AMERICA AND GOD

(The United States Lost Before God)

By Dr. G. M. Rayl, Th.D. DD

(Reprinted from the 2nd Qtr, 1986 issue of International Gospel Herald)

 

TEXT: Psalms 33:12 - "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance".

This sermon deals with the backslidden nation of America, which at one time was a Christian nation; a nation founded on God, a nation who feared God and was blessed of God more than any other nation in the world.

The trouble in America began back in the 1930’s when the President of that time ushered in a form of Socialism. This was about the same time the Liberal Establishment was formed. For the past several decades, the Communist Party and its domestic front groups have made common cause with the Liberals in seeking to expunge data pertaining to race and religion from the public records of federal, state and local government, including law-enforcement agencies whose ability to maintain social order was seriously impaired by an informational void in this area.

The Communist Party’s policy with respect to its traditional hostility toward religion itself, has trained Red agents since the 1920’s to infiltrate both the CLERGY and the LAITY to subvert the basis of faith in a Divine Creator and re-direct church and church-allied activities into purely SOCIAL: channels of a nature less hostile to Communist goals. This infiltration resulted in the operational capture of the Federal Council of Churches during the 1930’s and the National Council of Churches, which had its hand in the Supreme Court’s decision concerning prayer in schools and legalizing abortion. The true churches of God, yes, the Born-again churches, sat by and didn’t do anything to combat this work of the Devil.

Sometimes I think we have gone beyond the point of no return. But, then I remember that God has all Power and there is nothing impossible with God. If we do not wake up, The National Council of Churches, working with the Supreme Court and Federal Government, will form a series of "guidelines" which will be laid down by several agencies of the Federal Government, and passed by the Supreme Court, will be enforced by law, to include all churches, denominations, sects and individual clergymen and evangelists - to either come under the jurisdiction of the National Council of Churches, or not be recognized as having the right to function in the field of religion. AND! For all seeking to operate outside the Council or the guidelines of the government, will in the earlier stages of the plan, be subjected to crippling economic disabilities, and later be included under statutory and prosecutable offenses. True Religion will be outlawed. This would have already been enforced, if the liberals would have had their control of the U.S. Government. What has delayed the takeover by the liberals stated back in 1980 when we had the march in Washington called, "Washington for Jesus"? I thank God that I had a small part in organizing this march on Washington. The media tried to down-play it, but we who know God know this is what started the nation back toward God.

We have a long way to go in the battle, for it will take all of us praying and uniting ourselves together in an army against the works of the devil and his associates. We like to think that our nation is a Christian Nation, but the question must be faced - is America really a Christian nation? What about the millions of "heathen" people who have been brain-washed into believing that the Communist policies are better than the government of democracy? What about the millions of Americans who never see the inside of a church and who will do anything to steal, lie, cheat and even kill for a fast buck?

When does a nation stop being a Christian nation? When enough of its people, especially its leaders, cease to be Christians practicing Christianity. When its people are no longer interested enough in religion to find out if the leaders they elect are motivated by Godly principles. If a Christian votes for a godless, liberal humanistic candidate, they are actually guilty of sin in the worse stage. Most of all a nation loses its Christianity when it no longer votes for Christian men and women to run the nation’s government.

When we no longer ask and demand Christian men and women to teach our children in our schools, we ourselves are creating problems. Nowadays the most dangerous religion in the United States is taught in the Public Schools from kindergarten through college - at the taxpayer’s expense. It is called humanism. The best thing to turn this nation back to God would be for all Christian parents to take their children out of the public schools and place them in private, Christian schools. If parents really knew what Humanism is and how much time is spent brainwashing their children in the name of education, they would overthrow the public school system with force and violence.

The only thing that saved the public sector of education from a massive parent outcry, is that parents do not understand Humanism. The parents do not realize that their tax dollars are spent teaching their children topics such as atheism, evolution, amorality, a self-centered lifestyle or a socialistic one-world view. I believe that if the parents were aware of all this, they would take the schools to court for violation the First Amendment.

There was a time when school boards wanted to know much about a prospective teacher before hiring them. They would check to see if they were honest, clean-living, and if they attended church. Now the school boards seem to choose teachers from all walks of life; the atheists, drunkards, Communist, drug users and pushers, homosexuals, humanists, un-believers, ungodly, and etc. I don’t say that all of the teachers are bad, but I can say that as teachers of our children, they should not teach the Humanistic doctrine. How well founded then were the concerns of a past generation, that their children be taught by people of high morals, ideals and standards! Perhaps many of that generation were far from exemplary in their own life patterns, but wanted their children to be strong where they themselves bad been weak. They wanted teachers who were moral in the major aspects of life (family and business), who were careful in the finer points of personal conduct.

