Beware A Boastful Tongue!

     Have you seriously considered why in the world all the young girls across this nation seem to be enthralled with sharing photos of themselves sticking out their tongues?  Is your spirit pricked with an uneasiness that tells you there is more to this than just frivolity?  Well, I'm here to tell you there is.
     I, like adults of every generation, have looked upon the entertainment industry as a possible instrument of the devil; a tool of temptation that will lead our youth astray.  When I was young, I laughed at my own parents' concerns, considering them to be out-of-touch and too old-fashioned.  Yet I can see where those suggestive lyrics and the loosening of sexual standards only served to encourage much of the debauchery in evidence today.  And I'm pretty sure that this generation feels the same way about our warnings as we did our parents.
     But what they don't know is this … they didn't invent this viral social media rage of sticking out your tongue in every photo you post online.  Actually, it can be traced to the Hindu goddess, Kali.  Furthermore, they don't know that her identity can be traced back to the Queen of Heaven/Mother Goddess worship.  One of the foremost promoters of this worship, which honored Baal's consort, was the wicked Phoenician princess, Jezebel, who married the evil king of Israel, Ahab.
     As I wrote in an earlier post, Jezebel influenced Ahab to fully establish Baal worship in his realm. In Phoenicia, Baalism included the worship of Molech with fiery sacrifices of children and the worship of Astarte, the Phoenician Ishtar, Queen of Heaven.  Jezebel caused altars to be erected to this idol in every part of Israel; and at one time four hundred priests attended the worship of Ishtar/Ashteroth.  She had such a powerful control over Ahab, that he built a temple to Baal, and the Bible records that he sinned against God more than any other king.  But here's the result of that idolatrous relationship:  The nation of Israel became so entangled with the Queen of Heaven/Mother Goddess worship that YHWH judged them by sending them into captivity by the hand of the Assyrians, and the nation of Israel was scattered to the ends of the earth.
      And how did this Queen of Heaven/Mother Goddess express her immorality and debauchery?  By sticking out her tongue!  And today, our young girls and women mimic her, without even knowing what they are doing!  It seems that everywhere you look now on television and the Internet, the craze of sticking out the tongue is rampant.  And the media stars of this generation are leading the way.
     It seems that with every performance, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and their peers can be seen posing for the camera with their tongues sticking out.  How in the world did this become something worthy of imitating?  Well, I don't have to tell you that there is a war on for the hearts and minds of our children, and we are losing this battle with each passing day. As a 2013 article in Before Its News reported, the Devil is so sure of victory that he no longer feels the need to hide what he is doing. He knows that we – even born again Christians – have gotten so cold, so lazy, we don’t pray, we don’t read our Bibles – that we offer little to no resistance.
     The essence of the tongue pose is sexual perversion, indecency, lewdness and promiscuity; and it has great spiritual value to the dark side.  Entertainment moguls such as Jay-Z boldly sport famed occultist Alistair Crowley's immoral motto, "Do What Thou Wilt" emblazoned on his clothing line.  And he parades his stable of willing young female entertainers (who seem to have sold their souls for fame and stardom), showcasing them flashing Illuminati signs and occult symbolism.  And our youth blindly follow, not even knowing that they are paying homage to wickedness in the spiritual realm.
     Furthermore, the erection of a replica of the Temple of Baal in New York City this next weekend, is openly inviting the spirit of that false god into our heartland.  What you might not know is this ... worship at the Temple of Baal involved public orgies and displays of unrestricted sex among all participants.  If, unfortunately, a pregnancy occurred, then the unwanted offspring of those liaisons were offered in fiery sacrifices to the god Molech.  Jezebel would be proud to know that once again the Temple of Baal will be bringing its ungodly influence to the world. Will God judge us as He did ancient Israel for our idolatry?  Will He hand us over to captivity and the fruits of our rebellion?  It remains to be seen, but I cannot imagine that He will delay His anger much longer.
     But, here is what saddens me, and to be honest, frightens me, as well.  I decided to ask a question of several young women whom I admire and respect; moral young ladies whom I know love the Lord -- yet, they too, have succumbed to the popularity of this viral pose.  I asked them, "What is the meaning of this pose?  Does it have a particular significance to your generation?"  Here are their answers:
     "That's a great question, actually!  Some think it looks cute and they probably do it to attract guys. They usually do it when they think they're hot stuff and think it makes them out to look even hotter, and more out there; like they want something from a guy.  And then there are some people who do it just because that's what everyone else is doing in pics.  So it kind of seems to become the norm for girls to do it in pictures they post, whether a girl is meaning for it to have a message behind it, or it is just an innocent pose to fit in [with the crowd.]"
      Another young friend said, " I wish I had a better answer, but as far as I know, it doesn't really mean anything more than just being a silly thing to do.  It's like when you're a kid, it's kind of a mocking thing to do, and as an adult, it seems almost self-mocking.  That's how I feel about it, but I could be wrong."
     And my third young friend told me, "I don't think it means anything specific.  I think it's more of trying to look cute or maybe just an "I don't care what you think" pose.  Occasionally, when it's done it means something sexual (when fingers are involved with the pose)."
     As you can see, all three have no clear meaning of what the tongue pose tells the viewer; although they all instinctively know there is something negative about it, even sexually suggestive.  But it was the last comment that made me do a little more research.  Obviously, there is an intentioned meaning when fingers are involved.  If young girls are imitating this pose -- and some innocently -- I wanted to know what message they were sending.
     I apologize if what I found out is offensive, but we cannot and should not ignore what is being perpetrated among our youth.  Let's just say that the Urban Dictionary's definition was too graphic, and let it suffice to mean the simulation of oral sex.
     Once again, I feel I'm screaming from the rafters, but technology and phones have become the tool of the devil!  I know that sounds like I am an uptight, straight-laced prude -- and believe me, I am morally incensed because I know how easy it was for me to be misled and misguided in my youth!  I am not pointing fingers, without having looked in the mirror of my own past.
     It just grieves me to see the beauty and innocence of our young women being distorted into something that is perverse, immodest, and defiling.  They are unwittingly paying homage to false gods and diminishing their own self-worth in the eyes of the True God.  And I cannot ignore the warning of Isaiah 57:3-5:  "But come here, you sons of a sorceress [raised in deception and superstition], Offspring of an adulterer and a loose woman [prostitute].  Of whom do you mock [make fun]? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of rebellion (sin), Offspring of deceit, Who inflame yourselves [with lust in pagan rites] among the oaks, Under every green and leafy tree, Who slaughter the children [in sacrifice] in the ravines under the clefts of the rocks?"
     After reading back over this, I realize that I will look and sound like a religious fanatic.  I do not consider myself either "religious" or filled with single-minded zeal over this topic.  Rather, I feel I am able to look beyond this world's interpretation of such actions, and see the consequences in the spiritual realm.  And whether they know it or not, our young girls and young women are in rebellion against the God that many profess to love.  They are being led astray by a culture that enshrines the immoral and the occult.  Pray for our youth!  Pray that they will be unblinded and detach themselves from the temptation that technology offers them.  And pray that it happens before they are completely enslaved to its alluring and enticing whispers of deception and debauchery.

