A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


August 7, 2016

Matthew 6:13

And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power
and the Glory forever. Amen.


   This is one of the most recognizable verses in the Bible... or it should be.  You will recognize it as one of the instructions in what is commonly known as "The Lord's Prayer".  It is called that, not because praying is a new concept to the Disciples, and originated by our Lord -- after all prayer had been offered among the pagan nations for centuries before the Hebrews were called by the God of Abraham.  But this prayer is distinctively connected to Jesus, because it is the way He recommends we all pray.
     I selected this particular verse of The Lord's Prayer for two reasons:  1) to suggest a broader understanding of the idea of "temptation" in our lives, and 2) to discuss the inclusion of the Doxology here in Matthew (the concluding phrase, "For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever") and the absence of it in The Lord's Prayer in the Book of Luke.
     First things first ... what is your understanding of the part of the prayer that asks God to not "bring [or lead] us into temptation, but deliver us from evil"?  Do you think that God tempts us in order to evaluate our faithfulness?  Or do you believe that these temptations are brought upon our lives [by God] as times of strong testings, to discipline us and purge us of our fleshly pride; that we might be brought low in our own weakness, so that we can rise in newfound dependence on, reliance on, and need for God?  
     Let's get a Scriptural truth about whether God tempts man or not ... James 1:13 says, No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.  So we can dispel any idea that God tempts man.  Now, to the second viewpoint ... would God work with evil, allowing us to be tested and brought to our knees in order to ultimately glorify Himself?  Notice that if you believe this concept, then you must read Matthew 6:13 in the active tense ... God is bringing us into the time of temptation; He is cooperating with evil to test us.  If that were so, then it would seem to indicate that God thinks the tests and trials sent by the devil are good for us, or meant to help us in some way get closer to Him.
     But I'd like to suggest another way to look at this verse... actually, I want to let you read the Greek translation of this verse:  And do not lead us into the place of testing where a solicitation to do evil would tempt us to sin, but deliver us from the Pernicious [wicked, corruptive] One.  Can you see how the translation from Greek to English loses a vital component of this verse?  
     The tempting is being done by the Enemy, and they come in the form of attacks meant to destroy us and our relationship with God.  To me, this verse is asking for protection against being subjected to those places and times of attack by the devil; and there is a plea to be delivered (or rescued) from those attacks.  It is a prayer for spiritual warfare to take place!  Protect me ... Rescue me.  Be my Fortress and my Deliverer!  

     Now, to attempt to explain the presence, or not, of the Doxology as included here in Matthew 13. I will try to be as succinct as possible...  The Lord's Prayer appears both here in Matthew 13 and in Luke 11.   I have done a lot of research, and read several theories based on early Church manuscripts and the writings of Early Church Fathers, as well as theories of translation errors and omissions down through the centuries.  The explanation that made the most sense to me, regarding the inclusion of the Doxology in Matthew and its exclusion in Luke, is the one that justified the differences in the two versions by the context in which Jesus expressed this prayer.  Here is the explanation as presented:
     In Luke 11 we read that our Lord was in prayer; and when he had ceased, his disciples asked for instructions on how to pray.  Whereas the prayer in Luke is given in response to the disciples' request for instruction, the prayer in Matthew 13 is given in the context of the Sermon on the Mount.  The Sermon on the Mount included the following three teachings (among others): 1) the kingdom of heaven belongs to God  2) the folly of self-glorification; and 3) the laying up of treasures in heaven. The Doxology is included in Matthew's version of the prayer because the Doxology relates to these teachings.
     Luke had referred to the "Kingdom of God" 12 times before the introduction of the Lord's Prayer in Chapter 11, so that by the time we get to the prayer it has already been established that the kingdom belongs to God.  Before the Lord's Prayer in Matthew, our Lord only refers to the kingdom as "the kingdom of heaven", and for a total of 7 times.  In this context where the connection between the "kingdom" and "God" has not been made yet, it is more necessary than in the context of Luke 11 to declare that the kingdom belongs to God, our Father which art in heaven. So, here in Matthew, Jesus is making sure that all those who are listening to his Sermon on the Mount get it ... that the kingdom in heaven He's been talking about belongs to God (Yours is the Kingdom).  Jesus also wants to make it perfectly clear that the power they had witnessed of Him healing "those suffering with various diseases and pains, those under the power of demons, and epileptics, paralytics (Matthew 4:24) ... came from God (Yours is the Power), not as a result of His own power as a manThen He goes on to make sure they know that the glory that derives from the Beatitudes also belongs to God (Yours is the Glory) -- it's not about us, it's about Him!
     In summary, the inclusion of the Doxology in Matthew -- and its exclusion in Luke -- is made obvious when considered in context of the individual circumstances.  And besides, as one who believes that Scripture is divinely inspired -- in spite of the fallibility of men -- then I have no problem accepting both the longer and shorter versions of this prayer as spoken by my Lord. 

     I hope you can see the richness of Scripture, and the depth to which we can go to seek out a greater understanding of what Jesus was teaching us.  I am never bored with the Bible, and have learned to never take a particular verse, or word for that matter, for granted.  My love for the Word, which, in its entirety, is an expression of my Lord, grows daily.  He continues to astound and amaze me!
     


August 5, 2016

This Is What A Sheep Nation Should Look Like...

