| MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR |
| December 7, 2008 |
| An Op-Ed piece by Matt Ravenhouk, managing editor |
MANY OF OUR READERS FEEL THAT OUR ARTICLES PORTRAY A PICTURE OF THE FUTURE AS NOTHING BUT
GLOOM AND DOOM. THEY ARE CORRECT. FOR THE AVERAGE AMERICAN, THERE IS NOTHING BUT GLOOM AND
MISERY TO LOOK FORWARD TO, AND THE FAULT IS OURS. DUE TO STUBBORNNESS, HARDNESS OF HEART,
WILLFUL STUPIDITY, NARCISSISM, AND OUR TOTAL REJECTION OF GOD, WHO IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE US,
WE HAVE CREATED OUR OWN DESTINY, WHICH IS THAT OF PERDITION.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THAT WAY: THERE IS A REMEDY WHICH WE ALL KNOW IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS, YET
MOST OF REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITS EXISTENCE. THAT REMEDY IS REPENTANCE, AND CALLING UPON GOD
WHO IS MORE THAN WILLING TO DELIVER US --- BUT HIS DELIVERANCE IS CONDITIONAL! READ THE PASSAGE OF
SCRIPTURE BELOW, AND PAY ATTENTION TO ALL OF THE WORDS --- NOT JUST THE WORDS THAT WE CHOOSE TO
HEED.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
(2Chronicles 7:14 )
PLEASE NOTE THAT GOD'S WORD SAYS THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST HUMBLE OURSELVES AND PRAY, BUT WE
MUST TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS. IT'S CALLED REPENTANCE. BUT AMERICANS PRAY WITHOUT CONFESSION
AND REPENTANCE, AND THEN THEY GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT ANSWER THEIR PRAYERS.
IN THIS DAY AND AGE, EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE WORD OF GOD, THE BIBLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE DO
NOT READ IT BECAUSE IT EXPOSES ALL OF OUR FLAWS, AND WE HATE THAT!
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved." (John 3:19-20)
THE GOSPEL THAT JESUS PREACHED WAS THAT OF REPENTANCE, AND SUBMISSION TO GOD. THERE IS NO OTHER
GOSPEL.
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."(Matthew
4:17)
BUT AMERICAN JUST GO ON IN THEIR MISERABLE LIVE OF QUIET DESPERATION, AND REFUSE TO REPENT. THAT IS
WHY THERE IS NOTHING BUT GLOOM AND WOE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THIS WORLD. THERE IS ONLY ONE
SAVIOUR, AND HE IS NOT A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT, OR A LIBERTARIAN EITHER. HE IS JESUS CHRIST: KING
OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
(Proverbs 28:13)
WHAT PART OF THAT VERSE IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO? THE CHOICE IS YOURS TO MAKE, AND YOU'D BETTER MAKE IT SOON.
GLOOM AND DOOM. THEY ARE CORRECT. FOR THE AVERAGE AMERICAN, THERE IS NOTHING BUT GLOOM AND
MISERY TO LOOK FORWARD TO, AND THE FAULT IS OURS. DUE TO STUBBORNNESS, HARDNESS OF HEART,
WILLFUL STUPIDITY, NARCISSISM, AND OUR TOTAL REJECTION OF GOD, WHO IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE US,
WE HAVE CREATED OUR OWN DESTINY, WHICH IS THAT OF PERDITION.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THAT WAY: THERE IS A REMEDY WHICH WE ALL KNOW IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS, YET
MOST OF REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITS EXISTENCE. THAT REMEDY IS REPENTANCE, AND CALLING UPON GOD
WHO IS MORE THAN WILLING TO DELIVER US --- BUT HIS DELIVERANCE IS CONDITIONAL! READ THE PASSAGE OF
SCRIPTURE BELOW, AND PAY ATTENTION TO ALL OF THE WORDS --- NOT JUST THE WORDS THAT WE CHOOSE TO
HEED.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
(2Chronicles 7:14 )
PLEASE NOTE THAT GOD'S WORD SAYS THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST HUMBLE OURSELVES AND PRAY, BUT WE
MUST TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS. IT'S CALLED REPENTANCE. BUT AMERICANS PRAY WITHOUT CONFESSION
AND REPENTANCE, AND THEN THEY GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT ANSWER THEIR PRAYERS.
IN THIS DAY AND AGE, EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE WORD OF GOD, THE BIBLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE DO
NOT READ IT BECAUSE IT EXPOSES ALL OF OUR FLAWS, AND WE HATE THAT!
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved." (John 3:19-20)
THE GOSPEL THAT JESUS PREACHED WAS THAT OF REPENTANCE, AND SUBMISSION TO GOD. THERE IS NO OTHER
GOSPEL.
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."(Matthew
4:17)
BUT AMERICAN JUST GO ON IN THEIR MISERABLE LIVE OF QUIET DESPERATION, AND REFUSE TO REPENT. THAT IS
WHY THERE IS NOTHING BUT GLOOM AND WOE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THIS WORLD. THERE IS ONLY ONE
SAVIOUR, AND HE IS NOT A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT, OR A LIBERTARIAN EITHER. HE IS JESUS CHRIST: KING
OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
(Proverbs 28:13)
WHAT PART OF THAT VERSE IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO? THE CHOICE IS YOURS TO MAKE, AND YOU'D BETTER MAKE IT SOON.