Our Western Mindset Questions Authority ... And Jesus Is Our Authority!

I have made it clear through the history of this blog that I live my life governed by a Biblical worldview. What exactly is that, you might ask? Here is what it means to me ... that I believe in God, the Creator of the world, who has established an absolute moral truth that we are to live by. This truth is available to us through His Word, the Holy Bible. Therefore, I try to live my life by the precepts and principles He has given us in the Bible, recognizing that He is a Sovereign God; a ruler over men, nations, and governments. He is our moral authority and He rules according to His wisdom and purpose, calling me to responsibility in safeguarding His kingdom here on earth. 

That's a mouthful, I know, but it lies at the heart of the theme of today's post. And I want to build a case for the topic I'm writing about today, which is our society and culture's problem with accepting the authority of Christ. I'll begin here: In 2019 I wrote a blog titled Is Your Biblical Worldview Hebrew or Greek? It Makes a Difference! In this article I pointed out that from the beginning of the Bible's existence, there has been a tension between the Hebrew mindset and the Greek mindset when it comes to interpreting it and understanding Scripture. Having a Biblical Worldview necessitates that we rightly view the world through the lens of God's Word. But if you study history, it is easy to see that the manner in which the Body of Christ/the Church has viewed God's Word has changed through the centuries. And I remember waking up to the reality that just because we believe certain things "according to the Bible" today, it may not necessarily be consistent with the original writings and intent of God's inspired Word. 

That means that we should be reading our Bible [and understanding it] from the perspective of who it was written to (the Hebrews), and not through our own Western lens, which is based on a Greek mindset. One of the best explanations I've heard about the difference between the two mindsets comes from Todd Weatherly, of Bride Ministries Church: "The Hebrew mindset says, "I will do it [through obedience], and then I'll understand it." He says the Greek mindset thinks like this: "I need to understand it first, and then I'll do it". Which one puts God first?

Here's another way to look at it ... The Hebrew mindset allows for varied interpretations, and a passage can have multiple meanings [both in the physical and the spiritual realms] -- all to be revealed to the reader [by the Holy Spirit] from God's perspective. On the other hand, Greek thinking is very black and white; laden with precise exegesis rather than being rich in possibilities. Greek thought nails the meaning down; it can mean one thing, and one thing only. When we consider that Socrates lived 400 years before the crucifixion of Christ, and is considered the father of Western philosophy, we can understand why the Greek mindset would have been in direct conflict with the Hebrew mindset at the time the Bible was written and translated. The Socratic method of learning can be summed up, thusly: learning through the use of critical thinking, reasoning, and logic. From there, one questions, analyzes, and simplifies to get the one correct answer. The physical world contains the answer; the spiritual influence isn't considered. Can you see that influence in our modern American Church, and why it would lead to a religious frame of mind?

All of this leads to a blog post I wrote earlier this year, titled Why the Western World is Confused About the Kingdom of God. Because we read the Bible with a Greek mindset, we tend to form a rigid [and religious] belief system based on single concepts we've deduced from logic and reasoning. For example ... for years I read my Bible, never grasping or receiving the idea of what Jesus meant by saying His primary purpose for coming to earth was to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the Jews (Matthew 15:24 and Luke 4:43). I had been taught throughout my Church experience that the primary message of Jesus was the one of Salvation, yet I only find that word used or referenced six times in the four Gospels, and only once by Jesus (He spoke of being "born again" [or Salvation] in John 3:1-5). Yet, the Kingdom of God is mentioned at least 62 times, and nearly every time by Jesus, Himself. 

So why didn't I ask the appropriate questions about the Kingdom, or seek more understanding of why my Lord and Savior spoke so much about it? Why didn't I hear the Gospel of the Kingdom of God taught from the pulpits of the churches I have attended? And although "Kingdom" has now become somewhat of a popular sermon theme these days [and a Christian buzzword, I think our Western mindset still is not in tune with the understanding of what Jesus meant. And as simple and absurd as it may sound, I believe our confusion lies in the fact that we in the Western world, and especially here in America, have no concept of what it means to live in a kingdom or under a King.  

And here is where I finally come to the heart of today's post ... Having been raised in our American identity of separation from a king in order to secure our God-given rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, we have what might be called a genetic bias towards authority; it's in our national DNA to be independent and to question any authority that threatens those rights. In fact, our culture has been bred to reject and question authority. So, when Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matthew 28:18), anyone who is a non-believer and doubts His kingship, is naturally going to question His authority in their life. But, here is something that astounds me ... Jesus proclaims His authority and then announces that He is going to give that authority to us so that we might defeat the Enemy in our lives, take back the dominion we were given in the earth, and re-establish the rule of the Kingdom of God. "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you" (Luke 10:19).

But the American Church has not done a good job of teaching us these concepts! Yes, we have power and authority to rule in His stead, but He is still the King and possesses All authority! Psalm 24:1 tells us, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it; the world and all who dwell in it". Then Psalm 115:16 says, "The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He has given to the children of man". We Greek-minded, Western-thinking Americans must be reminded that these verses are not saying God gave us ownership of the land called earth. At any time, He could take it back; that would be His exclusive right as King of the Universe, and Creator of earth. When God "gave" us the earth, He did not relinquish His ownership or authority over it.

We possess the earth as a trust, or stewardship. In Genesis 1:26-28, He gave us dominion [authority; jurisdiction; the right to govern in His stead] over the earth in order to extend the government of Heaven to this earthly realm. He gave us rulership, but not ownership. It is a privilege to rule this earth, and we must not take it for granted; we will be held accountable to the King for how we manage His kingdom here on planet earth. We are subject to His authority! 

But again, I fear that the American Church is a result of the changes in interpretation of God's Word that have come down through the centuries and been influenced by our Greek mindset. Have we become men and women who hold to a form of religion of our own making (and according to our national identity) but denying its power? 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self .... rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid  such people". 

Once again, I suggest that our Greek/Western mindset is at odds with the true Biblical concept of God/Jesus's authority in our lives, and leads us to denial of His authority, which then leads to rejection [of] and rebellion [against] that authority. Luke 6:46 exemplifies how Jesus views this behavior: Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Remember, the Hebrew mindset says, "I will do it [through obedience], and then I'll understand it." The Greek mindset thinks like this: "I need to understand it first, and then I'll do it". Which one accepts the authority of God in their life? 

And here's where we need to take heed of 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons ...". Our national history reveals this in our decisions to throw God out of our schools and the halls of government. Furthermore, we see it in the tendency of our educational systems to teach atheistic curriculum, pointing to socialism and marxist philosophies as the better way. And Church leaders are guilty of teaching unBiblical social doctrine, leading many to mistakenly legitimize their sin through Church membership. But this seems so "upside down" to me!

Today, we find many of the inhabitants of our country rejecting the authority of Christ in their lives as too restrictive and limiting, yet they are embracing the authoritarian rule and ideology of oligarchies as a better way to administer a society. Little do they know that there is true Freedom in Jesus's authority in our lives. Somehow, we have gotten way off track. Because it is our national predilection, or bias, to "buck the system" and push back against authority, we have listened to the lies and wicked deception of those who renounce the power and authority of Jesus in favor of the false promises of Satan that self-indulgence and self-worship is where we will find our salvation. 

