We're Only Here for a Little While

We can title today, We're Only Here for a Little While. Not for services, but in life.

Yesterday, we witnessed a sobering event in the annals of American history and, for that matter, of the world. As Donald John Trump took the oath of office as the 45th President of the United States of America, the reverberations were heard around the world. As the leaders of the so-called free world, as the leader of the so-called free world, was inaugurated over a span of 228 years, only 45 men upheld that office. It is called the most powerful office in the world. The United States remains the preeminent political, military, and economic power on the face of the earth. Regardless of one's political affiliation, it was a sobering event as the mantle of leadership of the free world fell upon the shoulders of Donald J. Trump. In his inaugural address that lasted only 16 minutes, he denounced the current political establishment and pronounced power to the people, which is called populism. It was a powerful indictment of the former presidents and their administrations, some of whom sat there. President Obama, Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Mr. Carter. Of course, Herbert Walker Bush could not attend because he was in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. Jimmy Carter, who was there 92 years old, and Herbert Walker Bush is just a few months older than he is, and Jimmy Carter's recovery from cancer is on the preposition of the miraculous. He had a combination of radiation and some kind of immunotherapy, and he's been declared cancer-free, having had cancer in the brain. The ex-president sat there with glum faces, and once again, regardless of one's view of Donald Trump, you would have to admit that it took great courage to stand in the presence of all those people and say what he said. What we're seeing is a challenge to globalism in which the world's political powers in the hands of powerful world leaders and the elite class of financiers and so-called celebrities. As we read from the news items that 50% of the world's wealth is controlled by eight people in the world. That system of globalism, elitism, parades in the name of democracy, but in reality it is a melding of communism, fascism, naziism, socialism, which espouses an amoral value system cloaked in liberty for all. Let's look at 2 Peter 2. We'll see a description of this amorality in 2 Peter 2. The first part Peter warns about the fact that the world is a globalism. It's a globalism. It's a globalism. It's a globalism. Chapter 2, the first part, Peter warns about false teachers coming on the scene. He catalogs briefly those in the past, beginning with the angels, Noah, and on down to the present time who went their way. In 2 Peter 2, we'll start there with verse 11, whereas angels which are greater in power and might bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these as natural, brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things which they understand not. You can watch Water's World there on Fox and you can see how much they really understand.

And shall utterly perish in their own corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. As they count it pleasure to riot in the daytime spots they are blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you. Having eyes full of adultery. Now in the margin, in some translation, it says having the eyes of an adulteress. And if you notice there as you check out the newsstands and the various magazines that are portrayed, talks about how to be young, beautiful, sexy, seductive, and all the things that go with it. Having the eyes of an adulteress and that it cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls and heart they've exercised with covetous practices. Having children of curse. A little bit more about that later as a quote from what President Obama said about his daughters. Which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozar, who loved the wages of unrighteousness but was rebuked for his iniquity, lawlessness, the dumb donkeys speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophets. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escape from them who live in error. And of course, we'll read probably later where it says in Matthew 24, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. While they promise them liberty, that's one of the key words, liberty, freedom, they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, the same as he brought in bondage, and the world is enslaved today to the bondage of lawlessness and iniquity, having denied the God that made them. So it is a system that has resulted in eight people controlling 50 percent of the world's wealth. It is a system that does away with national sovereignty and patriotism. God is the author of family. He's the author of nation, and he gave the various nations their inheritances. And you can read about that in Genesis chapter 10 and chapter 11. And Donald Trump is trying to lead a revolution called populism, which means power to the people with the return of national sovereignty, nationalism, patriotism, and to some degree, biblically based values. There was a record number of prayers in the inauguration ceremony yesterday, three invocations at the beginning and three benedictions at the end. Some lofty words were uttered in both the invocations and the benedictions.

