Why doesn't the USA help Israel in the Gog/Magog War?

[kathymendel]

I agree, BGG. I am on here a lot, but I don't always post. Sometimes it is all so overwhelming and I get tired, too. I pray without posting a lot of times......... There are so many needs and requests posted, that I have to pray over them as a group. It's disheartening to see how much my brothers and sisters here are struggling and being attacked in this world........... but, I feel very blessed and privileged to pray for them. We are definitely living in perilous times. I am so ready to go home to be with my Savior, and to spend eternity serving him without my sin, and my tired old body. But, as long as He leaves me here, I want to be used by Him for His glory. One day at a time is all most of us can manage...........

 

[InsuranceGuy]

I suspect that the numbers may be much lower than 37-75 million. I would definitely say we can't be sure of the number of Believers in the USA or anywhere else for that matter.

I'm in agreement too. I've always thought the numbers would be lower than most people though. Determining whether or not someone is a Christian is beyond my ability, but I see too many people today who profess Christ online, or maybe occasionally outside of their house, that are simply not true believers. I say that because they have so much hate in their heart. This has always been a struggle for me to understand, but a former friend of mine would profess his belief in Christ and the Bible to absolutely anyone, while smoking a joint, shooting heroin or sitting in jail for one of his various offenses. To this day, he swears he is a serious believer, but goes out with strippers and addicts and still does his drugs. The crazy thing is I believe this guy when he says he's a believer. He is proud of it, as he should be. I can't ever figure out if he hates his sin and is just sort of stuck with it or if he just likes to talk about God. It's between he and God. It confounds me to no end though and I can never figure out what God thinks of it. He will openly speak about God in a strip club or a biker bar. It's the most odd thing.

 

[mikhen7]

Honestly, I would say he likes to talk about God. I would start a rigorous prayer regimen where you and a few others commit to praying for God to open his eyes to see, ears to hear, and heart to know Jesus in a meaningful way. I am sure when confronted with his hedonistic lifestyle, he has an excuse for everything.
In one of the points I made during Sunday's service on "How to Understand the Bible" I quoted Donald Campbell "

• A Christian who is living in sin is susceptible to making inaccurate Bible interpretations because his heart and mind are not in harmony with the Holy Spirit.[1]

Isn't it so?

[1] Donald K. Campbell, “Foreword,” in Basic Bible Interpretation: A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth, ed. Craig Bubeck Sr. (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1991), 24.

 

[bigmoose]

I've become an amateur baker here in my old age... and I've learned a few new things about "salt". First, most recipes call for salt at between 1.5% and 2.5% of the mass of the flour. Second, it is not just a flavoring, but it controls the growth of yeast and strengthens the gluten! Amazing, isn't it?! Not only flavors the bread but controls the growth of yeast and strengthens the bread.

One can ponder a couple of "what if's?" from these observed facts... "the salt of the earth"... "controlling the leven..." I wonder what the lower bound is for true believers? I know the Father knows... but not me.

 

[ItIsFinished!]

Personally, I know I go through phases where I post a lot on the forum, and then not so much, but I'm always reading the articles. Sometimes I am so mad and hurt by what evil is happening in the world that I am afraid I will not be edifying in what I say on the posts. So, I think everyone has their faith journey, but we can't tell why people leave or assume what their reasons are. It does get exhausting to live on the edge of hope and despair at the evil; I personally have loved ones who aren't saved, and the fear of them not accepting the Lord before the rapture is intense. Mix those intense feelings with my longing to go home can be confusing...honestly, I am just taking one day at a time, breathing, praying, and trusting God on a day by day basis.

...trusting God on a day by day basis...
That is very wise my friend.

 

[Batfan7]

It was interesting to see those statistics on church attendance. So, on any given Sunday, probably about 15% of the US is in church. Not every Christian attends every week, so we could perhaps bump that number up a few percentage to account for that, but only maybe...70%? Of attendees are believers? 50%? It's hard to say since the attendance numbers probably include churches with very few genuine believers (*cough*Catholic/prosperity*cough*). So we might say that somewhere around, say 10% of the adult US population might be Raptured as an upper limit. And much lower percentage from other countries.

Kind of a sad thought.

 

[mikhen7]

It was interesting to see those statistics on church attendance. So, on any given Sunday, probably about 15% of the US is in church. Not every Christian attends every week, so we could perhaps bump that number up a few percentage to account for that, but only maybe...70%? Of attendees are believers? 50%? It's hard to say since the attendance numbers probably include churches with very few genuine believers (*cough*Catholic/prosperity*cough*). So we might say that somewhere around, say 10% of the adult US population might be Raptured as an upper limit. And much lower percentage from other countries.