   
     I think I would be hard-pressed to find a God-fearing Christian who does not accept the possibility that we are experiencing the last days of this age; that the Day of the Lord will soon be upon us.  So, how should we be preparing for that day, when "the Son of Man comes in His glory" and establishes His Millennial Kingdom on earth?  How should we be occupying our time, given that Scripture tells us that He will gather all the nations before Him, and "He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats"?
     Because the Bible tells us that the nations designated as sheep will be placed on his right -- the traditional position of favor and blessing -- then for sure, I want to be a member of a sheep nation going into this newly established Kingdom.  Why?  What is the benefit of being part of a sheep nation?
     First of all, the sheep nations will be blessed by God the Father and given an inheritance because of the good works they exhibited while ministering to others -- they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the stranger, and comforted the sick.  That being said, I want to make sure you understand that Jesus is not rewarding them with eternal salvation because of their works.  Rather, they will inherit rewards in this new Kingdom as a result of the good works they do (bearing fruit) in this life, and as a consequence of their salvation.  We must understand that, at this future time, the Church Age (in which we now live) has ended.  A new age, with Jesus living and reigning on earth in His Millennial Kingdom, has begun.  We will be rewarded, if we are members of a sheep nation, based on what we did to honor our gift of salvation (and Him) in this current age.
     So, are the acts of kindness listed above the only expectations that Jesus has for us during this particular age?  If I want to be gathered among the sheep nations, what should I (we) be doing?  Well, with the new direction and revelations that the Holy Spirit is showing me, I have a few ideas that could influence our inheritance...
     Obviously, the physical requirements of those in need should be met:  food, water, clothing, shelter, help in times of illness.  But I believe our King is looking for a greater expression to separate us from the goat nations in His future Kingdom.  For His Kingdom is not only the actual physical realm of His throne on the earth, but the spiritual realm of His rule in our hearts right now!  From that perspective, we should be focusing our efforts on the future harvest of Believers.  There is a war right now, on earth and in the spirit realm, for the souls of the unsaved.  Are we participating in that war?  Are we interceding on behalf of all people (1 Timothy 2:1), that they might come to the knowledge of the Truth?
     Are we only relying on the sharing of the Gospel message to transform our societal structures -- or are we doing more; are we exercising our power and authority, working with the Holy Spirit, (as Jesus commissioned the Apostles and those who believe in Him), to battle the rulers and principalities and forces of wickedness that reside over earthly governments to keep their people in bondage?  We need to be doing more -- if we want to receive our full inheritance!  It's going to take more than praying for people; more than the telling of salvation through the grace and faith in Jesus's death for our sins and His glorious resurrection to eternal life.  That is a good and necessary thing for people to hear, but it's going to take us shaking the foundations of this complacent and restrained Body of Christ so that they can come into the power of their salvation ... the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at our disposal through the Holy Spirit.  Why are we not expecting signs and wonders and miracles?  Why is Deliverance and Healing not a part of every ministry of Jesus followers?  That was the power of God displayed through the man Jesus, and in the Early Church.  It's what He did while on earth, and it should be the distinctive characteristic of every believer today.
     Yes, we need to break into new territories with the Gospel Message, and reach those who have never heard the Word.  But it is my opinion that the Gospel Message includes the power to set people free from spiritual bondage, and the wonders of both physical and spiritual healing that can come to people with the full revelation of Jesus and what He has done for us, and what He can still do through us.
     I want to close by saying that entering into the manifestation of a physical Kingdom of God on earth as a member of a sheep nation is more than about achieving salvation; it's about receiving crowns as inheritance (rewards) for believers -- it's about how we "ran the race" -- and these crowns are our inheritance:  The Imperishable Crown for faithful endurance; The Crown of Rejoicing which will be the reward of those who rejoiced in the blessings bestowed by God, even in the midst of the pain and sorrow of this life; The Crown of Righteousness, inherited through the righteousness of Christ, promised to all who love the Lord and eagerly wait for His return, and fervently desire to be with the Lord; The Crown of Glory, inherited by those like Stephen who, while being stoned to death, was able to look into the heavens and see the glory of God; and The Crown of Life, which is for all believers, but is especially dear to those who endure sufferings, who bravely confront persecution for Jesus, even to the point of death.
     The bottom line is this ... there is a growing sense that darkness is invading our world, and while the Kingdom of God exists in our hearts and is revealed through traditional Church methods and systems, there is the need for a new expression of the Kingdom; perhaps a recognition of the original supernatural power of the Church to reach the unsaved.  That era was marked with the extraordinary energy and might of the Holy Spirit to help the followers of Jesus challenge the conventions of the day; and the sheep were easily distinguished from the goats.  Sadly, it is my opinion that the Church is attempting to become more like the world, instead of differentiating itself from the world's temptations.  How will Jesus look upon the Church that seeks to adopt the world's permissive attitudes and customs regarding marriage, sexual identity, the unborn child, or other gods?  Aren't the sheep becoming more like goats?  And how will they be received into His Kingdom?  That's a serious question, and I, for one, pray that He sees me as separate, distinctive, and world's apart from those He rejects ... literally!

Daniel 7:14   "And to Him was given Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him;"

August 3, 2016

A Matter Of Rebellion...

     Yesterday, I was standing in line at a checkout counter, and didn't notice the people behind me,  But my husband did.  In fact, he has garnered a reputation for noticing anyone with interesting tattoos, and asking them what their ink means and why they picked that particular symbol to put on their body.  It has actually become a joke between me and my nephew, who has tattoos himself (depicting Bible verses and various associations to his faith; and one for his mom, of course!) -- whenever we are all together and run into a waitress or waiter, or someone out in public, we look at each other, waiting expectantly for that question ... "So, what does your tattoo mean"?
     But my husband didn't need to ask the couple behind me in the checkout line.  The man had a huge encircled pentagram on his bicep, among other occultic symbols, and the woman had creepy bats flying up the length of her arm.  We didn't need to wonder what kind of statement they were trying to make; it was obvious.
     Now, I know that tattoos are the rage today among anyone below the age of 35, and you may think they are just a fad, or this generation's nod to distinguishing themselves from their parents -- kind of like long hair, miniskirts, tie-dye T-shirts, and love beads were to my generation.  But I think it goes beyond that... for the most part, tattoos are permanent statements that people are willing to make for the rest of their lives.  And I would venture that most of them are designed as a method of rebelling against authority and control in their lives; or at least of going against conventional society.  (The problem is, so many are doing it today, that in an effort to distinguish themselves from others, they are beginning to all look alike).
     But, perhaps at the heart of this trend, it's a way of saying, "I don't feel like I can control a lot in my life at the moment, but I can control how I feel; and express who or what I am willing to give authority to by the indelible design I put on my body.  It's a way I can make a statement of who I am and how I want the world to see me".
     I am not making a statement that all tattoos are done out of a sense of insubordination, disobedience, or defiance.  In fact, we have heard heartwarming stories, such as when a waitress shared the reason behind a small tattoo on her wrist -- it was a personal reminder of her grandmother who had taught her about Jesus.  Or the young man who had the date of his twin brother's death in a car crash tattooed on his forearm. We often hear stories that honor our humanity and the love that can exist between people.
     I found it quite interesting when I ran across the Top Ten reasons people get tattooed in Inked Magazine:  In memory of someone; some really love the pain; it's addictive; to express creativity; to feel whole; to overcome or represent obstacles they've faced in their lives; they simply love the art; to spread a specific message; it's trendy; to be spontaneous.  Some of these reasons seem innocuous; others are a little more disturbing.
     But sadly, there are an abundance of kids who carry permanent symbols of pagan gods, anti-christ icons, and undisguised associations with the devil.  The man with the huge pentagram knew exactly what he was doing when he had that mark put on his body.  In fact, some of the kids my husband has approached with his innocent question have boldly told him, "It means I am a satanist".  The pride with which that statement was made both saddened and alarmed us.
     So, as with anything, when pride and rebellion are combined, we see the influence of the original Rebellious One, himself ... Lucifer.  And, in case you haven't noticed, the symbol of the encircled pentagram is becoming a popular emblem; appearing in movies, TV, tattoos, jewelry, music videos,  horror films, thrillers, and crime dramas ... all reinforcing the symbol’s association with neo-paganism, black magic, and occultism.
     Of course, those who see nothing wrong with this ancient symbol will tell you that each of the five points on the star just represent an element: earth, air, fire, and water; with the upward point of the star representative of the spirit.  They will tell you, "All these things contibutite to life and are a part of each of us".  That may be a modern interpretation, but it is always important to know the origins of words, signs, and symbols to see how the Prince of this world may be distorting or counterfeiting them.  So, let's step back into history...
     As explained on GotQuestions.org, a Christian website, the pentagram has been used as a religious symbol throughout the world from the beginning of recorded history. The most basic pentagram is simply a five-point star drawn with one continuous line broken into five line segments and with one point of the star facing up. The pentagram was used in ancient Chinese and Japanese religions to symbolize the five elements of life. In Japanese culture the symbol was also considered magical. Ancient Babylonian culture was also using the pentagram to represent various gods and religious beliefs of their own.
     But would it surprise you to know that the pentagram was also a part of early Christian symbology?  The basic pentagram (without a circle) was originally used to represent the five wounds of Jesus Christ. It was soon supplanted by the symbol of the cross, but the pentagram was still recognizable as a Christian symbol for a few hundred years after Jesus’ resurrection. Some say that the continuous line was also considered symbolic of the Alpha and Omega. Plus, it is important to note that, during the European Age of Enlightenment, the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras’ interest in the pentagram was re-dsicovered. Pythagoras’ study went beyond mathematics, though, as he assigned the five ancient elements to the five points of the star: earth, water, air, and fire on the four lower points; and spirit on the topmost point. Depending on the mythology, this arrangement usually indicated the correct ordering of the world, with material things subject to spirit. The popularity of this ancient symbol has continued down through the centuries with the Free Masons and Eastern Star Organization also using this Pythagorean pentagram, often adding their own symbols as well.  And now, in this modern era, it's relevancy ranges from being a fashion statement to a symbol of rebellion against the authority of Jesus ... and everything in-between.
     There is another angle that I want to explore, too.  It is my opinion that Lucifer, being perfect in his beauty and ways "since the day he was created" (Ezekiel 28:15), and being puffed up with pride at his station and importance in the Kingdom of Heaven, simply could not stand being Number Two to God/Jesus.  His wisdom became corrupted by his free will, and out of selfish ambition and pride, he decided to rebel and issued his five "I will's", which I think are represented by the five-pointed star of the pentagram:  ""I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Satanism & the goat god, Baphomet
     The fact that the pentagram has been incorporated into the symbolism of modern "religions" such as Wicca, Witchcraft, and The Church of Satan are evidence (in my opinion) that Lucifer, as Prince and controller of this World, is making sure that his ancient declarations remain in play, whether the followers of these religions realize they are mimicking his rebellion against God, or not.  These religions will tell you that they make a distinction between whether the pentagram is inverted or upright -- distinguishing between good and evil intent -- but make no mistake; this symbol represents the god of this world and his fingerprints are all over the pentagram, no matter which way it is pointed.
     So, when someone sports a circled pentagram tattoo and tells you that it is a passive form "implying spiritual containment of the magic circle, in keeping with the traditional secrecy of witchcraft, and the personal, individual nature of the pagan religious path, and of its non-proselytizing character" ... you can bet that satan is using it to send a subliminal and spiritual message to everyone who wears it or looks upon it ... I still believe that I will be like the most High!
     Although, as a Christian, you may think that this symbol will never become acceptable to believers of Jesus Christ, but I found numerous websites -- even the Christian GotQuestions.org -- who say there is nothing to fear.  They say, "Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a star, and the pentagram itself contains no inherent power. It has been used in many ways by many different cultures, including Christianity. It should not be feared in and of itself, although we should be aware of what other people are communicating through it."
     I don't think that goes far enough!  It does contain power!  The power of demonic suggestions and lies; coming down through centuries of use by those in rebellion to the One True God.  And we are seeing that today ... Wicca is America's fastest growing religion, and it is anticipated by some Christian religious experts that it will become the third largest religion in the United States early in the 21st century, behind only Christianity and Islam.  And the pentagram (or pentacle) plays a major role in the symbolism of this pagan religion.
     Finally, the deception of satan is clearly understood in the following statement from the paganspath.com website:  "As society becomes more informed and misconceptions become corrected, all pagans hope these old stereotypes will fall by the wayside and acceptance will be granted to everyone regardless of their beliefs."  That just sounds like the Church will be pressured to compromise, and to accept the concept of "universalism" (acceptance and unity among all the world's religions).
     I guess I just don't get it ... no one wants to give any credence to the ancient meanings and significance of religious symbols and traditions.  It's all about "what it means to me", today -- yet all these new religions are willing to accept and assign spiritual power to their "new" philosophies, without recognizing that the same ancient spiritual associations are bound to those symbols and are now being perpetuated in their rituals.  
     So don't be surprised when you see someone wearing a pentagram necklace or a small tattoo on their wrist, and they have no idea that they are communicating and representing the ongoing rebellion of the enemy of God.  This is why it is so important for us to stay informed and cognizant of the devil's schemes and strategies ... to stay on guard against his deceptive messages.  It is not OK to overlook the Luciferian connotations of the pentagram; and it is not OK for Christians to dismiss the implications of satan's power, or to be ignorant of his devices and schemes.  As the Word of God says, "we are to give no opportunity to the devil".

