PROPAGANDA GAME

ROMANS 11-5

Even so, then at this present time

there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Perhaps they could get the weather forecast right for once considered Veronica stuffing clothes into the tumble dryer.   Last week it was as mild as a spring day, bulbs popping up everywhere and now look at it.  She gazed out of the kitchen window as the hail hammering down, bouncing off the grass.   I don't suppose I can complain we haven't had any flooding here it all pours down the hill.   The local playing fields resembled a muddy sponge.   Her little dog came back from her morning walk mud clinging to her long coat, her little legs coated in muddy black stockings. 

"Dryer loaded, does anyone want a cup of coffee" she asked the occupants of the sitting room.  "Great" replied her husband "and then I'll go and make sure Dad is okay.  Shelby can come with me.  We should keep her off the fields until this clears up.   I thought I caught a glimpse of blue sky.  Nope, its gone again." 

Faith sat cross legged on the floor in front of the blazing log fire.   The tiny golden terrier, no bigger than a large cat, insisted she threw her soft ball and at any sign of loss of attention she would nudge Faith's hand as if to say "I'm here, play with me"   Veronica arrived carrying a large tray with mugs of steaming coffee and a plate of strawberry doughnuts and placed them on the dining table.   William's focus was held by a news report on the television.  "You know what, I am really getting miffed off with all this anti-christian rhetoric to say nothing of the anti-Putin propaganda, what are they trying to do? start World War III." 

"Which channel is that" asked Veronica.  "Need you ask" replied an irate William.  "Bias, Blasphemy and Control of course.   They have a very dark agenda."   "Is William a conspiracy theory supporter" said Faith lapsing into giggles.   "Well you could say that" said Veronica "he doesn't realise he is promoting prophetic scripture.   It's all in the bible but people are too busy chasing their personal goals to sit down and read the Word of God.   Then they would realise all the countries involved in conflict are slowly but surely moving towards the end game"

The wind changed direction and the hail storm pounded the window pane obliterating the view of the distant hills. William decided to give it a chance to pass before venturing outdoors.   Shelby did not appreciate hail stones.   Veronica reached to refill Faith's coffee cup realising her young friend was also watching the parade of misery.

"Veronica I am sick to death of listening to the 'so called experts' and their endless waffle" said Faith   "Do they know the mind of God?   My Mum says the church of England is dead in the water, that along with the head of the church they are supposed to uphold the Law of God, not re-write it.   "She's quite right" replied Veronica.   "Those who really know their Lord will continue to leave and that in turn gives the anti-christian lobby a field day.   The great men of God, Bunyan, Tozer, Wesley, Wilkerson and Hunt to mention just a few taught the Word of God.   We have Jacob Prasch, I just hope the Lord protects him from the hounds baying for his blood"   Jesus taught "Matthew 23 - 23  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and you have neglected the weightier matters of the law: Anything goes apparently.   God's laws adjusted to fill pews." 

"Hey, just look at this" said William staring intently at the picture of a young woman carrying a cross through the streets of Luton.   Just look at the reaction of the Muslims.   See that guy charging out of a local shop screaming "you're just jealous, we are going to take you over" and look the men surrounding the woman are closing in around her to protect her.   "She's a canny lass isn't she" said William, it must take real faith and guts to do that."   A later news report was balanced by a clean and tidy professional view "this is not the case" declared another muslim.   "Really" replied William who had taken to talking to the black box in the corner of the room.   He was positively elated when the news report went viral on the internet.   "Well you can't argue with that.  The camera doesn't lie.   Perhaps the government will sit up and take notice"

"I think it a little more complicated than it seems" said Veronica "there is real evil in this escalation.  We have always welcomed people into this country and worked alongside them.  Muslims need to know their saviour and many have been born in this country and I doubt governments know how to deal with the exploding population."  

The U.K. provided the weapons and the bombs for the chaos in Yemen its all about money in the coffers, armaments are big business, never mind the women and children who died in the mayhem.   Anyway we are not to worry the end game is written we just have to endure to the end.    Matthew 10 - 22 - "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.   

