While we make the journey from 2020 to 2021, I’m getting incoming (verbal mortar rounds) that bombards my temperament, which, according to my late friend Tim LaHaye, must be “Spirit-controlled.” That was the book he wrote –The Spirit Controlled Temperament—that, Dr. LaHaye once told me over lunch, really set his influence in ministry on the pathway the Lord wanted for him.
It’s a real test, and I depend on the Lord completely to keep my temperament at a level it’s supposed to be. Otherwise, I would lose it while I’m confronted with things attributed to our God from self-authoritative voices and word processors that grate on my spiritual senses.
Now, I must say that much of the grating comes from my own, admittedly, sometimes intransigence—i.e., I’ve been told by some closest to me that I’m hard-headed once my thoughts are set. It is with full admission of that human frailty that I approach this commentary.
A number of emailers have in recent days sent messages that, to me, come just short of saying God is wrong in His dealings with the election, America, and, in effect, with His people.
Others, whose articles I’ve read, proclaim, as if the writers were personally briefed by the Lord, that God has determined to judge America and dismantle the nation. And, one such writer says, 2 Chronicles 7:14 is for Israel only, not for Christians of today. God has only made covenant with one people, and that is the nation Israel, not with America or any other people.
I agree that the Lord has made a covenant only with one nation, but I disagree vehemently that He has made covenant with only one people.
—Well, maybe I shouldn’t say “vehemently,” as that doesn’t sound “Spirit-controlled.” But I do disagree strongly. The Lord of Heaven has most certainly made a covenant with Christians, and we are people called by His Name. The prayer of 2 Chronicles 7: 14 is for people called by His name. I am one of those, and He hears and acts upon those prayers.
His answers aren’t always what I think is best. As a matter of fact, His answers are, more often than not, different than those my hard-headed ways would have it. But His answers are ALWAYS the very best.
And this brings me to perhaps the central point of the commentary.
Emailers, as I’ve mentioned, have sent numerous messages saying similar things. They express—usually skirting coming right out and saying God is wrong—that they wonder why the Lord has now decided to abandon America and us (His Christian people) by allowing the election to go in a different direction than the emailers believe to be right.
These aren’t rebellious children of God, I realize, once my temperament is controlled. They’re genuinely worried and want to vent their frustration. We all feel that way about the events of the last months and years, regarding the American governmental, societal, and cultural turbulence.
So, I will use a Christian brother’s email to illustrate how it bothers me when people imply that they know God’s intentions and disagree with those intentions.
Why did the Father allow this combination of human and demonic wickedness to steal this election? He has not allowed it before in my understanding of our history. He has allowed man to exercise his free will in our elections, and man has made the wrong choice most of the time in recent decades.
He allowed it to go beyond just man exercising his free will this time. Why did He do so?
He intervened miraculously in 2016 to put Donald Trump in power. I thought He would do so again this time if necessary. But He chose not to. I don’t understand why He would not give Donald and Mike another four years, barring the Rapture event, to continue being His positive instrument for righteousness and good, and for our very supportive relations with Israel.
I believe the country has been on a stay of execution from the Father since the 1960s. So He has been patient with our wickedness for a long time. I don’t understand why another brief four years of patience was not possible.
Again, this brother, I believe, is simply expressing his frustration, and I mean no severe criticism by using this excerpt as illustration of my own frustration with people who seem to think they know God’s intention. Those who do that bother me considerably. We, as His creatures—His creation—should, as people indwelt by the Holy Spirit, seek to, as Tim LaHaye wrote, have our temperaments controlled by Heaven’s governance. This includes seeking not only to refrain from anger without just cause, but to be dedicated to realizing that God is in complete control at all times.
We can’t fully know His intention. We can understand what the ultimate outcome will be, because He has told us through His prophets in His Word. But the steps He will take to arrive at the destiny He has determined is within the purview of His omniscience exclusively.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9)
Let us trust Him in these troubling yet exciting times. I say “exciting,” because He must even now be preparing our heavenly dwelling places He has promised to take us home to in the Rapture.
Terry James Prophecy Line 
Amen, trust in God and the election is still being contested and until the swearing in occurs we do not know who will be President. Pray truth will be made known to His children and that whatever deceptions we are under will also be made known.
The people who are whingeing to you Terry ought to have a taste of the filth and profanities which have been directed at me over the last ten years or so as I seek to speak about Jesus (when appropriate), on a daily basis, usually in the comments section below articles in the UK broadsheet The Times. I know, in one way, it is not personal that they are really attacking the One I love most in all the world but there are times when I am reduced to tears at their horrifically vengeful anger.