That's the same lie he sold to Adam and Eve in the Garden and the same false promise that they could be their own God! Lord, help us! Our nation has turned its back on You and we are in danger of calling Your righteous judgment down upon ourselves! For myself, I bow to Your power and authority in my life, and I do not question Your Sovereignty over the earth. I choose to have the Hebrew mindset and obey Your commandments in Your Word, trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal Your Truth. And there's no amount of logic or critical thinking of the Greek mindset that will convince me to reject Your authority in my life. The fact that our universities no longer teach critical thinking will only serve to further remove the understanding of Your authority. We are in great need of a spiritual reset. Come Lord Jesus!

#hebrewmindset #greekmindset #theauthorityofchrist #ourdominionintheearth #theauthorityofgodsword #biblicalworldview #ourculturaldna #ourpowerandauthority #satansdeception #satansfalsepromises #rejectingjesus'sauthority  

1 Corinthians 1:22-25     For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

     

The Devil's In The Details -- Part Two

In Part One, we saw God speaking in Ezekiel 28, through His prophet, to the prince of Tyre, Satan's human proxy whose assignment is to represent Satan's rebellious spirit in the world. God accuses this prince of using the authority he has been given to elevate himself, even to the point of declaring himself a god, and sitting in the seat of gods. He further accuses him of increasing his riches and power by profiting from [and trading in] unrighteously trafficked merchandise. And I believe that includes people. 

Then God warns this human [but satanically inspired] prince that there will be a price to be paid for his pride and arrogance. Because he has squandered his God-given authority [see Romans 13:1], in favor of the riches and power Satan promised him, God then states His promise: to bring strangers into their land with swords drawn against the wisdom and splendor of Tyre. And then comes the final pronouncement against the prince of Tyre: "You are only a man and not God ... You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord". 

Now, we will turn to the remainder of Ezekiel, Chapter 28, where God addresses the fallen angel who is guiding, directing, and influencing the heart of this human prince.  In verse 11, God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to now speak to the king of Tyre, taking up a lamentation [a wailing and mourning, as in deep grief at a funeral]. Keep in mind, that a king would have authority over a prince, and his rule would take precedence. I think we can assume that the prince of Tyre took his orders from the king of Tyre. We will see that God is no longer talking about the sin of the human prince, but the fall of the spiritual power behind him. 

God says to this unholy king, "You had the full measure of perfection and the finishing touch [of completeness], full of wisdom and perfect in beauty". God goes on to tell him that every precious stone was his covering, placed there by God, Himself! Here, we get the clear picture of the pre-fallen Satan, the picture of perfection, wisdom, and beauty. And God had adorned him with honor and great glory and splendor. But by telling Satan that "You were in Eden, the garden of God", we know that he has fallen from his high position in Heaven, and he has become the adversary of God and humanity on the earth [Genesis 3].

But the chapter continues to describe the high position that Satan had once occupied in Heaven. God recounts that the timbrels [tamborines] and pipes had been prepared for him from the day he was created. Isaiah 14:11 makes mention of his stringed instruments, suggesting that Satan was involved with the music in Heaven; perhaps that used to worship the Lord. Makes you think about the influence he has had on the music industry here on earth, doesn't it? 

I want to point to the specific wording in verse 13; that God tells Satan that his gift of music had been prepared for him "on the day he was created". Although Satan's prideful heart showed him to be arrogant enough to think he could be "like God" -- or equal to the Son of God -- he cannot escape the fact that he was a "created being". He would never compare to the "only begotten Son of God", Jesus Christ. In the Hebrew sense, this indicates that, as the Son of God, Jesus was the sole representative of the Being and Character of God; possessing every attribute of pure Godhead. He did not "become" the Son of God; He just "is", and has been, eternally. 

I remember the first time I read Ezekiel 28 and was astounded to discover that Satan had been "the anointed cherub who covers and protects", signifying his position as one of the privileged angelic beings surrounding the throne of God [as mentioned in Ezekiel 1]. And the fact that he was "the anointed cherub", seems to indicate that he could have been the chief guardian of the throne of God, leading to his false [and arrogant] supposition that he could usurp that throne. But again, God reminds him, "I placed you there". 

God goes on to tell Satan just how far he has fallen: "you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked". This is in reference to the reality of the heavenly Zion, of which earth is a representative. And apparently Satan had freedom to move among the "fiery stones", which could represent the seraphim that surrounded God's throne, who were known as "the burning ones", or "the fiery ones". 

Then comes the full significance of God's condemnation of this once honored angelic being ... "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness and evil were found in you. Through the abundance of your trade/trafficking, you were internally filled with lawlessness and violence; and you sinned. Therefore I cast you out of the mountain of God, as an unholy and profane thing. I will destroy you, oh covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire".  

And then we learn what was found in Satan that caused God to cast him out of Heaven. And it is here that we find the ways in which this fallen angel corrupts mankind in his image ... God declares that his heart became proud and arrogant, and the same competitive spirit that showed in his desire to become equal with the Godhead, appears in his desire to be exalted above all created beings; both angelic and human. But that competitive spirit becomes a rebellious spirit and God indicts him by declaring, "You destroyed your wisdom for the sake of your splendor". And so God once again says that He cast Satan to the ground, exposing him for who he really is, so that all mankind might behold him and discern who he is. And I might add, "if they will".  

Then, it seems to me, that God changes His language to indicate what will be His final destruction of Satan and all who choose to follow him. He accuses him of profaning and defiling his temples and refuges [all that honor his sins, including people, places, and things] "by the great quantity of your sins and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade [commerce and trafficking]". God then declares that He will bring a fire to consume Satan, so that all the nations might see His power to reduce the fallen angel to ashes. The nations will become horrified at the judgment of Satan because, not only does it point to their own judgment, but the great degree to which Satan has deceived them. 

As you can see, Ezekiel 28 truly gives us an accurate picture of how mankind can become corrupted by the power and influence of Satan. It's in the details of Scripture! And it's all laid at the feet of the once proud and honored covering angel. Once you know his characteristics, it's not hard to see his influence and impact in the arrogance, corruption, sin, lawlessness, lies, perversion, and wickedness of men. We can identify the powerful spirit that is behind rebellious leaders. Yet we stand on the Word of God ... they will be destroyed and "come to a horrible and terrifying end, and will forever cease to be". We can trust that God is Sovereign and sitting on His throne. He will bring justice for the righteous and only condemnation and death for the wicked. He is a Holy and Just God. Amen!

#Ezekiel28 #thedevilisinthedetails #Satan #Sataninheaven #satancastout #Satanthecoveringcherub #Godsthrone #prideandarrogance #unrighteoustrade #characterofGod #destructionofsatan #judgmentofGod #Godsfire #Godsfieryjudgment #fallenangel #satanthefallenangel

Ezekiel 28:17       Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Therefore, I have cast you down to the ground and exposed you helpless before the curious gaze of kings.

