jews and their land called Israel. (Genesis 15 on) But even if they knew, not all will believe it. According to the Lord's own words: "For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. " Matthew 7:13-14

This hatred of Jews goes back to the account of God calling Abram (Abraham) and his line of children through Sarai (Sarah) with Isaac, and not Ishamael - the son of the slave woman, Hagar, Sarah's maidservant.

From Isaac, God chose Jacob, not Esau who came out first of the twins. Then the chosen line generated with Jacob and his 12 sons as GOD's "chosen people" through which to show His mercy and grace to ALL people. Jacob's son Judah, was the line through which our Savior Jesus Christ came, and is why Christ is called the "Lion of Judah" at Christ's 'second' coming to the earth.

The problem Israel (Jacob's new name by God) has always had is with the line of Ishmael (which is the root of Islam). The Islamists believe they are the rightful inheritors of the earth, being in the line of Abraham's first-born son, Ishmael, through Sarah's maid-servant.

Sarah and Abraham did NOT wait for God to do what He said He would do through Sarah who was old and barren. But as always, God fulfills His Word, in His own time, not ours. This is how we grow in faith in what God has said to us. "Faith comes by hearing the Word of God."

After Sarah had Isaac, there was conflict in the home between Hagar and Sarah. So ever since Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away (because of this turmoil at home) there has been conflict with the generations of Ishmael and the generations of Jacob/Israel. (God gave Jacob a new name: Israel.)

So then, what we are seeing today with all this hatred for Israel and the Jews, and Hamas' attack on the Jews, and now with ignorant Americans siding with Hamas, originated back in Abraham's day.

Anyway, it's all history! But as we know today, history is being perverted and remade by those who are deceived and reject what is good for them.

BUT, we can be sure, GOD will have HIS WAY and WORD fulfilled! It's all in the Bible, both old and new testaments. Is it any wonder that the Bible has been attacked too! People think it is only a book that men wrote, making up what they wrote. Others do believe the Bible is God's book, but they don't want to read it and then feel responsible to obey what they read, loving their sinful life more than God. Then there are those who are teaching the Bible the way they want to believe who God is, not who He truly is.

As we watch another holocaust of the Jews by Islamist jihadists (see their book of Quran), you can be sure that 'prophecy' is being fulfilled according to what God spoke to His prophets of the Old Testament and New testament both.

When Jesus came into our world as the perfect blood sacrifice for sin once and for all, He also founded His "Church," His Body as He calls them. Christ's physical sacrifice was God's way of ending what He told Israel to do so that He would forgive their sins, but as He reminds us, that way was ended by the new covenant through God's Son. The coming of our Savior also worked to include gentiles into God's blessing upon Abraham and Jacob's line; that they would also be a blessing in the world in bringing the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We also see how Christianity has also been under attack and hated ever since the Lord's Church began with His promise to never leave them or forsake them. "Where I AM, you will also be," He promises. Martyrs then and martyrs now. Jews and Christians alike! America is hated too because our biblical foundation of God-fearing men who formed this nation with our Constitution and biblical principles. This is what is hated, and it's all hated by people who hate God and all that God loves. That's why Jesus told His disciples that because they hate Him, they will hate Hi followers too.

On the cross Jesus said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." People are deceived easily when they refuse the truth from God.

Jesus warned His disciples with a promise: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28

And He also promises: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way - they persecuted the prophets before you. You are the salt of the earth." Matthew 5:11-12

It is sooooo very sad to see so many young adults following lies. Satan hates the Jews and Christians because he hates God and all that God loves. God threw him out of heaven when he tried to take the position of God's Son. Envy and pride got him and 1/3 of the angels that followed him - thrown down to the earth! And this is who is behind all the evil and rebellion in our world.

We are told that Satan will come in body-form and set himself up as this world's savior, the prophesied false-messiah. And people will believe in him and all that comes with his 'system' by which to rule the world. All because they reject the truth from God, and His Son.

So on we go! Hostility and destruction and martyrdom! Deception with a one-world-system forming, a.k.a. the devil's "mark of the beast." But Satan's day in the sun is shortened by the second coming of God's Son: Lion of Judah! God over all! PERFECT PEACE and ETERNAL LIFE as it was intended by our CREATOR FATHER.

God has given us the freedom and will to choose what to believe, but with a consequence for our choice - at the end of our time on earth.

God is in control, even as we might fear the time in which we live. But we have the word of Christ to get us through it all - with our faith, hope and love secured in place.  SELAH! 

Have you ever heard the voice of the LORD? There are a a few ways you can; one in which the Lord's 'indwelling' Holy Spirit quietly and gently speaks from 'within' to a believer in Jesus Christ, and another 'audibly.' And in another way, is one biblical example when Moses heard God's voice to him from the burning bush. And in this way too - to all people:

"The VOICE of the LORD is over the flood waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The VOICE of the LORD is powerful; the VOICE of the LORD is majestic. The VOICE of the LORD breaks cedars; breaks them in pieces. The VOICE of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. The VOICE of the LORD shakes the earth. The VOICE of the LORD strips the forests bare." Psalm 29:4-9"The LORD sits enthroned as KING forever! The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:10-11

Therefore, I will exalt YOU LORD! I will PRAISE YOU no matter what happens. I will ascribe glory and strength to YOU OH LORD, my Savior and King; for there is no other. I will ascribe to the LORD the glory DUE His Name." 