I woke up yesterday morning thinking about the historic events that were about to unfold before our eyes. I wondered what the newly sworn-in president would say. There came into my mind the words of a song made popular a few years ago by Billy Dean. The title of the song is, We're Only Here for a Little While. The last few lines of the chorus kept running through my head. Those lines say, I'm going to pray what needs praying, and I'm going to say what needs saying, for we're only here for a little while. I believe the president said some of what needs saying as millions cheered for what he said. The establishment he described is to a large degree summarized by James chapter 5.

If you would, turn to James chapter 5. We read this in our monthly Bible study here this past Wednesday in James 5 verse 1. It's like reading sort of a summary of Trump's speech in a way. It's the reality of the day, and once again I called to mind the eight people. Go to now, you rich men, weep and howl for your minstries that shall come upon you.

Your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rest of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud cries, and the cries of them which have reaped or entered into the ears of the eternal God, our eternal Lord of Sabooth. There are 95 million people in America who have dropped out of the workforce. There are 14 million more on food stamps than there were when President Obama took office, bringing it somewhere to around 45 to 46 million people on food stamps.

The national debt has risen over 9 trillion dollars, as much as all 44 presidents in the past combined. When he took office, it was somewhere around 9 trillion, 9 or 10 trillion. Now it's almost 20 trillion. Some say it is 20 trillion. So it is a system that is indeed in need of some overhaul. As we continue here, the hire of the laborers, verse 5, you have lived in pleasure in the earth, that is, the rich, verse 1, been wanton, you have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

Now one of the ironic things about this is that the person who is leading this movement, this revolution, is himself very rich according to everything he says. And I guess it's probably true with all the hotels and casinos. That's another ironic thing. Hotels, casinos, real estate that he controls in various parts of the world, not only in the U.S. You have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed the just, and he does not resist you. Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it until he received the early and latter rain.

But be you patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draws nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest you be condemned or judged. Behold, the judge, the true judge, the real judge, stands before the door. Take, by brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. And many of those are cataloged in Hebrews chapter 11. Behold, you count them happy, which endure you have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the result, the Talos, the end result, the outcome of the Eternal, that the Eternal is very pitiful, that is, he is very patient, tender-hearted, and of tender mercy.

So that, to some degree, sums up the condition that not only the U.S. but the world is in. It is said that half or more of the world's population goes to bed hungry every night. So the last few lines of the chorus of that song kept running through my head. I'm going to pray what needs praying and say what needs saying, for we're only here for a little while.

In the scope of eternity, our lifespan is almost as if it didn't exist. A thousand years is a day, a day is a thousand years. It's the tiniest of bleeps. The annals of history are 70 to 100 years, if we should be so blessed. In some cases, living longer may not be a blessing. But, so I believe the president did say some of what needs saying as millions cheered for what he said.

The establishment he described, on the other hand, were cut to the quick burning with anger with what he said. Their hearts are set on vengeance. They have been deceived and brainwashed, perhaps beyond the point of no return. We'll read of such a people in Revelation chapter 9. If you return there, Revelation chapter 9. When you come to Revelation chapter 9, those last few verses there, you've had the opening of seven seals.

You have had six of the seven trumpets poured out, including the first two woes. And you note there, at the conclusion of chapter 9, verse 20, and the rest of the men which were not killed by those plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold and silver and brass and stone, and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk, neither repented they of their murders, nor their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. So after seven seals are opened, six of the seven trumpet plagues are poured out, including the first two woes. Here are these people. Recalcitrant, unrepentant.

