1954 March.pdf - God's Generals

HREE NEWS ITEMS at the start ofTtliis year seem significant.WASHINGTON, Jan. 3: “The real big1954 inside news is that if the Red Russianarmy begins marching it is doubtedthat it could get beyond the Rhine. WhileSoviet forces could have gone to the EnglishChannel within 30 days a few yearsago, top military sources now believe theycan be stopped at the Rhine, even ifFrance fails to live up to her North AtlanticTreaty Organization commitments.”BERLIN, Jan. 8: “East Germany’s topmilitary commentator made the bristlingboast that the Russians and their Communistallies could quickly overrun Europe,at least to the Rhine, in case ofwar. Soviet tanks would reach the Rhinewithin seven days, and planes would flyover that territory in 15 minutes, he said.”CAIRO, Jan.9: “It is a profoundlysobering thought to realize that . . . todaythe spearhead of Russia’s Red armystands within 100 miles of the Rhine.”Once again it seems attention is beingfocused on the Rhine river. Bible scholarsbelieve the prophecies in’Ezekie1 38, Daniel7, Revelation 13 indicate the Rhineriver will be the line of demarcation betweenthe control of the forces under Russiandomination, and the forces of anti-Christ. Inasmuch as the Rhine was animportant boundary of the old Romanempire it is destined to play a very importantpart in the fulfillment of “end-time” prophecies.* e * *MARRIAGE ANI) DIVORCENew marriages in Los Angeles Countyduring 1953 held a slight lead over brokenhomes, according to figures released bycounty officials. During the year, 31,980marriage licenses were issued. Suits fordivorce, separate maintenance and annulmentadded up to 29,974 for 1953. Therewere nearly as many separations as marriages.This may not be indicative of thetrend across the nation but it surelyshows how the moral foundations of thiscountry are being undermined and brokendown. I believe it is a clear sign of thelast days, and the conditions prophesiedin the 3rd chapter of I1 Timothy.* + * *PLAGUE OF LOCUSTSThe fertile Nile Valley was menacedby the worst locust invasion within livingmemory. Billions of voracious redlocusts penetrated into Egypt’s barrenSinai Peninsula in December. Observersthere reported one swarm was 10 mileslong and two miles broad.Seven mobile extermination teams wererushed to the danger area. But the locustsare said to have kept on the move, thusescaping the full effect of insecticidesprays and poisoned bait. Fresh swarmswere driven into the Sinai Peninsula byheavy rains and high winds in Jordan22and the Arabian Peninsula-theirusualbreeding ground. “Plague and pestilence”are indicated as signs of the last days(Matthew 24:7). * * * *nmw YEAR CELEBRATIONFrom Moscow to Manhattan, NewYear’s Eve was the wettest in history.Champagne sales in the Soviet capitoltripled over a year ago. In New York3.485 permits were issued for all-nightdrinking - the largest number ever bestowedon taverns and hotels. The Lordcompares the days of Noah and the daysof Lot with His own second coming (Luke17). The thought behind this comparisonis that :he attitude of people will be“business as usual, on with the danceeatingand drinking” until the very momentwhen the trumpet shall sound. Multitudestoday, in the midst of uncertaintyand “perilous times,” are taking the attitudeof pursuing pleasure rather thanGod. It is a sign of the end-time.* * * *WORLD STRIKE PLANCornmimist - dominated 1 a b o r unionsthroughout the world, acting on directKremlin order, are committed to disruptingthe economy of non-Communist nationsby strikes, sabotage of productionat the source.The Senate immigration sub-committee,the House un-American Activities Committeeand the House comm‘ittce on educationand labor, had a detailed reportof these plans from the minutes of theWorld Federation of Trade Unions, recentlyheld in Vienna.N. M. Shvernik, member of the CommunistParty central committee of Russia,headed the Soviet delegation to theVienna conference, which was attended by754 delegates from 74 countries, and gavethe directives from Moscow. This seemsto indicate the concentrated fulfillmentof the prophecies found. in James 5:4.There is to be increasing trouble betweenemployer and employees in the last days.* * * *IWENTAL PLLNESS“Fiftyone per cent of the 1,400,000 hospitalbeds in the United States are occupiedby mentally ill patients, and the situationis going to get worse,” said Dr.William C. Menninger, genefal secretaryof the Menninger Foundation, Topeka,Kansas, an internationally famous psychiatrist,during a recent interview inLos Angeles. One of the greatest causesfor the alarming increase in mental illnessis believed to be the increasing tensionsof life brought on by the uncertaintyof the future. In Luke 21:26 Jesus speaksplainly of “fear” gripping the hearts ofmen in the last days as they “look O;those things which are coming to pass.WE CAN REALLY DO THINGS!(Continued from Page 201The controversy between God and Mosesis still going on today. God said to Moses,“Come now therefore, and I will sendthee unto Pharaoh, that THOU mayestbring forth my people the Children ofIsrael out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:lO). ButMoses replied, just exactly like we replytoday, “Who am I, that I should go untoPlmraoh,, and tlmt shoirld bring forththe Children of Isr f el out of Egypt?”(Exodus 3:ll).Moses, like the rest of us, was slow tolearn this lesson for, in another placealong the same lines, the Lord had tospeak to him, “Wherefore crkst thou untome? Spealc unto the Children of Isrnelthat they go forward” (Exodus 14:15).Moses was saying, “Lord, you” and theLord was saying, “Moses, you.” We liketo be beggars-we don’t like to be heirs!How clearly the Apostle Paul tries toteach us that “we are no longer servantsbut sons.)’ It is time we gave heed to thesethings and no longer acted like servantsand beggars, but like “sons and joiittheirs.” (Romans 8:14-17).Norman Grubb said that when he wasyounger he didn’t quite agree with Hebrewsll where it says that men didthings “by faith.” He would have- muchpreferred had it been written that it wasthe “power of God” that did things. I-Iedidn’t like the Scripture that said, “Thyfaith hath made thee whole,” and wq$dhave much preferred to have read.Bxthe power of God, you are made whole.But now that he was older he liked itvery much, and could see that we too cando things “by faith” just exactly as theydid things.One man came to the Lord Jesus andsaid, “Lord if Thou canst do anything”trying to put the responsibility on to theLord, but the Lord would not accept Itand straightaway put it back on to him,“If thou canst believe, all things are possible”(Mark 9:22, 23). That is exactlywhat we do today. We say, “Lord, Lord”and the Lord replies, “You, you.” Recentlyin a meeting I was telling the Lord whatwonderful things He could do, when, tomy amazement the Lord began to tell mewhat wonderful things I could do. Surelythat is not egotism and pride, but exactlywhat Hebrews 11 is trying to teach us.Men of God did things in the.Old Testament!Men of God did things In the NewTestament! And men of God can do thingstoday!In fact can we say, “Much more today”for a number of reasons. We are livingin important days! We have more lightthan they and are living in the full blazeof postCalvary revelation by which weare saved, the Apostle Paul tells us inI Corinthians 15:2-4. The Old Testamentsaints didn’t know a thing about it, andyet the Apostle Paul makes it a conditionof salvation. And what is more, disciplesin the days of the Lord, up to IIis cruelfixion.burial and resurrection, knew nothingabut it (Mark 9:31, 32; John 20:9and Luke 24:25-27). If they could and diddo things, God have mercy on us whoknow so much more than they.When I stand before the Judgment Seatof Christ, the charge I am most concernedabout is why I did so little when I knewso much-why I was so impotent when I(Continued on Page 23)THE VOICE OF‘HEALING 0 March, 1954