Psalm 12:3-4     "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, 'With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?' "

Why Is The Constitution Becoming Irrelevant?

     We have heard this refrain for several decades now ... The Constitution has outlived its usefulness; it is a "living document" and therefore, its original intent is no longer significant.  It probably goes without saying that the political forces that are behind the "government machine" would like nothing better than to remove the one document that restricts their power.  They are not particularly fond of the opening words, "We the People", which clearly establishes that the government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.
     One cannot argue with the historical context of the Constitution -- that it was written to protect the rights of citizens from a government that was either too weak or too powerful.  We must remember that even the idea of a Constitution "for the People" was a radical and new concept on the world stage.  Prior to the rebels who dared to stand up to King George III, no other nation of peoples had ever attempted self-rule.  The American Revolution was not simply a rebellion against the king of England, it was a rebellion against being ruled by kings in general. And once that war was won, it became very important to determine exactly what system would ensure that individual rights would be secured by the rule of law.

     Our schools used to teach the U.S. Constitution as a matter of public education.  I can remember studying the seven different Articles, and how they affected the separation of powers and the checks and balances of Government.  We were tested on the Bill of Rights and the significance of the various Amendments; and how they were written to strengthen our individual rights and restrict any unlawful intrusion upon those rights by a tyrannical government.  That was then.
     Today, we teach our kids that the Constitution is just a historical document; no longer relevant to a modern society.  I must admit that our leaders certainly act as if this is so.  Presidential Executive Orders specifically violate the Constitution; the Supreme Court redefines what constitutes a "tax" (clearly a violation of their Constitutional duties); and the Legislative Body regularly changes the method of voting on Bills, depending on which Party is in power.  It is conspicuously clear that their oath "to defend the Constitution" is insincere at best; and worthless as evidenced by their conduct.
     While we can chalk up the diminishing relevancy of our Founding Document to the ravages of time and new concepts of society and government, there is one theory that we haven't considered, and I think it is perhaps the most insightful.
     We have forgotten the passion that ideas like "Liberty" and "Personal Rights" and "Sacred Honor" could burn in the hearts of people who clung to a "firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence", which by the way, in the lexicon of the times, meant "Jehovah God".  Those brave colonists who dared to stand up to the mightiest monarch and army in all the world -- who believed so strongly in their right to personal freedoms that came from their Creator -- knew that it was going to take a strong concept of government to guarantee those rights.  And they chose Leaders who understood the gravity and the foundation of those rights.
     President John Adams warned: "Because we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion ... our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
     "Made only for a moral and religious people".  Can we still say we fit that description?  Can our leaders be described as "moral and religious"?  If there is even a moment of hesitancy in our answers, then we can see why the Constitution is no longer held in high regard by either the citizenry or elected officials.
     Have we lost the truth that morality and faith in the Judeo-Christian God formed the bedrock of conventional thinking, society, and education at the founding of this country?  Modern secularists will deny that last statement, and proponents such as Susan Jacoby of the Center for Inquiry, have argued that America was established on reason and meant to be a secular republic, as seen with the First Amendment outlining a separation of church and state.
     To be honest, I get tired of this distorted argument.  The First Amendment clearly states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...".  They were simply making it clear, within the context of the time they lived, that there would be no State Religion by which everyone was expected to worship.  They were responding to the history of the early colonists, many of whom had fled persecution and imprisonment and loss of property as a result of pursuing their desire to worship as they pleased.  This Amendment was designed to allow citizens to choose their own faith, and there is absolutely no evidence that the Constitution promotes a secular republic!
     The importance of Biblical morality in colonial America is no more apparent than in the fact that Thomas Paine, who was certainly not a Christian, used the Bible extensively in arguing for the Revolution in his persuasive pamphlet, Common Sense.  The Bible, its moral principles and values; and most certainly, its underlying theme of freedom played an important role in determining the justification for the founding of America and its governing documents ... even by non-religious men.  Sadly, I do not see the same adherence today.
     Whether we have totally lost that foundation remains to be seen.  The Constitution, which embodies the spirit of those moral cornerstones, is increasingly ignored and flouted.  Do we still have it in us to "rely on the protection of Divine Providence?"  And whether or not we agree that God played a direct part in the hearts and minds of those who established this country and our form of government, there can be no denial that He has brought about much good from the freedom that was won as a result.  The question before us is this:  Can we continue to succeed and prosper as a nation if that astounding Document of Individual Freedom and Liberty is shredded beyond recognition?   Do we realize that without it, the very structure of our government becomes null and void, and tyranny and dictatorship will fill that vacuum?   It may be an old, antique document, but it is neither archaic nor obsolete.  It stands between me and you, and a potentially cruel and oppressive government.  We better hang on to every scrap of it!

James 2:12    "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty."




   

Matthew 18:11

"For the Son of Man has come to save the lost."

     Can we agree that this verse is a foundational tenet of our faith?  Let me paraphrase ... That God so loved the depraved and sinful world (who consistently rejected Him), that He sent Himself in fleshly form (and in the person of a beloved Son) to offer a way for us to return to relationship with Him by believing [and believing in] that Son.  Upon that belief (faith) in the Son, we can avoid eternal separation from Him and dwell with Him forever, escaping a final destruction .... He came to save the lost! 

     So why do you think that some modern versions of the Bible have eliminated this underpinning of our faith?  Both the NIV and the ESV versions, for example, do not include Matthew 18:11.  They jump right from verse 10 to verse 12.  Why is that?  This is the opening verse of the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and is a definitive statement of the purpose of Jesus's ministry and time on this earth.  Do you think perhaps it is a softening of the gospel message; a subtle tactic of the Enemy, who has not only invaded our churches with his false teachings, but now has found a way to influence Bible publishers?  After all, the NIV version of the New Testament was only published in 1973, so it is quite new in comparison to say, the 1599 Geneva Bible, in which this verse appears.

     But it is also true that the passage does not actually appear in the best early Greek manuscripts which contain Matthew 18, and that it is possible that in copying it, Greek scribes borrowed Luke 19:10 to explain the underlying meaning of the Lost Sheep parable.  

     But there is also the early Church tradition that says the gospel of Matthew was originally written in Aramaic, the language of first century Israel, and the language Jesus spoke.  This is attested to by Papias and Irenaeus, both 2nd Century bishops in the early Christian Church.  There have also long been assertions that Matthew wrote his gospel, copying the writings of the Apostle Mark, which did not include the parable of the Lost Sheep, so therefore he added verse 11 from Luke's rendition. Since we have no surviving Hebrew manuscript, it's hard to say how likely this scenario is. But in any case, the gospel that made it into the Bible with Matthew's name was composed in Greek, and some translations included Chapter 18, verse 11. 

