Nothing looks familiar anymore

[mikalikat]

I simply do not recognize this world and this country anymore. NOTHING makes sense, anything moral is abhored, anything amoral or immoral is accepted. No rights, no wrongs. Bad is good and good is bad. It means virtually nothing anymore to be called an American, and now we're fighting to not lose our lives when we are called "children of God". Owning land is quickly becoming illegal, it appears. Our rights are quickly being eliminated. I keep hearing Jesus telling the disciples about His Father's house having many mansions and He is going to prepare one for us. As though everything we hang on to to identify our place in this world is now very quickly being pulled from us so that we can only look UP.

I cannot keep up anymore. There was a time when we would marvel at weeks or months going by between world events. Now there are so many being crammed into one DAY that we are left breathless. When you have entire ISLANDS being picked up and moved 10 feet out in the middle of an ocean, there's a problem! The earthquakes are coming quicker and quicker and DEADLIER and harder each day.

I am reminded each day of one truth: We have only God to look to. That is all.

[readytogo]

As though everything we hang on to to identify our place in this world is now very quickly being pulled from us so that we can only look UP.

I think that you've hit upon the crux of the matter. We are not of this world, otherwise we would think like this world. This is our temporary home. He's quickly preparing us to want more than anything to be with Him! Keep looking up!

[WartHog]

I agree you two. I am reminded of an article written by Jan Markell last year in which she quoted someone as saying we are NOT citizens of the United States. We are AMBASSADORS living IN the United States (my quote may not be word for word, but you get the gist). Really put this whole thing in perspective for me.

[LdyinChrist]

The Coming of the Savior in Philippians 3:20-21

Philippians 3:20 first asserts that the believer’s “citizenship is in heaven.” Regarding the meaning of the Greek (to politeuma), The Expositor’s Greek Testament is noteworthy. “This world has a characteristic spirit of its own. Worldliness is the common bond of citizenship in it. There is another commonwealth,6 not of the world (John xviii. 36), which inspires its members with a different tone of life. They ‘seek the things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.’ . . . The stability and security of the pax Romana (one of the most favorable influences for Christianity) filled the thought of the time with high conceptions of citizenship and its value. This would specially appeal to the Philippians,” who would have greatly esteemed the right to possess all the privileges of Italian citizens (i.e. jus Italicum)7 (Acts 16:12, 21).

The believer eagerly waits for the Savior’s return from (ex ou) heaven. The believer’s citizenship is in heaven; therefore, the Christian may “have a claim on the Saviour, just as the Philippians might rightfully look for protection to Rome [as saviour].”8 The double compound (apekdechometha) translated “eagerly wait”9 indicates anticipation and eagerness for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ as the habitual perspective of the Christian, whose citizenship is in heaven. The normal attitude of the Christian is eager anticipation of the Lord’s return (and Paul, of course, included himself in that anticipation). The longing for the coming of the Savior is also an incentive for holy living (cf. Tit 2:13; 1 John 2:28). It is noteworthy that no other events are mentioned that must precede the coming of the Lord.10 Indeed, if the rapture of the church were understood to occur at any time other than pretribulationally, it would be difficult to have such eager anticipation. For example, if Scripture revealed the rapture of the church as occurring midtribulationally or posttribulationally, then the eager anticipation would be for the commencement of the seven-year tribulation, for then and only then, could the believer “eagerly wait” for the Lord’s return. The expectation of the Lord’s return as imminent and personal is cause for great joy and hope to the early church and the church throughout the ages.

The Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven as Savior to “rescue” His saints “from this present evil age” (Gal 1:4) and take His church to His “Father’s house” (John 14:2). Coinciding with the Lord’s return, the body of the believer’s “humble state” will be transformed “into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil 3:21). The transformation of the believer’s body will be into a glorified body just like the Son of God (1 John 3:2). The distinction is between the “the body of our humble state” and “the body of His glory.” In this earthly life, the believer’s body is humbled by death, disease, persecution, and sin. The body is earthly, perishable, weak, natural, and mortal (1 Cor 15:35-58), so that believers “groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of the body” (Rom 8:23). At the Lord’s return, the transformation will occur whether by resurrection of the dead or by the rapture of the living (cf. 1 Cor 15:50-58; 1 Thess 4:13-18; 5:9-10). The glorified and resurrected body will be just like the Son of God (“the body of His glory,” Phil 3:21), and the believer’s sanctification will be ultimate. The expectation of the Lord’s return should produce a purifying hope, as we are citizens of heaven while sojourning on earth (1 John 3:1-3). The transformation will occur “by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:21). The same power that will ultimately subject all things in the universe to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ is what accomplishes the transformation.

Philippians 3 and the Rapture | Midnight Call Ministries

[Potter's Clay]

I simply do not recognize this world and this country anymore. NOTHING makes sense, anything moral is abhored, anything amoral or immoral is accepted. No rights, no wrongs. Bad is good and good is bad. It means virtually nothing anymore to be called an American, and now we're fighting to not lose our lives when we are called "children of God". Owning land is quickly becoming illegal, it appears. Our rights are quickly being eliminated. I keep hearing Jesus telling the disciples about His Father's house having many mansions and He is going to prepare one for us. As though everything we hang on to to identify our place in this world is now very quickly being pulled from us so that we can only look UP.

I cannot keep up anymore. There was a time when we would marvel at weeks or months going by between world events. Now there are so many being crammed into one DAY that we are left breathless. When you have entire ISLANDS being picked up and moved 10 feet out in the middle of an ocean, there's a problem! The earthquakes are coming quicker and quicker and DEADLIER and harder each day.

