Volume 15 Issue 1 - January 2000 Last Days Madness “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalms 110:1) Before I begin this controversial article, a disclaimer would be appropriate to clarify my firm belief in the personal, bodily Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in great power and glory to planet earth. It is the great theme of New Testament prophecy. There is scarcely a single book of the New Testament canon that doesn’t set forth this glorious promise of God as a blessed hope of the Church. It was frequently mentioned by our Lord and kept before the eyes of the early Christians by the Apostles. It has been believed on and in some cases eagerly expected by the church throughout church history. I totally agree with the orthodox creed that Jesus will return to judge the quick and the dead. I guess the question of when and how still remains a mystery and a source of great debate. However, as we approach the dawn of the New Millennium, the date-setters, the Second Coming watchers, and the Antichrist pickers have most of the Body of Christ in a frenzy. A day doesn’t seem to pass without the publishing of another book (fiction or otherwise), video, or film that warns us of some kind of “end time” scenario being fulfilled right before our very eyes. Well meaning preachers are calling Christians to study the Bible on the one hand and use a newspaper to confirm the “prophecies” on the other. As a result, we have some Christians selling all they have to cloister on a mountaintop, anxiously awaiting the trumpet blast, while others run up credit card debt to leave to the Antichrist, while most just sit in their culturally irrelevant churches which all produce the same results. A silent, apathetic, and lethargic Church that views America’s demise as a divine sign of the times. Jesus said, “A tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). What kind of fruit in America has been produced, considering the preoccupation with the rapture fever that has dominated the theological landscape for the last seventy years? And has this preoccupation been one of the means to plunge America to her current pathetic moral state? Could the baby-killers, condom pushers, Messianic statists, sodomite evangelists and all their wicked agenda have gained the ascendancy without the Church first believing that America’s death is somehow related to our eternal redemption? What if the church had been more concerned about being the Salt to the earth and Light to the world for the last seventy years rather than “flying away, O glory?” Would we be in the same mess? Brothers and Sisters, ideas have consequences and a belief system will lead you somewhere. Please consider the rotten fruit that is stinking the high heavens as the Church is adopting the philosophy of “Why polish brass on a sinking ship?” or “Why rearrange furniture in a burning house?” Could it be we have swallowed an out-of-balance, unbiblical view of the End Times? A view which has led to an escapist, retreatist, and culturally irrelevant Church which hides in our buildings while America sinks into the very bowels of hell? Are we being deceived into believing that we are doing God service while sin, Satan, and an illegitimate world system savage the world? Do we honestly believe that Christianity would have spread throughout the world in the last 2000 years if the Church had the same mentality that dominates today? Would there be such a notion as Christendom or even an America today if the Reformers and Founding Fathers embraced what we believe? I think not! Please consider this question and perspective by Randall Terry, “If you are a rapture date-setter, I have this question for you: What if America’s moral disintegration has absolutely nothing to do with the Lord’s return? What if the mockery of righteousness has nothing to do with Matthew 24, but everything to do with Matthew 5? ‘If the salt has lost its flavor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men (Matthew 5:13).’ The Living New Testament says the salt is ‘worthless!’ That’s what many Christians have become-worthless. I believe the rise of persecution against Christians, the mockery of Christianity, and the spurning of Christian principles in America have nothing to do with the Lord’s return. We and our most sacred principles are mocked and trampled underfoot because we are the salt that lost its flavor. Our own selfishness, laziness, bless-me-club Christianity, coupled with our detachment from and irrelevance in this culture have gotten us in this mess. Our own folly has made us a prey to the jaws of tyranny. And as He promised, we are being trampled under foot of men. I realize this article may “rock a few boats” and touch a few “sacred cows,” but I pray that if we are still here after we enter the New Millennium and the year 2000 passes that you will consider what has been presented here. Consider the possibility that the grid in which the prophecy preachers are using to interpret Scripture may be faulty. They have set many dates that have come and gone in the last 150 years. The one thing that they have in common is that