Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven? Is There a Difference?

I often get comments or texts from people who are trying to figure out their Biblical worldview, or who might have a question that the Church just hasn't been able to answer for them. And I love it when I receive these queries because it tells me that Proverbs 25:2 is still alive and well in the 21st Century ... It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. I love a "seeker's heart"! 

And it is important for us Christians to be prepared to give an answer to people who are trying to find and understand God in the world and cosmos. It's an opportunity to encourage someone to continue in their exploration of the efficacy of God. My husband became one of the most voracious seekers of answers when he was confronted by a friend with this common question: "If you want me to believe that God exists, can you tell me where the dinosaurs are in the Bible?" Now, my husband had no doubt that God created the dinosaurs or that their existence was somewhere noted [or hidden]in the Bible, but he couldn't give a clear or convincing answer to his friend. 

That lost opportunity to share the truth and glory of God resulted in the friend abandoning his search for answers that proved God's existence. This, in turn, caused Mark and myself to determine that we would never leave another seeker without an answer that would lead them to the Word and God. Therefore, in the next couple posts, I want to tackle some questions that I have received.

Is there a difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven? I realize that there is a huge controversy over these terms [and others], but I strongly feel that it is a distraction to keep us from seeing the deeper and more important issues that face us in the coming spiritual battles between man and the entities that are coming from the heavenly realms. So, my short answer is this: I see no difference. God's Kingdom is wherever He resides; any place He lives. 

And if you are one of those Christians who lives by Proverbs 25:2 and love to "search out a matter", then you will know that Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 that there are three heavens. So are they all the Kingdom of God? In this same passage, we discover that this Third Heaven is where God's throne is; it is the dwelling place of God, called Paradise, where Paul heard inexpressible words which man is not permitted to speak; words too sacred to tell. Psalms 33:13-14 confirms this. This is where the King resides, and Heaven [or Paradise] is His Kingdom and territory.

But He also occupies territory in the Second Heaven, which is deep space and the universe; the realm that is between the realm of Heaven, and the realm of earth. Psalm 8:3 tells us, When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have established ... we know that this is the realm between Heaven and earth; the constellations and outer space [see Isaiah 13:10]. The Bible doesn't call it "Second Heaven", but it is described as a territory where Satan is "The ruler of the kingdom of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), and where there are "Spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). We know there are no spiritual forces of evil in the Third Heaven, so it seems logical to surmise that this is the realm of the Second Heaven. 

And I believe it is safe to assume that spiritual battle between Satan's forces and the Lord's angelic army takes place in this realm of Second Heaven. Daniel 10:13-21 reveals that the angel Gabriel battled the prince of Persia [the demonic spirit that controlled the nation of Persia] in this realm for 21 days, until the Archangel Michael came to help him. So this is contested territory, but the presence of God is still manifested in this heavenly realm.

Then there's the First Heaven, which is God's territory here on earth, including our atmosphere. Deuteronomy 11:11 says, But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven. Psalm 104:12 records, Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. God created it all, and His Spirit resides in everything He creates. And remember, Jesus announced "the Kingdom of Heaven is here [at hand]" when He began His ministry. In other words, God was present and residing in the First Heaven in the form of His Son, making this territory both the Kingdom of God, and by extension the Kingdom of Heaven. 

In order to form our Biblical theology and worldview, it is important that we understand that there are multiple heavens, and that anywhere God resides is His Kingdom and His territory. So, whether He is in the Third Heaven, sitting upon His Throne; or in the Spirit with His angels as they contend with Satan's demonic forces in the Second Heaven; or in our hearts and homes and nations here in the First Heaven, it is all part of His Kingdom. Yes, it requires us to connect the dots that the Holy Spirit reveals as we "search out a matter", but it makes no difference whether you refer to His territory as the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven -- as long as you recognize that He is the King and the realms that He occupies are His Kingdom. Let's not let ourselves become sidetracked by trivial verbiage. Jesus has commissioned us to continue His work, and our attention is much needed to carry out our responsibilities in the power and authority He has given us.

Another question in the next post: Are aliens and extraterrestrials Biblical?

Psalm 103:19     The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His Kingdom rules over all.  

 

 

What the Bible Says About Jesus, Man, and the Morning Stars!

I rose in the early hours of the morning, sliding out of bed so as not to disturb my husband's sleep. I nestled into my comfortable recliner to spend some personal time with Jesus. Both my husband and I are experiencing a profound desire to let the Holy Spirit put our lives into perspective when it comes to God's plan from the beginning of time. We are hungry for more heart and spiritual knowledge about the God of all Creation. We know what the Bible says about us and God's love for us. We know what He desires of us, and our responsibilities as sons and daughters of the King and His kingdom. We know about our lost dominion in this earth and our authority to reclaim it. And we know about the power given to us, by Jesus Himself, to defeat the powers of hell. But we also know that there is much more to God's story, and we're just a small [but important] part of it. In all significant respects, it's not about us, but all about Him. 

I'm reading a fascinating book by Timothy Alberino, entitled Birthright. I've just begun, but it is so in line with the thoughts, questions, and direction that my spirit is headed, that I am grateful to the Holy Spirit for affirming that I'm on the path I should be. It's not actually a new path, but one that is ever-evolving as I take my next step and season in the Lord. I think I really began coming out of my Christian "normalcy bias" about 12 years ago when I did a Bible study called Behold Your God. I think it was probably the first time that I began to recognize the box I had put Him in; a box that had been carefully constructed for thousands of years by men's ideas of who He was and what His Word meant for us. And it was all designed to make us the center of His purpose. [In retrospect, although that study was just barely scratching the surface, it went far beyond anything the Church had taught me and it ignited a spark of interest that has continued to burn].

Now, as I've grown older and matured in my faith, I am able to see beyond the barriers that have been erected to keep us [and our knowledge of God] at a distance, and which consequently results in us reflecting upon ourselves and making us the center of all God's works. For instance... [and please bear with me as I attempt to connect the dots of my thoughts with what God is showing me] ... Here we are in the 21st Century, at a critical juncture in our history. We can be hyper-focused and look at everything from politics, to education, to impending wars, to our upside-down morals, to disease and dying, and surmise that it all looks like the beginning of the end for us. Our Christian tunnel vision will tell us we're in bad shape and we need to pray more. We ask, "Where are you, God"? And we think the state of the world has never seemed worse. And we make it all about us.

But I, in my early morning time with Jesus, am able to contemplate that there have been billions and billions and billions of people who have existed over God's timeline that have experienced this and worse. The devil whispers that from the 50,000 foot view, I don't even register on God's radar. But my faith and trust in Jesus knows without a doubt that He cares about each one of us, and knows our fears and troubles; we are not insignificant to Him! At the same time, I also recognize that many Christians interpret the Bible as saying we are the center of Jesus's focus and purpose for appearing on the earth... that what is happening to us now will have the most impact on the destiny of man. It's as if nothing that came before us really matters in God's mind or plan.

I mean, just consider the opposing views of Young Earth and Old Earth. There are those who believe the earth was created 6000 years ago, while others believe that it is anywhere between 4.5 and 14 billion years old. The Young Earth-ers will contend that the earth and the universe came into existence approximately the same time as man was created ... "as if the universe were made for the earth and the earth for man" [Alberino]. But the Bible doesn't support that. As Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15-17, "He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, in Him all things consist". 

