The Delusional Among Us

[Ringo]

Another Sign of the End of the Age & This Last Generation (1948-?)​

for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" 2 Thessalonians 2:11. The Greek word "energeia" is translated into our English language as "strong". Interestingly, this Greek word is used in the New Testament only of superhuman strength. God shall send them strong delusion. The English words "should and believe" stem from one Greek word "pisteuō" which means: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.

The fact that there are people today walking around in a state of delusion is obvious. Here's an example of delusional: Many people right here in America view their current president as the messiah - is that not delusional? "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:5. Our current president may not verbally claim to be the Christ, although many others in positions of authority and the media here in the US have done just that, he nonetheless has deceived many - and he never refutes those delusional declarations promoting his deity.

The Greek word for delusion is "planē" and it means: a wandering, a straying about, one led astray from the right way. Metaphorically speaking it means: mental straying, error, wrong opinion relative to morals or religion, error which shows itself in action, a wrong mode of acting, that which leads into deceit or fraud - deception. The Greek word "pseudos" is translated into our English as "lie". The actual meaning of the Greek word is: conscious and intentional falsehood. Last year at the Democratic convention our Creator God was overwhelmingly booed, thus forcefully removed from that gathering. But the liar (the current occupier of the Oval Office) was hailed as god. Is that not a conscious and intentional falsehood - is that not essence of delusional?

Who are "they" that Paul is speaking of in 2 Thessalonians 2:11? "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:12. They are those who've been presented with the truth of God's word and yet they've rejected it as false. This verse then takes us a step further in describing these truth rejecters. They had pleasure in unrighteousness. The Greek word translated into English as unrighteousness comes from a Greek root word that actually means deceitful; in other words, besides having no reverence for God these folks take pleasure in being deceitful.

The delusion which God has sent cannot be of any human origin, nor will "they" be able to resist this delusion. It is supernatural and it is of such power that those who will not believe the truth will stand before the White Throne Judgment seat of Almighty God - they are condemned. "...he that believeth not is condemned already..." John 3:18.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" Romans 1:18-20. This strong delusion has not been lying dormant but has been active for quite some time now. This God sent delusion has been spreading over the nations of this world and is taking its toll on those who live their life as though there is no God. They are quite delusional, and even though they can produce an abundance of excuses as to why they don't believe, God sees them wholly without excuse.

"...there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1. In other words, those who are in authority over any populous in any nation have been placed in those positions by God Himself. We are told we should obey the powers that rule our land. This holds true with paying our taxes and being in obedience to the laws of the land. However, nothing can supersede God's precepts. We follow our God first and if we are told to vary from God's ways we must respectfully decline to do so. The strong delusion that God has placed over this planet will only affect the unbelieving, and that includes the unbelieving who are ordained by God.

Those with the propensity to believe a lie because they've refused the truth are being led into what can only be referred to as the great abyss. Those who see the current leadership in America as well as other nations as benevolent are delusional. To the true "in Christ" believer there is no doubt as to the direction this nation is heading via its current leadership. As I've pointed out previously, the word of God tells us that He is the power that decides who will fill the positions of authority in every nation. Believing that God has only benevolence in mind towards the nations of the world when ordaining such persons for authority is an erroneous assumption; He loves us all, and occasionally He chastises those who love Him. That being true, how does He perceive and deal with those who love Him not? Judgment!

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." Romans 1:21-23. Some of these foolish people (pagans) spoken of in Romans chapter 1 above have recently been elected to Congress. Are they there to do God's will? Yes! But the question must be asked "Why would God place these foolish, ungodly people into offices of authority over Americans?" Could there be judgment in store for the good 'ol US of A? Certainly the enemy's agenda, to place Christians under persecution and even destroying us, is now nearing fulfillment.

Under this current administration's many new directives, Christians are being discriminated against. The persecution most American Christians at one time believed would never materialize here in the land of the free and the home of the brave has done just that. Why does it seem this particular administration is different than the last few administrations? Simple, America is in the way. In the way of what, you might ask. Prophecy being fulfilled - which includes a one world order.

America was originally established to be self-sufficient in the governance of its populous; we needed no interference from outsiders. Indeed we would not even tolerate interference of any kind. With our Constitution and our Declaration of Independence we hold exclusivity, and that exclusivity is not conducive to a one world anything, especially not a one world government. Therefore something must "change" or America remains a stumbling block to the power elite. In this instance it is the laws of the land which will be diverted to promote a more worldly order, thus allowing the greatness of America to diminish while a one world regime arises on the scene.