they are all batting 1000% wrong. Remember this admonishment from the Word, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord , if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him (Dt. 18:22).” It is important to note that I count these prophecy writers and preachers as brethren and I believe that they love the Lord and are going to heaven when they die. They are not false in the sense that they are malicious and deceptive. I believe their theology and interpretation of Scripture has led them to reach the wrong conclusions. You may dismiss this reasoning for now and even request to be removed from our mailing list, but please consider the possibility that God has a job for us to complete in the earth. That God does indeed, in time and history, desire to fulfill the Great Commission. For what one believes about the future determines how one lives today. Do you honestly believe that we would risk our lives, freedom, and livelihood if we believed what most Christians believe about the future? It would be utter folly and futility and maybe that’s why the Church refuses to fight the battle and make the necessary sacrifices to champion the good and defeat what is wrong. The bottom line is, I’m imploring you to cast off the shackles this New Year of a defeatist, fatalistic theology and commit to be part of the solution that will save America, instead of furthering the problems that are destroying our beloved land by default. Judge Not Lest Ye Be “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24) In our age of multiculturalism, social diversity, sensitivity training, moral relativism, and political correctness the mere mention of judgment has become “anathema” in America today. Thus creating a “Trojan Horse” that under the guise of promoting democratic ideals has really been used to pollute America with antichrist Marxist political ideology. These enemies of the cross have deceptively manufactured two new commandments on which they hang all their wicked agenda: Do what thou wilt and thou shalt not get in my face, DON’T JUDGE ME!!! They have replaced loving God with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves with an evil scheme that turns true liberty into licentiousness. And God pity the poor fool who would dare to say that there is one standard that determines what is right and wrong in the affairs of men, or that there is one religion, culture, or worldview that is far superior than all others. As a result, sin has gone from the breaking of God’s Law to not tolerating those who flagrantly do. Yes, intolerance against evil is the new iniquity on the block and any standard of judgment that resists that evil is the new enemy to be eradicated in America. In fact, I would dare to say that in many of mind today that Matthew 7:1 in which Jesus declares “Judge not, that you be not judged,” has replaced John 3:16 as the most beloved Scripture that defines a generation void of moral restraint and righteous boundaries. The reason for this observation stems from the chants and mantras that we constantly hear from abortion advocates and those who promote the deathstyle of homosexuality. There is one Scripture that they have memorized and draw like a gun to shoot down any opposition to their bloody, perverted ways and you guessed it, “JUDGE NOT!” I have found that liberals and leftists love to twist Scriptures and utilize Jesus, just as long as He doesn’t interfere with their godless lifestyle and will continue to “lovingly” support their wicked causes. The truth is, when we hear the forces of darkness take up the Scriptures in their mouth, especially the one they take out of context like, “Judge not, that you be not judged,” most often it is being twisted to defend that which is contrary to Biblical teaching. This way they can muzzle the Church from any further criticism of their blatant immorality and from stopping Christians from shining God’s light on their moral darkness. After all, who wants to appear judgmental in an age where that has become the unpardonable sin? The answer, of course, is no one. Obviously, this strategy has been successful as the Church refuses to speak out against the sin that is destroying the once righteous foundation of our nation. At this point, it is important to note two critical truths relating to Matthew 7:1-6 that the enemies of the cross conveniently ignore. First, after the one who beheld the speck in his brother’s eye removed the plank from his own, he then proceeded to remove (or judge) the speck in his brother’s eye. A judgment was still made. The difference is, we are not to espouse an hypocritical judgment that is critical of others while we ourselves are enslaved by the same sin. That’s why Paul rebuked the Jews in Romans saying, “You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?” He went on to ask the same questions concerning adultery and idolatry. What can we glean from this? The judgment that Jesus condemns is one that is based upon appearances. When we judge others for doing the very things that we are practicing in order to ignore or hide our own sin then we are judging according to appearances. If