Today many parents share these concerns, but the majority isolates them from the direct control of the personnel who serve them in education and government. The great news media of communication, being under pressure from the liberals, and advertisers, presents a false picture of family life in America. The Public Schools paint the children a sad picture of a degraded family life style. The sad results are that there are more teenaged pregnancies of unwed girls, than has ever been known in history. More drugs are used by children. Yet the supposed-to-be Christians seem to hesitate to express their true desire to see a better school system - a better government in America.

Why shouldn’t American citizens demand sobriety and candor in their public servants? Why should they tolerate a national capital that is drenched in alcohol, drugs, gambling, murders, communism inspired humanistic teachers and government officials, who are paid by our tax dollars? Jesus said in Matthew 18: 3-6, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. BUT whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea".

We need to hang a few figurative "millstones" in our time in order to preserve our children before they are all led astray. Parents, demand the best for your children! Protest the hiring of incompetent, careless teachers. If you don’t want to protest the Humanistic, modern-day school system, then I would advise you to take your children out of the Public School and enter them in a private, Christian School. If you don’t have a Christian school in your area, then start one! But above all else, go to church and take your children with you. Practice godliness and pray to God in your homes with your children. You can keep your country strong by practicing and encouraging that "Righteousness exalts a nation".

We have preached about the government and the school system, now let’s look at something else that has caused America to backslide! "Religious Racketeers". In case you haven’t noticed it, religious crooks are becoming bolder. There have always been "phonies and hypocrites" in the religious world. For anything genuine, there will always be a counterfeit, of course, and the more valuable the product, the greater the number of imitators you will find. Since redemption in Christ is the greatest thing in the world, con-men and other crooks have always been attracted to religion as a source for fleecing an unsuspecting public. It is only recently, however, that these crooks have openly boasted about what they are doing and have also begun to encourage others, for a price, to join in their crookedness.

In some magazines you can see advertisements in big bold faced headlines that read, "Religion Can Make YOU Rich! (Financially as well as spiritually). The words "rich" and "financially" are underlined with thick, heavy lines. The opening paragraph, also in bold faced type announces, "Learn How to Start Your Own Church and Become a Multi-Millionaire!". This same ad states, "Yes, you can become a minister just for the asking. You Can Receive Steady Donations, As Well As, Lead a Glorious, Love and Wealth-Filled Life". It goes on to explain, "A church is tax-exempt. The benefits of being a minister of your own church (you need only two people other than yourself) to incorporate and get your Federal Tax Exemption. Then you can collect donations to perform marriages, divorces and etc." It does not explain in this ad how being a minister enables one to perform divorces. The same ad goes on to say, "It is no secret what God can do, and it doesn’t matter if you believe in a conventional God, in fact, it doesn’t matter if you believe in yourself - when you get these three outstanding reports to fill out, you will get results, even if you have no faith and are not in the least religiously inclined. All you need to do is fill out the three forms that we will send you, and send them to---".

Not only would one setting up his own church for such purposes be a fraud and a hypocrite, a person would have to be mighty ignorant to believe that God would have anything to do with such a racket. No one has the protection of the law to "enjoy a big tax-free income". No one has the protection of the law to "receive a steady income" for himself which is exempt from taxation. If you were to establish a church, only the organization would be tax exempt and able to accept donations, not the individual who organized it. That church would be subject to all the rules and regulations of the federal government which controls such organizations. For those organizations which I have described to you, the controls should be tightened. However, this is self-evident. Surely racketeers who openly boast that the are merely operating "get rich" schemes should be put out of business in a hurry. Look at the cults such as the one belonging to Jim Jones and one in the State of Oregon. Both got rich off of the name of religion.

There have been so many evil things done in the name of religion. As you know the Holy Bible is, and has always been, the "Best Seller" of all books. Now the worst "religious racketeers", knowing that the Bible is such a great seller, have seen their chance to make a lot of money by making a revised bible to suit their worldly lives, some leaving out the Virgin Birth, the Blood that was shed for our sins and etc. Revelation 22:18-19 says "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book". I personally feel sorry for those who are responsible for the so-called "Revised Versions" of the Bible.

I have a book in our college library by "Zondervan" entitled, "The New Testament from 26 Translations". You should get a copy of this book, read it, and make an in-depth study of it. You will then have a better view of why I am so strong against using any other version other than the King James Version. All 25 Versions, other than the King James Version, either take away, add to, or both.

