The Incredible Speed of Falling - Stand Up America |
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By: Rev Michael Bresciani Posted: 2007-06-30 10:18:27 |
| The most arduously practiced, meticulously choreographed and gracefully executed dance routine can end in a second with a dancer falling into a contorted heap at the gasp of a watching crowd. Is the social experimentation of this era a wary dancer, over confident and heading for a fall? The most insightful dance coaches say it is.One of the youngest conquerors in history, Alexander the Great swept across the world with only foot soldiers and horses to bring civilization to its feet in only 13 short years.In Germany's war weary society a mere would be artist wormed his way up through the discontent and confusion in about seven years to become this world's most infamous dictator to date.Communism hung as a dark portent over the minds of people who thought individuals were no less important than the state for about a generation. After the fall of the wall in 1989 communisms greatest bastion of hope, the Soviet Union crumbled like a house of cards in only a few short years.The rise of the world's last dictator unnamed but commonly referred to as the Antichrist will take so little time to rise to power as to catch virtually everyone off guard throughout the earth. His rule is short as well, seven years. Is this really a possibility? In fact it is not. Since the prophetic aspect of the Bible is only pre-written history the coming rule of the Antichrist is not a possibility, it is a promise.The Antichrist comes to bear on a world that has entered a period the Bible calls "the day of evil." He will not emerge from some newly formed cult or ancient religion but will be a political military genius with all the savvy of the Devil himself. He rises through normal channels of society and by means of generally accepted protocol. But why must the world be subject to the whims of this satanically driven megalomaniac? In a word they "want" him to rule over them.His promises are attractive and initially most of his programs will be successful. His true nature will remain largely hidden from all but the most discerning until he is firmly in power. But even when it is revealed it will be easier for most people just to go along with him than to form any significant resistance. Then in a period of time less than communisms former debut, Alexander's sweeping victories or Hitler's short rule he will turn the world on its ear.The secular world takes refuge in the fact that when asked to prove the claims of the gospel or the prophecies of the Antichrist, God's messengers revert only to the Bible. The messengers take refuge in the fact that they are only asked by God to proclaim it, not to prove it. It will prove itself.After Hal Lindsey's best seller "The Late Great Planet Earth" hundreds of books and warnings have been introduced to this generation making it the most well versed generation in history as it pertains to the second coming of Christ. God has kept his end by doing exactly as he promised..."Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7 the question is only, who is listening?To explain how the "day of evil" comes on the whole earth I have often reverted to an analogy relating to the growth of knowledge in our generation. In the fifties and sixties it was said that knowledge would double itself about every twenty years. It was also predicted that around the turn of the century knowledge would double itself about every two years. This is now history.Although it is not explicit the implied teaching of the Bible says the very same thing will occur near the end of time concerning evil. Evil will sneak in slowly over a few generations but will pick up speed exponentially near the end of time. It will double over itself at the very end and the stage will be set for the appearance of the world's last but deadliest dictator.The evil that is doubling over on itself is not the isolated doings of some satanic coven in the woods of rural America. It is rather the blatant and wholesale fulfillment of secularisms every anarchical penchant. Social experimentation that tries to force the gay lifestyle on a generation, genetic experimentation that ignores the reasonability of nature and political unrest that threatens the world with endless differences that are ever teetering on the edge of some new and violent conflict or the next world war.Added to this is the inability of the most educated generation in history to distinguish between the revelation that God has given of himself in the person of Christ and the ever faltering form that man gives God through the tenants, ceremonies, liturgies and the endless traditions of religion.A dimes worth of wisdom is all it takes to know that the idea of, "what you don't know can't hurt you," is wrong. Some are willing to be reminded that what a generation forgets about its past can be very damaging. The group at highest risk is those who think that what they will not believe can't possibly harm them. This crowd is quick to point out that belief in the gospel doesn't make it true. They are reticent to admit that their unbelief has no more power to make it untrue! Perhaps this is what someone had in mind when they said, "God doesn't believe in atheists therefore they don't exist."Here is what is true. A generation ago Washington held sway over Hollywood to some degree through the regulations provided by the once powerful FCC. Media even policed itself to accommodate the demands of the public with good broadcasting standards that they were willing to impose on themselves. Their self imposed accountability only added to their believability. Now liberal actors and media, secularized academia and a plethora of neo-advocacy groups are walking Washington across the line of decency with a skip and a dance as a lamb to the slaughter. Even Washington can't keep up with the speed of the fall!Recent polls conducted by the Barna Group and CNN have concluded that one of the reasons Christians are not actively fighting against the onslaught as hard as before is because too much is being presented to them all at once. Both the conservative right wingers and the Christians seem overwhelmed by the number of choices that must be made. The response has been that they sit down with the remote in hand and do nothing. They have capitulated to the paralysis of indecision as Billy Graham is noted for saying.The speed of downward trends has overcome the senses of many people and the shear numbers of emerging new advocacy groups has created a pack of marauding dogs nipping at the heels regardless of which way they turn. In military language they have been out flanked and caught by surprise attack.Unwilling to be taken prisoner a number of combatants in this fray have simply gone over to the other side. All strategies have yet to be exhausted and with some strong leadership, new tactics and renewed willingness the battle can still be won. But just in case, it does well to remember that even a prisoner cannot be made to give up his own conscience. This is evidenced by the recent remarks of Marine General and top Pentagon Chief of Staff Peter Pace. Gen. Pace said he would not apologize for his remarks made about homosexuality being immoral. Pace indicated that his remarks were a product of his upbringing and a sense of right and wrong that it instilled in him. Some have suggested that Pace would make a great president but no one disputes that he makes a great Christian and an exemplary American. It goes without saying that you don't get to be a general by your willingness to retreat.Adjusting to the speed of falling in America can be accomplished by looking a little further out toward the horizon. I once stepped onto a train in Calais France called the French TGV. As it started to roll toward the Spanish frontier I noticed something different than anything I had ever experienced before. I could not see anything clearly just outside the windows of the train. I asked a female matron how fast we were going to which she replied, "You are going 405 miles per hour." Move over Campbell's Bluebird. I struggled to see anything just outside my window until I was nearly dizzy.Determined to see the renowned beauty of the French countryside I noticed that all I had to do was look a little further out toward the horizon. This is exactly what we need to do in America today rather than becoming victims to the speed of falling. Standing up takes a child a while to learn and is always accompanied with numerous and discomforting falls. Falling takes only seconds. The conservative body politic and concerned Christians must not give up now. Some may be willing to fall and remain fallen; still others may want to contribute to the speed of falling by complicity with everything backwards and questionable. If speeding tickets somehow could be issued for the speed at which each of us is falling then only one question remains. How much would your speeding ticket cost you?Here is some simple yet I hope profound advice. Throw off the confusion of all that is whizzing by so fast. Look out toward the horizon to get a clearer picture of things. Should you have already fallen just remember the lessons of your childhood and get up!For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Proverbs 24:16 |
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