It's Over

[Sue J Love]

Sunday, June 7, 2015, 7:18 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “The Party’s Over,” which is from the musical production, “Bells Are Ringing.”

The Party’s Over
Betty Comden & Adolph Green / Jule Styne
Artist: Judy Holliday

The party's over, it's time to call it a day
No matter how you pretend
You knew it would end this way
It's time to wind up the masquerade
Just make your mind up
The piper must be paid…

THE PARTY'S OVER - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground

Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Ephesians 1:1-14 (NASB).

Predestination and Free Will (vv. 1-8)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. ​

Because I am a human being, I have a finite (limited) mind. I think in terms of beginning and end. So, when I think of God as having always existed, although I accept that by faith, it is difficult, at times, for me to “wrap my mind” around that concept. Yet, in reality, God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – has always existed. He (they) created the world, and they (he) created humankind. Jesus Christ, God the Son, when on the earth, in human flesh, was fully God and yet fully man. He was God incarnate, and yet sinless, which is why he was able to be our perfect (spotless) Lamb sacrifice to take away the sins of the entire world.

Another difficult concept for some of us, as humans, is this idea of predestination, especially in light of scriptures which seem to suggest we have free will to receive Christ or to not receive him; to turn from our sin or to not turn from our sin. Many Christians are conflicted between the teachings in scripture on predestination and what appears to be free will. I admit that I do not have total understanding on either of those subjects, but I accept both, by faith, and believe that they coexist, and that they harmonize one with the other.

I believe that God chose us in Christ, even before he created the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight and to be adopted as his sons and daughters. And, I believe the chosen of God in Christ will come to Christ, if they have not already done so (See: Jn. 6:37). Yet, I also believe the scripture that says that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (See: 2 Pet. 3:9), and the one where it says Jesus died, not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world (See: 1 Jn. 2:2), and the one that says that God so loves the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever is believing in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life (See: Jn. 3:16).

Yet, I don’t believe God would have me try to resolve predestination and free will right now. What I believe he would have me focus on in this passage today is what we were chosen to and for, and how that ultimately affects our future.

To and For

He chose us to be holy. “Holy” means to be set apart (different) from the world because we are becoming like Christ. He chose us to be blameless in his sight. When Jesus Christ died on the cross he took upon himself the sins of the entire world. Our sins died with him and were buried with him, and when he was resurrected from the dead, he rose victorious over sin, hell, Satan and death. By his stripes we are healed. When we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we die with Christ to sin, and we are resurrected to new lives in Christ Jesus, by God’s grace, through faith, in order that we might live to righteousness. All this is the working of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives, as we submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ in repentance and faith. By faith in Jesus Christ we are made righteous in God’s sight, because Christ’s righteousness is credited to our accounts. Yet, faith in Jesus Christ also means we walk in Christ’s righteousness and holiness, empowered by the Spirit.

He predestined us to be adopted as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the pleasure of his will – to the praise of his glorious grace. So, what is the pleasure of his will? It is that we be adopted, yet it doesn’t end there. We are not saved (past), and then life goes by, and then we go to heaven (future). There is an in-between. He didn’t save us just so we could escape hell and go to heaven when we die. He saved us so we would die to sin and live to righteousness (See: 1 Pet. 2:24). It is his will that we no longer walk according to the flesh, but that we walk according to the Spirit. These are those in whom the righteous requirements of the law will be fully met (See: Ro. 8:3-14).

It is his will that we walk in his love, and in his truth, and that we abide in him, and his words abide in us. It is his will that we follow (obey) him, and that we be his servants and witnesses. And, all this and more is for the praise of his glorious grace, because his grace which brings salvation teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to life self-controlled, godly and upright lives while we wait for Christ’s return. This is true grace!

The Party’s Over (vv. 9-10)

In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. ​

I read several different plot summaries for the musical production, “Bells are Ringing.” They varied, one from the other, so I will share generally what I picked up from them collectively.

The lead role in the play (1956) was that of a woman named Ella who worked for Sue’s answering service, and as a switchboard operator. As best as I can surmise, Ella used her position in this company to listen in on her client’s phone conversations – to spy on them - in order to gather information about them, which she then used to meet them in person, but without revealing to them who she really was. As well, on the job she used fake identities with each of these people (clients), pretending to be someone different with each one. So, she was living a lie.