In 1611 the Bible was printed in the English language by King James. Since that time the pure light of God’s Word has flooded the entire world. Down through the ages, more so during the dark ages, God’s enemies of the Gospel tried to destroy God’s Word from off the face of the earth. They tried to take away from God’s Word all the things which save our souls; the Blood of Jesus, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, that Jesus is the Son of God and not merely a man and many more vital doctrines! Jesus said if we do not believe, we will have no life within us. The Bible Societies are now printing corrupted, changed books that they call the "Bible", and people are innocently taking these diluted books in the place of God’s true Word which contains the power to save the soul from Hell! This is another case of Satan transforming himself into an angel of light, yet his ultimate aim and purpose is to kill and destroy the souls and minds of innocent people!

Arise, so-called Christian women of America! Throw off your yoke of sexist oppression. The years of sexism are almost over, or so says the National Council of Churches. They say that you will not have to tolerate the dastardly, discriminatory language in the Bible which tends to be sexist. Your savior from sex discrimination is the (NCC). Its noble project is to remove all masculine-biased language from the Bible. At the time, the feminist interpreters will look into the feasibility of paraphrasing the whole Bible to eliminate all references to "men, women, he, she’ and other gender-based pronouns and words. When this so-called Bible is printed, many women will flock to buy them.

When you go to most churches nowadays, and the pastor stands to read his text for his sermon, you had better carry an armload of Bibles with you, for you will not know or recognize what he is reading! I John 4:1 reads, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world". I challenge all of you who are reading this sermon to try the Spirit by reading the King James Bible along with any other version, and see which one the "Spirit of God" reveals to you as the "Spirit-filled Word of God".

I Corinthians 2: 12-16 says, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, ye he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ".

In summarization of this sermon, I want to go a little further by saying that we are racing towards judgment faster than we think. With the far left people we have in government and the Supreme Court who are anti-Christian, statistics report that God’s name is now used more than one billion times a day as a curse word. Crime in all stages is on the rampage. Every ten seconds a home is burglarized. Every seven minutes a woman is forcibly raped, and children are molested at an even faster rate. Abortion - God help us as a nation! Since 1973, 15 million human beings have been murdered in America through abortion. On the average, one unborn child is legally aborted every 20 seconds. This is hard to believe! God help us!

In these United States the divorce rate is higher than any place in the world. Nearly 50% of all new marriages in America, even among Christians, will end in divorce. Sexual freedom has become the cry of our day. The schools teach children to "do whatever feels good". Sexual immorality is the order of the day here in America! Adultery has become our nation’s standard even among many of our pastors. Over 50% of our pastors admit to having sexual relations outside of their marriage. What about the flood of homosexuality? Now in our schools, they teach that homosexuality is a respectable and to some, preferred way of life! Drugs and narcotics are at epidemic levels, even among our nations leaders. The practice of witchcraft is going everywhere, even in some of our so-called full-gospel churches. I could go on for hours, but I believe you have a fairly good picture of our "backslidden nation" - these United States of America.

Ephesians 5: 1-18, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, not jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth); Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all thing that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

II Timothy 3: 1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away"

Wake up Christians - time is short. Romans 13: 11-14, "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill, the lust thereof."

Regardless of what happens to this nation, God has promised to keep us in the time of troubles. Psalms 27:1-6, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord".

May God bless you, Amen.

 

The Strait Gate ! ! !

By Rev. G.M. Rayl ThD, DD

 

TEXT: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." - Matthew 7:13, 14.

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and the west, and from the north, and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."- Luke 13:24-30.

These are not the words of man, but the words of our Lord, Jesus Christ, as He spoke, and is recorded in the Gospels. As straight means "a narrow pass or passage", I believe we could reverse this Scripture (verse 14) to read, "narrow is the gate, and straight is the WAY", giving a complete understanding of what Jesus meant, that our complete life on this earth, as true children of God, serves as our gate and way to heaven, which is a very straight (STRICT) and narrow way. But, there is a great falling away now in the Church world and many have left this strait and narrow way. "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." - I Corinthians 3:18.

Many good ministers that started out on fire for God, preached and lived the strait and narrow way, but became wise in the things of this world, and therefore have left off preaching Holiness and are in a backslidden condition. They need to become FOOLS that they might find their way back to the strait and narrow way.

All denominations that started out on fire for God had a narrow walk with Him until they became broadminded, as the world calls it, and started seeking for and after things other than God’s Spirit and Righteousness. Today, that is all they have in their godless organizations OTHER THINGS! When we started our Association, we were more prone to compromise to see our numbers grow, but as we grow in the Lord we are more careful of who we have in our group. We pray continually for God to help us keep our Association clean of all worldliness and uncleanliness, and this He is doing. Praise His wonderful Name.

I feel sure that Christians, who have been so for very long, will agree with me that their Christian life has become more narrow along the way with God. I know that since I have become a child of God that I have had to stop doing things that at first I could see no harm in. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." - Hebrews 12:1.

