Honoring the Lord with words, and with a heart far from Him, as today’s culture is taught to fear the Lord according to the teachings of this world.

Isaiah 29:13-14

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men…” Isaiah 29:13

Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” Matthew 15:7-9

To draw near to the Lord by speaking Godly sounding words is far from serving God from the heart in the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. Speaking words without being genuine from the heart amounts to having an appearance of Godliness but not living by faith in Jesus Christ, “…having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!…These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” 2 Timothy 3:5, Jude 1:12-13

The fear of today’s culture for God is taught by the commandments of men. That means God is referred to as the “Universe”, “Mother Nature”, “harmony between the earth and humanity”, etc. That teaching stems from serving the creature instead of the Creator, “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:22-25

“Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees….How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”…Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6, 11, 12

We know them by their fruit, and we can see where the heart of the United Nations is through their “Sustainable Development Goals”. They teach a humanitarian doctrine and that the earth can be controlled by bringing the collective action of the global population into harmony with the environment. They despise belief in God the Creator, reject the need for the Christ, whose name is Jesus, and do not want the Holy Spirit to be part of who they are.

Humanism is the fig leaf the global culture wears as Godly sounding words flow from their mouth. Its the fig leaf worn by those who serve the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. Humanism is “…an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.”

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” 2 Timothy 3:1-9

“Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.” Isaiah 29:14

A marvelous work refers to the Lord God providing a way to defeat those who draw near with their mouths and honor Him with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Him, and their fear toward Him is taught by the commandment of men. That way of destroying the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent is through Jesus Christ. Paul, by the Holy Spirit, quotes that verse of Isaiah, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-19

Our born-again experience is the message of the Cross written on our heart, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The wise and prudent of this world intend to build a global Garden of Eden on this earth, but God is building us by the message of the Cross, through the remission of sin, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life in the New Jerusalem.

The day of the earthly Garden of Eden, built by the wise and prudent of this world, is “A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them…A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness…” Joel 2:2-3

The day of the eternal Garden of Eden, the New Jerusalem, built by the message of the Cross, is a place of “…a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there will be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they will reign forever and ever.” Revelations 22:1-5

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1