THE WINDS OF CHANGE?
PARADIGM SHIFT: FIDDLING WHILE ROME BURNS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. RED FLAGS?
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR --- CAN WE IDENTIFY THE RED FLAGS OF GREAT WARNING
THAT ARE OCCURING DAILY?
1. HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THE NEWS CHANGES ARE MOVING AWAY FROM 24
HOUR NEWS? The news channels are seeing the DARKNESS SMOTHERING THE LIGHT.
The news channels are moving away from news to more entertaining, sweet shows?
2. FERGUSON, MISSOURI; BALTIMORE, MARYLAND --- POLICE BASHING.
When you heard the cry? RELEASE ALL THE LURTERS, DRUGGIES, AND THIEVES THAT HAVE
CAUSED THIS DESTRUCTION and arrest 6 police officers, 3 black, 3 white.
Have you heard the call for POLICE BLOOD?
3. Did you hear Hillary Clinton say this week, we have too many people in the jails and prisons,
and we are too tough on crimes and criminals.
4. THE SOCIAL SERCUITY SYSTEM is going bankrupt and the WELFARE SYSTEM is receiving
more and more money. PORTIONS OF OUR SOCIETY DEMAND ENTITLEMENT.
5. MEGA CHURCHES THRIVE, small churches are suffering in attendance and finances.
CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS OPTION...
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NLT) Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there
is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction.
5. SPORTS of all kinds are having the dominion the public arenas.
HOW MANY GAME REQUEST DO YOU GET A DAY?
6. OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS BROKEN --- 1 out of 4 people will have MENTAL ISSUES
in 2015.
7. SOCIALISM and COMMUNISM blame the RICH, POWERFUL PEOPLE in the USA, and we need
a re-distribution wealth. Have you seen the demand for RESTITUTION and REPARATION
THAT OUR GOVERNMENT OWES PAYMENT TO BLACK SLAVES TODAY.
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh.
8. The USA is drowning in personal and governmental DEBT.
Several foreign countries CARRY PROPERTY LEINS on the USA lands.
9. THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION has lowered the family and religious standard of marriage
and sex. Homosexuality, bi-sexual, child sex, three ways, group sex?
10. THE HOLLYWOOD STARS, THE TALK SHOWS, THE PORNOGRAPHY ARE
UNDERMINING THE CHURCH AND THE FAMILY.
II. THERE IS A GREAT SHIFT OCCURING IN THE GOVERMENT AND RELIGIOUS CIRCLES
OF THIS WORLD.
Acts 5:41 (KJV) And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
There is a missionary that felt the call for years to a MOSLEM/ ISLAM NATION.
ISIS IS NOW IN CONTROL OF THIS WHOLE AREA. The missionary has vowed
to stay in this dangerous area of the world.
There was an ISIS ATTACK in their area.
There was a lady and her husband that attended the little mission services, and the family
accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. With great care they tried to avoid any issue
with the MILITANT RADICAL ISIS LEADERSHIP.
One day the ISIS leaders gathered up 7 men suspected as being CHRISTIAN.
They lined the 7 men up in front of the community to INDUCE FEAR and GAIN CONTROL.
ISIS asked the first man if he were Christian, he said he could not deny that Jesus Christ
indeed his Savior. They took a pistol and shot several times through the man's head.
His body fell over. They came to the second man and asked if he worshipped Jesus.
The man denied any knowledge and they let him run to safety.
The soldiers asked the third man? He denied knowing Jesus, and they set him free.
Then they came to the fourth man from the mission house church, for some reason they hit
and abused him, his shirt was torn and there on his ARM WAS A TATTOO OF THE CROSS.
They said we knew you followed Jesus, deny him and you can go free. He refused to deny Jesus.
An ISIS soldier grabbed a razor sharp knife and cut a hunk out of his arm. The cross covered in
blood was laying on the ground.
Now, this is your last chance, DENY OR DIE. He refused. They shot him. The other
two men refused to deny Jesus Christ and there lay 4 strong men in the streets of the city.
FEAR NOW LOOMS IN THAT CITY THAT ANY TIME ISIS DESIRES THEY WILL CAPTURE
MORE PEOPLE.
The man that had the cross cut off his arm and was killed, left a wife and children.
His wife works in transportation for the local hospital. Several weeks after this horrible event
the WIFE, was called to transport a couple that just had a new born baby to take them home.
When they crawled into the vehicle the driver noticed this was the ISIS MAN THAT SHOT HER
HUSBAND IN THE HEAD. She over heard the the young couple were hungry and and they were not
sure when they would eat. The WIFE driving the vehicle had a sack lunch she had packed.
The WIFE felt the Lord Jesus compel her to give them her lunch.
The ISIS MAN did not recognize her.
They GLADLY ACCEPTED THE FOOD and they ate every crumb from the bag.
As soon as she left the couple and the new baby at their destination, she drove to
the Missionary's house and told her the story. THEY PRAISED AND WORSHIPED JESUS
THAT DAY THAT THEY WERE COUNTED WORTHY TO SUFFER FOR THE CROSS.
How many of us will attend church faithfully that REALIZE SUFFERING IS COMING...