    

The Devil's In The Details -- Part One

I recently listened to a teaching on how Satan lost his position in the heavenly kingdom of God, and couldn't help but recognize how he has been able to tempt so many men and women to follow in his footsteps. That alone is a scary thought! Who me? I couldn't possibly be equated with Satan's rebellious sins ... could I??

So, I have been spending time in the Word [and in my heart] to see exactly what God has to say about His enemy, and to see if I need to go before Him seeking repentance and reconciliation. The first thing I needed to do was to find out what God thought about Satan, and there is no clearer picture than Ezekiel 28. The Book of Ezekiel begins with God telling the prophet to speak to "the prince of Tyre". 

Before we can begin to explore what God revealed through his prophet, Ezekiel, we  need to know about the city of Tyre, and to whom God was speaking. According to my research, the ancient city of Tyre is located along the coast of Phoenicia in what is now modern Lebanon. The site has been occupied since the Bronze Age. The city became a prominent Phoenician city-state between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, settling prestigious colonies around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Carthage and Leptis Magna. 

Furthermore, the biblical city of Tyre and the modern city of Tyre are the same. It is 50 miles south of Lebanon's capital city, Beirut. From a Biblical perspective, Tyre is about 105 miles north of Jerusalem. Tyre was known for their wickedness and idolatry and many prophets predicted doom upon the city-state. According to history, it was Alexander the Great who later conquered Tyre. In the New Testament, Jesus mentioned Tyre as an example of a city that refused to repent, as evidenced in Luke 10:13 ... Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented and changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes [to show deep regret for sin].  

But God wants Ezekiel to speak to the prince of Tyre. And here's where the Scripture makes the connection to Satan. Holy Spirit made it clear that God is not only speaking about a human prince, but also to a "spiritual prince" [as referenced by Paul in Ephesians 6:12... our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 

Remember when Daniel prayed to YHWH while in captivity in Babylon? The Bible tells us that it took 21 days for the Angel Gabriel to answer Daniel's call. Why so long? Gabriel tells him that he was held up for 21 days by "the prince of the kingdom of Persia". This prince was one of Satan's high-ranking angels from the kingdom of darkness, sent to work in this realm to stall Daniel's purpose for the Kingdom of God. We need to see that Satan can send his demonic messengers to influence human men in their roles on the earth, so that they identify with Satan, and then act in their human capabilities, representing his evil desires. So, the prince of Tyre is a human leader influenced by Satan's "princely" angel assigned to the city of Tyre. It is to this human leader [influenced by Satan] whom God begins to speak to [through Ezekiel] in verse 2.

The entire chapter of Ezekiel 28 identifies the beings to whom God is speaking. In Part One of this two-part post, we will take a look at the first being God addresses, the satanically influenced human leader of Tyre; the human being who is behind the wickedness and idolatry demonstrated by the city Tyre. It is my intent to identify him by God's own description of him and then to highlight the spiritual characteristics that not only identify him and his followers, but differentiate them from Christ's qualities, of which we should be equated. 

In verse two, God accuses this human leader of having a heart that elevates himself. He actually tells him, "You have said you're a god, sitting in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas". Here, the seas represent humanity; and this leader is declaring that he is centered in the midst of humanity; he is at the heart of humanity. Yet, what does God tell him? He is [only] a man [weak, feeble, made of the earth], and is most certainly not God. Furthermore, this human leader imagines himself to be more than mortal, and thinks himself as wise as God; to be wiser than Daniel; that no secret on the earth is hidden from him. Then God acknowledges that by his wisdom and understanding, this leader has acquired riches and power; bringing gold and silver into his treasuries.

Then God says something that struck my spirit deeply... By your great wisdom and by your trade, you have increased your riches and power, and your heart is proud and arrogant because of your wealth. The King James Version says by your traffic ... The Hebrew word for "traffic" is rekullah, meaning "trade as in peddled merchandise". Are you beginning to get the picture? Yes, God is speaking to the ancient leaders of the wicked and idolatrous city/kingdom of Tyre. But the Bible is the living Word of God and speaks to us in our time, too. Can you recognize the Pride of our nation and leaders in what God speaks to Tyre? Are our nation's leaders not operating in this same proud and arrogant spirit, trading in human lives through sex trafficking, child pornography, and drugs? None of this trade would exist if US leaders truly wanted it eradicated. By default, they are complicit in its existence.

God goes on to tell ancient Tyre that there is a price that will be paid for their Pride. He will bring strangers upon them; "the most ruthless and violent of the nations". He warns that they will draw their swords against the beauty of Tyre's wisdom and defile their splendor. We are seeing that today in our homeland! The beauty of our physical land and the once magnificent qualities of our national identity are being squandered. God further warns that ancient Tyre will be brought down to the pit of destruction by these invaders, unable to still claim to be a god. He reminds Tyre that they are only men (made of earth) and not God; unable to save themselves from those that wound and profane them. "You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord". 

I ask you, can you see that the Pride and Arrogance of our once grand nation is on the verge of bringing us down to destruction? That strangers have been brought upon us, even as our leaders proclaim that we are still the "Greatest Nation on Earth"? Can we, with true humility, still say that? Or has our pride so corrupted us that we think that God will allow us to continue in our wicked "trade and trafficking", without calling us to account? 

I believe God blessed this nation into existence; that we once represented everything good about men who followed the Lord -- the freedom to become who we were designed to be; to reap what we have righteously sown; to recognize, honor and worship the One who bestowed such riches upon this land. But I also believe that we have been guilty of taking it all for granted; that we thought we didn't need to protect those blessings because we began to think it would never end. Just like the human prince of Tyre, we began to worship ourselves and our abilities, thinking we were still honoring Him, even as we proclaimed that He was no longer needed in our schools or the halls of Congress. We began to become our own gods, thinking we were as wise as God, able to outthink Him and make our own plans. And now we are reaping what we have unrighteously sown.  

God warned ancient Tyre that He was taking away His protection from them and removing their position of authority in the land. We may soon experience that in our own land. But even in the midst of that kind of invasion, we must remain true to who God created us to be. We have not been promised a rich and prosperous nation forever; to live in comfort and wealth. We have been promised eternal life by walking humbly with Him; giving Him glory [rather than ourselves]; and steadfastly remaining in faith, even in the midst of sorrows and persecution. That is the message of the first half of Ezekiel. In Part Two, we will take a look at the "spiritual" king of Tyre; who that might be and how his pride and arrogance will be his downfall. 

#princeoftyre #kingoftyre #prideandarrogance #ezekiel28 #ephesians6:12 #satansinfluence #thedevilisinthedetails #prideandhumility #reapwhatyousow #godsrighteousjudgment #manversusgod #manswickedheart #iamgod #wickedandidolatrous #godofheavenandearth #pridegoesbeforeafall

Jeremiah 9:23-24     Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”    

  

     

Can There Be Victory Without War?