Jesus is the preeminent [primary, superior, first] focus of all creation! He is worthy of all praise and honor! As aforementioned, the universe was not made for the earth, and the earth was not made for man. It was all made for Jesus, the firstborn and beloved Son of the Father. As mankind, we need to understand that there is a proper position for us within the order of creation. We were not there at the beginning of the universe [and not even at the beginning of the earth] and we weren't the first sentient species created. I know that's not the story manufactured under the umbrella of religious concepts, but like I said, if we truly want to behold God in His fullness, we have to take Him out of the box.

Have you ever wondered about what was going on in the pre-Adamic history of the universe? What about some of the other groups mentioned in the Bible as having significance in the Creation story? What is your Christian understanding of the Morning Stars, mentioned in Job 38:4-7? What about the Watchers -- both the holy [Daniel 4:13,16] and the unholy ones [1 Enoch 6:1-2, Genesis 6:1-4], as well as the Nephilim [Genesis 6:4]? Are you willing to dismiss their existence because they aren't talked about in Church? Or do you disregard 1 Enoch because it's not included in our canon [although it was completely preserved in an Ethiopic translation from Greek], as well as several instances of the Bible [Jude 1:4, 1:14-15, and 2 peter 2:4-9] paralleling 1 Enoch's text? If so, I hope you will reconsider their significance in our understanding of how big our God is. If you're like me, I want to know all there is to know about who and for what purpose all beings were created, and I want to know all the ways that God communicated His Truth.

I truly believe that God is opening up our minds and spirits to more depth of knowledge. Of course, the Enemy is always willing to contradict or corrupt our understanding to cloud the Truth. We've seen this happening in ways like the pseudo-scientific/historical TV series called Ancient Aliens. I've always marveled at the ability of the writers of this popular series to get about 90% of the Biblical paradigm correct. But let me ask you this ... Do extraterrestrials and/or aliens exist? And do they have a place within the context of the Bible? I say, "Absolutely"! When you understand that the term extraterrestrial simply means a being who comes from someplace other than earth, and an alien, which is a foreign being from an extraterrestrial world, we see them represented in the ancient book of Job.

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" I love this passage! It is a challenge that God has presented before prideful man throughout the millennia! Who are we to declare all that God has done or that we are the preeminent creation of the universe? 

Obviously the morning stars were sentient beings [endowed with feelings and consciousness; able to think and act]. After all, they sang and they are older than the earth itself, since they were there to see it formed; thereby making them older than human beings. And the sons of God were created before us, too! It is not all about us! But, here is the magnificent truth: we humans are destined to be sons of God together with them in the Kingdom of God.

These are just a few of the pearls and hidden treasures that have surfaced as I've mined the Word for God's Truth. Maybe some will think that I'm wasting my time ... isn't my salvation enough, they will ask? But I recall Jesus saying [after He was resurrected] that He would send a Helper to be our Counsellor and Guide in all things that come from the Father. Please understand, I know these thoughts will be considered heretical among many religious denominations and teachers. But I challenge you to do your own research and question the religious traditions we've taken for granted. The Bible is not a closed system of instruction and knowledge. It is called "the Living Bible" for a reason. It is "Living and Active" [Hebrews 4:12], ever able to give us more wisdom, understanding, counsel, and knowledge from our Father in Heaven, and our Creator and Savior. 

Bottom line: don't be afraid to go deeper in the Word. The Word is not written to be restrictive. Let Scripture reveal who God is; even knowledge that seems outside the orthodoxy of Religion can be instructive to help you know more about God. AND ALWAYS ... take what you're curious about to Jesus and ask Him if what you are discerning is correct. Trust Him! The devil has long used misguided men to suppress our understanding of just how big our God is. Do we really think that 66 Books of the Bible are all there is in revealing the fullness of Him? NOTE: I'm not blaspheming Scripture! I'm merely saying that He can plant pearls and treasure within His inspired Word that will lead you to greater truth as He reveals more and more of Himself and all He's done throughout time. It's all of inestimable value to those who love Him!

 Isaiah 55:8-9    For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. 

 

 

"Their End Will Correspond To Their Deeds"

I am nearing the 14th year of writing this blog, and as I look back over the path I've walked, and the direction the Holy Spirit and the Lord have taken me, I see how the course of events have influenced what I've posted. I began writing when it became clear that "the fundamental transformation of America" wasn't just a political slogan, but an actual spiritual agenda that was embraced by our leaders and supported by other worldly rulers who had an interest in taking advantage of a change in our nation's foundational principles and rule of law.

We are now well into the de-construction of our historically unique plan of government that has stood the test of time for nearly 250 years. And for most of the last 14 years, we Americans have existed in a state of normalcy bias, unable to conceive that we have been essentially [and crucially] destabilized in order to subvert our unity and reinterpret our Democratic and Constitutional Republic. And what has become astounding to me, is the realization that there has been a corresponding agenda within the Church! 

Just as false and duplicitous wolves in sheep's clothing have entered into our halls of government, education, and public discourse, so have they been invited into our buildings of worship. It's just as it was in the days of the prophets of old (Ezra, Zechariah, and Haggai, among others). As the Jews returned to their land after their exile in Babylon, there was continued opposition to the idea of a restored Judah and Temple. In various forms of duplicity and deception, enemy nations approach the leaders of Judah and offer their help; in essence, saying, "Let us help you build; we seek the same ends you do, and can even accept your God as ours". 

But, the Bible tells us that, in time, "the people of the (other) lands weakened (and tried to discourage) the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in the building. They hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose...". Those with spiritual eyes to see can observe that this mimics exactly what we are seeing in our own nation today. Enemies of our country have entered our most sacred institutions and are counseling our next generations against the foundation of how this country was built. We took it for granted that they honored and respected our unique status and our ways, when in reality, they wish to transform it and destroy it; establishing a new form of governance. And let's not ignore the willingness of our own corporations and leaders who are willing to prosper off the ignorance of the people.

Now substitute the Church and Christianity for the Nation. Enemies of God and Christians enter into our Church buildings, saying they wish to worship with us, to prophecy to us, and to seek after our God. But in reality, they are involved with witchcraft or false gods; or seeking their own glorification, often deluding themselves as well as those they profess to be teaching and ministering to. True faith is weakened and a stronghold is established that will ultimately destroy the Church. Our headlines have been full of pastors who have dishonored their calling as Shepherds. And they have left disillusioned and abused sheep in their wake.

What I have described is an age-old concept; one that the Greeks personified in their use of the Trojan horse ... it is any trick or strategy that causes a target to allow a foe into a securely protected bastion or space. Sadly, the leaders of our nation and churches have not been so mindful of the danger and difficulties that ensue from such compromise. I pray it's not too late to regain what we've lost! 

Our Founding Fathers faced the same dilemmas we are encountering when they came together to decide how our new nation would be governed. They adopted many of their governing principles from the Roman statesman, Cicero, who was born nearly 1900 years before the founding documents of this nation were written. In the exceptionally profound book entitled, The 5000 Year Leap, author W. Cleon Skousen, a faith-based political theorist, reveals that, "To Cicero, the building of a society on principles of Natural Law was nothing more nor less than recognizing and identifying the rules of "right conduct" with the laws of the Supreme Creator of the universe". 