And there are points of no return, which is impossible to renew a person to repentance. And of course, Paul talks about that in Hebrews chapter 6, in conjunction with the unpardonable sin. My thoughts were turned to the great men and women of the Bible, who stood in the gap and prayed what needs praying and said what needs saying through the course of history. Looking back, we can think of Enoch, who walked with God for 300 years, of Noah, who preached to an unrepentant world for 120 years, the Joseph being betrayed by his blood brothers, going through all the great trials, tribulations, including being betrayed by his brothers and put in prison, and eventually exalted to being the second in command in Egypt. And of course, God had planned the providence of God so that Israel could be spared during the great famine that came upon the land. We think of Moses and Aaron, who went before Pharaoh and said what needs saying, what God told them to say, let my people go, that they may go sacrifice in the wilderness. To Joshua, as he stood before Israel and challenged them, saying, and if it seemed evil unto you to serve the Eternal, choose you this day whom you serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Eternal. We can think of the young man David, who faced the Philistine giant Goliath and said, you come to me with a sword and with a spear, with a shield, but I come to you into the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. And with his slingshot and one stone in the forehead of the giant he fell, and David cut off his head. John the Baptist, when the scribes and Pharisees came to check him out as he was preaching and baptizing in the River Jordan, said, old generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit, fitting for repentance, and think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our Father, for I say unto you that God can raise up stones unto Abraham. And, of course, most importantly, Jesus Christ, who stood time after time before the religious leaders of his day, saying, woe unto you Pharisees, scribes, hypocrites. And then, on the other hand, to those who received him, he also spoke great words of consolation, and even saying, just before giving up the breath of life, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they say or what they do. Yes, pray what needs praying, say what needs saying. So what about us? Are we ready to pray what needs praying and say what needs saying, for we are only here for a little while. Yes, the inauguration of Donald Trump gave a lot of people in the U.S. and around the world hope that had no hope, but on the other hand, for some people, by their words and actions, they would have been happy if he had dropped dead. Many talked about him possibly being assassinated. CNN even put out a report saying, well, if he does die before he takes the oath of office, then the presidency will revert back to a member of President Obama's cabinet. In this case, not a principal cabinet member. In fact, they even named the person. Wolf Blitzer put that out.

Some 60 members of Congress boycotted the event in protest, and there will always be people protesting that which is good. So we're in a time that was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah. Let's turn to Isaiah 59. In Isaiah 59, this describes so well, similar to James, but in a different vein of where we are on the world scene today. Isaiah 59, you should read the whole chapter. I'm not going to read the whole chapter. In Isaiah 59, behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

But your iniquities, your lawlessness, have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with lawlessness. Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue is muttered perverseness. None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth. They trust in vanity, speak lies, they conceive mischievous, and bring forth iniquity. Verse 10, we grope for the wall like the blind. We grope as if we had no eyes. We stumble at noonday, as in the night. We are in desolate places as dead men. We roar all like bears and mourn sore like doves. We look for judgment, but there is none. For salvation that is deliberate, but it is far off from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us. For our transgressions are with us, and as for our lawlessness, we know them. In transgressing and lying against the eternal and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart, words of falsehood, lies. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off. For truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. This is a vivid description of where we are in this nation, and especially in the western world. And what we call the Orient or the eastern world has basically been given over to demonic forces for centuries.

Yes, truth fails, and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey. That's why Donald J. is so hated. He gives the impression whether or not he will follow through, that he is for righteousness, and for true judgment and equity. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him, that there was no judgment. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor before his arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness is sustained him. Of course, we may have somewhat of a reprieve during the next year or two, or four years, who knows? Things were awfully glum. When Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, people protested his inauguration, similar to Trump. And there was a revival of spirit and energy from the economic world to political, military, under the administration of Ronald Reagan. And he's held up almost like a god today. There's even a statue of him in some of the town centers in Europe. And of course, various places in Europe cheered yesterday. But on the other hand, some did what they did here in the U.S.

But those who try to stand for right are made of prey. They're the ones that they go after.

We're in a time—you turn back now to Isaiah 50, another vivid description of current situation in the world in Isaiah chapter 50. I said 50, I want five. In Isaiah chapter 5, it talks about at the beginning that God has this pleasant vineyard that he really kept well and eventually it says that that vineyard is Israel and how that goes into how they have turned from him. We'll start with verse 20 here in Isaiah chapter 5.

One of them that call evil good and good evil, that put darkness for light and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. They do it to a large degree in the name of personal rights, human rights, who's to tell a woman what she can do with her body. If she chooses to have an abortion in the last term of her pregnancy, it's her body that's her business. Yet, on the other hand, if someone causes a child to be killed or murdered, we might say, in the womb and it not be by an abortionist, a person can be tried for murder.

