THE LORD RAINED BRIMSTONE
“On 15 February 2013, a meteoroid entered Earth’s atmosphere over the Russian Federation at approximately 09:20 YEKT (03:20 UTC), becoming a fireball. Moving at a speed of 15 km/s to 18 km/s (34,000 mph to 40,000 mph), the meteor passed over the southern Ural region and exploded over Chelyabinsk Oblast. The object’s air burst occurred at approximately 15 to 25 km (10 to 15 miles) above the ground. The total energy released was equivalent to nearly 500 kilotons of TNT which would make it 20–30 times more powerful than the atomic bombs detonated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The meteor was significantly smaller than objects that are tracked through current efforts by space object scientists, and was not detected before atmospheric entry.
Approximately 1,491 people were reported injured, mainly by glass from windows shattered by the shock wave; two were reported in serious condition. Up to 3,000 buildings in six cities across the region were damaged as a result of the explosion and impacts. The meteor created a dazzling light, bright enough to cast shadows during broad daylight in Chelyabinsk and to be observed in Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, Orenburg Oblast, Republic of Bashkortostan, and Kazakhstan. Eyewitnesses also felt intense heat from the fireball. The Chelyabinsk meteor is the largest object known to have entered the Earth’s atmosphere since the 1908 Tunguska event, and the only such event known to have resulted in a large number of injuries.” Copied form Wikipedia.
Genesis 19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
As a pastor for over forty years, one of the hardest things I have been confronted with is attempting to awaken the sleeping virgins! Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
They are the Lord’s people. They have light. Unlike the foolish, yet other moral virgins scattered in among them, they have sufficient oil to endure to the end. BUT – They ARE all asleep!
They are like the King’s lover in the Song of Solomon. Song 5:2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my
dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. 3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
And even as I attempt, in faithfulness to my calling, to awaken them to the lateness of the hour and the suddenness of the judgment that shall accompany the very end, there is a sense of a strong spirit of resistance in the atmosphere, almost a mockery at even the suggestion of the soon return of our Lord! But that too was included in Lot’s day, which shall repeat itself in the day of the Lord’s return. Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
2 Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
It seems that the strong delusion that our Lord has sent upon this gospel-rejecting nation, in order that they may believe a lie and be damned, (2 Thess. 2:11), is so “strong” that even the elect have been drawn into its bewitchment! Yet I know that the elect cannot be finally deceived! Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
But as yet, there is no power – no effectual awakening power – to accompany the preaching of the word in this nation! I know that the Lord shall make his church – his bride – without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, in order to present her to himself as a glorious church, for their eternal oneness and fellowship! (Ephesians 5:26-27).
But now, she seems only to have accurate lip service. She says she believes in the sovereignty of God! But she only practices a selective sovereignty! For she cannot even yield herself to stop fighting with the powers that be, submitting herself to them in order to submit herself to the Lord! Romans 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
She says she believes in total depravity! But she no longer confesses herself, as shown by her attitude, to even be a forgiven sinner! She has adopted an, “us” and “we,” versus “they” and “them,” attitude. She is now the only being of her kind that is not a sinner, but is most assuredly going to heaven! But the Lord won’t save anyone who is not a confessed, realized sinner! Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The American church is committing the very same sins as did the nation of Israel, with God even warning them of their soul-damning folly! But Israel of old is like religion in America today, which actually fling their defiance into the very face of God! Jeremiah 7:8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? The religious in our land are so sure that “God is on our side!,” that she believes that even her sins are acceptable to God!
She is so “elect” that she does not believe that even God can do anything about her justification of her abominations! But, dear one, election is unto holiness, not for the justification of unchecked liberty to sin! Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
O! May it not be true of these professing believers that which our Lord said of those in his day! Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
And may this generation of church goers be finally awakened, (whether this preacher is alive to see it, or not), so that it cannot be applied to them of that which the wise man of old set forth in Proverbs 29:1: He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. And may the Faithful and True Witness deliver them from the influence of the false prophets and their effect as recorded in the holy scriptures: 1 Thess. 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
May we hear the voice of an awakened Jacob among us again! Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And may we, like Peter and the disciples be awakened from religious duty’s numbing sleep to finally see the glory! Luke 9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
Soul Preparation for Eternity
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Romans 13:11 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.
Pastor Gene Breed 02/22/13