In his own words, Cicero wrote this: "There will not be different laws at Rome and at Athens, or different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all times, and there will be one Master and Ruler, that is God, over us all, for He is the author of this law, its promulgator, and its enforcing Judge." These ideas and precepts are as sound today as when they were espoused by Cicero nearly two millennia ago; and they are emphasized in our founding documents. 

But here is where we find ourselves in 2024 ... our society is not in agreement that our Creator exists, not that absolute moral authority exists in Him. In fact, Moral Rightness or Truth have become relative -- everyone can claim their own truth. And when God is not your authority of what is right or true, then it is far too easy to declare that any law or laws based on those concepts of law and government [or the Holy Book that proclaims them] can be ignored or changed. It will become far too easy to alter, repeal, overhaul, or abandon them by an immoral or unjust citizenry, faith community, or body of legislators.

So, what shall be our destiny? The Bible proclaims the path to a righteous and prosperous nation. And the Constitution was designed for a moral and religious [faithful] people. Will we reap what we have sown, or will the cries of the truly repentant restore our nation to one that God will recognize and bless? I pray that God's Remnant will stay focused on Jesus, our Authority in Heaven, and declare a revival of morality and virtue in this nation, and it will pierce the hearts of all those in leadership positions. I pray that hearts in both Government and the Church will be turned away from self-aggrandizement and humbled in servitude to meet the needs of all people. And pray that if God determines that judgment is due our land, that it be swift and completely cleanses us of all sin. 

Finally, I pray that we find our strength and our truth in the Word of God. It is still relevant and it is still Light and Life to our souls and spirits. God's Word has stood since the beginning of time, and it will endure throughout all eternity. Lord, let it be re-established in our land, and let righteous men and women stand united in protecting Your Word from those who would exploit it, pervert it, or oppress it! Let Evil cower in the face of our power and authority, given to us by our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ! Help us to turn this land from dishonor and defilement of Your Holy Name to the glorification You deserve! Amen!

Proverbs 10:9   Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

 

  

Inhumanity, Dehumanization, and Extermination: Satan's Tools for Destruction

I know this may appear to be a dark subject matter, but my spirit has increasingly become aware that our Enemy is launching what may be his final campaign against humanity, and especially against those whom God loves. As a daughter of a WW2 veteran, and a student of history, I have long been interested in how seamlessly Satan was able to convince Hitler and his Nazi regime to sign on to his demonic agenda to exterminate the Jewish people. But that agenda hasn't just focused on the Jews in that war. In our century alone, the world has seen genocides in Sudan; Cambodia; Rwanda; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Armenia; the afore-mentioned Holocaust in Germany; Poland and Czechoslavia; the pogroms in Russia; and now the attempts at mutual annihilation in Israel and Palestine. 

We, here in the U.S., have been largely sheltered from the effects of a State policy of intentional destruction of a people. Yes, we are not without our sins towards humanity, and we may yet suffer the consequences of our various forms of inhumanity. For instance, consider our nation's hot-button topics of human trafficking and abortion. And the way I see it is that we begin with inhumanity, move into dehumanization, and it all ends in extermination [or elimination] ... none of which is in alignment with God's Spirit or His heart and intentions for mankind. So, Let me break down my theory of this spiritual disintegration. 

Let's look at human trafficking. The victims of this horrid practice are initially seen as a product of convenience, to be sold and profited from. This "business" becomes inhumane when they are subjected to cruel and brutal behavior; treated unkindly and without feeling. The practice moves into dehumanization when the process begins defining the victims as no longer possessing human qualities or a human nature; making them less than human and therefore not worthy of humane treatment. The final stage is the most grave sin [or crime] against humanity; the deliberate and systematic destruction of a person or people group. A heartless decision is made to toss the human[s] onto the trash pile of history.

The same system applies to the topic of abortion. God's creation is initially seen as nothing but "a clump of cells" or a non-human. And like the "business of human trafficking", the fetus becomes a commodity to be sold for profit; inhumanity instigated by humans against another unborn human. The dehumanization began simultaneously with the inhumanity -- the fetus was not credited with human qualities, which allows for its easy extermination. But I have never understood why some people will mourn a miscarriage of what they will call their "child", [which qualifies as the same "clump of cells" or "fetus"], yet maintain that it should readily be dismissed as a child and aborted.

I have set this discourse up in order to bring you a testimony that will tie it all together. It is the story of Eda Edl, an 89-year-old survivor of a Communist concentration camp following World War 2. You can read more about her story here. She was only six when the Nazi's invaded her homeland of Yugoslavia after a coup of their king weakened the country and led to a civil war. For a little while her family was safe from the rampage of the Nazi's, but after her father was kidnapped to fight in the Nazi rampage across Europe, he managed to get a letter to them, urging them to flee ... the Red Army was coming, and they would be brutal. They did not get out in time. The Soviet Union sought vengeance against their former Nazi allies in Germany [who had deliberately starved 3.3 million Soviet prisoners of war, and millions of civilians].

The Soviet Union, backed by the weapons and moral authority of the U.S. and Great Britain, brought its inhumanity in the form of Stalin's hatred and reign of terror against Germany and its conquered lands. Eva and her family were Yugoslavian by birth, but German by heritage and language. The new communist government then dehumanized her people by enacting laws that barred them from voting and took away their voice in domestic affairs. Her mother was kidnapped to dig trenches for the war effort, and her two older siblings were led by bayonet to a forced labor camp. Eva and her grandmother were put on a train bound for a concentration camp. While the free world was celebrating victory over Nazi Germany and the U.S. nuclear bombs at Nagasaki and Hiroshima elevated America to the pinnacle of world power, Eva and her people were targeted for elimination. 

Although the Nazi concentration camps ended at the end of the Second World War, the Communist death camps did not; they were just getting started. But there, in the darkest depth of hell on earth, Eva found Jesus! She was miraculously rescued from the genocide and destruction of her people and eventually emigrated to the United States. Because of her own experience of witnessing inhumanity, dehumanization and extermination, she recognized the same litany of godless laws and funding by the government that resulted in a million unborn babies being killed in what she saw as American death camps. That number has grown to over 60 million since those days.

Eva soon felt the call of God to lay down her life to rescue unborn children, just as others laid down their lives to rescue her. She became -- and still is -- a vital member of the Christian community who have become voices for life and justice. She has been arrested 46 times for interfering with abortion clinics, trying to save babies from death by abortion. The 89-year-old activist now faces a possible 4-year prison sentence for her latest protest of a clinic. But she has decided to live her life by the dictates of Proverbs 24:11-12 ... Rescue those who are being taken away to death, and those who stagger to the slaughter, Oh hold them back [from their doom]! If you [claim ignorance and] say, "See, we did not know this," does He not consider it who weighs and examines the heart and their motives? And does He not know it who guards your life and keeps your soul? And will He not repay [you and] every man according to his works?   

So, my question to you is this ... Can you see the inhumanity, dehumanization and destruction in the ideologies of modern factions of society who perceive their fellow man as less than human, whether by the color of the skin, their faith, or their ethnicity? Sadly, it all seems to go hand-in-hand with our current toxic and virulent culture. But it also all makes perfect sense when you consider that so much of society has turned its back on God and is incapable of imitating His love for others, or seeing their unique gifts, purpose, or worth. Morality is now merely relevant to one's own system of values. 