One of the clients was a man named Jeff. She fell in love with Jeff, and he with her. He invited her to a party. The people at the party were all pretentious and snubbed her, evidently, and she felt out of place. She realized her relationship with Jeff was founded on a lie, and so she left him. I believe that is when she sang the song, “The Party’s Over,” which is about stopping the masquerade, realizing she knew it would end this way, and that there would be consequences to pay for her deceit.

This reminds me much of all that is going on within our nation and with our government (nationally and globally) in the area of spying on the citizens of nations without them knowing, by listening in on their phone conversations, and reading their emails, text messages, social media or other chat messages in order to collect data on them which is to be used to classify people in various groups, particularly for the purpose of determining which ones they consider a threat to national security, or who might be anti-government, or who might be a religious “extremist,” etc.

Yet, it also reminds me of what I have read about the government engaging citizens to spy on their neighbors and to report things about them back to the government. One day all this information is going to be used against the people in this nation, and truly the party will be over then. What has been hidden behind closed doors will come out in the open. And, all hell will literally break loose. Yet, I also see that these who are the targets of the spying will not be the only ones to have their private lives on display for all to see. I also see that those who are doing these acts will also have to “pay the piper,” i.e. there will be consequences for their actions, too. One day all the lies will be exposed, and the party will be over.

One day, when the times will have reached their fulfillment, God is going to do some housecleaning, and he will put all things back in the order they were supposed to be. The church will not be excluded from this. He will cleanse his body of all its impurities, and he will revive his adulterous church, and he will expose all the lies and all the liars for what they are, and the church will no longer serve man as her head, or the government as her head, but she will truly serve only Jesus Christ as her only true head. When this happens, the party will truly be over. No more fun and games and role playing and pretending and wearing masks and spying and cheating and stealing. All will come crashing down. And there will be consequences to pay. And, then, life as we now know it will be over.

God made his will known to us, with a view in mind of this time at the end when he will judge the world, and “every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God” (Ro. 14:11; cf. Phil. 2:10-11). His will for us, his chosen, is for us to be holy and blameless in his sight, to be adopted as his children, in accordance (agreement; harmony) with his pleasure (what brings him pleasure) and will – to the praise of his glorious grace. It is his will that we be for the praise of his glory (v. 12). So, he works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (v. 11). So, God will do what is necessary to bring us, his chosen, into conformity to his will and to his purposes for our lives. And, I believe he will do it in judgment before the end in order to purify his bride so she is ready to meet her husband. And, what he is showing me today, I believe, is one of the ways in which he will purify her. He will allow spies to be used against her, and she will be severely persecuted, and via that persecution he will make his bride ready for the wedding banquet.

Much of the church in America has been living like church is a party where we are supposed to have fun and be entertained, etc. I believe the Lord is saying one day the party will be over, and all the masquerades will cease, and there will be consequences to be paid, but through it all God will accomplish his purposes and his will for his chosen ones who have been marked in Christ with a seal, “the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory” (vv. 13-14).

 

[lawrenceb]

The Party's Over

Indeed. What's left to discuss, other than to commiserate about the pickle we're in? Well, yes, there is hope -- IF we REPENT, God will restore, and he will heal our land. That’s all it would take. Let’s say, the people at USA Inc. take one day off, just one day, from the president all the way down to the street sweeper, we all agree to take just one day off and repent. How likely do you think that is gonna happen? Well, then, you’d better prepare for the coming persecution, because, as evinced in the OP, it is even at the door.

Make no mistake, God’s judgment is about to fall on the children of disobedience. Do not be found among them.

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.

 

[Sue J Love]

Indeed. What's left to discuss, other than to commiserate about the pickle we're in? Well, yes, there is hope -- IF we REPENT, God will restore, and he will heal our land. That’s all it would take. Let’s say, the people at USA Inc. take one day off, just one day, from the president all the way down to the street sweeper, we all agree to take just one day off and repent. How likely do you think that is gonna happen? Well, then, you’d better prepare for the coming persecution, because, as evinced in the OP, it is even at the door.

Make no mistake, God’s judgment is about to fall on the children of disobedience. Do not be found among them.

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.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject. This was a teaching on this particular passage of scripture which was to teach what God chose us to and for and how that plays out in the future. In other words, God made known to us all these things, i.e. his will and purposes for the lives of his chosen ones with a view to the future when times will have reached their fulfillment when God will clean house and will bring all things back into the proper order.