As a Christian, I know the messages of Matthew and the Book of Revelations ... there will be wars between the advocates of Evil and God's servants of Good. The Lord tells us so. But His revelations to the Apostle John also promise us Victory -- not only because of what He has done for us, but because we have served Him well through the tribulations and sorrows that come with warfare. And we know there will be a final war in which Evil will be defeated for a thousand years, before Satan is once again released to wage the final battle with Jesus. 

So, how are we, in this generation, to view the state of the world today? You have to be totally blind not to see that the world sits on the precipice of WW3. Once again, Israel is at the center of worldwide conflict which is being waged over possession of the land, as well as the prodigious oil fields, which the world powers covet. No matter how much you hear that other energy sources will eventually surpass our appetite for oil, don't you believe it -- the world operates on the production of oil. But lest we forget, or misunderstand, God is the ruler of the world; all its resources in both sea and earth are His. He owns the heavens and all their galaxies, and He will provide the benefits of those resources to whomever partners with Him in His Kingdom ministry.

So, what are we to make of the war in Israel today, and what does it signify for our future? There is a Latin phrase, by Roman author, Publius Flavius Vegetius Rentaus, which says #Si Pacem, para bellum, which translates "If you want peace, prepare for war". That was during the 4th or 5th century. In more recent decades, our own political leaders have voiced the #peace through strength motto; most notably proposed by Ronald Reagan in a 1980 campaign speech against Jimmy Carter. In that speech, Reagan said, "We know that peace is the condition under which mankind was meant to flourish. Yet peace does not exist of its own will. It depends on us, on our courage to build it and guard it and pass it on to future generations. George Washington's words may seem hard and cold today, but history has proven him right again and again. "To be prepared for war," he said, "is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." Well, to those who think strength provokes conflict, #Will Rogers had his own answer. He said of the world heavyweight champion of his day: "I've never seen anyone insult #Jack Dempsey". Since that campaign, the phrase and ideology has become a mainstay in the Republican Party platform.

But taking politics out of the argument, does this idea of peace through strength apply to our faith and the Church? Surely, we have seen that the Church has been much more comfortable operating in compromise and concessions, rather than consistently and purposely fighting for God's principles. I dare say that is why we have abortion, lawlessness, skewed ideas of marriage and gender, and so many other legal and social issues. It's simple ... We cannot say we are "for" good, if we are not "against" evil. That axiom applies to cultural standards, military codes of operation, and spiritual precepts. 

Unfortunately, we have gone through more than two generations since we, collectively, as a nation, agreed on "no compromise" when it comes to our standards. Here is a Biblical reference [made by #Pastor Asher Intrater, a Messianic Believer in Israel] of why we need to take a good hard look at our Belief System in these chaotic days. He asks the question, "Why did the Israelites spend 40 years wandering in the desert? The old “exodus” generation had to die out, and a new generation take over. What was their problem? The “Ex” generation was not willing to fight in the war against evil". 

Exodus 13:17 tells us the story ... So it happened, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war [that is, that there will be war], and return to Egypt.” As Asher Intrater explains it, "They could have gone directly from Egypt into victory in Canaan-land. But they weren’t ready to fight. So, they were redirected into the wilderness to wander for a full generation, until the next generation could be raised up. There were three stages: salvation from slavery; then wandering in the wilderness; then fighting for victory".

I found it interesting that [in his writing] he also insinuated that Israeli society was struggling with this concept of war vs compromise. I believe our own nation, and especially the Church, must come to terms with it themselves. That leads me to asking you this question ... do you believe that God wants us to live in victory and His fulfilled promises? But if there is a battle between Good and Evil, doesn't war eventually become necessary for victory? Is it not true, that we can't enter into victory if we're not willing to fight? We can't compromise or concede our way to a complete and fulfilled victory! As much as we don't want to admit it, learning warfare is a necessary step to gaining faithfulness and moral character.

And there is a statement that the good Pastor made that will shake many Christians to the core; those who only see Jesus as #the Prince of Peace, and not in His full identity which includes a #Warrior King and #Commander of Heaven's armies ... "God wants you to know war. That is hard for some to grasp. Fighting in moral, spiritual, and military warfare is part of walking in faith. To fear God is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13). If we haven’t been through war, we miss some basic aspects of faith: Fighting a war demands obedience, discipline, holiness, faithfulness, courage, sacrifice, a victorious spirit, punishment of evil, justice, and salvation. Messiah Yeshua is not only the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6): He is also the Commander of the Armies (Joshua 5:13, Revelation 19:11)".

This statement comes from a Believing and Confessing Jewish Pastor, whom I believe is part of the remnant of Israel that God is calling upon to restore His Name in His Holy Land. And I believe it is a statement that all Christians need to embrace as well! the Bible tells us there is a war that has been waging from the beginning of time between God and the devil; between Good and Evil. And the climax of this war is coming soon! It is time to regain the knowledge of what it means to have a fighting spirit. It's time to be victorious once again as God's army on earth. Let us leave this vapid and feeble wilderness, and raise up a generation that knows how to fight for the Lord! 

God had to send a generation of Israelites to wander in the desert because they didn't have a fighting spirit. Their years in captivity and slavery had robbed them of their true identity and their desire to war. But God had a mission for them to do, and it could not be done through compromise or concession. We have a decision to make -- are we ready to change our paradigm from #lukewarm Church to #warring Ekklesia? Do we recognize that there is a time for war and a time for peace, and for the sake of the lost, it is our time to fight? Are we ready to leave the wilderness behind and cross over to the victory that awaits us? Remember: it is Jesus Christ, the royal King and Warrior who leads us against our mutual foe, and we will be treading where the saints before us have gone. It's time to leave the wilderness!

NOTE: I ask that as you go to the links provided in this post, that you seek the wisdom of the Lord as you read these various opinions. I do not present myself as in agreement with them all, nor propose that you agree with them, but rather take them to the Lord and listen for His voice to direct you to His Truth. As always, I suggest that you "eat the meat and spit out the bones", trusting in the Lord and your own discernment. They are meant as a starting point for your own research. 

#peacethroughstrength; #AsherIntrater; #PrinceofPeace; #WarriorKing; #HeavensArmies; # LukewarmChurch; # Ekklesia; #WanderingintheWilderness; #Warvscompromise #EndTimestheology; #WarsandRumorsofWar; #EndTimesProphecy

Revelation 19:11.   And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations].   

The Cost of Being A Jew Today

Before I get to the point of this post, I want to share a particular testimony ... There are times I discern something in my spirit so strongly and unexpectedly, that I know without a doubt, that it is coming from God. Somehow, I know that the thoughts I am experiencing are not my thoughts, and their sudden emergence is either from God or Satan. This happened to me in 2015 during a visit to #Holocaust Museum Houston. My husband and I had visited the much larger national #Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. in 2012, and it was a specific story that drew us to its counterpart in Houston.

The pictures and possessions of the children and parents and grandparents who were incinerated in the ovens broke my heart, and my emotions were overwhelmed as I noticed how many of the photos [of those who survived] were donated by their descendants who were part of the huge Jewish population in Houston -- and I recognized some of the names of college friends from my days as a University of Texas student, making it even more personal. But it was the little known WWII story that had compelled Mark and me to make the trip to this honored Museum.