Without God's standards of morality and righteousness, the human spirit becomes narcissistic and self-interested, fomenting indignation and anger against anyone who thinks  differently or is perceived to be their "enemy" and prohibiting their influence and power. This form of dehumanization is essentially incapable of comprehending that ALL men are made in the image of God. This lack of spiritual identity as image-bearers of our Almighty God will lead the world to destruction, if we, His remnant, do not find a way to turn the hearts of hardened men towards those they persecute. In addition, we must cling to the Word which says, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you".  That's a tall order when we are experiencing hostilities directed specifically at us. But we should expect nothing less from ourselves. 

The inhumanity of man towards his fellow man, plus the dehumanization and ultimate extermination and destruction of the human race leads us to the commands of the God we honor and exalt: "And this we will do so that at the Name of Jesus,"every knew should bow, in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".  It is our duty and responsibility as the image-bearers of the God of all Creation to stand and to speak for those who are being subjected to Satan's brutal agenda to destroy mankind. 

As you read the Scripture at the end of this post, think of the world on the brink of catastrophic war; of the innocent babies in the womb; and of the trafficked children who suffer unspeakable horrors at the hands of wicked and vile men. That chapter of Isaiah prophesies the downfall of ancient Babylon to the Medes. But remember, Revelation, Chapter 18 prophesies of a future Daughter of Babylon [Babylon the Great] who will meet a similar fate because of her greed, pride, immorality, and agreements made with demonic agendas and Evil. Let us pray to God for repentance for this nation, and then let us be in agreement with Him to wage war in the spiritual realms [and through our Godly behavior] to re-establish God's dominion on the face of the Earth.    

Isaiah 13:18.    Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity [or show compassion to] the children.

Why "Blurry Creatures" Sharpens Understanding of Our Supernatural Bible

Get ready for a highly interesting and fascinating discussion on the part of our faith that is rarely studied and only occasionally discussed. Unfortunately, Religion has stifled or suppressed this vital part of our faith experience, and the Body of Christ has been left to experience it in silence, and oftentimes, fear. I'm talking about the supernatural and its close companion, the paranormal.

You may be asking, "Why is this necessary? I know I am washed in the Blood of Jesus, I am Saved and Redeemed and looking forward to Eternity with my Lord in Heaven. Why do I need to consider these fringe topics?" To begin, Father God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are supernatural! They are above, beyond, and far greater than anything that is called natural; they are immortal and invisible; they are super-natural. Secondly, the Bible records supernatural beings throughout its history: Behemoth, Leviathan, Angels, Demons, Nephilim, the Repha'im, the cherubim, Ezekiel's wheel, etc. In addition, the Bible tells us of the future supernatural beings that will appear at the end of the ages: the demonic scorpion-like locusts in Chapter 9 of the Book of Revelation, and the Red Dragon in Chapter 12. 

If you call yourself a true Christian, then you know the Bible is not just a storybook. It is the Word of Truth and Spirit. It verifies that the Supernatural plays an important part in our faith. Our culture will say that the Supernatural is essentially all phenomena that are based on religious perspectives. They will say that the Paranormal is almost any other phenomena that is not explained by science. So can you see that there is an attempt to distract us by creating an argument pitting religion against science? But if you have a personal relationship with Jesus [a heart vs head connection], then you know that the supernatural is real; you have experienced it and no amount of intellectual obfuscation will convince you otherwise.

I find it regrettable that "the Church" has stifled any curiosity or scrutiny into the supernatural history of the Bible -- which could serve to provide more testimony and confirmation of the greatness of our God. How much more powerful could our influence in the world be if we knew the fullness of Whose image we are made in? And that brings me to one of the first times I realized how this constraint has harmed our recent generations who have grown up in the "technological age." My husband, Mark, and I served at the Fisher House [a comfort home at Fort Sam Houston for military veterans and their families, while they are recovering in the hospital]. The Army Chaplain shared that the young soldiers began to disappear from his Bible study teachings. When he asked them why, they said that Odinism [the worship of Odin, Thor, and the Nordic "warrior" gods], and the Islam and Wicca religions were more exciting and adventurous than the Bible. Christianity had white-washed its history, rendering it "boring" to these young men and women in our military! In truth, it is anything but boring! 

But, now there is a new podcast that is beginning to change that dynamic, and it is exciting the hearts and minds of both our young and more mature generations. It's called "Blurry Creatures", and is the genius of Nathan Henry and Lukas Rodgers, who in their own words "explore the mysteries surrounding creatures on the fringe. [They] look into the depth of the unknown through a biblical lens. This takes them  down the trail of Bigfoot, Ancient Giants, the Nephilim, alternative history, and the sightings of beings that haven't yet been proven to exist. [They] are out to find better answers for the questions surrounding these." 

They ask the questions and let the experts tell them their opinions. Some of their guests have included the late Dr. Michael Heiser, an Old Testament scholar with training in ancient history, Semitic languages, and the Hebrew Bible; Gary Wayne, author of The Genesis 6 Conspiracy;  and Dr. Douglas Hamp, researcher and pastor, with an M.A. in "the Bible and its World" from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Some of the titles of episodes include The 12 Stones/Urim and Thummin by Dr. Doug Bookman; The Book of Enoch with Timothy Alverino; The Tower of Babel with Dr. Judd Burton; and Territorial Spirits with Dr. Joel Muddamalle.  

As you can see, the podcast explores topics and questions outside the range of our modern Western Churches. One of the most interesting episodes I listened to recently shared the history and the treasure-trove of documents left by the Essene sect of Judaism in the caves of Qumran, around 100 BC. These documents have become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. I listened, transfixed by what was being revealed about the Essenes, the scrolls, and the reasons those documents were hidden. I've always said that everything in the Bible is true and points to Jesus... but everything about Biblical history and our God is not in the Bible; it would be so many volumes that there aren't enough libraries to hold all that history. So, anytime I can read or listen to learned men and women who authentically love the Lord and want to share more of His character, Spirit, nature, and supernatural accomplishments, I'm all in. 

Of course, it is incumbent upon us all to discern the spirits of those who bring us the information. Admittedly, some of it is for entertainment, and is not trying to be declared Biblical, but I have found that everything on this podcast is meant to seek answers that enlarge and expand our desire for more knowledge about this supernatural world we live in; whether we can attribute it to the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of darkness. And I have been delighted to see middle age men receive a curiosity about things of the Bible; things they never would have considered before this podcast ... for example, how the apocryphal books [many of which were once included in the Bible] are answering some of their questions that have long gone unanswered by their Church. It's like watching a child get excited about learning for the first time! And it's opening up discussions about the vastness and greatness of God's character; it's growing their faith and their understanding of the majesty and glory of God. They are realizing they don't have to rely on the Vatican or the Smithsonian to give them their interpretation of the answers. They can actually begin to do their own research by going to the Bible themselves. This podcast is creating a fountain of love for the Word in hearts that were dry and thirsty.  

Then there is the 16-year-old home-schooled young man who wants to go on to study history, majoring in Biblical history. Blurry Creatures can ignite some areas he may want to investigate and explore. I think the real value of this podcast lies in the demeanor of the hosts who created it ... by "letting the Bible say what it says", or letting the Book of Enoch "say what it says" -- without putting their personal slant on it, they are encouraging people to search out their own answers in the best resource possible ... their Bibles. The podcast gives people a place to go; people who know there is more than what their denominational theology has taught. They can listen to an unbiased rendition of facts, and then take that back to their Bible to let the Book and the Holy Spirit reveal more of God's Truth. 

