Last Daze Letter to The Body of Christ

Chapter 5                     America

                                   

 “America! America! God shed His grace on Thee, and crowned thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea! . . .”   [i]

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me during the time of testing in the wilderness.  Hebrews 3:8

Today in The United States of America, we are fast approaching the likes of Sodom and Gomorra. I have often mentioned; “our perverse society still has a way to go! Gay men are not knocking down our doors to get at our male guests yet. However, this may happen in the near future at the rate things are progressing and it may be sooner than we think! (see Genesis 19:1-11)

Tribulation for America could well come before “The Great Tribulation (see Chapter 2). Our merciful God has long suffered with our grievous sins.  I can find only one reason for the restraint of His great punishment and our continued existence.  Answer; there must be a sufficient number of righteous saints left here in The U.S.A., enough who have not bowed their knee to the baals (gods / idols) of our day. Read Deuteronomy Chapter 28 and you will see what happens to any nation who keeps their covenant or drifts away from God. Deuteronomy chapter 28 spends 14 verses talking about all the blessings that will follow a nation who obeys God. Then the remaining 54 verses lay out all of the curses that will come on a nation who knew God, wandered away, disobeyed Him, worshipped and served other gods, committing spiritual adultery and apostasy. What is happening here all points to disaster for our country if we continue traveling down our present path and do not repent. America’s disobedience may just bring about her own independent tribulation. However, if America repents in time she will receive the blessings mentioned in Deuteronomy 28.

The culture in America is killing us, taking us away from our God, stealing away the relationship we once had with Jesus. To avoid the poisonous effects of the media driven by the need for power, the almighty dollar and ultimately by the devil himself, one must purpose to avoid it. The media that constantly bombards us is the devil’s handiwork; he knows what our flesh craves and he will feed us all that we will take in. For example: Our culture leads all to believe that we are entitled to entertainment and that it will not harm us “it's just entertainment.” Entertainment appears to be an essential need, a very necessity for life here in America! TV guide did a survey ~ 25 years ago and found that 25% of the populous would not give up their TV for a $1,000,000 dollars! The church is no different in this arena; we bring secular entertainment into God’s house to attract the masses! The hiring of secular entertainers for an event is not a rarity. We even use God’s money and resource to do it!  Thus, in the arena of pleasure, we serve the god of entertainment.

Unless you make a conscious effort to turn away from this wickedness, you will become its victim. In the name of entertainment, if you continually expose yourself to profanity, lewdness, dishonesty, deceitfulness, hatred, drunkenness, drug abuse, killing, stealing, lying, cheating, secular humor, pride, boasting, godlessness…  If you continue to drink in the evil poison the world has to offer, you will or have become like them instead of being more like Christ Jesus. If you think that you can repeatedly expose yourself to such things and not be affected by them, you have already been duped and infected by its deluding influence; you have been gravely deceived! You must say no, fully embrace Christ Jesus, and walk away from its hold on you and encourage others to do the same.

Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  2 Timothy 3:1-5a &7

"I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  John 17:15

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Galatians 5:19-25 (KJV)

 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.   Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.   But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.  Romans 13:11-14 (NKJV)

If you will allow me, I will quote one whom I believe is a modern day prophet. I know that you may have just had a chill go up your spine when I mentioned that word, "Prophet.” This sensitivity to Prophets in our modern day is normal, since our churches are non-Prophet organizations! Interestingly so, most believers are intrigued by this gift and some envious. However, most Christians are skeptical and might shudder at the thought of what he or she would utter if one truly represented the voice of Almighty God!  Yes, I also am aware that there are false, self-acclaimed prophets out there who have deceived many by their own words and their own predictions. I believe you will agree; the following man does not fall into the self-acclaimed category or make specific dated predictions. Please let me quote Dave Wilkerson from his book entitled “America's last call” (author of "The Cross and The Switchblade and pastor of Times square Church in NY City).

"Today, American Christians have as our examples of judgment Shilo, Rome, Carthage, Nineveh, and London. Each of these great cities were brought down in righteous judgment—yet they sinned less than our great American cities. Seventeenth century London had no printed pornography, no X-rated movies, no Internet sex, no vile TV, no militant gay organizations. It had no laws against religion, no banning of public prayers, no governmental-supported abortions. There is not a doubt in my mind - New York City, Wall Street and the United States are now living on borrowed time.”  [ii]

We would only be fools to think that we are exempt from God’s judgment. Today we need to hear God's voice like never before. We are in more trouble than we know or can imagine, yet we think that we are mighty fine. We, like the Hebrew children, respond no differently. The Pharisees and Seduces thought that they were right with Jehovah God; these folk could not have been further from the truth (they thought they were fair you see but they became sad you see). These religious leaders were “the righteous ones,” the pious whom everyone looked to for guidance, spiritual understanding and knowledge. Jesus, God incarnate, was in their face telling them where they stood with God. The very God whom they represented they rejected, rejecting Him and His words.

