"On Earth, As It Is In Heaven"

      I would like to think I am an optimist.  And my spirit is desperately crying out for a shred of hope.  It is apparent that our nation is at a time of great testing.  There is a fear that hangs over our collective consciousness ... How do we stop a race war?  Is there any way to dispel the distrust and hatred?  How do we forgive, rebuild, and restore human decency to each other?

     The one thing I can say is that at this moment in time, I am extremely proud of my state, and especially the city of Dallas.  From the Governor, to the Mayor of Dallas, to the Police Chief, to the citizen in the street (both black and white), there is a sense of "we've had enough".  There is some kind of innate discernment among all groups involved that, yes, there is a war being provoked ... but we're not going to participate in it.  And whether or not the public understands that the war is spiritual, I believe that the righteous of this nation are combining their voices in powerful and effective prayer, holding the spirits of chaos and disorder at bay.
     Let me put it another way ... my spirit is sensing that not only is there a war in the streets of America, but there is a war against America in the heavenly realms.  And in the early hours before dawn this morning, I lay awake in bed, trying to figure it all out.  I asked God to show me what that looks like, hoping for some clear download from His Throne Room; for a voice or a vision to make it all clear to me.  Nothing came; no supernatural revelation or unveiling of a divine mystery ... just a sense that there is something big happening.
     Then you are probably going to think I'm crazy, but I found my mind wandering, and all of a sudden I pictured that scene in one of the installments of the classic movie series, Aliens; the scene where Ripley wanders into a vast cave-like room and finds the Queen of the alien monster/demons and her nursery of unborn demon pods.  Maybe I just have an active imagination, but in that moment, I got a picture of what the battle against America might look like.
     First, let me tell you that this past weekend, my husband and I participated in an advanced spiritual warfare conference, and I will tell you that my mind was greatly challenged.  One of the important things I learned was that within the second heaven, or what is commonly referred to as the spiritual realm, there actually reside many realms .... realms within the realm, if you will.  And within each of those realms, the Enemy has placed a throne on which sits one of the high-ranking commanders within his evil army.  (Remember when Paul refers to the rulers, the powers, the world forces of this [present] darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places?  This is what he is talking about).
     Well, that image from Aliens gave me a picture of what might be satan's battle plan.  Each of those pods is a ruler our adversary has placed over some area of our national experience.  Think of it as a commander controlling abortion; a general over race relations; a king in charge of sexual perversion; a prince covering the Church.  And the Queen Mother of the Aliens is the Prince of the United States, much like the Prince of Greece and the Prince of Persia mentioned in the Bible.  I don't know the name of this Prince of America -- the principality of satan that claims authority over our country -- but I do know that he is trying to gain authority over every domain of this nation.  But I also know that he is no match for the host of heaven that the praying saints can call down to destroy his schemes.
      I have heard numerous stories of people on both sides of the issue that has consumed our nation for the last several days, vowing to not let the madness lead them down the road to further mistrust and hatred; pledging not to turn against each other.  They are rising above the rhetoric of politicians and agitators, to extend the hand of mercy to another human being.  And believe me, that is not what the Enemy wants.  He doesn't want us to reach out to those who may not be of our clan, our tribe, our race, or our nationality.  He wants us to sow the seeds of blame and judgment instead of showing compassion to each other.  And most assuredly, he does not want us to experience healing.
      And that's when my picture from the movie, Aliens, comes back into view.  I see Ripley taking that flamethrower and destroying those alien/demon pods, and I see the prayers of the righteous within our nation ascending to the throne room of God.  He uses them like a holy fire to scorch and incinerate the spirit of hatred that the enemy is so desperately trying to sow.
     Then this verse of Scripture comes clearly into view: "But the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much", and I believe that is exactly what is happening today.  The word "availeth" has such a powerful meaning.  According to Strong's Concordance, it means "to be strong, to have efficacy (effectiveness), force or value; this word denotes strength, to prevail, and indicates a more forceful strength or ability than dunamai, or what we can accomplish on our own".  In other words, I believe that the calm we see in Dallas and among other communities can be effected by our prayers which can call down heavenly fire and armies of angels to do battle on our behalf among these spiritual realms.
     Don't get me wrong, the war is being fought with deadly power in the second heaven.  There is an assigned ruler over Baton Rouge, and one over Atlanta, and one over every major city where we are seeing protests and violence.  And we will continue to see small victories by the Enemy's agents, but I am going to keep on believing that our prayers can and will have a mighty and binding impact upon the spiritual forces determined to take control of this nation.
     The Enemy and his wicked forces have tried to make us a culture of sin and death, and to divide us by the color of our skin.  They are trying to sow seeds of wickedness, violence, chaos and division, and the people of this nation are suffering from the fruits of the Enemy's strife and discord. But I believe that impassioned prayer can soften a hard heart, and I know the hearts of this nation are tender and broken right now.  But we can endure and survive.  Our prayers can strengthen the fabric of this nation and allow God to rebuild us and restore us.  As we pray, we need to repent, and confess our sins, and ask our Father in Heaven to redeem us and heal our land.  So, keep praying, and trust God to hear your prayers -- even if we see continued strife and hatred.  Just picture your prayers igniting His holy fire and destroying all the plans of the Enemy and his operatives; those in the heavenly realms and those here on earth.  And remember ... His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.

So, you may be wondering how to specifically pray to God and into the spiritual realms to defeat these strongholds that are trying to destroy our nation.  Stay tuned on Wednesday for suggested prayer, and let's partner with the hosts of heaven!   

James 5:16    "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect."

Psalm 11:5

The LORD tests the righteous, 

but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

     I decided to break my regular pattern of blog posts and run a Scripture reference for the entire weekend, rather than just on Sunday ... because I think we desperately need this one.  I cannot imagine any human being (with a heart) who is not grieved over what the people of this nation are experiencing.  I am going to address my emotions and my perceptions honestly -- no political correctness and no preconceived opinions or judgments; just trying to come to terms with what I'm seeing and what my faith is telling me.

     Last week we witnessed two horrific shootings of black men by white police officers.  Yes, we do not have all the facts yet, but at this point, I'm willing to say that the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were unprovoked and unwarranted.  And, I am also willing to say this: the actions of those police officers who were involved in those deaths directly contributed to the anger and violence in Dallas on Thursday, which resulted in the assassination of five law enforcement officers, the injury to at least seven more, and the panic, fear, and anxiety of not only those in the vicinity of the shootings, but of the entire nation.  To say we are a people on edge, is to put it mildly.

     And the hate and violence between the races saddens me deeply.  Not only because the color of one's skin is such a stupid reason to hate, but because Jesus, Himself, tells us, Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another (Matthew 24:10).  I'm afraid that the "then" He is talking about is now.  We must all admit that racism exists; by all races. Is the frustration within the black community warranted?  I can understand it.  Do the police have a difficult job in gang and drug-infested neighborhoods?  I don't think it can be denied.  But how does this escalating hatred and violence solve any of those problems?

