Repenting not just for what we've done, but failed to do

I've said numerous times that we failed to preach against racism as much as we should have. One major example I use is that evolution is a racist theory, whereas the Bible says we are all one race and all equal before God, there are no differences between us. So, we could have used that fact to refute evolution. Instead, some selfishly used evolution to support unbiblical, ungodly thinking.

That, however is only one of the things we have failed to preach, and while one could debate which is worse, it may not be the worst. So, whereas before I have spoken of how we as human beings are sinners and need to repent for the things we have done, this post talks about how there are things we have neglected through our history, and that neglect has caused us to need to repent and call on Jesus Christ to forgive us and save us.

Of course, the important thing is to share that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God provided Himself the Lamb to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, because only a perfect, sinless sacrifice could take away our sins. There is no other name given under Heaven by which man must be saved, except Jesus Christ.

One must still, when talking with someone one on one, try to understand what they have been going through, just like Jesus did with the woman at the well. Even when preaching, one must speak the truth in love and not consistently attack people. There is enough of that from the terrorists like those who attacked Paris, and we must show that God is different. He is a God of love. He gained followers by giving his life. Giving it for all of us.

One is to preach the whole counsel of God, indeed we are all to go into sllthe world and share the Gospel. And yet, while people denounce violence and terror by others, and some work on their own to protect the weak, there has been little preaching that I have ever heard which blasts domestic violence.

Yes, you will hear ministers declare that Eve came from Adam's side, not from his head or foot. But, we fail miserably to proclaim that the fruits of the spirit - including gentleness, goodness, temperance (self control) and so on - apply within the family, to, and in fact it is even more vital with those one loves to exercise kindness and tender heartedness. Yes, one of the requirements of a deacon or pastor is that he be no striker, that he not be the kind to hit someone in anger. But this should be true of everyone.

We have failed in other areas too. Often, we get so worried about things like jobs we fail to notice immigrants are here and need Jesus. Are some here illegally? Yes, but you know what? We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are all guilty of breaking God's law. We deserve hell, but God and His mercy came to this world to save us from our sins by dying on the cross to take our punishment, then he rose victoriously from the dead. 

We must reach these people in our Samaria, and do so humbly. Then - as someone who gets saved is a new creature and then becomes discipled and grows in Christ, choosing to do away with the old ways - those who are here illegally, once saved, may choose to go about things in a legal way.

Are there problems?  Yes, problems exist everywhere. We are each accountable for our own sins once we reach the age of accountability. That is, when we can understand that our sin causes to fall short of the glory of God and that we need to trust that He took punishment for our sins, calling on Him by faith to forgive us and save us.

However, we are also responsible for reaching out to others in saving them from a lost and dying world. We should also be trying to make the world a better place. That is not to be a priority above getting people saved from there sin. It is still important to God, though.

That is why so many Christians throughout history have been building hospitals, working to help the poor, and so on. Not because they are working their way to heaven, because they are doing good works to glorify God.

The purpose for this has been twofold.

First there are no doubt many things I left out as far as things that we, as Christians, should have been doing. Our identity as Christians should not be simply that we stand for certain things and don't believe in others. It should be that we are followers of Jesus Christ. We just choose to avoid sin out of thankfulness for what he has done for us.

The second purpose is to demonstrate that, because we have failed the Lord, we must repent of our sins not only in the things we have done, but what we have not done. And, we should do those things that we have failed to do, such as standing against domestic violence. And, I'll grant that I haven't been in every church so perhaps this has been preached against more than I think. (While others might say that the people in church wouldn't *need* it preached against, they generally shouldn't need drunkenness, as one example, preached against either, but many powerful sermons have been preached against the dangers of alcohol. Women and youth must be empowered to follow the Lord and be used of Him to change things, as noted in this blogged book, just as the Shunemmite woman was when her husband was emotionally absent while physically there.)

We must impress upon people that the fake manliness of our society is built on pride. Remember, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. A leader must not be egotistical, thinking they are better than others, but a leader must instead be loving and compassionate and always putting others first, and realizing that because they have power they must exercise responsibility and not use it in a mean way. After all, that's what meekness is, power under control. There is never any reason to use power to use threats, intimidation, etc. to force lover, spouse, girlfriend, or anyone else to do something, and even discipline of children must be in love, with tenderness, mercy, gentleness, etc. - again those fruits of the Spirit.

God doesn't force us to love Him - He loves us and shows it so we will choose to love Him.

So, what I share with others the need to repent of our sins not only for those we have committed, but for our feelings as a people. And God promises that if we repent and turn back to Him, and plead for our nation to be healed, and turn from their wicked ways, He will heal our land.

Why God's justice & God's love, not man's, in seeking justice or else

I'll be honest, I don't watch TV news anymore; too much violence, too many mean people, etc.. Radio & Internet are enough.

So, I wanted to comment on a recent Million Man March I missed till the day of it, but one of the slogans on Twitter and probably elsewhere, "Justice or Else," caught my eye and it inspired this blog post, which will - as I disclosed with another - in the event someone should read both - likely go on our inner city ministry's blog with very similar wording.

We must seek to make sure the justice system runs fairly, but there are reasons why we must pray and let God deal with the details instead of we ourselves.

The phrase "Justice or Else" reminds me of numerous Psalms, one I've quoted here - "Why dot he heathen rage" from Psalm 2 - and a number of others. There is so much evil in the world, and racism is one of the biggest human rights issues. It's so sad, because we're all one race - the human race. Racism is just an excuse invited by people to selfishly try to get their way, ignoring the fact we are all equal in the eyes of God - man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.(1 Sam. 16:7)

This problem, however, shows why justice from man, woman, or any person, is not as good as God's justice. We all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.(rRom .3:23)

I have one example I use in a context showing why we must repent ourselves - perhaps to regular readers I use it too often, but here it will at least seem a little different. It is that of being cut off in traffic. We often criticize the person who did so without bothering to think that they may have a loved one in the hospital who has just been hurt seriously and who they are worried may be dying. Of course, it would be wrong to try to seek justice or revenge on a person who is rushing frantically to see a possibly dying loved one. Yet, in our selfishness as people, we end up doing so if only our justice is used. I read, for example, of a horrible case of a woman chastising a man who had just come out of the hospital after his little boy had just passed away. All she could think about in her selfishness was the fact he tripped over a purse and kicked it. Here for more worries on his mind and her job was to simply forgive and not pay attention. At the most, she could have said in a kind way,"Uh, you just tripped over my purse." Then if she did, she would have had the moral duty to listen politely while he lamented on his terrible loss.

