Big jumps and very slow moves

Why does the papacy move so slowly? It’s been ten years since the Patriot Act commandeered America’s Bill of Rights; yet no sign of further movements, at least not outwardly. As a serpent moves an inch toward its prey and then halts, inching and halting, so agonizingly slow is the gradual progress of Satan to subjugate the United States and then the world.

The halt has as much purpose as the inch advancements. The populace must not stir and rise up, and remove their trust in the government and churches, the stock market and the military. This would create a premature reaction against the aims of the Papacy, which needs a majority of the populace to support a union of the church and state, and wealth pouring into the churches’ coffers.

The halt gives time for many who first suspected evil from the government, military and private sector, to lose the fears and convictions as life returns to apparent normalcy. So the multitudes return to their pleasures—eating, drinking, entertainment, slaving for a living. Family issues bear sway and church issues, graduations, weddings, funerals, school and sports events resume.

Everyone without eternal life doesn’t have constant grace from Christ which would give them endurance to maintain vigilance against the most recent advances of the Vatican. Only the grace of Christ gives the stomach to bear up under the uncomfortable threats, especially that which the coming tribulation will bring.

A dictatorship, global communism, a worldwide regime of state terror, are not pleasant thoughts; and only the grace of the infinite God can make us hardy enough to bear up under even the thought of the future “time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation.” Love to God for His enduring mercy toward sinners works to build us up and strengthen us. Knowing the love of God “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1Cor. 13:7). All who don’t trust in God’s love will experience what Jesus foretold, “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;...men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” (Lk. 21:25,26).

But those who are “justified by faith,...have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Rom. 5:1-5).

“As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:” (Jn. 1:12). Whoever receives Christ as merciful Lord and Friend “hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1Jn 3:15). “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” (Jn. 3:36).

Now the Spirit of “God … worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13).

“Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.” (Mic. 7:20). “The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.” (Hab. 3:19). “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Is. 40:31).

Satan moves with stealth to regain the undeserved trust of the unwary world. When they should be wise as serpents, they let him flatter them with carnal security. But all the while he moves in closer and closer to the final prize—full possession of the body, mind and soul.

When God finally allows this it is because the multitudes of the world are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom. 1:21).

“By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” (Matt. 13:14,15).

“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; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,” “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” (Rom. 1:28,29;2Tim. 3:5).

Jesus informed us, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matt. 9:12,13). Only the humbled and repentant will be healed of their blindness, the removal of a blindness resulting from Satan’s spell cast upon their souls.

The humbled are wise. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7). “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:10). The proud and wicked will never understand their unsaved condition and service to God’s adversary. They won’t see how deeply Satan has drawn them into his web of darkness, or be able to discern the soon coming day of judgment. Thus, “the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1Thess. 5:2). “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.” (1Cor 2:14,15).

Let’s keep armed with the knowledge of Christ’s gracious spirit, and His love and tender pity toward repentant sinners who turn away from sin. Satan’s work of evil will inch forward and very likely will spring upon its victims in our lifetime, involving us.

“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess. 5:6-9).