So it's quite a dichotomy in the way the law is interpreted. But Roe v. Wade said, you can do it. And so that one, of course, the great logical fallacy in that is that life, that person, their right to choose has been taken away. It's in the hands of the one and it's justified in the name of, well, I've got a right to say what I'm going to do with my body. In verse 21, woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, prudent in their own sight, woe to them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink, which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteousness from him. Once again, it's making the righteous of prey. Therefore, as the fired of ours, the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaps, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as deaths, because they have cast away the law of the eternal of host, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel. And yet, at the same time, they will have the gall to turn around and say, God bless America, and yet denying much of what is in the Scripture. Another place, if you go to Matthew 24, the famous Olivet Prophecy, Matthew's account of the Olivet Prophecy, in which the disciples came to Jesus and asking him about the signs of the end of the age and his coming. And then Jesus began to list many of the signs of his coming, which we are seeing live and in color before our eyes on our television screens every day. We break in with verse 7. For nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. And there shall be famine and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. We'll talk more about that in Luke's account. And shall kill you, and you shall be hated of all nations for my namesake. Why would you be hated? Because you stand for that which is right, because you stand for and expose the evil system, and you refuse to compromise. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many, and because lawlessness shall abound. See, this is peer pressure. Everybody else is doing it, why can't I? That's one of the main lines that youth have used for many years. So-and-so is doing it. They attend church, why can't I?

And to try to influence and convince parents that if everybody else is doing it, they should be able to do it to whatever it is, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax coal. And of course, it's not just limited at all to the youth.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness in all nations, and then shall the end come. It'd be interesting for you to look up that word, preached, of course, and its full meaning. It has the implication of with power, with authority, and the implication of consequences. It's not just, here it is, there's a lot more to it than that.

Former President Obama, in an interview a few days ago, said that his girls could not understand why people could possibly discriminate against a person because of their sexual orientation. He went on to say, that's just not in their thinking.

The educational system of the nation is in the control of those who have embraced the so-called progressive liberal agenda. Some schools were closed yesterday in protest of the inauguration of Donald Trump. He is portrayed as a hate monger and a divisive voice, and a bad example, because he advocates a moral standard that espouses a different value system than the liberal progressives. The liberals speak of democratic values. Do you know what they mean when they speak of democratic values? Well, the word democracy literally means rule of the people. Demo for people and accuracy for government or rule. On the one hand, they're saying power to the people, and that's what populism says, power to the people. But what do the liberals mean by democratic values? They're saying that everyone should be tolerated, not judged because of sexual orientation, same-sex marriage, abortion. They're saying that the U.S. should embrace all peoples from all over the world, regardless of their religious or belief system, and a host of other so-called liberal values. But those are some of the main ones. Even freedom of religion can be taken to fore. If the tenets of religion requires people to convert to their religion or be killed, then that freedom has gone too far. Now, there was a meeting yesterday in Germany led by some of the far-right candidates in Europe. Le Pen was the main speaker. She is running for the President of France in this upcoming election, and she is far right, but I think she may be ahead in the polls.

And, of course, she used Trump as an example, the Britain's exit from the EU. And there is a rise of nationalism to some degree that undercurrent in Europe, but yet they're being overrun at the present time by the refugees and by the Muslims from the east.

One of the people that was there, and I forget his name, is the President of the Netherlands. And he said that he was going to ban the Koran from the Netherlands. That would be interesting to see whether or not that takes place. I would doubt he would be able to do it.

You know, this in effect, you either convert or be killed, is in effect licensed to kill. If that's your law, if that's your—and that's really what the Koran calls for. The B system will enforce that very tenant.

And though we may have a reprieve for a short period of time, eventually, turn to Revelation 13, eventually the world is going to go in the direction that is given here in Revelation 13. And it won't be by choice. It's going to be enforced. And if you don't go along, the penalty will be death unless you're protected by God.