John 8:44   "You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths."


   
   
   

August 1, 2016

Satan Knows Us Better Than We Know Ourselves.

     I ran across an article in The Washington Post which took me on a bit of a crazy ride... from the After School Satan Club to Dr. Charles Kraft, the evangelical Christian apologist, anthropologist and linguist, with whom I received my first training in the work of inner healing and spiritual warfare.  Let me show you how I got from point A to point B...
     The article, titled An After-School Satan Club Could Be Coming To Your Kid’s Elementary School, was certainly alarming enough to catch my eye.  The article seemed to center around the conflict between the leaders of the Satanic Temple and those who they see as their primary foe, an evangelical Christian after-school program known as The Good News Club.  While I obviously knew that I didn't support the activities of the Satanic Temple's after-school program, I expected that I would naturally be drawn to the Christian-oriented curriculum.  But not so fast....
     At the foundation of the conflict is the First Amendment, which the Satanic Temple (ST) has used to their great advantage in recent years.  They point out that Christian evangelical groups already have infiltrated the lives of America’s children through after-school religious programming in public schools, and they appear determined to give young students a choice: Jesus or Satan.
     The current approach by the ST to introduce Satan as an after-school choice is the result of the 2001 Supreme Court case where The Good News Club was the plaintiff in Good News Club v. Milford Central School, 533 U.S. 98 (2001).  The plaintiff, represented by powerful legal advocacy groups on the religious right, including the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Liberty Counsel, held that the club was entitled to the same access as other groups, like the Boy Scouts, to provide after-school programs designed to promote "moral and character development" to Milford School's elementary children.
     Over the ensuing years, the ST has successfully fought for their First Amendment Rights, and in 2014, after the Supreme Court ruled that the regular recitation of prayers before town meetings did not violate the First Amendment (provided that towns do not discriminate among religions), the Temple decided to test just how much religious liberty towns would allow. They volunteered to perform a Satanic benediction in an Arizona town where the board had regularly opened with a Christian prayer. In that case, the town preferred to abolish the practice of opening prayers.
     That is how we got to the present conflict.  The ST maintains that if public schools can offer after-school programs in what they see as "indoctrination, [and] instilling children with a fear of hell and God’s wrath", then they are free to offer after-school programs that "focus on free inquiry and rationalism."  You see, here is what they want you to believe:  "the group’s plan for public schoolchildren isn’t actually about promoting worship of the devil. The Satanic Temple doesn’t espouse a belief in the existence of a supernatural being that other religions identify solemnly as Satan, or Lucifer, or Beelzebub. The Temple rejects all forms of supernaturalism and is committed to the view that scientific rationality provides the best measure of reality".
     So, that's what they say they believe.  But I am here to tell you that whether they believe in the devil or satan or Lucifer is not the primary point; there is a very real dark and demonic and powerful spirit behind the formation of such groups as The Satanic Temple.  They can say that  “Satan” is just a “metaphorical construct” intended to represent the rejection of all forms of tyranny over the human mind, and all they want is to promote the belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response... scientific rationalism and "free inquiry".
     But all you have to do is watch this video at their website, and you will see the image and statue of Baphomet prominently displayed; (Baphomet is the goat-headed pagan deity most closely associated with occultism, ritual magic, witchcraft, Satanism and esoterica).  Appropriately enough for the After-School Satan Club, the video promotes the image of adoring children looking upon the goat god as he entices them to come under his influence.
     Also, I noticed that the video contained several frames of children and people running and walking backwards.  My spirit was not content to dismiss this as just a technique to enhance the video, so I did a little research.  It seems that this was a practice called The Law of Reversal, promoted by Aliester Crowley, the master occultist who lived from 1875-1947.  Crowley taught his students that those who want fame, power, spell-casting abilities, demons at their beck and call, and [the ability] to recognize the godhead within; as well as to know the past, present, and future, must consistently, with intensity, practice talking (reverse speech), walking, thinking, and playing phonograph records, backwards.  (Anybody of my generation remember the Beatles using this technique, or trying to play records backwards)? This is a form of divination, and we are warned against this in the Holy Bible.  So, so much for this not being about belief in satan.
     But I want to get back to their claim that this after-school program's agenda is all about rationalism instead of religion.  It is apparent to me that satan is after the next generation of kids.  My generation, and the one right after us, are quite possibly the last generations to be really schooled about Jesus.  The Millennials don't seem interested in Him, and seem to be buying into the devil's mantra of "Do as thy will", instead of "Do as God wills".  This ties right into the trend of our educational system and our growing cultural bias -- an aversion to critical thinking, or another way to put it: they object to a factual analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment... it's all about the freedom of the individual to decide for themselves.  This all comes as a result of the breakdown in the family.  Our children should never have to stay after school to learn about Jesus.  It should be an important part of instruction received at home from their parents!
     That brings the After-School Satan Club in direct opposition to the Good News Club, which like I said, I thought would provide children with an age-appropriate education through their Bible lessons, songs, Scripture memory and discipleship training to build character and strengthen moral and spiritual growth.  All that sounds good and much more preferable to what the Satan Club is offering.  But then I began reading reviews and some concerns arose ... it is possible that the message is a little harsh for small children and children who are otherwise unschooled in the Bible; messages that promote ideas such as, "You deserve to die and be separated from Him forever because of your sin".  For example, in one of the books called Esther which is used as part of the lesson plan in The Good News Club, the teacher discusses that anytime the child disobeys their mom or dad, they are sinning; just having a bad attitude about something they have asked you to do is sinning ... this is followed up with the admonishment that "The punishment you and I deserve for our sin is destruction—separation from God forever in a terrible place called Hell... many people are on the road to destruction".  That's a little bit strong for an elementary student, don't you think?
     Then there's even another alternative called The Young Skeptics, which is sponsored by The Better News Club (BNC), which is in opposition to The Good News Clubs.  The BNC/Young Skeptics calls the Good News Club a form of child abuse, using fear tactics and Christian extremist tactics to get across their theology.  The goal of the Young Skeptics is to provide children with an alternative, and scientifically based, view of the natural world around them.  Religion is not discussed in Young Skeptics sessions, nor is atheism.  Young Skeptics' curriculum is based on scientific discovery and evidence-based decision-making.  
     So, while I am definitely against the Satan Club, I'm not enthusiastic about the Good News Club, and see the Young Skeptics as falling far short of Biblical knowledge and training.  They are all flawed systems, in my opinion.  So, here's the way I see it:  as rampant as rationalism and the occult is becoming in our culture, the Church is actually defeating itself.  By rejecting the supernatural aspects of God and the Bible, groups like The Satanic Temple are taking advantage of our ignorance; projecting rationalism in the natural world, and focusing on the universe and science.  And all the while, in the background they are applying principles "on earth as it is in Hell", and promoting spirit-led and supernatural rituals and exercises like those espoused by Aleister Crowley.
     If the Church doesn't learn how to fight in the spirit, and in the spiritual realm, then "on earth as it is in Heaven" becomes just "as it is on earth".  We see evidence of this in pastors who don't believe in the gift of healing or spiritual warfare because it's "too uncomfortable" for people.  And groups like the Young Skeptics are just adapting to become "of this world". The result: satan wins.
     This finally brings me to the thoughts and opinions of the venerable Dr. Charles Kraft.  He says that the Church is promoting a form of "Naturalistic Christianity" ... most of the answers to our questions are secular, and the Church promotes it's particular denominational doctrine and if a few people get saved along the way, that's OK.  Evangelical Christianity offers little discussion or practice of the miraculous dimensions that lead to a rediscovery of the ministry of Jesus.  Therefore, we have a knowledge-oriented Christianity in this country, but we don't know anything about the power of our faith.  We only have approval from society if we stay within the realm of providing knowledge and information... because society is knowledge/science oriented.  We are under pressure from society to conform to this position and to stay in line with the world.
     So, satan is working through groups like The Satanic Temple and programs like the After-School Satan Club because they feed into society's belief system about itself; i.e., that we are a science-oriented, knowledge-based society.  Where is the power of the Church?  And when will we learn who we really are ... created to display the power and authority of the Son of the One True God?  I, for one, am claiming my true identity!