It seems to me one of the problems the people who email you have is they think they know better than God which, alas, reveals to us, how incredibly ignorant they are – as we all are – because it is impossible for us to even begin to know God, even after a lifetime of studying His Word, let alone know better than Him. Were they to work a lot harder on their relationship with Him instead of complaining to you then perhaps they might reach that point where, like Mary when she was informed she was to have a child, they are able to submit to God’s will even if they do not understand it, or agree with it.
Let us pray these whingers come to that place in their walk with the Lord when they will know in their hearts that God IS in control, He KNOWS what He is doing and He WILL STAY TRUE to all the promises He has given us. Not least the one in John 14:1-4!
AMEN
Amen,Terry!!
I believe God has His purpose in allowing what is happening during this time to expose the corruption that we are seeing in the highest levels of those who have been elected to positions of power & influence in America.
We read Isiah 46: 9-11. This literally means precisely what our Heavenly Father has stated “for the record”…… God’s ultimate plan and purpose will be accomplished as He promises. Not one single prophecy will fail or be delayed.
How naïve and foolish for us to believe God needs our expert council to govern HIS creation. Your article is spot-on, Terry. Paul warned in both letters to Timothy that the dark, malignant malfeasance would intensify just before His Bride is taken from the earth.
Who would be so foolish to ‘instruct’ a highly trained surgeon on how to perform a liver transplant on themselves……???? Exactly!
Amen Terry and Kathy.
Could the Lord be getting the Egypt out of us ? I hang my hat on Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He WILL direct your path”
Human beings started second-guessing God in the Garden of Eden.
That sure turned out great, didn’t it?
As for a covenant beyond that given to Israel, how about this one?
Romans {10:9} 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.
Any questions?
Interesting philosophy on the letters to the churches Jesus wrote but, correct me if I am wrong, I do believe Jesus was writing to church gatherings which were gathering in His name not the name of another.
Amen.
I believe that those being addressed in Revelation were actual Christian churches which existed in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) at the time of its writing.
Many prophecy scholars also believe they represent the evolution of the church from that time up to the present. Here is one possible interpretation along those lines, though I am sure there are others, along with the years the types they represented:
1) Ephesus 30-100 apostolic
This was the church started by the apostles after the
imparting of the Holy Spirit. See the Book of Acts.
Commended for patience and rejecting false apostles
Admonished for flagging zeal. (Rev. 2:1-7)
2) Smyrna 100-313 persecuted
Here we have persecution under the Roman Empire.
Commended for their endurance under persecution.
(Rev. 2:8-11)
3) Pergamos 313-590 state
Christianity becomes the state religion under Constantine
the Great. It evolves into the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Commended for holding onto the faith despite material poverty
and rejection. Admonished for somehow causing the Jews to
practice idolatry and immorality. (Rev. 2:17)
4) Thyatira 590-Present papal
Here is the age of Roman Catholicism.
5) Sardis 1517-Present reformed
The Protestant churches are born. Martin Luther,
Henry the 8th are two of the reformers.
6) Philadelphia 1730-Present missionary
Expansion first into the New World. Still at work today,
perhaps playing a major role in Jesus’ prophecy in
Matt. 24:14 the gospel being preached throughout the
entire world.
7) Laodicea 1900-Present apostate
Wealthy, but arrogant. Inclined to discount Bible for man-made
doctrine. Below are two examples with these serious
problems:
A) Roman Catholicism
B) Many of the Protestant denominations in North America and
Europe.
*Note: Only the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia receive no reprimand from Jesus.*
The evidence that the last four would still exist in the “latter times” is found in the way he concludes his messages those, which are quite different that the first three.
Another possibility is that these represent qualities found across the whole spectrum of churches across the ages, right up until the present, and there maybe some validity to that idea as well.
I’m certainly no expert and hope others out there will offer up their own ideas about this.
I have to take issue with you with reference to Henry VIII. I am English and so learned a great deal about this man at school. The only reason he decided to create the Church of England was because the Pope would not permit him to marry his older brother’s, Arthur, widow, Catherine of Aragon. There was absolutely nothing whatsoever in the way of any kind of spiritual reformation. Hence why when you attend what is known as the Anglican ‘High’ church these days there is very little difference between its way of doing things and the Church of Rome’s way of doing things. Reformation, spiritually, was the last thing on King Henry’s mind! He was a lot keener in bedding his brothere’s widow and getting her with child.