The popularity of Blurry Creatures exposed the huge vacuum of unanswered questions that Church-goers had. Imagine if Church leaders had invited this forum into their churches to present some of these topics. Think how they could have taken advantage of the curiosity and the questions that would arise and led their memberships back to the Bible for the answers. And yes, there are topics out there on the periphery that qualify as "fringe"; topics about exorcisms, gray aliens, reptilians, and the hive mind. But these are all topics that people, young and old, are talking about. And Blurry Creatures brings in the experts to examine them and you'd be surprised how many of them are actually alluded to in the Bible.

My final comment on this topic is that I'm sure there will be those who will not consider this blog as appropriate for Christian consideration. It will probably be seen as blasphemous by more than a few. But, just like Jesus, I'm not afraid to confront those biases, and I am grateful for the free will that God has given everyone to decide for themselves. If it's not for you, that's fine; there is absolutely no judgment or pressure on my part. But if you decide to give it a listen, all I can say is Welcome to the Blurryverse! I hope that you find answers to some of your questions and if you do, I give all the glory to God!

Proverbs 25:2     It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out. 

The Importance of God's Truth in a "Cultural Christian" World

At the heart of my post today is the concept that a society cannot continue to exist if it discards a foundation of truth. And, of course, it is important to define what truth is and why it's important. In this postmodern world, truth is often looked upon as being individually decided by one's own history, social class, gender, culture, etc. Feelings become a basis of establishing your individual truth and there is no belief in a moral absolute definition of truth. In a postmodern world, truth is relative to your individual belief system and life circumstances. 

To me, the funny thing is that this idea of "postmodernity" is fairly recent -- that modernity ended in the late 20th century [1980s or early 1990s]. Those of us who are older can actually see that mindset taking hold in our younger generations. But the idea of Truth is certainly thousands of years older than that, right? How did we so quickly reject what passed as Truth for centuries before ? 

Of course, as a Christian, I know God as the ultimate definition of Truth. In fact, the website Got Questions tells us the Greek word for truth is aletheia, meaning "divine revelation", and it is related to another word that literally means "what can't be hidden." The Hebrew word for truth is emeth, which means "firmness, constancy, and duration" -- the idea that truth is established and unchanging; there is an understanding that it is universally valid and the ultimate reality.

Think about this: the opponent [and opposite] of Truth is Lies. We get a clear picture of that dynamic when Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin for trial by religious men who didn't like the Truth He spoke because it threatened their livelihood and power. They renounced, rejected, and subverted the truth [with lies] in order to destroy it. But they had no legal right to eliminate Truth, so Jesus found Himself standing before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea. They played verbal judo over Jesus's kingship, until Jesus pronounced,"You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears My voice" ... to which Pilate responded with the question that has resounded throughout the world, "What is truth"? 

As Creator of the world, the Father and Jesus established their Truth as the foundation of a righteous, good, virtuous and ethical world that was meant to benefit everyone. It is [and was meant to be] an established foundation that would guide mankind into a morally right and virtuous life in relationship with their Creator; a life that would last for eternity. I believe that many things can have elements of truth about them, but there is only one thing that is at the root and origin of Truth. And that is God. Truth began with Him. 

I saw an interesting video on social media when a learned Christian spoke to a young woman who claimed to be an atheist, not believing that God was real or existed. But the Christian asked her if she could agree that if she looked upon a painting, she had to admit that there was a painter who had painted it; that there was an originator of that work of art; it didn't just appear out of nothing. That painting began with an idea from the painter and he or she established the beginning and foundation of that painting. Its existence was founded and developed by the painter, and the substance [the fundamental quality and heart of the painting] belong to the painter. Other pretenders or false artists can copy that painting and add their own elements to it and try to change its intrinsic appearance, but at its core, it still belongs to the painter. 

That relationship exists between God and Truth. It was His work that established the earth and everything in it. It is His Truth that is the foundation upon which the earth and mankind rests. We don't determine God's Truth; we discover it as He reveals it to us. We don't invent our version of His Truth; we follow what He has given us. God's Truth is a very real and definitive set of instructions by which we are to live our lives. It is based on His all-knowing wisdom and knowledge -- not on what we decide works best for us. That is why it benefits mankind when we obey His commandments and His Word ... everyone understands what is desired of us from the One who created us, which creates a Biblical worldview that everyone can agree on, eliminating strife and disagreements.

I recently read an article in Harbinger's Daily, which quoted George Orwell: "The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it". And remember when I said the opposite of Truth is Lies? Well, we have an Enemy who is the Father of Lies, and his goal is to attack God's Truth any way he can. His favorite ways are to distort it and corrupt it; changing the original context of Truth into his version, which is full of lies ... such as we are not created, but we evolved; a fetus is just a clump of cells, not a baby; and you are not born a specific gender -- the decision is yours. All this masking and distorting of God's Truth results in a perverted worldview. And it is not limited to the secular world.

Did you know that there is now a societal stance [or viewpoint] called a "cultural Christian"? And did you know that it can be adopted by people as diverse as Richard Dawkins, the well-known atheist and Elon Musk, who has become an icon of technology and innovation in the realms of the economy, national security, social discourse, and the future of humanity? But what does Musk mean by identifying as a cultural Christian? Again, Harbinger's Daily revealed an interview with Jordan Peterson, in which Elon said this: "While I'm not a particularly religious person, I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise ... there's a tremendous wisdom in turning the other cheek." He went on to say he's a "big believer in the principles of Christianity", and thereby identified as "probably a cultural Christian."

But, Elon, giving a nod to the teachings of Jesus isn't the same as surrendering your life to Him, and receiving Him as your Savior. In that sense, you are refusing to accept God's Truth -- His complete and comprehensive Truth. You can't cherry-pick which of His "principles" you want to follow, while rejecting others, and have the right to call yourself a Christian. While the article says Musk believes he's found some truth in Jesus, he's yet to discover that Jesus Christ is the truth! While the religion of Christianity fulfills his curious nature and gives him greater enlightenment, Musk is missing out on the core message of Jesus's teachings: mankind needs the redemption from our sins that Jesus provides by His sacrifice on our behalf.

All these thoughts and opinions on Truth not anchored in the Originator are just that ... opinions. Without believing in the preeminent and authoritative Truth of God [as stated in the Bible]; the Truth that has established absolute and supreme morality, then men will create and build their own foundation of truth on shifting ground. You cannot try to live with half  your heart in agreement with the culture and the other half according to the principles in the Bible. Because what is your foundation? God's Word or man's flawed, narcissistic creation of his particular truth? You will not be able to stand in times of trouble. There's a battle coming, and we must fight it in Truth and Spirit. The Culture will not defend us.

Joshua 24:15     Choose this day who you will serve, whether ... the gods ... in whose land you dwell [or] ... the Lord" 

"A Time to Keep Silent, and A Time to Speak"

We're all familiar with what we call "seasons" in our life, right? ... various life cycles, each with its own characteristics and complexities. Examples are the experiences centered around the aging process, or relationship status, levels of knowledge, or even happiness and sadness. Solomon had a lot to say about the different seasons of life: a time to be born and a time to die; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up; a time to love and a time to hate; and the one I want to focus on today -- a time to keep silent and a time to speak.