1 Corinthians 1:18          "For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God."



July 31, 2016

Acts 5:3-4

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart
to lie to the Holy Spirit ... Why is it that you have conceived
this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart?


     Most likely, you are familiar with the story of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, in the Book of Acts. This post will complete my discourse on how important the state of our heart is in our salvation journey.  I hope to show you how our thoughts can be infected by the Enemy, pass through the filter (or gateway) of our hearts, and ultimately affect our spirits. (If you have not read the previous post, I think it will help you to see the Biblical support of this hypothesis).  And I want you to notice how many times the topic of "our heart" is mentioned in this concept and in Scripture.
     First, let's take a look at the backdrop of the story ... We have millions of Jews in Jerusalem.  They originally arrived in celebration of the Spring Feasts; and the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth had taken place during these Feasts of the Lord.  So, there would have been some buzz going on among the multitudes about the rumors that this resurrected Jesus had been seen by 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6).  Then came the Feast of Pentecost, on which the nation of Israel, for over 1300 years, had celebrated the giving of the Law (Torah) to Moses.  On that very day, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to write His Law (commandments) on the tablets of our heart.  
     This was the event for which Jesus had told the Apostles to go to Jerusalem and wait ... He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak.  For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now" (Acts 1:4-5).  So you can imagine the uproar and enthusiasm among the crowds when those tongues of fire came down upon the Apostles.  And how I wish I could have heard the supernatural sermon that Peter preached; one in which the Amplified version of the Bible says "cut to the heart" of those who heard it.  Peter shared that the promise of the Holy Spirit was extended to them, too, if they would repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.  "You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" was a powerful incentive to answer this invitation.  
     Of course the ruling class of the Jews were confounded by this event and by the response of the people.  Here, they thought they were done with the rabble-rouser Jesus, and then His disciples not only begin healing in His Name, but they are stirring up the people again ... will the influence of this man, Jesus, never end?  After being arrested, questioned about the miracle of healing the man who had been lame for 40 years, and then released, the new followers of the teachings of Jesus were once again moved by Peter, and thanked God in a powerful prayer that resulted in them being of one heart and soul, and full of boldness and courage for their new faith.
     They were so moved by the presence of God through the Holy Spirit, that they were willing to help support those Jews who were "staying over" after Pentecost in order to hear and learn more about the Gospel Message.  So the Bible tells us that people began selling land and property as the needs of the people were identified.  One such man, Barnabas, received particular accolades, as he laid the proceeds from the sale of his land at the apostles feet -- a humble and generous act.
     Now, the very next thing the Bible tells us happens at the beginning of Chapter 5.  We read that a man named Ananias, and his wife, Sapphira, sell a piece of their property, but rather than giving the full proceeds, they decide to hold back a little for themselves --- and we need to understand that there is nothing wrong with that.  The problem is that with his wife’s full knowledge and complicity he lied about keeping back some of the money.  Clearly, both husband and wife were partners in the deception. They both wanted the image of great generosity (like Barnabas), without actually being remarkably generous.
     But Peter confronts Ananias about his lie.  Once again, God apparently gave Peter supernatural knowledge of what Ananias had done, through the spiritual gift called the word of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8).  Peter asks, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?  Peter did not accuse Ananias of lying to the church or to the apostles, but to the Holy Spirit Himself.  Peter then asks Ananias, Why have YOU conceived this thing in your heart?  Peter acknowledged that Satan had filled the heart of Ananias, yet Peter still needed to ask why Ananias, himself, had conceived this thing in his heart. 
     Various versions of the Bible have Peter asking why Ananias "contrived" or "planned" this thing in his heart.  Are you beginning to see the importance that our heart plays in deciding who we will follow in this world?  Satan can influence the life of a believer, even a spirit-filled believer like Ananais, but he can’t do your sinning for you.  He can plant the thought in your mind (which is a powerful component of your soul, which remember is made up of your mind, emotions, and will).  If your spirit is home to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, then the condition of your heart determines whether you listen to your mind or your spirit.  Ananias had a decision to make and his heart ruled in favor of his mind, rather than the spirit within him.  And the consequences were dire -- He dropped dead in an instant!
     Remember that the parable of the Sower is about the condition of the ground in which the seed is sown.  The ground represents our hearts, and the seed is the Word of God.  Satan tries to mix rocks and thorns among the good soil, to stifle the growth of the seed.  That's exactly what he did in the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira.  Ananias had been saved after Peter’s supernatural preaching and the Word had been sown in his heart, but Peter correctly pronounces that Satan filled Ananias’s heart with Pride, and Ananias did not root that out and, instead, embraced the Pride and decided to lie (of his own free will; another part of his soul) – not only publicly to the apostles and the people, but more importantly to the Holy Spirit within him, who knew the Truth.  
     So here you have the complete picture ... THE SOUL  -- the mind which can become corrupted by the lies of Satan (You, Ananias, can receive the same praise as Barnabas, just don't admit to keeping back part of it for yourself), along with our emotions (I want to feel the glow of praise from the Apostles) and our free will (I can keep part of the profit and reap the honors)  -- coming into conflict with THE SPIRIT  (which if you are Saved, is full of truth and grace).  This conflict takes place in the heart, where both the soul and spirit battle for our allegiance.  
     That is why it is so imperative that we recognize what it means to "take Scripture to heart".  I think 2 Corinthians 10:5 explains it best:  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.  The arguments and lofty opinions are Satan's lies that come into our minds as thoughts and reasons why we shouldn't listen to the Spirit's voice, which ministers to us and gives us "the knowledge of God".  And can you see how important it is to keep your heart clean and pure; cleansed of any pride or doubt and unbelief?  If the heart is the filter between our flesh (the soul) and our God-filled spirits, then I want to stack the deck in favor of the Holy Spirit.  If my heart is the seat of determination for who I will follow, then I need to guard it and protect it from everything other than God.  
     After all, isn't God seeking men and women after His own heart?  He wants our hearts to be like HIS!  Sadly, I am far from that saintly goal.  But, hopefully, this little study has been able to help you pay more attention to the state of your own heart.  I now see how important it is to God, and how easily the Enemy can infiltrate my thoughts and emotions, causing me to poison my heart and drown out the Spirit.  We all need to pay attention to the lesson of Ananias and Sapphira, which clearly shows us what can happen when our hearts become deceitful.