We are all guilty, myself included, of jumping to conclusions and being too upset at someone, not knowing the pain they were feeling. (It's harder for me because with my handicaps I can't see there gestures as well to know if something might be a problem, so I try a lot harder to be nice, but I'm still human.) This is why we should not be thinking we must have justice on others in a rash manner, but must look at our own selves first and, then, seek the Lord. He states several times that vengeance is His, and that He will repay. He'll do a much better job than we ever could.

Why? God knows our hearts. He knows what each of us is thinking at any time. "You know my thoughts afar off," as part of Psalm 139 says. He knows exactly when we should have compassion on someone and when we should seek justice. He knows who is hurting terribly and who may realize they have done something wrong but just needs us to kindly speak to them and show forgiveness. And, he knows what needs a tough response.

America has had a lot of horrible things go on in its history. I've always said, we need to repent not just for the last 40 years, but the last four hundred years of our history. It could be argued that God's justice is deserved, but we also need to remember God's mercy.

The Bible shows God is love many times. Even when his people turned from Him so much, even as they crucified Him, He cried out, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."(Luke 23:34) I don't have time to get into great detail, but the Godhead(explained a bit more here) is how God manifests Himself in three ways, just as I might say, "I am a legally blind male, I am a baseball fan, I am such and such height." One person, three attributes.(Here is another good site to explain some questions Muslims have about the Bible, etc. Or, you can visit here and click that you make a decision or not and get connected to talk to someone personally.)

So, one of the big names of God is love. He is a very personal God who desires a personal relationship with each of us. He wants to give us justice. However, it's delayed sometimes because, first, sometimes His divine justice contains so much wrath against sin many innocents would die unless He waited and gave people time to repent; and, second, we ourselves need to get right with God and He is waiting on us.

Jesus made full atonement for us on the cross when He died, then rose from the dead. This way, punishment was handed out for our sins, and yet He also showed His mercy. Since Jesus was God in flesh, He went to the cross willingly for each of us. It is our job to share that mercy and grace and love with others.

When we don't Romans 12:20-21 says it's as if we heap burning coals on their forehead when we have been forgiving and they have continued to be defiant instead of ending the terrible oppression of this world.

You can see, then, how that divine mercy plays out. This doesn't mean America is off the hook, of course. But, that is because one must trust Jesus Christ to forgive them and save them first. And, in the same way, this country must repent. That means each of us.

What is Repentance and How do I do it?

When we repent, we are simply agreeing with God that our sins dispease Him and then turning away from those sins by accepting that He took the punishment for those sins. Nobody else could do so becasue all of us are iperfect. Only Jesus couldbe the perfect sacrifice because only He is perfect.

So, repenting of our sins and trusting Jesus Christ to forgive us is vital for a personal relationship with God. Then, we can pray anytime, anywhere, about anythign, we aren't limited by any strict rules. God comes to live in each beleiver through the Holy Spirit in this age of Grace.

It's as easy as ABC, one might say - Admit you're a sinner and don't deserve His perfect heaven, where there's no pain, no suffering, no tears, none can imagine the wonders; Believe Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for your sins and rose fromt he dead; and, call on His to save you and turn from your sins, trusting Him to make you new inside. You're only a single,s incere prayer of repentance away from eternal life - and that life starts the moment you believe. You can pray something like this, knowing the words don't save you, it has to be your own words from your heart asking Him to save you. "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, I know you died to take the punishment for my sins so I could go to Heaven, because I can't make it myself. Lord Jesus, come into my heart and save me, I turn from my sins and trust you to make me new, to give me the "want to" to follow and serve you and to not sin. Thank you for hearing my prayer, for saving my woulk, and coming into my heart. In Jesus' name, Amen."

And, what of America's fate?

Trust the Lord to save you, and when you pray, you will be a mighty voice crying out for God to heal this land. This land really does need healed, but it is not we ourselves who can heal us. There is a spirit of decay that set in centuries ago and which only got partly fixed several tiems.

Now, America is at a crossroads. Justice is a very real need - and God is waiting. But, in the meantime, we all need His mercy becuase of our sins.Not only that, but when we do repent and trust Him by faith, he will reward us and hear those prayers. I don't know what exactly God's plan is, but He wants you as a great prayer warrior.

So, when it comes to justice, just remember, God will prevail. He has already promised it, showing how much damage will come partly becasue of man's own evil ways. Revelation bears it out - the devil's time is short and he wants to cause as much destruction as possible.  So, justice will be done.

It's important to remember God's divine mercy, too, so we ourselves can be saved and we can share that mercy with others. Becasue, in times past many people pretended to know God but didn't. But, He still exists and He wants to be part of you, guiding, helping, comforting, and so much more as He has me for 25 years and counting, and for as long as the Lord tarries His return.

Receive God's free gift, plus what to do if many disappear, you are left behind?

There may be many blogs like this, written before the disappearance of millions all at once. This video is the best summary I can find. It may not happen for quite a while. I don't know what all people will have to endure before then - especially if America is judged as some feel it will be. This is why this is being written to everyone.

Such disappearances have not happened as of this writing.

However, if millions disappear, this must go viral in every social media imaginable..Same with that first link above.

God makes some covenants without us having to do anything. He promises "by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast."(Eph.2:8-9) You must only receive it, and "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."(Rom.10:13)

Saved from what? The penalty of sin. We're not perfect. We've each said, though, or done bad things that displease God; lying, stealing, being mean, etc.. Not everyone commits all sins, but all have sinned.

That sin separates us from God. God made this world perfect, without any sin, pain, suffering, etc, but by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, so that death passed unto all men, for that all have sinned.(Rom.5:12) That sin nature we all have is because of man's free will. And, God can't let any sin into His perfect Heaven.

