"Brother Thompson, how come you think you're so smart and know all these things?"

Believe me, I'm not smart and I know nothing at all. I think the Lord showed me in a vision some of the events of Revelation, Chapter Eleven. I am not asking you to believe my vision, however, just believe what the Bible says. Check everything out against the Bible, not against our traditions. I know some of this may be new to you so read the Bible. Be like those in Berea!

The witness of God always is destroyed in Sodom, in Egypt, and in Jerusalemùthe lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. We have a tremendous problem in America with each of these three!

I said some years ago that sin is going to increase in America until it is impossible to resist. We are close to this happening.

One of the great problems is lust. America is filled with lust. Everywhere you turn there is a reference to sexual activity, often perverted in some manner.

In the San Diego area where we live there is not one single edition of the newspaper (including today's edition) that does not refer to several sexual incidents or activities.

In addition, the advertisements in the front section of our daily newspaper border on pornographyùfull page displays of female and sometimes male near-nudity.

(A believer recently sent me a newspaper from some community in Florida with its coverage of small-town happenings. I had forgotten that America was once wholesome like that.)

Sexual lust has attained pathologic proportions in America. The media is filled with references to sexual crimes and consequences. The Internet is known for its sections devoted to pornography. The spiritual atmosphere is filled with lust.

Numerous Evangelical churches have a strong spirit of lust in themùso strong it affects the young people. Many membersùsometimes the pastor himselfùare trapped in fornication, adultery, and pornography.

Child molestation is endemic in America. A poll of women in America (including Christian women) who were molested as children might reach fifty percent or higher.

The general populace is taking the emphasis on animal lust in stride and thinks it is naughty but nice. Women are regarded as so many cows or as horses trotted out in a show.

The churches, being warm, loving people knitted together, are especially vulnerable to sexual temptation.

Is God winking at this? Do you think God is winking at this? Life is not this cute for Christians in many areas of the world and the United States may be next. God sees all this.

A large part of our population is afflicted with venereal disease. The numbers are astounding. We are sick! sick! sick!

At the time in which we are living God is preparing overcomers who will succeed in pleasing God to the extent that Michael and his angels will be empowered by the Father to tear down Satan from the heavens. Then the heavens will rejoice but the earth will not be all that pleasant to live in.

The prevalence of lust is proving to be a blessing for the overcomers. It gives them something to fight against that creates steel in their belly. It is not possible to gain this kind of steel, this rod of iron if you will, while laying around in the Paradise of God.

To be continued.