     In the coming days and weeks, we will hear the media (both corporate and social), our government leaders, and every form of public analysis and commentary give us their theory on why we are at this point in our race relations, and who is at fault.  But it is as clear as day to me, at least, that this hatred is being fomented, and I mean that in all the various connotations of that word -- instigated, incited, provoked, agitated, excited, stirred up, whipped up, encouraged, and urged -- all for the purpose of having the flames of hatred fanned.

     Most people will see this only from a racial slant and will be unable to see beyond the black and white of it ... literally.  Then there will be those who will be called conspiracy theorists, but who are able to see this from the perspective of the physical realm.  They will declare that the Puppet Masters of the Global Elite are pushing us towards a race war in order to achieve their goal of world domination.  And, finally, there will be a few like me who see the Biblical prophecy of our Lord coming true.  We discern that this is all about the Enemy spreading his hate, in defiance of God's love.  And hate breeds the violence that we are seeing coming at us from all sides.

     And it is so unnecessary!  When you get right down to it, the only difference between people of different colors is the amount of melanin in their skin.  Jesus created us all in His image, and truth be known, our Savior was born a Jew, born in the Middle East, and He far more resembles the various skin tones of the black race than He does my skin color.  But the enemy of mankind has taken that one element of difference among men and used it to foment violence in our midst.   And guess what?  The ranks of the wicked come in all colors!  But this Scripture clearly says that God hates those who love violence; therefore, when violence is committed against anyone, regardless of their color, it is violence against a human being who is made in God's image.  

     That's why it is incumbent upon us, at this time, to concentrate on a very important aspect of God's character:  He hates violence!  That's what Psalm 11:5 clearly states.  But note what it also says:  He tests the righteous!  It is at times like this, when hatred and violence are stirred up, that we must not give in to the temptation to hate.  And none of us are perfect, so our Adversary will use the wicked to commit heinous crimes to stir up our emotions and feelings of hatred.  The devil wants us to retaliate; to repay insult, injury, and death in kind.  That is what most people expect and it is their natural reaction.  That's the response of worldly people.  

     But we are called by Jesus to practice non-retaliation -- as difficult as that might be when violence is perpetrated upon you personally.  I will admit; refusing to respond to such hatred as we've witnessed in the last few days is not easy.  Love is not the natural answer to hate ... but it's the only one that neutralizes satan's intended goal.  And that's what Jesus did.  When He was crucified, He did not retaliate by calling down Heaven's army to destroy those who committed such deadly violence against Himself.  Instead, He asked His Father to forgive them, and established a way for mankind to escape the wrath they deserved ... satan's plan to defeat God's love and institute violence, hostility and bloodshed among men was forever conquered. 

      I have to tell you that all this is very personal for me.  I have older nephews who are white police officers, and my youngest nephew is biracial and rightfully proud of his black heritage.  I am equally proud of them all; they are all moral and beautiful young men, inside and out.  For me, there is no difference between any of them; my love for each of them is unbiased and impartial.  But I can see how satan wants to show them that there are differences between them.  He would like nothing better than to put a mirror before them and have them see their reflections through the eyes of the world.  I want them to see themselves -- and each other -- as God sees them.   I want them (and our society) to view each other through the supernatural lens of the Holy Spirit and, as difficult as it is, to not fall prey to the violence and hatred that is corrupting the earth.  I look at each of my nephews and see my flesh and blood; they are each a blessing from God, and I pray He protects and guards them from the ugliness of man's sinful ways.

     At the end of the day, there's not much I can say that will end the chaos and violence that is erupting across our land.  I know it sounds simplistic and naive to say that the Peace of Jesus and the Love of the Father is the answer, but .... it is!  We must trust in the Holiness and Righteousness of God, and let Him be Judge of the wicked, having faith that He will do it.  Putting our trust and faith in the justice of man will only disappoint us.  But I pray for the violence to end, and for mankind to reflect the love of our Creator.  In these difficult times He must be our hope; we must let Him wipe our tears and console our souls; and He must be our security.  Only in Him will all people be able to come together and love each other as we are meant to do.    

     

Profaning The Sanctuary

     As I make my way through an in-depth study of the Old Testament, I have lost count of how many times the Israelites and inhabitants of Jerusalem desecrated and profaned God's sanctuary.  Of all the people who have ever lived on the earth, they had been blessed with the presence of the One True God in their midst.  He had built His sanctuary, with the express purpose of dwelling among them, and proclaimed it as Holy; a sacred place, dedicated only to Him.
     Yet time after time, the kings and priests of Israel and Judah were tempted to follow after strange gods, defiling the sanctuary of YHWH with the gifts, sacrifices, and idols of foreign deities.  The Books of Isaiah and Ezekiel are full of God's pronouncements of judgment because of such desecration.  And the essence of their sin is pronounced in Malachi 2:11:  Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the LORD's beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols.  The message is clear ... The introduction of the worship of a foreign god in the sanctuary of the Lord is an act of unfaithfulness and a detestable thing.  And it all came about because God's people invited outside influences into the sanctuary.

     But such irreverence is not exclusive to the ancient Israelites or Jews.  Today, in the 21st Century, it is just as prevalent and profane.  Take, for example, what happened at the General Assembly meeting of the Presbyterian Church USA just a couple of weeks ago in Portland, Oregon.  As part of the "first order of business", Wajidi Said, co-founder of the Muslim Education Trust, led the Assembly in a prayer dedicated to those affected by the Orlando shooting.  This is what he prayed:  "Allah bless us and bless our families and bless our Lord. Lead us on the straight path—the path of all prophets: Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad... In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful, let us praise the Lord ... Peace be upon them and peace be upon Allah." Said also prayed peace on the "bigots" and "Islamaphobes." What?  No prayer for the soul of the radical Islamic terrorist who caused such death and chaos in Orlando?
     I guess it should come as no surprise that this offensive prayer alternative came at the behest of the Ecumenical and Interfaith ministry staff at the assembly.  Satan's war against the Body of Christ is evident in the popular move towards ecumenicalism and universalism in the Western Church.   And Satan loves nothing more than to see Jesus, the Son of God, placed on equal footing with a prophet called Muhammad (a man who is recorded as murdering 600-900 Jewish men, some as young as 13).
     While Satan might be applauding the desecration of the House of God, I grieve over how it offends our Lord.  This is no different than the worshipping of false idols in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, and we know how God viewed that!  To declare "In the Name of" anyone but Jesus, is not only blasphemous, but it mocks the holiness of YHWH and His Son.  This prayer was intentional -- designed to lift up a false and foreign god above the name of our Lord ... and in His own House!
     I predict that we will soon see the Presbyterian Church USA become irrelevant and ineffective; perhaps the forerunner of the apostate Church prophesied in Scripture.  I have seen it happen in a former church I attended.  An imam was invited to preach from the pulpit by our pastor, who promoted tolerance and open-mindedness toward the Islamic faith; an acceptance that our God and his god were somehow equal.  Within a couple of years, that pastor was silenced with Parkinson's disease, and I have often wondered if it was coincidental or God's discipline for inviting the worship of a foreign deity into our sanctuary.
     You see, God established His sanctuary in the ancient Temple as the primary place where He manifested His presence in the midst of His people and, therefore, it became the preeminent place of worship.  The same should be said of our Christian Churches ... God's presence resides in our houses of worship, and we should be standing in awe and fear of this, just as when the ancient Israelites "trembled" at the Lord's appearance on Mount Sinai.  Yet, I think we have come to see the sanctuary/church as belonging to us --- a place we come to exalt ourselves as "Christians"; a place where we build coffee shops, bookstores, and children's centers that rival the local arcade.