     Since the earliest versions of what I would call contemporary Bibles -- the 1599 Geneva, the 1611 King James, and the 1899 Douay-Rheims -- contain Matthew 18:11, I have to wonder why the current NIV version does not.   

     And it is one tiny verse -- only 11 words -- you might say.  What harm can it cause in a person's life?  Well, let's just take a look at the deeper meaning behind this seemingly innocuous sentence, and especially that last word ... lost.

     In the Strong's Concordance, there are three words in Greek that express the meaning of our one English word, "lost".  The primary root of the Greek word for "lost" is apo, meaning "separation, departure, cessation, reversal".  Building upon that root word, we get apollumi, defined as "spiritual destitution; the loss of well-being for eternity".  And finally, we have the Greek word, olethrus, which gives us an expanded understanding of the word "lost" in accordance with our salvation.

     The meanings of this last word really give us a clear picture of just what is at stake for each of us.  Olethrus means "destructive; of the effect upon the physical condition of an erring believer, for the purpose of his spiritual profit."  It also means "the effect of the Divine judgments upon men at the ushering in of the Day of the Lord, and the revelation of the Lord Jesus."  The permanency of olethrus can be found in this definition:  "This word stresses the final, eternal, and irrevocable character of the destruction and ruin of a person." 

     These definitions really portray the seriousness and weight of that word "lost", don't they?  And they show us the gravity and the objective of Christ's First Coming.  Without Christ coming; without His substitutionary sacrifice for each one of us, we would all be doomed to eternal separation and the destruction of our beings.  

     So, if somehow the Enemy can keep us from this nugget of Truth; if he can convince us that a little sin here or there is of little consequence, just think of all the spiritual destitution he could cause. Think of all the people who are blind to why we need Jesus, and why He came in the first place.  And then imagine how surprised they are going to be when He returns!

     It is imperative that we understand HE CAME TO SAVE THE LOST!  Whether we want to interpret that as meaning that Jesus came first to the lost of Israel, or that now that the Gospel message has been taken to all the world, He came for ALL the lost, it really doesn't matter.  We must see that we all need to be saved; that there is nothing we can do on our own to keep us from facing that eternal destruction.  By removing this one small verse from the Bible, it can have a huge impact on the modern world.  Whenever we diminish the Deity of Christ, or lesson His purpose for walking among men, it gives the Enemy another foothold to destroy lives... and to destroy them for eternity.  I want the whole truth of my God, and I don't want one word eliminated or changed.  When God says "Do not add to Scripture, nor take away from it", I take Him seriously!

    

When Political Correctness Becomes Indoctrination

   

     You may, or may not be aware, but one week from today, April 15th, the welfare of our children will be under assault.  No, I'm not talking about Tax Day.  I'm talking about "The Day of Silence" that is being promoted by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
     The professed purpose of the GLSEN Day of Silence is that it is "a student-led national event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Students from middle school to college take a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT."
     First of all, I'm not sure that I believe this protest is "student-led" or even "student generated".  As with all social movements, you can usually find an instigator behind the scenes that is pulling the strings and pushing an agenda. In this case, as reported by Linda Harvey on Barbwire.com, The Day of Silence is meant to be "a day when students remain silent in sympathy for those who are born homosexual or born in the wrong sex body, who are victimized (so the narrative goes) by any message encouraging actual male/female biology, dating and marriage -- all scorned as hateful and homophobic."
     So, our children are being subjected to guilt and intimidation under the guise of an anti-bullying campaign, when in reality, it looks an awful lot like promotion of the homosexual and transgender lifestyle in our public schools.  Listen to the testimony of another writer at Barbwire, Linda Wall:  "It was several years after I was set free from homosexuality that I discovered the pushers of sexual perversion had made it into the public schools under the disguise of “diversity”. Imagine how horrified I was in 2000 to see that AT&T had sent pro-homosexual lesson plans to every middle school of America! These lesson plans presented the politically correct view of homosexuality."
     And as the title of my post indicates, this political correctness has crossed the line into indoctrination.  Ms. Harvey goes so far as to write, "The 'anti-bullying' scam is the cover used in many school districts to expose children to obscene, bigoted and pornographic presentations. If we object, it is alleged that more students may attempt suicide."  Students and teachers in Iowa have reported workshops filled with profanity; details about oral/anal sex; how gender-confused girls can bind their breasts and sew fake testicles into their underwear as pretend boys; and even a recommendation for reacting to a pro-marriage bumper sticker: “Slash the tires.”
     This event (which may be happening at your child's or grandchildren's school) is just the latest in homosexual activism.  By pointing this out, I'm sure that I will be labeled homophobic and a hater, but that is simply not the truth.  I have gay friends whom I love, and whom I know are every bit a child of God as I am. Would I rather they were living within the will of God?  You bet!  But I do not hate them, nor do I condemn them.  That is not my purpose on this earth.  But when I see gay activists who ridicule the dignity, innocence and modesty of children, while deliberately trying to coerce immoral behavior, then I will decry such actions -- no matter who or what they are promoting.
     In her article, Harvey goes on to report that our middle school kids are being taught CSE, “comprehensive sex education,” and how to put both male and female condoms on plastic models in mixed sex classes (female condoms are most often used by lesbians). It’s humiliating for 11- to 14- year-olds, and just another of the Saul Alinsky tactics designed to shock and assault innocence.
     Furthermore, these CSE classes are distorting the truth.  They teach that abstinence and protected sex are the same thing.  A program called Making Proud Choices, teaches that "To protect yourself and your partner from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection, you should: Keep a supply of condoms on hand. Get used to condoms, so they are natural and fun. …” (p.92).
     While this indoctrination seems to be happening quickly and without opposition, I do want you to know that the ACLU has issued a statement emphasizing the limits of political activism during instructional class time: "You DO have a right to participate in Day of Silence and other expressions of your opinion at a public school during non-instructional time: the breaks between classes, before and after the school day, lunchtime, and any other free times during your day ... You do NOT have a right to remain silent during class time if a teacher asks you to speak."
     So, parents who are awake and aware of the cultural marxism/political correctness agenda being rammed down the throats of our kids in the public school system are being encouraged to call their kids out of school on April 15th.  They are being encouraged to stop the hijacking of our kids' education, and to actively oppose GLSEN's socio-political goals and its controversial, unproven, and destructive theories on the nature and morality of homosexuality.  The public school classroom should not be an arena for politicization of any kind of movement; especially for the mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual exploitation of our children.
     But one more word of caution ... lest you think the ACLU is on the side of families of faith, and the traditional sexual roles in society, be on your guard.  There is a paper called Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools, which is a first-of-its-kind publication for school administrations, teachers, and parents about how to provide safe and supportive environments for all transgender students, kindergarten through twelfth grade.  It was written by staffers from the ACLU, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Gender Spectrum, the National Education Association (NEA), and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
     With statement's like "A student’s age and maturity — or that of their peers —should never be a basis for denying a transgender student an opportunity to transition in a safe and supportive environment", it is not too hard to see that transitioning away from Biblical gender roles is not only supported, but subtly encouraged; and gender confusion is seen as viable in children as young as kindergarten!  What has this culture become?!?!
     This post has barely scratched the surface as far as the assault on our children and their education systems.  And sadly, I would surmise that very few parents are aware of the indoctrination of their children.  I can't help but feel that this is one more nail in the coffin of our nation.  We have legitimized child sacrifice through abortion, destroyed the Biblical model of family and creation; and are now subjecting our children to perversion and deviancy.  How much longer will our righteous and holy God restrain His wrath?