There was to be a rededication of a WWII Danish rescue boat, named #Hanne Frank, what the Houston Chronicle called "a rare World War II artifact that was part of an even rarer effort". The article when on to report ... "While the Nazis were marching across Europe, the Danes made a remarkable decision. They were going to make sure the German war machine did not take Danish Jews to concentration camps. Denmark was the only country to make a nationwide effort to save their Jewish population with fisherman ferrying more than 7,200 Jews to safety in Sweden.' They never considered themselves heroes,' said Consul Anna Thomsen Holliday of Denmark. 'They were just doing what was right.' " I invite you to read the entire #article for a detailed picture of what this boat meant to the community. 

It was this exhibit and its story that preceded the strong prompting that my spirit received. I found myself approaching the docent at the Museum. I told her, "This is going to sound strange to you, but if you would consider it, I would like to leave our name and phone number, because I believe there will soon come a time when we Christians will once again need to protect Jews -- only it will happen here in our own country". Well, you can imagine that she looked at me like I was a lunatic, and stammered some polite response, but took down our information. Once again, God had called us to be #Watchmen on the Wall; to warn of some impending event that He wanted His people to be made aware of.  As I look back at that moment 8 years ago, no events were in sight, yet like the Danish boatmen in WWII, Mark and I just wanted to make ourselves available to "do what is right".

Today, my prompting no longer seems so crazy or impossible. The rise in anti-Semitism around the world is climbing at an alarming rate. As the American Church, there are many Christians who automatically assumed that the nations of the world would rally around Israel in her time of need. And Christians assumed they knew who Israel was, but I invite you to read a couple of recent posts I've written about the #history of Israel in the Middle East, and the reality of #who Israel is today.  Above all, I urge you to read and study your Bible! I am amazed at how little Western Christians know the Biblical Truth about God's chosen people, and the near total lack of understanding [by Christians] of spiritual Israel versus worldly Israel.

Mark and I have been blessed that God has led us to people who have deep connections with #Messianic Jews and their faith organizations in Israel. So, we have been able to get their perspective on the war in Israel and how this minority population of Believers in Jesus [as the Messiah] are faring in the midst of rising persecution. I'd like to share the thoughts of one of the Messianic ministers in Israel [in his own words]. Rather than relying on the news media and social media to tell you what the reality is for a believing Jew in Israel, let Youval Yanay of #Revive Israel share his truth .... 

"The Word of God describes a great war that will break out in the last days, a war in which all nations will gather, lay siege, and attack Jerusalem and Judah. This war will be an intense and cruel war, the mountains will be filled with the bodies of the dead, and cruel acts will take place in the cities (Ezekiel 30-30, Zechariah 12, 14, Revelation 16:14-16, Revelation 19:19-21, and more).

Over the years, when I read these prophecies, such a war seemed unimaginable. After all, while we have many enemies, there are so many countries that would never attack Israel. Following World War II and the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, countries throughout the West became loyal friends of the State of Israel whom we believed would never turn against us.

Today, we see something different, a wave of anti-Semitism spreading like fire throughout the entire world, even in countries once considered loyal friends of Israel. 

In the well-known and esteemed Harvard University, where many world leaders are shaped and educated, the slogan #“From the river to the sea” has emerged as a prominent rallying cry in today’s protests against Israel. It is prominently displayed throughout this university campus. But what does this slogan signify? It refers to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. For anyone familiar with the map of the Middle East, this slogan implies Israel ceases to exist, conveying a message for the destruction of Israel.

Will this wave of anti-Semitism calm once the war ends as has happened in the past? Maybe this time something different is happening before our eyes. For every nation to engage in an attack against Israel, there must be widespread hatred toward Israel, compelling them to attack. It will include leaders from every nation, people of culture, intellectuals, and academics with educated and influential leaders leading their nations to war against Israel. The present circumstance doesn’t currently exist, but are we witnessing the initial stages of a process that could give rise to such a situation? Is this a seed of hate that, when cultivated and matured, may lead to decisions triggering the prophesied great war at the end of days?

Before World War II, anti-Semitism was widely tolerated in Western societies. While not everyone was anti-Semitic, there were varying degrees of anti-Semitism. Some wanted to see the destruction of Jews while others didn’t like them, or just found them unpleasant. 

World War II, and the shock of what happened during the Holocaust, delegitimized anti-Semitism. For several decades, it became much more difficult to publicly express anti-Semitic tendencies and be considered a member of culture. For several decades, anti-Semitism was marginalized. It didn’t disappear but was pushed to the margins. It was a golden age that allowed for the rapid growth of the American Jewish community, and its unprecedented prosperity, and an era that allowed some communities in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Argentina to exist with a sense of security.

A few years ago it became clear that this era was coming to an end. The Second World War, a vivid and recent memory for the preceding generation, has become in this generation a historical event that is far away. Demographic, ideological, and geopolitical changes allowed anti-Semitism to rise. First, hesitantly, and now suddenly in capital cities throughout Western Europe. You have to rub your eyes to really believe what you are seeing: Jewish homes in Paris marked with the Star of David and respected academics expressing satisfaction with the brutal murder of Jews.

Is this something that will pass until another time or is it here to stay—setting the anti-Semitism bar to a new and higher level? If so, how high will this bar be? Is it now, once again, possible to express anti-Semitic ideas and still be considered an educated person of culture, just as it was before World War II? Are we standing at the beginning of the great war at the end of time (Mark 13:33)?  

Maybe, maybe not. We need to be careful to make such predictions. Our part is to pray, study, read the Word, and be busy with what God has prepared for us:  Draw near to Him, long for His presence, listen to Him, and obey His commandments as we leave our old selves behind, conform to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29) and proclaim His Kingdom (Acts 1:8).

When we do these things, we prepare ourselves, our family, and our community for whatever is to come. In peace or war, we have nothing to fear, our strength is in the faithfulness and love of Jesus"....

You have just heard the heart of a faithful Messianic Jewish man, who is not even respected in his own nation of Israel. He is hated by the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community; despised by the majority of his fellow countrymen, who are secular; and discounted by the political non-religious leaders of his government. But he knows the Bible and the prophecies of the End Times, and he understands what is coming; he recognizes it because the warnings are in his DNA. 

I pray that we have not yet reached the level of Satan's hate that will come against the Jews and Christians. I pray that mankind might yet turn back from evil and seek the Most High God and His forgiveness. But, I'll be honest, I see the prophecies unfolding rather quickly and like Youval, I am trying to prepare family and friends for whatever may come, while remaining strong in obedience and faithfulness to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I pray that my prompting of 8 years ago -- to make ourselves available to harbor Jews during another holocaust and persecution --  will not be necessary. May the Lord protect His #Jewish remnant until all who will call upon His Name are identified and fall to their knees and worship Him.

 #Holocaustmuseumhouston #Holocaustmemorialmuseum #hannefrank #watchmanonthewall #historyofisrael #biblicalhistoryofisrael #messianicjews #reviveisrael #fromtherivertothesea #jewishremnant #godsisrael 

Zechariah 14:2-3    For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured and the houses plundered and the women ravished; and half of the city will be exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.