With all that is happening in our world, and in our own country like never before, it wold be easy to neglect giving thanks to God; giving Him praise for the saving power of JESUS CHRIST, and for all God's preciouls promises (found in His Word), and even for His ways of drawing people to Himself through all kinds of natural disasters, threats and terror. 

May HIS VOICE break through 'all other' voices shouting out today; breaking through to people, because people need the LORD; breaking through all the noise and uproar to install inner peace, securing His hope of the future that HE speaks of in His precious Word. 

To miss out on HIM, the ONLY Truth, Way and Life - would be WORSE than ALL disasters and terrors! 

"THE LORD GIVES STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE; THE LORD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE WITH PEACE!"

Man! Here we are bending over backwards to provide for the millions of 'illegal' aliens flooding our nation, while our tens of thousands veterans struggle from what they went through to uphold our nation's greatness and strength of purpose. The world is closely watching the U.S.A. in how the White House is handling these two wars. And, in how the WH is handling all our inhouse civil warring due to the heavy propaganda of the Left's lies and deceits.

It amazes me how so many younger Americans (university students mostly) don't know what they SHOULD know - being an American. So brain-washed! Far too many 'adult' Americans are just as ignorant as to the true history of Israel and America.

BIG demonstrative lies still propagating and growing HUGE protesting mobs against Israelis, as well as hating our law officers, and all conservative political thinking or organizations. What they accuse others of - is exactly what they ARE!

This is clearly revealing to our enemies how weak the White House is for the very first time in our history! Where is the condemning and correcting of all this raging propaganda? Why aren't they holding those who are truly quilty 'accountable,' enforcing our constitutional laws as they should, and with STRONG EFFECTIVE CONSEQUENCES? Instead, they are doing all they can to conjure up court cases to keep Donald Trump from running again. WHAT AN EVIL! Unprecedented!

This is all convincing other nations, and especially terrorist organizations, that they have no more need to FEAR America; no need at all to back off and discontinue their invasion into our country. Open border policy of this president has reflected more than anything else, the greatest stupidity ever in our White House, or if not total ignorance and blindness to reality - then it has to be PURPOSELY INTENDED! which is far more alarming!

Telling Israel to "pause," instead of supporting Israel's effective strategy (quickly working) to crush Hamas and the rest going against Israel, is hardly showing American STRENGTH and faithfulness to our best ally, Israel.

America's "peace through strength," is obviously being undermined by our White House's current administration.

GOD HELP US, that is, if YOU LORD can still find any godliness left within our nation - that You should protect and work through to bring American greatness back, even if for a little while longer.

Satan, the "god of this world," has blinded the eyes of people so that while seeing, they never perceive; otherwise, they might SEE with their eyes and understand with their heart, turn to Jesus Christ and be healed. (Paraphrased from Luke 8:9-10 and Isaiah 6:9-10)

2 Corinthians 4:4 "Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God."

PRAYER, that is rooted in what God says through His Son, and God's Old Testament prophets, is the power for our DAY. 

James 5:13-20 "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE. 

"Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the TRUTH and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the ERROR of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

Jesus teaches: "The seeds (of truth about My Kindgom) that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved." Luke 8:12

"The thief (the devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.... I AM" the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:10-11

In a time where the "hearing and understanding" of people is under attack, as Satan uses his fully deceived puppets in various ways, we who have come to KNOW and UNDERSTAND - have the privilege and responsibility to PRAY without ceasing and on ALL occassions, and in every season. (Ephesians 6:18)

Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart..."

Acts 1:14 "With one accord they all continued in prayer.""

Romans 8:26 "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words."

Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Colossians 1:3 "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you."

I’ve been thinking and praying about the difference between “religion” and a “relationship” with God. Such a big difference it makes in one’s life. Not only in this life, but in the life to come.

For those who are simply religious, not knowing Christ Jesus ‘intimately’ by His indwelling Spirit and His living words, is a powerless way to live.

I love the book of Hebrews in the New Testament that teaches us the difference between religion and relationship. The Spirit-filled author of the book of Hebrews teaches how the ‘old covenant’ through Moses could NEVER free us from the power of our sin nature; how JESUS’ coming as He did, living as He did, and dying as He did, is all about His overcoming power in us. We have the power to forgive even our enemies, and to overcome sin in our life.

Those who check out all religions so they can settle on one that they FEEL best fits the life THEY want to live – are sadly missing the way. Some people don’t want to admit being a sinner that needs to be forgiven by God. But they are self-deceived in thinking that way. Powerless!

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these days HE has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the EXACT representation of HIS BEING, sustaining all things by HIS POWERFUL WORD. After He had provided purification for sins (on the cross), He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty of heaven.”

“The former regulation (for worship) was set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a BETTER HOPE is introduced, by which we DRAW NEAR TO GOD.”

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a NEW covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance…”

AHHH, the precious blood of Christ our Lord! “Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished (without sin) to God, cleansing our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the LIVING GOD.”

People in a religion know only to serve the leaders of that kind of religion. They do what they are told to do, according to tradition, and even how to do it. This is not being in a relationship with God. Jesus came to have a relationship with us. He did not come to start a religion with all its rules and regulations, rituals, traditions, etc. Jesus has not asked us or even requires of us to do what a religion requires of its congregation.

Who is behind all man-made religions? Satan, God’s number one enemy. The Apostle Paul was clear on the subject: “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.” 2 Corinthians 11:13