Matthew 18:6    "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

"A Wind In The House of Islam"

     Admittedly, these are frightening times in which we live.  The world seems on fire with hatred and persecution; and ISIS openly warns "the nations of the Cross" in Europe that "either you join Islam, or pay tribute, or freeze the war.  If it was Paris yesterday... tomorrow it will be London, or Berlin, or Rome."  A recent video montage showed the attacks on New York City, Paris, and Brussels; and boasted of the bloodshed in Brussels.  It would appear that the news in regard to the followers of Islam is growing darker and more hopeless.
     But that is not the news that Missionary David Garrison brings to us in his astounding book, "A Wind In The House of Islam".   This is not a new book -- it was published in 2014, I believe, but the book is the result of 2 1/2 years of research and involved Dr. Garrison traveling more than 250,000 miles to conduct interviews with more than 1,000 people around the Muslim world.  In his book, he declares that, "we are living in the midst of the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history."  In total he found 69 movements that had started in the first 12 years of the 21st century, in comparison with virtually no voluntary movements of converts to Christianity in the first 12 centuries of Islam.”
     During his extensive travels around the world, Dr. Garrison wanted to know what it was about Jesus Christ that moved Muslims to faith in Him.  So he traveled throughout the Muslim world -- from West Africa to Indonesia -- collecting hundreds of interviews and personal stories of former Muslims from within these movements who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Garrison wanted to understand, "Why now?" "How is God at work in our day to see more Muslim movements to Christ than at any time in history?"
     What he found was that something is happening in the Muslim world, something unprecedented in history... something that should give us all hope.  Dr. Garrison set out on an amazing spiritual journey, tracing the work of the Holy Spirit as it blows through the nine rooms in the House of Islam. And, in case you are like me, and are familiar with the terminology of the "nine rooms" of Islam, it is explained as follows ... The House of Islam can be divided geoculturally into nine distinct regions or "Rooms".  These "nine rooms" are:  1) West Africa; 2) North Africa; 3) Eastern Africa; 4) the Arab world; 5) the Persian world; 6) Turkestan; 7) Western South Asia; 8) Eastern South Asia; and 9) Indo-Malaysia.
     When he began his 2 1/2 year journey and research, Dr. Garrison said he started out with a "healthy scepticism" about the number of new believers among the Muslim population, imagining that the figures might have been over-estimated. Instead, he found that numbers were often vastly under-reported.  "What is exciting is not just how big the movements are ... but how many of these movements there are now, and that they're not limited to one corner of the world, but we're seeing them from West Africa to Indonesia, and virtually everywhere in between," he says.
     So why is this turning to Christ happening now? "God has brought several elements together uniquely in our time," he says. "Some of them are old elements – Muslim violence is not new, – but what's different is today when Muslims experience this violence, they can see an alternative... they can switch on their Internet, they can turn on their television and hear an evangelist speaking Farsi or Kazakh or Uzbek."
     All I can think of at the moment is, what Satan meant for evil --with pornography, jihadist recruitment, distraction away from God -- our Father can use for His good.  As proof of this, Dr. Garrison points out that it's also the combination of Bible translation, alongside the potential for multimedia evangelism, and the growth of international travel that appears to have facilitated this change. "It's a great day that God seems to be orchestrating for this [conversion] to happen."
     And there is no reason to doubt that these conversions are still happening, despite the increase in violence by ISIS and other jihadist groups.  After all, Satan knows his time is short and we all know that he is going to be pouring on the steam to destroy as many lives as he can before our Lord comes in His righteousness and dispenses His wrath against the ungodly.
     It may be hard to come to terms with what I'm about to say .... we are living in terrifying times of suicide bombers and massive attacks upon the West ... but these are the days of salvation for Muslims! We must pray for what God wants, which is that no man be eternally lost.  And we have to face it, for much of the last 13 centuries, Christians in the West have been "failing" to bring Muslims to Christ and instead losing many Christians to Islam. Although "the tide is turning", Dr. Garrison points out that it's happening "over there".  Another challenge for the Western Church, therefore, is to be a part of this change, both locally and globally – through reaching out to Muslim neighbours, and being prepared to take the gospel to unreached communities abroad.
     It is both heartening (and personally frightening), but I have a young college-aged friend who is planning a trip to Brussels this summer as part of a Christian outreach program.  She is young, blond, and obviously American; but she is also bold in her faith and willing to take the gospel into that hostile territory.  She knows that fear is not our birth right as followers of Christ.  She knows that Christ is all about taking what man intends for evil and turning it to good.  So I will be covering her in prayer with the blood of Jesus and praying that she does mighty works in His name.

     I can do that because I believe that our God can work in the midst of the rampage and violence that is engulfing Europe today, just as Dr. Garrison found Him working in the nine rooms of Islam.  Consider this:  West Africa and Eastern Africa are filled with Muslims from largely animistic tribal backgrounds. The Arab world, where Islam originated, was previously Christian and home to many of Christianity’s earliest Church Fathers. The Persian world was predominantly Zoroastrian before its seventh-century conquest by Islamic armies. Central Asian Turkestan was the home of shamanistic Turko-Mongolian tribes with scattered communities of Nestorian Christians before Tamerlane and the Golden Horde eradicated them in the 14th–16th centuries. These same Turkic conquerors subdued the peoples of what is today Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India in the centuries that followed. Islam’s advance eastward toppled Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms in what is today eastern India, Bangladesh and western Myanmar.  By the 13th century, Islam had already gained a foothold in the Indonesia archipelago, gradually converting the Hindu spiritualism of what is today Malaysia and the largest Muslim country, Indonesia.
     YET, even with this seemingly strong footprint among the nine houses of Islam, God's presence is growing and He is shining His light into this darkness.  There IS a "Wind" in the House of Islam, and it is God's Holy Spirit!  There is a supernatural spirit sweeping through the darkness in this world, and the response to Him is shining light into that darkness.  We must not become discouraged, disheartened, or dispirited.  And this is how one Muslim woman explained why she has not fled from the violence that is ISIS:  "When God wanted to reach men, He became a man. If God had wanted to reach hyenas, He would have become a hyena. If we want to reach our own people, we've got to stay in our community to reach them."  May God's mercy and the power of the Holy Spirit shatter the darkness that the Enemy is spreading.  And may His Truth destroy every evil intent of our Adversary!