 

Understanding the AntiChrist and What the Bible Reveals About Him

In my last post, I wrote about the warning signs that the Lord has given us to prepare for the tribulation and the appearance of the Antichrist on the earth. Who is the Antichrist and does the Bible mention him? First of all the word simply means "against Christ". The primary attributes are "one who denies the Father and the Son; who does not acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God; and denies that Jesus (as the Son of God) came in the flesh". There are several references, both in the Old and New Testaments, although he's not always called antichrist. Here are just a few of the credentials the Bible ascribes to him...

2 Thessalonians 2:3    Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and #the man of lawlessness is revealed, #the son of destruction.

Matthew 24:23-24    Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For #false christs and #false prophets will arise and perform great #signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

1 John 2:22    Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is #the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:2-3    By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is #the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

As I hope you can discern, the Bible is not talking about some supernatural, apocalyptic creature, but most likely a man who is demonized by Satan to carry out his directives against mankind in order to win the battle between the Kingdom of God and Satan's kingdom of darkness. In fact, the #little horn" in Daniel 7, and "#the Beast" and "the false prophet" of Revelation 13, are representative descriptions of the Antichrist. When the Beast is described as coming up out of #"the sea", that is a euphemism for coming out of the people. 

Look what Revelation 13:18 tells us: This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast [the Antichrist and his False Prophet], for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. Have you ever wondered what the significance of that number is: Consider the footnote for this Scripture, which says, "Regardless of the earthly power of the two beasts (the demonically controlled Antichrist/dictator and his false prophet) described in this verse, they and their mentor, Satan, fall far short of the power, perfection, and majesty of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, whose perfection is represented biblically by the number 7, thus rendering their combined number as 777. Man's number falls short and the Beast, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet are represented as #666.

So, why is it important to know and understand the references to this prophesied man who will do Satan's bidding in #the End Times?  I'd like to share the revelations of the late #Russ Dizdar, a relentless pastor for the Lord; a man who came out of Satanic cults to boldly expound on and dissect Satan's strategies. He was a victim of the Covid pandemic, but will long be remembered for shining God's Light on how Satan operated. In 2015, I heard his podcast on what he called  "The Six Points of Satanic Synchronization", or the ways in which Satan is setting the stage for the appearance of the Anti-Christ.  You may or may not agree with his ministry or his theory, but you cannot deny that the following points make a whole lot of sense.

Point One - Destablization of the World.  Chaos seems to happen no matter how hard we humans try to stop it; it just keeps coming. For the last year we have seen it in the Russia/Ukraine war, and are now seeing it in the Israel/Hamas War, and the threats of global involvement. Race relations in this country do not have to keep being pushed and prodded. What is the purpose of releasing the latest video of police shootings one year after the crimes?  Situations keep arising, as if bidden from some controlling dark force, and our society continues to fall apart, no matter how much we throw at trying to solve the problems. We see it happening in the border crisis, which is spilling over into our own communities and throughout the nations.

Point Two - Instigation.  This is an extension of Point One.  The purpose is to create chaos, disharmony, friction, division, and war.  If it is not happening in the natural world, then spiritual forces will initiate and launch an attack on behalf of the Enemy. Think of the jab. Think of Hamas. 

Point Three - Dismantle.  The goal is to dismantle current systems -- militarily, politically, economically, and spiritually; to tear them apart; to tear them down; and to replace them with satanically-influenced substitutes. Sadly, that includes Religion and the Church. Can you deny that it is all happening?

Point Four - Crisis upon Crisis.  This tactic is like chopping down a tree... continually striking until the world system comes down; defeating it blow by blow until Point Five occurs. 

Point Five - Weaken.  After the world suffers continual destabilization, instigation, dismantling, crisis upon crisis, it will become weakened. The will and resolve of the peoples of the world will be devastated and they will turn to drugs, alcohol, and any other method to numb the pain. Hopelessness is the ultimate goal. I would say that we're in the midst of this process, and we have to be blind not to see it. 

Point Six - The Final Result is Diminished Capacity.  Mankind will be unable to resist the onslaught of the Anti-Christ and his forces -- unless we call upon the strength and the power of Jesus Christ! We must come to the conclusion that we cannot think or build our way out of this mess on our own; and Politics is not the answer. The Savior and The Cross are the only way out.

And that is the ultimate message we must take away from this understanding and knowledge.  The Antichrist will be the visible manifestation of the dark side and he will need to utilize all the strategies that Satan shows him.  But we must remember that the power of Christ in us is greater than anything Satan and the Antichrist can throw at us. And we can call on the Lord to give us a visible manifestation of His authority and power on the earth, and that will give us the Hope and Endurance that will be necessary to battle in the Spirit and persevere in our victory!

That word, Antichrist, can strike terror in the hearts of men, but we must remember that at his core he is a deceiver; a godless man who has allied himself with Satan to receive all the false promises with which the devil tempted Jesus ... that he would control everything on the earth; that his demonic forces would protect him; and that  Satan would give him the glory, magnificence, splendor, and excellence of all the kingdoms of the world -- IF he [the Antichrist; the man who denied Jesus as the Son of God] would fall down and worship him, the devil. 

We must understand that there have been many Antichrists [unholy, ungodly, blasphemous men] that Satan has used throughout the history of the world to promote and advance his kingdom of darkness. I invite you to read the Amplified version of #Daniel 11 to see who God reveals in the Bible as some of these historic figures. And within modern times, men like #Hitler, #Pol Pot, and #Mao have met the qualifications of Satan's right-hand man. 

In summary, I do not pretend to know when this Biblical figure will appear, or who he might be. But I believe everything the Word reveals about him. And I do not live in fear of what he will bring on the earth. The Bible tells us what to expect and I am making myself ready to discern [in my spirit] when it's time to awaken to the reality of the Antichrist, and step into the realm that is Jesus and the battle plan He has prepared for us. Remember: the Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the Righteous run into it [Him!] and are safe! And in the proper time, He will go before us into battle and His victory!!

#manoflawlessness #sonofdestruction #antichrist #antichristspirit #falsechrists #falseprophets #signsandwonders #thebeast #thelittehorn #666 #theendtimes #biblicalprophecies #thebible #daniel11 #revelation13 #satansstrategies #therebellion

Daniel 8:25.  And through his shrewdness he will cause deceit to succeed by his hand (influence); he will magnify himself in his mind, he will corrupt and destroy many who enjoy a false sense of security. He will also stand up and oppose the Prince of princes, but he will be broken, and that by no human hand [but by the hand of God].

 

For the Sake of The Elect

You can feel it. The fear and anxiety are palpable, as millions of people in America and around the world are beginning to take off their blinders and are discerning the truth of #Biblical prophecy. We all see the storm clouds on the horizon, and it's not hard to recognize that chaos and disorder are on the brink of erupting in all areas of our lives. From the economy to the education of our children; from the instability and destruction at our borders, to the unreliability and quagmire in the halls of Congress, we are a nation [and world] in deep conflict. And we don't just feel the threat from domestic sources. We can sense the anticipation of our foreign enemies as they seek to take advantage of our internal turmoil. We are on the verge of #lawlessness and collapse. 