If you are at all anointed in the prophetic, then you know what I'm talking about. The prophet Ezekiel is probably the poster child for knowing when to be quiet and listen, and when to speak what he's been told. His assignment from the Lord was clearly understood (I'm paraphrasing here): I've made you a watchman over Israel. So hear what I tell you and warn them, according to My Word. When I give you a warning for them, that their wicked ways will lead to death, and you don't share that warning with them, then they [and their generations] will die in their iniquity. But it will be your fault [for not warning them] and I will hold you responsible. Yet if you have given them My warning, and they continue in their sin and iniquity, they will die, but you will have saved your life.

That's a pretty heavy responsibility. Ezekiel was to be faithful and obedient in speaking God's warnings to men, and therefore be innocent of the blood of all men. But guess what? God still hands out that assignment, and those who receive it today also carry that weighty and demanding responsibility. The components of that responsibility are to know when to speak and when to remain silent. And that can be a burdensome decision.

Let me share just one of my experiences. The season in which God began speaking to me in my spirit was not only new and unprecedented, but a time of deep concern. I had no "credentials" in the Church; nor any reputation or standing that gave anyone reason to believe that what I said came from the Lord. Therefore, this new assignment came with great risk to me, personally. But I was being shaken to my core with the understanding that God was showing me something that He wanted shared with specific groups in the Body of Christ, and He wanted to use me. 

I will never forget the first time that I was presented with a testimony from someone who had acted on what I had shared regarding His call to an Inner Healing ministry for me and my husband. Her testimony of how God had acted in her life through my sharing the knowledge He had given me [and which applied specifically to her] was earth-shattering. But I had no fear in taking that step; it was something between me and her, and I knew she was ready to receive it. But when God then told me [through a word from the Holy Spirit] that I needed to share her testimony with a women's class at a local church, I admit that I tried to convince the Spirit that it wasn't a good idea. In fact, I begged Him to relieve me of that assignment. But I clearly heard, "They need to hear this Word because things are going to soon change in the world and My People need to prepare for the spiritual battle that's coming against the culture, the nation, and their lives". 

I went in the spirit realm for a couple of minutes, leaving behind my consciousness of what was going on in the class, all in a gentle attempt to persuade the Holy Spirit that we should postpone the testimony. But it became perfectly clear that I had a choice ... speak God's Truth in this situation, or leave these women without benefit of His warning and the blessing of hearing a transformative testimony. I said a quick prayer, and timidly spoke up .... "If I could have a couple of minutes, I'd like to share ....".

Let me just say that it has taken nearly 9 years to begin to see the fruit of that challenge Holy Spirit gave me. I did share the unusual and unorthodox testimony of the woman who, in her own words, said "There are so many things I could share [after you ministered to me] ... so much happening ... so much the Lord is showing me! Every single day there is some new revelation about so many things... How privileged we are to be alive today!! That doesn't mean I'm looking forward to what's coming, but it does mean I'm excited to see what God is going to do"!!! 

While all that sounds positive and encouraging, the group of women did not see it that way. What I shared pointed out the evil that is going on under the nose of the Church and how it would continue to grow and subvert our nation unless the Body of Christ understood that Spiritual Warfare was real and heeded the warning from the Lord to engage in the battle with God and His heavenly army. Those years of being ostracized and criticized while wondering if I was correctly hearing from the Lord wasn't fun, but I never doubted that this was just a season in which the Lord was preparing me for even greater spiritual battles. Don't get me wrong -- there have been many victories in the ensuing years, even as my husband and I are seeing the rapid increase in the Evil in the world. There is never a doubt about whether we will speak when commanded [and we take the time to discern if we've truly heard His voice]. We take our responsibility very seriously.

At the same time, the Lord has taught us when to remain silent. When we are alerted that He wants to speak to us, we reverently wait before Him, silent in His presence, so that we can rightly discern His instructions. We also remain silent if it is not abundantly clear what our assignment is. Without all the knowledge we need of God's commandment [in order to carry it out correctly], we will not take it upon ourselves to speculate or play theological roulette. We don't try to assume God's thoughts or put our spin on it. We wait, silently and patiently, until we receive His clear mandate. 

I will also say that it is becoming increasingly difficult to be the one to share God's message in this season -- because we are living in a season that, for lack of better words, seems completely divergent and perverse... "out of season", if you will. As far as Christianity goes, we are living in a time in which we can't even recognize our culture or understand what it believes or thinks. The world truly seems upside down. I don't know if this will make sense to you or not, but the website Harbinger's Daily recently quoted American philosopher Allan Bloom, who 30 years ago said we were experiencing "the closing of the American mind". It's not hard to determine that those with "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" are closing their minds to the warnings God is giving through His messengers, the watchmen. We, who are dedicated to speaking His warnings, are castigated by the mainstream Church who only wants to receive words of good tidings and revival. But would you rather be in trouble with men ... or with God, for remaining silent, when He has told us to speak? It is actually a matter of sinning or not!  

We must recognize that the words God gives us and the words we speak [or don't speak] have eternal consequences. The world may be at war with God and our assignments, but we who step up to fulfill our assignments know that we must obey God and have no choice but to speak. And we are willing to take all the slings and arrows from the civilization of men, if it means lives will be saved for all Eternity.  

Isaiah 55:11    So shall My Word be which goes out of My mouth; it will not return to me void [useless, without result] without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.    

            

Connecting the Jesus Who "Was" to the Jesus that "Is Now"

I've recently been diving deep into the Book of Mark, which historians believe was the first of the four Gospels to be written. Furthermore, they believe that both Matthew and Luke borrowed heavily from the author of Mark in their writings. The Gospel of Mark emphasizes the deeds of Jesus; what He did, more than on His words or teachings. I've always been fascinated with the story of how He healed the man with a withered hand. And I want to share how I believe that this miracle is a foreshadowing of the power and authority that is available to us, and how it points to our access to bring the supernatural provision of Heaven into our earthly existence ... a higher understanding of "on earth as it is in Heaven", if you will.

First of all, I'm going to ask you to open your mind and heart to a greater understanding of Scripture than you might have heard in traditional Christianity. It has always bothered me that 21st Century Christians struggle with embracing the supernatural reality of our faith and relationship with our Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. The Early Church walked in it, but it seems as if Satan has been able to diminish its importance and existence as he has increasingly "dumbed down" our comprehension of God's Word.

Just a quick aside, before I jump into the heart of this blog ... When Jesus shares His description of what happens when one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment, or what happens when one puts new wine into old wineskins, we must correctly interpret His meanings. He is introducing something new, not patching up something old. The new life He is bringing to us as citizens of God's Kingdom on earth won't fit in the old religious forms of the Old Testament [prior to His Coming]. The religious laws kept God's people bound up in their man-made rituals and traditions. Jesus came to show them that all the 613 extraneous additions to the Law [which could be summed up in "Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, and mind; and love your fellow man] were unproductive. Jesus did not come to destroy the original intent of the Law, but to fulfill it. But this new teaching and understanding created a natural collision and conflict between man's Religion, with a capital "R", and the Kingdom of God, which Jesus was bringing.

We see the incompatibility when, in Chapter 3, Jesus enters the synagogue and sees a man with a withered hand. He knows it is His Father's will that this man's hand be healed. When Jesus sees that the religious leaders lie in wait, hoping to accuse Him for healing on the Sabbath, it angers Him that the Pharisees did not recognize that human need is more important than religious rituals. They totally missed the Truth that God established the Sabbath to serve man [to be a day of rest and to meet the needs of men], not for man to answer to [and be responsible for following] a bunch of religious rituals and rules. So, now comes the heart of what I want us to understand ... Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand". The man stretched it out, and His hand was restored. I want you to understand that this is to be practiced today, as it was then.      