Isaiah 9:2    "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined."
   

Could ISIS Be Anointed By God?

     Now, before you think I've gone completely off my rocker, give me a chance to explain my train of thought.  I've recently written about the Temple of Baal (or Bel) that will soon be replicated in Times Square, the heart of New York City, and in London.  I spared no words in recounting its significance in regards to idol worship in the ancient world.  I also related that this ancient temple was destroyed by ISIS last summer.  The most recent news in the last few days is that Syrian forces have liberated the ancient city of Palmyra and recaptured it, with plans to rebuild much of the ancient artifacts and archeological sites.

Palmyra prior to ISIS

     I suspect much of the world will hail this as a victory and in the best interests of man's archeological heritage.  But is it?  I want to expand on some thoughts that have occurred to me since July of last year, and just keep pricking my spirit.  I can't help but look at this situation through the lens of my Biblical worldview.  And to do that, I need to take some time to share a specific perspective with you; it's a fascinating story from the Old Testament, and one that I think casts valuable insight on God's purpose in all things.
     Remember the story of Cyrus, King of Persia, who conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews to return from captivity to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem?  Well, as fantastic as this sounds, apparently it was not out of the ordinary for Cyrus.  An excellent post on Cyrus, found at a website called ChurchOfTheGreatGod.org, reports that King Cyrus, as was his policy, allowed his vassal states to retain their cultural and religious identities. He advanced funds for the repair or restoration of public buildings, particularly temples and shrines, and he reversed the Babylonian policy of forced relocation of conquered peoples, allowing their descendants to return to their ancestral homelands.
     What you might find utterly amazing is that God used King Cyrus, to move forward his plan in history.  In fact, God calls Cyrus, His "anointed".  Yes, you read that correctly!  He explicitly says in Isaiah 45:1-3:  "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: ‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places. . . . I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city and let My exiles go free, not for price nor reward,' says the LORD of hosts."
     I can hear shocked Christians right now, exclaiming, "But how can a King of Persia, whose country would become a stronghold for Muslims in future centuries, be God's anointed?  First of all, we need to broaden our understanding of what the word anointed means.  The Hebrew word is mashiah, which has come down to us as "messiah" and translated as christos in Greek. Because we now use this term exclusively for Jesus Christ, the Messiah, many of us Christians fail to see its broader application.  Mashiah simply means "anointed" or "anointed one."  At its most basic, mashiah indicates a person God authorizes and sets apart for His service.... regardless of their faith, ethnicity, or background. And the type of service an anointed one might render can vary. Besides being in the service of God, he might fulfill more than one role in his service; but his primary function is to cause deliverance.  You can see how Jesus fulfilled all three of those facets of an anointed one.
     So the question becomes "Why did God raise up a Messiah, or Anointed One, like Cyrus?  The answer is found in the continuing verses of Isaiah, Chapter 45:  "[God will work through you, Cyrus,] that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things" (verses 3-7).  Very simply, God raised Cyrus up to do His bidding to prove to him and all the world who is the true God! God went before Cyrus, paving the way for his victories and policies so that His will and His plan would move forward.

Palmyra, after ISIS

       So, now I return to my original question, posed in the title of this blog post ... Could ISIS be anointed by God? If we use the criteria that the Bible lays forth regarding the prerequisites for an anointed one, I would say, in one sense, YES!
     (OBVIOUS CAVEAT:  The atrocities and barbaric acts of murder against Christians and non-Muslims is obviously not an act of service to God.  But remember, God is Sovereign, and He is capable of using even evil people to carry out one or more of His purposes.  In this instance, I am only looking at ISIS's acts of destroying ancient temples to idols.)
     And here's how I got there .... As I have pointed out in past blog posts, Palmyra was the site of some of the world’s most valuable Roman-style ruins, including 2,000-year-old towers and temples; among them the Temple of Baal (or Bel), which was the name of the supreme god worshiped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia, and the Temple of Baalshamin, dedicated to the Canaanite sky deity Baalshamin.
     But last year, in its takeover of the city, ISIS blew up both structures, along with the famed Arch of Triumph, which was constructed under Roman rule during the late second century, calling them monuments to idolatry --- which they were!  In case you need convincing, here is some interesting information about the Temple of Baal:  It was known as the temple to the Sun God.  And if you are a student of Biblical and ancient history, then you know that there were many names for the Sun God throughout the pagan cultures.  Some of them are Ra, the sun god of the ancient Egyptians; Apollo, the sun god of the ancient Romans; Helios, the sun god of the Greeks; Mithras, the Iranian and Persian sun god ... and I contend that they are all names for the same spirit of rebellion that existed in the man Nimrod.
     The great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod is the prototype of a rebellious people, his name being interpreted in Hebrew as "he who made all the people rebellious against God".  As you can see by the various cultures and ethnic groups who worshiped the Sun God in his name, he led many peoples into rebellion against the One True God and into idol worship.
     Now, the modern world is lamenting the destruction of the ancient Temple of Baal, the temple of Sun God worship, in Palmyra, Syria.  And I'd like you to get a picture of what worshipping there must have been like to the pagans, as described by Amr Al Azm, a professor at Shawnee State University who served as the director of the Center of Archeological Research at the University of Damascus from 2003 to 2006:  "You would attempt to go and visit the temple at dawn [before it was damaged]. And on the east face, as the sun rises, it would eventually reach that point where, even though it was dark around you — you were surrounded by stone walls — the sun would touch a particular point on the window, and it was like someone switched on a thousand lights. The whole building would light up instantaneously."  He goes on to say, "Unfortunately, we will never be able to experience that again. That’s how significant the loss is, as far as I’m concerned."
     But might I suggest that ISIS got it right?  That it is actually a "monument to idolatry".  And might I further propose that by destroying it, the Muslim jihadis were actually in service to YHWH, liberating that area of the ancient Middle East from a centuries-long fascination and reverence to a false god?  Remember, as in the case of Cyrus, (whom God makes it very clear, did not know Him), God can use whomever He desires to move along his plan in history.  Perhaps God is tired of our interest and preoccupation in preserving these ancient temples of idolatry, and so He put ISIS, who certainly does not know Him, into service to destroy their very foundations.
     And what does the world plan to do?  To rebuild them, of course!  Or, at least in the instance of the Temple Baal, erect duplicates of them in New York City, London, and another 1,000 cities around the world --- all in the name of defiance to ISIS.  But, can you clearly see that, in reality, it is in defiance to YHWH?

