Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
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When I was a young man in the late 1950's I would not have believed you if you told me what the culture of the Western world and beyond would look like today as I write this in 2025! Now, I know that sin has been on the earth since Adam and the woman disobeyed God in the garden of Eden but one of the most powerful and important signs of the last days according to Jesus is the increase of lawlessness, wickedness. {Mat.24:12} That is exactly what the Lord is speaking about through the prophet Isaiah in today's verse.
The American public was shocked in 1939 when Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in the very famous movie ‘Gone with the Wind’ used the word ‘damn’ in the closing scenes of that film. Today movie makers seem to pride themselves in how many times even far more obscene words are used, making it commonplace and acceptable—in spite of the fact that God’s Word says to let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth. {Eph.4:29}
The Lord God clearly says that He hates divorce. {Mal.2:16} However, in spite of that, divorce today is absolutely commonplace! But now for some (seemingly) good news—divorce rates are going down a bit! Unfortunately, one of the factors responsible for that is that more and more people are choosing to ‘cohabit’, to live together outside of marriage. And many still have babies. Many will miss the glorious wedding feast of the Lamb! {Rev.19:9}
In my younger days for example homosexuality was literally a crime, prohibited by law in the U.S. But then it became permitted, then protected and finally, promoted as it is today. Same sex marriage was virtually unheard of, and then Barak Obama became the first president to permit and to promote same sex marriage both at home and abroad! He also made clear his acceptance of the rapidly growing transgender phenomena on his 2015 State of the Union address.
While many Christians boast in the beautiful church buildings they have erected, they have apparently forgotten that Jesus said, "I will build my church." {Mat.16:18} And that church is not brick and mortar, it is about you and I and all who have gone before us like living stones that are being built up as a spiritual house of God. {1Pt.2:5} Or, as the apostle Paul would ask, 'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.' {1Cor.6:19}
I will add a PS: Rather than boasting about ‘our denomination’ and given the fact that we are instructed to have no divisions among us, as it is written {1Cor.1:10} it is evident that the myriad of church buildings that dot the landscape bear witness to our divisions. It is time for us to repent and focus on the “one body and one Spirit, one hope of of calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all”. {Eph.4:5-6}
With all of that said I will call to mind that the Lord said that when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. {Lk.21:28} So, be on guard, be on the alert…
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
BE IMITATORS OF GOD AS BELOVED CHILDREN