But, God wants us to go there. His first words to the first sinners were "Where art thou?"(Gen.3:9) He was calling out to them to come repent so He could forgive them, instead of hiding from Him. He promised to make a way for each person to be forgiven by simple faith.

Then, He did. He came to this world as a man, Jesus Christ, and lived a perfect life. He died to take the punishment for your sins and rose fromt he death so you could get to Heaven.

it's as easy as ABC - Admit you're a sinner and fall short of God's perfection; Believe Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for your sins and rose fromt he dead; and, Call on Him to save you, Choosing to turn from your sins and invite Him into your life to make you new inside and cleanse you.

You can talk to God right now in fact. the words alone aren't what saves you. Jesus saves you when you call on Him by faith to forgive and save you. "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and don't deserve your perfect Heaven. I believe you died in my place so I could be saved, and you then rose from the dead. Lord Jesus, come into my heart and save me. Make me new inside and forgive me for all my sins. In Jesus' name, Amen."

You can visit here at Godlife for more on spiritual growth, etc.. Here is that simple plan of salvation; aqui en espanol y otros(and others). Aqui (or the first one in English) to scroll down, click on a decision, and receive Next Steps & 30 Day Guide; aqui is the start of the Look to Jesus series..

Of course, we aren't in the End Times right now, but JD Farag's updates are great at sharing why we may be close to the Tribulation period. However, regardless of how close we are, we are told not to worry about it but to simply be aware of the signs of the times(just like when you can tell a storm is coming) and otherwise to "occupy till He comes."(Luke 19:13) This means to share the Gospel, grow in Christ and help others grow, and essentially to do His work and be the light and salt of this world.

In the meantime, it's a good idea to have things set aside for those left behind whenever that happens. This video is a perfect summary of what to do. It's for a pre-Tribulation rapture. Please copy the link and have it stored away just in case.

His covenants with Abraham and his seed(Gen. 12:1-3,etc.) are examples of promises God makes where we don't have to do anything but call on Him by faith, just as Abraham trusted God and it was counted to him for righteousness. This doesn't mean he was perfect. It means he had trusted in God's future salvation, which would come through Messiah, Jesus; just like Adam and Eve had at the beginning, when God had cried out for them to come to Him and receive that forgiveness by faith and as everyone else who had trusted Him by faith.

 The Tribulation period - called the "Time of Jacob's troubles" in the Book of Jeremiah - is for the nation of Israel to be dealt with as God's chosen people again. This is why most scholars believe the Church will not be present during the Tribulation period; that and the fact God has not appointed us to wrath. It's always good to be ready for anything, though - especially since there are some who believe they are saved but aren't becasue they are trusting in being a church member or something else, not in Jesus Christ. So, anyone reading this after the Tribulation period starts who thinks, "Wait, why was I left behind," call on Jesus Christ to save you NOW!

It's vital to know Jesus Christ as Saviour first, That must be heart knowledge, not just head knowledge. Just calling oneself a Christian doesn't matter. This is because Jesus Christ died to take the punishment for your sins, he is God in flesh. He stepped out of His home in Heaven to live a perfect live and die for us, the just for the unjust, because our sin keeps us from God's perfect heaven. He bridged the gap between us and God, so  you could have that relationship with God restored. (Here is a good PDF explanation, this a good short video, and this a good written summary to explain it.)

It's not about anything you do, for it is "by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."(Eph.2:8-9)
 
You don't have to know what all your sins are right away, when Jesus saves you He begins a good work in you(Phil 1:6) that will keep going till you get to Heaven. You become a new creature in Him.(2 Cor. 5:17) But, your flesh nature will still battle the Spirit in you.That's why it's vital to be filled with (controlled) by the Holy Spirit, which is God's promise that He will keep you saved.

That's why I'm going into all this now. Because, Salvation is just like that covenant above. It's a free gift(Rom. 6:23), all you have to do is receive it by simple faith, and He is able to keep you saved.(John 10:28-30,Rom.8:36-39,Jude 24, etc.)

We are in the Age of Grace as I write this. God will still save people afterward, but the conditions will be very different. There is horrible persecution in some places now, but overall it's much easier than it will be during the Tribulation period. So, please, if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour by faith along in Christ alone, do so now so you can go to Heaven. Because, nobody can promise you one more minute of life.

Reading this after millions have disappeared

If you read this after millions have vanished, what's above is vital about being saved from your sin.

However, it will be much more difficult for you to live, and in fact you will most likely die a martyr's death.

The penalty for sin is still the same - spiritual death and separation from God forever ina  horrible place called Hell which was only meant for the devil and his angels. However,God will start to pour out His wrath on this fallen world because of the sin in it. It's like when you're caught out in a driving rainstorm without a covering, and everything gets soaked.

Here is a good longer summary of what will happen. Raptureready also has a bunch of good stuff, including "Left Behind Letters" for others. This is also very good - I'd trust Terry Malone's videos, since they go just on what the Bible says and call speculation just that. This summarizes a few things about Terry's Tribulation Survival Guide.

These are very important because we don't know exactly how certain things will happen. We do know that God is always right, though. When Israel was founded in 1948 miraculously, people figured television was how 2 witnesses would be look upon by the whole world after they were slain in Jerusalem. In the 1990s, it was computers and webcams. Then, it was cell phones and as of this writing, something called Periscope has become a popular app which lets people observe everything another is doing in real time. Who knows for the future.

The main point is to never, *never*, NEVER  take the mark of the beast. The one-world system will make you swear allegiance to it - either to the system or to the person - and nobody will be able to buy or sell without the mark. It may be voluntary at first but will eventually be mandatory. Remember that you will seal your fate if you take this mark - you will be swearing allegiance to the devil himself and sentencing yourself to a devils hell forever. Some people ask how a loving God could send someone there, but there you can see that He is not the one sending people there, they choose t6o go, and right here you can see in Revelation that He warns you specifically not to do it.

(I should note that the King James, which was the Bible in English for 250 years, says this mark will be in the hand or forehead, modern ones say on - well, just make sure you don't take either, to be safe. These "modern Bibles" are from the Alexandrian texts, which are corrupted from the earlier Antiochan ones. similarly, Daniel 9:27 in the King James and the original Hebrew of Srong's Concordance says the antichrist will confirm a covenant with many, instead of simply making one, a term which implies strengthening it. But,the important part is, that there will be a 7-year covenant signed, and the antichrist will break this covenant with Israel halfway through.))