We, who are discerning correctly, know the time that is at hand and what we are seeing; we recognize the times and seasons we are experiencing. But the truth is that the #Antichrist doesn't want us to know the times and seasons as attested to in Daniel 7:25, "He will speak words against the Most High [God] and wear down the saints of the Most High, and he will intend to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, [two] times, and half a time [three and one-half years]".

We all recognize this familiar Scripture as describing the #Tribulation, which according to the Bible, will be a seven-year period in which the hand of God is removed from a world that has rejected Him for so long -- which results in the Anti-Christ and his agenda of evil which will reign down on the just and the unjust. [NOTE: Remember, we still have hope ... "And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened".] Our God is a righteous Judge, and in the end, Evil will be defeated and His people will be victorious.

But, unfortunately, the Church has not prepared Christ's flock to recognize the tactics of Satan's subordinates so that we might discern #the beginning of sorrows that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24. For too long, we have been deceived into believing that we will escape the "sorrows". So, that has led the Church to tolerate evil; choosing not take a stand against it; and allowed false teachers and false theology into our midst in the #spirit of compromise and reconciliation. Jesus never taught that! Furthermore, He gave us the actual "signs" to look for, that we might perceive the wickedness that Satan and his Antichrist were preparing in order to keep the restoration of the earth and the reign of Christ, the Messiah, from occurring. 

Jesus told His apostles (and us) that there would be significant signs that those birth pangs, or sorrows, were beginning.  We are to watch for them, so that we will know His return is imminent and we can prepare to endure as we earnestly go about our business of helping the Holy Spirit save as many souls as possible. I know I don't need to remind the faithful of what those signs are, but how many of you have been paying attention to their appearance? Are you seeing them? The first thing Jesus tells His apostles is, "Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]."  I don't know about you, but I feel as though we are seeing Deception on Steroids!  There is cultural deception in sexual identity issues; economic deception among our financial institutions; political deception on all levels by both parties; and spiritual deception in the growth of cult religions, demonic possession and oppression, and false teachings about what we can expect to suffer.   

Secondly, the Lord says that there will be "wars and rumors of wars". I think we can agree that we are past the rumors, at this point. The whole world is about to go over that cliff. He also warns that there will be extreme famine, pestilence, and earthquakes. It is quite apparent that the world's food supply is diminishing. Millions have died from pestilence and disease over the last three years [with more deadly viruses declared for this winter]. And just today, the headlines are full of the news of earthquakes erupting across the globe. Experts warn that volcanic eruptions in Iceland could last for weeks; with 2800 tremors detected in 24 hours. There are warnings that Italy's Mount Etna is on the verge of intense activity, as well as Mt. Fuji in the Pacific. All this points to the warning that when the major volcanos of the world start going active at the same time, the amount of volcanic ash in the atmosphere has serious consequences for the planet's weather conditions. If the sun is blocked out, famine is not far behind. Does anyone else think of Revelation 8:7 ... The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 

 So why is it important for us to be able to recognize these signs?  If we believe that God is sovereign and there will truly be tribulation before Christ's return, what is the purpose for us to have this knowledge?  I believe it is as Jesus says in John 13:19... From now on I am telling you [what will happen] before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may believe that I am He [who I say I am—the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah].  I also believe it is so that we may prepare to endure what is coming; be able to witness to those who may fall for the deception; and to speak God's Truth into the Satanic coordination and strategy for End Times events.  What does that look like militarily, politically, and economically -- especially if we think that we are at the beginning of those "sorrows"?

I fear that too many Christians have received an incomplete education within our Western religious institutions. Too many have no knowledge of the period of time in which the Antichrist reigns on the earth, and how that will affect mankind. We've been taught to just wait for the trumpets to sound from Heaven, indicating that Jesus will soon appear in the sky to take us all home. We will escape all "the bad stuff". After all, we've inherited the "Good News" of the Gospel, right? But that is not the whole counsel of God, which is apparent if you are a true student of the Bible. 

So, in my next post, I'd like to share what the Lord has brought to my attention about how Satan is setting the stage for the appearance of the Antichrist. I do not do this to scare you, but to complement what Scripture tells us, so that we might all be able to stand in our #power and authority [without fear] and encourage and exhort all men and women -- both #the Elect and those we will minister to for Salvation and the Kingdom. We need not cower in submission to the Enemy, but be strengthened in the Might of the Lord!

#biblicalprophecy #manoflawlessness #thetribulation #antichrist #endtimes #beginningofsorrows #jacobstrouble #signsoftheendtimes #theendtimes #powerandauthority #theelect #warsandrumorsofwar #thefailureofthechurch #earthquakesinthebible #famineinthebible #wholecounselofgod  

2 Timothy 3:1    But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear].        

"A Generation Which Ignores History Has No Past and No Future"

The title of this post is a quote by one of the most celebrated and prolific science-fiction writers of our time, Robert Heinlein. Here's what Wikipedia says about him: "Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought". I agree with his line of reasoning. But to that theme, I would add the importance of knowing and understanding history.

I remember being in total shock after a conversation with a friend who has been a middle school teacher for many years. She was bemoaning the lack of funding for education, and then dropped the bombshell .... when forced to make cuts, her school had mandated the elimination of American history classes from the curriculum. That was in 2012, folks! At the time I thought that money was at the root of this disastrous decision. I was well aware of the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation that tied student performance to federal funding. The states began evaluating schools through similar federal/state accountability systems that focused on reading and mathematics. Schools with student test scores that did not meet goals established under these systems risked losing federal funds and autonomy. The result was that administrators eliminated history from their curriculum entirely, or reduced it to as little as 30 minutes per week!

It didn't take me long to surmise the real purpose. Under the guise of funding issues, there was a deliberate effort to eliminate the importance of knowing the history of colonial America, the Revolutionary War, the expansion and industrialization of the 19th century, and the Civil War. Since these subjects were generally taught in the lower grades, the only comprehensive history lessons would take place in junior high and high school, where history is concentrated on 20th century history. This was the real agenda! These new educational standards gave the American education system the opportunity to ignore the portion of American history that taught American idealism and values. 

And here's how I experienced that up close and personal... I clearly remember sitting in my freshman history class at a big state university [in 1972], when the teaching assistant [translation: young graduate student] told our class of impressionable college freshmen that he could not, in good conscience, teach anything about American history before 1945 because America was "imperialistic" and "greedy". I remember thinking, "But I love American history; especially early American history". My naive and inexperienced mind couldn't recognize what I can now see as the Progressive mindset of that professor. I can also recall other tirades from his position of influence that broadcast his hatred for capitalism and American greatness. 