It appears that many people have the attitude that if they can enter this gate of salvation by saving grace that they have passed the test, come through the narrow gate, entering into a large, wide area where they can travel any way they desire, but still on their way to heaven. I will have to cry out with the Apostle Paul, as he said in Romans 10: 1-3, "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

Paul was dealing with brethren who had a zeal for God, but not a knowledge of God’s righteousness, a people who had felt and experienced a real witness of god’s saving power in their lives at some time, but had failed to realize, in their entering into saving grace, that we are still on probation as long as we are in this mortal flesh.

Getting saved is just entering into this NARROW GATE from earth to glory. And as we travel this way, which is not a way of worldly liberties, we find that the closer we walk with God, the more narrow the way becomes, leading us into sanctification, making the way still more narrow.

And as God brings us through the trials of this life, and we grow in grace to be strong soldiers for Him, the way becomes more narrow. All of this life we are on probation, passing through the narrow gate, with God drawing us closer and closer to Him, separating us more and more from the things of this world, and preparing us for a glorious entrance into that Celestial City.

"But the path of the just is a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." - Proverbs 4:18. This Grace Age has more Spiritual Light than this world has ever experienced before. And this Spiritual Light has grown brighter as this age has progressed. We, as God’s people, are held responsible for every ray of this light that we are privileged to have, causing us a more narrow walk with God than Christians who lived in ages past, as the measure of light is the measure of responsibility. "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." - I John 1:6,7.

"...Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" - Kings 18:17. In this life no one seems to think that he could possibly be wrong. It is always the other party. Old Ahab had committed just about every sin in the book, but still it wasn’t him who was troubling Israel. It had to be someone else. Of course, it couldn’t be HIM! So, he accused Elijah. Why, sure, it was old Elijah who was keeping things stirred up! Brother, God’s people don’t stir, mix or mingle. The separate! We need more separators today and not so many mixers.

Ahab possible once had a heart for God. But his heart started longing for more worldly things. I think perhaps the thing that really took him the farthest from God was his wife, Jezebel. She liked the world and all that went with it, with all of her paint, and new suits, and living like a queen. She got Ahab to set up idolatry, make it the religion of the country. Ahab was the tool of his wife. He was a weak man; he didn’t have any convictions. he didn’t have enough backbone to stand up for the RIGHT. No wonder Israel went down; no wonder Israel was troubled. This wicked leader was the cause of his country’s failure. He didn’t realize that in his attempt to bring harmony by condoning SIN, he was in turn bringing about the destruction of his country. Let me say this, a country, a union, an organization, or a Church is no better than it leaders.

But let us go on and see just what kind of answer Ahab got to his question. "And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed baalim." - I Kings 18:18. There wasn’t any condemnation on Elijah’s soul. And Ahab answered the old prophet not a word.

Right is right, and wrong is wrong! In the world today, right is wrong, and wrong is right. But God help US to stay with what is RIGHT. If those of my household, or elsewhere, can get to heaven doing thins that other Christians can not understand, that doesn’t mean that I can get to Heaven dabbling with those things, when God shines His searchlight of Heaven on my heart. My way will have to become more NARROW as the LIGHT of GOD shines in upon my SOUL.

Brethren, the devil is subtle. He will let you live for God for many years with a trap set down the road for you, to trip when your way with God becomes more BROAD instead of more NARROW.

Let us take Brother Jude’s advice, in verse 3; "...ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." - a LIVING FAITH beginning in our hearts when we receive SAVING GRACE at the altar of repentance, and being made perfect to God by His sanctifying power, keeping us to a more narrow walk with God until He calls each of His TRUE SAINTS home to Heaven.

In closing, let us cry again with Brother Paul, "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED." Amen.

EXAMINE YOURSELVES

By Rev. G. M. Rayl, ThD, DD

 

TEXT: II Corinthians 13: 5-13, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish even your Perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. Finally brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with an holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."

The Church at Corinth was started by the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey. But it had become full of the evils and false teachings that surrounded it. The world around it had gotten so evil that the church members wanted to hold on to the world, while trying, or should I say pretending, to be serving our Lord Jesus Christ. The pastor can tell when his members are drifting into a backslidden condition. When Paul arrived at the church at Cornith, it grieved him very much. I am also very grieved when I see the condition of the ‘supposed to be Holy Ghost filled church’ of today.

It makes me think of what the apostle wrote, as we find recorded in II Timothy 3: 1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away..."