July 29, 2016

How Are You Programmed?

     I hope you agree with me that we live in a very blessed time.  As bleak and unpromising as the future of this world and its cultures appear, I am extremely excited to see God increasingly unveiling His knowledge in more and more rapid surges of revelation.  I mean, we have access to podcasts and books and in-depth studies of Scripture by men and women who are making it their life's work to cast aside man-made religious doctrines in order to fully understand what God says and wants from His people.
     For instance, the truly discerning believers of Christ know that the Bible is a supernatural book; that it is, at its foundation, a book about the Hebrew people and their relationship with YHWH.  We have the benefit of learning from scholars who are studying the Hebrew language to give us a much broader and fuller understanding of Scripture than the Greek-to-English translations have afforded us.  We have the opportunity to learn and question the research of scholars and teachers who are not willing to accept man's traditions as superior to the Word, and are seeking to come closer to God and to possess the facts of His Truth.  That is called KNOWLEDGE.  And the interpretation of that Truth is what we know as UNDERSTANDING.  The application of that Truth is called WISDOM.
     Now, before you go and give me any kind of praise for this explanation, I must give credit where credit is due.  I am going to present a new understanding that I have been gleaning and formulating about our spirituality from one of those young men who is truly a blessing to this generation.  Dan Duval is among a group of young and bold and faithful disciples of Christ (including Justen Faull, Russ Dizdar, Michael Heiser) who have not only immersed themselves in studying the Greek and Hebrew Bibles for greater insight into God, but have gone where the Church is either too afraid or too unenlightened to venture -- spiritual warfare, deliverance and healing, satanic ritual abuse, and the application of Jesus's Power and Authority through us, His commissioned followers.  But they have also taken advantage of the internet, social media, and technology -- tools that satan has successfully used to lure our younger generation and society into spiritual bondage -- and they all have ministries whose goals are to bring more souls into the Kingdom of God.  They have successful podcasts, blogs, books, videos, and even online church services that are reaching multitudes for Christ.  And their work is all done to glorify God from a Scriptural foundation and according to the dictates of His Word!
     All that being said, Dan Duval has written a couple of books that incorporate an idea that is opening up a new understanding of Scripture for me everyday.  It concerns the matters of our heart, and I literally have a more expansive vision of the Word, and am seeing the application of this new understanding as I read old, familiar verses.  I know I can't express all of it in one blog post, so I hope you will continue to follow me as I try to explain how Scripture has opened up to me.
     To begin with, I approached this subject of the heart in a post on the Parable of the Sower, and that is really where I began to see how central our hearts are to the application of our faith, and how important it was to Jesus that we understand that.  I also wrote about how the conditions of our hearts affect everything we think, say, and do in this post.  But Dan Duval has pointed me to further examples in Scripture and I am beginning to see how I have glossed over these verses, without seeing how fundamental they are to my Christian walk.  So, I am going to try to lay out the process I am undergoing and share with you these new facts of God's Truth.
     First, we need to gain an understanding of just how the heart plays into God's creation of Man.  I am not a scholarly person, so please excuse me if this seems elementary, but it is the steps I have taken to enter into the higher and deeper dimensions of God...  We all know that the completion of His creation is evidenced in our spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  We're pretty clear on what constitutes our spirit and our body, but we need to understand that our soul consists of our mind, will, and emotions.  So where does the heart fit into all this?
     If we understand that the heart is kind of a gateway, or entry point, from our soul to our spirit, then we can see that it plays a very important part in how we act out our faith.  Think of it as a processing plant between our soul and spirit -- the spirit feeds spiritual information into the heart, and the soul feeds carnal information into our hearts (from our minds, our emotions, and our life experiences, or will).  The heart then processes all that information, and sends information out that shapes the activity of both the soul and spirit based on the belief system that is operating in us.  In this way, whatever the heart is convinced of, shapes the person's reality.  This is what is meant when Scripture tells us, "as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).  (Join me on Sunday as I show how this played out in the life of Ananais and his wife Sapphira in the Book of Acts).
     As we contemplate the heart, it is vital that we understand that the collection of all the information coming from our soul and our spirit into our heart, is what makes up, or forms, our worldview.  So, if you have no relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, you will not have much spiritual knowledge flowing into your heart; only the carnal knowledge coming from your thoughts and how the world affects you through your experiences ... so you will likely have a secular, humanist worldview.  On the other hand, if you are saved, and have a personal relationship with Jesus, then that knowledge will mix with your fleshly thoughts, your feelings and what the world throws at you, to bring you into some form of spiritual or Biblical worldview.  If you are of the latter persuasion, then how you respond to this life on earth will be determined by how your heart processes that mixture of information.  In other words, what are the "thoughts of your heart"?  And can they be changed  or programmed to respond in one direction or another?
     Dan Duval exposits that there are three main ways to program the heart.  The programming is dependent on which kingdom has created the program (or, as I understand it, who wields the most influence in your heart).  Who sits on the throne of the kingdom of your heart -- God, man, or the Prince of Darkness?  Although we have three kinds of kingdoms in operation here, there are really only two agendas -- the Christ agenda for the redemption of mankind and the antichrist agenda that denies Jesus is Lord.  There is no middle ground, and no other alternative.  The kingdoms that we set up for ourselves (both in the heart and in the world) either further the Christ agenda by submitting to it, or stand in its way by resisting it.
     So how are our hearts programmed by each of these kingdom sources?  Again, Mr. Duval presents an interesting paradigm.... In the Kingdom of God, our hearts are programmed through revelation.  God's revelations of Himself yield a love-based paradigm, in which we think and act like God thinks and acts.  In the Kingdom of Men, our hearts are programmed through repetition, which becomes tradition.  This is the difference between religion and relationship.  We will think and act like our forefathers thought and acted.  We see that in the centuries old doctrines of our churches.  And in the Kingdom of Darkness, our hearts are programmed through trauma, which opens doors for bondage and satan's lies, which generates fear.  We begin to think and act according to the lies he whispers and the way he acts.
     I don't want to overwhelm you with a difficult concept, but I hope you can see that there is a war for our hearts.  The spirit and the soul are in a perpetual battle for the thoughts of our hearts.  For us Christians, while the spirit is attempting to program the heart according to the truths of God and His kingdom, the soul is attempting to program the heart according to the experiences of our lives.  That is why the Bible tells us that we must continually renew our minds with the Word of God.  Our minds are such a strong component of our soul that we will serve what we yield ourselves to, and what we yield to will become the primary influence upon our hearts.  So what we think greatly affects our hearts and how we ultimately act.  That's why the Bible tells us to take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.
     I think the best example I can show you of how we, as humans, must program our hearts is found in the first chapter of the Book of Daniel.  I have read and studied this inspiring book with my Home Church group, but am reading it again as I make my way through the Bible ... one more time.  In Daniel 1:8, the King James version reads, But Daniel purposed in his heart, that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank...  The Amplified version reads, But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile (taint, dishonor) himself with the [a]king’s finest food or with the wine which the king drank...
     Can you see this concept of programming our hearts played out in Daniel's faithful act?  Can you see the struggle within his heart -- how he had to process the information coming from his spirit with the information coming from his mind, emotions, and will?  Daniel knew that the king's food would have been sacrificed to pagan gods; and he knows that because his name has been changed from Daniel ("God is my Judge") to Belteshazzar ("The pagan god Bel will protect my life"), if he participates in eating the king's food, he will be giving the impression that he agreed to follow the pagan practices.  This is where Daniel "purposed his heart" according to the belief system of the Kingdom that lived within his heart.  Daniel's heart was programmed by the Kingdom of God, so he acted and thought like God, and out of his love for God, he chose not to compromise.  He made up his mind; "for as he thinks, so in his heart, is he".  Do you see just how powerful our minds can be in overwhelming our hearts?
     I challenge you to look up all the verses in the Bible about the heart.  I believe that, like me, you will find new inspiration and revelation as to how important the state of our heart is to our faith and our salvation journey.  And I think you will discover just how important renewing our mind is to programming our hearts.  Also, I believe that you will find new meaning in verses like this:  "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me"  (Psalm 51:10); and this one:  "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart"  (Hebrews 4:12).
     Finally, I will be showing you with my Scripture choice on Sunday, how the Enemy targets the heart to influence us and take us captive, filling it with his deception and wickedness.   But when our heart is circumcised with the love and commands of the Lord, everything that flows out of it is for the glory of God's Kingdom.  Stay tuned!