The beast's power comes on the scene. He's energized, first several verses of chapter 13. By Satan the devil, verse 8, all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

And hopefully our names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Continuing, not reading all of it, verse 12, he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, causes the earth, and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed, he does great wonders so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceives them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. So a miracle in and of itself is not necessarily from God because Satan, a very powerful spirit being, has a lot of power. And saying to them that dwell upon the earth that they should make an image to the beast, similar to that of Daniel 5, in which a great image was made and Shadrach means shadrach, and bendigo were commanded to bow down and worship that image, they refused, were thrown into the fiery furnace, and you know the story, should make an image to the beast which had the wound by sword and did live, and he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, and the image of the beast should both speak and cause it as many as would not worship, the image of the should be killed. And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads, that no man might buy or sell save that he had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. So those protesters and those people who are acting like that they are more intelligent, more liberated, and really the superior ones. I mean, everybody is going to, except those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, are going to be deceived by this and worship the beast. The same God that commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves also tells us to be our brother's keeper and not tolerate sin. Look at the last couple of verses of James. James has five chapters. The last couple of verses there. Look at verse 19. James 5.19. See, are we responsible? Is there one of the great questions? Is there right and wrong?

And James 5.19, brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one, convert him. Now that word, convert, the Greek word is epistreifo, E-P-I-S-T-R-E-P-H-O. Epistreifo, it means to turn about. If one is able to get his attention and turn him about, let him know that he which turns about the center from the air of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins. Now, the only way that a multitude of sins can be hidden is through repentance and faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Now, something similar is given. You look at Jude. Jude has only one chapter. We'll look at the last couple of verses there in Jude. Jude just before Revelation.

Jude verse Let's start in verse 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual, having not the Spirit. But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, pray what needs praying, say what needs saying, because we're only here for a little while. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And if 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. See this, you are your brother's keeper. If you see in a man's sin, you want to save him from that fire that burns one up, second death. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you thoughtless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Savior. Be glory and majesty, dominion and power forever and ever.

That same God that says, love your neighbor as yourself, inspired the Apostle Paul to list sins that will prevent a person from entering the kingdom of God. If you would now look at 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6.

1 Corinthians chapter 6 even talks about the saints judging angels. 1 Corinthians 9. This is one of the most power-laden scriptures in the whole Bible. People might talk about, well, you know, in the Old Testament it says, a man shall not lie with men and woman with woman, or a man shall not lie with beasts, and so on. But what about the New Testament? Well, here we are.

In 1 Corinthians 6.9, Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkers, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. None of those. They have to be repented of, or you don't inherit the kingdom of God.

Now, what would the protesters say about that?

Now, Jane Fonda joined the march with the women yesterday.

She had choice words for the president.

Look at that again. Nor effeminate, nor abusers themselves with mankind, you could put, and women abusers themselves with the women. In other words, the LGBT agenda is not in the Bible here as being righteous. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The time is coming in which what you pray and what you say will mean the difference between life and death. So let's notice that in Luke 21. It will begin in verse 7. In Luke 21. Luke 21 is Luke's account of the Olivet prophecy. Some commentators argue that it's not that it is a different prophecy, but the similarity to me is so striking, and most commentators agree that it is the same with Luke giving details that it's not given by Matthew. In Matthew 24-25, we're going to start at verse 7. Luke 21. I start off there in 21-7 with a similar question that the disciples posed to Jesus in Matthew 24.

They ask Him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be, and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? And He said, Take ye that ye be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draws nearer, go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear wars and commotions, be not terrified, for these things must first come to pass, but the end is not by and by. There's a lot more to go when that begins.

And Matthew says, These are the beginnings of sorrows. It seems to me that's where we are, the beginnings of sorrows. There's much to go. Of course, we don't know for sure how much, but at least there's some. Then said ye unto them, nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines and pestilences, fearful sites, and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, now this word before here, you can take before, generally we take before in the sense of time order. Before, if we say before you do that, do this. Well, we generally mean time order, but before can also mean, not only in time order, it is the Greek word pro. Pro can mean above.

