when God is not absolutely in control of a person His grace and power cannot operate and the person's life (whether observable outwardly or not by either the person himself or others) is out of control.
the same principle happens in this world system. whenever there is a world power, whether one or several countries, there is relative peace (witness, for one of many examples, the famous pax romana (roman peace) that went on for two centuries or so during the height of the power of the roman empire). but if a world power, retaining the name only, starts to wane, the world is plunged into increasing chaos. i learned this many years ago as a political science student. i sense this happening now. all indications seem to indicate that the political hegemony
(leadership, predominance..from hegemon-a leading or paramount power)
of the united states is vanishing. the reasons in our case are spelled out in deuteronomy 28. God also elevates evil nations to punish other nations for their evil (isaiah 13.1-5 speaks of the situation of babylon destroying judah) and then destroys the destroyers (isaiah 13.17-22;14.1;4-7).
the arab spring with the faux democracies
(they have not a clue that to be a nation of free people is only accomplished by having people who are free to obey God (john 8.32,36) not free to do what they want)
is one of many indications of this.
every recognized freedom must have its roots in this fundamental freedom that comes through submission in our lives to Jesus and His word. and like thoreau learned that even though he was in prison, it was really he that was free and everyone on the outside that was not.
we as a nation are no longer obeying God so all our nationally enjoyed freedoms (freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom from faulty imprisonment and autocratic sentence, freedom of self defense and freedom for the practice of religion are, and de facto, must evaporate away.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that this all according to God's word and that He, throughout the world, is establishing His kingdom secretly (Jesus speaks of His kingdom as like leaven which a woman took and hid in three pecks (Matthew 13.33)
(peck equals 2 gallons)
of meal until it was all leavened (that's when King Jesus comes back to take control in person!). He is creating little pockets of absolute allegiance to Himself in the midst of a sea of human angst, fear, anxiety and woe untold.
'but the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. there is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. isaiah 57.21f
these pockets are individuals who are free to do what Jesus tells them in the word...and nothing else. every individual like this is an island of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and controlled Self. galatians 5.22 they cannot disobey Jesus and are prepared to suffer anything on account of Him. such a person knows that they live in hell now. this life is the place where only one thing of importance happens..every time they obey Jesus. heaven is a sweet expectation..soon...increasingly sweet in accordance to what they suffer here. whenever they suffer on account of Jesus they sing and dance with rejoicing in their hearts...for they know that when this happens they have been accounted worthy of suffering WITH Jesus and will have great reward in heaven.
'blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the PROPHETS who were before you. matthew 5.11-2 (..and there are no SILENT prophets. every free person speaks the word of God openly.)
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