Many Americans and foreigners alike now see the above scenario as the necessary ingredient for moving humanity into the utopian existence they perceive is currently waiting just out of sight. These folks are delusional. The strong delusion that God has already sent to confound the unbelieving populous of planet earth is so strong that these people are now horribly blinded and they may never see the light of truth again. They will follow any lie which is perceived as truth. This is because the ability to distinguish the difference between truth and lies has been removed by God's strong delusion; all because of their unbelief.

At this point you might be asking "What lie is it that you are referring to which will lead the masses astray?" It's not one lie but a whole mindset of confusion. The strong delusion that God has sent leads the unbelieving world into the realm of delusion. Think about it like this. Have we not become painfully aware over the past four years that the man who occupies the Oval Office is a notorious liar? Did God not place him in that position over us - twice? It shouldn't be too difficult for the truly born again to recognize a narcissistic, consummate liar. But those who've rejected the truth of God's word find him irresistible. Why? The lie, the strong delusion, is upon them, while being completely devoid of godly discernment. Remember this, the antichrist will promote and build his agenda on "a lie".

What can we do about all this delusion taking place? God has sent a strong delusion so that the people who would not believe His truth would in turn believe "a lie". There is nothing we can do about this God sent delusion except continue to be the light in a dark and unbelieving world.

We are living in the last days, and soon Jesus will take His Ekklesia home. Therefore should we not be about our Father's business? Here in America, as well as around the world, there are already many who are completely delusional. The longer we stand on the sidelines waiting to enter the game, the more delusional people will take the field before us. Get in the game. All the unbelieving Christ rejecters in this world are without hope - give them that hope. The Holy Spirit is always at work. Shouldn't we join Him?

The children of God should find great distinctions between the delusional and themselves. We can plainly see that the delusion that has gripped so many can only be of supernatural origin. But lest we ever forget, Christian's have been given a mandate from their King. We are to love one another, we are to help our brethren in need, we are to love our enemies, we are to be the light in a dark world while proclaiming the Gospel message to the lost, we are to hold fast to the faith, and we are to occupy 'til He comes. Although the delusional are among us today in great numbers, and growing at an exponential rate, none of the mandates in the list above should ever be eliminated simply because people are turning delusional. They are God's mandates for His children and nowhere in His word does He tell us to cease spreading His Gospel.

We are living in very exciting times in which we have been given the opportunity to witness the beginnings of the birth pangs Jesus speaks about in Matthew chapter 24. Christians can sojourn in this world ignoring the signs that indicate the lateness of the hour, and put off until tomorrow the spreading of the Gospel of Christ. Or, we can be everything our God and Saviour is expecting from His children - today. Your choice.

God bless you all,

Ron Graham

 

[Gallstones]

Can you summarize the message of your sermon for me? Just cut to the chase please. I can't meaningfully engage a wall of quoted text.
Thank you.

 

[lsmurphy]

You are wrong on the 70 years.........just F'ing wrong.
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Jeeeeesh!
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A biblical generation is 40 years anyway, not 70 years.

 

[Ringo]

Can you summarize the message of your sermon for me? Just cut to the chase please. I can't meaningfully engage a wall of quoted text.
Thank you.

First, it's not a sermon by me.
To cut to the chase, all lies begin with self-deceit and the antichrist will promote and build his agenda on "a lie". Being completely devoid of godly discernment, the lie, the strong delusion, is upon them and they will follow any lie which is perceived as truth. The ability to distinguish the difference between truth and lies has been removed by God's strong delusion; all because of their unbelief. To the true "in Christ" believer discerning the Signs of the Times, there is no doubt as to the direction this nation is heading via its current leadership, a One World Government.

 

[lsmurphy]

First, it's not a sermon by me.
To cut to the chase, all lies begin with self-deceit and the antichrist will promote and build his agenda on "a lie". Being completely devoid of godly discernment, the lie, the strong delusion, is upon them and they will follow any lie which is perceived as truth. The ability to distinguish the difference between truth and lies has been removed by God's strong delusion; all because of their unbelief. To the true "in Christ" believer discerning the Signs of the Times, there is no doubt as to the direction this nation is heading via its current leadership, a One World Government.

You can ignore me but you are under the same delusion. I could point to this countlessly.

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Your avatar for example-
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[h=1]The Second Commandment[/h]“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6
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Broad and very comprehensive in its wording, the second commandment forbids the worship of the true God through icons, images, or other man-made symbolisms. Many of the heathen nations around Israel claimed that their images were mere figures or symbols by which the Deity was worshiped, but God has declared such worship to be sin. The attempt to represent the Eternal One by material objects would lower man's conception of God. The mind, turned away from the infinite perfection of Jehovah, would be attracted to the creature rather than to the Creator. And as his conceptions of God were lowered, man’s worship of God—his view of God—would be lowered as well. Anytime we endeavor to represent God, by any devising of our imagination, we lower our concept of the Deity. Anything that we allow to take His place in our lives—be it our job, our bank account, our possessions, our family—of that thing we are making an idol. God calls for us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. In the second commandment we find principles of worship acceptable to God.
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The Ten Commandments apply to you. The idea that your sins were nailed to the cross with Christ is a fallacy of the false church. The delusuion of which you speak.
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For the sake of others..............