The destruction of pagan statues

     And there is another aspect that I want to briefly touch upon before I end my hypothesis.  I will admit that the connecting dots are still a little fuzzy in my spirit, but I can't help but feel there is something here that we need to pay attention to.  The "recapture" of the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIS was conducted by Syrian forces, assisted by Russian troops and airstrikes.  And now the world is incensed by the destruction of the temples and the looting of the artifacts, and archeologists from around the world are rushing to the site to help reconstruct the ancient city.  Is this part of the multiple roles that ISIS could be playing in their service as God's anointed?  Could they be drawing the nations of the world to this area to preserve the treasures of idolatrous worship?
     The world's elite mourned when ISIS ransacked and burned the Mosul Public Library, destroying more than 8,000 ancient and rare books and manuscripts, calling it "cultural genocide"; an attempt to destroy an ethnic or religious group's customs, including its languages, traditional practices and ways, religious institutions and objects, and clergy members, academics, and intellectuals.  I admit that it is difficult to see God wanting the history of whole peoples wiped out.  But what if those histories, and art, and traditions, and religious practices honor gods and ways that are not of Him?  Could we then see the possibility that God could authorize ISIS to serve Him by destroying what He considers idolatry?  Even if they declare a hatred for Him and those who follow Him?
     I know!  It is hard to wrap your head around it, but throughout the Bible God used unbelievers to execute His plan for the world.  All we have to do is look at how He used Pharaoh to liberate His people from their bondage in Egypt; how He used Nebuchadnezzar to take the Jews into captivity in Babylon because of their continued disobedience, yet placed Daniel in their midst to prophecy of the return of His remnant; and how He used the Persian King Artaxerxes to allow Nehemiah to reintroduce His law to the Jews returning to Jerusalem.  And in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul often worked through unbelievers to carry out God's will and purpose.
     We must remember that He is Sovereign and Immutable ... He never changes and it is often His way to use unbelievers to execute His will.  It is not up to us to question or reason why.  I am not here to suggest that I know God's mind or that my hypothesis is even plausible.  All I'm saying is that I see idolatrous temples being destroyed and the world's desire to rebuild them.  Can we truly say it is all out of a sense of preserving cultural history?  Or is there something more diabolical happening underneath it all?  Keep your spiritual radar turned on and up!

 Isaiah 45:9-10    “Woe to the one who argues with his Maker—
one clay pot among many.  Does clay say to the one forming it, ‘What are you making?’ Or does your work say, ‘He has no hands’? How absurd is the one who says to his father, ‘What are you fathering?’ or to his mother, ‘What are you giving birth to?’ ”

Isaiah 45:20

Assemble yourselves and come;

    draw near together,

    you survivors of the nations!

They have no knowledge

    who carry about their wooden idols,

and keep on praying to a god

    that cannot save.

     During my quiet time with the Lord, I am currently finishing up the incredible Book of Isaiah.  I just love the major prophets, and while I have always declared Jeremiah my favorite, I have newfound love and respect for the inspired writings of Isaiah.  In my journaling Bible, I am filling up page after page of notes that seem to simultaneously pertain to ancient Israel and our modern world.  

     It seems that I cannot get enough of Isaiah!  And Chapters 44-50 are piercing my heart with recognition of our national sins.  But even through the stark reminders of captivity and loss and rejection of God, there runs a vein of restoration and hope, and that's what I cling to, and that which is a balm to my soul.

     Chapter 44 gives us affirmation that the Lord will not forsake Israel, even though they chase after foreign gods and make graven images for gods, following their prideful hearts.  Verse 9 says:  All who make idols are nothing, and what they treasure does not profit. Their witnesses do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame.  I can't help but see our nation in this description.  We have turned from God and made idols of all we see -- our leaders, our celebrities, our stuff, our families, our churches -- yet none of it will profit us in the Kingdom to come.  But the sad thing is that we don't see it; nor do we even know we are doing it.  And that will be our shame.   Verse 18 reiterates this disparaging state:  Such people do not comprehend and cannot understand, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see, and their minds so they cannot understand.

      Yet, in the midst of this sad state of affairs, Chapter 44 is a prophecy of future restoration and the forgiveness of sins.  The end of this Chapter and the beginning of Chapter 45 gives us a prophecy of God using a Muslim (King Cyrus) to accomplish His will.  (Tune in tomorrow for an interesting take on this concept). But what I love about Chapter 45 is that it is one continuous homage to the Lord as Creator, and Savior of Israel and the world.  He emphatically declares that He is the One True God ... "There is no other god" is a recurring them.  Hallelujah for that affirmation!

     Yet while we receive comfort that God is in control and He will use even those who don't know Him to bring about His will and purpose for those He calls His own, we have today's verse as a stark reminder that all the world's false gods and idols cannot save.  And the saddest part of this verse is that they have no knowledge of the One who can save them!  I shudder at how completely bereft of comfort and deliverance they will be on the Day of the Lord.  It saddens me to know that they had every opportunity to know him -- to be in relationship with the Holy One of Israel; the One who could fill all those empty spaces in their soul -- yet they chose an empty, hollow, and lifeless substitute.  

     Chapter 46 finds the people attempting to make their gods of vanity and uselessness equal to my Lord, but He makes it quite clear that these gods offer only empty, barren promises.  Chapter 47 reveals that the people love living in Babylon; and what was once the cherished woman, has now become a harlot, and God has allowed her to indulge in her lusts.  (It cannot be denied that we have followed that same path).  So God announces that loss and destruction are coming upon her for her worship of false gods, and from turning from her Redeemer.  There is no salvation except in Jesus!  All of the harlot's counsels and prophets and merchants cannot save her.  Oh, how I wish we in 21st Century America would heed this warning!

     Chapter 48 continues the lesson for the modern world.  God declares that He has shown Israel His might and His sovereignty, so that they could not claim the gods they had made had done the work, but still they chose to abandon Him.  So He declares that for His Name's sake, He will bring discipline upon them; to refine and purify them in a fire of chastening to preserve His purpose for them ... to glorify His Name!  Is there still time for us?  Or is He completely through with us?

     Chapter 49 gives us a beautiful picture of Jesus's mission, and it still reverberates today.  His mission was, is, and will be to defend Israel and to preserve their purpose of leading the world to Christ.  He will also be a light unto the Gentiles, who will help restore Israel to their land (happened in 1948), and He will destroy those who seek to destroy His chosen.  Both those living in the current nation state of Israel and those in the Gentile nations should pay heed to this declaration.  I contend that just because the state of Israel exists, it does not mean that every Israelite is God's chosen or remnant; nor that every Gentile is on board with His plan.  But His plan will prevail!

     And finally, the opening verse of Chapter 50 breaks my heart:  This is what the Lord says:  Where is your mother’s divorce certificate that I used to send her away? Or who were My creditors that I sold you to? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away because of your transgressions.  The Lord did not abandon Israel, nor did He sell them.  They left Him and sold themselves. It almost seems hopeless.  Except .... Jesus still helps those who hear Him and seek Him.  He still speaks to those who wish to serve Him.  And so I take great comfort with the opening lines of our Scripture today ....   Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations!  WE are those survivors!  We are the ones who hear Him, and understand what He says to us!  He will reach down and rescue us from the destruction that is coming upon the idolators and the harlots.  Praise Him for His Mercy and Faithfulness!