The wonderful thing about the Internet is that many people can view videos(like the one above and this, a more specific one with much specifics and 1-2 bits of speculation that we don't understand the exact meaning though we know what will happen, like a covenant with many with the antichrist), etc. which tell about it. You can help others to understand. Share this blog, videos, these pages, etc., with everyone.

PS: here is something like what's on some of those sites. Check out the Left Behind Letters at raptureready also. Below is a great summary of more Bible verses, etc..

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YOU HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND

     If you are reading this letter, chances are that you were trying to find us after millions of people have disappeared. This has been left behind in the hope that whoever finds it may know what has happened. I really hope that you will repent and turn to GOD right now. This letter may seem harsh, but it is written with love. You may or may not have any religious background, but now is probably a good time to catch up. Jude 1:21‑23 says; "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference,and others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

     I think it is safe to say that all bets are off now and that those left behind need to be pulled from the fire of God's coming wrath.

     I will say right away, that whatever the media or world leaders are saying, most likely it does not point to the awesome power of the one true GOD of heaven and earth. Make no mistake friend; this was the long awaited "RAPTURE" of the true church of Jesus Christ. Look around for a moment. Everyone missing was a true Christian. Not a churchgoer or just a good person, but only those who believed in Jesus Christ and His blood alone being the atonement for our sins.

 I Corinthians 15:51‑53 states; "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality."

 Again, I Thessalonians 4:14‑17 says; "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

     There are many other scriptures related to the events that have occurred, but most importantly, there are quite a few that you need to know about what is going to happen now. My intention here is to give you a briefing on just that. Of course, there is no way that I could know exactly what the impact has been on the earth since our disappearance, but I can say that there is probably great fear among all those left behind.

     There has always been a debate over the Rapture being true doctrine. The debate is now over. Be especially alert to the fact that the religious leaders and possibly the televangelists may be saying that only the carnal Christians were taken to be judged. This is NOT true! You may be told that aliens took us... this is NOT true! This link is around 2 hours long, but it's a video from December, 2011 that talks about how demonic creatures may appear from other realms pretending to be aliens, but THEY ARE NOT. that link, starting at about 29 minutes, starts talking about string theory and why there are multiple dimensions we can't see. Starting about 1 hour in, you'll hear the connection Genesis 6 and the Nephilim.

     You may even hear that mankind has made some type of evolutionary leap or you have all been changed to gods.... This is absolutely NOT true.  There is still only one true GOD!

     The New Age movement people may be saying that "the christ" is coming, or has come. They may say that all those that believed in just one god, were taken to the karma plain by the 'ascended masters' for re‑education. This is also NOT true!

     NOTE: THE 'CHRIST' THAT THEY REFER TO IS NOT JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, BUT A CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS OR EMBODIMENT OF SOMEONE.

     If this is way off, forgive me. These were just some of the lies being told by Satan in the world before the Rapture and I can only guess that one or maybe even all of them are being propagated right now. You must know that the deception being unleashed on the world now has been foretold in the Bible over thousands of years ago. II Thessalonians 2:6‑12 states; "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. And then shall

that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness

in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

     The Church, the salt of the earth, the restraining of sin by the Holy Spirit, has been removed for the plan of GOD to come to completion and the righteous judgment on all of mankind. Satan will now be able to make his last stand against GOD and his last attempt to draw as many into

worship of himself (and into hell with him) as he can. A leader will rise up among you as foretold in the books of Daniel and Revelation as well as other areas of the Bible. He will seem to have all the answers to the world's problems and he will speak great things. The Bible calls him the Antichrist or the wicked one, the son of perdition, etc..... The main idea is that if you see someone rising up to power like this, or someone has risen to power like this, do not follow him. He will be standing for peace and harmony and may solve the conflicts around the world in an effort to band together humanity.  He will take a special interest in the Nation of Israel and bring peace

to the Middle East.

     The book of Daniel foretold well over 2500 years ago that this time would come.  Daniel 9: 24‑27 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in

everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two

weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troubled times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

     The 70 weeks that are referred to are known as the "seventy seven's". A week is defined as one seven year period. That would make 490 years total until the end of the world. Obviously 490 years passed without an end. Here is the reason why. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came into Jerusalem riding a donkey exactly 483 years from the command to rebuild Nehemiah's Temple. Then he was crucified and buried. After three days, He rose again and ascended into heaven. He came and shed His blood for the sins of the world and promised that He would return one day for all those who accepted His free gift of salvation.

     Now that only covers 483 years of the prophecy. What happened to the last 7 years or the "seventieth week"? You see, GOD's prophetic timeclock, if you will, stopped when Jesus entered into Jerusalem and it had been widely known that it would start again after the Rapture of the

Bride of Christ.  Jesus prophesied that the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed after He left. This happened in 70 A.D. by the Romans. Daniel was prophesied to that "the people of the prince to come" would destroy the temple. The prince to come is the Antichrist. It was widely held that he would rise out of the European Union (the revived Roman Empire) or maybe the UN, but you will have to be alert now to where he is actually coming from. Be especially attentive to the One World Religious system that is being "put together for the good of mankind". Revelation 17 and 18 will illuminate this prophecy for you. The Antichrist will most likely be lifted up by the religious system of the day, thereby making him look holy or pure.

     Daniel 8:23 describe him as "A king of fierce countenance" and say that "he shall understand dark sentences" (meaning mysteries of the occult). Read verses 23‑25 very closely. At any rate, he will make/strengthen a 7 year peace covenant with Israel and after 3 and a half years he will break it. Revelation 13 depicts him as a great beast rising out of the sea (an idiom for the world), then he will be wounded in the head or possibly killed. He will seemingly be 'resurrected' and the world will marvel after him. Then he will proclaim himself to be GOD and demand that he be worshipped by all the people of the world. This will occur in the rebuilt temple of Israel.