"Solomon Worshiping the Pagan Gods"
by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro

     We have forgotten that God's character never changes.  He warned the unfaithful Israelites that He would completely abandon His sanctuary if His covenant people abandoned him ( 1 Kings 9:6-7 ; 2 Chron 7:20 ), a threat he eventually acted upon.  Do we not think He will do the same if we profane His sanctuary today?
     At  at the conclusion of the General Assembly session, the Rev. Gradye Parsons of the Presbyterian Church USA, offered an apology to anyone who was offended by the prayer to the foreign god. He assured the congregation that mistakes can be made, but the prayer was not an intentional one.  "It was never the intention to offend anyone, and we offer an apology to those who were offended."  Apparently, there were some who were upset and aggrieved, and that speaks to their reverence for YHWH.  But did it never cross the mind of the good Reverend that they should repent and ask for forgiveness from God, Himself; from the One who was most offended?
     Sadly, I do not think that this will be the end of such transgressions against our God in Christian sanctuaries.  The writing is on the wall, as we see more and more churches compromise their covenants with God, as they seek to establish a blending of religious faiths.  From the Pope on down, universalism is the byword, and I dread the repercussions that will come upon the Church!

Psalm 4:2    "O sons of men, how long will My honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?"
     

Are We Ripe For An End Times Revival?

     This past weekend our nation celebrated 240 years of existence.  Depending on who you asked, we celebrated Liberty, Freedom, and a nation founded on Christian principles, OR ... we are entering a new era where America's past is disparaged and our nation's true heritage is one based on genocide, imperialism, slavery, inequality and oppression.
     To be honest with you, I'm beginning to think that our true nature lies somewhere in the middle ... we must take off the rose-colored glasses and see our founding in its true light of conflicting philosophies of government and religion, as well as acknowledging that we are not the total monsters of greed, military power, and self-serving authoritarian rule that anti-Americans would paint us.  We have done a lot of good in the world!

     But 240 years is a relatively small period of time in the history of the world, and all those opinions are primarily from a secular viewpoint.  But if we were to take a good hard look in the mirror, and give ourselves an honest appraisal -- as of today, this very minute -- well, it's looking kind of bleak.  The rule of law seems to be whatever the powers-that-be say it is; violence and depravity seem to reign supreme in the top news stories; our society wants tolerance for all kinds of unnatural behavior and opinions, yet any display of Christian values is degraded and ridiculed.  Without a doubt, we fit the description of the End Times in 2 Timothy, Chapter 4:  we don't want to have anything to do with sound teaching or accurate instruction; we will only tolerate those who will teach us what feeds our own passions; and we will turn completely away from listening to the Truth so we can chase after myths and lies that feed our fleshly appetites.
     So, how do you think we shape up spiritually after these 240 years, and where do we stand today when compared to nations throughout history?  How do we think God will deal with us?  Obviously, I am speaking to Christians; unbelievers could care less about what my LORD has to say about us.  In fact, a recent commenter on this blog wrote to inform me that, "[the Bible is] something that was made up to keep control of the ppl threw the church and scare ppl into submission saying that if u do anything wrong u are going to hell and only select ppl will go to the pearly gates and walk beside god in which I beleave that is bull shit there is no heaven nor hell when u die u become part of the universe not is some enchanted kingdom that all u religous fanatics beleave what it seems like to me is that u are in a fairy tell world I beleave in god but not how u ppl be leave".  I sincerely apologize for subjecting you to this highly ungrammatical run-on sentence from a delusional non-believer, but I just want you to get an idea of just how far off the track some of our fellow citizens have fallen.
     But, are we really that different from the ancient nations of the Bible who lost their way?  Like them we have compromised our values, followed after false gods, established idols for profane worship, and became remiss and negligent in overcoming the temptations and whispers of the Enemy.  The Bible is full of passages that relate God's justifiable discipline and chastisement for abandoning His covenant.  Both the nations of Israel and Judah experienced the firm hand of God, as did specific cities (Sodom and Gomorrah) and individual people (Saul, Moses, David, and Solomon, to just name a few).  However, we must remember that the purpose of chastising is not to destroy, but to lead to repentance, and to restore God’s blessing.
     We have seen this purpose in the Old Testament in the life of Jacob, a deceiver and liar; in the life of the Old Testament giant of prayer, Samuel, who interceded for the nation of Israel during their time of idolatrous worship; and in the life experiences of Elijah as he battles Baal worship and persecution by King Ahab and his wicked queen, Jezebel.  The Bible records several instances of restoration, renewal, and revival during the reigns of King Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah -- times when the public worship of YHWH was recognized and re-established.  And of course, the greatest revival of worship of God was the birth of the Church in the New Testament.  As the late Evangelist David Wilkerson describes this time period: "There were signs, wonders, and miracles. The dead were raised.  Fearless evangelists went everywhere preaching the Word.  Jails could not hold them.  Storms could not drown them. When their possessions were seized, they continued to rejoice. When they were stoned, hanged, burned or crucified, they went out singing and praising God.  It was a triumphant church, unafraid of Satan, irreverent toward idols, unmoved by plagues or persecution.  It was a blood-washed church, living and dying in victory."

     That was then.  Where are we now?  Can we hope to ever achieve that same status again, especially in America?  I don't know about you, but I feel that the clock is nearing that midnight hour, and I'm wondering if the Body of Christ will make a last-minute turn back towards true worship of our God -- or when the clock strikes midnight and the trumpet is sounded, will the Church be the fat, happy, prosperous, compromising, all-inclusive, self-serving, inward-looking, unfruitful monstrosity it is beginning to resemble?
     Or can the prayers of the faithful remnant, the True Body of Christ, move our LORD to intercede on our behalf, restoring and reviving us to meet the coming persecution with power, mighty prayer, and praise?  Can our unclean hands and impure hearts be cleansed in His blood so that the fire of the Holy Spirit will sweep across this land and burn away the dross (the garbage and junk) from our souls, leading this nation to a revival of righteousness?  Does God have it in His Character and Nature to allow one more great Revival before He gives Jesus the green light to exact Judgment upon the world?
     Let's just say I believe in those same miracles that occurred at the birth of the New Testament Church. I know that God desires that all men be saved, and I know that His remnant on the earth, at this very moment, are powerful prayer warriors who are deluging Heaven with prayers of repentance and petitions for Grace and Mercy upon the faithful.  I believe that God is going to cleanse, heal, and embrace His Bride, and give the Church true leaders, children after His own heart.  I believe that what God spoke to the House of Israel, through the prophet Ezekiel, can be said to us today:  "And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God. When I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes."
     So I believe that God can institute another great revival within His Church and within America; that the remnant who comprise the true Body of Christ will be sanctified in the Lord before the eyes of the wicked heathen ... and they will know that He is the Lord God.  In our 240 years of existence this nation has experienced revivals that have transformed us mightily.  May we all partner with Jesus for the next one.  It will be the key to whether we survive history.