By the way I would like to remind you, and all American Christians, that England was sending out missionaries throughout the world long before the Mayflower set sail, and even then, we sent out far more missionaries for many years. America only overtook us in numbers because you are somewhat larger than England.
By the way I do not live in the UK now, I, too, am a missionary!
Otherwise I am in agreement with you and I have to admit I have never, ever, heard anybody suggest to me, be they bible teacher with many theological degrees or not, that the seven churches in the beginning of the Book of Revelation represented various religions! That I find extremely difficult to believe as I do not think for one minute Jesus would even begin to consider anything other than the religion He was brought up in and the ‘mystery’ – which was the church – to come.
I praise God that He has a plan. Of course man’s has certainly worked out so well – not!
Thank you, Terry, for again, a calm level headed article.
Dear Terry- I too get frustrated with people’s attitudes. I appreciate the thought and prayer you give to your Prophecys. I am finding that people
are under strong delusion over Covid from China- and over the elections.
It makes me sad that people do not know the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights nor the Amendments. Therefore we are where we are in our wonderful country. I believe that our President was put there by God, and I believe he will get another 4 years- tho not without
a bunch of ‘flack’ to put it mildly.
You are right on regarding your Words from the Lord. I believe the Lord is going to rapture us soon.
Keep looking up, and keep telling the TRUTH.
Sincerely, One of the Lord’s Warriors and a Patriot
Terrie O’Neal
It is true, Julia, that Henry VIII had his own selfish motivations for splitting from Rome and was certainly anything but a godly man, He was, however, a part of the story of Protestantism as was Martin Luther, who was certainly anti-Semitic.
You are also right that the Anglican church continued some of the doctrinal errors of Catholicism such as priestly absolution (God only has the authority to forgive sins and so does Jesus as part of the Trinity), requiring works (other than belief in Jesus) to be saved, celebration of Communion by a priest or bishop only (Since Jesus’ mandate to remember his sacrifice in perpetuity until he returns was given to his disciples – all lay-people – I believe this principle is just as valid today), etc.
Thanks, always, for your great comments!
God bless,
Ed W.
I love all your articles Mr. James! Your method of writing helps me have hope in the righteous ways of heaven above. Hope to meet you one day on the other side! Maranatha!
Dear Brother. Sounds like you could use a word of encouragement, so here goes. I just turned 87 and look back on some horrific changes. One unchangeability iw the word of God. I was blessed to be raised by Christian parents that were totally devoted to serving Jesus Chriat and adhering to His word. I was taught from babyhood about the rebirth of Israel, the rapture of the Church and the importance to “live looking” for the return of Christ. Saved when I was 9 it has been my habit to read through the bible every year. For the last two or three years I have been increasingly impressed by the warnings of the prophets. It is significant that in Ezekiel, over 40 times the expression occurs; “then they will know that I am God.” The warnings of the prophets cover exactly the same sins glorified and legalized in our society so how can we not expect a Holy God to move against this nation. I read everything I can from you and pray that you won’t get tired of the fight. You probably will get tired IN the fight, but underneath are the everlasting arms. God bless you my brother. James Johnson johnfot77@gmail.com
On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 4:52 AM Terry James Prophecy Line wrote:
> Terry James posted: “While we make the journey from 2020 to 2021, I’m > getting incoming (verbal mortar rounds) that bombards my temperament, > which, according to my late friend Tim LaHaye, must be > “Spirit-controlled.” That was the book he wrote –The Spirit Controlled > Temperamen” >
Dear James thank you so much for that, God has called me (as I am so ancient and not able to do much) to respond to comments posted in the UK broadsheet The Times and, wherever possible to speak about Jesus, to gossip the gospel if you will. You would not believe the 99.9% of filthy responses I receive in turn and there are days when it is hard to bear. I have to keep reminding myself it is not me they are attacking, even if they believe it is, it is the enemy of our souls using them to bring me down. Up to now, although there have been very occasional days when I have been in tears, he has not succeeded nor will he succeed. I came to faith at the age of 32 and so, as a result, our children very quickly became disciples too – they are now 49 and 36 years old and have never strayed. Again thank you for remind me that even underneath me are the everlasting arms.
Mr. Terry James, your Articles have encouraged me for years. Your methods of writing are so exceptional and spot on!!! May God keep you strong, protected, provided for; and illuminated and guided; in all your ways, Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year!