"Well" replied William defiantly "I'll have a go"   "And you" replied Veronica "will probably get arrested.   "Not if they try and break into my home" he replied.  "I've had enough.   They don't obey the traffic law, they defile our women, the crime figures are doctored where they are concerned and open your mouth and they accuse you of racism.  No way."

At this juncture William's face flushed with anger.  "Come Shelby" he said to the large chocolate brown eyes anxiously observing the raised voice of her master.   The little dog rushed eagerly to his side.   "I'll be about an hour Veronica.   I'll pop in and make sure Dad is keeping warm and let him know he doesn't need to cook tonight.   Shelby might as well come along.   He slammed the door behind him venting his exasperation.

Veronica smiled at the young girl sitting at her feet.   A jumble of golden curls cascaded over her shoulders.   She was a portrait of innocence, her almost translucent complexion and bright blue eyes promised stunning beauty and she would be so vulnerable to the evil attentions of the gathering storm.

"Lord" prayed Veronica "guard her, keep her fit for Your kingdom.   Make her wise but gentle.

The fire crackled and sparked in response to the fresh logs.  Outside it was much colder.  The hail had turned to snow.   "Faith" said Veronica "you do realise William is not a christian.  "No, I didn't" replied Faith.   He gets very angry with the news, doesn't he and he is such a nice man."   "Yes he is" replied Veronica "he has always defended injustice but sadly he has also seen some terrible examples of christian behaviour  "the do as I say, not as I do"  Nicolaitans and he believes religion has caused all the wars in this world.   He doesn't understand it's not about religion, its about knowing and loving Jesus and following His word - no one else.   We keep our focus on the Lord.

It was only when I experienced the hand of God on my life that he started to react differently.  Not that he admitted I had been changed by my "road to Damascus" he just didn't react at all almost as if he didn't quite know how to explain it away.  There was no rational explanation.   Everything he valued was snatched away and whilst I knew that the trials I experienced were all part of my christian walk he had a very different yardstick.  No doubt his card was marked as he was always ready to challenge injustice in the workplace, but the loss of status, home and his beloved Audi left him pondering the meaning of it all.   I think the execution of christians in the middle east at the hands of Satan's sons is 

perhaps the reason for  his increasing concern, also the agenda of the authorities in this country who are steadily enforcing very different values on others.   He is a man of conscience and what they are trying to say should be acceptable to everyone - well even he reacts to that.

Now he drives an old car and lives in a two up and two down.   Perhaps as the situation deteriorates   he will realise he is blessed with a roof over his head and food in the cupboard.   Surely that is blessing enough compared with the starvation and brutality in the third world.   But when the sirens of the material world call he is the same as any other Joe.  He thinks a win on the lottery one day and everything will be wonderful.   Wrong priorities.  Still, I keep praying for his salvation.   I've have quite a long list of relatives that need to get on board before it's too late."

"Stay with us for dinner Faith, your Mum won't be off-duty until early evening.  It's foul out there and later I'll check your Mum is back and Wil will run you home."

As they started to prepare the evening meal Veronica glanced anxiously at a young girl rapidly approaching womanhood.   "You know your Mum called you Faith and along with this we have to trust.   Jesus said "fear not" and we know death has no control over His children.   It is a beginning for us, not the end.

Don't look at the waves or the storm keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.   Most of the christians I meet will go with an interfaith church.   A one world faith will appease their life choices.   Blasphemers and hypocrites will surely answer to the King of Kings in the terrible day of the Lord.  Meantime Jesus tell us we must endure to the end.  The earthly powers will not relinquish their control.   They feed off the vulnerable and exploit the poor.  THERE WILL ONLY BE A REMNANT and you my child will be part of that remnant.

(John 4 - 23) Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman said "But the hour is coming and now is that true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.   God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.  

Real christians are spirit filled.   The shepherd leads them.  They listen to His voice.  NO OTHER.

Because they are opposed to anything other than the Lord's teaching they have to remain apart from a decadent society.  They can pray silently standing at the supermarket checkout or waiting in a bus queue.  Anywhere, anytime.    Didn't Jesus say "in Matthew 6 - 5-6 that we were to go into our room and when you have shut the door pray to your Father who is in the secret place.   The church is the living spirit filled body of christians - its not a building.