Psalm 85:6    "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?"

The Power of God: A Personal Testimony

This post represents the reflections of a very good friend of mine, who just recently returned from a mission trip to Europe and the refugee camps.  She is a young Millennial and has such a heart for Jesus, vowing to go wherever He sends her in order to share Him with the world.  She began her journey in Brussels, went on to Moscow, and as God would have it, received an opportunity, at the last minute, to alter her itinerary before heading back home to the U.S.  It was here, the last five days that she spent in the refugee camps in northern Greece, that she says changed her life.  Considering my post from yesterday ... if you want to know how we Christians can be the salt of the earth, just read what she has to say:

     While standing barefoot on the gravel in between tents in a refugee camp in northern Greece, two little girls, Afghani sisters, walked up to me, gave me hugs, and eventually I had to say goodbye to them. Thinking about that moment [now], I am in tears because it is so hard to leave a place where so many people are living in devastation and so little is being done to help them.
     After spending six weeks overseas, five of those days in Greece, my perspective on life has shifted. Millions of people just like you and me are having to flee their homes (which likely have been leveled). These people are engineers, business men, and students who may never finish school; hardworking people who used to live normal lives, and now live in tents, lucky to have a bed.

     It's almost 100 degrees there, no air conditioning in the camps, the toilets and showers are filthy (for many the conditions are worse in the camps than they were in their home countries), they have limited clothes, and most are in the middle of Ramadan, fasting all day.  The borders are closed now, so these people are beginning to have to accept that they may never leave Greece. The thought of landing back in the States while these people are stuck in a situation that is not only uncomfortable, but deadly for many, is heartbreaking.
     I wish the world could understand that there are many people suffering on earth right now while the rest of us go on with normal everyday life without even a thought of those people. The refugee crisis is being called the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II, but somehow it still surprises people when I tell them why I was in Europe. It's my prayer that our eyes be opened and see people the way Jesus sees people.
     (One major takeaway from my time in Greece is that God is moving in the refugee camps. This shouldn't be a surprise since God shows us over and over again in the Bible that He is present and near to comfort those who mourn, and provide for those in need.)
      I had the privilege of being invited into the tent of a sweet Syrian family on my first day in the camps. The cultures that the refugees come from are some of the most hospitable I've ever seen. This family offered us coffee, water, tea, and fruit, when really they were the ones who needed it! One of the daughters, Zeinah, interpreted for us so we got to ask them questions about their lives, pray healing over her because she was sick, and then share with them a little bit about Jesus as we know Him.
     Near [the time] when we had to leave, with their blessing, we prayed for them all to encounter God (their hands in an open position to receive).  It was so cool that they let us do that because they knew we were Christians! As we were leaving, I asked Zeinah if she could ask the family if any of them had had a dream of a man in white before.  One of the other daughters, Rima, who is 22 years old responded that she had. She described the man as dressed in a white robe to his feet, standing on green grass, and handing her water. She could not see his face because it was too bright.
     I opened my Bible to Revelation, Chapter 1, and read to Zeinah the description of Jesus there ("like a son of man", dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.)  Zeinah translated it for Rima, and then looked at me with a smile and said, yes, that is who was in her dream! I excitedly told her that the man in her dream was Jesus, and that she must tell Rima that in the Bible Jesus calls himself the Living Water ...  and just how we need water to live, we need Jesus all the more. I had to leave then, but Zeinah assured me that she would tell Rima that her dream was about Jesus. My prayer is that Rima and her family would continue to have dreams of Jesus and come to know the Man who is pursuing them in their dreams.

     This is not only happening to this family, but Muslims everywhere are reporting having dreams of this "man in white".  Jesus is pursuing the Muslim people in their sleep, and entire families are getting saved across Europe because of it. The power of God is the only way that someone will have [such] an encounter with God, but He is using His people to convey the message of the Gospel ... the Good News of Jesus.
      I also got the chance to sit in a tent with seven Muslim-background men, six of which were Afghani, and one was a Syrian Kurdish man. One of the men was interpreting for us and we were just chatting with them. We found out that the Syrian man in the room had been baptized in the name of Jesus the week before, along with four other men and has been reading his Bible ever since! Another man in the room was holding a Farsi New Testament that he was going to start reading later that day. These people who have never had the opportunity to hear about Jesus as their Savior are hearing about Him for the first time.  And because there is nothing else for them to do with their time, they love listening to our stories about Jesus and are happy to read the Bible!
      As I've been reflecting on my time in Greece, and what God is doing there, and in all of Europe with the refugees, what I feel like God is calling me to do now is to pray for the refugees and the workers who are there, and to educate people here about the crisis through my direct experience.

     This is the testimony of my faithful young friend, who is able to set aside her differences with people of different faiths and nationalities to see people as Jesus sees them ... people that He created; people who desperately need to know Him as the world deteriorates into chaos and lawlessness.  
     She approached her calling from Jesus with no fear; only excitement, and as she wrote me, "an expectancy for what God is going to do in us and through us as we interact with the refugees."  Note that she didn't say she was "hoping" that God would work in her and through her, but she was "expecting" it!  That is more than youthful optimism.  That is faith in the power of God, and comes from a trust and confidence rooted in her spirit; a spirit that is supernaturally connected to her Creator.
     So, now we have to come to terms with the spiritual aspects of this world.  Can you see that the Enemy wants us to concentrate on the very real danger of Muslim extremists, who are used as instruments of wickedness and perhaps, judgment?  But at the same time, can you see that Jesus is still moving and ministering in the world; even in the midst of refugee camps that very likely contain men intent on carrying out more evil? The recent attacks on a restaurant in Bangladesh remind us that Evil is ever present. 
     And the Bible tells us that, along with this wickedness, mankind will not escape the humanitarian crises that my young friend witnessed.  Earth has become the battleground for the war in the spiritual realm.  And my friend is absolutely correct ... we must pray for the innocent refugees, and the workers who are ministering to them.  We must tell the world about the very real human suffering that is going on.  And, most importantly, we must praise God, who draws people unto Himself through the teaching of the gospel. Thank you, Lord, that people like my young friend answer your call.   It is exciting to hear, first-hand, of the drawing power of your Word to save! And we ask for continuous strength and revelation to do what You need us to do, in the Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Colossians 1:6    "In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace."
       

Matthew 5:13

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."

     Today, I would like to explore this oft-quoted phrase from the Bible ... "You are the salt of the earth".  How many times have we heard Christians referred to as "the salt and the light"?  Let's consider the first part of that description.

     What is the significance of referring to Christ-followers as salt?  What are the functions of salt?  I believe that two functions of salt pertain to our Christian walk ... First, as disciples of Christ, we make His Gospel message flavorful to the unsaved; we make it more appealing and palatable, or tasty, by testifying to the grace and mercy of God in our own lives.  Secondly, like salt, Christians prevent the complete spoiling of the earth.  The power of the Holy Spirit within us holds in check the forces of corruption and lawlessness until God’s appointed time.  Our presence makes the difference between God dealing with mankind in grace and mercy, rather in the wrath and judgment the human race deserves.  Both functions are pretty big responsibilities.