Paul was grieved so he wrote, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." God wants all of us to look at ourselves and where we stand in the eyes of our Lord. Then we can repent and ask God to forgive us and go on living for Him. I feel grieved in my head when I realize the soon-coming of our Lord for His Bride, and so many are not ready. Sometimes it is not pleasant to see ourselves as God sees us.

Some may say, "Why do you always preach and teach negative things? Why don’t you tell us about how good we are and that everything is just fine in our lives. I trust that we are all ready to face the judgment of God. Then I see all the worldliness in the church and it grieves me. So, I say as the Apostle Paul said "Examine yourself" What does it mean, "having a form of godliness?" It just implies that there is a group of people in these last days that have a form of godliness, but they have no godliness in them.

Most of this godliness without God has been brought on by some of the modern day Pastors, Evangelists, Bible Teachers and the pressures of this evil world that we are living in. Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The Bible tells us if we are pretending to be a Christian and are not living a holy life we are a hypocrite.

Paul wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 3:10, "thou hast fully known my doctrine." Not only do you know but those who you have ministered to know the teaching of the Word, But the people have turned a deaf ear to the truth. No longer will they endure sound doctrine. I am not judging you, but the Word of God judges us!

Remember the king who had vessels of gold, but the enemy came and took them, so the king made shields of brass and hanged them in their place. The new shields were not gold. They were counterfeit - a semblance of what it should be.

There are those now that know how to do godly things almost perfectly. There are some that have a form of godliness but are denying the power thereof. God gives a clear warning to such people. It is not just a formal confession. It is not just a religious creed. If we are just going to adopt a religious creed, let’s just go out and join some good social club or creed. But God said, "I’m calling you to Holiness, to dedication and surrender. Know you that I am your God. I’m calling you to a heartfelt experience in Me."

God’s Word says that in the last days there is going to be a falling away, Many will be outwardly rebellious, ungrateful, unholy, unconcerned about their soul, a soul that lives on for all eternity. Yes, before too long everyone will stand before a Just Judge and we will answer for the condition of our souls. I want to hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’

Matthew 11: 15-20, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. But whereunto shall i liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say Behold a man gluttonous and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners, But wisdom is justified of her children. Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not."

Jesus was speaking concerning John the Baptist. He then goes on to say that John the Baptist is least in the Kingdom. Jesus compares this generation to children playing in the market place, who blow flutes, who play horns, who give invitations, but who don’t take time for reality, They are too busy playing. They don’t have time to come to church. They don’t have time for reality. They are too busy playing church. They don’t take time to look at the seriousness of their soul’s worth. They don’t have time for anything except for doing what they want. We have many people doing their own thing. They don’t want to get involved in serving God. They refuse everything Jesus offers, What are you going to do with the battle between you and your soul?

Preachers have stopped preaching the deep things of God’s Word. The church of today is somewhat like the Corinthian Church. It was Paul’s desire to cleanse the Church from partyism and immorality. We need to try to reach our people of today and show them the false conceptions of the Ministry!

The Church of today is full of intellectual pride, social evils, church divisions, man-worship, man-made bibles to suit their man-made worship, and glorying in worldly wisdom. What I see in the church world of today is that Christians, when they become weak in their Christian lives, will fall for every wind of false doctrine that they see and hear.

There are false conceptions of the ministry, such as "Name it and Claim it." Is it not rather crazy to claim something that belongs to someone else unless the person who owns the thing you are claiming is willing to sell it or give it to you? How about "Never admit that you are sick." I have had cancer for about four years now. If I were to go around telling people that I am perfectly, physically well, I would be lying. All liars shall have their place in Hell. I am trying to make Heaven my eternal home. Aren’t you?

This is an individual walk with God. We have to work out our own salvation the Bible says, with fear and trembling. I have been in churches where the pastor or evangelist would say, ‘Let us all stand to our feet and start speaking in our heavenly language.’ Or they might say, "Let’s all sing in our unknown tongues." Now they have come up with a new worship, "Let’s all start laughing as hard as we can." You might go for all of this, but I fear God, so when I go to Church I go there to worship God the way The spirit leads me. I would be afraid to speak in tongues, or sing in an unknown tongue, or laugh just because someone told me to unless I know God’s Holy Spirit was in it.

I first got saved, "born-again", in 1952. At that time anyone could tell a Christian from the unsaved. The women and the men were set apart from the world. They dressed differently; they shunned worldly activities. They were so happy, always enjoying life, and they could hardly wait to go to Church and worship God. Times have changed. Now it is all right for the women to wear short hair and men’s clothing and the men wear long hair. Most church going people now dress, wear their hair, and act like unsaved people.

Do you know why this happened? I do. Let’s look at some Scriptures in the King James Bible. Then consider it for yourself. The Holy Bible outlines how born-again people should conduct themselves. I Corinthians 11: 1-2, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you."