The seeds were planted all those years ago in fertile minds, and I'm sure some of those students, or their kids, went on to serve on Education Boards that ultimately set the course for the K-12 education system we see today. Stop for a minute, and just think how quickly [and stealthily] this anti-American mindset crept into the identity of American children. I want you to understand that I am not naive about the reality of who and what America was, and has become. My years of living and experience have taught me that America is far from perfect, and there have always been dishonest and unprincipled men throughout our history. But I also believe in the goodness of America and am proud of our ingenuity and our compassion for those around the world. The fact that amoral and evil men have taken advantage of those qualities, does not eliminate their truth. 

But taking away instruction in our history robs students of more than their past. It hinders their development of critical thinking when they are criticized and censured for a dissenting opinion. They aren't allowed [or encouraged] to develop analytical abilities to evaluate evidence, understand historical perspectives, or other discipline-specific skills, an opinion promoted by the American Historical Association. 

We are now seeing parents waking up to the over-reaching influence that School Boards and teachers are having on this generation of kids. By removing parental consent from the decision-making of what their children are taught, we have reaped an educational system that no longer represents the ideals of America. And removing our history was the first step in restructuring the heart of this nation. Think about it -- if they can deny our kids the historical perspective of how our country dealt with the ratification of the Constitution (through ballot propositions); the contentious Presidential election of 1860 (by offering candidates); the Boston Tea Party (with grassroots campaigns); or the fur trade (creating new employment opportunities) that swept the country and Europe, then they can persuade them to think and act along socialist, communist, and progressive lines. If they don't learn about the self-determination, enterprise and inventiveness of freedom-loving individuals that was so prized in the first two centuries of our nation's history, then they will fall right in line and become robots for the globalist agenda. 

"A generation that ignores history has no past and no future". We DO have a past and a history. The question is, will we continue to have a future? It's up to us to preserve it for the next generations and teach them, not only to value our unique history, but how to create a future that perpetuates all that is good about us. This battle has been going on for over two generations. And the battle is far from over. We have lost valuable ground in this nation, and I pray that restoration is in our future. 

#americanhistory #history #education #educationsystem #americaneducation #knowingourhistory #criticalthinking #antiamericansentiment #preservingourhistory #nochildleftbehind #historyclasses #progressivethinking #takingbackeducation

Deuteronomy 4:9    Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.         

Do We Have Time To Restore Our Birthright?

Within the first two months of beginning this blog (2012), I wrote a post titled, Mothers, Teach Your Children. My purpose in approaching this topic was that I possessed a standard to live by because I was raised on the courage and moral values of my ancestors, but I was becoming concerned that our children and grandchildren were no longer interested in knowing those values or preserving them. 

I was taught many skills that my grandmother took for granted when she was growing up (knitting, canning, baking bread, gardening), and was taught to acknowledge gifts with a hand-written thank you note, and to say thank you, yes sir, and excuse me, when it was appropriate -- the kinds of things that contribute to a civilized society. I'm pretty sure that Generation Z and the newly christened Generation Alpha thinks those abilities are useless and archaic.

As a Baby Boomer, my most prized possession is my Family Bible, dating back to 1814. In it are recorded the births, marriages, and deaths of a long line of people that leads to me. It is not only a reminder that this world is not all about me, but it helps  me to remember who I am and where I came from. You see, I wanted to know their stories and experiences; to learn of the hard work and perseverance that brought them through some of the most difficult times and adversities this country had ever seen. 

I cherished the handed down history of my family from the Civil War (burying the family silverware to keep it from being stolen by General Sherman's advancing army); through the Depression, when my Grandmother did washing and mending of clothes to put food on the table for her five children, after my Grandfather died at the young age of 32; through my Dad getting his parent's permission to sign up, at 17, to go to war, after Pearl Harbor. 

I wanted to think that I could be as brave and determined as they were in the face of those adverse circumstances. When I wrote that post in 2012, I remarked, "I have a feeling, that very soon, I'm going to have the opportunity to prove myself worthy of their legacies". And now, nearly 12 years later, I see what's on the horizon and I'm discerning that my time has come.

And, believe me, I am not claiming that our country is perfect! Not by a long shot! There has always been an underlying element of men [and women] whose loyalties have been attached to nefarious and wicked schemes to benefit themselves and the Luciferian ruler of this world. But our God has always been present, working through Godly men and women to help us stay the course and serve Him, according to His will. Sadly, that knowledge and faithfulness to the God of the Universe is disappearing.  

I'm not so concerned about how I will handle the trouble that's coming. I KNOW who I am, and not only who I came from, but where I'm going. But I do worry about the generations that are following us. Do they know? Because I'm not sure the legacy and birthright of the individuals that built this nation have been taught or inherited by those who are being primed to take over the running of the country. Certainly, those who are relying on TikTok for their news and information have no idea of the truth and spirit of this nation. 

To quote an article from thefp.com, "Never before has a foreign adversary had a direct line to feed agitprop [agitating propaganda] into the youth of their enemy, and that's what China has done with TikTok, the viral video app managed by (call me crazy), the Chinese Communist Party...Basically, China realized that our army is strong, but our minds are soft and weak and those minds need videos of people with pet ducks, and we will accept an interlude of straight Ham*s disinformation, then [watch] nurses doing the slide, then [finish with] an interlude about how America is the world's devil, so long as right after, there's pile of happy kittens! [Excuse me, but] our kingdom for a fart joke".

The author of that quote perfectly captures just how Tik Tok is hypnotizing the minds of our generations with brainless entertainment, and mixing in a few propaganda messages about why they should hate our evil country. Very few have the knowledge or the truth to refute the indoctrination, nor are they willing to make the effort -- as long as the laughing babies and cute puppy dog videos stream nonstop. There is no real journalistic news being presented; only what the Chinese government wants to feed us.

But it's really no different than how Israel, in the Old Testament, strayed from their inheritance and privilege when they turned from God in favor of the pleasures of the  world. And it's no different than when Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. Biblical Israel switched its loyalties to new gods, abandoned the commandments YHWH had taught them, and became increasingly rebellious and wicked. Many, many times, God reminded Israel that they had forgotten who they were, and in doing so, had forgotten Him.

Can't we say the same thing about ourselves? Haven't we rejected our birthright -- the inheritance our ancestors paid such a huge price to pass on to us? By definition, birthright means "a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth". Are we so willing to sacrifice the freedom that is our birthright? And for what? Another captivating video? It certainly seems to me that we are on the verge of losing our birthright and inheritance, and I'm not sure that our youth even understand the consequences of that loss.

So, please join me in praying for our generations, before it is too late! And please take the time to teach your children and grandchildren of the rich history of courage, resiliency, fortitude, and the love and power of God that is able to deliver us from the world's tribulations. Teach them how to think for themselves. Teach them to be grateful for the birthright they have inherited, and which can still be theirs -- if they will embrace it. Teach them all it has meant to be a child of God and of the riches He has given this country. Teach them before it all becomes just a memory.

#birthright; #americanbirthright; #americanlegacy; #americanhistory; #familyhistory; #americanresiliency; #americanfortitude; #americancourage; #americanfreedom #inheritance; #dangersoftiktok: #agitprop; #restoration; #birthrightoffreedom; #teachyourchildren; #Godismyinheritance 

Deuteronomy 4:9     Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children—