PASTOR’S COMMENTS 7-23-04

Dear Brethren,
 
While Europe continues to move forward to fulfill its role in prophecy the United States and Britain continue to plunge further into the morass of debauchery and degradation of morals that reflects the almost total loss of character.
 
Being born in a totally different generation, I never cease to be appalled at the 4-letter words that seems to fit so easily in the conversations, of not only the younger generation, but also to hear, as I did a few days ago, an older owner of a Radio Shack in our area use one of those words before two of his female employees.  It did not seem to bother them whatsoever!  I was rather shocked! 
 
In my early teens some young fellow made some kind of dirty remark in the nearby presence of some girls with my dad present. He grabbed that young fellow and in no uncertain terms told him that he did not want to hear anything like that again.
 
There was respect for women in that generation and for some few years to come. No longer!  From what I understand the women use as bad a language as that of men anymore.
 
As the Bible makes known we are in age where you rarely, if ever, see a person blush anymore because of hearing words that should never be mouthed.
 
The sins of Israel have grown so great just in the past few years that it is almost unbelievable! And it has not stopped! Sadly, it continues to overcome what ever little character is left so as to envelop all of the people either though involvement or closing their eyes and minds to it.  And in so doing they are expressing their tacit approval of it.
 
I have heard it said on one of the most listened to 'Talk Shows' that this is a selfish generation!  A generation that only thinks of itself and what it can get from it.  And many of the voters are now reflecting this attitude in their choice of candidates.
 
To enable you to see this, please read the statistics of the last presidential election (this was recently passed on to me along with a note from whoever it was):
 
The following is a most interesting analysis of where we are today, and where we could very possibly be headed.  If only we could enlighten those who don't see this, know it or understand its meaning.  But then, maybe we can.......................

 Subject: A great history lesson

At about the time our original 13 states adopted their new constitution, in the year 1787, Alexander Tyler (a Scottish history professor at The University of Edinburgh) had this to say about "The Fall of The Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior.  "A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:  >From Bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; >From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage."

Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the most recent Presidential election:

Population of counties won by:     Gore=127 million      Bush=143 million

Square miles of land won by:       Gore=580,000          Bush=22,427,000   

States Won By                             Gore=19                   Bush=29

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:     Gore=13.2         Bush=2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land owned by the tax-paying citizens of this great country. Gore's territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off government welfare..."

Olson believes the U.S. is now somewhere between the "complacency and "apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy; with some 40 percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.  Pass this along to help everyone realize just how much is at stake in this Election Year and that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom

God's Master Plan ---  
 
For those who have the eyes to see, and give serious thought while reflecting back just a very few years, and thinking of the present with the foregoing writing in mind, it can be seen that perhaps in the very next election the growth of apathy will be much larger and soon the majority will far out number what will become the very small minority. Lessons from History are ignored. 
 
Some years a well-known Secretary of State in this country spoke of the fact that the United States was in danger due to the problems in this country that are overwhelming it.  He was taken to task over it.  He then said, "I spoke as a historian."
 
Let us take a brief look at one of those lessons from history which we have ignored: 
 
The Fall of the Roman Empire ---    
 
"When Senoca, the Roman statesman, warned that Rome would fall, the people snickered, "Rome fall? Never!"  Rome was alive with activity  --- progress! The Roman citizen basked in affluence, in the glitter of the empire.  He enjoyed an explosive frenzy of building -- huge cities, bejeweled with rising marble columns, paved, pleasant tree-lined avenues and rushing fountains.
 
He saw the victory parades through triumphal arches.  He heard of the exploits of this or that great general.
 
"Rome," mused the average citizen, "is impregnable."  Rome was the world -- and the world was Rome.
 
To speculate for one brief moment that glorious Rome would collapse was unthinkable.  What Roman Jeremiah could have prophesied that the ravages of wars, taxation, mounting crime, race riots, moral decay, subversion from within, political assassinations and public apathy would one day bring Rome to utter collapse and ruin?  To the average Mr. Roman citizen this was not only unimaginable -- it was downright idiotic thinking.  
 
And to millions of Americans and British people today the thought that America and Britain could suffer a similar fate -- though with more modern consequences --- seems equally ludicrous.  Rome did fall!  The voices of the ancient Roan scoffers are as still as the rubble of ancient Rome.
 
Unable to stem a tidal wave of violence, wild spending. wars, degenerating morals, and unbelievable public willingness to accept the decadent society of there day -- they were led to the final fate they all denied was possible.  Millions of Romans lived to see the 'impossible' happen" The MODERN ROMANS -- The decline of Western Civilization, pages 7-8, Ambassador College Press.
 
ROME FELL -- A Fact of History --- 
 
The same basic mistakes that once toppled the once mighty Roman empire are now being repeated in America, Britain, and the Western world.  This is a lesson from factual history and should be A WARNING for our day and time!  And unless this and other lessons from history is used as a WAKE UP CALL, and our peoples and nations immediately alter the course that had been taken, the same will soon take place -- only with a much greater crash!   
 
I saw a movie years ago about 'The Fall of Great Babylon'. The closing statement that came on the screen that concluded the movie was most telling and sobering:  "No great civilization had ever fallen without unless it first has fallen within!" 
 
If you question the degeneracy of the morals of this country briefly take a look at almost any move channel on your television set and in doing so all doubt or question should be removed from your mind. With this in mind you may want to take a look at the following at the article on the following website to see what is expected to be going on at the Republican and Democratic Conventions.
 
 
God's Master Plan ---
 
If it were not for God's Master Plan of Salvation that fits within the framework of His time-table, God would undoubtedly have already dealt with us as He did do with the pre-flood world. Even so, the prophecy of Jacob's trouble is almost upon us (Jeremiah 30).  It will not not be much longer now until we will see, and most people will experience, the horrors that are now unimaginable!
 
 In Conclusion ---
 
Brethren, I know most of you are acquainted with the Scriptures that admonish us to be vigilant, and apart from the sins of this world while watching and praying (Luke 21:36).  At the same time as human beings we have to function in it because of our employment and perhaps for other reasons, but realize we are to be different while having to function in it (John 17).  We should also know the Scriptures in which God tells us to "To COME OUT OF BABYLON" (Revelation 18:4)!  
 
Soon the whole system of Babylon is going to crash and be remembered no more! But for now it is realized we cannot now remove ourselves literally from it, but certainly we should with the mind, and can, by keeping a right and close relationship with God.
 
Through the keeping of a right and close relationship with our God, and being obedient to Him, we have the promised blessing of being literally removed from it before too many more years.
 
Our love and prayers for all of you ---
 
Don Billingsley
 
 
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