Kind of a sad thought.

10% -15% Is probably close. It is sad.

 

[Tall Timbers]

We are creatures of habit, and since many of those attending church grew up in a church going family, many continue to attend, and I believe many of those probably are not Believers. For decades we've seen one church after another fall to the world in terms of its teachings. Many church goers hear the Word when it is spoken during service, but may have never heard the Truth from anyone teaching/preaching in their church. Not all Believers attend church, sometimes because they can't find a good church. The percentages that were given above by big moose regarding the percentage of salt to flour are probably closer to the number from the USA that will be raptured v.s. the 10-20% numbers. Since I salt my foods heavily, I'd go with 2.5 - 3% on account of I'm an optimist, and I love salt.

 

[mikhen7]

I think we will all be surprised by God's amazing grace.

 

[Len]

I would be surprised if the worlds population of raptured Christians is more than 5.75% ...... and being a primary or lower school level "statisticologist" with at least 30 seconds of research under my belt those credentials gives me power to formualte the guesstimates to answer that question of percentages that are going in the rapture...... I think, maybe ...... I better let God handle it eh!

 

[ItIsFinished!]

It was interesting to see those statistics on church attendance. So, on any given Sunday, probably about 15% of the US is in church. Not every Christian attends every week, so we could perhaps bump that number up a few percentage to account for that, but only maybe...70%? Of attendees are believers? 50%? It's hard to say since the attendance numbers probably include churches with very few genuine believers (*cough*Catholic/prosperity*cough*). So we might say that somewhere around, say 10% of the adult US population might be Raptured as an upper limit. And much lower percentage from other countries.

Kind of a sad thought.

Yes my friend.
Definitely a super sad thought.

 

[ByGod'sGrace]

It was interesting to see those statistics on church attendance. So, on any given Sunday, probably about 15% of the US is in church. Not every Christian attends every week, so we could perhaps bump that number up a few percentage to account for that, but only maybe...70%? Of attendees are believers? 50%? It's hard to say since the attendance numbers probably include churches with very few genuine believers (*cough*Catholic/prosperity*cough*). So we might say that somewhere around, say 10% of the adult US population might be Raptured as an upper limit. And much lower percentage from other countries.

Kind of a sad thought.

I don't attend church, because there are none in my area that I feel comfortable going to....so I mostly listen to online sermons. It is sad to see the state of churches now, and it actually makes my heart heaving going inside most churches now. One of the last church "try-outs" I went to in Monterey, the pastor actually asked the audience what we thought Bible verses meant, so people raised their hands and it became interactive instead of an actual sermon. I have never experienced that before. The layout was round tables with 4-5 people at each table, about 20 tables in the room. It felt like a coffee shop meet and greet. In my mind, I actually thought that it was a waste of time and then I felt guilty for thinking that. If I reveal to other Christians that I don't attend church (and they do regularly), they tell me that I shouldn't forsake the fellowship of believers. But to me, quality over quantity is what matters to me. I could go to a mega church five times a week and never get anything out of it, or really feel any fellowship. This site is where I have had the most fellowship, honest prayers, and really felt supported in my walk. I honestly have no idea what the percentage of believers is, but I pray for faith and I pray for those who aren't saved before the rapture, that they are afterwards. Considering the decay of churches now, I feel for those seeking good teaching and are unable to find it easily.

 

[mattfivefour]

I could go to a mega church five times a week and never get anything out of it, or really feel any fellowship. This site is where I have had the most fellowship, honest prayers, and really felt supported in my walk.

I absolutely understand how you feel, sister. I really do. But remember that what we get out of a church may not be as important to God as to what we bring to a church. In other words, it is not what we receive from the church—either the pastors or the congregants—but what we give to them that has impact in God's Kingdom. Remember that God has given EVERY member of His body at least one gift (and often more). And those gifts are to be used to build up the body of Christ. As much as we can exercise them here, sometimes they can only be properly used when we are in physical fellowship and face to face with others and their needs. Just something to think about.

 

[bigmoose]

There is so much truth in what Adrian posted above. I "think" we are observing a sea change in "church" in the last 4 or 5 years. In our little area, 5 smallish (say 100 attendees when stable) churches have closed. 4 of those just wanted to sell their building/property to the highest bidder irregardless of usage (each was priced at $1M USD). Only one wanted to pass their facility on to a more stable, Christ centered, Bible based congregation at a very reduced price (basically one that covered existing debts.) This is more churches closing in the last 5 years than I have seen in the past 50.