Those two sentences in italics carry an entire mountain of knowledge about what just happened in that one verse. I'll try to condense it into a manageable and understandable teaching. That word, Stretch, comes from the Greek word ekteino, with ek meaning "the point of origin from which something proceeds [the place, time, and/or cause]", which in this instance refers to the withered hand; and teino meaning "to extend forth, stretch out, cast out, to exert power and energy". Within the context of this passage, we need to understand that Jesus now has a reputation for miraculous healing, and the man obviously trusted Him to heal him, because without hesitation, he stretched his hand out. In addition, the Pharisees expected Him to do a healing, because they were waiting to accuse Him. 

But here is the new teaching of what Jesus is showing us in Mark 3:1-6. At that moment Jesus entered into the Realm of Glory, where God works through His anointed vessels [men] and we can experience the manifestation of His Presence as His will is revealed in all circumstances. Obviously, God wanted this man's paralyzed hand to be restored, and Jesus [as a man] was able to ascend [in His spirit] to receive God's desire, instructions, [and will] for the man, along with the healing power of Heaven to see it done. It is a revelation of the supernatural dynamics of faith coupled with the Glory of God that results in bringing the promises of Heaven [no pain, no disease, restored bodies and lives etc], to the earth. Furthermore, as we are seated in the Heavenly Realm, we can do just as Jesus did -- take our seat in the Presence of God, and see, watch, listen, and hear how to accomplish the miracles He did in this earthly realm.

But first we need to take a closer look at what happened to the man with the withered hand. And we need to understand that Time doesn't exist in Heaven as we know it on earth. Think of Heaven as Timeless. Genesis tells us that Jesus is the lawful owner of all things because He created it all -- the world, the heavens and reaches of space, and all the ages of Time. And there is an order to it all. In the Glory Realm of Heaven, where God is present, all the ages of time are there [past, present, future]. Things and events happen at super speed because time is not like it is here; there is an acceleration of time and space. Once you learn to ascend to that Glory Realm [in your spirit] you are in a timeless realm, where limitless Glory exists. You can actually command things to come back and forth, with the ability to pause time, reverse time, or go forward in time.

How can that be? We need to suspend the limits of how things work in this earth after our dominion was usurped in the Garden of Eden. Can you grasp that the Garden existed as a colony of Heaven before Eve capitulated to the temptations of Satan? Try to understand this principle: Everything that is created has atoms, protons, and neutrons inside, and these particles have sound waves [which Jesus also created] and they hear God's commands. When you become one with God, and are in covenant with Him, and are in His Presence, you can command the mountain to move, or the seas to calm -- because those things don't hear you; they hear God's voice in you. That's why God could tell Moses to speak to the rock, and it would produce water. The molecular core sound waves in the rock received the message, and provided water from the inside out. But the same thing did not happen when Moses mistakenly struck the rock. God takes it seriously when you abuse His instruments of provision and healing.

And don't forget in Ekeziel 37 when the Lord commanded the prophet to prophesy over the bones and say, "O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord... Behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord". There was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. Remember that the core of those bones was atoms, protons and neutrons, and the sound waves within them hear the command of God through the anointed's voice. So, if you have the Spirit of the Lord in you, you can command anything to do something or change, because at their core, everything is made of atoms, protons and neutrons. You can ask a lost diamond wedding ring to come to you and reveal where it is, because that diamond is made of atoms, protons, and neutrons and the sound waves at its core will respond to the voice of God that it hears in your command. 

Or you can speak to a shoulder to be healed and command the pain to go, because the pain travels from the inside out at the command of God's voice, which it hears in your voice. In the same way, cancer dies from the inside out when the body is commanded to be restored. When we operate from the Glory Realm in Heaven, everything is [and can be] restored and made whole. There is no distance of time in the Glory Realm. The past, present, and future are all there in the same realm. We can go back in time and restore our bloodline to bring it into alignment with Jesus's design; we can go back in time and correct things that happened to us; and we can go into the future and bring God's promises to us now. When we understand our ability to ascend to the Glory Realm, along with the power and authority Jesus has given us to command healing, you can understand why He taught His disciples to teach the Great Commission: heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead.

There is so much more to this concept, but here's the last understanding I want you to grasp today... when Jesus came [and again when He ascended to Heaven] He ripped through the invisible fabric of space and time. He ripped that fabric of time apart for us and gave us the authority to speed up, reduce, change or shorten time in order to defeat Satan's strategy to keep us bound to the limitations of this earthly realm. Just like the veil ripped apart in the Temple at the time of His death, He opened up access to the Glory Realm and gave us the right and the means to approach the Father for all we need to make earth look like Heaven. All we have to do is ascend [in the Spirit] and take our seat in the Glory Realm alongside Him.      

It is imperative that modern Believers understand what Jesus did in the Book of Mark, and see that He is still doing it today. He is the same today as He was then, and will be til the end of time. And He calls us to participate in this important and necessary principle of our relationship with our Father in Heaven. When you worship Him by praising Him, and by getting quiet [and still] and listening for Him, you can learn how to master and command Time in order to glorify God as you see the provision and miracles He has for us all. It deeply saddens me when I hear Christians say God no longer performs miracles. That's not true! We simply need to look upon what my wise husband calls "the spiritual mechanics" of God's ways in order to walk in all He has for us. You have access to Him! You have a seat awaiting you in the Heavenly realm to work with Him and bring about His will for every person on earth. Can you take hold of God's Glory and share it with the world? What are you waiting for?

I'd like to acknowledge the teachings of Katie Souza and David Herzog in the preparation of this post.

Acts 22:14-15     And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, [and to progressively understand His plan with clarity and power] and to see the Righteous One [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and to hear a message from His [own] mouth. For you will be His witness to all men testifying of what you have seen and heard.'

  

  

Is It Really Wise To "Be Unburdened By What Has Been"?

Let me be clear right from the start that this blog post is not meant to be political. Because, you see, I don't think politics is our answer to the problems in our nation or the world. I'm going to borrow from a Social Media post by ridinghighministries.org .... Make no mistake, I am a born-and-bred, red, white and blue daughter of a member of the Greatest Generation who was willing to die for his country at the young age of 17, and I'm proud of my heritage. But I can't say what I want you to hear any better than what Todd Pierce of Riding High Ministries said in his video ... "America is not my god; and it's not my hope. I'm not waiting for government to get things figured out before I know what it's like to live in the land of the free. Because freedom doesn't have anything to do with the fact that we live in the greatest nation in the world. Freedom has everything to do with the fact that I'm not bound up inside of myself. I don't have to repeat the patterns that have plagued my family for generations. I'm free from those chains."

American Christians have to decide which is more important ... our commission with Jesus or our national pride; serving His Kingdom or playing politics. Politics and politicians are all about telling us how they are going to make America a better place for us to live in, prosper, and raise our families. But what do they really offer us? In most of the political cycles of my lifetime, it's been a bunch of rhetoric and catchy phrases that offer us a picture of what could be, but they never deliver. And they tell us how bad it's been under the leadership of the other party, and how we need to eradicate the mistakes and tragedies of our history to make way for a new definition of what America stands for.

