California: Still Not Gettin’ It!

Blaming the Fires on Global Warming Won’t Help Governor Newsom’s Position!

“And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”

“And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.”

“And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, And said, ‘I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:  Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.’”

“For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.  Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.”

“But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.  Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:  Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.  And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name…”

THE FIRES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE INTENSIFIED.  Over the last few weeks, since our last treatise, the fires of California — which were started by more than twelve thousand lightening strikes in a single day — have not only intensified in the Golden Bear Republic, but they have spread to Oregon, Washington State, Nevada, and Montana.  The Message GOD has sent out to the West Coast in General, and California in Particular, seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

THE FIVE-FOLD USE OF FIRE — Fire is used much throughout the Bible.  When we see it used, it is used in generally a five-fold manner:  to give heat and light, to cleanse, and to torment.  Here are some examples of the use of fire in the Scriptures…

“Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.”

“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.  And Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.’  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, ‘Moses, Moses.’ And he said, ‘Here am I.’  And he said, ‘Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.’”

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”

“The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.”

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

“So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Fire is also used to show the Presence of GOD, as we see in some of the passages above.  We know this, because the Bible states this about GOD…

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

GOD also uses fire to send a message…

“‘And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘It is well spoken.’”

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, ‘LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.’  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, ‘The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.’”

THE PERSECUTION CONTINUES — Grace Community Church and its pastor, Dr. John MacArthur, have been in the cross-hairs of the Governments of the State of California and the County and City of Los Angeles for quite some time.  Despite orders from Governor Gavin Newsom, of California (which, in turn, were issues in spite of President Trump declaring churches and houses of worship as essential, and supported opening of churches nationwide in May of this year), Dr. MacArthur has held indoor, regular services since July.  The day before the twelve thousand lightening strikes, which ignited the current spate of California wildfires, Los Angeles County officials demanded that Dr, MacArthur and Grace Community Church Leaders be held in Contempt of Court.  Even more grandiosely by the Governor of California, Mr. Newsom ordered all indoor services for churches canceled.  This is all in the face of President Trump’s May declaration that US Houses of Worship are essential, the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America still being in effect, and stores and markets — such as Wal-Mart and Lowe’s — allowed to remain open to crowds of customers.  Just this past week — ironically on the anniversary of two terrorist attacks upon the United States of America — Dr. MacArthur and Grace Community Church was given this ruling by a California Judge…

“A California judge on Thursday ordered a megachurch to stop holding indoor worship services in the ongoing legal battle between Los Angeles County health officials and church officials who refuse to follow health orders meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.   

“The Grace Community Church of the Valley located in Sun Valley has continued to hold large-scale church services despite county health orders banning large indoor gatherings.

“On Thursday, LA County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff ordered the church to stop holding its services under county and state health orders.

“‘The Court, having considered the papers submitted by the parties, and having heard arguments of counsel, finds that there is an immediate threat to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic,’ Beckloff wrote.

“He said the ‘harm to the general public, including all residents of Los Angeles County, from the nonissuance of a preliminary injunction outweighs the harm to defendants from the issuance of a preliminary injunction.’

“Beckloff also wrote that any outdoor worship services would need to comply with local and state health orders and all worshipers will need to wear face masks and practice physical distancing.” [source]

“‘[T]he Court finds the balance of harms tips in favor of the County,” the judge contends. “The potential consequences of community spread of COVID-19 and concomitant risk of death to members of the community — associated and unassociated with the Church — outweighs the harm that flows from the restriction on indoor worship caused by the County Health Order.’”[source]

Dr. MacArthur and Grace Community Church responded in the following manner…

“MacArthur called the ruling ‘inexplicable.’

“‘[The] judge said the “scale tipped in favor of the county.” 1/100th of 1% of Californians with a virus apparently wins over the U.S. Constitution and religious freedom for all?’ the pastor asked.  

“‘That is not what our founders said. Nor is that what God says, who gave us our rights that our government — including the judicial branch — is supposed to protect. The scale should always tip in favor of liberty, especially for churches.’”