This is not to say that his adulterous church cannot be revived outside of his hand of divine discipline upon her, but it is to let her know that God's will and purposes will not be thwarted. If we do not willing humble ourselves before God, he will humble us before him, because it is his divine will and purpose that we live holy lives pleasing to him.

The church here in America is already under divine discipline, though, just many don't realize it yet. The Alliance of Civilzations has already declared its intent to use information gathered on people for the purpose to weed out those who are anti-government or those who are "religious extremists," and this is already going on inside America. Just look at recent news stories. Christians are already on the chopping block, i.e. those who still hold to the teachings of the apostles and of Christ and who will not bow to compromise with regard to the Word of Truth. "Religious extremists" include evangelical Christians who still hold to the foundations of the Christian faith. We are definitely being targeted and are being made out to be bigotted, hate-mongers, disunifiers, intolerant, judgmental, mean-spirited people who need to be silenced. This has been going on within the institutional church for maybe 20 years or more. David Cameron's "Queen's Speech" was an eye-opener along these lines. The UK is already severely clamping down. As well, read some of the new rules and regulations for websites, email programs, apps, etc. and see how many of them are now beginning to clamp down on "hate speech," which could include teachings about judgment, sin, salvation, repentance, etc. as well as it could be exposing false teachers and a lying government which is not our friend, etc. This is already here. Social media sites are going to be one of the biggest places where this will be implemented first, I believe.

The Alliance of Civilizations has their goals set that over the next five years (depending upon when they wrote those goals) that they are going to do away with "extremism" and they are going to cultivate harmony and cooperation among people of all religious faiths, cultures, etc. This is about the book of Revelation and the prophecies of scripture regarding the last days coming to fruition. This is about the beast bringing all people's under one head, but not Christ, and about bringing about some type of unification of all faiths so that there can be "peace," but it is a false peace, for truly it is war. Yet, God has the final word, and his will and purposes will not be thwarted. He will bring all things back into proper order, under one head, and that is Christ.

This is from today: That You May Know

 

[Sue J Love]

Indeed. What's left to discuss, other than to commiserate about the pickle we're in? Well, yes, there is hope -- IF we REPENT, God will restore, and he will heal our land. That’s all it would take. Let’s say, the people at USA Inc. take one day off, just one day, from the president all the way down to the street sweeper, we all agree to take just one day off and repent. How likely do you think that is gonna happen? Well, then, you’d better prepare for the coming persecution, because, as evinced in the OP, it is even at the door.

Make no mistake, God’s judgment is about to fall on the children of disobedience. Do not be found among them.

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.

As a follow-up to my previous response, and on the subject of "religious extremism" the Lord Jesus gave me this writing in 2013, which referenced Obama's Cairo speech of 2009, which was very telling with regard to the direction this nation and this world was headed. Run With It: Religious Extremists

 

[lawrenceb]

...God will clean house and will bring all things back into the proper order.

Indeed, but not for the sake of the unbeliever, not for the sake of the lukewarm, not for the sake of those of the world, not for the sake of those who look to the godless State rather than to Christ.

When we choose to submit to ungodly authority, everyone's sacred cow gets gored sooner or later by the Truth. Rather, God allows ungodly authority to exist as his rod of correction. God uses man's law to chasten his people. God uses heathens to chasten his people.

Psalms 125:3, "For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity."

Psalms 106:39-48, "Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a ******* [Note how we're prevented from posting the "politically incorrect" word of scripture here] with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD."

Ezekiel 31:11, "I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness."

Ezekiel 39:27-28, "When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen..."

So, even though you may be righteous and you're following his ways, as soon as you put your hands into iniquity, "the rod of the wicked" (that's his rod) will be there to drive you back to him.

2 Samuel 7:14, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men:"

Even though we're his son, if we walk away from his Law, he will use "the rod of men" to chasten us and drive us back to him. Gentile and Pagan armies may be God's armies. For example, the Chaldeans who destroyed Zion are called "his army" (Joel 2:11); the Assyrians are called "the rod of mine anger" (Isaiah 10:5); and the Medes under Cyrus are termed God's "sanctified ones" and "mighty ones" for his anger (Isaiah 13:3, 17). Likewise, Jacob (i.e. the nation of Israel) is the Lord's "battle ax" and "weapons of war" that he uses to chastise other nations (Jeremiah 51:20).

Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

It is foolish to partake of the ways of the world, and "the rod of correction" will drive that from us. What's interesting is that scripture shows us how God will use the ungodly as a rod of correction, but the natural man doesn't realize that they're there for his purpose. Isaiah 10:5-15 shows that even though God will use the king of Assyria to drive his people back to him, the king doesn't know it. He boasts about how powerful he is and attributes everything to himself, but he's actually God's rod of correction, just like all governments are.

...If we do not willing humble ourselves before God, he will humble us before him, because it is his divine will and purpose that we live holy lives pleasing to him.

The church here in America is already under divine discipline, though, just many don't realize it yet.

And that discipline, for many, will come in the form of death.

...Social media sites are going to be one of the biggest places where this will be implemented first, I believe.

Of course, as we are social creatures, even as we pine for the worldly sensual forms of godliness.

...Yet, God has the final word, and his will and purposes will not be thwarted. He will bring all things back into proper order, under one head, and that is Christ.

Yes, while tragically, many who thought they were included will find themselves thrust out, excluded.

Jeremiah 5:3, "O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return."

So, we see his rod of correction is to return us to him. And we also see from this passage that there are many who will not be driven back to him by it. But don't despise his chastening.

Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

It is important to understand that the purpose of God allowing "Caesar" (i.e. ungodly government) to be in power is to test and prove his children, to see if they will keep the Laws of God or the laws of the heathen (Judges 2:21; 3:4).

Whether today's persecutions, wars and pestilences are real or only rumours, is irrelevant. What's important is one's response to that perceived threat.

Choose wisely.

 

[Sue J Love]

Indeed, but not for the sake of the unbeliever, not for the sake of the lukewarm, not for the sake of those of the world, not for the sake of those who look to the godless State rather than to Christ.

When we choose to submit to ungodly authority, everyone's sacred cow gets gored sooner or later by the Truth. Rather, God allows ungodly authority to exist as his rod of correction. God uses man's law to chasten his people. God uses heathens to chasten his people.

Psalms 125:3, "For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity."

Psalms 106:39-48, "Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a ******* [Note how we're prevented from posting the "politically incorrect" word of scripture here] with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD."

Ezekiel 31:11, "I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness."

Ezekiel 39:27-28, "When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen..."

So, even though you may be righteous and you're following his ways, as soon as you put your hands into iniquity, "the rod of the wicked" (that's his rod) will be there to drive you back to him.

2 Samuel 7:14, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men:"

Even though we're his son, if we walk away from his Law, he will use "the rod of men" to chasten us and drive us back to him. Gentile and Pagan armies may be God's armies. For example, the Chaldeans who destroyed Zion are called "his army" (Joel 2:11); the Assyrians are called "the rod of mine anger" (Isaiah 10:5); and the Medes under Cyrus are termed God's "sanctified ones" and "mighty ones" for his anger (Isaiah 13:3, 17). Likewise, Jacob (i.e. the nation of Israel) is the Lord's "battle ax" and "weapons of war" that he uses to chastise other nations (Jeremiah 51:20).

Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

It is foolish to partake of the ways of the world, and "the rod of correction" will drive that from us. What's interesting is that scripture shows us how God will use the ungodly as a rod of correction, but the natural man doesn't realize that they're there for his purpose. Isaiah 10:5-15 shows that even though God will use the king of Assyria to drive his people back to him, the king doesn't know it. He boasts about how powerful he is and attributes everything to himself, but he's actually God's rod of correction, just like all governments are.


And that discipline, for many, will come in the form of death.


Of course, as we are social creatures, even as we pine for the worldly sensual forms of godliness.


Yes, while tragically, many who thought they were included will find themselves thrust out, excluded.

Jeremiah 5:3, "O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return."

So, we see his rod of correction is to return us to him. And we also see from this passage that there are many who will not be driven back to him by it. But don't despise his chastening.

Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

It is important to understand that the purpose of God allowing "Caesar" (i.e. ungodly government) to be in power is to test and prove his children, to see if they will keep the Laws of God or the laws of the heathen (Judges 2:21; 3:4).

Whether today's persecutions, wars and pestilences are real or only rumours, is irrelevant. What's important is one's response to that perceived threat.

Choose wisely.

Thank you. I appreciate you sharing those thoughts.