I Corinthians 11: 4-7, "Every man praying, or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head; for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man."

I Corinthians 11: 13-15, "Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering."

I Timothy 2: 9-10, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefaceness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array: But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."

Roman’s 1:22-28, "Professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves; Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient."

A few generations ago, in the 1960’s, we had the beatniks, the hippies, and all the others that were dropping out on life, pretending the world didn’t exist. We still have to deal with reality. The Scriptures condemn any action of men and women seeking to justify their own acts of darkness. It’s time we examine ourselves. Being a born-again Christian is the greatest thing in the world today.

Don’t be duped. Don’t fall into delusion. Don’t fall prey to some lying spirit that will destroy you. Satan has signs and false wonders, but you don’t have to substitute and you don’t have to fake it. There are genuine miracles for those who pay the price.

Delusion means mental strain, wrong opinion or error in morals or religion. It means deception. We like to comfort ourselves with the assurance that we are as good as someone else. It is not a matter of if we are as good as anyone else, but it is the question of "are we living to please God"! Ultimately the spirit of delusion leads to reprobation, not knowing right from wrong.

Many people don’t know right from wrong because they have erred from the Bible. They have listened to what this and that preacher says. They need to get back to what the Word of God says and start living according to what He says.

How many of us know that in Hell there are going to be preachers who have lied, preached false doctrine, twisted the Word of God to meet their own living conditions and begged for money so they can live like millionaires? God didn’t make us beggars. If we are living and preaching God’s Word we don’t have to beg. He said he would supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory. Others will be there who have fallen into believing false doctrine and who have believed in the wrong teachings.

Many of today’s Christians need to come under conviction and stop believing in all the false worship and every wind of doctrine that is sweeping this nation. It is my prayer that many will repent and come back to God and do their first works over.

Much of the church of today is building on quicksand. I don’t know what God is saying to you right now, but are you building on superficial things? God knows your heart and if you have a spirit of delusion. Jesus is the only way. Men will say, "This is the way, walk ye in it." They take you another way rather than through Jesus and the Blood. There are those who are saying, "This is an easier way." There is only one way; that’s God’s way of holiness, righteousness, truth and peace.

The Bible says, "Judgment must begin at the house of God." Strong evaluation must begin right here today, One of the things that is confounding the world today is that they look at the church and the church is no different from the world. Our lives should be entering into a full dimension of glory, joy, peace and love one toward another. They will know when we truly know God. We must be honest with ourselves and with God. If we will repent God will forgive for He says, Whosoever will, let him come."

I love all of God’s people and it is not my intention to judge, for I do not have the right. I want all of us to make Heaven our home and I want to see you there because I love you.

The Night Is Far Spent!

BY REV. G.M. RAYL, ThD, DD

 

(Text: Romans 13:11, 12, "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.")

The space age is asleep? Yes, man is really asleep to the lateness of the time. Does the world’s flood of woes mean anything to you? It does if you are awake. It means we are in the "last-days" foretold by the Bible-Jesus foretold many events that would signify His second coming. Are you awake to the sign, or asleep these perilous times?

A few of the things Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 are: (1) Many fake religions, (2) World wars, (3) widespread famines, (4) an unusual number of earthquakes, (5) increased lawlessness, (6) earth wide tribulation, (7) perplexity of nations, (8) men stricken by fear, (9) increased pestilence and (the world asleep to the significance of it all. Also foretold as indications of the "last-days" are: (11) moral degeneracy in public and private life, (12) mounting juvenile delinquency, (13) love of pleasure rather than for God, and (14) a general scoffing when the warning concerning the "last-days" is sounded. Do you scoff? Are you asleep with the world? If so,...now it is high time to awake...", For the darkest days of all earth’s history are just ahead. A careless, godless generation faces appalling judgments. The prophet Daniel speaks of "...a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation...".The Lord Jesus foretells a period of"...great tribulations such as was not, since the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be". We read in Haggai that the Lord "...will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the seas, and the dry land ...Isaiah thunders out the warning, "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it," Isaiah 13:9.

The world’s most terrifying weapons are now in the hands of the great nations of the world for the universal destruction of the entire human race. Awake! What we do now must be done quickly or no flesh can be saved. God is a God of love and He is not willing that any should perish, is not willing that the human race should perish, if it does, and it looks like it may, and that it could be before too long, God, will not be at fault. He has provided a way for everyone to be saved if they will only accept the sacrifice of His Son of Calvary, God so loved the world that He gave His Son. If you are lost or go to the lake of fire and brimstone, it will be because you make the choice - not God. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," II Peter 3:9.