Here in America we are no different in this regard. “The Church” represents this same relationship between God and man. Religious elements keep us from having a relationship with God. Consequently, we mix in a countless number of other idols of belief.  We and others think we have a good relationship with Jesus, however, the reality is what or whom we serve. The result; a corrupt adulterous nation of people following after their own lusts, desires, and evil ways.

Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."  Rev. 3:18-22

We must turn wholly to The Lord. We have all become victims of the American western culture. We have all been affected in one form or another, I know I have. While we think we are getting closer to the Lord, we are drifting further and further away. We compare ourselves to our fellow brothers and sisters; they become the perpetual sliding standard for us, rather than the solid, never-changing standard of Christ Jesus and His Word. We increasingly embrace more and more evil, then later accept it as normal.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Take care that no one takes you away by force, through man's wisdom and deceit, going after the beliefs of men and the theories of the world, and not after Christ:   Colossians 2:8 (BBE)

I have heard it said and believe it to be true: “The only thing we learn from history, is that we don’t learn from history!” [ii] Let us break the record, change the tide and learn from others’ mistakes or at least our own! The next scripture is a great example of “not learning from history."

The prophet Hosea is instructed by God:  “When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.’"  (Hosea 1:27)  Hosea did this as a living visual allegorical example for all to see their grievous adulterous sin against Jehovah God. The following scripture describes America just as it did the tribes of Israel.

Give ear to the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a cause against the people of this land, because there is no good faith in it, and no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land. There is cursing (swearing) and broken faith, violent death and attacks on property, men are untrue in married life, houses are broken into, and there is blood touching blood.  Hosea 4:1-2 (BBE)

The continual paradigm for the church in America is to make converts more than disciples. This model for the church is actually a few hundred years old; it just continues to become more modern and secular in form as we embrace more and more of the American culture. The lost art of true discipleship and the emphasis on converts has caused weakening of soldiers and compromised standard in the church. This model brings about a diverse body of believers rather than strong armies of Christ’s love, conviction, fiber and fortitude (the Devil loves this). Many of the attempts to bring in more converts cause those who are strong to become weak due to an array of stumbling blocks. Many compromises to mix as much of the world with the gospel message to reach the lost is no Gospel message at all! These new converts see and experience little difference between Christians and the world. The great challenge to the church today is; evangelize without compromise and make real disciples! The true love of God can only come through true disciples, not just converts. Conversion is just the first step. Most Christians today can only recite John 3:16 and many have trouble with that. How about reciting the Ten Commandments?! Even a simple person (given the facts and statistics) could tell you that this paradigm, of just making converts, is at best incomplete and dysfunctional. Without discipleship the way Jesus did it and just the making of converts leads to destruction for the new and old!  We must "Go Up to God's Way of Thinking" Chapter 1

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Matthew 28:19-20

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   Mark 8:34-38 (NKJV)

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  John 13:35

Noise, a big part of American culture

Why is noise such a big part of American culture? Americans are in constant need some sort of noise or background noise.  Whether we are at home, work, the store, driving or reading, our need to have some sort of noise appears to be a necessity of life. I believe this has been increasingly drummed into our culture over time.

What do I mean by this? the constant need to listen to the radio, TV, an I-pod, a Walkman, CD, DVD, the  newscaster, movies, etc. In most all places of commerce are the overhead noise and or video screens that help keep customers satisfied while shopping. A break of silence occurs for just a moment while we get in our automobile and turn on the key, then a huge blast makes up for the short break in the rhythm of clamor.

I have been with many people for whom silence kills them, even for a short moment. Without the constant droning, thumping of clamor, they are quickly in a state of unrest. In Church, the movie theater, restaurant's, driving in the car, the volume has become louder and louder. We simply live in a culture where “louder is better.” Why all this noise!?

There must be a deeper reason. What are we trying to silence? Could it be the still quiet voice of God trying to speak to you? Could it be the blocking out of reality? Wanting to silence the trials and pain of life, like drugs and alcohol an escape from reality? Could this addiction be, for many the blocking out of all they are afraid to face and deal with?

Another reason I know of is the plotting of Satan. With Lucifer’s former duties as head worship leader he knows that worship is a very powerful way to your relationship with Jesus. Satan knows how much of an influence music has on you. Music will greatly enhance your communion with God or enhance your communion with Satan. Satan knows that music is the language of the soul. There is emptiness in the soul that only Jesus can fill. If we do not let Jesus fill in the emptiness, we will attempt to fulfill it with many other things. As we try to satisfy the void.  Noise, clamor, can be one of the big ones we use to attempt to fill this void. The more you listen to this consoling outside influence, rather than with God’s influence the more effectively Satan can change you his way on the inside! What is the devil’s way? To take you further and further away from the narrow way with God. Unfortunately, most of what Christians expose themselves to most of the time is secular not godly. You need to take a personal assessment of whose drumbeat you are listening to. Keep in mind that you can’t listen to God’s drumbeat 10% of the time and the devil’s drumbeat the other 90% and think you are doing good. If you think you are doing good, this is proof that you are already deceived.  Repent and remove this provision for the flesh.  If we need this distraction, let's listen to God's word, hymns, godly music, amen!

