ECCE

      As we view the current events in the world today, honoring fathers - fathers who raise us, spiritual fathers and God as our Father - is essential for our growth and wellbeing. The precept was so foundationally important that the LORD made it part of The Ten Commandments and also attached special blessings to the observance of this commandment: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which thy LORD thy God giveth thee." (Ex. 20:12). The commandment is repeated with another blessing attached in Deuteronomy 5:16: "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged , and that it may go well with thee , in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." Not only does honoring this commandment come with the promise of long life, but it is also accompanied with the promise that it may go well with us in the land which we have been given.      Jesus gave a scathing commen...

            As men try to broker peace in the war-torn areas of the world, especially in the Middle East at this time, scripture tells us that a peace will not be lasting, as we will read.       Regarding the times in which we are now living, Peter wrote that in these last days, scoffers will deny the coming day of judgment of the LORD: "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men...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 a fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up." (...

      We are continuing in the messages based upon Dr. Stevenson's soon-to-be-published book ** The Late, Great United States .      Many religious and political leaders and commentators such as Joseph Sewall, a reverend at the Old South Church in Boston in 1740, have, since even before America became a nation, warned of the need to seek the Lord with prayer and fasting leading to repentance in order, if possible, to cause God to turn away from the judgment that He has planned for America. Fisher Ames in 1805, coming from a political perspective, warned also that America was being drawn to destruction as the Niagara River draws with a relentless flow to the Falls. He warned against a "licentious democracy."      Scripture continually calls for man to turn back to God. Paul wrote in Romans: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasona...

     Every strong nation that has fallen in history has fallen because of its wrongdoing. Matthew 25 tells the parable of the ten virgins, all asleep, with five being wise and five, foolish. The meaning of "foolish" as used here in the Greek, means, "foolish, impious, godless, dull, stupid, blockhead."      In continuing messages based upon the new book, The Late, Great United States**, the first letter written by Dr. Stevenson to a president was to President-elect William Clinton. The letter carried a warning which is even more urgent today. Included in that letter was what God required of us as written by the prophet Micah: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it...Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the...

            The world seems to be full of lies and unbelief. It questions anything regarding the existence of God. However, Apostle Paul wrote: "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true , but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Rom. 3:3-4). God is true and truth even when men lie. God has a hatred of lies and the Word of God says that all liars will find a place in the lake of fire. ( Rev. 21:8 ).      Jesus was brought to Pontius Pilate by the religious council who should have known Him, but refused to know Him, demanding that Pilate crucify Jesus. Pilate asked Jesus: "Art thou the king of the Jews?'...Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth . Ever...

     According to The Bible Dictionary, the view of Scripture towards women, and mothers in particular, is very clear. In scripture, women are considered on the same plane as men, and due the same respect. The matriarchs have an equal voice in society in scripture. God commands us not only to honor our fathers, but to extend the same level of honor to our mothers. Scripture notes that the greatest duty of sons is to love, honor and obey their mothers. There are many religions around the world that do not have this same regard for women and mothers.      From the beginning, after God created man, He took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden: "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden  thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Gen. 2:15-17). The LORD did not think it was good for the man to be ...