The Incredible Speed of Falling – Stand Up America
By Michael Bresciani (03/16/07)
The most arduously practiced, meticulously choreographed and gracefully
executed dance routine can end in a second with a dancer falling into a
contorted heap at the gasp of a watching crowd. Is the social
experimentation of this era a wary dancer, over confident and heading for
a fall? The most insightful dance coaches say it is.
One of the youngest conquerors in history, Alexander the Great swept
across the world with only foot soldiers and horses to bring civilization
to its feet in only 13 short years.
In Germany’s war weary society a mere would be artist wormed his way up
through the discontent and confusion in about seven years to become this
world’s most infamous dictator to date.
Communism hung as a dark portent over the minds of people who thought
individuals were no less important than the state for about a generation.
After the fall of the wall in 1989 communisms greatest bastion of hope,
the Soviet Union crumbled like a house of cards in only a few short years.
The rise of the world’s last dictator unnamed but commonly referred to as
the Antichrist will take so little time to rise to power as to catch
virtually everyone off guard throughout the earth. His rule is short as
well, seven years. Is this really a possibility? In fact it is not. Since
the prophetic aspect of the Bible is only pre-written history the coming
rule of the Antichrist is not a possibility, it is a promise.
The Antichrist comes to bear on a world that has entered a period the
Bible calls “the day of evil.” He will not emerge from some newly formed
cult or ancient religion but will be a political military genius with all
the savvy of the Devil himself. He rises through normal channels of
society and by means of generally accepted protocol. But why must the
world be subject to the whims of this satanically driven megalomaniac? In
a word they “want” him to rule over them.
His promises are attractive and initially most of his programs will be
successful. His true nature will remain largely hidden from all but the
most discerning until he is firmly in power. But even when it is revealed
it will be easier for most people just to go along with him than to form
any significant resistance. Then in a period of time less than communisms
former debut, Alexander’s sweeping victories or Hitler’s short rule he
will turn the world on its ear.
The secular world takes refuge in the fact that when asked to prove the
claims of the gospel or the prophecies of the Antichrist, God’s messengers
revert only to the Bible. The messengers take refuge in the fact that they
are only asked by God to proclaim it, not to prove it. It will prove
itself.
After Hal Lindsey’s best seller “The Late Great Planet Earth” hundreds of
books and warnings have been introduced to this generation making it the
most well versed generation in history as it pertains to the second coming
of Christ. God has kept his end by doing exactly as he promised…”Surely
the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his
servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 the question is only, who is listening?
To explain how the “day of evil” comes on the whole earth I have often
reverted to an analogy relating to the growth of knowledge in our
generation. In the fifties and sixties it was said that knowledge would
double itself about every twenty years. It was also predicted that around
the turn of the century knowledge would double itself about every two
years. This is now history.
Although it is not explicit the implied teaching of the Bible says the
very same thing will occur near the end of time concerning evil. Evil will
sneak in slowly over a few generations but will pick up speed
exponentially near the end of time. It will double over itself at the very
end and the stage will be set for the appearance of the world’s last but
deadliest dictator.
The evil that is doubling over on itself is not the isolated doings of
some satanic coven in the woods of rural America. It is rather the blatant
and wholesale fulfillment of secularisms every anarchical penchant. Social
experimentation that tries to force the gay lifestyle on a generation,
genetic experimentation that ignores the reasonability of nature and
political unrest that threatens the world with endless differences that
are ever teetering on the edge of some new and violent conflict or the
next world war.
Added to this is the inability of the most educated generation in history
to distinguish between the revelation that God has given of himself in the
person of Christ and the ever faltering form that man gives God through
the tenants, ceremonies, liturgies and the endless traditions of religion.
A dimes worth of wisdom is all it takes to know that the idea of, “what
you don’t know can’t hurt you,” is wrong. Some are willing to be reminded
that what a generation forgets about its past can be very damaging. The
group at highest risk is those who think that what they will not believe
can’t possibly harm them. This crowd is quick to point out that belief in
the gospel doesn’t make it true. They are reticent to admit that their
unbelief has no more power to make it untrue! Perhaps this is what someone
had in mind when they said, “God doesn’t believe in atheists therefore
they don’t exist.”
Here is what is true. A generation ago Washington held sway over Hollywood
to some degree through the regulations provided by the once powerful FCC.
Media even policed itself to accommodate the demands of the public with
good broadcasting standards that they were willing to impose on
themselves. Their self imposed accountability only added to their
believability. Now liberal actors and media, secularized academia and a
plethora of neo-advocacy groups are walking Washington across the line of
decency with a skip and a dance as a lamb to the slaughter. Even
Washington can’t keep up with the speed of the fall!
Recent polls conducted by the Barna Group and CNN have concluded that one
of the reasons Christians are not actively fighting against the onslaught
as hard as before is because too much is being presented to them all at
once. Both the conservative right wingers and the Christians seem
overwhelmed by the number of choices that must be made. The response has
been that they sit down with the remote in hand and do nothing. They have
capitulated to the paralysis of indecision as Billy Graham is noted for
saying.
The speed of downward trends has overcome the senses of many people and
the shear numbers of emerging new advocacy groups has created a pack of
marauding dogs nipping at the heels regardless of which way they turn. In
military language they have been out flanked and caught by surprise
attack.
Unwilling to be taken prisoner a number of combatants in this fray have
simply gone over to the other side. All strategies have yet to be
exhausted and with some strong leadership, new tactics and renewed
willingness the battle can still be won. But just in case, it does well to
remember that even a prisoner cannot be made to give up his own
conscience. This is evidenced by the recent remarks of Marine General and
top Pentagon Chief of Staff Peter Pace.
Gen. Pace said he would not apologize for his remarks made about
homosexuality being immoral. Pace indicated that his remarks were a
product of his upbringing and a sense of right and wrong that it instilled
in him. Some have suggested that Pace would make a great president but no
one disputes that he makes a great Christian and an exemplary American. It
goes without saying that you don’t get to be a general by your willingness
to retreat.
Adjusting to the speed of falling in America can be accomplished by
looking a little further out toward the horizon. I once stepped onto a
train in Calais France called the French TGV. As it started to roll toward
the Spanish frontier I noticed something different than anything I had
ever experienced before. I could not see anything clearly just outside the
windows of the train. I asked a female matron how fast we were going to
which she replied, “You are going 405 miles per hour.” Move over
Campbell’s Bluebird. I struggled to see anything just outside my window
until I was nearly dizzy.
Determined to see the renowned beauty of the French countryside I noticed
that all I had to do was look a little further out toward the horizon.
This is exactly what we need to do in America today rather than becoming
victims to the speed of falling.
Standing up takes a child a while to learn and is always accompanied with
numerous and discomforting falls. Falling takes only seconds. The
conservative body politic and concerned Christians must not give up now.
Some may be willing to fall and remain fallen; still others may want to
contribute to the speed of falling by complicity with everything backwards
and questionable. If speeding tickets somehow could be issued for the
speed at which each of us is falling then only one question remains. How
much would your speeding ticket cost you?
Here is some simple yet I hope profound advice. Throw off the confusion of
all that is whizzing by so fast. Look out toward the horizon to get a
clearer picture of things. Should you have already fallen just remember
the lessons of your childhood and get up!
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked
shall fall into mischief. Proverbs 24:16
(Printer friendly version) Email: Michael Bresciani