      

Millennials: Please Take My Advice...

     I remember what it was like ... to be young and idealistic and wanting my generation to make a difference in American politics.  And I would submit to you that every generation since our Founding has felt the same way.  When we're young, we all think that we can do it better than the previous generation, and in this current political season, we see the Millennials taking their stand and hoping to make a significant impact on the future.
     So that we are all in agreement, Millennials are generally defined as being between the ages of 18 and 35.  For this discussion, I want to concentrate on the younger end of that spectrum; particularly those who think that Bernie Sanders is the answer to what ails this nation.
     Remember that Senator Sanders is the only candidate for President calling for a "political revolution". (I guess "Hope and Change" was too mild a cause for him).  The youth in college are well aware of the debilitating debt that will be waiting for them at the end of their matriculation, in the form of astronomical college loans.  And those who have been in the workforce for awhile are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck.  It's natural that they would cleave to a candidate that promised them he will lift the burden off their backs.
     I mean, who wouldn't want free public colleges and universities?  Medicare for all?  Improvements to our infrastructure?  Three months of paid family leave on the birth of a child?  And a $15 minimum wage?  But here's the thing ... It's simply not practical!  What's more, all those benefits are going to cost money!  How do these young people think a President Sanders would pay for all these government programs?  We all know that money doesn't grow on trees, right?  The only answer is that government becomes our provider, and logic tells us that bigger government providing more services will cost more to run; and how does Sanders propose these services will be paid for?
     Well, he says that the free public education will be paid for with a “financial transaction tax” of only a fraction-of-a-percent on "speculative investments", or those investments with a high degree of risk.  Does that make sense to you?  Does that sound like it would be a big revenue maker?  I'm sure he somehow equates it to "taxing the rich", which would strike a chord with every millennial who has ever taken an economics class from a liberal professor.
     As far as the Medicare-for-all promise, this would be paid for with progressive income tax increases, mostly at upper levels.  (Another "taxing the rich" plan).  Elimination of premiums and co-pays would result in a savings of approximately $5,000 per family.  Again, where will all that money come from to support such a program?
     Bernie says that improving our infrastructure will be largely funded by requiring corporations to pay taxes they already owe, but have deferred.  And he mistakenly thinks this will create millions of jobs, driving up wages across the economy.  He obviously has never run a business! And his paid family leave benefit would ostensibly be paid for with a $1.61 weekly tax withholding from every worker's paycheck.  At least that's how I understand it.  So, does that mean every American worker would be subsidizing all new parents, with the distinct possibility that they would never take advantage of the benefit themselves?  Isn't that collectivism?  And, as with all of Bernie's plans, this one doesn't seem to be too carefully thought out.
     This is evident in his promise of a $15 minimum wage, which he says will enable people working full-time to escape poverty, reduce reliance on public assistance programs, and boost local economies as people have more income to spend.  Think about it, Bernie!  By "taxing the rich" to pay for all your social programs, infrastructure and higher minimum wages, have you ever thought that there aren't enough rich people to pay for all your promises?  Or have you thought about the fact that many of those businesses that will be taxed are small to medium businesses and simply can't absorb the extra tax burden?  Or that the minimum wage jobs will likely disappear because the cost of doing business will be too high to keep the doors of the local burger joint open; or that hospitals and nursing homes will have to lay off those minimum wage workers to continue to provide services; or that small businesses that deal in manual labor, like auto mechanic shops, or farms will be unable to hire as many workers.
     If the people Bernie Sanders intends to tax to pay for these entitlement programs cannot afford to stay in business, doesn't that mean more people out of work, more on public assistance programs, and less money being spent in local economies -- exactly the opposite of what he is promising?
     So, Millennials, please take a piece of my advice, and face reality.  You are not the only group of young voters who have been infused with youthful idealism and swayed by the promise of utopia.  Like those who came before you and followed the visions of Eugene McCarthy, George McGovern, and Ronald Reagan, you recognize that America needs to take a different path than the one we've been on.  And right now, you're thinking that means the dissolution of capitalism and a drastic move towards socialism.
     But here's what you need to grasp:  Really, it's as simple as Economics 101.  THERE IS NO MONEY!  You will be paying for these programs yourselves in the form of higher taxes, and the services will be of less value! We don't have a balanced budget, and we can't keep spiraling into debt!  This new world order and global world economy that is being touted in your universities will not bear under the weight of the crushing debt that Bernie Sanders and a Socialist United States will bring to your future.  I hate to burst your bubble, but nothing is free.  And all the cost of these programs will be set squarely on your shoulders.
     As a nation, we all need to come to the realization that we've been spoiled.  And it's time we tell ourselves what our parents and our government haven't done for a very long time ... "We can't afford it."

2 Thessalonians 3:7-8    "For you yourselves know how you must imitate us: We were not irresponsible among you; we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and struggled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you."

What Is The True Goal Of Multiculturalism?

     I think we can all agree that at the heart of national and world events is the issue of multiculturalism.  The official definition of multiculturalism is "the co-existence of diverse cultures, where culture includes racial, religious, or cultural groups and is manifested in customary behaviours, cultural assumptions and values, patterns of thinking, and communicative styles."
     The last few decades has seen it become a major political issue, both here in the U.S. and Europe.  The fact is that the world is unraveling; you can see it in the Middle East, in South America, and in Africa, for instance.  Peoples of different ethnicities and races; different religious beliefs; and different social values are clashing in countries where the politically correct politicians are forcing their social agenda views.  The true results of multiculturalism are hidden behind utopian rhetoric that promotes equality and justice and a homogenous society; one in which everyone is seen as identical, similar, and comparable.  Why can't the world see that this can never be!
     Oh, I know, there will be those who say America has always been "the melting pot" of the world; that we are a nation made up of immigrants.  That is true, but there is a major difference between our policies of yesteryear and those of today.  In the past, other cultures were assimilated into ours.  They were not heralded and protected, or labeled as mistreated and abused.  There were no terms like "Irishphobic" or "Italianphobic".  Every nationality that came to America arrived on our shores because they wanted what we had ... the freedom to become all they wanted to be.  And they were willing to become like us; to adopt our values, our standards, and our behavior.  Their faith was a matter of their own conscience, and it served to reinforce the principles of freedom and liberty for the individual -- the backbone of our national existence.