The MIGRATORY season is near. The exact hour of His appearing, no man knows. No mortal knows just the hour when the Lord Jesus shall descend from heaven with a shout (I Thess. 4:16) to catch away His own-out from this world of sin and sorrow - but, Awake! We do know that the SEASON is near, and the ZERO HOUR approaches - nearer and nearer each moment.

Are YOU ready to go? More than that, are you WILLING to go? Do you love anything, or anybody more than you love, HIS appearing? God is a jealous God. Jesus says, "he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me,"Matthew 10:37, 38. Are you going to let any thing or anybody hold you back and prevent you from being "READY" for His upward call?

There is going to be a READY company of people." . . . the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut," Matthew 25:10. Jeremiah, the weeping Prophet, under a great burden for the salvation of his people, says with a broken and disappointed heart, " . . . The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."

"Redeeming the Time"

Are you now READY - and are you continuing to get ready for the coming of the Lord as He shows you more and more humbling tasks to perform for His sake, - that you might purify yourself, even as He is pure? (I John 3:2-3). Are you suffering with Christ NOW, that, later, you may reign with Him? (II Tim. 2:12). Are you FRITTERING away your time and strength - saluting everybody by the way, "passing the time of day" with everyone the devil sends across your path - or are you expending your very life’s last ounce of strength in joyous services for the One who died for you?

Have you taken up your cross, daily, (Luke 9:23), and are you following Jesus? Do you not only bear your cross, but do you glory in the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ? (Gal. 6:14). Is the Son of God dearer to you than ALL, and do you delight to do the will of God? Do you delight to give up your ways - that the life of Christ may be manifested through you? Are you continually confessing your sins, - and never forsaking them? Or have you done down to a bedrock repentance and come up with such an abhorrence of sin of every kind that your life bears a holy testimony for God and for Righteousness wherever you go?

Are you more concerned about reputation among men than you are about your standing with God? Are you more afraid of offending people than you are of grieving the Holy Spirit of the living God?

Are you frivolous, given to jesting and joking, and foolish talking - things that are obnoxious to God? (Eph. 5:4). Or are you sober and vigilant ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF THE WORD OF GOD? (I Peter 5:8). Do you "run off at the mouth"? Do you talk too much? Does most of the steam of your life escape through the whistle - instead of being reserved for needed power in running the train of your life? "In the multitude of words there wanted not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise," Proverbs 10:19.

Have you a censorious spirit? Or do you in lowliness of mind, esteem others better than yourself? (Phil. 2:3). Do you merely "say" prayers? Or do you actually, from your heart- PRAY? Do you permit the devil to have a field day in your mind? Or do you resist him (I Peter 5:8-10), and give no place to him? (Eph. 4:27).

May God search our hearts out that we might be READY for His appearing, and that we might "OCCUPY," (keep busy in His will, and in His glorious service), TILL HE COMES! (Luke 19:13).

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the son of man," Luke 21:36.

Do you disobey the Gospel? Friends, God did not spare King Saul for not going according to His rule, (I Samuel 15:13-24). Uzzah tried to balance the trembling Ark and was killed by the Lord, because it was against His rule, (II Samuel 6:6,7). Moses smote the rock, though the lord had said, "Speak to the rock," and so was deprived of his hope to enter into the promised land, (Numbers 20:8-12). When the Lord told us to remember Lot’s wife, what could He have meant, but to fear and obey God’s rule?! Jesus said many will say, "Lord, Lord", and work miracles in His Name, but He will tell them, "I know you not," (Matthew 7:21-24).

Why do virgins become foolish? Because they heed not the command to be filled with the Spirit, (Eph. 5:18). ‘O! Friends, God means what He says. His Word was settled in heaven long before He gave it to us to obey. "Trust and obey, for there is no other way."

What a mercy, that the Great Day is not yet upon us! The door of grace is still wide open. There is a place of safety from the cataclysm which awaits the world. It is in the cleft of the Rock, Christ Jesus. To this Rock we may pray; in this Rock we may hide. ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," I John 1:7. No need have they to hide from God, who early seek His face and hide with Christ in God Himself.

The night is far spent. The Rapture is near. May I impress upon your mind and your thinking how terrible the Tribulation will be to those that miss the Rapture and will have to pass through THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

In the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week, in the short space of three and one-half years, over eighteen major plagues will fall upon all the world, as a result of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials; add to this the power of the two witnesses that will smite the earth as often as they choose to do, with all plagues. Then there remains five great outstanding earthquakes that will shatter the earth and the cities of the world. All of these devastating literal judgments are soon to take place. If the rapture took place today (and it could) in less than twenty-four hours the seventieth would begin to be fulfilled, that will last just seven years ending with the greatest battle in the history of the world ARMAGEDDON, and the MILLENNIUM will take place, that will last for one thousand years, then the final judgment and the renovation of the earth by fire, and eternity. That is the order and it shows us how quick things could happen and will happen when the rapture takes place. You see, we do not have very much time left.