Lately, I've been hearing some new gaslighting terminology which says we need to [here it is again] "look at what can be", [but there's a caveat this time] "unburdened by what has been". I'm assuming the secret message in that confusing jargon is that in order to consider a drastic change in our current system of ideas and ideals which form the basis of our economic, cultural and political identity, we should separate ourselves from our past [including our beliefs, principles, convictions, opinions, ethics, and morals]. The idea is that if only we could forget who we've been for the last 248 years and adopt a new paradigm that fundamentally transforms everything we've ever been, we would become a better nation. Let's stop being who we've been [and are]; leave that burden behind to imagine a new idea of who we can be.  

I find no problem in looking at what can be. We should always be working towards making things better for all our citizens. But how do we learn to do that if we aren't willing to look at what has been? Spanish philosopher George Santayana penned the famous quote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". We've done a pretty good job in the last generation of wiping out some of the pillars of our American foundation. Our public school system has removed Civics from its class curriculum, which has resulted in a large percentage of kids who graduate high school and don't know the three branches of our government, what the Emancipation Proclamation accomplished, one right or freedom from the First Amendment to the Constitution, or the first three words of that noble document [which by the way, is We the People]. 

Yes, we've not been a perfect country -- and most certainly are not now -- but if we manage to wipe out our history [including the good with the bad], what's to keep us from repeating the bad, which got us here in the first place? Our history shows us what led to such a divided nation that we fought a Civil War; brother against brother; father against son. Do we really want to descend into that national hell again? There are lots of lessons to learn from that horrendous time in our history, including wisdom from men on both sides of that conflict. We can also learn from their struggles how they rebuilt a united nation; we can learn from both their failures and their victories. But if we only look at "what can be" and ignore [or erase] "what has been", how do we guarantee that some future generation won't be tempted to repeat the same mistakes?

REMEMBER: Jesus said "As it was in the days of Noah". He wanted us to learn from the past; to see the errors mankind was led to make [all to their shame and destruction]. He also said, "Those who look back from the plow aren't fit for the Kingdom". But that presupposes you are plowing up fertile ground, and planting good seed -- not seeking to destroy the foundations of what was constructed for your individual well-being. Each of us has a unique and separate purpose that we are to fulfill in this short time we are on the earth. Jesus died to deliver us from Evil and the temptation to sin; to give us the freedom to pursue that purpose in holiness and righteousness. And one of the founding pillars of this nation is that our Government was instituted to give men the right to secure the freedom to pursue their individual blessings of Life, Liberty and Happiness. 

Personally, I don't want to be "unburdened" from our centuries of history that shows me "what can be" when we are governed by a system that derives it's just powers from the consent of the governed. But the essential word in that last sentence is "just"; the kind of powers that are honorable, upright, decent, honest, righteous, ethical, moral, virtuous, principled, full of integrity, trustworthy, and incorruptible. Anything less is undesirable for a safe, secure, free, and independent people. And perhaps it is this ideology that we should really be re-considering [and deliberately thinking about] in terms of "what can be".

And the ultimate goal of my rumination on this subject is to reiterate that while America is not my god, I know that my God wants to bless this land with the fullness of the Freedom that my Lord died to give us all. A government made by men cannot do that, but Heaven's righteous government, which Jesus came to bring us, most certainly can. His Freedom unburdens us from the chains of oppression that can have us in bondage to Satan. Let us pray that whatever form of government our politics gives us in November, it will be one that delivers us from Evil into the Kingdom, Power, and Glory of Jesus Christ!

Psalms 22:28     Because the right to rule belongs to the LORD, He rules all the nations. (CEB)

 

Our New Reality?

Today's post is going to be shorter than usual. I had a whole new post ready to go today, but with the news we woke up to, it's time to pivot. Everything is happening so fast -- world economic collapse seems imminent; a world war is definitely in view; huge layoffs are happening, with the tech sector beginning the slide by laying off 100,000 employees last week; civil war is breaking out in Great Britain, with the same thing looming in Ireland; a devastating hurricane is about to hit our East Coast; not to mention that two biological men are boxing in the Olympics for the Women's gold medal.

What the Lord has shown me and my husband -- and what we have been shouting from the wall -- looks to be coming true. Has the Lord reached His limit of patience regarding our disobedience and rebellion? Let's just look at the situation with Hurricane Debby and the catastrophic flooding that's expected. In 2012 I wrote a blog showing how America and Israel's destinies are intertwined. Here's a couple examples: In 1991 The Perfect Storm hit with 35 foot waves crashing into the Kennebunkport home of President George H.W. Bush after he initiated the Madrid Peace Conference, giving up "land for peace". When the Madrid Conference moves to Washington DC in 1992 and the peace talks resume, Hurricane Andrew [the worst natural disaster ever to hit America] comes ashore and produces an estimated $30 billion in damage and leaving 180,000 homeless in Florida. Think it's judgment from God on how we're treating Israel?

Consider the following and then decide: The Northridge Earthquake [1994] happens when President Clinton meets with Syria's President to talk about a peace agreement with Israel that includes giving up the Golan Heights. Within 24 hours a powerful 6.9 earthquake rocks Southern California. Hurricane George slams into the U.S. Gulf Coast with 110 mph winds and gusts up to 175 mph and then stalls. Clinton was meeting with Yassar Arafat and Netanyahu to finalize a land deal that would make an independent Palestinian state a reality by 1999. Hurricane George pounds the Gulf Coast, causing $1 billion in damage. At the exact moment that Arafat departs the country, the storm begins to dissipate.

And the coincidences (?) go on and on ... the Texas floods in 1998; the evaporation of the world economic Markets in 1998 when America promises $400 million to Arafat for a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital; a powerful super tornado sweeps across Oklahoma and Kansas, clocking 316 mph winds on the day Arafat is scheduled to declare the Palestinian state; Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans after Israel carries out the evacuation of 9500 residents from the Gaza Strip. Since that 2012 post, we have seen more devastation and destruction from natural disasters as our national policies have not coincided with God's will for the apple of His eye. HEAR ME: I'm not saying that Israel is walking with righteousness and we should approve everything they do. On the contrary, they have sinned against YHWH in equal measure. But the U.S. leaders are responsible for what this country does and how they influence the world.

So, back to today's news ... should we be concerned when North Korea begins moving its missiles to South Korea, or China declares that if the U.S. gets involved in the Middle East tensions, they will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Russia? You bet we should! Do we still have the protection of Almighty God? Take a look at what our country stands for today, and then decide. Personally, I think the only thing keeping us from His judgment is the righteous prayers of His righteous people. Don't stop praying! And try to wake up your friends and family. Believe me, I know how frustrating it is to continually warn that there is no guarantee that any of us will escape the chaos that is happening in the world.

And I see the battle going on in the spiritual realm. Let your prayers strengthen the Archangel Michael and his heavenly army that wage war against Satan and his evil forces. Michael fights for Israel and for us [if we bless Israel]. The battle is real! We must put our spiritual armor on and take up our battle stations. Continue to love others, pour the love of Jesus into them, and be ready to defend our God at every turn. It is up to us who know what we stand to lose [in both the physical and spiritual realms] to lead the way and encourage everyone in our sphere of influence to go forth without fear. Now is the time to show the Enemy our true identity in Christ!.

2 Timothy 3:1     But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.