Proverbs 4:23    "Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life."
   
   

   
 

July 27, 2016

The Only "Cover" I Need Is Jesus

     As I related to you in the previous post, my husband and I attended a Deliverance Ministry training session this past weekend, and continue to be encouraged by the Holy Spirit that we are doing the will of God.  We were heartened, motivated, and validated by the team of deliverance ministers from Luke 4:18 Ministries, and enjoyed sharing experiences with other attendees.
     But I have to say that I was surprised by one question that we received.  But first, I must disclose that most of the people in attendance were there to learn on behalf of their churches.  The interesting thing is that it appears to be a common occurrence that the church leadership doesn't necessarily buy into spiritual warfare -- and definitely not deliverance ministry -- but is willing to give their permission for someone within the church to learn what they can about it.  In fact, when I attended Dr. Charles Kraft's Defeating Dark Angels conference last winter I assumed that everyone was there because they had established ministries within their churches, and they were the assigned leader for that ministry.  Imagine my surprise, when one woman sitting at my table informed me, "Oh, honey, we're all here in spite of our churches"!
     My husband and I are always the exception to the rule whenever we gather with church or ministry-led conferences because God has pulled us out of the established Church and we are part of a small home church.  I'm always a little saddened by some of the reactions that news receives, as if somehow we are less qualified to be doing a ministry.  I say "a little" saddened, because my spirit has no doubt that we have been called by God to partner with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help set people free.  What "church people" think about that has no bearing on our service to the Lord.  And that leads me back to the sincere question that we were asked at the recent training session we attended.
     A young woman from Bangladesh approached the table where my husband and I were sitting.  She had been involved with a deliverance ministry under the auspices of her church in her home country, but since moving to the United States, she could find no church that had such a ministry, nor any church leadership that encouraged the pursuit of a deliverance ministry.  So her question to us was, "How are you able to do this deliverance ministry without "the covering" of a church"?  That question struck such a chord with me, because it represents so much of the resistance and opposition that I have felt from the church in recent years.
     In fact, some of the more negative or unfavorable responses I have received in regards to spiritual warfare have come from pastors and church leaders who do not believe it exists!  But God has shown me that so much of the struggles and pain that Christians experience is due to oppression by demonic forces.  But because they hide behind the "Christian culture" in their church -- the culture that has been blinded to the bondage that so many are under -- they will never see, nor admit, that they are hurting.  And sadly, they have discouraged members of their churches from seeking any knowledge or experience on waging spiritual warfare.  Therefore, without "the covering" of their pastor, Christians continue to be unenlightened about defeating the Enemy in their own lives.
     For the life of me, I cannot discover where the idea originated that believers need to be "covered" in order to serve God and minister within Christ's Body.  How many people are living Christian lives under the shadow of this fear that without "covering" you dare not minister, preach, teach, pray, or do a myriad of other things you're called to do by the Spirit of God, because you will somehow be ministering without protection?
     (NOTE:  This same kind of argument is used to discourage women from teaching because they are supposed to "be submissive" or "under the authority" of a man.  Unfortunately, this incorrect understanding has applied Scriptures such as 2 Timothy 2:12, and 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, and taken them out of context.  Then the last 1600 years of social and cultural influence have somehow cemented these ideas in the Church.  For a different take on this interpretation of Scripture, check out my blog post here, and the source of my suggestive theory, here.)
     Now back to how I feel about having to be "covered" to do deliverance ministry.  I truly feel that this doctrine places the authority of man over the authority of my God.  If the Holy Spirit convicts me that Deliverance is something He wants me to do -- and that Jesus wants people healed and wants me to facilitate that healing -- then why do I need to seek any further approval from men?  And why would I turn down that calling just because a pastor or church leader does not recognize the need for it? Are we not instructed by Scripture to submit ourselves to God?  As born-again believers, we daily make a choice to submit ourselves to God for the work that the Holy Spirit does in us to "conform us to the image of Christ." That image of Christ is one of servanthood, as He sought to do what God instructed Him to do.  That included healing, and casting out demons, and spreading the Word about God's mercy unto salvation.  Can we have no higher calling than to imitate Christ in this manner?
     Please understand that I am not advocating disrespect or rebellion (out of pride) towards God's Church or the Pastors and Shepherds He has placed in positions of authority.  But when confronted with a choice to follow a clear commission from the Holy Spirit, and the will of my Father, or an opinion from a man (no matter how well-intentioned) then I have no choice.  When my spirit is told that I have been sanctified to do this work for the Kingdom of God, then I know that my "covering" -- my defense, my protection -- will come from the Lord Himself.  I go forth to do this ministry in full confidence because I am covered by the Blood of Jesus!
     1 John 2:20 speaks so strongly to my conviction on this matter:  But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].  Just before we were introduced to this concept of spiritual warfare and deliverance, my husband had a recurring dream in which God told him that He wanted us to sanctify our property, our home, and each other with holy oil.  Then, in the dream, there was a clear message that YHWH, Himself, was going to sanctify us.  It took him several days to tell me this, but after consecutive nights of receiving the same divinely-inspired communication, he knew he had affirmation that it was from the Lord, and he shared the message with me.  At the time, we didn't know what that meant, or why He was anointing us and sanctifying us.
     Since then, we know that the anointing was so that He could impart the knowledge of His truth regarding spiritual warfare to us; and we were going to be sanctified, or set apart for God, to do deliverance ministry under the Authority of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit.  We wanted, so desperately, to share this Good News with the Church and let them know that God wants us to partner with Him in these Last Days ... but they didn't want to hear it.  In effect, we could not, and would not, receive any approval of "covering" from The Church.  And that's when it became crystal clear that we were not to seek it; that God would be our covering -- He will go before us and protect the work that He has assigned us to do.  He will be our shield and our shelter as we continue the work that His Son came to do, namely to set free those who are in bondage to satan and his forces of wickedness.
     I guess, in a way, the Apostle Philip is kind of a model for what happened to us.  He was personally reached by Jesus himself. While Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, and Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, no one brought Philip to Jesus. Instead, Jesus came right to him.  And Philip went where God told him to go, reaching people that would never be drawn to the newly developing church.  And that is our similar experience ... God personally revealed His purpose for our lives and is bringing people in bondage directly to our door; people who do not feel comfortable approaching the Church.  All they know is that they want to be free, and we have the answer ... it's to experience Jesus healing their spiritual wounds!
     So, if you find yourself in a situation similar to the young woman from Bangladesh, and you feel called to a deliverance ministry, but find no support from the establishment of the Body of Christ, then ask the Holy Spirit for confirmation that this is how you are to serve the Kingdom of God.  If this is to be the purpose of your life, then God will open doors for you that men cannot close.  Trust Him to be your "covering", believing that if He is for you, no one can be against you.  The freedom you will feel in setting others free will inspire you, stir your spirit, and clear the way for unprecedented fruit in the lives of others.  Don't be afraid to step out!