     If we are to be the flavor in the earth, that must come from the testifying of the Body of Christ; from our efforts to stand for the Character and Essence of God.  Salt brings out the flavor in our food and heightens the vitality and spirit of a food. So should we, as members of the Body of Christ be constantly re-vitalizing the Church to speak into the corrupt world.  In doing so, we stand as the barrier to the accomplishment of Satan’s supreme ambition, which is to gain dominion over the whole earth. This explains why Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:3: “the falling away comes first, and the man of sin [Antichrist] is revealed.” The word translated “falling away” is literally apostasy, that is, a departure from the faith.

     As long as the Body of Christ, or the Church, is willing to stand firm and uncompromisingly for God, then we are as "salt of the earth"; able to prevent corruption and hold back that final manifestation of the Antichrist.  And, boy, does satan know this!  That is why he has continuously attacked the character of the Church; undermining its foundation of faith and righteousness.  He knows that once he has achieved this, the barrier to his purposes is removed, and the way is open for him to gain both spiritual and political control over the whole earth.  From where I sit, he has done a pretty good job of accomplishing his goal.  

     Who cannot say that the Church has compromised on God's statues and precepts?  Look at our culture and the state of men's souls and the answer is clear.  The Church is falling away from its duties and responsibilities to be the salt of the earth  -- we no longer are considered "flavorful" or "tasteful" to our culture, and we certainly have not prevented corruption and lawlessness within the Body of Christ.  So what are the effects of this situation?

     Jesus tells us Himself:  We become “salt that has lost its savor.” He warns us of the fate that awaits such savorless salt: “It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”  To be "good for nothing" is not what I want to hear from my Savior!  Yet, I cannot deny that the Church has done a poor job of holding back corruption within itself or our nation.  And let us not ignore what is to be done with salt that has lost its ability to add flavor ... it is thrown out, or rejected by God!  And then what happens?  It is trampled underfoot by men!

     We must remember that God's Character never changes.  Just as he used men such as King Nebuchadnezzar as instruments of His judgment upon an unbelieving nation of Judah, so can He use men in the 21st Century to wield His judgment upon an apostate Church or country.  I contend that we may very well be setting ourselves up to be handed over to forces who will be instruments of God's righteous judgment.

     In 1976, noted Bible teacher Derek Prince wrote this about the importance of being the salt of the earth: Paul clearly presents us two alternatives [to this situation] in Romans 12:21 ... "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  There are only two choices: either to overcome or to be overcome.  There is no middle ground, no third option for us.  We may use the good that God has put at our disposal to overcome the evil that confronts us.  But if we fail to do this, then that very evil will in turn overcome us.  This message applies with special urgency to those of us who live in lands where we still enjoy liberty to proclaim and to practice our Christian faith.  In many lands today, Christians have lost this liberty.  At the same time, multiplied millions of people in those lands have been systematically indoctrinated to hate and to despise Christianity and all that it stands for.  To such people who have been indoctrinated, there could be no greater satisfaction than to trample under their feet those Christians who are not already under their yoke."

     He wrote that in 1976 ... 40 years ago!  Can you see just how much our salt has lost its taste?  The Church, as a whole, is losing its saltiness, and may very well suffer the judgment of God, who may use those indoctrinated millions for His purpose.  But, as I've said so many times before, I believe that God is preserving a remnant in the Body of Christ that is still full of flavor and able to share a taste of God with the world, and has the power to prevent corruption of His Word, while keeping the forces of Antichrist reined in.

     Tune in tomorrow for an inspiring story of one young Christian who meets that description.  She is living out her life as the salt of the earth, and bring the Light of Jesus to the world!

Does Your Spiritual Armor Have Dents In It?

     Yesterday's post tackled the hypocrisy of our spirits; when there is an imbalance between the false image we project to the world, and the true state of our inner spirit.  When such a disparity exists, then we are ripe for bondage to satan, and we are ineffective as a spiritual warrior for the kingdom of God.
     Today let's consider the possibility that some Christians understand the need for spiritual warfare, and the fact that there is a battle raging in the spiritual realm -- a battle that, as Christian soldiers, they are called to engage in.  But for whatever reason, they face barriers to putting on the armor of God, and are willing to just sit on the sidelines, unprotected.  Note:  it is God's armor that we put on -- not our own!  We are actually protecting ourselves with weapons that belong to God; that are part of Him, and keep us "conformed and transformed" to His image.
     So what are some issues that would keep us from putting on this armor and getting into the fight? The first thing to consider might be indifference or apathy towards the fight.   This attitude is expressed by Christians who just aren't interested in fighting, or who think that it is unnecessary to fight ... "God is in control, and there is nothing we can do to change His will" kind of people.  They feel like the fight is not theirs, that all the combat is between God and the devil; they are just on the sidelines waiting for the Big Boys to duke it out ... besides Jesus has already won, right?  The victory has already been declared, so what is there to fight about?
     So why does the Bible tells us there is continual conflict with evil, and to "fight the good fight of the faith"?   We must push back against the forces of evil, and that calls for a fight!  It's not about aggression and militancy; it's about God first loving us, and then us loving others so much that we are willing to fight for them to enter the kingdom with us.  You can't be apathetic and uninvolved, and expect to beat the enemy.