…put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.  Romans 13:14

. . . "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!' "  Matthew 3:2-3

Most Americans will miss Heaven

The following statement will burst your bubble!  Did you know that "Good people don't go to Heaven?!"  Only sinners go to heaven, sinners saved by faith, grace and sacrifice of Jesus! If we could save ourselves by our own merit, then why did God The Father send His Son to die via the cruel death of crucifixion?!

.. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  Romans 3:23

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;  Romans 3:10 (NIV)

..because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.  Romans 3:20

Most of us in America believe that we are going to heaven for one reason or another but, mainly because we think we are good people. “I am a good person, I haven’t robbed a bank, stolen a car, or murdered someone” comparing oneself to others instead of comparing ourselves to the perfect standard of Jesus and His word. 

Have you ever been to a funeral or memorial service where the person went to Hell instead of Heaven?! I have never been to one myself. Some of the vilest of offenders in the strongest churches lead you to believe that this soul is now at peace and at rest in Heaven. Does this surprise you?  I believe that there have been ministers that were bold enough to be honest about services they performed with those they knew were not saved. I believe they are far and few between. When we compromise the truth we do not realize that while being concerned how we might offend the masses, they will truly be offended in the long run. Without life-changing truth, many end up perishing. Let me illustrate this with “The life of Jack”:

John lives a life apart from God. Jack says that he is a Christian and even does some Christian things, but he has a foul mouth, abuses his wife and children, and is about to get fired from his job for insubordination. John gets a heart attack and dies. John has never truly been born again. Many thought John was a Christian just because he said he was and because he went to church and Bible study. At John's funeral service the minister brings out all of his good points (knowing in his conscience, he was never born again) and the evil of his life is swept under the carpet. On this final day it is mentioned how John is in the comfort of eternity in Heaven with Jesus. As everyone rejoices and recites Psalm 23, John goes to Heaven and everyone goes home. Sound familiar?

What happens when everyone goes home, back to work, back to school, back to the Gym? They ponder how John went to Heaven and they think about the real life he lived. Many, not all, could rationalize away their godless life, thinking that it does not matter how I live, good or bad, "I will go to Heaven”. No minister at any of the funeral services they or their friends ever attended said; the deceased is now in Hell and without faith in Jesus and a relationship with Him you will end up there too! These people were defrauded and will be offended on the judgment day, because the minister failed to tell what he knew was the truth for fear that he might offend someone especially the family (I understand this)!

I thought I was going to heaven for 27 years for two reasons: One: I was born in America and Two: I went to church (all of my life)! By God’s grace I found out later that neither one of those are requirements to get you through the pearly gates, to the throne of God! I would have perished, yes, gone to hell; why? Because I did not know the Truth, I did not believe in Christ's cleansing blood and did not know to follow God’s precious Son Jesus!  By His grace He called me and I responded, YES!

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."  Acts 4:12

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.” For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it."  Matt. 7:13-14

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”  Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)

And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them, "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets'; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.' "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out.  Luke 13:22-28

"And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."  John 3:19-21

"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matt. 18:3

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we shall do, if God permits…  Heb 6:1-3

A former Gallup poll (late 80’s) discovered that 80+% of Americans claim to be Christians! However, history and social studies show that it only takes only 2% of a society united together in like mind to cause a social change in the society, just 2%! What does this tell you about Christianity in America?  Instead of Christianity changing America, the < 2 % minorities in American are changing us Christians, shame on us!

What do we need to do?  We must first repent, be united and truly come back to God by "Going Up to God's Way of Thinking".  We must not let satin run and guide our lives, we need to be plugged into Jesus, by a daily relationship, allowing Him to transform us unto His image, putting Him first and others.  We need to be disciplined ourselves and then we can disciple others, not just make converts!

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."   Matthew 3:2 PDFs/LDLpdf Chapter 5.pdf

 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. "  2 Chronicles 16:9a  

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

“America! America! God shed His grace on Thee, and crowned thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea! . . .” [iv]  America, just like several stories and exhortations in the Bible, we see how America has forgotten God!  God blessed America with so, so much that we have lived life almost with out Him as of late!  He is a jealous God and now we will be getting spanked and disciplined, so as to come back to Him.  Why? because He loves us, He wants a good relationship with us and does not want us to perish.  Oh, that we would repent so we would not have to go through all of what is to come upon us.  Brace yourself, it will be unlike anything you have ever experienced!  So build that relationship with Jesus more and more to help you trust Him during the tough times (see scriptures "Preparing for The Last Daze") 

Footnotes

[i]  From America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates, 1913

[ii]  America's Last Call  Wilkerson Trust Publications 1998; ISBN  0-88368-617-1
[iii] Author unknown

[iv] From America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates, 1913

Last daze Letter to the Body of Christ

Joseph G. Wellhoff / jgw / 1999 - 2016