     You see, Satan ultimately wants to destroy the Jews, God's chosen people, and then the Christians. We believed that Satan would actually indwell him at that point, only you will know now.  No Jew or Christian will bow down to him and that will begin a period of horror on the earth that has never been before. Read Matthew 24, Luke 21, Revelation specifically 6, 12, 13, for more on this. The last 3 and a half years of his reign will be pure terror. Hitler was a great guy compared to what this man will do. He will require some kind of mark on or in the forehead or right hand in order to buy or sell.  Really, this will just be a sign of allegiance to him.

     Revelation 20:4 states; “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received

[his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

     Unfortunately, you will have to make a choice between GOD and Satan. If you take the Mark of the Beast, you will be damned forever. Many of you will be murdered by his followers, because you stand for Jesus Christ.  Revelation 7:13‑14 says; "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." You will, in effect, be the ones who come to salvation out of the tribulation period.

     Now I don't want to get real cosmic or anything, but as I said before, only you know what is happening on the earth now. There may be mass UFO sightings or landings. The media and the government did an excellent job of desensitizing the public over the years. One of the prevailing views before the rapture, was that UFO's and aliens would probably be "the great lie" spoken of in II Thessalonions. My point is, don't believe anything that is being fed to the world through the media or the government. Cling to Jesus Christ and his saving work of atonement on the cross for your sins. Romans 10:13 says; "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Call upon his name now, you may not have another chance!

     You need to find other people who now believe in Jesus Christ. Study the Bible, learn everything you can about what is coming to come on the earth. GOD is about to judge the earth and purge the sin from it.

     We have gone to the Wedding Feast spoken of in Revelation 19. We will come back with Jesus when he sets up His Kingdom and reign with him for a thousand years. If you never believed any of this before, my prayer is that now you will.

     This is a rather long passage but it needs to be put forth. Luke 12:35‑48 states the following; "Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and

knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second

watch, or come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom [his] lord shall make ruler over his household, to give [them their] portion of meat in due season?  Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for [him], and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes]. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

     Let the Holy Spirit speak to you about this passage. I believe that if you are still here, He is doing just that. Prepare to open up the door immediately to Jesus when He returns from the wedding feast with all His saints.

     There is no way that I could cover everything that is going to happen.  You will have to seek GOD and read the Bible for your instructions  concerning this period in which you are entering. I hope this letter is a fire that burns throughout the land now.  Make copies and get them to everyone you can. All of us are with the Father and we pray that you will join us. May the Holy Spirit come in power and save the perishing during these final hours of human history

     "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to

come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:7‑8

 

Will America be judged soon? Focus on sharing Gospel, having faith & trusting God to get you through turmoil

Some people believe America is due for judgment quickly. Is it? I can't say for certain, but this much Ican say.

The Dow Jones had been going down substantially before a rally, as have other markets, and this could continue. America has so much debt even 3 years ago the very respected Forbes Magazine ran an article asking if America was bankrupt.. More importantly, America is morally bankrupt on a number of fronts. I won't get into what, because the key is to occupy till Jesus comes.

How do we do that? The key is not to focus on the future by worrying about it, but to focus on the present and let the Holy Spirit guide you.

Remember, the Spirit lives in each believer. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and He lives in you, the moment you trust Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins, calling on him by faith and asking him to do so.

The next key is to share Christ salvation with everyone. It is vital to have a good testimony. If you are harboring sin, pain, or whatever in your heart, give it to the Lord and let Him take care of it. He wants to help you like this, because he loves you. He loves all of us. It's just that that personal relationship with Him can only exist if we have Him living inside us.

When you share Jesus Christ with others, it is important to have the words to share what God has done in your life. It doesn't have to be some amazing thing. Just that you feel more peace since you've known him, or that He helped you in a certain situation, or something like that. Here is a great little video on how to do this.

Remember the Bible reveals God is the God of all comfort(2 Cor. 1:3-5), he will provide a peace that passes understanding(Phil. 4:6-7), He will supply wisdom whenever you need it(James 1:5), and many other things. He lets you build treasure in Heaven where moth and rust cannot corrupt and thieves cannot break forth in steel. In other words, treasure that will never grow old, wear out, or become useless.

God is a personal God, He desires a personal relationship with each of us.

There are many other things you can share with people which will allow them to see they can follow Jesus Christ and know that He will never leave them or forsake them.

But, what about this debt, or this Shemittah some talk about?  Or the blood red moons?

First, we are to rightly divide the Word of Truth.(2 Tim.2:15) We must never expect that God will use the same thing to signal Israel than He will to signal a Gentile nation like ours, because He works specifically with His people  in ways He doesn't with others. Even regarding Israel, there is no guarantee that something will happen. It could, as some scholars believe, but it's just as possible these only fulfill Luke 21:25-26 as far as peoples' hearts failing them for fear. It doesn't have to be something as dramatic as the rapture, even - the Iran nuclear deal could be what we look back on and know was the big thing.(Also, that doesn't mean war is imminent there. Look at 1492 as an example - Jews were expelled from Spain, but communication and travel logistics means they were not likely all out for several years afterward. So, war between Iran and its allies against Israel as prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39 could still be years away.)

No, we must focus on other thigns in the United States. And, there are many signs of decay. However, the best advice it not to panic or hoard everything. It is to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all they ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.(Prov. 3:5-6) He knows what will happen and when or whether a large earthquake, volcano, etc.. His Holy Spirit will guide you. It's just important to remember not to act based on fear, but on faith. He has give us a spirit of lvoe, peace, faith, etc..

So, if after much prayer you feel led to do something like sell your stocks, too it - but don't bury it in yoru backyard and yell "the sky is falling" like Chicken Littel. Instead, recognize God's will and that His ultimate will is seeing souls saved, and go out and share Him with others.

Because, in sharing Him while having confidence that God will get you through, those who are afraid will wonder what's different about you and you can then share how that relationship with Jesus gets you through everything, just as He gets me through everything with the handicaps I have. Because our goal should be to make Him know and to love one another, for they shall know we are Christians by our love. And, if you have concerns, give them to Jesus. And, you can always go to Jesus2020.com with questions. And, you can learn how to be a spiritual leader here, too.

Where America is going as a country

It's become an epidemic, as shown by how Ferguson still ignites problems a year later, with more provocations, protesters being arrested, etc.. The violence which has marred our nation shows people have giant holes in their hearts - searching but not knowing where to fill them. It is not just a racial issue, though that is one of the big problems for people who fail to recognize we are all one race. It is a spiritual battle, as declared numerous times in this blog. It is an issue for an entire country to analyze where we came from, where we are, and where we're going.