 

[lsmurphy]

[h=1]The Fourth Commandment[/h]“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11
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Of the ten, this is the only commandment God specifically commanded man to remember! Before Moses brought those holy, sacred tables containing the very handwriting of God down from the burning mountain top, God said, “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Exodus 31:13).
In this fourth precept the Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator's work. Pointing to God as the Maker of the heavens and the earth, it distinguishes the true God from all false gods. All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are worshipers of the only true God, the God who created and the God who longs to recreate them in His righteousness. Thus the Sabbath is the sign of man's allegiance to God as long as there are any upon the earth to serve Him. And it is also our weekly reminder of God’s pledge to deliver us from the bondage of sin, to recreate us in His image.
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The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. Without this commandment there is no hint as to who wrote the law or why we should listen to or obey its claims. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law was given. In this sense it contains the seal of God, affixed to His law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force. God asks us to remember the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, which He has blessed, hallowed, and sanctified. He longs to have a holy people that will serve Him because they love Him. He set aside one day, the seventh day each week, as holy time when we could enjoy a special time of fellowship with our Creator. Only His presence in our lives brings holiness. Those who worship God on His holy day—who worship Him in “spirit and in truth”—are showing by worshipping on the seventh day Sabbath in obedience to His command that they, through His power, are obedient to His commands every day. They are not just “seventh day Christians,” but are “seven day Christians”—God is their God, their Ruler, their Salvation, their Redeemer and their Sanctifier every day of the week.

 

[lsmurphy]

The Character of the Law of God

David says: "The law of the Lord is perfect" (Ps. 19: 7). "Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever" (Ps. 119:152). And Paul testifies: "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12).
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As the Supreme Ruler of the universe, God has ordained laws for the government not only of all living beings, but of all the operations of nature. Everything, whether great or small, animate or inanimate, is under fixed laws which cannot be disregarded. There are no exceptions to this rule; for nothing that the divine hand has made has been forgotten by the divine mind. But while everything in nature is governed by natural law, man alone, as an intelligent being, capable of understanding its requirements, is amenable to moral law. To man alone, the crowning work of His creation, God has given a conscience to realize the sacred claims of the divine law, and a heart capable of loving it as holy, just, and good; and of man prompt and perfect obedience is required. Yet God does not compel him to obey; he is left a free moral agent.
The subject of man's personal responsibility is understood by but few; and yet it is a matter of the greatest importance. We may each obey and live, or we may transgress God's law, defy His authority, and receive the punishment that is meet. Then to every soul the question comes home with force, Shall I obey the voice from heaven, the ten words spoken from Sinai, or shall I go with the multitude who trample on that fiery law? To those who love God it will be the highest delight to keep His commandments, and to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. But the natural heart hates the law of God, and wars against its holy claims. Men shut their souls from the divine light, refusing to walk in it as it shines upon them. They sacrifice purity of heart, the favor of God, and their hope of heaven, for selfish gratification or worldly gain.
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Says the psalmist, "The law of the Lord is perfect" (Ps. 19:7). How wonderful in its simplicity, its comprehensiveness and perfection, is the law of Jehovah! It is so brief that we can easily commit every precept to memory, and yet so far-reaching as to express the whole will of God, and to take cognizance, not only of the outward actions, but of the thoughts and intents, the desires and emotions, of the heart. Human laws cannot do this. They can deal with the outward actions only. A man may be a transgressor, and yet conceal his misdeeds from human eyes; he may be a criminal--a thief, a murderer, or an adulterer--but so long as he is not discovered, the law cannot condemn him as guilty. The law of God takes note of the jealousy, envy, hatred, malignity, revenge, lust, and ambition that surge through the soul, but have not found expression in outward action, because the opportunity, not the will, has been wanting. And these sinful emotions will be brought into the account in the day when "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccl. 12:14).
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God's Law Is Simple

