Are We In the Time of Lawlessness?

 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)  “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12).

Hey Gang: Evil has gripped our world and God is grieved and waiting for people to turn to Him to be saved.    To not cover yourself with the armor of God and keep your lamps filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit is to place a gigantic bulls-eye on your back. 

As I listened to the tragic events that transpired in Paris, Paul’s words, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, rang so very loud and clear:  “Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way”….  “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thess. 2:5-7; 11-12).

I believe we are in that period, referred to by Paul, as the time of deluding spirits.  Dig into your memory banks and turn back the hands of time.  It was by no means a perfect time – sin has always abounded on the earth: but it was also a time when hearts were not hardened as they are today – many people still attended church and had a moral code that held them in check.  There were still boundaries that one did not tamper with and God was still an invited guest into most homes.  And that my friends is a major problem – He is no longer an integral part of the home and the family.

Those who delved into witchcraft were stigmatized and avoided by most of society, but today Halloween has become more celebrated than the birth of our Lord.   I would have bet my last dollar that God’s people would not be stigmatized as being dangerous, extreme, weird – not normal, and a danger to society, in this once great nation founded on a Judeo-Christian foundation.  Christians, today, are being watched by our own government and labeled as extremists and anti-government radicals.

What has become to the norm?  Sadly, Hollywood has set the standard of normalcy, and it is appalling. It is now culturally acceptable to outwardly express love for the devil.  We see so many celebrities making the sign of the horns of the devil with their hands.  Young people, who have no foundation of what is right and what is wrong, are drawn into this; good has become evil, and evil good.  Hollywood is preparing a weekly sitcom that will star Lucifer as a beautiful person who loves his fellow man with all his heart but, also has a sinister streak down his spine.  It is projected to be one of the top new additions to the program week.

The world was shocked at the horror of that night in Paris, when almost 100 young people were gunned down by Islamic terrorists in the Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris. The Eagles of Death Metal were performing that night.  It is estimated that there were more than two thousand young people in the Hall that night, and I have serious doubt there was even one born again person in the mob. 

The song which had just begun, when the terrorists began their merciless killing spree, was called “Kiss the Devil” – one of the crowd’s favorite songs by the rock band.  Notice the lyrics:

 Who’ll love the Devil?   Who’ll sing his song?   Who will love the Devil and his song?

I’ll love the Devil   I’ll sing his song   I will love the Devil and his song

Who’ll love the Devil?    Who’ll kiss his tongue?  Who will kiss the Devil on his tongue?

I’ll love the Devil   I’ll kiss his tongue   I will kiss the Devil on his tongue

Who’ll love the Devil?  Who’ll sing his song?   I will love the Devil and his song.

How tragic,  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  

“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. 3:20-22).

I wonder what the survivors of the Paris massacre are thinking today?

Blessings,

Gramps