Of course, as has been shown, our past can be summed up by saying that America has a great heritage but also many problem areas.

Those problems stem from the fact that - while America has had some very Godly people - but has also always had people who only followed certain Godly principles and not others. We insisted on honesty and justice when it came to some things but not others, for example. We refused to accept that all people were equal because we are all one race. Many other things God saw and kept giving us chances to turn from our wicked ways.

Now, it's crucial to seek His forgiveness and for Him to change us not only for the last forty years but for the last four hundred, and to unite in fervent prayer for repentance revival so god can use us to do that.

That is because our country is at a crossroads.We must turn around now.

We could find ourselves going so far down a road of violence it would seem more like a third world country if it gets bad enough. (Some would argue it is now, but I don't know, since I didn't live through the sixties. And, we've had many other very tumultuous times, especially in the South. I only know that the latest incident with the Cleveland police and someone dying in prison is one more problem which shows a need for togetherness and God's cleansing.) And, this doesn't into the horrible drought in California which has dried up at least one river and could really impact the food supply and prices.

Or, God could bring a repentance revival to us.

It is up to us. I know it may seem difficult, because there are so few of us and so many problems. However, remember that in Genesis, God told Abraham he would spare Sodom if there were even 10 righteous people in that large city. There weren't, but the point is that God is very longsuffering and has such incredible patience for us.

That patience does eventually have a limit, however.

Some people have said America's doom is sealed. I don't like to get into wild speculation or fear mongering. The message of the Gospel - God's love toward us in paying for our sins through His death and resurrection,, and our salvation by grace through faith - is the utmost concern, because this world is not our home anyway. Even secular scientists agree there are multiple dimensions because of string theory - which requires at least ten - and it wasn't "Back to the Future' but Albert Einstein who added to our three dimensions the fact time is a fourth dimension. So, it's easy to look at things and say that the spiritual realm is simply another dimension. But, the Gospel is the crucial thing, for it is by grace you are saved through faith (in Jesus Christ, calling on Him to forgive and save you from yoru sins.)

However, I do know that we have strayed so far that God is surely looking for anyone to allow themselves to be used to do great things in our country. Add to that the fact that the Lord's return for his church could be very near - though even if it is I wouldn't be dogmatic about when, we must be about the Lord's business no matter what - and one can see that time is short.

Time for what? I don't know. But, whether it is time is that short before the Lord comes for his church or simply that it is short before God totally removes His protective hand, our task is clear.

We must see that people realize what we believe isn't what makes us Christians. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is what makes one a Christian. One believes certain things by following the Bible. However, where it is not a matter of the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, while following the Bible leads to certain beliefs, we as Christians must agree to disagree and simply let God work in each situation. Paul says this to Euodias and Syntyche in Philippians 4:2-3. Their disagreement was not over doctrine, as Paul addresses this problem differently than if it were some manner of doctrine, where he says for instance in Galatians 1:8 that if anyone - or even an angel (who could be a fallen angel) - preached another Gospel let him be accursed.' No, these women were to be helped and encouraged to get along and focus on the main thing - the Gospel and not on their beliefs on other things, as long as those things didn't contradict the Word of God.

We must be committed to following the Lord with all our hearts and sharing His love everywhere we can.

At the same time, while we must be kind and considerate sharing our views and accepting others, we must stand on God's Word as absolute truth and speak that truth in love.

We must be committed to ensuring we are right with the Lord. If you have any doubt whether you have trusted Jesus Christ by faith alone to forgive you and save you from the penalty of your sins, settle it now by calling on Him to save you and make you new inside, so you can have a personal relationship with God. You're only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from eternal life.

Will this save America? We don't know how much longer we have, it could be days or years or anywhere in between. But, as long as we are here, we must be about the Father's business, just as Jesus was. We must also work to build leaders among our young people, or be those leaders ourselves, as I've mentioned here, who can be dedicated to the Lord and change the culture to one which is still diverse yet which constantly honors Christ. Remember, before His throne will be people from all people groups everywhere. There will be many different customs, but what we follow as customs should line up with that desire to be more Christlike in our attitude toward others and toward His ways.

Let us all call on Jesus Christ to forgive us and save our land. Only He can heal. And I invite you to please read the other posts here to be encouraged by how we must unite at the cross, where Jesus has borne all of our sorrows and can restore that right, loving relationship we need with Him and will help us do so with each other, too, just like those women mentioned in Philippians 4.

Sharing the Gospel should be this easy

(Again, this is also written in part in one I do for our local youth ministry, if you wonder where you've seen a few of these paragraphs, especially the first, though it differs in areas after that. Here is a link to a radio show for some great topics about various Biblical topics.)

"What are those" is a meme where, from what yours truly learned of it recently on ESPN radio, someone points at your shoes and says (or maybe shouts?) to indicate they're not "cool." (If you're reading a blog you likely know what a meme is :-), but in case you didn't it's a saying or pictures that becomes part of Internet culture like a catch phrase, and can spread to the outside world. People say it many times for the same reason a catch phrase is repeated at random, including in one famous recent one when it was said to Michael Jordan.)

Thigns like this spread like wildfires and disappear just as fast sometimes, a sign of the rapid changes of society which I mentioned previously. However, this will only touch on the speediness of 'Net culture. (There is actually a culture of sneaker collecting, "sneakerheads" as some call them in some areas, which this is supposedly tied to, in fact. the recent attempt to sign James Harden away from Nike for an enormous sum of $200 million proves there is huge money in it.)

 It also isn't to dwell on the need for compassion for those who may be too poor to afford good shoes. However, it should be said that the original is *very* rude and in appropriate, given who was being interrupted at work. (Granted, it could have been set up, but still sends a poor message) On the lighter side, though, the idea that anyone would say it to Jordan, who can presumably afford the very best shoes and made them a major industry with his, is quite funny.)

Instead, this is meant to discuss how rapidly we should be spreading positive things, and can be - not to draw attention to oneself but to God.