     The second attitude that would keep a Christian from putting on God's armor is doubt or skepticism about the fight.  How many of you have tried to talk to your fellow Christians about the battle being waged in the spiritual realm, and the part we play in the battle plan?  Have you received those glassy-eyed stares; or have you had your Christian neighbor take a step backwards, intimating that "Oh, you're one of those ... a fringy Christian."
     That always amazes me, because I just wonder what they do with Ephesians 6:10-17?  Is it just religious speech or dialogue to them?  If they are Christians that believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, then how do they dismiss the specific admonitions of these verses?  If they don't believe in the fight, or the necessity of it, then they would have no use for the armor, and somehow manage to ignore this passage or explain it away in some trivial manner.
     But to anyone who has ever engaged in a real spiritual battle, these verses speak the language of war, and a spiritual warrior recognizes them as a call to arms.  However, a Christian who doesn't believe in spiritual warfare simply thinks, "I'm just experiencing a season of bad luck", or "God is allowing this to come upon me to discipline me and draw me closer to Him".   They do not possess the knowledge that the same satan and demons whom Jesus fought -- and who were very real -- are the same entities we are fighting today.  They are not symbolic or metaphors for our sin; they are very real beings who have the capability and power to get directly involved in the affairs of human beings, and who are intent on beating us on the battlefield of our lives.  We must put on the armor God gives us and get in the fight!
     The third attitude that can befall a Christian is when they become demoralized or disheartened in the fight.  Let's face it, fighting in a war is hard and exhausting work.  No soldier can stay at a constant state of readiness without wearing himself out physically, psychologically, or emotionally.  Add "spiritually" to that list if you are considering the spiritual warrior.  We must learn to pace ourselves; to give ourselves time to praise our Lord for all the times He protected us from the fiery darts of the enemy during our seasons of battle.  As I've read articles that Pastor David Ireland has written about spiritual warfare, no words have struck me so squarely between the eyes than when he wrote, "This battle lasts a lifetime. It starts when we're born, and it should take on a new clarity when we're born again. [The battle never ends in this lifetime]; it ends when we die. The battle ends when heaven's gates open to us."
     So we must learn to conduct our service as a spiritual warrior at a slow and steady rate or speed in order to avoid overexerting ourselves and becoming discouraged or dispirited.  We must conduct a balanced life; one that finds equilibrium between our family, careers, taking care of ourselves physically, emotionally, spiritually ... and going into warrior mode when needed; alert and prepared.  We need to find encouragement through interaction with other warriors and we need to be realistic about our fight.  Demons and devils aren't lurking around every corner, but we must never let our guard down --- just don't become obsessed and "on" all the time.
     Finally, the last attitude that can disassociate a Christian from God's armor is contempt, scorn or condescension for the fight.  This attitude pervades the minds of Christians who are beset by hopelessness, or who think "What's the use"?  And, interestingly enough, the disdain for spiritual warfare is shared with those Christians who will say that we are saved by the grace of God, not by our works; so putting on the armor of God and fighting is taking things into our own hands and not relying on God for our salvation.  They will say things like, "If God wants me delivered, He will deliver me right here and now.  And if He doesn't want me delivered, I won't be.  It's not my place to interfere in God's plan for my life".  But He wants us to partner with Him; to exert the power of Jesus that resides in us to defeat our enemy. He doesn't want us to be robots, just waiting around for Him to do all the work.  How does that glorify Him?
     This kind of Christian will never put on the armor of God because he's afraid to trust it in the midst of the battle.  Therefore, he never even steps onto the battlefield, and when the enemy attacks him, he is left defenseless with no protective armor nor weapons.  His prayers will most likely be ineffective because there is no belief that he has the power and authority of Jesus backing him up.  And when his prayers go unanswered, he will just default to defeated mode.
     Pastor Ireland explained it another way:  "Just as some people enroll in the U.S. Army because of the fringe benefits—a striking uniform, tuition assistance and future veteran's benefits—God's army attracts similar inductees. Some people come to Christ only because of the promised salvation and ticket to heaven—which I admit should not be passed over. Yet they have a disdain for fighting.  [But] the calling to be a Christ-follower does not stop with being born again. It progresses to discipleship, which is synonymous with representing Christ on your knees in battle for the souls of men. Paul's words to Timothy hold true for us today: Endure hard times as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
     My final thoughts are these ... just as soldiers in the wars of the world suffer injuries, pain, and wounds, we spiritual warriors will encounter our share of trauma.  But we do not battle alone.  Jesus, our General, accompanies us into each and every battle, and commissions the Holy Spirit to guide us through the minefields.  If we suffer bruises and affliction, we can rest assured that They will heal us and restore us; They will give us rest and peace; and They will strengthen us to renew the battle for another day.  Yes, our spiritual armor may have dents, but at least we know we can depend on it to carry us to victory!

Psalm 18:39    "For You have encircled me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me."

Closing The Gaps: Our Spiritual Hypocrisy

     Everyday I receive an email with an inspirational message from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a Christian sports ministry to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.  Frankly, although I am not an athlete, I still enjoy the sports analogies that accompany the emails, and I also enjoy receiving a message each day about how to honor God.
     One particular email really spoke to me, and I think it pertains to the Christian community's difficulty in embracing the spiritual realm and spiritual warfare.  Dan Britton, who played professional indoor lacrosse for four years for the Baltimore Thunder wrote that day's message.  Dan serves as FCA's Executive Vice President of International Ministry.  He chose to speak about spiritual integrity.  Here is his testimony:  "As a lacrosse player, I knew some of my teammates to be big partiers. Despite their lifestyle, I learned that they had nothing to hide. Actually, I came to find out that they lived with more integrity than me! As a Christian who had a "testimony" to protect, I tried to hide my gaps. What they said and did, however, were the same things. No gaps. Just the basic "what you see is what you get" lifestyle. They were partiers, but not hypocrites. It all lined up with them. Unfortunately, we as Christians often will say one thing and do another."
     What Dan refers to as his "gaps", I prefer to think of as our deviation from our true self, or our imbalance.  The true identity of our spirit often doesn't match what we project to the world.  Our Inside doesn't match up with our Outside.  Integrity is the state of being whole and undivided; the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound in construction.  That means we are consistent in our character, conformed in both body and spirit, just like Jesus was ... we are the same, whether it is according to the spirit inside of us, or the physical image that the world sees.
     In the aspect of spiritual warfare, can you see how the Enemy can take advantage of us when there's an imbalance between our inside and outside?  Too many Western Christians care more about the image they project to each other than who they project to the world.  At the same time, they are desperate to keep the spiritual side under wraps because it is so dissimilar to the physical side they promote.  And the Enemy swoops in and begins to whisper his destroying lies:  you're a fraud ... you profess trust and confidence in your Savior, but inside you are full of doubt and unbelief ... if they knew the dark things in your past, your fellow Christians would denounce and reject you ... keep it hidden; hide your fear/anger/bitterness/unforgiveness, and keep on pretending ... The lies go on and on and on.  And millions of Christians live their lives in defeat and ineffectiveness.  Oh, they put on a good show, but as Dan Britton's message says, when they look in the mirror, there are gaps between the spiritual and the physical that don't line up.  They see the holes where satan has taken up residence in order to oppress them.
     And they're too afraid to look at spiritual warfare as a way to transform their lives, get free from satan's bondage, and to become the whole person -- inside and out -- that God desires them to be.  They can't get beyond their suspicions that working in the spirit realm with Jesus and the Holy Spirit is somehow ... I don't know ... maybe too mystical, or speaks of unnatural and unbiblical practices.  But why are Christians unable to understand the truth that Jesus Christ is living in us, through the presence of the Holy Spirit?!?  Why would we choose to ignore His presence and His help when satan begins to attack us with his lies?  Why would we choose to remain powerless, impotent, and unfruitful?
     An image was just given to me by the Holy Spirit ... in the context of Dan Britton's "gaps", when we do not allow Jesus to transform us to wholeness -- when we do not call on His presence that is right there, within us! -- those gaps become spaces and holes through which the Living Water seeps out of our lives, and it's impossible for us to be nourished.  We do not bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.  It is not enough to live a moral, ethical life on the outside. We are called to produce fruit for the kingdom, and we can't do it through the activities of our Outside self; we can only do that through partnering our spirits with the power of the Holy Spirit.
     Once Christians experience the power of Jesus working with them and through them to deliver themselves or another out of the crippling bondage of satan's lies, they will close those gaps and become their true, authentic self -- everything in alignment with God and His purpose ... to glorify and exalt Jesus as our Savior.
     If you haven't experienced a spiritual attack, you will.  If you are growing spiritually; if you are exposing the Enemy; if you are invading his territory; if you are trying to break away from the world and its temptations and distractions; if God is preparing you for a great work for His kingdom ... get ready, you will be spiritually attacked.  But there is no need to be fearful!  We have Jesus living in us, and at our invitation, He and the Holy Spirit will be your armor as you go into battle.  Remember, He's as close as the mention of His Name.  Just call, and He will come.

