Amen to 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. The longer I ponder these things the more I see that men try to make a god after their own lusts. His myspace lists UFC as one of his favorite TV shows. Is there any wonder that he views God through that lens- through the lust of his own heart? When he hears what he thinks is the Holy Spirit it is the behavior of the UFC gods (demons). Satan again trying to fill the earth with violence (Genesis 6).

When God used force in the Old Testament it was to deal with the wickedness that threatened the human race. This is what happened with the Great Flood, the destruction of the cities of the plain (Sodom, etc.), and later the cities in the land that Joshua and David conquered. These things were not done for sport. There was a great and necessary purpose in it all. However, if the Church and believers act as salt and light in the world God should not have to rain destruction down. But we know that II Thess. 2 tells us different.

Sin and compromise in a persons life opens them up to these deceptions. One cannot be a friend of the world and not be the enemy of God. Can a person be a poster boy for worldliness and compromise within Christ's Church and God not deal with it? The saddest judgment of all is to be given over to your own lusts. God help us!