Not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

People love to be noticed. This 'Net culture has allowed those who had no voice to suddenly be heard by anyone. They are sometimes very funny, but other times they are simply bizarre or downright disgusting. Too many lists of most popular videos on Youtube exist to mention just one, but the mere title implies that it is a channel for everyone.

Of course, there are those who can't figure out how to upload - yours truly included.  The Gospel can surely be proclaimed in many ways - even a vine could have 6 seconds of writing/symbols, such as the Gospel bridge, though 140 characters seems impossible - or is it?

Of course, even if an explanation is hard, John 3:16 itself would be doable putting "4" for "for," etc..

The point is that it's very simple and easy to explain the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God in flesh, as having taken the entire punishment each of us owes for our sins. Of course, the hearer should see evidence of that in the life of the one presenting it, so they can see a reason to believe. But, you don't need to worry that you don't have an amazing testimony. Actually, since it's the Holy Spirit that really works in a person to get them to come to Christ, it really only requres that you hand out a tract or give someone a Bible - or post something online.

Of course, there you still have to avoid being a negative example, as I've mentioned numerous times in this blog. However, tracts, the Internet, etc. are ways you can easily reach people without knowing them. For instance, if you leave a tract at a restaurant you should also leave a good tip.

The point is that we should never be ashamed of God's love for us. It's so sad that, with all God has done for us, that we don't share the Gospel more.

each of us may be the only Bible someone will ever read. Obviously, we have to be Christliks but also, eventually, share the Gospel in some way, even if it's just a low, "I'm very poor with words, but I want to share with you my faith and the peace God has given me in life, so you can have it, too."

 That may still feel like a huge responsibility, of course, but we are not fighting that fight alone - believers have the Fruit of the Spirit, indeed the Holy Spirit is there to be a constant Comforter, guide, helper, friend, and so much more for the believer, just as Jesus was for His disciples when he walked on the earth. And, many of our young people need that because the ones we minister to are not being reached by churches, sadly many are not hearing the Good News of the Gospel around this country. This is why I blogged this free book so young people and adults can learn to be that leader in their community, as well as their homes.

But, if we have people who are willing to just randomly shout out memes such as "What are those," then we should also be just as willing to go up to someone and begin a conversation. Even if it has to start with something silly like, "Did you know there's this guy who began a blog about God by talking about that "What are those" meme? (And if you get sidetracked, just work your way back to the Gospel as fast as you can.) hey, we're human just like the rest of humanity we do goofy stuff.

in fact, we should have the most fun of all - good clean family fun - because we are redeemed from our sin.

That Gospel is so simple. One must simply Admit they're a sinner - they come short of God's perfect glory - Believe that Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for that person's sins, the just dying for the unjust, and Call on Jesus Christ by faith to forgive them, repenting of their sins and choosing to invite Jesus into their hearts to make them new inside. "For if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, all things are become new."(2 Cor. 5:17) Anyone can go to an online mission place like Godlife.comGodlife.com and learn more and talk to an online missionary about that.

So, one's testimony doesn't have to be amazing - just that God has saved them from their sins and that they have a relationship with Him now, and He helps them each day through the problems of this world, giving them much more peace, love, hope, etc., than they could have imagined. Because He promises, "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer - I have overcome the world.(John 16:33)

Forgiveness (and context) - the 5 W's and an H of it

Young journalists as far back as middle school or even grade school newspapers learn the 5 W's and an H - who, what, where, when, why, and how.

In this post on forgiveness and how this relates to the need for revival, I started to put enough of those W's in the title I decided to simply title it as I did. They won't be in the exact order as above, but not all articles use that order, either. (Or even all six. The location of the Super Bowl will often be buried in a story about the actual game, if it's given at all, for instance. There might not be a "where" here either, except as it relates to "when," but the others are here.)

Forgiveness has been given many definitions. A nice, simple one will actually help the discussion on our problem as a nation with understanding context in a little bit. In an 8th season episode of "Full House," eight-year-old Michelle tells her 3-year-old cousins it means something like, "You love me and you'll give me another chance."

A good Biblical one is wiping the slate clean. That doesn't mean to put yourself in harm's way - forgiveness doesn't mean you let someone keep throwing rocks at you, it just means you give up the chance to throw rocks back at them, something very common in people.

This spirit of anger and  frustration is part of our human nature that comes to the forefront a lot when it comes to lack of forgiveness, because it is our nature to want to retaliate; hence the saying, "To err is human, to forgive divine."

Forgiveness is done regardless of context, but context makes it easier, just as in my example about the person who cuts you off in traffic. When we forgive, we choose not to retaliate (in action, word, or thought) regardless of the context. However, if the person is rushing to the hospital to see a relative who has been badly hurt, it's much easier to forgive than if the person is just a lousy driver. the points are that, first, we used to be more forgiving regardless of which it is (or if it's both), and second, sometimes there is no way to know the context (unless you see them peeling into a hospital parking lot) and so that attitude of forgiveness should be with us anyway, instead of the intense rushing to judgment that I mentioned earlier we need to repent of as part of our seeking forgiveness for ourselves and our country.

Interestingly, I read a few comments once that said it didn't sound like something an 8-year-old would say. I replied that it might be a bit advanced for normal conversation, but it's exactly like what a child that age memorizes in Sunday School to get a piece of candy. And, fans of "Full House" certainly recall how she loved chocolate. :-)

What was happening when people complained about this line was an act of refusing to grasp context. Context is vital in many things. My last post on our society's obsession with computer screens listed a few reasons and results, such as people who don't always have the depth of relationships. This lack of depth perception, if you will, also leads to problems in context like this. Granted there is a presumption - that she had, at some point, been in a Sunday School or Vacation Bible School setting and memorized this. However, it's a very plausible one - Stephanie prays for her favorite stuffed animal friend, Mr. Bear, to be returned in "Goodbye, Mr. Bear," Kimmy says she baked strudels int he shape of the Wise Men once, and a couple other things indicate the girls would at least have ridden a bus or van to church at times. Michelle is nuts about chocolate and she'd use any excuse to try and get some, too. So, you can see that in context, it's very plausible Michelle would recite that to Nicky and Alex when she apologizes and asks them to forgive her for getting frustrated and yelling at them, as 8-year-olds do at times.