The law of God is simple, and easily understood. There are men who proudly boast that they believe only what they can understand, forgetting that there are mysteries in human life and in the manifestation of God's power in the works of nature--mysteries which the deepest philosophy, the most extensive research, is powerless to explain. But there is no mystery in the law of God. All can comprehend the great truths which it embodies. The feeblest intellect can grasp these rules; the most ignorant can regulate the life, and form the character after the divine standard. If the children of men would, to the best of their ability, obey this law, they would gain strength of mind and power of discernment to comprehend still more of God's purposes and plans. And this advancement would be continued, not only during the present life, but during eternal ages; for however far we may advance in the knowledge of God's wisdom and power, there is always an infinity beyond.
The divine law requires us to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. Without the exercise of this love, the highest profession of faith is mere hypocrisy. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments," says Christ, "hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40).
The law demands perfect obedience. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). Not one of those ten precepts can be broken without disloyalty to the God of heaven. The least deviation from its requirements, by neglect or willful transgression, is sin, and every sin exposes the sinner to the wrath of God. Obedience was the only condition upon which ancient Israel was to receive the fulfillment of the promises which made them the highly favored people of God; and obedience to that law will bring as great blessings to individuals and nations now as it would have brought to the Hebrews.
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Obedience to the law is essential, not only to our salvation, but to our own happiness and the happiness of all with whom we are connected. "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Ps. 119:165), says the Inspired Word. Yet finite man will present to the people this holy, just, and good law, this law of liberty, which the Creator Himself has adapted to the wants of man, as a yoke of bondage, a yoke which no man can bear. But it is the sinner who regards the law as a grievous yoke; it is the transgressor that can see no beauty in its precepts. For the carnal mind "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).
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"By the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20); for "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). It is through the law that men are convicted of sin; and they must feel themselves sinners, exposed to the wrath of God, before they will realize their need of a Saviour. Satan is continually at work to lessen man's estimate of the grievous character of sin. And those who trample the law of God under their feet are doing the work of the great deceiver; for they are rejecting the only rule by which they can define sin, and bring it home to the conscience of the transgressor.
The Law of God reaches to those secret purposes, which, though they may be sinful, are often passed over lightly, but which are in reality the basis and the test of character. It is the mirror into which the sinner is to look if he would have a correct knowledge of his moral character. And when he sees himself condemned by that great standard of righteousness, his next move must be to repent of his sins, and seek forgiveness through Christ. Failing to do this, many try to break the mirror which reveals their defects, to make void the law which points out the blemishes in their life and character.
We are living in an age of great wickedness. Multitudes are enslaved by sinful customs and evil habits, and the fetters that bind them are difficult to break. Iniquity, like a flood, is deluging the earth. Crimes almost too fearful to be mentioned, are of daily occurrence. And yet men professing to be watchmen on the walls of Zion will teach that the law was designed for the Jews only, and passed away with the glorious privileges that ushered in the gospel age. Is there not a relation between the prevailing lawlessness and crime, and the fact that ministers and people hold and teach that the law is no longer of binding force?
The condemning power of the law of God extends, not only to the things we do, but to the things we do not do. We are not to justify ourselves in omitting to do the things that God requires. We must not only cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well. God has given us powers to be exercised in good works; and if these powers are not put to use, we shall certainly be set down as wicked and slothful servants. We may not have committed grievous sins; such offenses may not stand registered against us in the book of God; but the fact that our deeds are not recorded as pure, good, elevated, and noble, showing that we have not improved our entrusted talents, places us under condemnation.
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The law of God existed before man was created. It was adapted to the condition of holy beings; even angels were governed by it. After the Fall, the principles of righteousness were unchanged. Nothing was taken from the law; not one of its holy precepts could be improved. And as it has existed from the beginning, so will it continue to exist throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. "Concerning thy testimonies," says the psalmist, "I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever" (Ps. 119:152).
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By this law, which governs angels, which demands purity in the most secret thoughts, desires, and dispositions, and which shall "stand fast for ever" (Ps. 111:8), all the world is to be judged in the rapidly approaching day of God. Transgressors may flatter themselves that the Most High does not know, that the Almighty does not consider; He will not always bear with them. Soon they will receive the reward of their doings, the death that is the wages of sin; while the righteous nation, that have kept the law, will be ushered through the pearly gates of the celestial city, and will be crowned with immortal life and joy in the presence of God and the Lamb.

 

[gunnerbob]

Interesting, the dialogue going on here... thank you.

 

[nosreme]

The Character of the Law of God..."The law of the Lord is perfect"...God has ordained laws..."The law of the Lord..."...The law of God...God's Law Is Simple...The law of God...the law of God...The divine law...this law of liberty, which the Creator Himself has adapted...the law of God...The Law of God...The condemning power of the law of God...By this law, which governs angels...

No god=no "god's law," no matter how many times it gets repeated, and no matter what the bible (a collection of archaic and contrived pseudo-histories, parables, etc., designed to control the masses' behavior and thoughts--and to "justify" punishment by the religious elite if they didn't comply) says. It's easy to see how religion has tortured and murdered so many over so many centuries for having the temerity to think for themselves, and to act in accordance with free will according to the laws of man using the highly-developed brains they (or most of them, anyway) got through the process of evolution.

 

[photodan]

Now there is a man that can think for himself. I agree with that 100percent