Proverbs 18:10    "The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."

Another Move In The Cosmic Chess Match!

     If you are like most Americans, you may be a little confused by all the media coverage of "Brexit", and what, if anything, it has to do with us.  In case, you're not quite sure what that is, let me put it in simple terms... Brexit stands for the British exit from the European Union, and this move comes with lots of implications, both from a current worldview and from a Biblical perspective.  Follow my train of thought ...
     You may remember that, in the past, I have referred to a cosmic chess match between God and satan.  If you can, I want you to picture it like this:  On one side is the Most High God and His army of angels, led by the archangel Michael, "the great Prince".  On the other side is Lucifer, or the devil, and his army of rulers, powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness.  And they battle in the spiritual realm, resulting in consequences in this earthly realm.

     Focusing in on this cosmic chess match a little closer, and we see two armies, if you will; one led by Michael, identified as an angel (messenger), and whose name means "who is like God".  I contend that there is a good argument that the title "Michael the archangel" can be translated as "The greatest messenger who is God", or Jesus.  The other army is led by an angel once known as Lucifer, the anointed cherub who was the guardian of God's throne.  But pride, which caused him to seek to overthrow God, resulted in him being cast away from God and out of Heaven, where he is still seeking to dethrone God by working from the spiritual realm through men on earth.
     So what does this have to do with Brexit, and why should we, as Christians, find any meaning in it?  The most recognizable Scripture that embodies the premise of this cosmic chess match is found in Genesis 11, and the story of the Tower of Babel.  You will remember that at the beginning of this story, the Bible tells us that "the whole earth spoke one language and used the same words".  According to the story, a united humanity of all the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating from the east, came to the land of Shinar.  There, in their arrogance and self-glorification, they agreed to build a city and a tower "tall enough to reach heaven"; seeing this, God confounded their speech so that they could no longer understand each other and scattered them around the world.
      In Hebrew and Christian tradition, Nimrod is considered the leader of those who built the Tower of Babel in the land of Shinar, though the Bible never actually states this.  But Nimrod's kingdom included the city of Babel in Shinar, and it was likely under his direction that the building of Babel and its tower began.  But remember the part of Scripture that relates that Nimrod "began to be mighty in the earth"?  It is my belief that after God cleansed the earth with the Flood (a bold move on the cosmic chess board), satan began to plot his strategy.  The name Nimrod, in Hebrew, means "rebel", and I think satan revived his own spirit of rebellion in Nimrod, and used him to build a tower from which satanically influenced men could assault heaven itself.  God's next move was to scatter the people into separate nations, speaking different languages, so they could not form a unified coalition again.
     Throughout history, satan has attempted to infiltrate this earthly realm and influence, or revive, his rebellious spirit in men who would further his cause to defy God.  Every time satan used an Antiochus Epiphanes or a Hitler to spread his evil on the earth and separate men from God's will to reconcile with them, God would counter his move and put an end to the wickedness.
     And now, through the spiritual eyes of men much smarter than me, I am beginning to see another set of moves on the cosmic chess board.  On his website, shoebat.com, Walid Shoebat contends that the European Union was a move by satan to, once again, build a coalition to establish his earthly authority, from which he could institute a global (or one-world) government to control the earth and destroy God's people.  If he can't have Heaven, then he'll take the earth for his throne.
      By moving towards a common currency and governing body for all of Europe, satan saw his chance to thwart God's long-ago move to scatter the people at the Tower of Babel and create independent nations.  With an encroaching one-world government and global currency system, it would set up satan's future plan that no one can buy or sell without complying with his currency system, the mark of the beast.  And his move was a good one!  The nations of Europe were subject to the governing rules of the EU, and were losing their autonomy and ability to self-rule.  And perhaps satan's greatest evil intentions came through the forced acceptance of Muslim refugees among the EU countries, and the influx of jihadist ideology.

     But does the exit of Britain signal God's next chess move?  Could He be setting the stage for a break-up of the European Union, and the re-establishment of His independent and sovereign nations that He began at the Tower of Babel?  Certainly, Britain's exit has stirred similar thoughts among the governments of Scotland, France, and Spain.
     Walid Shoebat, in his article, takes it a step further, stating:  We are beginning to see the signs of a future split in Europe, even states within states, separating between sheep and goat nations where France, parts of Italy, Spain and Portugal will be destined as sheep nations, while Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and the Baltic states or major parts of these will remain liberal and anti-God; to be destined as goat nations. Austria could go sheep or goat, we do not know.  
     Interesting concept, isn't it?  Please take the time to read his entire article, it is fascinating and not without Scriptural support.  Is it accurate?  Only God knows.  But I am certain that Brexit is an indication of a major shift in the cosmic war in the spiritual realm.  In the coming days, you will hear the media discuss the worldly implications -- effects on the world economy, global trade, immigration, etc. -- but I am more interested in the spiritual ramifications.  How will it affect the spiritual foundations of the nations, and on whose side will they align themselves?  Will there be a renewed interest in seeking God, or will secularism and jihadism continue their march across the globe?  
     A case can be made for Shoebat's assertion that Brexit is the beginning of a move by God.  Consider his statement: "If a one world government is to take place or a European Union is to control the entire continent, how then will God “divide the nations”? How then will “nation war against nation, kingdom against kingdom” and how will God “divide the nations” “sheep from goats”?  Whether this is just an isolated set of circumstances, or we see the entire dismantlement of the EU, and nations sliding toward the end-times prophecies remains to be seen.  But of this, I am certain:  the cosmic chess match will continue; with God countering every move that satan makes until His complete plan for His reconciliation with man is accomplished.  Then it will be checkmate with the return of Jesus!  For now, all I need to know is that there is a battle plan in the spiritual realm to rule the earth, and I know which side I'm on.

1 John 3:8        "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."
   

Mark 4:13

Then He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand and grasp the meaning of all the parables? 

     This last week my husband and I attended a potluck dinner at the local church for a young couple who will be moving from the community to Italy, as the husband fulfills part of his military service.  Although I am not a member of this church, I love so many of the people who are, and recognize them as faithful and obedient Christians.  

     I overheard my husband, who is continually challenging himself and fellow Christians to understand their Bibles at a deeper level, ask a young woman, "Tell me, do you think there is a difference between the Gospel of Jesus and the Gospel of the Kingdom"?  This young woman loves a good challenge and promised to get back to him after studying the matter.  But that got me to thinking ... How many Christians have even considered this question, or better yet, care enough to determine an answer for themselves?  

     Although I believe there is a difference and could give a pretty good apologetics argument for my opinion, I am never satisfied with my level of knowledge. So I decided to dig a little deeper to try to understand these two concepts and found that the Parable of the Sower is at the foundation of understanding the Gospel of the Kingdom.  In fact, the questions Jesus poses in the title of this blog are questions He asked after He taught His disciples this parable, and He makes it pretty clear that if we don't understand the parable of the Sower, then we will have trouble understanding all the rest of the parables.  Wow! I had never grasped that concept before!  Understanding this teaching is something worth pursuing.