It is interesting to note the following, as written by The Christian Post…

“County officials have repeatedly tried to get a court order to shutter Grace Community Church, which has been holding in-person worship services since last month in violation of orders from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor has mandated that churches in some counties refrain from indoor services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Previously, officials sent a cease and desist letter to the church and threatened MacArthur with fines and even possible arrest if his church doesn’t comply with state orders.

“In August, Los Angeles County terminated a lease agreement for a parking lot the church has used for over 40 years.

“Last week, the county fined Grace Community $1,000 for violating a COVID-19 sign ordinance due to the placement of the sign.”

“Petty” and “Childish” don’t begin to describe the above actions of LA County in this disagreement.

WASHINGTON, OREGON, CALIFORNIA:  EPICENTERS OF BLM/ANTI-FA/DEFUND POLICE INSURRECTION — It isn’t just any coincidence that Washington State, Oregon, and California have not only been the epicenter of Black Lives Matter/AntiFa efforts to not only protest and riot and loot in the name of equality and the major pushers of the Defund the Police Movement, but also are literally burning to a crisp.  The wildfires that began a few weeks ago were intensified by fires sparked by a gender reveal smoke device.  What started as an alleged protest and demonstration for equality and against police brutality, upon the deaths of criminals Rayshard Brooks and George Floyd later turned into looting, burning, establishment of autonomous zones, and literal pillaging and destruction.  The wildfires that we’re seeing seem to simply be a further granting of the request of lawlessness by the citizens of those states by GOD Himself…

“They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:  But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.  And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.”

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

It’s as if the LORD GOD is giving the people of these three states what they have been craving: fire, burning, incendiary lightening, dry times, heavy fire fuel in the form of dried trees and foliage, and smoke…so VERY much smoke!  Again, we must consult Scripture…

“And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:  And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.”  

“And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.  And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.”

“But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.  And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.”

“But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.”

“For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.  And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.  It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.”

“And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.”

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.’”

THE BOTTOM LINE:  GOVERNOR NEWSOM AND THE EXPERTS ARE WRONG. PERIOD.  Despite the spin doctors best efforts; despite Governor Newsom’s most eloquent words, these fires in the States of the West Coast were not caused not started by Global Warming or Man-Made Climate Change.  State leadership in the three states mentioned in general, and California in particular, are quite literally playing with fire.  No matter the stretch of the imagination nor the extent of human musing, no Global Warming causes twelve thousand lightening strikes on one day.  No Man-Made Climate Change causes trees to grow foliage and undergrowth to surge in the face of drought.  There is only One Answer to the questions posed by the so-called talking heads and by the ever-belligerent media’s queries:  these fires are simply the finger of GOD.  They are meant to get the attention of the State Governments of Washington, California, and Oregon; particularly Governor Newsom and the LA County and City Governments, who have collectively done so much to hinder Christian worship in churches across California.

CONCLUSION:  STILL CALLING ON GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO REPENT — We are still calling on California Governor Newsom to repent of this sin of persecuting the Church of Jesus Christ in the State of California.  As mentioned in the earlier treatise, Gov. Newsom is standing on precariously dangerous ground, and his hardening of his heart towards GOD’s people and GOD’s Pastors borders on that of Pharaoh of The Book of Exodus:

“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”’  And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.’”

Gov. Newsom, please stop this persecution of the Church of Jesus the Messiah in California!  What happened to Pharaoh, as well as to Kings Ahab, Herod I, and Herod Antipas will happen to you!  We beseech you in the Name of Jesus Christ, and in Christ’s stead:  Repent!

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

PRAYER:  We pray for those who are suffering in California, Washington, and Oregon, Father, as well as in Nevada and Montana, form the wildfires.  We pray that the governors of the three West Coast States would repent and turn to you in forgiveness and restoration, particularly Gov. Newsom, who has so bitterly and vigorously persecuted Your Church in California!  We pray for mercy and grace for Gov. Newsom, that he would turn to you, even today, O LORD!  We pray all of these things, as well as for the people hurt and injured by BLM, AntiFa, and NFAC (as well a their members themselves), for comfort, peace, and Your Presence, and we pray them in Jesus Christ’s Majestic, Incomparable Name, Amen!

THE LAST WORD:  “And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.’  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more…”   —Revelation xviii. 9–11