The world stands on the very brink of not only a third world war, but destruction as never been known since the creation of the world. The Hydrogen bomb explosion is coming SOON. Without any warning it could come now. Are you ready? Are your family and loved ones safe? Are you praying that you may be accounted worthy to escape "these things that are coming upon the earth?’ The end cannot be very far away and we must be ready NOW! THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT!

A sudden blinding flash of light sprays its dazzling brilliancy over a radius of three hundred miles. From the ground rises a whirling, groaning, growling ball of fire. As it shoots upward into the heavens there is a terrific roar like the din of a million thunders. A succession of explosions emulates the laughter of the denizens of the infernal regions of Hell. Gigantic clouds of smoke roll upward into space like a living monster crawling out of the pit of Perdition, the shadowy figure rocks and reels as it rises to a height of over fifteen miles. Romping, laughing children, mothers, and fathers, husbands and wives are plunged into eternity in a millionth of a second. A hundred thousand homes disappear with a puff of smoke. bomb shelters and fall-out shelters are plowed up and human beings die like flies. Neither man, or beast, nor insects survive. The hot breath of this demon of DEVASTATION melts the steel of bridges, sky-scrapers and locomotives, ships at sea, and those under the sea, jets and planes in the sky. The vapor from these demon blasts blown into the skies spreads death by radiation. The earth bends beneath the impact of the footsteps of this phantom giant. CHAOS is king, DARKNESS reigns. Smoke rolls on in endless volume. What was once a great city is now only a yawning crater with gaping jaws mutely testifying to its voracious appetite for human blood. Beyond the edges of this gigantic grace, the cries of the wounded and dying pierce the blackness, eerily echoing and re-echoing through the amphitheater of death created by this hideous monster of destruction. A curse stands sentry striking men down with the lethal vibration of radioactivity for many weeks and months following the HOLOCAUST.

WHO! WHAT IS IT - THIS MONSTER OF DESOLATION AND DESTRUCTION? It is the Atomic hydrogen Bomb. The greatest destructive force ever released by mortal man. In less than fifteen minutes every city, village, and hamlet could be wiped off the face of the earth, and in the first day of Atomic and Hydrogen warfare over 95,000,000 will die. This great destructive fore is now ready by men of ill will, hangs like a sword over the heads of the world’s population, momentarily threatening the entire world. It almost happened in the Cuban crisis and it could happen anytime. The night is far spent.

The Lord Jesus Christ anticipated this period in the history of the world more than 1900 years ago. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened." Matthew 24:21, 22.

Only Divine intervention can save those that are in the world that believe on the Son of God to eternal life. CHRIST WILL INTERVENE, HOW? THE RAPTURE. This is the only way to escape from a world that has gone mad with power, the power of destruction. "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." I Thessalonians 4:16, 17.

The avowed purpose of the leaders of this world under the direction of Satan is "Peace and Security." . . . But the real purpose is "War and Annihilation." A sin-blinded, sleeping, godless world, little knows that it is "assembling" itself for Destruction. The Word of God predicts this "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; the sudden destruction cometh upon them. . . . and they shall not escape". I Thessalonians 5:3.

I believe that WORLD WAR III will be the final war of this age, as there is no doubt but that it will lead to ARMAGEDDON, ending the seventieth week of Daniel and completing Bible prophecy as given to Daniel in the Word of God. This war may be NEARER THAN YOU THINK. The TRIBULATION, the Great Tribulation, lies ahead for a world without GOD.

I hope and pray that you will be concerned with this as I and others like myself are. There’s only one thing in the midst of this world’s confusion, and that is your own personal relationship toward the LORD. If you are "BORN AGAIN" you have nothing to worry about. If you are not saved then you must get ready now to accept Christ as your SAVIOUR. What must I do to be saved? Oh! It is so easy, "REPENT OF YOUR SINS, and BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED," (Acts 16:30).

Come to Christ just as you are. Trust Him for your salvation because He said, "....and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.

NEVER SAY ‘I CAN’T BE SAVED’, LOOK UP, TRUST THE LORD. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT, but, the ultimate Victory belongs to our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

"Behold the Bridegroom cometh! - Hear the midnight cry; We’ll go up with a shout, If we all hold out,- To meet Him in the sky. Then, oh watch and pray, my brother, Lest someone take your crown, For the lukewarm and backslider, Won't wear a marriage gown."