Changing Times

Dear Brethren,

When describing the last days, Jesus Christ said, “Truly I say unto you, ‘This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled’.”  (Matthew 24:34)

When I was a little boy in the late 1940’s, after the Second World War, my dad and I were having a talk.  I cannot remember what led up to it, but I asked my dad what would happen to one of our military men if an enemy captured and held him prisoner. My dad was a Navy man of 28 years – having begun his military career prior to WWII.

He told me not to worry about that ever happening because if any enemy every tried such a foolish thing as to capture and unlawfully detain any of our personnel, the USA would use its full force and military power, even going to war, to save and bring about the immediate release of – even one man.  My dad knew it, he believed it, and I grew up believing it, too.  That concept of every American’s life being precious found expression in the credo of the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) in the Viet Nam war, of "Leaving No Man Behind.”

How then, in one generation, have we sunk so low as a nation that our President, State Department, National Intelligence, and Defense Department would willfully sacrifice four Americans, including our US Ambassador, to radical Islamic terrorists?  It was clearly known by the most senior officials in these departments, in real time, that the deadly assault on US Embassy personnel was an Ansar al-Shariah al-Qaida coordinated militia attack, and yet, our Terrorism Task Force was not even convened.  Our ever ready Foreign Emergency Support Team was not allowed to deploy to the mission that was under enemy fire.

President Barak Obama’s administration, having been warned beforehand, knew, and did nothing to secure the safety and protection of our men on the ground during the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Benghazi consulate in Libya.  There were adequate airborne resources overhead that were ordered to “stand down” and not intervene or offer any assistance to those crying out for help who fully expected their country to come to their aid.

It was as dastardly an act by our president as when King David sent Uriah the Hittite into battle for the express purpose of having him killed.  King David wrote a letter to his top military commander, Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

“He wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.”  (2 Samuel 11:15)

The fact of the matter is this:  The United States is no longer the nation it was a generation ago.  There was a time when God fought our battles for us. But, Americans have forgotten their God.  We are a mortally sick nation.  The proof of this statement is the fact that nearly half of American citizens would choose a president who favors the ungodly lifestyle and unlawful conduct of abortion, homosexual marriage and socialism – which is a violation of the eighth Commandment – Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15)  Redistribution of property is stealing.

As a result of our nation’s plunge into the depths of depravity, God says this is what He will do next:

“I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning fever, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.  And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursues you.   And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.  And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:  And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.  And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.”  (Leviticus 26:16-21)

God wrote this for our generation.  Time is running out.  If we, as a nation, do not quickly repent of our sins against God, there are going to be significantly more national calamities.  It is about to get rough!  The choice is ours.

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Sermon:

"Changing Times"