Author: ShapedByTruth

Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, “I AM Christ“; and “the time draweth near”: go ye not therefore after them.

An interesting take on this concerns the fact that the words in italics (or sometimes braces or parenthesis) in many translation signify words that did not appear in the original text, but were added for understandability.

Considering that Jesus referred to Himself several times as the “I AM”

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

“I AM” is reserved exclusively as the name of God. In Exodus 3:14, God refers to Himself as “I AM, that I AM” because He is the ultimate standard, there is nothing else for God to compare Himself with or describe Himself as other than Himself.

It is open blasphemy for anyone but God to refer to Himself as “I AM”. Jesus could apply the name “I AM” to Himself because He is God.

A case could be made either way concerning Luke 21:8 whether Jesus was talking about others coming claiming to be messiah or others coming claiming to be god. Since there are other scriptures indicating that there will be many false messiahs as well as people seeking to become gods, both are end time indicators.

What we see happening before our eyes is the oldest temptation of man:

Gen 3:4-6 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

Also, what we are seeing is the one-world religeon of the last days that has been steadily on the increase, especially over the last 30 years. It is the New Age pantheism that proclaims the “god within all of us”. It has crept into mainstream popular culture, and is now the “in thing”.

Oprah Winfrey has been the leader in bringing the new age into the popular culture, particularly by promoting “The Secret” and the “law of attraction”. Now, Joel Osteen has been introducing it into popular christianity. The fruit of this is now revealing itself in widespread blasphemy.

It seems rampant right now in popular music. A handful of examples include: Madonna’s documentary “I AM because WE ARE”; Rapper “will.i.am“; Christina Aguilera has a song entitled “I AM”; Beyonce is currently promoting her 2010 “I AM” tour and also has a song “I AM” that has featured Lady Gaga. P-Diddy’s twitter account is “iamdiddy”, and he too has a song “I AM DIDDY”.

Mormonism believes that it is possible for men to become gods. This concept of man being god or becoming god meshes nicely with new age thinking. Is it any wonder then when in Glenn Beck’s monologue on October 29th, 2010 he starts out describing how “I AM” is God’s name and should not be taken in vain, then immediately invites the audience to apply that name to themselves in self-affirmation:

I want you to answer. “I am,” what — fill in the blank. “I Am,” the name of the God … Why do I say you can do it? Because you say, I am worthy, I am strong, I am smart, I am loving, I’m charitable, I’m able, I’m creative, I’m peaceful. These are the things “I am.”

Countless other examples can be found in everything from advertising, modern psychology, contemporary education theory, and liberal theology. I’m quite certain that you will begin seeing more and more examples.

Be on the look out, see that you are not decieved, and go ye not after them.

John 6:51:”I AM the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;”

John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

John 8:23: And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I AM from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 8:24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM (He), you will die in your sins.”

John 10:9: “I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

John 10:11: “I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

John 10:36: “do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I AM the Son of God’?

John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

John 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 15:1: “I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

John 19:2: Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I AM the King of the Jews.”‘”

Acts 7:32: Stephen speaking of Moses’ encounter at the burning bush “saying, ‘I AM the God of your fathers– the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look.”

Acts 9:5: And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I AM Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

And in case there is any doubt at all…

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

“I AM” is reserved exclusively as the name of God. In Exodus 3:14, God refers to Himself as “I AM, that I AM” because He is the ultimate standard, there is nothing else for God to compare Himself with or describe Himself as other than Himself.

This principle can be seen also in:

Hebrews 6:13 (KJV) For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself

In any case, it is open blasphemy for anyone but God to refer to Himself as “I AM”.

Jesus could refer to Himself as “I AM” because He is God. He is the Word, the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity made flesh.

Matthew 7:24-29

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and
does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

One thing that I never really considered before was that there is a prophetic element to Jesus’ teaching on this.

Great storms are coming, even greater than those we experience now. Those who are offering strange fire in worship of a god of their own imagination will be washed away by the storms.

Five beliefs that undermine Biblical Christianity

1. Secularism – god is irrelevant

2. Relativism – no absolute truth, absolutely!

3. Selfism – the world revolves around me

4. Materialism – essence of life is accumulation of stuff

5. Mysticism – subjective experience is more valid than objective truth

Now we get to see how long it will take before this new crop of politicians get corrupted by the system. I reckon the only thing we can hope for “politically” is that there will be at least some gridlock to slow down the progressive’s socialist agenda.

While we should and will continue to fight against the corruption, the one-world socialist machine will continue the long march toward disembowling the American economy. America represents two things to the globalists: 1) the globalist agenda cannot move forward as long as America stands as a superpower, it must be brought down and made to kneel; and, 2) a pile of wealth to be looted for the purpose of funding their agenda — socialism works great until you run out of other people’s money to spend…

Is this at all surprising? I’ve always been puzzled as to, if we are indeed in the end times, why a “superpower” like America is not mentioned in Bible prophecy.

There will be a world government, but it cannot come to power until America steps down and falls in line as one of the 10 regional governorships.

My hope is that the final straw will be the rapture of the church. America will likely be the one that is hit hardest from a loss of possibly 10-25% of its productive population. This, however, is not a requirement.

It is quite possible, and I believe likely, that we may have to live through some of the rough ride leading up to the tribulation. The tribulation, especially the second half, will be worse than anything that has ever happend in history. While we have the promise of being spared from the worst of the tribulation, the times leading up to the tribulation will likely be at least as “bad” as any that history records.

Today, evil is called good, and good is called evil. Coalitions never thought possible are joining together against Israel and biblical christianity (I recently learned a new term called “Syncretism”). The times are dark, and getting darker.

It is when evil is darkest that the light of truth shines brightest.

Regardless of how long we have left here, we must continue to hold on to the blessed hope that only we as believers have. Our job in the meantime is to be salt and light, to take a stand, stand firm, and speak the truth.

When we see these things begin to happen, we look up, for our redemption draws nigh. When people see that hope in us, our job is to be ready to give an answer to them.

Matthew 9:14-17

Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.

Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Our righteousness is as filthy rags, and just trying to patch it will not work.

Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

If we attempt to enter into God’s kingdom “wearing” the filthy rags of our own righteousness, then we will be cast out…

Matthew 22:11-14
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Like the woman with the issue of blood, we need to touch the hem of His garment and be made whole…

Matthew 9:20-22
And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 14:36
and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

We are to put on the new garment of Jesus’ righteousness.

Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness

Numbers 21:9

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

I’ve wondered “why a snake”? Then I remembered it was the serpent that was cursed “above all cattle”.

Genesis 3:14

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

And “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”

Deuteronomy 21:23

His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Galatians 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

John 3:14-15

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Proverbs 2:1-5

My son, if you

1. receive my words,
2. treasure my commands within you,
3. incline your ear to wisdom,
4. apply your heart to understanding;
5. cry out for discernment,
6. lift up your voice for understanding,
7. seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.