III. THE VERY FOUNDATIONS AND TRUTHS THAT HAVE KNOWN ARE BEING RAZED
BY SPIRITUAL BULLDOZERS AND GRADUAL COMPROMISE UNTIL ALL WE
KNOW HAS BEEN DESTROYED?
John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again
unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
A. PARADIGM:
The foundation...
A model or pattern, something that may be copied
A theory or group of ideas about something that should be done,made, or
thought about,
The framework of discipline, how you do something,
B. SHIFT:
TO REPLACE, Change, to change positions, to change places,
C. THE WINDS OF CHANGE HAVE SETTLED IN AND BEEN ACCEPTED...
UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN AS A PARADIGM SHIFT?
1. Can we see there is a paradigm shift in this world?
2. The pattern of life style has been changing.
3. The legislature is paralyzed and can agree on nothing.
4. The judicial branch is over stepping their authority to redefine truth.
5. The church sleeps by entertaining sipping saints.
6. There is an undermining of moral law defined by a Holy God, and man knows
better.
7. How many times do we hear: I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY, DO MY OWN THING?
8. People say : You are judging us? No, we judge ourselves.
9. The cry of the world is we will have the heads of the Christians.
10. We have a great falling away from truth happens as we watch TV, and we can
not see?
11. We call people crazy that say: THE JUDGMENT IS COMING, ---
12. Ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
13. The very foundations of truth the world system has functioned on is
being destroyed.
14. Militant radicals are razing all systems that we have known.
15. There is a call from the Bible that says... LIFT UP YOUR HEAD, REDEMPTION
DRAWS NIGH...
Sure, I know these words will be mocked and ridiculed, I still have my right to speak...
Will we be fiddling while Rome burns?
IV. HOW CAN WE AS A SOCIETY GRADUALLY DRIFT INTO UN-CHARTED WATERS
OF THE LAST DAYS AND NOT SEE THE PARADIGM SHIFT AND THE UNDERMINING
OF THE FOUNDATION OF GOD'S CHURCH?
I include this brief history of NERO for the better understanding of
teaching this lesson.
For times sake, only a highlight
Source: WIKIPEDIA
Nero (/ˈnɪəroʊ/; Latin: Nerô Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus;
[1] 15 December 37 – 9 June 68)[2] was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and
the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
Nero was adopted by his grand-uncle Claudius to become his heir and
successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death.
Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade and enhancing the
cultural life of the Empire.
He ordered theatres built and promoted athletic games. During his reign,
the redoubtable general Corbulo conducted a successful war and negotiated peace with
the Parthian Empire.
His general Suetonius Paulinus crushed a revolt in Britain. Nero annexed
the Bosporan Kingdom to
the Empire and began the First Roman–Jewish War.
He was rumored Nero hated Jews and Christians.
History records NERO was to have had captured Christians dipped in oil and
set on fire in his garden at night as a source of light.
In 64 AD, most of Rome was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome, which many
Romans believed Nero himself had started in order to clear land for his planned palatial
complex, the Domus Aurea.
In 68, the rebellion of Vindex in Gaul and later the acclamation of Galba in Hispania drove
Nero from the throne.
Facing a false report of being denounced as a public enemy who was to be
executed, he committed suicide on 9 June 68 (the first Roman emperor to do so).
His death ended the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, sparking a brief period of civil wars known
as the Year of the Four Emperors.
Nero's rule is often associated with tyranny and extravagance.
He is known for many executions, including that of his mother, and
the probable murder by poison of his stepbrother Britannicus.
Source: WIKIPEDIA
COME LET US UNDERSTAND THE PHRASE WE HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR:
He is BEST known as the Emperor who "fiddled while Rome burned".
1. To do nothing or something trivial while knowing that something
disastrous is happening.
2. Occupy oneself with unimportant matters and neglect important ones
during a crisis.
3. To spend time enjoying yourself or doing things that are not important
when you should be dealing
with a serious problem...
4. To under-estimate the reality of the situation by developing a VALUE
SYSTEM and a PRIORITY ORDER that puts heavier weight to pleasure,
entertainment, happiness than to SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF MORAL
ISSUES and ETERNAL VALUES.
V. WE NEED A RETURNING TO GOD --- REVIVAL --- THE CHURCH AFLAME...
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay.
SHIFT:
TO REPLACE, Change, to change positions, to change places,
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
VI. HEZEKIAH LEARNED THAT THE RED FLAGS WERE DANGEROUS...
IT IS BETTER TO HEAR THE LESSON AND CHANGE THE ATTITUDES, WORDS, AND
ACTIONS...
Isaiah 38:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the
prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD,
Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before
thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good
in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy
father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto
thy days fifteen years.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of
Assyria: and I will defend this city.
CONCLUSION:
There is a difference in WHITE WASH AND WASH WHITE.
While a college student we had this absolute genius student. He had a
problem, he would never take a shower or change his clothes. He had several
large bottles of OLD SPICE. He would splash some over
his clothes and rush to the next class. He sat in the front to learn, we
sat in the back to avoid the smell.
So many today know how to cover-up stink with another stink?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