I am reminded each day of one truth: We have only God to look to. That is all.

Isaiah 5:20 gives a stern warning about such people who call good evil and evil good. It says

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

We are all well aware of what follows when we see the term "woe"

[bghtnpd4]

I absolutely agree, Lor...

[Adopted Son]

Isn't it amazing? Really! For a nation so uniquely built and defined by God's hand to be so quickly twisted into total immorality? Astounding!

[blavatsky]

I agree and I disagree.
See, I agree with you because yes, it does seem that the world is acting kinda crazy these days- especially with the earthquakes. I suppose it's Earth's natural geology to act like these sometimes, and strong earthquakes usually come in pairs or more.
Humanity is losing morality, that is also true. It seems to be all about sex these days. Sex and drugs. It becomes a bit boring after a while, I do wonder what will happen when everything there is to know about sex has been exploited, what will be so exciting about it then?
However, I do think that with each generation the same things have been said "Things aren't what they used to be", etc., it just seems that we forget that humanity just can't seem to live in peace, and conflicts have existed since the beginning of time- study World History, everything is related to a war in a way. We're just aggressive and abusive in nature, it seems.
So I don't like to think of these days as something that marks our end, but rather, the end of an era.

As for you Americans, I think you guys have it easy and you just don't realize. In other countries, people are LITERALLY falling down dead from starvation, working 14 hours a day with minimum wage, women are being publicly humiliated for doing something "immoral", you guys have it almost all. You're not in the best of your days, but you could be a lot worst. Just think about that before you complain. This is coming from a person who doesn't live in the US, but who has spent a lot of time there.

[Adopted Son]

blavatsky,

You are so right about Americans. We don't know how good we have it. I thank God for that daily. Most of what you read on this forum is Americans, commenting about our fall from grace. We had God's blessing to a similar extent to the Jewish nation in years far past now. And just like those chosen people, we chafe under an easy life, seek outrageous enjoyments, and waste our precious gifts. We like the chosen race have grown tired of the miraculous manna, and complain, seeking more exotic intake. Don't look down on us for our failure to appreciate, because it could have been you. We could have been chosen to have the more difficult life, thereby making it easier to appreciate what God gives us. But we are all here as examples for each other, equally loved, and neither condition is punishment nor reward for any of our actions.

It is, after all, for a very, very short time.

[micah719]

2 Peter 3
1 BELOVED, I am now writing you this second letter. In [both of] them I have stirred up your unsullied (sincere) mind by way of remembrance,
2 That you should recall the predictions of the holy (consecrated, dedicated) prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior [given] through your apostles (His special messengers).
3 To begin with, you must know and understand this, that scoffers (mockers) will come in the last days with scoffing, [people who] walk after their own fleshly desires
4 And say, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the forefathers fell asleep, all things have continued exactly as they did from the beginning of creation.
5 For they willfully overlook and forget this [fact], that the heavens [came into] existence long ago by the word of God, and the earth also which was formed out of water and by means of water,
6 Through which the world that then [existed] was deluged with water and perished.
7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been stored up (reserved) for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.
8 Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish (pass away) with a thunderous crash, and the [material] elements [of the universe] will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are thus in the process of being dissolved, what kind of person ought [each of] you to be [in the meanwhile] in consecrated and holy behavior and devout and godly qualities,
12 While you wait and earnestly long for (expect and hasten) the coming of the day of God by reason of which the flaming heavens will be dissolved, and the [material] elements [of the universe] will flare and melt with fire?
13 But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise, in which righteousness (uprightness, freedom from sin, and right standing with God) is to abide.
14 So, beloved, since you are expecting these things, be eager to be found by Him [at His coming] without spot or blemish and at peace [in serene confidence, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].
15 And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord [His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world] is salvation (that which is conducive to the soul's safety), even as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the spiritual insight given him,
16 Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist and misconstrue to their own utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures.
17 Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind].
18 But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)!

[mikalikat]

I agree and I disagree.
See, I agree with you because yes, it does seem that the world is acting kinda crazy these days- especially with the earthquakes. I suppose it's Earth's natural geology to act like these sometimes, and strong earthquakes usually come in pairs or more.
Humanity is losing morality, that is also true. It seems to be all about sex these days. Sex and drugs. It becomes a bit boring after a while, I do wonder what will happen when everything there is to know about sex has been exploited, what will be so exciting about it then?
However, I do think that with each generation the same things have been said "Things aren't what they used to be", etc., it just seems that we forget that humanity just can't seem to live in peace, and conflicts have existed since the beginning of time- study World History, everything is related to a war in a way. We're just aggressive and abusive in nature, it seems.
So I don't like to think of these days as something that marks our end, but rather, the end of an era.

As for you Americans, I think you guys have it easy and you just don't realize. In other countries, people are LITERALLY falling down dead from starvation, working 14 hours a day with minimum wage, women are being publicly humiliated for doing something "immoral", you guys have it almost all. You're not in the best of your days, but you could be a lot worst. Just think about that before you complain. This is coming from a person who doesn't live in the US, but who has spent a lot of time there.

Hmmmm, as for me, I am VERY well aware of how good we have it here, which is why the current state of things is all the more heartbreaking. The lack of gratitude to God is appalling. My commentary was directed towards how quickly man is spiraling down into the moral abyss, just as the Bible foretold we would. I wasn't COMPLAINING. I was making an observation.