we are critical of others for doing the exact same thing as we are, just to appear righteous or holy before men, then we can be assured that we will receive the same measure of judgment that we have meted out. That’s why Jesus warns us not to judge according to appearances, but to make a righteous judgment that is to be based upon God’s Word. For instance, when we go to the abortion mill and cry out God’s Word, “Thou shalt not kill,” I’m not passing judgment on the ones contemplating murdering their child, I’m simply proclaiming God’s judgment on the matter. It is not my responsibility to make them obey that command, but it is my responsibility to lift up God’s standards whether or not it appears judgmental. This distinction is vital. It means the difference between righteous judgment and condemnation in which many try to confuse as the same thing. They are not. Condemnation is God’s business, not mine, and if the sinner does not heed God’s warning he will be condemned. Not by me, but by the very Word that was spoken at the time. The bottom line is, so often we are pressured to withhold God’s Word because it does indeed judge or discern the thoughts and intents of the heart according to Hebrews 4:12. This is not a disservice to the souls of men, but a necessary one if they are to truly repent and be saved. That’s why David said, "Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil. Let my head not refuse it (Psalms 141:5)." Proverbs 27:6 declares, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" The second observation that I found quite interesting in Matthew 7:1-6, is Jesus' outrageous judgment that He makes in verse 6. "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." Is it just me, or do you not find it strange that Jesus would seemingly prohibit judgment and then in the same breath call people dogs and swine? Quite possibly Jesus' meaning of judgment differs greatly from our concepts of judgment. I mean, our loving, compassionate Savior declared seemingly outlandish judgments against people. He called a Gentile women seeking healing for her daughter a dog. Could you imagine a preacher saying that today? He called the Pharisees, whited sepulchres and snakes. He even called a political figure, Herod, a fox.What if Jesus was alive today, making these same kinds of judgments against people? What do you think would happen to Him? We would probably hear of the Church rebuking Him saying, "Jesus, you need to stop this at once and become more Christlike!" After that, corporate America would enroll Him into a sensitivity training program. If that failed, our government would step in to subject Him to tolerance training. If that failed to remove His "judgmental spirit," I guess we have to do exactly what those who went before us did, CRUCIFY HIM!!! Finally Brethren, one just has to look to the field of medicine to summarize this article. What would happen to the human body if the healthy cells didn’t detect, judge, discriminate, and attack the cancerous cells that was intent on killing that body? What would happen to that body? This is an apt picture of a nation that is dying because it doesn’t want to appear judgmental against that which is destroying it. Yes, intolerance, righteous judgment, and holy discrimination is a beautiful thing. It can save, heal, and restore a nation in Jesus’ name! TestimoniesAs we prepare for the year 2000, this testimony captures the challenge and vision of the Kingdom Leadership Institute. Please prayerfully stand with us as we seek to make a major investment in the next generation and the future of America. WARNING! DO NOT ATTEND K.L.I. SEMINAR unless you are ready to "connect the dots" of your formerly fragmented and ineffective Christian walk and start becoming Christian soldiers who actually go out to the battlefield and storm the gates of hell. Heaven will come down and Glory will fill your soul, as you listen to Rusty Thomas, a modern-day prophet, tell you the things that will definitely NOT tickle your ears, and which someone MUST tell us, and which we MUST hear, and then take ACTION! K.L.I. is definitely NOT recommended for those contented with complacency or for the faint-hearted! K.L.I. is responsible for taking my children from babes in the Lord to warriors for the Lord. Don’t go near K.L.I. unless you wish to make a difference in this poor and dying world! And this is no "youth group" fun and games!!! The Michael Korpi family This testimony actually embarrassed and humbled me before God. The Lord used it however to remind my family of the importance of private virtue and public ministry. How we live before the watching world can have a major impact upon people’s lives as the following message testifies.
Steve, Katrina, Andrew, and Annemarie Harris This card came from a dear faithful sister who attends Church on the Rock with us and enjoyed our Christmas play.
This note by far touched me the most. I’m always concerned whether or not I still have my children’s heart and that they still seek to please me. This note removed all doubt.
IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE, Rusty Lee Thomas |