Personally, I believe that this means and above all things. Now, whether or not it means in time order or above all things is somewhat of an academic debate, but I tend to believe it means above all things, they shall lay their hands on you. This is what really affects you. And whether it's before or above all things, but before all things, they shall lay their hands on you, persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. So, you're going to say what needs saying, or you need to say what needs saying. And God is going to give help to those who have prepared. Sell it therefore in your hearts not to meditate before what you shall answer or what you shall say. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. Where time after time, Jesus Christ appeared before the magistrates and asked him difficult questions. And every time he was able to silence them, and oftentimes they sought to put him to death because of it, but he would escape. You shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren and kinfolks and friends. Now, why are they going to betray you? Similar to the way it was, I would think, in Nazi Germany, when the Gestapo knocked on the door and said, so and so are they here? Is he or she or whatever? And you turn them over and say yes. Or they ask you, is this, is your father or your mother involved in this? Yes, I hate to tell you that, but yes, they are. And they take them. You shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren and kinfolks and friends. And some of you, they shall cause to be put to death. You shall be hated of all men for my namesake. You can see the many similarities between this and Matthew 24. But there shall not be in hair of your head perish, and your patience possess you your souls. And souls, what does it mean? Life potential. Of course, if you betray, if you compromise, then you are subject to second death. Fear not him who is able to kill the body only, but fear him who is able to kill both body and soul in hell. Fire Matthew 10-28, I think it is. And when you shall see Jerusalem, compass with armies, and know that the desolation thereof is nigh. So at that time, it will be important to pray what needs praying and to say what needs saying.

In Revelation 12, we see the deception of Satan the devil. And something similar here with regard to the testimony that you will give and how important that testimony is. What I suspect is that when those are called before the magistrates during this time, that those who betray their brethren or their kin's folk, they'll be put to death. God will protect them. But those who give the correct testimony will be spared. And I believe we'll bear evidence of this here as we read Revelation 12. We'll read down to it.

In Revelation 12 and verse 9, and the great dragon who is Satan the devil is cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceives the whole world. So you'll deceive everybody except those whose names are written in the last book of life, Revelation 13.8. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying, In heaven now has come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accuses them before our God day and night. So there is a continual, it seems, accusation like Job came up, Job chapter 1, before God. And God said, Have you considered my servant Job? And you know Satan said, Well, let me at him, and he'll curse you to his face.

And I would imagine that, obviously, Satan wants to destroy each one of us. I mean, you look at this verse 11. How do they overcome him? And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. What does that mean? Well, the only name given under heaven whereby men must be saved, Acts 4, 12, is the name Jesus Christ. And if you repent of your sins and ask God through Christ to forgive you of your sins, the blood of Christ will cover your sins, not only cover your sins, but you'll be forgiven, and they'll be removed as far as the east is from the west. But they have to be repented of. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony. They said what needs saying, and they love not their lives unto the death.

Now we go to Isaiah 61. They pray what needs praying, and they say what needs saying. Now, Isaiah 61, in verse 1, after Jesus Christ was baptized, He came back to Nazareth, and He stood up in the synagogue, and He went and got the scroll, and He read this first verse and the first clause of the second verse, and He sat down. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Eternal has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. It's a great part of the mission of Jesus Christ. This can be viewed both in the physical, psychological sense, but more importantly in the spiritual sense. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, now He sat down at that point. This is yet ahead, in the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion. Remember Zion? It is a geographical place. It is also symbolic of the church. To appoint unto them that mourning Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, as the song that composition that Mary Beth has penned and sung. To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. And in that mourning, doubtlessly, they will be praying. The garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Eternal, that He might be glorified. And they shall build the old waste, and they shall raise up the former desolations. They shall repair the waste cities, the desolation of many generations. It goes on to talk about how the saints will be involved in the restitution of all things. And God will be the protector of those who pray what needs praying and say what needs saying. And if you die doing that, you will live in the resurrection. Pray what needs praying and say what needs saying.