Psalm 91:14   Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name.
   

July 25, 2016

A Legacy For The Kingdom

     For some reason, today my spirit is wishing to share some personal thoughts and revelations... I don't receive a lot of comments or feedback from my blog posts, but that's OK.  I don't need accolades for me; I'd rather read and hear God being praised, but when I do, they are often times humbling and give me more credit that I deserve.  Readers are too quick to praise me for knowledge and inspiration that, quite frankly, I don't feel worthy of.  The truth is, there have been people who have been instrumental in shepherding my foray into spiritual warfare, and who have validated the direction that the Holy Spirit is leading me.
     I am no different than any of you ... My experiences and knowledge can be obtained by anyone wishing to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit and to earnestly serve the Kingdom of God. Perhaps I am just a tad more bold or daring; in fact, I have had other Christians tell me that I should be more cautious and less passionate.   But I have confidence in my discernment, and I am not one to waste time if I hear the Holy Spirit counseling me to step out in faith.  So, today, I'd like to inspire you by introducing you to a woman who has inspired a growing army of spiritual warriors for this Time and Place.
     First, let me say that I have been tremendously blessed to have a husband who has been an aggressive warrior in his own right.  If you've been reading this blog for quite some time, then you know that his first and middle names literally mean "Peace-Loving Warrior", and he exemplifies that strong and commanding image.  Together, the Lord showed us a couple of years ago where He wants us to stand, and the important work He needs done in His Kingdom here on earth.  By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we were led to study the spiritual realm and its influence on Christians.  Through encounters with entities from this realm, we have both been exposed to satan's attempts to discourage the followers of Jesus from claiming their power and authority in the Name of our Savior.  And then, by Divine Appointment we came into contact with the woman who would become our mentor, our advisor, and our trainer in our Deliverance Ministry.
     Her name is Barbara Bucklin, and she is a tireless champion and advocate of Jesus as our Healer, our Deliverer, and our Savior.  She has more energy and passion than people decades younger than herself.  We first met Barb when we attended a conference she arranged, and which was taught by Dr. Charles Kraft, entitled Defeating Dark Angels.  At the time we knew, and were seeing, that Christians were being attacked and oppressed by demonic forces, but knew nothing other than praying for protection as a means of defeating them.  Dr. Kraft changed all that ... He revealed that through his many years of missionary work and the thousands of Christians he had counseled, that most problems are spiritual, resulting in emotional difficulties that keep us from the freedom and intimacy with Christ that we (and He) desire.  And we learned that deep-level healing is the answer.  What exactly is this deep-level healing?  It is a Deliverance ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit that is aimed at bringing healing to the whole person:  spirit, body, mind, emotions, and will.  It is about hearts being set free.  And we, as the servants of Christ, are fully capable (through partnering with Him and the Holy Spirit) of continuing His work to "set the captives free".
     The valuable information I received from a subsequent training season with Dr. Kraft was orchestrated by Barb, and in the months that have followed, she has been there to advise and instruct my husband and me as we enter into this new frontier of Christian spiritual warfare.  In fact, we just returned from a Healing and Deliverance training session with Barb this past weekend.  Thirty-five people signed up to hear Barb share her experiences in seeing hurting, scared, damaged Christians -- people who have been subjected to the wiles and schemes of our Adversary -- but who were transformed by a very real experience with Jesus as their Healer and Deliverer.  She conducted this seminar to encourage and instruct us in Deliverance Ministry; to give us a roadmap in which to work with Jesus to help those being oppressed by the Enemy.
    Now, 35 people may seem like a small number, but it is momentous when you consider that, very likely, each of these individuals represent 35 churches or communities who are in desperate need of receiving evidence that Jesus still heals and delivers His people.  If each of these people are fulfilling their commission to continue the work of Jesus, just think of the numbers they can impact.
     And impact is what Barbara Bucklin is all about.  She is an active supporter and vibrant part of what some call the "Texas Prayer Movement".  She is a fervent believer that through Prayer and Intercession which is led by the Holy Spirit, Christians can chip away at the darkness that envelops the world, and let the Light of God shine through.  She is believing and trusting God for a revival in the Texas capitol city of Austin; that prayerful Christians can provide firm support for what God is working on to accomplish in that city, in its businesses, ministries, families, personal lives, and government. She is believing God that He will transform the City of Austin ... and believe me, you don't want to doubt her.
     She is also the President of Luke 4:18 Minstries.  That verse is the foundation of her belief in Jesus’ mission statement as He picked up that scroll in Isaiah 61 – out of all those other scrolls -- and read it when He went into the temple. He said that the scripture was fulfilled that day. And what exactly was fulfilled?

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; too set at liberty those who are oppressed [downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy]..."