Our small gathering is under much stress. In these last 4 years folks have fallen away from meeting during mid week. Now they are giving up meeting Sunday evening for study, small group and fellowship. The younger families just fall away... saying they are too busy, too stressed. Leadership get so many requests to help and counseling for kids, marriages (all part of proper ministry), and lately to pay for (give scholarship) for kids to go to college and special events (hmmmm). Many have ideas for "improvement" or how our little body should "serve them better" ... but we are at a loss to find more than 10%-15% of the congregation willing to serve others and help... Our leadership and the 15% are getting tired and exasperated... As Adrian said, every member is given a special gift for the edification of the body. Those gifts are so needed, so appreciated. God did it this way so no man can go it alone. We need and depend upon each other.

We are seeing this with other gatherings of His believers in our area. Change is happening. To us old timers it appears as not good change. We see the world pulling the families to other activities than Worshiping the True Creator and Sustainer of All Things. We pray about this and for insight and wisdom for our leadership every day...

 

[Work4Peanuts]

I would like to add: I always encourage people to go to church. We really aren't supposed to forsake fellowship with other believers. A tv sermon doesn't hack it. That said, though, a church doesn't have to be a building with pews, a piano, and massive congregation. When we were having trouble finding a Bible-believing church, our family would hold "church" by reading the Bible together, praying, and singing some hymns.

I'll bet for every Christian who says they can't find a church, that they could have a home church with other believers in the area who can't find a church. Throw in a tv sermon by someone solid and you're not missing much.

 

[Goodie]

I was reminded of a conversation on here about the big lie concerning the Rapture being alien abductions. I cannot think of anything more world uniting than a threat from alien forces.

 

[TRex2]

...
it became interactive instead of an actual sermon. I have never experienced that before. The layout was round tables with 4-5 people at each table, about 20 tables in the room. It felt like a coffee shop meet and greet. In my mind, I actually thought that it was a waste of time and then I felt guilty for thinking that. If I reveal to other Christians that I don't attend church (and they do regularly), they tell me that I shouldn't forsake the fellowship of believers. ...

The coffee shop meet might be more like the earliest Church gatherings than you might think.
As for fellowship, didn't Jesus say that "where two or three are gathered in His name?"
(I am actually not sure I am using this correctly...)

... Not only flavors the bread but controls the growth of yeast and strengthens the bread.
One can ponder a couple of "what if's?" from these observed facts... "the salt of the earth"... "controlling the leven..." I wonder what the lower bound is for true believers? I know the Father knows... but not me.

I have always read that as "preservative" rather than recipe.
As in Brining food to preserve it: https://www.survival-manual.com/food-storage/brine.php
If that is the point, we are back to 10% to 15%

I think we will all be surprised by God's amazing grace.

I believe you are correct.
I had a pastor once, who used to say we would be shocked at who we find in Heaven,
and who we will not find there.
After all, would you be surprised to learn that Alice Cooper is a Christian?
(Personally, I wasn't all that surprised, but then, my wife always told me that I am a bit strange, myself. )

 

[ItIsFinished!]

I would like to add: I always encourage people to go to church. We really aren't supposed to forsake fellowship with other believers. A tv sermon doesn't hack it. That said, though, a church doesn't have to be a building with pews, a piano, and massive congregation. When we were having trouble finding a Bible-believing church, our family would hold "church" by reading the Bible together, praying, and singing some hymns.

I'll bet for every Christian who says they can't find a church, that they could have a home church with other believers in the area who can't find a church. Throw in a tv sermon by someone solid and you're not missing much.

Good points my friend.

 

[MariaTheCrafter]

Mmmm... many suggestions have been given.. we get attacked or perhaps with all this activity with volcanoes and eatquakes lately, it could be a natural disaster that can cripple the nation making unable to fully help Israel

 

[Mikedexion]

I got a feeling America will be given to the Medes and the Persians, America and specifically New York City is a modern day Babylon.
She prostitutes her doctrine of “freedom and liberty” (for a price) and sits a a queen who can take away another country’s food if she wants.
She control’s the value of the world’s most valuable resource (oil)
She touts her military might and sits as a queen who thinks she can never fall.

America has been taken over by the spirit of the Harlot. When i saw the United States legalize homosexual marriage, I knew we crossed a line. Thank God we are still in the age of Grace but I know there’s a lot of judgement hanging over America’s skies just waiting to be poured out.