     But that idea of assimilation is no longer applauded.  Today, entire countries are being overrun by huge populations of immigrants, and it is the native citizens that are expected to adapt and capitulate their rights to accommodate the migrants.  Understandably, there is going to be conflict.  And I would suggest that this is really the ultimate goal of multiculturalism; both here and in Europe.
     Can you concede that behind this massive push to open up the floodgates to migrants from the world's trouble spots is a political ideology that wishes to destroy the basis of Western civilization? Are you able to see the puppet masters who are hard at work to dismantle capitalism and free enterprise, and who wish to institute collectivism and communal property?  Can you accept that this chaos and conflict are all about Power?
     As it was so deftly worded on the website, Gothamresistance.com, "Turning Americans into a minority in their own country is the only way to control these pesky, greedy, racist people who are so obsessed with freedom and prosperity."  We're already seeing it happen in Europe.  Entire communities in France and Germany are controlled by Muslim immigrants who refuse to assimilate, and who are outright antagonistic towards Western behavior and values.  Furthermore, this particular population is increasing rapidly (especially with recent policy), and they are younger and angrier than their fellow citizens.
     Both British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both publicly admitted that "multiculturalism has failed".  Well, duh!  As Chuck Coulson explained in a 2011 article at The Christian Post, "The underlying reason for this is that culture reflects beliefs of the people. In fact, cultures are formed by those beliefs. For a society to survive it has to have one culture -- a culture that enjoys the participation and contributions of all of its peoples."  But that implies a willingness to cooperate and compromise.  What about sharia law suggests that this is even a remote possibility?
     And I must agree with the sentiments of Walter E. Williams, an economist, commentator, and the Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University.  Mr. Williams said, "At the very heart of multiculturalism is an attack on Christianity... and also on free market capitalism.  [This is because] Christian nations, which have a great measure of economic liberty, have been at the forefront of the struggle for personal liberty and private property rights for centuries. Personal liberty and private property are anathemas to people who want to control our lives. That is part and parcel of the multicultural and diversity movements infecting the Western world."
     Just listen to the words and look at the actions of the immigrants that come to the West.  Do you see any evidence that they will ever agree with our basic tenets of freedom, whether religious or social?  Just their attitudes about the rights of women should tell you something.  And targeting Christians for torture and death clearly speaks of their hatred for any religion not their own.  That has never been the way of the West!
     I found this observation by Melvin Rhodes at Beyond Today quite compelling:  "There's an interesting verse in the New Testament of your Bible that stands in direct contradiction to the multicultural idea. While “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34), we read in the same book that “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings (Acts 17:26)."
     He goes on .... "It is also interesting to note that Jesus Christ, when asked, “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3), warned that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (verse 7). A kingdom is a political entity. But the word “nation” here is translated from the Greek word ethnos, from which we get the words ethnic and ethnicity. In other words, Jesus was saying that immediately prior to His coming to establish God's Kingdom on this earth, there would be a time of great ethnic conflict—the inevitable result of mingling diverse people groups together."  There's no doubt that this is what we're seeing today!
     Here is what the Politicians and the Elite will never realize ... the only way for the world to truly live in harmony is to come to the One who died to make all of us His own.  And that is the battle that we see unfolding right now.  This conflict is going to continue until every person on earth has made their choice.  I believe the terror attacks and social upheaval are the beginning of the birth pangs that will force the nations to choose who they will follow.  We cannot remain on the sidelines, nor can we compromise to try to win their allegiance.  It is time to face the music ... not only has multiculturalism failed, but it is ushering in the final showdown and the world's day of reckoning.  Are you ready?

Psalm 117:1-2    "Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!"


   
   

A Reason To Weep

     Around the world yesterday, millions of Christians celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That is the point of this blog post ... not to engage in a conversation whether "Easter" is named after a pagan goddess; or the relevance of Passover to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord --- although both are topics I am passionate about.  No, today I am reminded that if not for the hope that lies in Jesus's Resurrection, I would feel despair and defeat.
     Once again, the Adversary of Christ influenced a suicide bomber in Pakistan.  At least 65 people were killed, and over 300 were wounded.  Most of the victims were Christian women and children who had gone to a park to celebrate Easter weekend.  And that was the point ... they were deliberately targeted because they were Christian ... and because it was Easter.
     You see, there is a very real antichrist spirit that is preparing the way for the Man of Lawlessness, which will make it easier for him to control the entire world in that short 7-year period called the Tribulation.  And the Enemy knows how it all turns out.  So it is in his best interest to engender hate among as many of the world's population as he can before his time runs out.  Those whom he can capture in his web of deception and lies will not inherit the eternal salvation that lies in faith in Jesus. So he celebrates victories like those in Pakistan; when he can convince a man that killing innocent children is justified and commanded by his god.  Each person he can convince to hate is one more that he can keep from running to Jesus.

     But he doesn't win them all!  Asad Shah was a 40-year-old Muslim shopkeeper in Glasgow Scotland.  Known for his compassionate nature and hope for tolerance among the world's religions, Shah was killed by a fellow Muslim for wishing Christians a "Happy Easter" on his Facebook page.  Last Thursday evening, he posted "Upcoming Special Event:  GOOD FRIDAY AND VERY HAPPY EASTER; ESPECIALLY TO MY BELOVED CHRISTIAN NATION (in the name of Allah) ... Let's follow the real footstep of Beloved Holy JESUS CHRIST (Peace Be Upon Him) and get the real success in both worlds."  Hours later he was stabbed in the head, and he was stomped to death.  While it might be easy to view this as a win for the bad guys, the spiritual realm cannot deny that Hate was jealous of the Love that Shah showed his fellow man.
     Yes, Asad Shah was a Muslim and he does not worship the One True God.  But it is unmistakable that his life has glorified Jesus and the Love that sacrificed Himself for the world's sins.  While the officials are willing to call his death a "religiously prejudiced" attack, we know it is more than that.  It is part of the cosmic battle for the souls and spirits of men.  The battle is coming into sharper focus, and the sides are being clearly drawn.  What better day than Easter to strike a blow against the Hope of mankind?
     But the attacks and strikes against Jesus aren't always so blatantly violent and savage.  Sometimes they are subtle and involve distraction and diversion; minimizing and diminishing God's Truth.  That was apparent when, as The Blaze wrote, a Fox News reporter took to the streets of New York to ask pedestrians about the holiday on Sunday, and its significance.   Answers ranged from Memorial Day to Passover to Father's Day.  One woman said Easter celebrated when Jesus Christ was born. Another said she’s “honestly not really sure.” And yet another responded with “the beginning of a new mom opening the womb.” Not really sure what that last comment was all about.
     Sadly, many people did not know that Easter celebrated Jesus's resurrection, nor where that event took place.  And the report did not elaborate, but I would not be surprised if many did not know the significance or implications of His death on the cross.  And that is reason to weep.  It is tragic that people are dying in the streets because they want to celebrate the resurrection of the risen Lord.  But I think it is even more devastating when the world is dying from a lack of knowledge of Him.  And that is becoming as effective a tool for the Enemy as a suicide bomber.
     When the world no longer knows that there is a God who loved them so much that He sacrificed His Son, or that a Savior came to sanctify and justify them before the God of the Universe, then all Hope will be lost and Death will rule the day.   There is far too much evidence that the Enemy is making his final moves.  While I weep for his temporary victories, I know my tears will soon be dried and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain; for the the devil's order of things will have passed away.  And that's reason to celebrate, indeed!

Romans 5:8    "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!"