Much preparation is required when getting ready for a prophecy conference. This is especially the case for yours truly. A blind guy getting ready to give a Power Point presentation to an audience that is keenly clued in to the topics involved can be a daunting exercise. (Thanks, sweet Dana, for all the work on this. Couldn’t do it without you!)

Memory must be relied upon to know what is on the screen, to keep in line the order of points to be made, and to speak to all of the facts and ideas in between. So it is that while preparing for my speaking session (which, by the time this commentary is posted will already be history), the true importance of what is involved speaks to my spirit. It is a matter that burns into my conscience as one charged with trying to address what the Lord prompts me to present.

Lord willing, I have by the time of this posting, spoken on “Deceivers and the End of Days” at the Prophecy Watchers Conference in Norman, Oklahoma.

The lecture/session is based upon the book of the same name, Deceivers. It revolves around Jesus’ prophecy given on the Mount of Olives as recorded in Matthew 24:3-5. The book is a compilation of chapters written by fourteen of the most well-known writers, broadcasters, and teachers of Bible prophecy from the Pre-Trib view of eschatology. Authors present their analyses of how current issues and events of our time are all setting the stage for fulfillment of Bible prophecy for the very end of the Church Age (Age of Grace).

While working on writing this article and thinking on continuing preparation for the upcoming presentation (from my perspective at that time), I kept being distracted by the desire to watch the punditry about the Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation. I got caught up in this world’s political goings-on. My thoughts ran the gamut from: What does it mean to how the abortion controversy will play out from this point forward? to What does it mean for the upcoming November midterm elections? Does Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation mean that the national electorate will see fit to vote to assure that constitutional principles will prevail over the radical mob mentality that threatens civility? Also, I considered whether the current president and his policies will continue to build a booming economy as is happening presently.

Much of this is what I will be talking about (did talk about, from the point in time this is posted) in that session–i.e., my thought was to dwell on America and all things going on in this country with regard to the end-times Deceivers acting within religion, society / culture, politics /government, and news and entertainment media.

It hit me, then, during that preparation: The religion, societal/cultural, political/governmental, and news/entertainment media things occurring in this nation are insignificant in relation to things going on in the human, spiritual heart at this critical moment. The ultimately important thing is not how all of the prophetic stage-setting is affecting the well-being of each of us and our lives in America. This nation–its governmental/social-cultural/media and religious systems–are all soon doomed to pass away.

My thinking on these things in terms of how Mr. Trump or any other leader or system of leadership might improve–or, for that matter, cause to be deteriorated–life in America is exercise in futility. The all-important thing consider is the human condition, in terms of spiritual exigencies.

We are told in God’s Word to pray for leaders in government so that we might “lead peaceable lives.” But, there is no percentage to be gained by placing faith, or even trust, in government–ever. Government–all of existence under the present world systems and regimes of this age–are passing away. All is “vanity,” as the “preacher” of Ecclesiastes put it.

There are no such worldly entities as a godly or Christian government. The best we can hope for is a reasonable government that adheres to basic, godly principles the Founding Fathers were influenced  by the Holy Spirit to build within our Constitution. It is wholly just and right to fight, politically, for these things at the ballot box and fight, literally, against those who would destroy our nation.

All that said, one thing matters most of all–beyond all else–to each human being alive at present: What is the status of one’s soul? Do you and I know Jesus Christ as the One who was crucified, buried, and resurrected to life those two thousand years ago? As important as it is to love country, family, and all the things that are good that life brings, the status of our souls are what matters.

We must pray and vote to see to it that our liberty is preserved so we may live peaceable lives despite all of the evil percolating all around us. But, embracing Jesus Christ for salvation is the one action we can take to assure life for an eternity of joy and ever-increasing exultation. We will, at that eternal moment, begin to live and love our friends and family who are saved more intimately than can be imagined while in this earthly existence. In Heaven we will praise the Savior who provided, once and for all, payment for the sin that would otherwise separate us from God the Father forever.

Again, the truth of that all-important matter is wrapped up in the following, penned by the Apostle Paul: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).