     I want to begin by saying that I spend a lot of time in my Bible, studying for myself, but there are also good teachers in this day that I admire and respect; teachers who are following in the footsteps of teachers down through the centuries:  Origen, Matthew Henry, Dwight Moody, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Billy Graham.  These historical figures are flawed men, and you may not completely agree with their theology, but you cannot deny their passion for the Gospel.  The same is true of men that I admire today:  Justin Faull, Russ Dizdar, Michael Heiser, and Dan Duval.  In fact, it was a podcast of a sermon Duval delivered for his online ministry, The Fire Place Church, that helped me come to a new level of understanding regarding the Parable of the Sower and the Gospel of the Kingdom.

     We are all familiar with this parable ... chronologically, it is the 11th of 49 parables that Jesus taught.  It is important to understand the order in which Jesus taught them, and what came before this parable if it, indeed, is the one that understanding all the other parables rests upon.  Parables 1-10  focus on the fact that there’s a new story being told, that it’s not to be hidden, and it serves as a foundation for what’s coming next. These are the parables which involve new cloth, new wine, a lamp on a stand, wise & foolish builders, the moneylender who forgives unequal debts, a lamp on a stand (2nd time), a rich man who builds bigger barns, servants who must remain watchful, wise and foolish servants, and an unfruitful fig tree.  

     The 11th Parable, the one about the Sower of the Seed, teaches us to understand the foundation of what's coming next ... the Kingdom of God.  The parable relates the familiar story of a sower who sowed seed on four types of soil:  the wayside (or the hard road), where it failed to take root and the birds ate it up; on rocks where there was not much soil, although a plant sprang up and was quickly scorched by the sun because the roots had no depth; among thorns, where the seed took root, but the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit; and the good soil, where the plants grew, and increased, and yielded 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.  

     How many of us have been taught that the primary purpose of this parable is to point out that it was only the good soil where the seed grew and yielded fruit; that this parable is all about the salvation of those people who occupy the good ground and their response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Yes, Jesus goes on to explain that the Sower "sows the word [of God, the good news regarding the way of salvation]".  But if you re-read the parable, you will notice that all the types of soil but one received the Word and had an initial experience of salvation.  

     Jesus tells us that the seed that fell on the rocks represent those who "receive it (the Word that brings salvation; the Gospel of Jesus Christ) with joy [but accept it only superficially] -- but accept it they did! -- and they have no real root in themselves, so they endure only for a little while; then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, immediately they [are offended and displeased at being associated with Me and] stumble and fall away".

     He tells us that the seed that fell on the thorns are "the ones who have heard the word, but the worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful". They were still saved, but they fall away and are unfruitful!  Lastly, He tells us that the seed that fell on good soil represents "the ones who hear the word [of God, the good news regarding the way of salvation] and accept it and bear fruit—thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much [as was sown]." 

     I can just hear all my Baptist friends!  "Only the seed that fell on the good ground represents the truly saved!  The seed on the rocky and thorny ground represents those were were never really saved!"  I will agree to a point ... they experienced salvation, but did not keep it.  But stick with me -- I do not believe this is the point of the parable.

     We all understand what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is; Gospel means "good news", and the "good news" of Jesus Christ is that He died for our sins to save us from the hell we deserve.  BUT, is that what He is preaching in this parable?  Jesus hasn't died yet, so how could He be preaching how His death, burial, and resurrection would lead to eternal life?  No!  When asked to explain the parable of the Sower by the disciples, Jesus said, "“The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you [who have teachable hearts], but those who are outside [the unbelievers, the spiritually blind] get everything in parables...".  He did not say, "the mystery of the Gospel of Me has been given to you."

     Can you see that He is trying to tell them (and us!) that the good news is more than the Gospel about Him; it is about the good news of God's kingdom!  This parable is not only about the salvation experience of hearers of the Word -- it's more than that!  Our salvation experience is just the beginning of our purpose here on earth.  This parable is about understanding the mystery of the kingdom of God --- if we have teachable hearts like the disciples!  Jesus wasn't preaching his death, burial and resurrection with this parable.  He was preaching something else, something bigger than Himself.  He was preaching about the coming of the kingdom of God, the Gospel of the Kingdom.  But what is that? 

     The kingdom of God is the realm in which God exists; it is wherever God is.  And what does a King do?  He governs His subjects and servants.  The Gospel of the Kingdom is the good news of God's government.  It is the good news that God governs out of His realm, which is now dimensionally separated from the earth, and that He intends to govern the earth through us; to interact with us in order to transform the planet to His will in accordance with the faith and belief of His people.  

     Up to this point, God's government has been a spiritual government.  But when God became incarnate, in the figure of Jesus, His government was now interacting through a man on earth, and He was taking territory from the Enemy.  That is "the mystery" of how God would now govern the earth, and it was good news for mankind!

     Can you see that the Gospel of the Kingdom goes so much further than the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Please understand -- I am not diminishing the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  It is the key to the salvation message by which all men can avoid eternal damnation.  It is the necessary first step!  But let's not stop mid-sentence!  Let us not diminish the Gospel of the Kingdom which tells us the good news that God can now interface with saved men through dimensions, and can work with us to begin bringing heaven and earth back into alignment!  

     At the heart of the Gospel of the Kingdom is the knowledge that Jesus was the first man to manifest this interface, and then He turned around and gave that ability to us ... whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  He is telling us that the Father gave Him authority to help govern the earth (to do God's will), and now we can, too, because He is going back to the Father and will be personally interceding for us; interfacing through the dimensions with those who believe in Him.  

     Can you see that when we stop at the salvation message of the Gospel of Jesus, we lose out on a bigger revelation?  It is through the revelation of the death and resurrection of Jesus that we gain access to the dimension and realm where God is King.  

     So to bring it full circle, I believe this is what we need to understand about this parable:  Three out of four of the types of ground, or soil, received the seed; they were saved.  But not all experienced the same thing over the long haul.  It had to do with the state of the ground upon which the seed fell.  So what does the ground represent?  Remember, when asked by the disciples what the parable meant, He told them the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to those who have teachable hearts. 

     Can you accept that perhaps that the ground represents the condition of our hearts; our belief system and where our faith is anchored?  Can the different types of ground represent our willingness to connect to the realm of God, and to becoming partners with Him to govern the earth.  The Kingdom of God (where God resides and governs from) works with our human hearts (belief system and depth of our faith).  But when the world challenges us through its problems -- bills that are due, family issues, health threats -- we choose fear instead of faith.  And fear closes that inter-dimensional connection.  

     Once we have received salvation, we are each responsible for our own heart condition.  Jesus is sowing Himself into our hearts.  How hard will we work to grow our roots deep; how hard will we fight to keep our roots from being choked out by the world? How teachable is your heart, and how much do you want to work with God to help govern His earth?  The extent of your ability to do that, as a saved Christian, depends on the condition of your heart -- is it hard, rocky, thorny, or good?  Think about it.