(I won't get into the fact shows take place over days many times, and we see only 1/2 hour out of 168 in their lives each week (1/336th) - it's not a presumption that they have full lives outside of what we see on TV, even between scenes in the episodes themselves.)

Are we forgiving - and healthy - as we should be?

Forgiveness, then, is something we did a lot more of before, and should do now - in fact, even secular studies show forgiveness is very healthy. In fact, we like to think we are a very forgiving society, but there is actually a big problem. We often refuse to give second chances, or we do only after retaliating.

The reasons, of course, are the same as why people don't always choose to wipe the slate clean on other things. Peer pressure, wanting to seem "better than the other person," etc.. This desire to see who looks the best on the outside is one of the main problems of our politically correct culture, and is why so few are willing to give second chances, such as with Colin Cowherd's latest fumbling of words on ESPN radio. Was he wrong to say it the way he said it? Yes, of course. Could one have chosen to interpret him as trying to talk about the lack of educational opportunities instead of about intelligence? Yes, but it was taken by many as a comment about intellectual ability instead.

However, the point is that people often are let go rather than others forgiving and giving a chance to make amends. (Of course, context is crucial in the above case, too - he was leaving very soon for Fox Sports anyway. Perhaps a different action would have been taken otherwise.)

Indeed, when we fail to forgive others, it is one of those things I noted earlier makes it hard for this nation to see repentance revival. Psalm 66:18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer." We are all sinners, but what this is saying is, God won't listen to a prayer being made while you're plotting something evil, desiring to take revenge yourself on someone, etc.. "Vengeance is mine," saith the Lord; indeed, if we do good to those who hate us we heap burning coals on their foreheads.(Rom.12:20-21) We should pray for God to deal with a  person and not desire to avenge ourselves. He does a much better job, anyway.

We claim to be forgiving, but forgiveness should involve accepting we all have faults, as noted, and being willing to start anew. (This post was actually wiped 90% clean at one point; it was my blunder that caused it to be 90% wiped out, but forgiving ourselves is also important; a good message about that is here. But the devil tries to distract us, too, so as I mentioned in the post on spiritual warfare, the devil really hates the idea of this getting out.)

How to forgive (and repent)

By accepting others' faults, we are not saying that they are right, it is only saying we are improving, too, and we are all working on things. As a signature file on one person's posts I saw once in a forum said, "Help me forgive those who sin differently than I do." We may not all cut people off in traffic (especially if like me you can't see enough to drive) but we do other things that fall short of perfection.

This is why the Bible says, "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."(Eph.4:32) In other words, that childrens' paraphrase from earlier - just as God gives us each another chance, many times over, we should to others.

Indeed, God is constantly giving us second chances. His first words to the first sinners were "Where art thou?" (Note: You can also hear an audio recreation here.) He wanted to give Adam another chance. Had Adam not come out of hiding and admitted he'd done wrong(albeit blaming someone else) he could not have gotten this chance, but he did. Yes, a penalty had to be enforced for the sin, but God covered their sin by shedding innocent blood (likely a lamb), symbolizing how He would one day come in the person of Jesus Christ, GOd in flesh, to take the punishment for all the world's sin.

It is in this way we should forgive, before the person even apologizes. In demanding an apology, we are saying forgiveness is not free when it should be. This is how God does it, after all. Yes, repentance is needed to cleanse us, but remember that repentance isn't just "saying you're sorry." Repentance is turning from your sin and trusting Jesus to save you, calling on Jesus by faith to cleanse you from sin.

Then, because He "bore our sins in His body"(1 pet. 2:24), and "became sin for us" though he "knew no sin"(2 Cor.5:21), He will save you and take away all your sins, past, present, and future. We can't do anything to earn it, it is "by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man coast."(Eph.2:8-9) In other words, it's a free gift, not earned or deserved. Then, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1 John 1:9)

So, we should forgive because we are not perfect, either. It doesn't mean putting ourselves in harm's way, but it does mean giving the person more chances whenever that is possible - within reason, that is, of course. And, sometimes a penalty must be assessed first; at times a severe one, such as Michael Vick's before he returned to the NFL. But, he is also a perfect case of someone who did successfully change. IF only our nation's people could repent and seek God to change them inside that quickly.

However, we live in such a vengeful society today, especially with the people venting all their emotion on social media, that it can be very hard. It involves setting aside sometimes very serious emotions. But, that is why we need to do it even more, by admitting we ourselves are also at fault at times.

Connecting back to national repentance

Where does this have to do with repentance? As i noted several times, we have so much dividing us, and we must come together as one race, the human race, realizing we are all humans who must come together in prayer for this country. There are things we must seek forgiveness for in the last 400 years, not just the last 40.

Sometimes, praying for the oppressors as well as the oppressed can help us learn to forgive them anyway; indeed, Jesus tells us to pray for those who despitefully use us. But, it's also important, on a personal level, to avoid this desire to seek revenge and instead to offer forgiveness and a sense of peace that can then spread.

Sure, there will be some who refuse to truly come out and admit things, even after many years. But, remember that this kind of person is the one God will judge because they refuse to let Him remove their sins - if they have not trusted and called on Jesus to forgive them, they will be separated from God's perfect love forever in a horrible place created only for the devil and his rebellious angels. If they are saved having unconfessed sin will cause them to lose blessigns and rewards and possibly ruin their testimony.(And remember, just as Jesus said there would be false Chirsts, there are people who only pretend to be Christians. We don't know the peoples' hearts.)

So, become more forgiving and understanding. As a spirit of being more forgiving and undertanding spreads, it will cause managements and others to do the same.

This Spirit must come from God, though. For Him to heal our land, We must turn from our wicked ways as God says in Jeremiah 18:7-10.(2 Chronicles 7:14 is also quoted a lot, but while it's possible it only refers to God's chosen people, Israel, these verses clearly refer to Gentile nations.)

It is hard for us ourselves, in our flesh. But, that is why knowing God first is essential, so he can fill you with His Spirit and let you grow in your love for others, letting the compassion for others grow as vengeance, retaliation, and so on shrink in your mind as you focus more and more on that unconditional love. And, instead of jumping on others right away for somethign bad, forgive, just as God has forgiven you.