Thursday, April 20, 2017, 3:37 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Here I Go Again.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Acts 4 (Select vv. NASB).

Greatly Disturbed (vv. 1-4)

As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Who are the enemies of Jesus Christ and his servants today? Surprisingly, at least to many Americans, is that the U.S. government, under the authority of a shadow government (alias New World Order or “beast”), has been going around the world persecuting and killing innocent people, and targeting Christians, taking over nations, and conquering kingdoms and peoples – raping, pillaging, confiscating their property and natural resources, and obliterating lands and peoples, and all for the purpose of world dominion.

And, then they blame terrorists, many of whom they created, trained, equipped and support financially, for doing what they have done, i.e. they are the real terrorists of the world. They also blame other nations’ leaders for doing the things they are doing, such as they blame Iran and North Korea, but we, the United States of America, are the world conquerors, in conjunction with and under the direction of the New World Order “beast.” We are the ones going around the world terrorizing people and forcing the people and nations of this world to come under the authority of this beast or to pay the consequences. And, this shadow government of the Elite, who truly run this world, are the ones who own the mainstream media, so they lie to the American public and they deceive them into thinking that we are the good guys, and the saviors of the world, when that is absolutely not the truth.

From the very beginning of this nation (regime) we were meant to bring about the rule of this beast. The story is told in our national symbols, in particular in The Great Seal of the USA with the All-Seeing Eye of Horus hovering over the unfinished pyramid. Evidently, these are freemason symbols, but then our country was founded on freemasonry, which is a false religion with a false god, and is a precursor to the one world religion of this one world totalitarian government, the New World Order. Most of our buildings and statues in D.C. are patterned after Egyptian, Roman and Greek gods and goddesses, too.

Yet, the United States of America will also be conquered and brought under the subjection of this New World Order “beast,” and this is presently in process. We will be brought down to ashes so that out of the ashes the Phoenix (this New World Order) can rise, which is already rising out of the ashes of other nations, which they have conquered. N. Korea and Iran are not the nations we need to be concerned about. It is the USA and this New World Order “beast” which are the ones threatening nations with nuclear weapons, and who have the true power to destroy this entire planet at the push of a button, but only as God allows. God is absolutely sovereign and in control over all things.

And, all this is headed to America, too, so we can expect that it won’t be long and we will no longer be the super power of the world and a land of wealth, but we will be like everyone else in the world, because what this beast wants is for all of us, who are not the elite, to be in subjection to them, and for us all to be poor. Soon Christians in America will be hunted down and killed for their faith in Jesus Christ and for their testimonies for the gospel of our salvation, just like our government has done to Christians throughout the world for many years now. What we did to all these other nations will soon be done to us, for the beast hates the harlot, and he will destroy her. God help us all!

Salvation in No One Else (vv. 5-12)

On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

So, when this time comes, and it will, because the Bible tells us so, we are not to fear this “beast,” but we are to stand strong on our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and on the truth of His Word, and we are to proclaim the gospel of our salvation in all its fullness (the whole counsel of God) without fear of what they will do to us. We must be bold for the Lord, because time is running out, and there are many people who don’t know Jesus, and who will die in their sins without hope. This is not the time to be troubled over things that have no eternal value whatsoever. The things of this world are all going to pass away, but God’s Word will always remain. Amen! So, keep sharing.

Yet, we need to share the truth. And, the truth is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God (and God) left his home in heaven, came to earth, took on human flesh, suffered, and was tempted in like manner as we are, yet without sin. He went around healing the sick and afflicted, comforting the sorrowful, feeding the hungry, encouraging the timid, delivering people from demons and raising the dead, so many people followed him initially. He also preached repentance (turning from sin) for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God.

He, as well, confronted religious hypocrites with their sinful behaviors, he didn’t follow all their rules, he healed people on the Sabbath, and he claimed to be God (who he is), and so they hated him and they plotted his death. Many of his followers turned against him, too, when he told them that unless they partook in his death (to sin), and in his suffering, that they would not see the kingdom of heaven. The religious leaders turned many of the people against Jesus, and then they put him to death on a cross. But, this was God’s plan for our salvation. Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us. He died that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and be resurrected with him to newness of life, which is to be lived to HIM.

We Cannot Stop (vv. 13-20)

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

They began to recognize these men as having been with Jesus. So, if we were brought to trial before the people or the rulers of this world, would they be able to say that about us? Would it be obvious to others that we had been with Jesus? Would there be something in how we conduct ourselves, or in the words which we speak, that would indicate a relationship with him? Satan is not threatened by nominal Christians who only profess to know him. He is threatened by those who are walking in the ways of Jesus and who are telling others about him, and who are walking the walk they profess. “So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 12:17). “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Rev. 14:12).

Have you ever been commanded to not speak in the name of Jesus? You may think this doesn’t happen in America, but it does, and it has for a long while, only maybe not in exactly that way. And, it is happening in our churches, too. It isn’t usually the name of Jesus that concerns them, though, but it is if you actually teach and live what he taught and lived, and if you teach what his NT apostles taught that you may be a threat in these modern customer-driven “churches,” i.e. businesses. So, why would you pose a threat? Because they don’t want to offend anyone or make anyone uncomfortable with the true gospel, and the world is their customer base. They want to bring the world into their meetings, so they can entertain them, and fill their minds with all kinds of false notions, i.e. with what tickles itching ears.

So, if you haven’t yet, one day you will be forced to deny Jesus Christ, and to stop speaking in his name, or to pay the consequences, but we have to obey God, not humans, not even human authority, if they tell us to go against what God commands us to do. Yet, many are denying Jesus now by being unwilling to tell others about him, because they don’t want to be rejected, and they want to be liked, or they are afraid of what will happen to them if they start sharing their faith with others. But, we need to ask the Lord to give us the courage to talk with people about Jesus, and to tell them the truth of the gospel, because many are dying.

Here I Go Again / Casting Crowns

What am I so afraid of?
‘Cause here I go again
Talkin’ ’bout the rain
And mullin’ over things
that won’t live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance
to tell him that You love Him