| Vol. V Number 11 | May 15, 2001 |
In today's society we are influenced by many things. Some of them are good and righteous, while the majority are wicked and evil. Take for instance some of the outdoor advertising in Philadelphia.
It is easy to see that the above influence is definitely from Satan, but there are far more devious and evil influences that you don't even conceive as being evil and wicked. Take for instance a political speech or a corporate executives speech. There are many intonations and inflections that the author can use to affect the thoughts of the audience. Listen carefully to a talk from any politician. Are they really in serving your interests or are they interested in getting a job or keeping a job. A lot of the politicians will even go as far as to say that they care for you and they are working for your interests. In reality, not one of the politicians has your interests in their heart. They are there to further their own agenda, whatever that may be.
In today's world there are many influences that surround us including the unseen air waves. We are influenced by:
And a host of others. But a lot of time the wicked messages of Satan can be well hidden subliminally. These messages are not the blatant messages as in the photos above, but are the hidden messages that say, ``Sin is fun.'' ``Adultery is the norm and abortion is not murder even when the baby is partially born already!'' These wicked messages are inbedded in the news, commentary, newspapers and all other sources of information we depend upon. We are bombarded daily with the message that good is evil and evil is good.
Isaiah 5:20
20 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!
2 Timothy 3:1-7
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
There are a lot of preachers preaching about an end time revival that does not line up with what the Bible says. In the last days perilous times shall come. This does not sound like a revival to me. This sounds like the world that we are living in today. This is the world where men are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This is the world of the last days! Not a world where many will flock to the unadulterated preaching of the word, but a world where lust and sin reign supreme. This is the view of the last days that is depicted in the Bible! A world equivalent to Sodom and Gomorrah. All you have to do is look around at the world today and see the sin that is all over.
Romans 1:18-32
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
The world is filled with haters of God! We see the world filled with people running after all of the sins of the flesh rather than seeking the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of the times that the Bible describes the last days is a time of great wickedness. A time where sin and wickedness are promoted from the highest levels of government.
All you have to do is look at the previous administration and see how the government promoted all of the evil mentioned in the first chapter of Romans. We are living in a country that promotes lies and deceptions. We live in a country that disregards its own constitution! Where is you freedom of speech to hand out tracks in front of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics. Brave Christians have been taken to jail here in Philadelphia for distributing tracks saying that abortion is murder. The days that we are living in are the days that is described as the last days.
Isaiah 5:11-30
11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.
13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
20 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!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:
29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
All over the world today there is the wicked message being preached that evil is good and good is evil. On the television, movies, news print, you see the message that wickedness is righteousness. Adultery is good, pornography is art, abortion is righteousness. All of these messages come right from the pits of hell and the Devil! Is it any wonder that the business depicted first on this page shows the pits of hell. This is the world that we are living in today. A world filled with the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. A world that depicts the Born Again Christian as someone who is not in sync with the times. As someone who has ``old fashioned'' ideas and attitudes. We are living in an era that will welcome the Antichrist with open arms who will give them all of the sin and lust that they want. This is the world that is today
1 John 2:15-18
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
The end time revival is a hope that i feel that is not scriptural. All of the messages in the Bible concerning the last days is a time fill with sin and wickedness. A time when the Lord's wrath is poured out upon the earth. A time where the the wickedness exceeds the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. This time is upon us and the time of the catching away of the saints of the Lord Jesus is a hand.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Where will you be when this happens? Will you be one of those wrapped up in the cares of this world? Will your attention be on the lusts of the flesh? Will you be too busy to even here the trumpet call of the Lord? Many will miss the call to rise and meet the Lord in the air for their total attention will be on the world and not on the the Lord. But a few will have their attention on the Lord and will rise to meet the Lord in the air. Will you be one of the few who rise to meet the Lord in the air? Will you be one of the many who get left behind to endure the judgments of God? The choice is yours!
3014 E Street Philadelphia, PA 19134 Church Office Phone: (215) 634-3637 Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037
Services:
Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11:30 AM
Sunday Morning Worship . . . . . . . . . . 12 NOON
Sunday Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:30 PM
Wednesday Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM
Copyright © 2001 LeRoy D. Cressy
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