Far from being in decline true followers of Jesus are growing in number.   But like China we are underground - not members of any state church or cult.   In the days ahead those who don't have His peace will be running around like headless chickens as the downslide continues.

Those who poked the hornets nest will run to their bolt holes clutching their millions, but it will be of no value and there will be no place to hide from the wrath of the Lord.

Revelation 5 - 15 & 16

and they said to the mountains and rocks,

Fall on us, hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne,

and from the wrath of the Lamb.

Needless to say Will's answer to this is a reformed Dad's army, a couple of mastiffs, a baseball bat and a pepper spray.   He certainly doesn't condone killing any one or any creature, but he intends doing his best to disable any intruder.   He got really upset when a cat ran under the wheel of his car on a dual carriage way.   He was quite pale and confessed "I couldn't stop, the car behind me would have been in my boot.   I walked down the hard shoulder and eventually found the cat.  It was quite dead."   He is hardly the bloodthirsty warrior but he maintains he will do whatever is necessary to defend his family."

"Sometimes I can't sleep" said Faith "I just lie there with stuff going round and round in my head.   I have to look away from the television, I get really upset seeing the little children suffering knowing this country is supplying the arms and bombs.  When will men learn to put down their weapons and live in peace?"

"They will when Jesus comes back" replied Veronica.   "He will rule with a rod of iron.   His children will not have a problem with that, they will be rejoicing."   She continued "when I was a little girl my mother and grandmother used to sing me to sleep.   The second world war started the month and year I was born.   William finds that very amusing he says "yes and its been chaos ever since."   May be it was the noise of the planes or the bombs or perhaps like Shelby I picked up the tension in the atmosphere.   Eventually I would drift off to the soothing music.   My brother and I were always excluded from adult conversation totally unaware of the terrible destruction and loss of life.

It was many years later I realised that whilst I played in the garden of a spacious and very comfortable detached house in a quiet coastal resort in Britain, little Jewish children were being led to their death in the gas chambers.   I have to ask myself - do we ever learn, and I have to say "NO"   Human beings are capable of such appalling cruelty.  Genocide continues around the globe.   

I recently found a C.D. when I was clearing out a cupboard.   I am not sure who wrote the lyrics but the beautiful voice of Esther Alexander compliments the sentiment of the song.  It followed a track and poem dedicated to the children of Dunblane so cruelly murdered by amazing evil.   It's called "Oh what a day that will be" and the album is called   "Twelve stories about angels" 

Veronica flicked the switch to the C.D. player and slipped the disc into place. 

One day Jesus gentle shepherd

the one who carries me,

will take my hand and lead me homewards

Oh what a day that will be.

When a loving God who knows all things,

where they end and where they begin,

and how we fly on such fragile wings,

such fragile wings.

You can borrow the C.D.   I often go to sleep to music it helps wash away the cares of the day.

We are well on the way to seeing bible prophecy fulfilled.    God will not be mocked.   Like Shelby our focus should be on our Master, when He says "Come" then we will go to our eternal destiny.

As if on cue the back door to the cottage opened and a fur ball covered in snowballs of various sizes rushed to her water bowl.   "It's sticking" said William cheerfully "That will cause some chaos in the rush hour tomorrow morning and lots of fun for the kids.

Later that evening Veronica telephoned Faith's mother.  "Hi Grace, we are just about to drop Faith home.  I'm sending a small casserole with her.   You might need a jacket potato with it if you are really hungry"

"Thanks you are an angel" replied Grace "although it's probably a case of my being too tired to chew.  We have so many elderly patients at the moment and too few nurses"  "Nothing changes" said Veronica "too many chiefs and not enough indians."

"Right" shouted William from the doorway "we are off, come here Faith you can't walk to the car in those shoes"  He lifted Faith into his strong arms and trudged to the snow covered vehicle.   "Just look at that" he exclaimed pointing to the cloudless sky.   The moon shone almost as bright as day illuminating the hills.   The kerb side and road lay under a pristine blanket of snow, everything was white and clean.   For one moment it seemed as though everything was new.

Isaiah 2 - 19

They shall go into holes of the rocks

And into the caves of the earth

From the terror of the Lord

And the glory of His majesty

When he arises to shake the earth mightily.

SHALOM