     Her testimony, I believe, is similar to what God is doing throughout His remnant.  He is showing us that, if we are ready to listen, and use the tools He has given us to see people transformed and restored, He has a mission for us.  Barb listened, and beginning in 1999, she set about fulfilling her mission... and just like what has begun happening to my husband and myself, people began showing up at her doorstep.  They were people that could not be reached inside the four walls of a church building, because they were never going to approach the Church for the healing they needed.  They are people, as in the case of Barb's ministry, who were homeless and living under the bridges in Austin; or people the Church had failed to help, because the church was blind to the message of Luke 4:18.  And they were simply people on the margins of society, who were not even in view of the Church, because Church members were focused inward instead of outward towards the lost and hurting ... the very people Jesus came to Save, Heal and Deliver.
     Listen to Barb, and see why she is such an inspiration and motivator for God's spiritual army ... "I believe that as we pray for people and see Jesus set them free, they are able to move into their gifts more fully and our city is being transformed one person at a time.  We see His Body move forward and unite in a different way, because it’s easy to unite when hearts are healed.  It’s difficult to work together when you're suffering from pain, unhealed abuse and other hurts. Wounded people find it difficult to work together. But, once you have healing and joy restored, you have a new resiliency and vision and then you move into a Kingdom perspective and a desire to see His 'Kingdom come and will be done' … [Through our ministry], we want people prepared and equipped in ministry, that is why the gifts have been given to us — to equip the Body for ministry and to advance the Kingdom. We need to be walking in freedom and maturity so we can do the good works prepared for us ... We also need to be alert, having our minds transformed to align with His words, increase our faith, and understand the prophetic nature of these days."
     Perhaps most importantly, this faithful woman of Christ believes that God's restructuring the Church. A while back, she says she got a word that He was rewiring, realigning, restructuring, and then re-anointing His Body.  She admits that this transition of the Church currently involves only a small number of the Body.  Most Christians are satisfied where they are; being comfortable and not liking any sort of challenge.  But she believes that the stirring within the Body towards ministries like hers [and that of my husband and myself] is actually God causing this discomfort; drawing us back to the basics, talking about the Cross and the Blood of Christ.  And she has done all that for me.
     She came into my life at a time when God was continuously trying to show me that He had work for me to do outside the walls of any Church.  Make no mistake, He didn't tell me that the work of those inside the Church was necessarily unproductive -- just that He was anointing me and my husband to do His work in a new "old way", if that makes sense.  And then He pointed me to models that were according to His will ... and that were working!  And that's how I ended up being a part of the Healing and Deliverance Training Session this past weekend. I sat among 35 brave people who have been willing to go where the Lord is leading them, and to be mentored by a willing servant and her team;  all of us followers of Jesus who desire to see our fellow Christians walking in physical and spiritual freedom and restoration.  I am truly blessed to be a part of this faithful group.
     I want to leave you with one final thought ... we all stand on the shoulders of others God puts in our lives.  I have heard from many of you that you are hearing from God, and know that the struggles in your life are spiritual; that you recognize that Jesus is the answer.  I urge you to seek a credible deliverance ministry, and then once you are healed and restored, then please help another person attain the freedom that Jesus has given you!  This is the structure of God's Kingdom that has been shown to me by the Holy Spirit, and modeled so well by men and women like Dr. Charles Kraft and Barbara Bucklin.  There is no need to fear the unknown.
     As we ended our conference this weekend, Barbara circled the classroom, anointing each of the participants with Valor.  Our modern English definition of this word is "bravery, courage, boldness".  But knowing Barb, I'm pretty sure that she anointed us with Valor, under the Hebrew interpretation, which indicates "the physical strength, power, and ability to perform in the battle that is in view".  She knows, and has seen, [as we have] that we are engaged in a spiritual battle for the souls of men, both lost and saved.  She knows that we do not fight alone, but under the Authority of Jesus and through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
     In this one classroom, in one city of the United States, there were 35 people joined in fulfilling the mission we have been given ... the mission that All are invited to partake in.  Just think what we can accomplish for the Kingdom of God, one person at a time; one community at a time; one nation at a time.  Let it begin with you!

Mark 13:34    "For the Son of Man is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper [guardian] to watch."

July 24, 2016

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. 
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; 
I have overcome the world.


     The world is fast falling into lawlessness.  Just in the past few weeks, the incidents of violence around the globe certainly have all of us on edge.  We sense that evil has influenced the hearts of men and these are dangerous times in which we live.
     I wonder how many Christians are unsettled about these events, but think evil will never touch them.  And how many are unaware that their Bible tells them to expect such chaos and bloodshed.  Of course, the Bible also tells us in Psalm 27 that the Lord is the protector and defender of our lives; and if you read the Good News Translation, "God protects me from all danger.  I will never be afraid."
     But if we are honest with ourselves, we are afraid.  And we know it's not that simple.  Good people -- faithful people who trust Jesus as their Savior -- are victims of evil and violence every day.   And careful inspection of today's verse has Jesus telling us, Himself, that in this world, we will have tribulation. 
     It is interesting to note that these words from our Lord appear to be the last advice He gave to His disciples before going to the Cross.  Therefore, they should have great significance to us.   It is important to discern that, even as Jesus knew that Judas was meeting to betray Him -- He knew the humiliation, torture, and execution that awaited Him -- He was able to offer peace to His disciples ... because He had peace.
     Also, note that Jesus did not promise peace, but He offered it. He said, "you may have peace. " A person can follow Jesus, yet deny themselves that peace.  How do you get that Peace?  It's only available by faith in Jesus.  
     Notice, however, that He promises tribulation ... In the world, you WILL have tribulation.  Peace is offered to us, but tribulation is promised!  So how are we to handle that information?  As Christians, we must not get caught up in the false hope that we will live trouble-free lives.  That leaves us totally defenseless when the devil assigns a spiritual force of wickedness to our life.  And it renders us as deniers of demonic oppression in a Christian's life, and totally unprepared to fight the spiritual battles that will be ours.   Of this, I can assure you:  if we belong to God, times of calmness and serenity will be disrupted by seasons of struggle, because if we are bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God, there will always be new territory to conquer for Him.
     To uplift us, Jesus tells us to "take heart" or "be of good cheer" because He has overcome the world.  I wish to share with you commentary about this verse by Bible scholar Leon Morris:  "This statement, spoken as it is in the shadow of the cross, is audacious … He goes to the cross not in fear or in gloom, but as a conqueror. " 
     But now we come to the reason that we can take heart ... Jesus has overcome the world!  It's very important that we understand what that word "overcome" means.  It is translated in the Greek as nikao, and means "to subdue; conquer; prevail; or get the victory".  In effect, Jesus is telling us that, "I am warning you that you will have great troubles while you are here on earth, but I don't want you to give up, and I want you to be encouraged.  I want you to not dread or fear what the world will bring upon you, because you can have the same peace I am experiencing now.  The peace I have now, knowing that I am going to My death, is the same peace that is yours, because the ultimate victory will be Mine.  I am going to conquer Death ... and so will you, if you believe in Me."
     That is the essence of what Jesus is saying in this verse.  But I would like to take it one step further... to get the full picture of what Jesus is trying to communicate here, we must continue reading.  This is the last verse in John, Chapter 16; but in Chapter 17, Jesus shares an intimate conversation with His Father.  The purpose is to let us in on the real purpose of His time on earth, and our subsequent purpose in the Father's Plan.  
     Jesus lets us in on these important facts:  "While I was with them [the Disciples], I was keeping them in Your [the Father's] name which You have given Me ... They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth."
     Here's what we really need to take away from this entire passage of Scripture:  Yes, Jesus will never leave us, and in fact we are to be at peace during the coming tribulation, knowing that His victory affords us our own victory (eternal life).  BUT, we are not to sit here idly and passively, waiting for the Rapture, safe in the knowledge that this life will soon be over and we will join Him in Heaven.  No!  We have a purpose!  Either until He returns, or until the day we die, we are to spend our remaining time on earth fulfilling the commission that we have been given.  It is the same assignment the Father gave Jesus... to tell the world the Truth of God.
     I fear that too many Christians have selective comprehension of John 16:33.  They read the part about peace, thinking they will have it, instead of correctly understanding that they may receive it.  And secondly, they focus on Jesus's (and our) victory over Death.  They fail to see that we have a commission and a purpose to fulfill in claiming that victory; we need to be committed and devoted and actively in pursuit of accomplishing our goal for God ... we need to be as dedicated as Jesus was about winning souls for our Father's Kingdom!